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Don Chilito's
Categories: Restaurants Mexican Restaurants Tex-Mex Mexican, Tex-Mex [Edit]
7017 Johnson DrMission, KS 66202
(913) 432-4615
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11 am - 9 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am - 10 pm
Sun 12 pm - 9 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
31 reviews for Don Chilito's
Review Highlights
"The bean burrito smothered in red sauce is divine."
(in 5 reviews)
"My dad swears by the Texas Burrito with CCQ."
(in 2 reviews)
"...honey for the cinnamon sugar sopapillas served buffet style."
(in 3 reviews)
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31 reviews in English
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Review from Randy B.
Trimble, MO
2/4/2012
i have to tell you that you have the prettiest latino cashier girl ive ever seen,shes friendly and keeps me coming back.
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Review from Troy O.
1/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
So this place is a special kind of trashy. For starters there is a sign while you are in the Cafeteria line (Yes Cafeteria line. First sign of classy) that reads we have had to raise our prices but "hey you dont have to tip." I have no problem with places raising prices but if your kickback is hey you don't have to tip thats a problem.
Got the specials they were cheap. That was good.
No one smiles. Everyone has a "what are you waiting for" glare
Everything is Microwaved
Decor out dated and looks dirty
Food is just okay
One positive is the unlimited Chips and Sopapillas they are okay and the troughs have tongs so they are not as nasty as some of these reviews.
The Tortillas on enchiladas were over cooked probably due to the microwaving.
Tacos were hard enough to break teeth and the Rice was way over cooked
Help 1/5 stars. Not friendly. Barely helpful.
Price 4/5 It is cheap. They have that going for them.
Decor 1/5 Extremely dated and dirty.
Food 2.5/5 Okay chips and sopapillas but the good ends there. -
Review from Rob D.
Mission, KS
12/20/2011
If you want your food prepared by microwave...then you'll love this place. I can throw canned cheese on burritos and nuke them at home, no need to come back here.
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Review from Kim N.
6/8/2011
I have eaten here since high school, and I always get the same thing. I always get the meat burrito smoothered in red sauce.
The food is not the best mexican food in KS, but it is decent Tex-Mex. The sopaipillas are really good and you can eat as many as you want.
The chips, salsa and sopaipillas are on an all you can eat buffet style table. I love the fact that you eat as much as you want of the chips and sopaipillas that you can cover in honey, and it is at no additional cost.
The portions are big and you can even split them and get enough to eat.
It is a family owned establishment and has been since day one. You get good service, no frills, but you will eat well and leave happy.
Great place to stop in for a quick bite -
Review from Carolyn L.
Palatine, IL
12/19/2010 1 Check-in Here
OH MY FAVORITE GREASY SPOON!!! I have been going here since I was born (my parents used to live in Kansas City and started taking me here on trips to visit my relatives). It's like the one place I HAVE to visit every time we go to Kansas. The CCQ is sooooo good and they LOAD it on to every plate. The portions are crazy! Just get used to feeling obese when you walk out of the restaurant. It's a secret family recipe so unfortunately I cannot recreate it at home. But once a year Don Chilito's is a special treat for the fmaily and it never gets old!!!
Oh and as for the reviews claiming this is not TexMex, not Tex, not Mex...well duh!!! Still love the food though. I don't care what is claims to be, I just care about what it is! -
Review from Lisa L.
Kansas City, KS
3/22/2011
The only thing unique about this place is the nasty smell coming from the bathroom....This place has a trough of chips so everyone in the restaurant can man handle the chips your about to eat and the Salsa is bad Picante Sauce. I think the reason they drown your food in cheese sauce is to add flavor. You are only allowed to have two packs of honey per visit and trust me they eye ball how many you get.
I just don't get why this place is always busy? The last time I went there I ordered potato skins....lol -
Review from Tim E.
Mission, KS
7/17/2011
Seriously how is this place still open??
They microwave your food right in front of you. It's meat wrapped in a tortilla and coated in canned cheese. then nuke it.
It's a stretch to call this Tex-Mex. I am unsure why this place gets anything above 2 stars, ever. -
Review from Dana C.
Kansas City, MO
9/19/2010 ROTD 11/23/2010
As other reviewers have stated, my parents used to go here when they were first dating. I used to drive here from Leavenworth when I was 16 with my good friend Bekah all the way down the hills of Johnson Drive to get a taste of Don Chilitos.
Anywoo, yes, I am a little more lenient on this restaurant because I have been eating there since I was a kid. It hasn't changed over the years and it is cafeteria style dining.
I can see why others don't care for it, but the atmosphere is what I enjoy when I dine there. I usually get the enchiladas (Chilito style minus the tomato) and ground beef tacos.
I like the sopapilla bar, but I believe they are now charging for honey. There salsa is mediocre at best, but I believe this restaurant is worth a try if you don't mine loads of gooey cheese ( and not only do I not mind loads of gooey cheese, I encourage it!) -
Review from Carol R.
10/12/2010
They have a chip trough! Maybe I have low standards, but a chip trough gets a whole star from me.
I came here when my parents visited me last because my mom kept talking about it and I live a mere few blocks away and IHOP just didn't sound good. This stuff is neither haute cuisine nor authentic. It is pretty much, as Dayne B. said, the Furr's of Mexican food.
Cheap food specials, uh..."nostalgic" decor. My parents agreed the place hadn't changed since they came 40 years ago. Apparently the food hasn't either, and man, were they thrilled. And, if we're being completely honest here (we are), I liked it too. If you want Tex Mex smothered in cheese sauce, all-you-can-eat sopapillas, and to get your own chips from a huge trough, this is your place. And come on, everyone wants that sometimes. Or maybe I just have low standards. -
Review from Paul R.
Kansas City, MO
8/29/2010
The one thing everyone who rated this gastric grotequesness high is that none of them knows what real mexican food should look, smell or taste like.
This place is the bottom of the heap. The food is bland, gelatinous and has the texture of paste, except paste probably tastes better.
We went for dinner, and I still feel ill 48 hours later. The decor is old, the staff simian at best and the food tastes like rejected school cafeteria slop.
DO NOT WASTE TIME OR MONEY ON THIS DISGUSTING FOOD. You'll be happier done the street at one of the small "real" mexican eateries...
Or, if you are nostolgic, stop by CVS for antacids..you'll need 'em -
Review from Tresha G.
10/11/2010 1 Check-in Here
I had heard people talk about the place being good. Our favorite pupusa place was closed so up johnson dr and ended up here to try.
I assumed it was a typical restaurant. The two doors, one for carryout and other for cafeteria, changed that. So we walk in and roomie suddenly turns around and says, "It smells like white people mexican food". Uhh... ok is all I could muster out at the moment and shoved her to order.
I got the Don's plate (cheese & beef enchilada and 2 tacos). Roomie got a beef chimichanga and blanco queso. Pretty much you tell a person what you want and they slap and nuke it together. Then you go pay.
There is a salsa bar of mild and hot puree and chunky. A bin of chips and sopaipillas (honey is kept hostage by cashier). We got to eating and actually it was ok. Or as roomie put it "I had my doubts, but this white mexi food is alright". Mr. Little Pepper, you've taken a Guatemalean to your side.
The bad being the booths are too close to the tables. Also, clean up was extremely slow after people left. Other than that, it's doable tex-mex.Listed in: Latin adventures
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Review from Jenni M.
Overland Park, KS
11/6/2011
Have been going to Don Chilito's since 1975 with my parents - now I go with my daughter - ample portions - consistent food. My favorite is the Texas Beef and Bean Burrito - Chilito Style - Big Top. My daughter loves the cheese enchiladas. No it's not classically prepared food - but always brings back wonderful memories of family and friends who have gone there and had good times!
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Review from leann h.
Kansas City, MO
1/25/2011 2 photos
Once a Don Chilitos virgin, not anymore!
Me LIKES Don Chilitos.
I don't know how they do it but this place does a great job at mixing American-mexican food with a variety of Tex-mex here and there, and authentic Mexcian food.
So if your want something like mom used to make or something a little more zippy they have it. ( and a kids menu with things for them to eat too. that's handy.)
The food is tasty, well priced, atmosphere is great for a quick bite during lunch, families or a group of friends and I noticed that people from all walks of life were eating there.
The first time, I went with two other friends and got to sample their food too which was great because it has since made me go back for more.
Everything I have was really good.
If you like seafood try the Seafood Empanada, it was on point! -
Review from Paul L.
Kansas City, MO
9/23/2009
My favorite Mexican Restaurant from as far back as the 80's!:) ...and the place has hardly changed since then. THANK YOU! The absolute best of the best they have continued to provide without exception anywhere to be found is their queso ... which they liberally layer on enchiladas, burritos, re-fried beans or on the side for dipping. MMMMMMM! Authentic? Who the hell cares...as if there actually IS such a thing. It's true to their beginning and is awesome!
Loved it then, love it now. If you don't go...fine. More for me:) -
Review from tom k.
Kansas City, MO
8/6/2009
Is eating at don chilito's a good reason for calling in sick at work?
DCs is pretty much the architype for what "coastal snobs" think the Midwest is all about. Everything here is drenched in some sort of sauce (usually queso) and there is a requisite all-you-can-eat bar that comes with your meal. I'm also pretty sure that whomever designed the menu in the 70s was allergic to cilantro. With all that said, I was still excited to try the throwback "Mexican" food.
The place is set up like a cafereria similar to some of the larger BBQ spots. I was encouraged by the butch lesbian ordertaker but everything went downhill from there. All the food appesrs preprepared and then reheated in some sort of microwave as you wait in line. They do have it down to a science, but nothing complex is coming out of this place. The food looks good, but has no flavor. Gobs of solidified cheese all over the plate...covered in queso (given a choice of "red" sauce or queso). Some of the other items I saw did look good, but again covered in a mountainous amount of sour cream or some other topping.
I can definitely understand the appeal of DC, but it just seems completely unremarkable to me. In a city with so many underappreciated food spots, the popularity of somewhere like this only builds on the stereotypes of the ks suburbs and generally the Midwest. I don't need a all-you-can-eat stale chip bar and 2lbs. of cheese sauce on a plate to feel satisfied with a meal.Listed in: Fatty McFatterson, Why did I drink so much last…
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Review from Colleen O.
New York, NY
10/3/2008 1 photo
Where else can I get bottomless sopaipillas? I had never had one before Don Chilitos, but the first time I did I will never forget that cinnamon-sugar pastry dipped in honey after the meal...I had wished I had started with them instead of the chips and salsa!
I like this place for lunch or dinner - it always has a good crowd in there, a long line sprawling almost out the door onto Johnson Drive. And no matter what you order, you'll be happy with the flavors, the cheese, the portions, the extras - it all is meant to fill you up to silence...so good.
It's an easy way to order, you don't have to tip like everywhere else, and the quality of food considering the 'taco-bell' quickness of delivery is astounding! Made to order, right in front of you, and in your hands in 2 minutes or less!
Don's hasn't changed in the 10 years I've ever eaten inside and I've never left unsatisfied. -
Review from Kev L.
Kansas City, MO
10/23/2008
Great place to go
if you want to destroy a diet or eat to the point of no control.
Food here taste good, but by no means authentic. It's like one of your old high school classmates that dropped out decided to make a taco bell, cross breed it with Picadilly, and think it would be the next best thing.
I don't even think I understand myself here . . . . . .
Anyway, if you are low on cash and need to binge, this might be your kind of place. Id go here again only if a huge group of friends decided to go (and knowing them, that's highly unlikely). -
Review from Tim P.
Overland Park, KS
2/22/2011
It's like walking into a middle-school cafeteria on taco day. How this place stays in business is beyond me, it was actually funny to us how bad it was.
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Review from Jessica G.
Chicago, IL
6/3/2010
OK. Maybe my love for Don Chilito's makes me a little gross.
But I don't care.
It might need a remodel but the food is tex mex done OH so right. The bean burrito smothered in red sauce is divine. So are the chili rellenos. Loads of cheese. And again, the red sauce. SO GOOD.
It is what it is. And it is tasty. If you can appreciate cafeteria style dining, low lighting, and a sopapilla buffet then this is your place. -
Review from Chet F.
11/30/2009
Old as my parents, tex-mex.
So my folks used to hit up this place when they were dating, so I had to check it out. They said this place is still exactly the same as it was 30 years ago, all the way down to the decor and menu.
They serve ground beef, chicken, or shredded beef in shells, be it hard, soft, or fried. A very plain menu, in a way. Basically you order the standard taco, burrito, enchilada, or chimi then choose your type of sauce (topping) be it a red sauce or cheese sauce. Everything is double covered and smothered. It is not the healthiest or best tasting joint around, but some how this place has definitely withstood the test of time.
The also have a help yourself chips and salsa bar which includes sopa-pia's(sp), they were way too undercooked. But if you do get a couple make sure to go to the cashier and ask for a side of honey, it's a must!
I would recommend the beef hard taco. My dad swears by the Texas Burrito with CCQ. And I have to admit in a strange way it was pretty good. -
Review from Danny M.
Shawnee Mission, KS
1/7/2010
Been going here for years. Same great white-mexican food.
Much like a cafeteria, but at least it's affordable. -
Review from Kelsey C.
11/20/2008
This place is just.....eh. It's good, but in a gross way, where you know that it is terrible for you but you have a strange craving for it once in a while anyway. You get your own chips from a heated buffet style bar thing, along with sopapillas for dessert if you are so inclined. (I was too stuffed to try them)
When you enter, you walk down the cafeteria style line and just what meal combo you want. Besides Mexican food, they also have burgers or chicken tenders (I think), but to be honest, I wouldn't really get it...the place just keeps kind of dingy...like it is a food code violation waiting to happen.
I don't HATE Don Chilitos, but I'm not exactly jumping up and down to go there again anytime soon....the food was good enough, the preparation and seating just seems sketchy. -
Review from Dayne B.
Mission, KS
9/2/2010
Don Chilito's is the Furr's of Mexican food. While it's not a place to take a date, it is a tried and true hangover cure. Maybe it's the greasy, cheesy goodness, the magical sopapilla bar or a mixture of the two washed down with a little hair of the dog that wards if those Sunday morning blues.
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Review from Erin S.
Manhattan, KS
7/25/2011
Umm this place is freaking awesome. Chip/salsa//sopapilla bar, enough said.
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Review from David W.
Kansas City, KS
5/10/2010
This place has been there for years but that is not a good reason to go. The food is run of the mill and the workers are rude and horrible. My nephew went with us and he got some of there greese dough balls with sugar and he got some honey packets to put on them. He went and got some more and was told he was not allowed anymore honey. I asked why and they said there was a limit. Are you kidding me? The place has horrible seating and there is a smell to the place that is a little nasty. The restrooms are gross to the point I would rather pee my pants than go in there. Bottom line is that it is just not a great place to go. If you want american mexican food try taco bell it is better than this place.
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Review from Steven M.
Shawnee Mission, KS
7/6/2009
No one really brags about going to Don Chilito's. In fact, I once overheard a guy on his cell phone say, "You don't even want to know where I'm at. Let's not talk about it." That sort of phrase is usually reserved for strip clubs. The man, whose professional attire made him somewhat conspicuous, was sitting alone. I was also there by myself, and looked around to see many other men sitting by themselves. I have since noticed this on subsequent visits.
Don Chilito's is a place where men can go and be alone with their, I mean our shame. I took my wife there once nine years ago, and she has not returned.
So what's the appeal of this place? The food is predictable, and tastes good -- if not great. Whereas Mi Ranchito and Fronteras have expansive menus, Don Chilitos has tacos, burritos, and enchiladas. My father first took me here 20 years ago, and I don't think the menu has changed much since then. Fortunately, the chip, salsa and sopapilla bar has also remained constant.
When it opened, Don Chilito's may have seemed like an exciting "ethnic" restaurant. In 2009 the place seems nostalgic, and rather American. -
Review from Rob E.
Kansas City, KS
6/30/2010
2 stars only because I like their 7 layer dip. Not even close to being a favorite of mine. This restaurant has been around for years, so they do get their fair share of business. Try it you might like it, but I'll go somewhere else.
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Review from Madelaine G.
Shawnee Mission, KS
5/22/2008
This place would be good if you're in a hurry. Or if you want to binge on chips and salsa.
The food's not bad, but nothing to write home about. -
Review from danny s.
Los Angeles, CA
2/4/2010
Went to high school down the street from Don Chilito's. 20 plus years later I was in town and stopped in. I was like time had stood still. it still looks and smell the same. I had a flood of good memories. The food is also still the same. No great but good.
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Review from Erik R.
Shawnee Mission, KS
2/28/2008
This is a unique Mexican restaurant. It is Chipotle style where you get in a single line, order, have your meal assembled and then pay at the end. This restaurant is old though, so not a ripoff of Chipotle. I don't know how to describe the food, its kind of old-style Mexican, a little spicy, but kind of the stuff before the more authentic Mexican restaurants opened. The ingredients are very high quality for the price and everything is pretty good. There is nothing spectacular, but it does provide a nice change of pace from the newer Mexican restaurants. The unique part is that the chips, salsa, and sopaipillas are in a giant buffet-type warmer and you can eat all you want. The decor is pretty run down, but its pretty clean. This place is packed on the weekends with older original residents of the area. Its also pretty kid friendly. So if you are looking for trendy, fancy, or authentic Mexican food, you will hate it. If you like good old school Mexican and eating dessert until you are a puff pastry, this is the place.
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Review from philip a.
Prairie Village, KS
2/26/2010
Fine dining, this is not. But flavorful, enticing dishes and that sweet and savory red sauce makes this place hard to resist. I only wish they had some honey for the cinnamon sugar sopapillas served buffet style. Don Chilito's has no disillusions about what it is or is not; it's good food, fast and cheap. Always worth a visit.
