finally tried chuy’s for the first time – the hype is not real. this was not great at all.
finally tried chuy’s for the first time – the hype is not real. this was not great at all.
by _lazybones93
39 Comments
ghalta
That brown sauce is terrible, and their green chile rice (gone since Covid) was much better than their Mexican rice.
I like their verde or boom boom sauces quite a bit more.
schild
what hype
Charismaisadumpstat
Literally the only thing I have ever enjoyed from there was the Jalapeño Ranch dip, and I now just make that at home.
AgentAlinaPark
What hype? It’s a restaurant chain with almost 100 locations and has been for a very long time. It hasn’t been a funky Austin restaurant for like 20 years. On that, that doesn’t look bad at all if it was at a cheap place like Taqueria Arandas. This basic enchilada plate, I think is about 8 dollars and looks about the same at Arandas, I’d eat it. Problem is Chuy’s is not that cheap for Mexican fast food. They pretend it’s not fast food which doesn’t fly in Austin. It’s a tourist trap still for some reason. Probably because they expanded east, not west and people visiting don’t realize.
tfresca
Very few places sell proper chimichangas. They do.
robertluke
You weren’t supposed to be hyped. It’s not amazing, it’s comfortable.
Globeville_Obsolete
I have a soft spot for Chuy’s. It was the first place I ate after I moved back to town. And it was the last memorable eating out experience prior to Covid (a friend’s birthday party). It’s really sad about the post-Covid decline, although if I’m honest the decline probably started when they decided to franchise around the US.
Zoniemaronie
The food has never been great, but they used to have really good margaritas. 2 would get you drunk. Now they’re sugary and very little tequila. They took out the nacho car for happy hour too. They cheapened up except for their prices.
PureYouth
This made me laugh out loud for some reason. “This was not great at all”
GH_VEG
Lol hype? What hype
Jcarter1632
Chuys sucks – it used to be okay, but then they condensed their menu during Covid. Last time I went it was extremely bad and I haven’t/won’t be back.
If you like traditional cheese enchiladas in real chili con carne check out Maudi’s. They have the best chili con Carne in Austin.
I do different spots for different items:
Cheese Enchiladas: Maudi’s or El Dorado
Beef Fajitas: Habanero, Polvos, or Lupe Tortilla
Chicken Fajitas: Polvos, Habanero, or Serranos (pechuga sauce is legit here)
Tacos: Matamoros Tacos on N Lamar are my fav traditional authentic fajita and barbacoa tacos.
AgreeableDouble8785
Try Ramos instead—it’s a wonderful Tex mex place and they bring out the jalapeño ranch.
Lester_Green1936
The place everyone hates but is always packed.
dissentandsmolder
Interesting, I went for the first time in a long time recently. Arboretum area location. I got the 3 different enchiladas plate and It exceeded my expectations. Frozen margs were on point as well. Service was great. My Mexican standards are high and I do not prefer Tex-mex.
cup_1337
I didn’t know there was hype for Chuy’s…
Nanakatl
gross
8181212
I am no Chuy’s lover, but if you don’t get the chicken boom boom enchiladas I don’t really want to hear your opinion.
BrianOconneR34
Like my dad says “you can’t eat hype”
5thGenSnowflake
Chuy’s ain’t what it used to be. I think it’s a case of them being so big and having to be standardized across dozens of restaurants that the bar has been lowered substantially from where it was.
SoftHeartedBitch
I swear sometimes I feel like the last Austinite that’s a fan of Baron Springs Chuy’s. I think their margaritas are awesome, and I’ve always had good food there. I’m apart of the clean plate club if I go there with an appetite. Their tres leches is amazing, too.
I do wish they had the old menu, but this place gets too much hate imo.
Swift_Currents
Doesn’t look good either
blitzbutters
Where does one get great enchiladas in Austin? Cuz I agree, Chuys ain’t it.
2waterparks1price
I lived in Nashville when the first Chuy’s was built in West End. Was like 2013ish.
In a city of very ok mexican food, that Chuy’s wasn’t in my top 5.
DWwithaFlameThrower
I was addicted to their Elvis Green Chile Fried Chicken for like twenty years. Once they took that off the menu (because ‘something something COVID’) I stopped going. First fell in love with my husband there (the Barton Springs one), while I was on vacation in Austin, so I’m still fond of the place
elibutton
I don’t know how many times I’ve (and others) have posted about the downfall of Chuys. Since the pandemic started they cut corners, reduced quality, reduced menu items, and their food just isn’t good anymore. Horrible. But glad you got to experience it first hand and share what a lot of us already know. They continue to make $$ due to raising their prices but they definitely have less customers. No a sustainable model
somecow
They basically became a chili’s. Their food is ass, people just go there to get wasted. Go to the taco truck parked at the gas station. Half the price, twice as good.
texaslegrefugee
No. No, no, no.
I don’t know where and how they came up with today’s recipes, but they’re downright embarrassing.
EquipmentNo9500
It used to be awesome but they sold out. Quality and details are gone.
OG_LiLi
Oof that’s been sitting under the warmer for far longer than anyone should deal with
86themayo
Chuy’s is fine. Not worth the cost when there are much better local tex mex spots.
But the one thing they nail is flour tortillas. So few places in Austin make their own, and Chuy’s makes a very good version.
50million
Chuy’s has gone down hill. Way down hill.
Maudie’s is where it is at for that kind of meal.
One_Button_547
Chuy’s is a fun word to say, but I can’t think of too many more nice things to say about the place. The one near me on N. Lamar seems especially meh. But if that’s where someone wants to go, I guess I’ll go along. We have so many options for texmex and Mexican food though, I don’t see the point
bartspan
Chuys got rid of 90% of their menu. Only thing I go back for every now and then is the steak burrito, either straight up with hatch green Chile, or sub Boom Boom Sauce. Or the chicka chicka boom boom enchiladas. And then of course the creamy jalepeno they serve with the chips, alongside a grandmas rockin rita. However chuys is not what it use to be, but it takes me back, I gotta go a couple times a year but Covid really destroyed the menu, and even then it was better 10+ years ago
justjasen
Screw you dude. Jalapeño ranch over everything.
itrippledmyself
The enchiladas are garbage. Fajitas are pretty good. Their tortillas are good by almost any measure. Margaritas are hard to argue with. Chuychanga is a coronary on a plate but if you like fried stuff with cheese, covered in cheese, idk how you do that any more intense than they’re doing it. Not everything on the menu is created equal. It’s reliable, and it gets more hate than it deserves because of the Austin circle jerk. It’s funny because the founder of Torchy’s came out of Chuy’s and people still jerk off over Torchy’s which is a very similar experience. So I attribute at least some of the hate to just arrogance, tbh.
But don’t order enchiladas.
soloburrito
The whole point of chuy’s is to order something and slather it in queso and get buzzed off Mexican martinis. It’s great for that.
PandoraPhantomhive
I prefer Chuy’s for the enchiladas/burritos but only with Boom Boom. It is consistent whether it’s here in Austin or elsewhere. Drinks are fantastic, the tres leches cake is outstanding and the creamy jalapeño is unmatched. It’s an absolute comfort food spot for me.
39 Comments
That brown sauce is terrible, and their green chile rice (gone since Covid) was much better than their Mexican rice.
I like their verde or boom boom sauces quite a bit more.
what hype
Literally the only thing I have ever enjoyed from there was the Jalapeño Ranch dip, and I now just make that at home.
What hype? It’s a restaurant chain with almost 100 locations and has been for a very long time. It hasn’t been a funky Austin restaurant for like 20 years. On that, that doesn’t look bad at all if it was at a cheap place like Taqueria Arandas. This basic enchilada plate, I think is about 8 dollars and looks about the same at Arandas, I’d eat it. Problem is Chuy’s is not that cheap for Mexican fast food. They pretend it’s not fast food which doesn’t fly in Austin. It’s a tourist trap still for some reason. Probably because they expanded east, not west and people visiting don’t realize.
Very few places sell proper chimichangas. They do.
You weren’t supposed to be hyped. It’s not amazing, it’s comfortable.
I have a soft spot for Chuy’s. It was the first place I ate after I moved back to town. And it was the last memorable eating out experience prior to Covid (a friend’s birthday party). It’s really sad about the post-Covid decline, although if I’m honest the decline probably started when they decided to franchise around the US.
The food has never been great, but they used to have really good margaritas. 2 would get you drunk. Now they’re sugary and very little tequila. They took out the nacho car for happy hour too. They cheapened up except for their prices.
This made me laugh out loud for some reason. “This was not great at all”
Lol hype? What hype
Chuys sucks – it used to be okay, but then they condensed their menu during Covid. Last time I went it was extremely bad and I haven’t/won’t be back.
If you like traditional cheese enchiladas in real chili con carne check out Maudi’s. They have the best chili con Carne in Austin.
I do different spots for different items:
Cheese Enchiladas: Maudi’s or El Dorado
Beef Fajitas: Habanero, Polvos, or Lupe Tortilla
Chicken Fajitas: Polvos, Habanero, or Serranos (pechuga sauce is legit here)
Tacos: Matamoros Tacos on N Lamar are my fav traditional authentic fajita and barbacoa tacos.
Try Ramos instead—it’s a wonderful Tex mex place and they bring out the jalapeño ranch.
The place everyone hates but is always packed.
Interesting, I went for the first time in a long time recently. Arboretum area location. I got the 3 different enchiladas plate and It exceeded my expectations. Frozen margs were on point as well. Service was great. My Mexican standards are high and I do not prefer Tex-mex.
I didn’t know there was hype for Chuy’s…
gross
I am no Chuy’s lover, but if you don’t get the chicken boom boom enchiladas I don’t really want to hear your opinion.
Like my dad says “you can’t eat hype”
Chuy’s ain’t what it used to be. I think it’s a case of them being so big and having to be standardized across dozens of restaurants that the bar has been lowered substantially from where it was.
I swear sometimes I feel like the last Austinite that’s a fan of Baron Springs Chuy’s. I think their margaritas are awesome, and I’ve always had good food there. I’m apart of the clean plate club if I go there with an appetite. Their tres leches is amazing, too.
I do wish they had the old menu, but this place gets too much hate imo.
Doesn’t look good either
Where does one get great enchiladas in Austin? Cuz I agree, Chuys ain’t it.
I lived in Nashville when the first Chuy’s was built in West End. Was like 2013ish.
In a city of very ok mexican food, that Chuy’s wasn’t in my top 5.
I was addicted to their Elvis Green Chile Fried Chicken for like twenty years. Once they took that off the menu (because ‘something something COVID’) I stopped going. First fell in love with my husband there (the Barton Springs one), while I was on vacation in Austin, so I’m still fond of the place
I don’t know how many times I’ve (and others) have posted about the downfall of Chuys. Since the pandemic started they cut corners, reduced quality, reduced menu items, and their food just isn’t good anymore. Horrible. But glad you got to experience it first hand and share what a lot of us already know. They continue to make $$ due to raising their prices but they definitely have less customers. No a sustainable model
They basically became a chili’s. Their food is ass, people just go there to get wasted. Go to the taco truck parked at the gas station. Half the price, twice as good.
No. No, no, no.
I don’t know where and how they came up with today’s recipes, but they’re downright embarrassing.
It used to be awesome but they sold out. Quality and details are gone.
Oof that’s been sitting under the warmer for far longer than anyone should deal with
Chuy’s is fine. Not worth the cost when there are much better local tex mex spots.
But the one thing they nail is flour tortillas. So few places in Austin make their own, and Chuy’s makes a very good version.
Chuy’s has gone down hill. Way down hill.
Maudie’s is where it is at for that kind of meal.
Chuy’s is a fun word to say, but I can’t think of too many more nice things to say about the place. The one near me on N. Lamar seems especially meh. But if that’s where someone wants to go, I guess I’ll go along. We have so many options for texmex and Mexican food though, I don’t see the point
Chuys got rid of 90% of their menu. Only thing I go back for every now and then is the steak burrito, either straight up with hatch green Chile, or sub Boom Boom Sauce. Or the chicka chicka boom boom enchiladas. And then of course the creamy jalepeno they serve with the chips, alongside a grandmas rockin rita. However chuys is not what it use to be, but it takes me back, I gotta go a couple times a year but Covid really destroyed the menu, and even then it was better 10+ years ago
Screw you dude. Jalapeño ranch over everything.
The enchiladas are garbage. Fajitas are pretty good. Their tortillas are good by almost any measure. Margaritas are hard to argue with. Chuychanga is a coronary on a plate but if you like fried stuff with cheese, covered in cheese, idk how you do that any more intense than they’re doing it. Not everything on the menu is created equal. It’s reliable, and it gets more hate than it deserves because of the Austin circle jerk. It’s funny because the founder of Torchy’s came out of Chuy’s and people still jerk off over Torchy’s which is a very similar experience. So I attribute at least some of the hate to just arrogance, tbh.
But don’t order enchiladas.
The whole point of chuy’s is to order something and slather it in queso and get buzzed off Mexican martinis. It’s great for that.
I prefer Chuy’s for the enchiladas/burritos but only with Boom Boom. It is consistent whether it’s here in Austin or elsewhere. Drinks are fantastic, the tres leches cake is outstanding and the creamy jalapeño is unmatched. It’s an absolute comfort food spot for me.
I love Chuy’s.
Thats a terrible choice of entre