Chi-Chi's Restaurants coming back

[y_p_w]

What is the Chi-Chi experience? What was the chain known for? I've never been to one of their restaurants, nor have I ever seen one. here were they located?

Haven't been to one, but some of the takes here are that they used to be better when they had fresh-made meals onsite compared to basically reheated meals made in a offsite central kitchen. They apparently went through several ownership changes, so I guess the son of the founder is hoping to go back to their roots.

And I agree that it's going to be a tough road, especially with current prices. The Tex-Mex style chain is getting pretty sparse - at least around here. The big one around here used to be Chevy's, which was ubiquitous and had lots of radio ads. But now it's down to less than 20 locations. I remember On the Border, but that's pretty abandoned my area.

 

[tmorris1]

There are Mexican restaurants run by real Mexicans all around here that are a lot
better. We have three in our small town alone. I doubt we need more but we will see.

 

[chainblu]

Back when I was young and dumb, I took a few dates to Chi-Chi's.

Same here. Mid-80's. First time I had Fried Ice Cream was at a Chi-Chi's. They had good margaritas. I don't remember ever getting anything there I didn't like, but what did I know? I really didn't have anything to compare it to. If one (re)opens near me, yeah, I'll check it out.

 

[levi]

I'll certainly go back to see what's going on...

Me, too, if there is one near by.

 

[AZjeff]

No thanks. Don't need such a degenerate name being seen and spoken by children. I saw a burger restaurant called bun slut and wanted to gag. We're in the weimar era in terms of degeneracy.

Only a problem if you speak Spanish. For the rest of us the name would be Boobie's or maybe T--tie's.

A Mexican restaurant founded in Minnesota for pasty white people who never had Mexican food.

 

[y_p_w]

Only a problem if you speak Spanish. For the rest of us the name would be Boobie's or maybe T--tie's.

A Mexican restaurant founded in Minnesota for pasty white people who never had Mexican food.

I walked by this place with my kid when we visited LA. My kid didn't burst into flames or anything.

 

[Scuder]

I knew Chi Chi Rodriguez was a pro golfer, but I didn't know he had Mexican restaurants too!

The restaurant was actually founded by a football player. Max McGee of the Green Bay Packers scored the first touchdown in a Super Bowl.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

We have a chain called Margaritas up here in N.H., some of the locations are very well managed with great food. The one in the city of Manchester is great, Portsmouth variable, Exeter - nope.

 

[Hermann]

There are Mexican restaurants run by real Mexicans all around here that are a lot
better. We have three in our small town alone. I doubt we need more but we will see.

Every time I go to an Authentic Mexican Restaurant it seems to be lacking something, that would be Flavor. We have several really good Tex Mex places in KC, that the food has flavor. Authentic is so bland. Comparison here would be Jose Pepper Tex-Mex vs La Fuente. Jose's anyday. IMO YMMV

 

[tmorris1]

Every time I go to an Authentic Mexican Restaurant it seems to be lacking something, that would be Flavor. We have several really good Tex Mex places in KC, that the food has flavor. Authentic is so bland. Comparison here would be Jose Pepper Tex-Mex vs La Fuente. Jose's anyday. IMO YMMV

Tex-Mex is not authentic Mexican. When I have eaten food in Mexico it is not spicy and full of gravy like Tex-Mex. The places are great around here.

 

[4WD]

Tex-Mex is not authentic Mexican. When I have eaten food in Mexico it is not spicy and full of gravy like Tex-Mex. The places are great around here.

Who exactly formed the committee to identify Tex Mex? We don’t call it that - and I might be at a good chain on Monday - or a place they speak very little English on Thursday …
(yes, plenty time in Mexico too) …

 

[AZjeff]

There are Mexican restaurants run by real Mexicans all around here that are a lot
better. We have three in our small town alone. I doubt we need more but we will see.

No idea how many real Mexican restaurants are around here, way more than 3. If you go into a Mexican place and there's more Spanish being spoken by customers than English it's going to be real. The Hispanics I've known don't tolerate poorly done food.

 

[y_p_w]

No idea how many real Mexican restaurants are around here, way more than 3. If you go into a Mexican place and there's more Spanish being spoken by customers than English it's going to be real. The Hispanics I've known don't tolerate poorly done food.

I don't know about that. Any time there's a large concentration of anything, there's bound to be some mediocrity.

The thing about Mexican food these days is the possibility that the some of the best food comes from a food truck. But then again I've been to a few where there were long lines, more people were speaking Spanish than English, and the food wasn't that great.

 

[Cropduster172]

You can put me on the unpopular opinion list, but Mexican food sits at the bottom of my list of cuisines overall. And I don't need to hear the tiresome "Well you haven't had real Mexican food"... Yes I have... some thirty straight years of trips to Tucson where I used to enjoy real Mexican at El Charro in downtown Tucson. Surfing Baja California Way South of Tijuana, living in San Diego briefly.
But most everywhere it's the same old... ground or shredded beef, chicken or pork, lettuce tomatoes, onions, jalapenos or habaneros, tortillas...flour or corn? Soft or crunchy? Sour cream? Hot, medium or mild salsa...oh, they have a salsa bar?? I too wish to know who declared it TexMex...why not AZMex or CalMex?... likely some Cowboys fan.
Perhaps I'm jaded because it's been bastardized by chains like Moe's and that slop hole they call Chipotle and the myriad of others like it... locally and nationally.
Now if Gino's Hamburgers is attempting a comeback, please advise.

 

[Mechanician]

But most everywhere it's the same old... ground or shredded beef, chicken or pork, lettuce tomatoes, onions, jalapenos or habaneros, tortillas...flour or corn? Soft or crunchy? Hot, medium or mild salsa../oh, they have a salsa bar??

Made my mouth water.

 

[Kestas]

There was a Chi-Chi's by my house some 30 years ago. All of us got sick at one meal and never went back. 10 years later we thought we'd give it another chance... Nope, we got sick again! Shortly after it closed.

 

[Pablo]

What the heck is Chi-Chi's?

 

[Cropduster172]

What the heck is Chi-Chi's?

Be content that you don't know.

 

[Kira]

Now if Gino's Hamburgers is attempting a comeback, please advise.

The regional high school auditorium had a Gino's next door.
The "Gino Giant" was a copy of the Big Mac.
The location became a Boston Market (talk about flavorless food).

As far as resurrecting a "family fast food sit-down chain" name goes?? Who knows?
That Chi-Chi's is entomologically related to Hooters in terms of sophomoric appeal is something I didn't know.

 

[Pablo]

You can put me on the unpopular opinion list, but Mexican food sits at the bottom of my list of cuisines overall. And I don't need to hear the tiresome "Well you haven't had real Mexican food"... Yes I have... some thirty straight years of trips to Tucson where I used to enjoy real Mexican at El Charro in downtown Tucson. Surfing Baja California Way South of Tijuana, living in San Diego briefly.
But most everywhere it's the same old... ground or shredded beef, chicken or pork, lettuce tomatoes, onions, jalapenos or habaneros, tortillas...flour or corn? Soft or crunchy? Sour cream? Hot, medium or mild salsa...oh, they have a salsa bar?? I too wish to know who declared it TexMex...why not AZMex or CalMex?... likely some Cowboys fan.
Perhaps I'm jaded because it's been bastardized by chains like Moe's and that slop hole they call Chipotle and the myriad of others like it... locally and nationally.
Now if Gino's Hamburgers is attempting a comeback, please advise.

You should try real adobada