Chuys Restaurant

Called Chuys to make reservations for 15 people at 8:15. Was told by the hostess that they do not take reservations, said we would have a long wait and felt they would not be able to push tables together for our large party. Also, spoke with the Manager who did apologize but made no effort to ask for my business. I can only assume that they don’t want the business; they are already too busy. That’s good for them, hope they stay busy. How nice to not need customers. Go to Cancun’s down the street. The food is good, the atmosphere upbeat and they have always treated their customers well.

I am… so confused. But in a good way! We drove into a JAM packed parking lot and entered the restaurant with a 20 – 30 minute wait for two. We were starving but decided to wait, and I suggested waiting at the bar. We sat down and noticed some pretty nice drink specials! Margaritas (GOOD margaritas, frozen or on the rocks) for $ 4.75! The bartender was awesome. Quick, attentive, and friendly. He invited us to partake in the «complimentary nacho bar.» Haha… umm okay? This turned out to be so delicious, which is where my confusion comes into play! How is the bar area not over-​crowded? How are they affording to stock a free nacho bar? How is the nacho bar not in my Facebook feed EVERY night? It was made to look like the truck of a vintage car and housed all kinds of yummy things. Crispy fresh chips, house made queso, seasoned ground beef, refried beans, fresh salsa, and jalapeños. The staff kept it well-​stocked and I didn’t meet/​see an employee that wasn’t going above and beyond with a great attitude and excellent service.
Good food, good drinks, good service – way to go, Chuy’s. In my eyes, you have outdone at least a couple of locally owned Mexican joints that just seem lazy. I honestly love to support local business… but only when it’s deserving!

This is a consistent Tex-​Mex experience. My favorites are the Baja tacos with grilled fish and the chicken salad. By the way in colder months the chicken soup is also good pairs with a taco on the side for a nice meal. Whatever you try get some of the jalapeño ranch dip it is a great salad dressing or a dip for the chips.

Go for the Elvis fried chicken. Stay for the kitsch. Great food and lots of fun. The nacho bar on weeknights is totally worth it.

Chuy’s in Knoxville on Kingston Pike is a Mexican restaurant serving Tex-​Mex style food. The experience was a delicious treat. I had an early dinner and the place was crowded. Dispute the crowd there was little to no wait for a table. I sat in the bar and was almost immediately greeted by my server, who was friendly and attentive throughout the entirety of the meal. With a fun and family friendly atmosphere I enjoyed my experience tremendously. The restrooms were clean and odor free.
The complementary chips are light and crispy, with just a hint of salt. The salsa was refreshingly light with a pleasant spicy kick. Under the combinations is the Elvis Presley Memorial Combo. The trio enchilada assortment was excellent. The beef and chicken were seasoned well. The natural flavors were not masked by any over powering sauces. There was just the right amount on each enchilada to enrich the distinct flavors of each meat. The ground sirlon taco was crispy and didn’t fall apart completely after the first bite. Chuy’s homade Chile con queso was a pleasant cheesy surprise.
I will definitely find myself here again to research their menu further and enjoy the many treats Chuy’s has to offers. Before you leave stop by a watch as the tortillas are made fresh in house. It’s an interesting trip to watch these ladies work. Tip, bring a framed picture of your pooch and get a free appetizer.

We had high hopes for chuys after reading the many positive reviews. We were disappointed in many ways. Upon being seated we had to ask the waiter to clean off the seats which were covered in food. We didn’t notice how messy the floor was until we sat down and could feel the food sliding under our feet. Aside from the warm chips which were very good, the chicken burritos were mediocre. The stacked enchilada was not good, particularly the sauce. The beef enchiladas were made with leathery, overcooked beef. Overall the food was not good. We could make much better Mexican food at home or eaten at many better burrito joints, and it would have cost much less.
On the positive side, the waiter (Brandon) was very good and drinks were refreshed often.
We will not return.

Awful service! The worst! Completely ruined our family meal. I will never go back your loss table of five! I will take my money some place else. Remember what keeps you in business folks!

I came here with some friends as we wanted to get together and get some grub before everyone got busy during the holidays. I’ve been here before, but I believe the laziness of writing got to me and I never got around to writing a review. So to make up for that I’m writing this!
This time around I ordered a chicken burrito. Turned out that it had way too many beans. And because of the extra beans there was not enough chicken. I mean, it is after all a chicken burrito. You know that feeling of just mush in your mouth? It levels to the similarity of just thick oatmeal. That’s the sensation I had. When I ate it, it felt like I was just chewing mushy beans. I get it though, beans are cheap and less chicken means more profit.
The plus’ about this place has to definitely be the never ending tortilla chips. That definitely compliments the drinks. If I were to come back here, I would probably order an app, a drink, and just kill those chips. They’re addicting.
That’s about it, the service was alright and this place isn’t just so memorable for me. Nothing really stood out to me. Chuy’s famous for hand making their tortillas, which I haven’t tried, I guess I have something for next time to try.

Just had their creamy mix which is the best I’ve ever eaten. Love the spice. Also had enchanlatas with text mex.

I used to frequent these all the time when I lived in San Antonio, they’re out of Austin I do believe and that is home to some fine, fine Tex-​Mex. The Knoxville location measures up in every respect. Visited yesterday and was sat immediately. If you’ve never been to one of these, the décor and vibe is a big part of the experience, kind of an Elvis kitsch and found art feel. I had the chicken enchiladas with the tomatillo sauce, yum! Oh, ask for the jalapeño cream sauce for the chips, the best sauce ever! But you gotta ask for it. My friend had the chika-​boom-​boom. Our food came out super quick and piping hot! Think our total tab for both entrees and one soda was right at $ 25. This place is laid back and casual, lot of servers with tats, which I like. Our server was friendly, attentive and efficient. Pleased to have one of these here in Knoxville.

Seasonal update!
Green chile fest– we came for tamales but were FORCED to try the Fat Daddy Enchiladas and they were spectacular! They are quite spicy, but we like that! Staff recommended enchiladas over tamales and take their word, take my word, the enchiladas are the chile fest winners. It’s not on the everyday menu so go check it out before Sept 6!
Previous review:
We arrived right at closing time on Christmas Eve but manager generously unlocked the door for us and welcomed us in for a quick meal. Thanks for being so accommodating!
Most unique Mexican food in Knoxville. THIS is the kind of Mexican food I grew up with in Colorado and is hard to find in Knoxville. No wimpy tomatillo salsa posing as green chili here, they use real green chilies and sinus clearing spices!
As the website touts, the atmosphere is loud, especially in the main dining and bar areas. Probably wouldn’t bring my 87 year old granny here unless she had already hit the wine box.
Do not be lured in by the Elvis chicken! Go for the Mexican dishes. The Friday special pork tacos are excellent, Chica Chica Boom Boom Enchiladas will satisfy almost anyone and its fun to say. The appetizer plate is delicious (but you’ll be too full to eat your entrée afterwards).
Oh! I almost forgot! Creamy Jalepeno dip. Trust me you want creamy Jalepeno dip.

It’s awesome when a restaurant lives up to one’s expectations. Chuy’s did and then some. Delicious Tex/​Mex food, fabulous décor, fast and friendly service! The Trifecta of a great dining experience.
I had the cheese Chilli Relleno with ranchero sauce and my husband had the Steak Fajitas. They were both out of this world. The refried beans were amazing with mild chilis and seasoned well. The pico de gallo was fresh and had lovely diced red onions.
The décor is fun and creative and the ambiance is very festive. The staff is super friendly and attentive. Our food came fast and hot and the portions were extremely generous.
This is the sort of place you will want to tell people about!

I’m not one to frequent a chain, but this place is essential for my homesick texan husband and myself. Our go tos are the beef fajitas or the chicka chicka boom boom. The creamy jalapeño, delicious margaritas, and the always fresh, fluffy, and delightful flour tortillas are what sets it apart for me. We order it to go dangerously often and it holds up perfectly in transport.

Reminds me of Tex Mex. EXCELLENT food. Will definitely be back
Staff is very friendly and courteous! Price excellent. Best guacamole around!!!

I could write a really negative review about Chuy’s because I hate chains and West Knoxville, but the reality is that Chuy’s is fantastic! Their menu is extensive, and the staff is always really cool and helpful.
And they have this salsa. They call it «something ranchero blah blah blah». Who cares what they call it? If you ask for that crack dip, they know EXACTLY what you’re talking about, and they’ll serve it with amplitude and vigor. The stuff is magical and I crave it regularly.
It’s not just the crack dip though. All the food is great. It’s weird in the way that Austin is weird (coincidentally Chuy’s headquarters), and it’s the kind of weird that you want all up inside you, and when it is, you’ll have a funny waddle from trying to eat all the chips, and their gigantic portions of food.
TL;DR — Want some tasty Tex-​Mex food that will get all up in you and make you walk funny? Chuy’s.

It’s nice to see that this Texas chain has blown up and expanded throughout the Southeast. This chain comes as advertised, fulfilling promises of Tex-​Mex and massive portions, but their greatest attribute might come in the way of a margarita that you can’t stop drinking until you have brain freeze. And, at that point, who really cares about the Mexican anyway, right?
While they could have much better chips here (the entire chain has the same ones) their salsa is a spicy and their ranch based dip will be something you won’t want to overlook. With that said, the menu is large and diverse. If you want to gain a true scope of what this chain offers try something that has their green or red chili sauce.
Their burritos are massive. the chicken fajitas are large enough for two and while my flautas were overcooked and bone dry, normally they are very good. In short, if you enjoy Mexican, you’ll become a fan here and leave several pounds heavier without spending too much money.

«Holy Guacamole! Freshest Ingredients of any Tex Mex cuisine in town.»
I stopped in at the Knoxville Chuys for a lunch and was superbly happy with the outdoor patio, service, and especially the food. The freshness of the avocados, lettuce, tortillas, and salsa are second to none, and the lunch service is pleasingly swift. The differentiation at Chuys is the famous jalapeño ranch dip that is served complimentary with their warm chips and well mixed salsa.
The lunch menu is also quite diverse and offers a great mix of inexpensive dishes for every pallets including a vegetarian option. I had the #9 Chicken Combo which is a tantalizing Chicken Chalupa, and includes a homemade corn tortilla fried and topped with refried beans, cheese, freshly-​roasted, hand-​pulled chicken, lettuce, tomatoes & jalapeños, soft fajita chicken taco & guacamole.
I will certainly be visiting this resturant again, and recommend you do the same if you are in the mood for a great atmosphere with equally great Tex Mex.

Sweet Sweet Chuy’s, how I love you. This could be the Whole30 talking but this sounds so great right now. I’ve tried about everything and I love it all. The chips are super thin and crispy, yum. The salsa has a very bright fresh flavor and the creamy jalapeño dip is addictive. I usually get the steak burrito or tacos. The tortillas are so fluffy, delicious. The Chicka Chicka Boom Boom is consistently great and very spicy. The fajitas come with an outrageous amount of fixin’s so you aren’t quick to run out of pico or cheese. Sitting at the bar has always proved to be a weird experience and I definitely prefer a table or the outside patio. It seems like they have «cleaned house» in the bar so grab a drink while you wait for your food… especially at weekly happy hour when they have free queso, etc.
This is place is not to be compared to somewhere like Che Guevara and this place is not for food elitists. It is what it looks like — a tex-​mex chain with some pretty good food.

Steak burrito was excellent! A key component for me is how well the steak is marinated, especially when it is combined with other things like a burrito, the spice over the burrito is quite unique, it reminds me of Japanese curry, sweet with a kick at the end that ends an authentic touch to this Mexican dish.
By far one of my favorite things about chuys are the tortillas. There is nothing quite like a fresh tortillas. The tast is like no other Mexican restaurant in town.
Music is quite unexpected for a Mexican restaurant but since they are chain I guess that’s their thing. Great flare with the decorations throughout the restaurant!

Upon walking in, was seated right away. Fresh salsa with thin chips. Jennifer is our waitress.
Doing a great job.
Ordered the shrimp fajitas. They were ok.
Not my favorite but its good. Dont much care for their tortillas shells.
Dont think I will be coming back…