Chi Chi's ToDoTC.com To Do in the Twin Cities Restaurants

Chi Chi's

Date: July 31, 2026

1602 West End Blvd

Minneapolis, MN 55416

Phone: (952) 657-5385

www.chichisrestaurants.com

You know they say you can never go home again. A portion of the reason why, is because your mind blurs things that were not 100% perfect.

That’s the feeling we got from Chi-Chi’s when we went there Friday night. It was a mainstay for E in her thirties. Noon and nights after work. It was THEIR place. Their place with great drinks, food & friends.

Fast forward 20-30 years and going to 50 Authentic gourmet Mexican restaurants later, it may not seem as good. We had HOPED for the foods and beverages of the past. Chi Chi-s just fell short.

I don’t know if it was Chi Chi’s fault. Or was it the fault of restaurants like La Casita where we have gone to for twenty years. La Casita just has better food and drinks.

Now we could blame our less than stellar feelings on Chi Chi’s being a new remade restaurant, but they have been open for six months. Was the meal and drinks at Chi Chi’s in the least bit bad? Not at all there is just better Mexican restaurants. And both Chi Chi’s and La Castita have good food, bar and service but La Casita is better.

Like both places there was a waiting line. But also true we said we had reservations and we were immediately seated.

For drinks we had two margaritas: E normal, mine strawberry. Mine was $12 a buck more than E’s.

Then we had a cheese Quesadilla for $13. It was at that point E questioned if she was full. We live in a bizarre situation, we HAVE to eat more. How do we write on Chi Chi’s only trying drinks & a quesadilla.

So E ordered a Tampico for $18 and I a Carne Fajita for $24. My Fajita was marginal the meat did not look as fresh as La Casita. E’s Tampico was just OK. Our total bill was $85.23

That is a Sad commentary when BOTH us were looking forward to Chi Chi’s and it simply disappointed us. Will we try Chi Chi’s again? Maybe if we are in the area. Go back home before it’s gone.