Chili's Grill & Bar

Where do I begin? I already gave this place two stars, and on yet another visit here, I stand by it. Chili's has always been so-so, but as I got out of my college eating habits where it's all chains all the time (because that's all that was available in West Virginia at the time), I have started to see Chili's for what it is. So-so food for mostly unrefined people who don't feel like being adventurous with their eating or taking the time to find hidden local gems.

All that being said, Chili's still has a few good staples and some decent food. But it's just become such a wretched hive of scum and villainy (or Mossy Oak and crying babies) that I have to roll my eyes when I walk in the door. This visit wasn't very different and started with a 30-minute wait despite the fact that I could see about a dozen empty tables inside. You'd think after being open for several years now at this location that they'd know how many staff to have on for a Saturday night.

When they finally did seat us, they had our party down as three, not five, and tried to seat us all in a tiny booth. Then the manager (I'm guessing, he was the only guy with a red shirt) led us to one side of the restaurant, realized he actually wanted to seat us on the other side and did an about face so fast that he ran over my grandmother without apologizing and zipped off to the other table. Kind of a wreck, the staff here. Even our server (when she FINALLY showed up at our table) was an unappetizing blob of dirt, smoker's cough and unruly hair that I really wished had been in a bun, net or something.

The overall state of the restaurant is just not good. The sugar dish on the table was sticky and disgusting. The menus were all sticky, visibly dirty and scribbled up with crayon.

And that unkempt server? She kept confusing our food and drink orders. I had to pass off a refill twice and ask again for the drink I ACTUALLY had. She brought out soup as an appetizer that one of our party members asked for as a side with the meal. When she delivered our orders, she almost dropped a big plate of ribs on my dad's lap, but luckily she caught them at the last second.

Despite Chili's being an absolute wreck with some of the worst staff I've ever seen at any restaurant anywhere, the food is still pretty good and the saving grace of this not being a one-star gig. They even have pizza on the menu now, and I can attest that the little deep-dish pan pizza (southwest chicken) that I had was absolutely delicious. I didn't hear anyone at our table complaining about their food, so that's good.

It's a shame... Chili's could be something more, and I feel like back in the day it used to be. But now it's just another Applebee's clone, another chain gone by the wayside of cheap, unhealthful food and spotty service in a barely serviceable setting.

Just like Applebee's but not as good and more expensive.

Who designed this place, anyway?  It feels dingy even though it isn't.  

I had the $10 appetizer sampler.  They offer the same kind of thing at Applebee's, but Applebee's actually tastes good.  And my boneless chicken wings were cold, stone cold.  I think the problem is systemic rather than situational.  The place needs a makeover from the interior design to the recipes.  Ugh.

This location gives Chili's a bad name. Both my husband's and my food was cold and undercooked. I felt bad for our waitress. She was very good, but was serving bad food.