I wouldn't say we go to Chili's a lot, but it's in the area and I could think of worse things to eat... That being said, I don't know that I'll be going back to Chili's for a while, in general after getting food poisoning after eating there this weekend.
Obviously I can't pinpoint if it was Chili's or not, but based on deductive reasoning, and the fact that I felt fine all day, ate at Chili's that night, ate nothing else afterwards, woke up at 3:30am and spent the rest of the early morning in the bathroom, I'm going to guess it was the Chili's. And honestly, I would have still given this Chili's a 2 or 3 rating, even with the food poisoning episode, but the service was absolutely terrible.
You know the service is bad when you make it a point to lower the tip down from 20% on the little touchscreen thingy at the table. I honestly don't remember the last time I've tipped less than 20% on even semi-decent service, but this was downright awful.
I don't want to name any names, because that would be rude, but if you can avoid sitting in the bar, I would highly suggest it. First off, the bar was kind of crowded, so when a guy got up to leave his booth, we made sure we would be able to snag it. We had no problem with the fact that the table still had drinks and the check from the previous party on it, as we were the ones that snaked in and grabbed the booth out from under the previous party. Our waitress came by and said she'd be right over to clean up the table and take our drink orders, but after 5 full minutes of waiting, nobody had come by. The manager finally noticed that we were still sitting in filth and came over to wipe down the table. It wasn't until about 3 minutes later that our waitress came over to clean the table as well, even though it was already done.
She then took our drink orders, a diet coke and a captain and coke, and our order for chips and salsa. She came right back with the diet coke, but the captain and coke was nowhere to be found. Now I know that the alcohol orders all flow through the bar and the bartender was busy, so I'll give them that, but when I can see the bartender make my drink and set it out, I assume I'll be getting it soon.... I guess I shouldn't be so quick to make assumptions as it took probably another 10 minutes for someone to bring me that drink, AND IT WASN'T EVEN OUR WAITRESS! It was just another server who came up to get drinks for his own table, but decided to help the bartender clear out some of the drinks that were piling up there. It probably took another 20 minutes for our server to come back to take our food order.
Needless to say, as soon as she dropped the food order she got me another drink and dropped the check. We ate, paid at the touchscreen machine and left. I don't expect Chili's to have amazing service, but I also don't expect the service to be as shitty as it was. I'm surprised I even left as much of a tip as I did, but I hate being a dick when it comes to tipping so I was a bit on the generous side. It still wasn't 20% though.
It's been a while since I have been to Chili's and now I remember why.
So, I will break it down into Hits and Misses.
Hits..
A nice, casual place, nice comfy booths, cool music playing.
Misses..
An ecclectic/confusing menu which seems to want to go between
american and tex-mex style dishes.
Mediocre food at best.. definitely nothing off the charts going on here.
Server being too attentive.. yes.. this is true.. for a server who comes
by like every few minutes gets to be bothersome sometimes.. can
almost be as bad as an inattentive server not coming by at all!
Menu prices are comparable with some other spots near the Cinemark
but.. the quality and quantity definitely does not match the price you are
paying to eat here!
So.. definitely not one of my favorite places to have anything significant..
And.. I dont think I'll want to return anytime soon..
So Chili's.. I'm sorry but this is a Miss..:(
Ideally located by Cinemark. We (almost) always hit this place before or after the movies Employees are friendly, though sometimes understaffed during busy hours, which has made from some very long waits of table attention. Recommend bar seating whenever possible as bartenders are fantastic and have made balancing bar and food service an art form. One quick note for vegetarians, vegetarian fajitas are a must. Parking across the street is ample.
Review Source:go for a cheap drink after a movie but not good for much else. for a chain restaurant it's pretty dang inconsistent. I've ordered the same food there before & gotten it served differently each time, some being much better than other. I can't really recommend it for more than conscience.
Review Source:Yep, I'll admit it. Â I sometimes go to Chilis, even in Evanston. Â But I try not to (I prefer the one at Village Crossing). Â I mean first off, there's obviously way better Mexican, Tex-Mex or any other kind of food in Evanston. Â But also, they're just not a good location. Â I don't mind Chili's once in a while, I just mind this location. Â Service isn't great and the food wasn't even normal Chili's quality.
Review Source:This was the first Chili's I ever ate at. it was me, my gf Sarah and our friends Jeremy and  Melissa. I've now eaten here three of four times. my usuals are the Grilled Chicken sandwich, the crispy chicken tacos and the bacon cheeseburger.  next time I'll try the chicken club tacos. it's a great eatery.
Review Source:The first time I came here, I didn't think I was going to like it because of the lack of vegetarian options, but I've become a fan of the black bean burgers and fries (maybe too much so, but they do have the option of getting broccoli as a side instead). The servers are always good at accommodating my crazy customisation requests, too. Being able to pay on the ziosk is nice for getting out of there quickly.
Review Source:4 stars.
They lost a stars for the service being "extra iffy" sometimes.
Other than that, this place is solid. Â The location is great, and (if you sign up for emails) they often send out coupons that get you free stuff with your entree purchase.
The salmon is wonderful. Â The burgers are great and always cooked exactly how you order. Â The hot wings are HOT! Â The fries are well-seasoned. Â The red velvet lava cake thing is pretty good, too. Â Pass on the brownie sundae, unless you have a free coupon.
Like I said, service is alright (at best) and the manager there is "interesting". Â Super polite, but ugly at the same time and not very accomodating. Â My twin sister calls it "Nice-Nasty".
Anyway, good spot to catch a bite to eat before a movie  or an afternoon of shopping!
If you are dining inside, use the kisok on the table to get your check. Â It's pretty neat and super efficient - especially when you are trying to grab a good seat at the theatre.
Funny thing, I've never tried the (singing) "Chili's...baby back ribs....I want my baby back, baby back, baby back, baby back...."
Maybe next time...
We went in and had the double order of fajitas and it was only $12.99 on tonight : Monday. It's the perfect amount for 2 people. One inprovement that i wouks make is to have the tortillas heated more. Maybe even grilled would be nice. They also have the coolest form of payment. They have the tablet at your table where you can view your bill and pay for your meal and split the bill and add a tip all from your table ! It was fast and amazing. Whoever thought of that is a genius! I will definitely go back .
Review Source:Ordinarily, I wouldn't rate a chain restaurant because they are pretty cookie-cutter, however, because we signed up for their customer club, this chili's sends us coupons on a monthly basis for three days only, we get drinks, a shared appetizer, two entrees, and a shared dessert for only $35. Â I don't know if this is common, but it brings us back here at least once a month.
Review Source:Chili's is usually good, but this one is not.
Went there on a Sunday, around 6. It was really slow, something even the waitress commented on. I thought hey, that's cool, we'll get good service. Nope, it was almost impossible to be helped. First, they took mine and my dates IDs back to be verified by the manager. I am ok with making sure the IDs are real, but at least bring the manager to me as opposed to taking it from me. Second, the waitress was just plain bad. She checked on us once, and even after making eye contact with her she wouldn't come to our table.
The food was also bad, which is odd for Chili's, as it usually is pretty good. I got the Hatch Chili burger, which was far too salty and tasted like it had tarter sauce on it. Very bad. Date had a veggie burger, and part of it was simply hard. Do they microwave them? Yech, come on.
All in all, bad experience. 2 stars because I really still like the margaritas.
Of all the corporate restaurants in the land, I think Chili's might top my list. Â Here is my battle plan:
1. Chips & Salsa with side of Ranch (yeah, this is happening...)
2. Shiner Bock BBQ Burger with Black Bean patty and avocado slices
3. Dessert!
If you see a movie at the theater just a few doors down and bring the ticket stub to Chili's, you get a free dessert! Â I love a good deal, especially when it involves a Molten Lava Cake.
They have great daily food specials and strong drinks. Â And several TVs in the bar area for your sports-watching needs.
Tyler was our server and did a really great job with us. Â Half of us were hungover and we all just got out of Black Swan, so we were in a emotional tailspin because of that. Â But he took care of our every wish quickly and completely.
When in Evanston, I will not hesitate to stop by again!
Chili's as a chain has always impressed me with their consistency and this location did not disappoint. Â We were greeted at the door by a friendly hostess and seated within a minute or two. Â Our server arrived almost immediately with water and gave us a respectable time to peruse the menu to make our selections.
There was a bit of a delay between ordering and our drinks coming. Â I recognize the server has to wait for the bartender, but it simply wasn't busy enough in there to justify this wait.
Overall, our food arrived as-ordered, hot, and delicious. Â We didn't have any room for dessert, but the appetizers and entrees were plated to make the mouth water. Â Can't wait to go back!
Well, it's Chili's, so you know what you are getting when you walk into the door.
The food is just mediocre but the service is friendly (and fast!).
The greatness of Chili's for me is that they have a gluten free menu (online PDF or ask for it from the hostess!). They have added quite a few nice salads and soups to the menu and are fantastic about accommodating my gluten intolerance. No complaints here!
On my most recent visit, my gluten free meal at Chili's was...
chicken & green chile soup (still awesome!!!)
oldtimer burger, no bun, no fries, extra lettuce/tomato/onion, sub mashed potatoes for fries.
I was well-fed here. Thank you Chili's for accommodating gluten intolerance!
We frequently go here before we hit the movies. Almost everything has been great. Love the food, the service, the drinks. Average pricing.
They lose a star though... when we went for a low key bday dinner for my girlfriend, they brought out a little sundae for her, without being asked to... Nice, right? ...They charged us for it. Granted, it wasn't much, but I think it's less than awesome to bring someone an unsolicited "gift" and charge them for it.
3 stars because 2 is too harsh, and 4 is too nice.
Chili's is a chain that delivers the same thing every time. Their chips are weirdly thin - cost-cutting measures? I have no idea. Their fajitas are OK but sometimes too salty. A lot of my friends get their strawberry margaritas, which look like smoothies. Many Northwestern students come here for the margaritas and maybe graze on the standard-issue food. This shouldn't be too surprising...if it is, then I don't know what to tell you.
Staff can be snippy. But when they're dealing with rowdy Northwestern students and their questionable IDs, I guess I can see what's going on - though better service never killed anyone. (It also takes forever before you see your waiter again. Nice.)
After eating at Chili's many many times as a teenager, in my adult life I can say that I don't care much for it. Â I've had some opportunities to dine here because of the movie theater up the street. Â This location is smaller and can be busy when movies are letting out. Â I already said it's a small location and within my few visits there I felt that service was much too slow. Â In this area of Evanston there are far more options to be had.
Review Source:So, Monday afternoon Mr. G. and I were planning to attend an event in the area, and we saw Chili's was close and open at 3:00pm. Not a lot of other choices in the area, and Mr. G. asked me, what was the last time I'd eaten at a Chili's? I told him, Bloomington, Indiana, in 2002. Somehow I did not have a great urge to return.
We weren't looking for drinks in the afternoon, but we sat in the bar - it looked comfortable on a very wet afternoon. Way in the back of the menu I found "healthy" options, so I ordered a black bean burger. Mr. G. ordered a bacon cheeseburger with onion strips and french fries.
Now, I gotta say, we were pleased with the meal. Give Mr. G. a plate laden with cholesterol and beef, pretty much in any combination, and he's happy. He asked for it to be cooked well done, and it was.
My black bean burger was okay, not great, but hey, it was Chili's, right? And it came with a side of broccoli. Now, I am not a big fan of broccoli AT ALL, but I was game and tried it. And incredibly, it was good. We both ate heartily and were pleased with our selections.
Now, the part that makes me give this only 3 stars . . . service. There was a waiter, and almost no customers. We did get our menus in a timely manner, and the food came out in a reasonable amount of time. But heck, i've worked in restaurants for more than 20 years, and this fella was lacking. Never got more water refills, had to hunt to ask for more napkins with our burgers (I learned a long time ago, always take extra napkins to customers who order burgers), never came by to see if we wanted anything else, couldn't find him to get a check - in short, he was just not interested. He probably wonders why he's not getting good tips, poor boy.
The good part of this was, if I'm ever forced to go into a Chili's again, at least I know they have a black bean burger.
The good: the waiters were really nice
The meh: the food was generic but fine
The bad: my lime drink trying to pass as a margarita and no validated parking in the garage across the street as well as false information by the waiter that we can validate at the movie theatre.
Came in to have the 3 course, 2 people $20 deal. Ordered a Classic Margarita. No price listed in the drink menu. Took a sip and realized it was a lime drink with ice. Asked the waiter if they forgot the alcohol and he said no, but people complain about that a lot and they are working on it..would I like more tequila for an extra charge?(I declined...who knows how much the lime drink was let alone the tequila?) Â Later I found out it was 2.99 day..maybe that explains the weak drink.
Food was good--servers were really nice. I was under the impression Chicken Crisper bites were just a smaller amount of the chicken crispers but I guess not...I was given little sandwiches..I was a little confused so they took them back which was really nice and made me something else.
I've only ever been to Chili's twice (both this location), and was not horribly impressed the first time, a year or two ago. Â It was stupidly crowded, the service sucked, and the food was boring. Â
However, the last visit some weeks ago involved (aside from two people I very much prefer to the first group) a giant mango margarita for not very much cashmoneys ($3.50 on weekdays, for mango, raspberry, strawberry-mango, or strawberry-- The latter is not recommended). Â If insanely sweet is not your thing, they have $3 regular (unflavored) margaritas on Mondays, either frozen or on the rocks. Â Yay drink specials! Â Our waitress was extremely friendly, despite the fact that we only ordered drinks + appetizer. Â It's just a relaxing place to just sit and ingest stuff with friends while there's noise all around you. Â And for its conduciveness to a good time if you're willing to have one: 4 stars. Â
Also of note, the salsa (of $3.50 bottomless chips and salsa) is basically water, but somehow extremely tasty. Â I refrained from drinking it.
If you are questioning why I'm giving this restaurant five stars when most of my food establishments have been rated a 4, the answer is somewhat simple. Â I rate places based on what genres of food I think they should be in. Â McDonald's and BK are in the same one. Â Chinatown Chinese restaurants are in the same one. Â Pizza joints are in another genre. Â And Chili's - well, where does this fit in the grand scheme of things? Â Americana? Â Real food fast? Â Not sure - but I group it together with places such as Applebees, TGIF, etc. Â You get the picture.
Part of my "woohooo" rating comes from the location of this place. Â It's really convenient, and when I did my undergrad years in Evanston, a routine that I enjoyed was to eat at Chili's and go watch a movie. Â Or...eat at Chili's, and watch 2 movies depending on what day it was. Â
Service is always speedy at this location. Â I've done both the dine-in area and the bar area, and both offer fast service with dare I say - friendly waiters, waitresses, and bartenders.
If you've seen the special on the Food Network that goes into detail about how restaurants like Chili's have such a consistent tasting menu nation-wide, you'll know how they do it. Â All sauces, condiments, and foods come pre-portioned or come in containers by weight. Â 6 shrimp, two scoops of garlic butter emulsion, a package of veggies, some pasta, etc. gives you consistent seafood pasta. Â It's not a surprise that they would do this, nor is this a particularly bad approach. Â
The drink specials at Chili's are also attractive. Â When I lived in Evanston, I tended to go during the week, and they always had specials on their "Presidente Margaritas." Â Yes, it has more filler than alcohol, but pricing isn't terrible. Â Plus for a buck more, you can keep the shaker, which I did for my 21st birthday. Â More often than not, I stick with their beer specials. Â It's fairly easy to understand: 3 and 4 dollar regular sized drafts, and 4 and 5 dollar large sized drafts. Â The regular sized drafts are more than sufficiently sized, but it's always nice to drink a couple of the larger ones when transportation home is pre-arranged.
I recommend this place if you like a good amount of variety, decent specials, speedy service, and if you want to grab a bite before or after a movie at Century. Â Skip it if you prefer your cognac warmed in a glass over a small flame and only want to eat at places that serve exotic fare. Â (duh). Â Now that I think about it though, I've never actually had a bowl of their chili. Â Hrm. Â
The only other real complaint that I have is that they close at 10 or 11pm. Â But bear in mind that they're restaurant first, then bar.
Chili's. The quintessential suburban restaurant. While most of us city folk like to say we would never step foot in a chain establishment like Chili's, I kinda find myself craving it every once in a while. Maybe it's because I work on the opposite corner and sometimes I think I can actually smell the french fries at my desk. Or maybe it's my fond memories of that con queso dip they have. ymmmm. Ever try the broccoli? Seriously, it's delic! Probably because it's soaked in lard and then brought to the table. Whatever the reasons, sometimes I just need me some Chili's.
Review Source:Okay, so why do I go to Chili's?
First, location. Â It is very close to where I live. Â
Second, speed. Â You can usually get in and out in about an hour, which is more than enough time for me to spend in a Chili's.
Third, I have a 16 year-old son and seriously, this is one of the few restaurants he will go to with me. Â It is not that easy to find a restaurant that will have food he likes and that I can tolerate.
Fourth, for some odd reason, my husband likes it. Â He loves the chicken tacos, and to be honest, the kitchen always handles his special requests (no cheese, no sauce, etc, etc, etc)
Fifth, the only redeeming items on the menu are on the Guiltless Grill section. Â The chicken is not bad, and for some reason I really enjoy the black bean burger. Â The vegetables they serve with the food are well prepared, and I can leave feeling good that I've had a burger, without feeling bad that I've had a burger (if you know what I mean!)
So, we continue to frequent the place. Â Not during peak time, however. Â It's really not worth waiting for a table.
Oh, Chili's, Chili's, Chili's. How do I explain my relationship with you?
I discovered you late in life. In fact, you--little baby at the corner of Maple and Clark, you were my first time. I was 21, and honestly, I was scared. How could a $3 margarita be good? Hadn't I avoided you in suburban strip malls all my life? But you took my hand, Chili's, and told me, 'Hush, Child, and order the margarita. Get some chips and salsa while you're at it.'
Perhaps it was the haze created by three straight classic margaritas (on the rocks, with salt) or the way my head swimmed after those spicy boneless buffalo wings, but that night, I fell in love. It wasn't all class, that's for sure, but you never pretended like that was what it was about. Instead, it was about American comfort food, inexpensive alcohol that tastes like spiked Kool-Aid in the best way possible, and--let's call it what it was--a good time between friends.
When people didn't understand, or they laughed when I talked about you, I defended you. You can't change a man, and you can't change a chain restaurant either, I told them. You have to love them for exactly what they are.
And that's why over the last three years, I've come back to you over and over again. Whenever I need a cheap drink, a burger before a movie, or to recollect my college days, I need only visit Evanston and go back to our corner. Like an old friend, you're always there, doors open and big booths ready, tucking me in for another good night. And for that, Chili's in Evanston, I love you.
EDIT MAY 2008: I recently discovered that this Chili's has changed a couple things. New liquor distributor means that the cheap margaritas are $3.50, and only available Sunday through Thursday. Sad times.
You're probably wondering why I bother to review Chili's... I asked myself the same question.
Here's why: It's become one of those place (not sure if this is good or bad) that I frequent quite often. Since I continue to go here on a semi-regular basis, I thought it deserved my 2 cents.
The reason I continue to go back? Skillet Queso...that's it! Chips, Salsa, and delicious queso. I will go there for lunch and simply eat basket after basket of chips. Their entrees are nothing to write home about and I've never in my life craved something off of their menu other than the Skillet Queso. Also, you might ask why a 3 star review for 1 dish? The answer to that is that it is an inexpensive option that serves up some decent margaritas (for only $3!) and they also have Dr. Pepper which happens to be my all-time favorite fountain drink.
My advice to you is to save yourself some money on the tip and the entree you really didn't want in the first place and just get a skillet queso order to go and enjoy it in the comfort of your own home!
I've never really had a problem with the food here as many of the people had. Maybe because I enjoy chain restaurant grill food.
Now that I think about it though, it seems like half their menu is deep fried. Their appetizers leave much to be desired, their buffalo sauce is greasy and goopy, and their rib portions are tiny.
I'll probably stick to their salads next time I go.
Or better yet, skip the salad and get their $3 margaritas. ($3.50 if you want flavored margaritas... Try the mango!)
Ok, so I'm a little embarrassed that I'm writing a review for a chain restaurant, but whatever. Â I have a good friend that's not at all adventurous with food and likes Chili's so we end up here semi-frequently. Â
It should be noted that this review is just for the bar area...
We went for the football game tonight along with dinner and drinks. Â Everything's pretty cheap, and the margarita's are what you would expect for $3. Â Nothing great but not terrible either.
I would give them 3 stars because the place is just about average, but they get an extra star for the waitstaff. Â They were having a slow night and decided that my friend and I were the most friendly of all the people at the bar (and neither of us is great looking so they weren't being nice to us because of that). Â They all hung out with us, talked football and gave us (mostly me) crap because our team was losing.
I was expecting just a regular night out with a girlfriend. Â Instead I got to hang out with some cool people. Â Plus our service was great. Â We each kinda changed our order a little and everything was right. Â They even threw in extra sauce for us. Â Yay.
Oh, I should also mention that even though they were hanging out with us, they were very attentive to the rest of their tables/the bar.
I am in complete agreement with Jennifer on this place. Â As someone who enjoys finding good deals, the $3 margaritas and $2 beers cannot be beat. Â Get the bottomless chips and salsa for another $3, watch a game at the bar and munch to your hearts content. Â But please do not waste money on a meal. Â There are a dozen other restaurants in Evanston that are twice as good for half the price.
Tip: Great place to go after work, sit outside drinking margaritas, eating chips, and people watching.
Yep, I'm reviewing Chili's. I love their fajita's...especially the steak and portobella mushroom fajita combo. It is sooo friggin good. The chips with cheese dip is also really tasty. Margarita's are definitely not the greatest...very, very watered down. I don't just mean that they are weak...I mean they are watered down. Like they make them hours earlier with the ice in them before they serve them to you. They probably don't do that but....bleh. Go for the food and save the margarita drinking for someplace else.
Review Source:It's seriously impressive that someone got me to go to Chilis, but my friends wanted a cheap casual dinner, and this was the spot. The food was Chilis, I mean, you don't walk in here expecting gourmet cuisine. Our waiter was super cool and friendly, each of us made a couple of weird modifications to our orders and he brought them out perfectly. Our total bill for 3 people was an astounding....$23. I can't even remember the last time I've ordered an entree under $23. Easy & cheap, I could be talked into going here again.
Review Source:
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