RIP Chuy's

[landman 555]

On 7/19/2024 at 9:44 AM, SKJ said:

https://austin.eater.com/2024/7/18/24201159/chuys-tex-mex-chain-restaurant-acquired-darden-restaurants

It can only go down from here

Can't get much further down than the floor it's been on for so many years already.

[Hook1997 5,239]

Chuy’s green chili, normal salsa, delux tomatillo, red chili salsas, side of boom boom sauce and jalapeno ranch are bomb. You haters can hate but get a few of those with chips, a Mexican martini and chicka chicka boom boom enchiladas or chicken fajitas and you can’t go wrong.  

[DixonHur 10,837]

3 hours ago, 6th Street said:

Wait there's a bartender that's worked at Chuy's for 30 years?

No. 

I think it's been closer to 40 years.

He's an awesome guy, and a walking sports encyclopedia.

[ImissWallyPryor 9,044]

I haven’t eaten at Chuy’s since the late 80s or very early 90s, but I damn sure liked their chicken enchiladas verdes. I had a Chuy’s Don’t Mess With Tex Mex t-shirt back then that someone stole from me at a hotel in Chicago when I left it poolside to swim some laps. I liked that shirt, but they had stopped making them by the time of the crime. 

[F250 28,471]

7 hours ago, DixonHur said:

Worked at the original location (Barton Springs) for 5 years back in the early 90's and it was a fantastic experience.  

We were all super tight and remain so today, having periodic reunions and such.  Austin, as a whole, just felt different back then.  Damn, I miss those days.

All but once most of us left, one bartender still remains, it started to become corporate and went down hill pretty fast.

The final nail, for me, was COVID when they shrunk the menu, and the ingredients went to complete shit.

But there will always be a soft spot in my heart.

You can still support the old guard at 90's Chuy's alum spots like Galaxy, Torchy's, Royal Blue and Flight Path Coffee.

 

Chuy's has a special place in my heart mainly because it was my primary source of Mexican food in the early 90's. My older sister used to take me out for lunch when I was a broke ass college student and Chuy's was what I always requested.

One time while at the Barton Springs location, I noticed some dollar bills in the parking lot. Someone must have dropped some money because I found some ones, fives and tens, blowing around the parking lot. More than enough to score a half ounce of weed later that night.

[tx 3 putt 75,225]

I’m shocked they got that much 

holla, chuy’s 249. Had a great first date there once. I’m glad she picked margaritas

Edited July 21 by tx 3 putt

[Butch Had Not 2,930]

My 1st ever Chuys experience was in Van Horn in like 1985 or 1986 (haley comet year). I loved it as a 9 year old. Can't say anything about it now.

[jimmyjazz 45,162]

1 hour ago, Butch Had Not said:

My 1st ever Chuys experience was in Van Horn in like 1985 or 1986 (haley comet year). I loved it as a 9 year old. Can't say anything about it now.

That's not the Chuy's chain.  That's just a random mom 'n pop.  (John Madden approved.)

[Butch Had Not 2,930]

22 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

That's not the Chuy's chain.  That's just a random mom 'n pop.  (John Madden approved.)

You just ruined my entire childhood. Jerk. 

[jimmyjazz 45,162]

14 minutes ago, Butch Had Not said:

You just ruined my entire childhood. Jerk. 

Hey, it's a great little TexMex joint.  Better than the chain, actually.

[Butch Had Not 2,930]

26 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

Hey, it's a great little TexMex joint.  Better than the chain, actually.

Well if John madden liked it.... that's good enough for me. 

Begs the question. How did he end up in Van Horn?

[jimmyjazz 45,162]

1 minute ago, Butch Had Not said:

Well if John madden liked it.... that's good enough for me. 

Begs the question. How did he end up in Van Horn?

I think it was on one of his cross country bus trips.  He hated flying, so he always bussed it (or RVed it).

[DixonHur 10,837]

3 hours ago, jimmyjazz said:

That's not the Chuy's chain.  That's just a random mom 'n pop.  (John Madden approved.)

A buddy and I actually ate there once on the way back from LA and Madden happened to stop in for lunch while we was there.

The owner came over to our table and asked, "in all your days did you ever think you'd get to eat this close to John Madden?"

My buddy I was with still quote it and laugh.

[RDCanecutter 25,890]

When I first moved to Austin, I went there once every two or three years. It gave me the same jittery feeling as dating a girl who texts every 30 seconds and it's not even about sex. Seemed about as Mexican as ice-fishing in Canada while some girl texts you every 30 seconds and it's not even about sex. Jangly interior like a Hooter's full of lawyers and they're not even dressed like Ho Barbie. The waitstaff, not the lawyers.

Eventually I found that I liked tortilla soup. Maybe that wasn't even Chuy's. Then I lived in Mexico and got insufferable as fuck about American attempts at the food.

[royiv 9,044]

5 hours ago, jimmyjazz said:

I think it was on one of his cross country bus trips.  He hated flying, so he always bussed it (or RVed it).

[F250 28,471]

The only thing I've ordered at Chuy's in the past 10 years is their baja shrimp tacos. Definitely not as good as Torchy's baja shrimp tacos, in the war between white Austin Mexican food, Torchy's wins.

[jimmyjazz 45,162]

5 minutes ago, F250 said:

in the war between white Austin Mexican food, Torchy's wins.

Well, that's a little harsh.

[Wiler77 1,541]

Haven't eaten at a Chuys in probably 5-6 years, but I remember anything with their green chile being pretty good. They had a green chile stew I remember being pretty legit.

[Hagbard Celine 10,515]

2 hours ago, RDCanecutter said:

When I first moved to Austin, I went there once every two or three years. It gave me the same jittery feeling as dating a girl who texts every 30 seconds and it's not even about sex. Seemed about as Mexican as ice-fishing in Canada while some girl texts you every 30 seconds and it's not even about sex. Jangly interior like a Hooter's full of lawyers and they're not even dressed like Ho Barbie. The waitstaff, not the lawyers.

Eventually I found that I liked tortilla soup. Maybe that wasn't even Chuy's. Then I lived in Mexico and got insufferable as fuck about American attempts at the food.

you were doing it wrong

at stated upthread, in the mid 80s the original store ritas made the clothes fall off of 19-year old girls in the parking lot on the way to the car

[utee94 15,708]

11 hours ago, RDCanecutter said:

Then I lived in Mexico and got insufferable as fuck about American attempts at the food.

Living in Mexico made you insufferable about American attempts at an American style of food named Tex-Mex?  That's... weird.

Edited July 22 by utee94

[Deej 76,156]

11 hours ago, F250 said:

The only thing I've ordered at Chuy's in the past 10 years is their baja shrimp tacos. Definitely not as good as Torchy's baja shrimp tacos, in the war between white Austin Mexican food, Torchy's wins.

So, OU vs aggy

[Trey3216 15,308]

On 7/20/2024 at 8:01 PM, Hook1997 said:

Chuy’s green chili, normal salsa, delux tomatillo, red chili salsas, side of boom boom sauce and jalapeno ranch are bomb. You haters can hate but get a few of those with chips, a Mexican martini and chicka chicka boom boom enchiladas or chicken fajitas and you can’t go wrong.  

Their normal salsa looks the same in the bowl and the toilet bowl.  it is absolute shit.  

[huge 3,774]

Chuys food has been below average to bad for 20+ years.

I can't imagine choosing to go there in Houston over the 20 other options within whatever radius of whatever location.

But good for whomever made money on this "deal".

[closetojumping 61,997]

14 hours ago, RDCanecutter said:

When I first moved to Austin, I went there once every two or three years. It gave me the same jittery feeling as dating a girl who texts every 30 seconds and it's not even about sex. Seemed about as Mexican as ice-fishing in Canada while some girl texts you every 30 seconds and it's not even about sex. Jangly interior like a Hooter's full of lawyers and they're not even dressed like Ho Barbie. The waitstaff, not the lawyers.

 

This isn't English.

[Helobious 9,408]

The worst attack on Mexican-American culture since the Zoot Suit riots. Just horrible food. Maybe it’s passable up in Austin since you guys don’t have many alternatives I think. 

[jimmyjazz 45,162]

4 minutes ago, Helobious said:

 I think. 

Be honest, have you ever thought?

[Helobious 9,408]

3 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

Be honest, have you ever thought?

I was trying to give them the benefit of the doubt. My full experience with Austin Tex-Mex is Chuy’s, Trudy’s, Torchy’s, Hula Hut if you want to count it, and that place on south congress (Güeros?). Each place worse than the last.

[Deej 76,156]

19 minutes ago, Helobious said:

The worst attack on Mexican-American culture since the Zoot Suit riots. Just horrible food. Maybe it’s passable up in Austin since you guys don’t have many alternatives I think. 

2nd worst. I think you have a lock on the top spot. 

[WithoutAClue 14,991]

the tortilla soup and green chile stew are/were pretty good.

pre-covid, the Chuy's on 183 used to have pulled pork on Thursdays and I would get pork enchiladas with the boom boom sauce. yum.

[DixonHur 10,837]

15 hours ago, F250 said:

in the war between white Austin Mexican food, Torchy's wins.

No love for Taco Deli?  

Granted I have a personal relationship with one of the founders (our dads were business partners), but I think their tacos are better than Torchy's.

[Mittens 7,991]

Taco Deli is ass

[RDCanecutter 25,890]

1 hour ago, closetojumping said:

This isn't English.

Me no like Chuy's.

 

4 hours ago, utee94 said:

Living in Mexico made you insufferable about American attempts at an American style of food named Tex-Mex?  That's... weird.

I slam my fist on the table and say that Tex-Mex is a made up category, like Scotch-Irish.

[F250 28,471]

5 minutes ago, DixonHur said:

No love for Taco Deli?  

Granted I have a personal relationship with one of the founders (our dads were business partners), but I think their tacos are better than Torchy's.

Didn't think of it, I haven't been there in years since I had to be in Austin on a regular basis for work. But I used to prefer Torchy's over Taco Deli.

[F250 28,471]

14 minutes ago, RDCanecutter said:

I slam my fist on the table and say that Tex-Mex is a made up category, like Scotch-Irish.

 

[RDCanecutter 25,890]

10 minutes ago, F250 said:

 

Take out the Tex, you got Mexican. Take out the Mex, you got... I dunno. Whatever they eat in Tennessee.

[utee94 15,708]

1 hour ago, RDCanecutter said:

I slam my fist on the table and say that Tex-Mex is a made up category, like Scotch-Irish.

[RollLeft 5,038]

On 7/20/2024 at 4:12 PM, DixonHur said:

Worked at the original location (Barton Springs) for 5 years back in the early 90's and it was a fantastic experience.  

We were all super tight and remain so today, having periodic reunions and such.  Austin, as a whole, just felt different back then.  Damn, I miss those days.

All but once most of us left, one bartender still remains, it started to become corporate and went down hill pretty fast.

The final nail, for me, was COVID when they shrunk the menu, and the ingredients went to complete shit.

But there will always be a soft spot in my heart.

You can still support the old guard at 90's Chuy's alum spots like Galaxy, Torchy's, Royal Blue and Flight Path Coffee.

 

I remember a dude named julian or some shit like that.  

[Texzilla588 765]

Take out the Tex, you got Mexican. Take out the Mex, you got... I dunno. Whatever they eat in Tennessee.

Can you just stay in Mexico? Obviously you have zero clue about evolving foodways as people migrate around the world. TexMex is as legit a cuisine, centuries in the making, dating back to Spanish colonization. Do you complain about the fact the Italian food the world enjoys was invented by starving southern Italians who left famine for the abandazza of America? Or that the Chinese or Thai food in Mexico has been Mexicanized

[Surly Bevo 24,463]

 

this thread took a turn

[RDCanecutter 25,890]

1 hour ago, Texzilla588 said:

Can you just stay in Mexico? Obviously you have zero clue about evolving foodways as people migrate around the world. TexMex is as legit a cuisine, centuries in the making, dating back to Spanish colonization. Do you complain about the fact the Italian food the world enjoys was invented by starving southern Italians who left famine for the abandazza of America? Or that the Chinese or Thai food in Mexico has been Mexicanized

I stand well and truly chastised, Sir. Let us at least agree that Chuy's sucks.

[jimmyjazz 45,162]

I'm inclined to agree.  There isn't anything particularly disingenuous about Tex-Mex, it's a regional style that one may or may not like.

Ironically, Chuy's was mostly New-Mex Mex, at least in the beginning.

[Hagbard Celine 10,515]

Jorge's on 6th served minors in the early and mid-80s

And the food was pretty good if I remember

I took my first date my first weeend on the 40 to Jorges

The next day was Sunday and the Jester kitchen was closed

that holy day, would have been the 2nd or 3rd sunday in august....

 

[Texzilla588 765]

I stand well and truly chastised, Sir. Let us at least agree that Chuy's sucks.

Certainly. Chuy’s sucks balls. One can live great TexMex and have disdain for Chuy’s. Love barbecue and hate Dickeys. Love ice cream and hate Blue Bell.

[6th Street 6,270]

Tex Mex does not carry the same following nationwide with the proliferation of street tacos and interior Mex. 

[Braff Zacklin 13,289]

3 hours ago, 6th Street said:

Tex Mex does not carry the same following nationwide with the proliferation of street tacos and interior Mex. 

Oh, I dunno. The breakfast taco/burrito that has become quite common and popular across the country, could that not be considered Tex-Mex?

I'm talking something like chorizo con juevos rolled into a flour tortilla. Or potato, bacon and egg, also rolled up into a flour tortilla. Does that have its roots in Texas or elsewhere?

Edited July 23 by Braff Zacklin
bold typeface added

[rage-a-holic 4,241]

3 hours ago, 6th Street said:

Tex Mex does not carry the same following nationwide with the proliferation of street tacos and interior Mex. 

Check your math. Tex-Mex staples like Nachos and Chips/Queso are listed on half the menus in the US. 

[DixonHur 10,837]

15 hours ago, Hagbard Celine said:

Jorge's on 6th served minors in the early and mid-80s

And the food was pretty good if I remember

I took my first date my first weeend on the 40 to Jorges

The next day was Sunday and the Jester kitchen was closed

that holy day, would have been the 2nd or 3rd sunday in august....

 

Stop yelling at me!

[utee94 15,708]

1 hour ago, rage-a-holic said:

Check your math. Tex-Mex staples like Nachos and Chips/Queso are listed on half the menus in the US. 

Fajitas are pretty popular around the nation as well.  

[freyguy 4,239]

16 hours ago, jimmyjazz said:

I'm inclined to agree.  There isn't anything particularly disingenuous about Tex-Mex, it's a regional style that one may or may not like.

Ironically, Chuy's was mostly New-Mex Mex, at least in the beginning.

use of derka-terminology in a non-derka thread

5 yd penalty, replay the down.

...do better

[Underdog 28,118]

6 hours ago, Texzilla588 said:

Certainly. Chuy’s sucks balls. One can live great TexMex and have disdain for Chuy’s. Love barbecue and hate Dickeys. Love ice cream and hate Blue Bell.

The fuck you say?