I came here for lunch and this was an amazing experience. For full disclosure, I went there for free as a reward from my work. Nonetheless, this was a great experience. To begin with, there were excellent fresh homemade tortilla chips. After I ordered my Coke, it was never empty, the waitress always made sure there was another full glass long before the previous reached the bottom. As our party's members showed up, the waitress appeared in seconds to take their drink orders. This lady was on the ball! The menu looked excellent, with a wide variety, but a placard on the card announced a lunch special, the Mucho Lunch: unlimited burritos, regular tacos, and enchiladas for $7.49. And it was well worth it. Although I didn't pay, I still consider this to be an unbelievable deal. I do enjoy a good quesadilla, but the burritos and tacos were so good, I don't think I would need anything else. I also need to say that I am not a fan of guacamole, but this is the only place I have ever seen guac made right at the table. They mashed up the avocados, added the onions, tomatoes, and other items. If the guac were any fresher, your wife would have to slap it. El Chico also has the richest dessert I have ever seen. Take an enormous brownie, cover it with a generous helping of vanilla ice cream. Now take a huge amount of their "brandy butter sauce", and pour so much over it that the brownie is swimming in it. So much sugar and fat, people have had heart attacks looking at it. So rich, billionaires hold signs up in front of it. Enough dessert for the whole family to share. This was a great place for Tex-Mex. When I came in, the ample parking lot was packed, so I should have known I was in for something good. If you want good Tex-Mex, and anywhere near Murfreesboro Rd., this is the place to go. Great service at good prices!
(5)
Ben M.
Our client decided to take us out to lunch on our last day in Nashville. They gave us a choice, and the one colleague who didn't live in Texas chose on our behalf and went with Tex-Mex. Fearing my bias that good Tex-Mex does not exist outside of the Southwestern United States, I reserved judgment. So a group of 14 went to El Chico, and were seated relatively quickly for such a large group. When seated we were greeted with complimentary bottomless chips and salsa, which was a pleasant surprise. And this wasn't store-bought salsa and bagged chips; these were homemade. And good. Though the lunch specials were well-priced, I went with the more "expensive" carnitas quesadilla with pico de gallo (though my server insisted on calling it a "DILLA," as if she was Napoleon Dynamite's grandmother). The picture in the menu did not do it justice, because I was surprised at how large the portion was. Not bad for $10, especially when there were free refills of sweet tea and soda. Good food for the money and good service (not to mention ample parking) make El Chico a destination for Tex-Mex in Nashville and outside the Southwestern United States.
(3)
Christe E.
It is on Murfreesboro Rd but many years ago ended up there by accident. We have been back once a week because the food is that good. Joe is the cook and has been there for over 20 years. Everything you order is delicious and the service is excellent. Cocktails from the bar are always very good, not watered down. The area is not good and that would be the only drawback and a shame because the food is that good.
(4)
Aj R.
Can We say Over Priced Taco Bell! I have been here one time and that was one time too many. The menu here is large but that does them no good as all of the food comes out burnt or way over cooked, It is your classic Texamex but it is Pricey for the quality of food you're recieving, $13.00 For Chicken Fajitas. The only good thing here is the Queso. The Staff is Rude and not attentive. simply put the food is bland, Burnt, & Over priced. If you want amazing mexican food stay far far away from All El Chico's locations.
(1)
James C.
Good food at reasonable prices. The service was fast and attentive. They didn't let our tea glasses get empty and they kept bring us more chips.Highly reccomend.Recent restaurant inspection was 100. You don't find many places with perfect scores.
(5)
Andy M.
I love the eating it's good Mexican food and the servers work together to make you feel like family
(4)
Tiffany J.
Excellent service. Updating to interior/exterior would have earned it a 5 star review. We had great dinner service, my husband had the chicken taco salad, it was huge, I had tge chimi combo and it was more than enough food for myself and our two toddlers.
(4)
John T.
Waitress was great. Food was good and it was a great blast from the past. This El Chico's was the first Mexican restaurant I ever had. Still as good as I remember.
(5)
Sheena T.
I came to El Chico for lunch with a big group and it was pretty good! Granted, my expectations were rather low but I always like to be pleasantly surprised. Each person had their own individual salsas (loved that as a salsa hog) and the food was pretty decent. I had 3 tacos for $9 and some change with black beans and rice on the side. The beans and rice were pretty bland, but the tacos were better than I expected. Good flavor and prepared well. The salsa was tasty; a little bit runny for my taste, but decent spice level and good flavor. Overall run of the mill tex-mex place with nothing extraordinary, but I would come back to try out their margaritas and get a tex-mex fix!
(3)
David O.
My Girlfriend says this place goes way back and was the Mexican place to eat before all the other Mexican Restaurants popped up all over the place. Overall I found it to be average. The experience might have been slightly better for me if the table had not been literally too small for the my Fajita orders. That and apparently the soda refills are not free. When a waitress shows up at your table WITH a soda and asks you if you want another, to me that feels like they are providing you with a free refill. The bill reflected TWO sodas and my girlfriend was drinking water so I can only assume it was my second that was charged. The Fajitas were flavorful so I have no complaints about the food. The service was a bit spotty though. An unfortunate language barrier seemed to exist between the table and the waitress. Neither of us understood most of what she said which made me even more unwilling to even try and discuss the extra soda charge. Overall, its not a bad place I just didn't enjoy the food enough to want to return anytime too soon.
(2)
Eddy W.
I haven't been here in yrs. Normally we just drive right by this place but decided to stop in. The food and service was really good. The refried beans were great. Not your normal pile of mush that you get at some Mexican restaurants. We will be back
(4)
shaun p.
Service is ok the food is not...Salsa tastes like tomato paste. Fajitia are very small and nasty blah...
(2)
Daniel B.
This is Nashville's first TEX MEX restaurant. It's not as fancy as Chuy's, but I still like the food a lot. I think their best items are the enchiladas. They have the right texture, flavor, and portions to remind me of great spots in Texas such as Pappasito's. The service is hit or miss, but it's still a destination for me when I want some Tex-Mex food.
(3)
Carolyn S.
I didn't like it
(2)
Jillian P.
Terrible place!! As soon as you walk in the door you are embraced by a haze from poor ventilation. The food was awful. Both my husband and ionly ate half of our entrees. It's terribly dirty and dark. If the main dining area is so nasty and dirty, i can only imagine what the back kitchen looks like. we won't be returning! Don't waste your time!
(1)
Sharon B.
El Chico is a Texas based restaurant chain! Yea! Texas. When we first moved to Nashville from the Dallas-Ft. Worth area we searched and searched for a great Mexican restaurant. The one we really liked on West End unfortunately closed. Then we found El Chico. The food and service are consistently good and we never have a bad meal. Also Alan, one of the managers, is GREAT.
(4)
Helena S.
I got a Buy One Get One free coupon in the mail for Chico, never been there before and was pleasantly surprised for a chain restaurant. We got the Enchilada dinner. The chicken was perfect and the white sauce on top was surprising delish. We got free refillable chips and salsa, the salsa was spicy and also tasty. The server was great, refilling our chips n salsa and drinks as much as we wanted and was happy to take our coupon. There was nice live music too, a woman with a pretty voice playing guitar and singing covers and originals, it wasn't over annoying like most live music usually is while dining. It said on the menu that children eat for .99¢, there were special conditions, but if I had kids I would check that out!
(4)
Sherman J.
The area seems a bit sketchy, and the business is dated for sure, but the service and food were good. Not the best Mexican I've had, but authentic and tasty. I would return when passing through this area again.
(4)
Michael D.
Bad food poor service. Think I got a touch of food poisoning. Seemed like everything was prefrozen, or came out of a can
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : No Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
Matt L.
I came here for lunch and this was an amazing experience. For full disclosure, I went there for free as a reward from my work. Nonetheless, this was a great experience. To begin with, there were excellent fresh homemade tortilla chips. After I ordered my Coke, it was never empty, the waitress always made sure there was another full glass long before the previous reached the bottom. As our party's members showed up, the waitress appeared in seconds to take their drink orders. This lady was on the ball! The menu looked excellent, with a wide variety, but a placard on the card announced a lunch special, the Mucho Lunch: unlimited burritos, regular tacos, and enchiladas for $7.49. And it was well worth it. Although I didn't pay, I still consider this to be an unbelievable deal. I do enjoy a good quesadilla, but the burritos and tacos were so good, I don't think I would need anything else. I also need to say that I am not a fan of guacamole, but this is the only place I have ever seen guac made right at the table. They mashed up the avocados, added the onions, tomatoes, and other items. If the guac were any fresher, your wife would have to slap it. El Chico also has the richest dessert I have ever seen. Take an enormous brownie, cover it with a generous helping of vanilla ice cream. Now take a huge amount of their "brandy butter sauce", and pour so much over it that the brownie is swimming in it. So much sugar and fat, people have had heart attacks looking at it. So rich, billionaires hold signs up in front of it. Enough dessert for the whole family to share. This was a great place for Tex-Mex. When I came in, the ample parking lot was packed, so I should have known I was in for something good. If you want good Tex-Mex, and anywhere near Murfreesboro Rd., this is the place to go. Great service at good prices!
(5)Ben M.
Our client decided to take us out to lunch on our last day in Nashville. They gave us a choice, and the one colleague who didn't live in Texas chose on our behalf and went with Tex-Mex. Fearing my bias that good Tex-Mex does not exist outside of the Southwestern United States, I reserved judgment. So a group of 14 went to El Chico, and were seated relatively quickly for such a large group. When seated we were greeted with complimentary bottomless chips and salsa, which was a pleasant surprise. And this wasn't store-bought salsa and bagged chips; these were homemade. And good. Though the lunch specials were well-priced, I went with the more "expensive" carnitas quesadilla with pico de gallo (though my server insisted on calling it a "DILLA," as if she was Napoleon Dynamite's grandmother). The picture in the menu did not do it justice, because I was surprised at how large the portion was. Not bad for $10, especially when there were free refills of sweet tea and soda. Good food for the money and good service (not to mention ample parking) make El Chico a destination for Tex-Mex in Nashville and outside the Southwestern United States.
(3)Christe E.
It is on Murfreesboro Rd but many years ago ended up there by accident. We have been back once a week because the food is that good. Joe is the cook and has been there for over 20 years. Everything you order is delicious and the service is excellent. Cocktails from the bar are always very good, not watered down. The area is not good and that would be the only drawback and a shame because the food is that good.
(4)Aj R.
Can We say Over Priced Taco Bell! I have been here one time and that was one time too many. The menu here is large but that does them no good as all of the food comes out burnt or way over cooked, It is your classic Texamex but it is Pricey for the quality of food you're recieving, $13.00 For Chicken Fajitas. The only good thing here is the Queso. The Staff is Rude and not attentive. simply put the food is bland, Burnt, & Over priced. If you want amazing mexican food stay far far away from All El Chico's locations.
(1)James C.
Good food at reasonable prices. The service was fast and attentive. They didn't let our tea glasses get empty and they kept bring us more chips.Highly reccomend.Recent restaurant inspection was 100. You don't find many places with perfect scores.
(5)Andy M.
I love the eating it's good Mexican food and the servers work together to make you feel like family
(4)Tiffany J.
Excellent service. Updating to interior/exterior would have earned it a 5 star review. We had great dinner service, my husband had the chicken taco salad, it was huge, I had tge chimi combo and it was more than enough food for myself and our two toddlers.
(4)John T.
Waitress was great. Food was good and it was a great blast from the past. This El Chico's was the first Mexican restaurant I ever had. Still as good as I remember.
(5)Sheena T.
I came to El Chico for lunch with a big group and it was pretty good! Granted, my expectations were rather low but I always like to be pleasantly surprised. Each person had their own individual salsas (loved that as a salsa hog) and the food was pretty decent. I had 3 tacos for $9 and some change with black beans and rice on the side. The beans and rice were pretty bland, but the tacos were better than I expected. Good flavor and prepared well. The salsa was tasty; a little bit runny for my taste, but decent spice level and good flavor. Overall run of the mill tex-mex place with nothing extraordinary, but I would come back to try out their margaritas and get a tex-mex fix!
(3)David O.
My Girlfriend says this place goes way back and was the Mexican place to eat before all the other Mexican Restaurants popped up all over the place. Overall I found it to be average. The experience might have been slightly better for me if the table had not been literally too small for the my Fajita orders. That and apparently the soda refills are not free. When a waitress shows up at your table WITH a soda and asks you if you want another, to me that feels like they are providing you with a free refill. The bill reflected TWO sodas and my girlfriend was drinking water so I can only assume it was my second that was charged. The Fajitas were flavorful so I have no complaints about the food. The service was a bit spotty though. An unfortunate language barrier seemed to exist between the table and the waitress. Neither of us understood most of what she said which made me even more unwilling to even try and discuss the extra soda charge. Overall, its not a bad place I just didn't enjoy the food enough to want to return anytime too soon.
(2)Eddy W.
I haven't been here in yrs. Normally we just drive right by this place but decided to stop in. The food and service was really good. The refried beans were great. Not your normal pile of mush that you get at some Mexican restaurants. We will be back
(4)shaun p.
Service is ok the food is not...Salsa tastes like tomato paste. Fajitia are very small and nasty blah...
(2)Daniel B.
This is Nashville's first TEX MEX restaurant. It's not as fancy as Chuy's, but I still like the food a lot. I think their best items are the enchiladas. They have the right texture, flavor, and portions to remind me of great spots in Texas such as Pappasito's. The service is hit or miss, but it's still a destination for me when I want some Tex-Mex food.
(3)Carolyn S.
I didn't like it
(2)Jillian P.
Terrible place!! As soon as you walk in the door you are embraced by a haze from poor ventilation. The food was awful. Both my husband and ionly ate half of our entrees. It's terribly dirty and dark. If the main dining area is so nasty and dirty, i can only imagine what the back kitchen looks like. we won't be returning! Don't waste your time!
(1)Sharon B.
El Chico is a Texas based restaurant chain! Yea! Texas. When we first moved to Nashville from the Dallas-Ft. Worth area we searched and searched for a great Mexican restaurant. The one we really liked on West End unfortunately closed. Then we found El Chico. The food and service are consistently good and we never have a bad meal. Also Alan, one of the managers, is GREAT.
(4)Helena S.
I got a Buy One Get One free coupon in the mail for Chico, never been there before and was pleasantly surprised for a chain restaurant. We got the Enchilada dinner. The chicken was perfect and the white sauce on top was surprising delish. We got free refillable chips and salsa, the salsa was spicy and also tasty. The server was great, refilling our chips n salsa and drinks as much as we wanted and was happy to take our coupon. There was nice live music too, a woman with a pretty voice playing guitar and singing covers and originals, it wasn't over annoying like most live music usually is while dining. It said on the menu that children eat for .99¢, there were special conditions, but if I had kids I would check that out!
(4)Sherman J.
The area seems a bit sketchy, and the business is dated for sure, but the service and food were good. Not the best Mexican I've had, but authentic and tasty. I would return when passing through this area again.
(4)Michael D.
Bad food poor service. Think I got a touch of food poisoning. Seemed like everything was prefrozen, or came out of a can
(1)