The original Chuy's is good or at least it was a few years ago. I eat at the one in Waco on occasion when I'm down visiting my mom and it's okay.

I've lived in Iowa now for many years and fortunately we found a good place for this area. Their red enchilada sauce is outstanding. As is their salsa.

While I realize this isn't tex mex, the northern NM food I enjoyed the 12 years I lived Santa Fe is still my favorite.

Eleven-League Grant said:

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Quote:

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BTW I think Chuy's in its current original form is great. I hope Darden doesnt change things too much.

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I suspect Darden's first move will be to increase menu prices.

Chuy's has done a decent job of keeping their food prices in line despite all the recent major increase in costs. It seems that was Darden's strategy when they bought Cheddars, too.

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I'm going to go ahead and predict that the creamy jalapeno will no longer be complimentary and will be about 4 bucks for each little bowl under Darden's ownership.

They seem to pretty much belong with Darden. As a lover of Mexican food, I have never been a fan of the chain. And the original Chuy's in Austin was even overrated.

They should buy Fuzzy's Tacos while they are at it. Absolute garbage food at high prices. The guac is passible because I'm pretty sure it's just Wholly Guacamole you can buy at the grocery store.

Dia del DougO said:

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They seem to pretty much belong with Darden. As a lover of Mexican food, I have never been a fan of the chain. And the original Chuy's in Austin was even overrated.

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It was never the best (or even close to the best) TexMex in the city, it was just the most predatory from a business perspective. Pretty much exactly what's happened with P. Terry's and Torchy's as well.

As someone who loved the original Chuys and ate there hundreds of times, i am done. I can replicate the menu items i ate the most and as an austinite prefer to eat at local family owned tex mex sites such as Matts, Maudies, Serranos etc.

Very late to the discussion but just came across this thread.

I like Chuy's on occasion.

For those complaining it isn't Mexican….. well they didn't claim to be. They are Tex mex. If you go there expecting Mexican then you are already wrong. Might as well call Taco Bell Mexican if you call chuys mexican.

Their chips and jalapeno ranch is good. It isn't the typical chips and salsa but again they aren't Mexican.

As others have said I hope Darden doesn't ruin them like they do with everything else. I know they sold red lobster off over ten years ago but the decline of RL started under them in my opinion.

Cheddars decline was because of them. And so many others as discussed already. Smokey bones had potential I thought but was not true bbq. Maybe it works in areas where bbq is lacking.

cowboycwr said:

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Their chips and jalapeno ranch is good. It isn't the typical chips and salsa but again they aren't Mexican.

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I agree with the spirit of your quest, but regular chips and salsa are as Tex-Mex (and any other US-Mex) as it gets.

BaylorHistory said:

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cowboycwr said:

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Their chips and jalapeno ranch is good. It isn't the typical chips and salsa but again they aren't Mexican.

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I agree with the spirit of your quest, but regular chips and salsa are as Tex-Mex (and any other US-Mex) as it gets.

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hard shell tacos and tortilla chips were born as a way for tortillas to travel longer without spoilage. Not just a tex mex thing but a migrant settler thing.

4th and Inches said:

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BaylorHistory said:

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cowboycwr said:

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Their chips and jalapeno ranch is good. It isn't the typical chips and salsa but again they aren't Mexican.

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I agree with the spirit of your quest, but regular chips and salsa are as Tex-Mex (and any other US-Mex) as it gets.

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hard shell tacos and tortilla chips were born as a way for tortillas to travel longer without spoilage. Not just a tex mex thing but a migrant settler thing.

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Please! Everyone knows that Elvis invented the hard-shell taco. And jalepeno ranch.

Thanks, The King!

OsoCoreyell said:

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4th and Inches said:

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BaylorHistory said:

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cowboycwr said:

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Their chips and jalapeno ranch is good. It isn't the typical chips and salsa but again they aren't Mexican.

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I agree with the spirit of your quest, but regular chips and salsa are as Tex-Mex (and any other US-Mex) as it gets.

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hard shell tacos and tortilla chips were born as a way for tortillas to travel longer without spoilage. Not just a tex mex thing but a migrant settler thing.

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Please! Everyone knows that Elvis invented the hard-shell taco. And jalepeno ranch.

Thanks, The King!

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Speaking of which, Chuy's was already lost when they dropped the Elvis Fried Chicken.

There's almost no point to Chuy's any more.

Edmond Bear said:

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OsoCoreyell said:

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4th and Inches said:

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BaylorHistory said:

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cowboycwr said:

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Their chips and jalapeno ranch is good. It isn't the typical chips and salsa but again they aren't Mexican.

---

I agree with the spirit of your quest, but regular chips and salsa are as Tex-Mex (and any other US-Mex) as it gets.

---

hard shell tacos and tortilla chips were born as a way for tortillas to travel longer without spoilage. Not just a tex mex thing but a migrant settler thing.

---

Please! Everyone knows that Elvis invented the hard-shell taco. And jalepeno ranch.

Thanks, The King!

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Speaking of which, Chuy's was already lost when they dropped the Elvis Fried Chicken.

There's almost no point to Chuy's any more.

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It's back on the menu, wether it's as good as prior is up for debate.

I would imagine they are not changing the recipes just because Darden owns it. I'm not sure when they took over but if it was before a couple of months ago, I went a couple of months ago and could t tell the difference in Waco's. I actually just drove by it and it was packed.

BylrFan said:

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Edmond Bear said:

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OsoCoreyell said:

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4th and Inches said:

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BaylorHistory said:

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cowboycwr said:

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Their chips and jalapeno ranch is good. It isn't the typical chips and salsa but again they aren't Mexican.

---

I agree with the spirit of your quest, but regular chips and salsa are as Tex-Mex (and any other US-Mex) as it gets.

---

hard shell tacos and tortilla chips were born as a way for tortillas to travel longer without spoilage. Not just a tex mex thing but a migrant settler thing.

---

Please! Everyone knows that Elvis invented the hard-shell taco. And jalepeno ranch.

Thanks, The King!

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Speaking of which, Chuy's was already lost when they dropped the Elvis Fried Chicken.

There's almost no point to Chuy's any more.

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It's back on the menu, wether it's as good as prior is up for debate.

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I've never tried it but some of the other things they've brought back recently have been the same recipes.

I heard it was back too. One of my friends went last week and was hyped to see it and loved it still. Haven't been there in awhile myself though

Heard a waiter say the other day that Chuy's is going to have to change the name. The licensing was with the old ownership and the estate decided they don't want to license it to Darden. It's going to become The King's Memorial Combo instead of the old name.

TechDawgMc said:

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Heard a waiter say the other day that Chuy's is going to have to change the name. The licensing was with the old ownership and the estate decided they don't want to license it to Darden. It's going to become The King's Memorial Combo instead of the old name.

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That one doesn't pass MKT 3301

NoLayUps21 said:

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TechDawgMc said:

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Heard a waiter say the other day that Chuy's is going to have to change the name. The licensing was with the old ownership and the estate decided they don't want to license it to Darden. It's going to become The King's Memorial Combo instead of the old name.

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That one doesn't pass MKT 3301

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If true, what a colossal blunder by Darden to not have that figured out and locked down. How many billions (or at least hundreds of millions) will they lose from having to explain to customers that it's the same restaurant despite the likelihood that they may not be able to say "Chuy's" to explain it.

BearVerdad said:

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NoLayUps21 said:

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TechDawgMc said:

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Heard a waiter say the other day that Chuy's is going to have to change the name. The licensing was with the old ownership and the estate decided they don't want to license it to Darden. It's going to become The King's Memorial Combo instead of the old name.

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That one doesn't pass MKT 3301

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If true, what a colossal blunder by Darden to not have that figured out and locked down. How many billions (or at least hundreds of millions) will they lose from having to explain to customers that it's the same restaurant despite the likelihood that they may not be able to say "Chuy's" to explain it.

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Yeah, and also if true, I think the new name would have to readily identify that issue by making the reference painstakingly obvious.

I think you would need something such as "King's", "Elvis's" or "Austin's Tex-Mex Cafe". Some allusion to Elvis or Austin would preserve the chain's connection to the King of Rock n' Roll and regulars would understand the connection.

Not sure if people would understand "Riverside Mexican Cafe" except for those of us who lived in Austin when that was thee Chuy's.

Hmm…….I understood him to say a waiter told him the Elvis Fried Chicken dish will need to get a new name because the Elvis estate didn't want to make a deal with Darden. Not that Chuy's has to change its name. Even so I'm not sure it is true about the Elvis named dish.

PartyBear said:

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Hmm…….I understood him to say a waiter told him the Elvis Fried Chicken dish will need to get a new name because the Elvis estate didn't want to make a deal with Darden. Not that Chuy's has to change its name. Even so I'm not sure it is true about the Elvis named dish.

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Correct. Sorry about the confusion. It's not the Chuy's name, it's the use of Elvis' name. That's what the waiter said.

Elvis' fried chicken hasn't been on the menu in ages - at least at the two central Texas locations.

Yogi said:

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Elvis' fried chicken hasn't been on the menu in ages - at least at the two central Texas locations.

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It's been back for a month or so

Cultura Mia has a special today of chicken and waffles. Glad we decided to swing by. Infused with chile rbol.

New lunch menu has a bunch of items we have tried and they are all good. The torta ahogada is one of my favorites

Is El Conquistador on Waco Drive still open?

Yes it is.

SoonerFrogs said:

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Is El Conquistador on Waco Drive still open?

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yes, the bellmead one is being remodeled. Dont know if they are done yet..

PartyBear said:

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Eleven-League Grant said:

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Quote:

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BTW I think Chuy's in its current original form is great. I hope Darden doesnt change things too much.

---

I suspect Darden's first move will be to increase menu prices.

Chuy's has done a decent job of keeping their food prices in line despite all the recent major increase in costs. It seems that was Darden's strategy when they bought Cheddars, too.

---

I'm going to go ahead and predict that the creamy jalapeno will no longer be complimentary and will be about 4 bucks for each little bowl under Darden's ownership.

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Doesn't matter. I'll drain every ounce of plasma in my body and put retirement off another ten years just to get it.

(BTW, I have the recipe, and it is even better with a thicker consistency.)