The Olive Garden Sister Restaurant Tex-Mex Lovers Can't Skip

The term "Tex-Mex" has carried different meanings over the last 150 years — ranging from the abbreviation for the Texas Mexican railroad to people of Mexican descent who moved to Texas. Eventually, however, Tex-Mex began being used to describe the regional cuisine of the area, which often featured an entree with a side of rice and beans. Despite seeming to be a relatively new phenomenon, Tex-Mex cuisine has been a thing for a while.

Enter the 21st century, and the cuisine has spread into restaurant chain territory, with one of the most famous being Chuy's. This chain opened in Austin, Texas, in 1982 and spread to 15 locations in Texas by the early 2000s – which is when Chuy's decided to spread out across the U.S. Today, Chuy's operates more than 100 locations across 15 states, and in 2024 the restaurant chain was acquired by Darden Restaurants for around $600 million.

If Darden Restaurants sounds familiar, it's for good reason. This is the same restaurant group that owns and operates popular chains like Olive Garden, Longhorn Steakhouse, Ruth's Chris Steak House, and Eddie V's. It's a major player, especially in the casual dining landscape.

Chuy's is about what you'd expect from a chain restaurant — all with a Tex-Mex twist. But one major bonus is it makes its food from scratch every day. You can choose from burritos, enchiladas, tacos, fajitas, soups, salads, or even a combo of several of these items. The King's Memorial Combo features a ground beef enchilada, chicken enchilada, and cheese enchilada (all with different accompanying sauces), as well as a taco, chips, queso, rice, and refried beans. That is a lot of food for only around $17 (based on location).

Reviews for Chuy's are mostly positive, though some Redditors think the quality of the food has dipped since the COVID-19 pandemic. Standout dishes include the "chuychanga," which is a chimichanga (yes, it's different from a burrito) stuffed with chicken and peppers, as well as the steak fajita and blackberry margarita. Some reviewers also have positive things to say about the atmosphere.

With nearly $500 million in sales in 2024, Chuy's is the 110th largest chain restaurant in the U.S. according to the Technomic Top 500 Chain Restaurant Report (via Restaurant Business). So if you don't have one near you, then you might very soon. And, as far as Tex-Mex cuisine goes, it appears to be one of the better chain options out there.