Chuy’s eclectic decor offers a colorful and welcoming environment for any customer walking in. Photo by Austin Mucchetti

Chuy’s is a Tex-Mex style restaurant located in Federal Plaza, off of Rockville Pike in Rockville, Maryland. Opened since October 2016, Chuy’s serves the purpose of a fun, noticeable restaurant that serves fresh, delicious Mexican food at a low price. Chuy’s has over 80 locations across the country and is open everyday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Portraying an ‘80s theme, Chuy’s has records from the ‘80s and honors Elvis Presley. They even have a dish named after him.

Parking in Federal Plaza is stressful, so Chuy’s isn’t in the best location. When we arrived there, the vibrant colors of the of the orange walls and green poles caught our attention. We were greeted and seated within a minute. On Saturday nights, the restaurant is always packed and has a longer wait time, but since we went on a Sunday it was a little less crowded. Reservations aren’t required, but it may help to ensure you get a table. We were seated very quickly and were lucky enough to sit right by the tortilla station. The upbeat nature could be seen within seconds of walking into the restaurant. Someone was making tortillas right next to us, and it was a fun, creative thing to watch. Peering around, we got to see some colorful and creative artwork hanging from the walls. There were also towering palm trees that grabbed our eye right away.

We started off with some chips and spicy salsa which was brought instantly to our table. They also gave us a side of ranch to go with the salsa, to mild it out a bit. We got our drinks very quickly, along with the menus which had great descriptions of the food. We were given a good amount of time to order, but not too much time that we had to wait.

Looking around the restaurant, it was clear that people were enjoying themselves. The subtle 80’s music in the background was a nice touch, complimented by the wild decor on the walls.

After looking at the lengthy menu, which features appetizers, salads and soups, burritos, enchiladas, fajitas and sections for specialties and a kids menu, we all decided on a different array of appetizers and entrees to share amongst ourselves.

Before our main course, we got an appetizer consisting of quesadillas, loaded nachos, taquitos and some sour cream and guacamole for dipping. When it was our time to order, we got a steak burrito and stacked enchiladas. As we were waiting for our food we talked and had fun, but for someone who likes to be on their phone at the dinner table, this might not be the place. The only place where there are TVs is the bar, and there is no free wifi.

We got our food on big plates that were filled entirely. The enchilada had a blue corn tortilla, proven by its purple color. The pulled chicken was great, not too dry, not too soggy and it wasn’t too chewy either. The steak burrito was just right with tender meat and great flavors. The most expensive dish was the burrito that was only $12, so the prices are definitely affordable. In fact, that is about the same price of a burrito at Chipotle, but at a sit down restaurant for just a little more. Both main courses came with the traditional Tex-Mex sides, rice and refried beans.

We give Chuy’s a nine out of 10 for having delicious food, a warm, welcoming atmosphere, intriguing artwork and great service!