Chuy’s Restaurant More than Just Food and Drink

Looking at Chuy’s Fine Tex-Mex Restaurant from the outside, nothing appears to be out of the ordinary with this traditional-styled building.

But inside, diners will find an atmosphere that’s festive and fun. They’ll find eclectic décor that combines hubcaps, puppy pictures and palm trees with Elvis, the back half of a late model car and an array of purposely-mismatched tiles. They’ll also find some of the tastiest Mexican cuisine served fresh by some of the friendliest people in town.

Chuy’s at 156th Street and LaGrange Rd. this month is celebrating its first anniversary of doing business in Orland Park, and restaurant personnel are happy to be in town. “Orland Park has been great,” said bar manager Bill Clausen. “It’s been very good as far as business is concerned and the community has been really welcoming.”

The generous portions of food showcase authentic, made-from-scratch fare that’s been served since 1982 when Chuy’s opened its first restaurant on historic Barton Spring Road in Austin, Texas. House specialties range from Chuy-changas and Elvis chile fried chicken to unique combo platters, including the Elvis Presley Memorial, which blends several types of enchiladas with a crispy taco and homemade tostada chips.

A glass enclosure in the dining room allows patrons to watch flour hand rolled into tortillas on a traditional comal, a smooth, flat griddle. The restaurant also boasts 10 signature sauces made fresh on the premises that are perfect for dipping or complementing an entrée. A drink menu features a wide variety of margaritas, punches, beers and more.

The décor in each of the restaurants reflects the company’s early beginnings, which is why some walls are filled with photos of patrons’ pets, or random art pieces or ceilings are covered with hubcaps or baskets. Growing from the tiles in the main dining rooms are palm trees highlighted by nearby ceiling lights. Near the front entrance is an area that’s known as the Elvis shrine. The walls and a table display photos, a bust of the King and other memorabilia.

“When the restaurants first opened, there wasn’t much of a budget for decorating,” Clausen said. “There were five different types of tiles because that’s all they had and they used whatever was available to decorate. It was a big hit so we continue to decorate that way.” The palm trees are designed by the same artist who’s been creating them for the past 30 years.

“It’s the same thing with the hubcaps. The budget was very tight originally so someone bought some old hubcaps to hang on the walls. But the ceiling was painted a purplish color and they didn’t like it so they hung the hubcaps on the ceiling to cover it up,” Clausen said. “Each restaurant still paints the ceiling a color no one likes and then they cover it with hubcaps.”

The walls in the bar area, affectionately called the Chihuahua Bar, are covered with photographs of patrons’ pets—mostly dogs. “When we first opened, we had a promotion where if you brought in a framed picture of your dog, we would hang it and you get a free appetizer next time you come into the restaurant,” Clausen said.

The bar also is home to the back half of a late-model Buick, known as the fully-loaded nacho car. Salsas, sauces and chips are served out of the trunk.

It’s difficult to find a staff member who isn’t wearing a smile. “That’s one of our slogans," Clausen said. “We only hire the happiest people in the area.”

Visit Chuy's website.

15610 S. LaGrange Rd.

(708) 403-5334

Sunday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.