Inside: Chico's Wood Fired Grill

Photos:

Blink and you’ll miss it.

Tucked behind a McDonald’s in a plaza in West Chase is possibly one of the best Mexican restaurants Tampa Bay has to offer.

Upon walking in Chico’s Wood Fired Grill, you will be greeted by a rich, clean atmosphere with bold colors, fun light fixtures and unique tex mex themed décor.

You know a restaurant is good when the staff joyfully supports it. From the host to the servers, everyone seems to love this place. When I walked in and asked what was the best thing on the menu, both the bartender and host told me something different, “Get the filet tacos!” and the other said, “No get the Chimichangas!”

We got seated in a cozy booth and were greeted by our server who had a basket of chips and homemade salsa in her hand. Upon our first bites I was sold, the salsa was fresh, authentic and full flavored.

The menu is extensive, moderately priced and we had a very difficult time deciding.

What I tasted:

·         Chips, Salsa and Queso: The chips and salsa are free and trust me they’re amazing. If you feel like splurging however the queso is a worthwhile add on.  Loaded with meat and plenty of melty cheese it complements the chips perfectly.  

·         Filet Tacos: Filet meat is already good….put it in a taco and it’s even better. This entrée is priced around $7 and might be the most affordable filet experience you have ever had.

·         Filet and Chicken Chimichangas: These are not normal chimichangas and instead are served more like a giant egg roll. The portion is large and priced around $10 for filet and $8 for chicken. You get two whole chimichangas cut in half for a total of four. I had both and the filet dish is much better.

·         Vegetarian Enchiladas: The black beans in the enchilada weren’t my favorite but the enchilada sauce and loads of cheese made up for it. If you can’t stand meat this might be your best bet, but I still recommend going with any entrée that has filet.

 In addition to all of the great menu options, the service really made this experience. Our server was knowledgeable and attentive. Our chimichangas came out incorrect and withirn minutes the manager was at our table apologizing and brought us a whole new order. It was obvious that the service staff and manager truly care about their customers. These days this kind of attention is rare at any restaurant.

Final Thoughts: Some of the best Mexican food I have tasted in the Tampa Bay area and it’s priced right. This would be a great place to grab lunch or dinner on any night of the week. Every Tuesday all tacos are $2 (5pm- close). On Saturday Sangria is half off and Monday nights they offer buy one get one free fajitas (3pm – close). If you go be sure to sign up for the e-mail club, you get a free entrée for joining.

Chico’s Wood Fired Grill

12217 West Linebaugh Ave

Tampa, FL 33626

813-841-2023

www.chicosgrill.com

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