Chi-Chi's Menu Items That Should Never Return

Ranked number eight on our list of beloved chain restaurants that completely disappeared (along with HomeTown Buffet and Howard Johnson's), Chi-Chi's was a thriving Tex-Mex establishment that once boasted over 200 locations in the U.S. The chain faced some major hardships during its run, including a 2003 bankruptcy filing that was immediately followed by the worst outbreak of hepatitis A in the nation's history. The outbreak, which was likely caused by raw green onions in the restaurant's free salsa, effectively ended Chi-Chi's, and the chain's remaining locations were purchased by Outback Steakhouse and turned into other restaurant brands owned by the Australian-inspired steakhouse chain.

For those who still feel a Chi-Chi's-sized hole in their heart, even all these years after the restaurant's closure, we have some good news. Chi-Chi's is slated to reopen in 2025 thanks to Michael McDermott, who's filling the shoes of his father and restaurant co-founder Marno McDermott. The elder McDermott opened Chi-Chi's with Max McGee way back in 1975. We love a good Tex-Mex meal as much as the next person, and dishes like enchiladas, fajitas, and burritos were wildly popular among diners. However, we're not as enthusiastic about all of Chi-Chi's offerings, so we're hoping that the following items are conspicuously absent from the new menu once the Tex-Mex chain reopens its doors.

It's often said that you should think twice about mixing seafood and cheese, as seafood's understated flavor is likely to be overwhelmed by cheese's more powerful taste. That makes Chi-Chi's lobster enchiladas, which appeared on a later version of the restaurant's menu, questionable at best and off-putting at worst. Along with lobster, the dish featured two cheeses, namely Jack and cheddar, as well as a "zesty cream sauce" (via Reddit).

Lobster is known for having a mild, subtly sweet flavor that's often paired with a generous portion of butter. As for Jack cheese, the menu doesn't specify what type, but Monterey Jack does feature a milder flavor replete with buttery notes. Similarly, Chi-Chi's doesn't name the specific type of cheddar used in the dish, but keep in mind that the cheese can range from mild to sharp depending on how long it's aged. While it's impossible to know the exact flavor profile of these enchiladas, two cheeses plus a creamy sauce seems like overkill when paired with something as delicate as lobster.

When it comes to iconic desserts, Chi-Chi's fried ice cream remains a fond memory for many who visited the chain. While we recommend skipping fried ice cream at Mexican restaurants since the dish probably didn't originate in Mexico, you can't deny its popularity among diners. In a Reddit thread reminiscing over Chi-Chi's most beloved dessert, one person wrote, "I remember thinking [fried ice cream] was an exotic delicacy," while another commenter simply said, "It was delicious." The appeal of fried ice cream most likely overshadowed the restaurant's additional selection of desserts, including the Chocolate Bandido, which appeared on a version of the menu hailing from the '90s.

There's nothing outwardly unappealing about the ingredients in this dessert, as it consists of chocolate walnut brownies, French vanilla ice cream, and hot fudge, but the size of the Chocolate Bandido is a bit alarming. Diners would receive not one, not two, but four brownies, which is an unconscionable amount of food to close out a Tex-Mex feast. While the menu states that the dessert comes with two spoons, indicating that it's meant to be shared between two diners, that still leaves two brownies per guest. If the Chocolate Bandido does make its way back to Chi-Chi's dessert menu, perhaps the chain will consider adjusting the portion size.

While Tex-Mex cuisine is an American creation, the food draws inspiration from the ingredients and recipes found throughout Mexican cooking. It's true that Chi-Chi's was best known for its Tex-Mex dishes, but the chain also offered other fare in the '90s, like burgers, fries, barbecue wings, and springs rolls. It's likely that the chain added these items to appeal to a wider consumer base, but they don't really make sense when compared to other menu items (worth noting is that one version of Chi-Chi's burgers did come with a Tex-Mex-inspired barbecue sauce).

A streamlined restaurant menu that focuses on one type of cuisine is usually best, as it ensures that the foods included in the line-up are of the highest possible quality. It's also easier for customers to make a decision when selecting from a smaller, more concise menu, as decision fatigue can take some of the joy out of dining when faced with an enormous selection. Also, there are plenty of restaurants that currently serve fare like burgers and fries, so it would likely be in Chi-Chi's best interest to offer diners something they can't get elsewhere (such as the always-popular Mexican pizza).

Burritos are a star of Tex-Mex cuisine, as they contain lots of tasty ingredients in a convenient, tortilla-wrapped package. Chi-Chi's featured plenty of burritos on its menu, and most of them appeared perfectly appealing. However, the chain's Outrageous Burrito is another beast altogether, as it's crammed with a massive number of ingredients, including two types of meat. When it appeared on the menu, the Outrageous Burrito included steak, chicken, rice, beans, pico de gallo, and chile con queso, plus enchilada and supreme sauces to finish the dish.

Consumers' desires are ever-changing, and many people these days prefer more manageable portions at restaurants. Bigger portions usually mean more food waste, which harms the environment as well as the establishment itself, as this can add on to operating costs. Chi-Chi's has experienced financial instability in the past, so it would make sense for the restaurant to offer more reasonable portions. Plus, from a customer perspective, the combination of chicken and steak in a single burrito just seems like overkill.

Pot roast is quite possibly the last item you'd expect to find in a Tex-Mex restaurant, but Chi-Chi's proudly offered Yucatan-style pot roast to customers in the 2000s, as seen in a menu photo shared on Reddit. According to the menu, the dish featured slow-cooked barbacoa beef, which rested on a bed of chili- and cheddar cheese-flavored mashed potatoes. Perhaps it was the chain's attempt at dabbling in American-Tex-Mex fusion, but we highly doubt the dish could compete with classic Tex-Mex fare.

While slow-cooker pot roast recipes are the very definition of comfort food, they're not something most people crave when visiting their favorite Tex-Mex restaurant. If Chi-Chi's is dead set on offering the dish, however, carne guisada could be a great alternative to the Yucatan-style pot roast. Carne guisada includes beef, red bell peppers, garlic, and onions, all of which are cooked in a pot and seasoned with paprika, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and black pepper. The result is a flavorful and succulent dish that's usually served with warm tortillas, in keeping with Chi-Chi's culinary theme.

Once the excitement of Chi-Chi's return fades, the restaurant will need to offer diners quality food to ensure the concept is more than just a nostalgic novelty. We argue that leaving out the menu items listed here would definitely be a step in the right direction, as that would make room for tasty new fare designed for the modern palate.