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    Abuelo's Mexican Restaurant

    3.5 (158 reviews)
    ModerateMexican, Tex-Mex

    Abuelo's Mexican Restaurant Photos

    ABUELO'S MEXICAN RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Abuelo's Mexican Restaurant

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    Reviews With Photos

    Fajita Combos
    Shanna R.

    Consistent quality and pleasant service, but the upscale chain ambience doesn't justify the cost relative to neighborhood (non-chain) family run restaurants. Happy hour prices are questionable...$5 for a 22oz Bud Light isn't anything to write home about. Makes me wonder what the regular price is... Abuelos strikes me as the Cheesecake Factory of Mexican food. Kinda trying to have a classy interior, slightly over crowded menu, everything tastes fine but not great. Our fajitas (two-person serving of mixed proteins) was served sizzling hot and with plenty of sides/toppings, but generally it was nothing to write home about. Our server attentive and friendly, and so was the host. Almost $60 for fajitas and two happy hour beers before gratuity/tax felt very steep.

    Beautiful decor
    Ann C.

    Awesome. It's really spacious on the inside, and the menu is huge. Something for everyone, with gluten-free and vegetarian options. Check out my menu picks. We had the pork medallions wrapped in bacon with charro beans and a chicken enchilada with mashed potatoes. It was epic! We also had the grilled Seabass with vegetables and cilantro lime rice. Exquisite. Located within the Hamilton Place mall shopping center, there are so many things to see and do around this area. You could easily spend a couple of hours just in exploring all of the cool retail shops and restaurants. The staff is very welcoming and warm. They make sure that you have everything you need and that your food is cooked perfectly. My husband said these are the best mashed potatoes he's ever had in his entire life. Next time you're in Chattanooga, you must try this place.

    Chicken fajitas
    Laila S.

    While visiting Chattanooga for the weekend for an anime convention, we wanted to try something new, something that's not in Atlanta. This is an upscale Mexican restaurant. The prices were actually pretty reasonable for the athestetics and location. The staff was very nice and pleasant and I loved our server I definitely will be back

    Frank H.

    This place was truly a hidden gem for us. We were looking for some good Mexican food and while riding, saw this place and said let's give it a try. They were following COVID-19 procedures very good. They made us feel comfortable knowing they were doing good extra cleaning after every customer. Our server was ver friendly and helpful. She recommended our dishes and made sure our meal was what she said. Our meal concision grilled filet wrapped in bacon, grilled shrimp wrapped in bacon, rice and the best pinto beans. I told the server they need to sell Mexican cornbread with those. I ate those by themselves. Our steak was well seasoned and so tender. Overall, everything was great and we will be back.

    Some of the worst fajitas or FOOD I've ever had in my life!
    Blake C.

    Dear lord this was some of the worst food I've ever had in my life. Rubbery meat with no seasoning that was rushed out to us in ten minutes. Beans were cold and inedible. Why was there a lemon with these $28 fajitas? They should pay you to eat this! Had to get half-lit to stop myself from screaming. Waitress also forgot our appetizer. Bottom line this place is terrible for the price. You can pay 1/4 or 1/2 the price and get better quality/tasting food at any mom and pop Tex-Mex place. I would NEVER go back to this literal HELL ever again! Salsa was decent and the marg was drinkable. If you choose not to heed my warning just order drinks and eat chips and salsa.

    Pork Tenderloin Abrigada
    Kyron W.

    I'm originally from Texas but have been living in Chattanooga since 2020. I've missed having good Tex-Mex food close by. Abuelo's is so wonderful and reminds me of home. I believe the chain started in Texas so the authenticity of the Tex-Mex makes sense. If you haven't been before, or had really good Tex-Mex, you can imagine Chuy's, (which I like) but a few levels up. I have ordered the enchilada platter, the Pork Tenderloin Abrigada (pictured), and bacon-wrapped shrimp. The food tastes very fresh, incredibly flavorful, and unhealthy... In a good way... Speaking of health, they also have vegan options that I'm looking forward to trying soon. A vegan quesadilla sounds tasty! If you are wondering about the service, my wife thought the service of our wait staff was pleasant and satisfactory. Anyway, I highly recommend it. I think that means a lot coming from a Texan!

    Trio fajitas

    Ordered a chicken Tortilla Soup, didn't have a good presentation. I would rather eat a Progresso can soup. It honestly taste twice better , trio fajitas had a oriental sauce on top , beans didn't have flavor , definitely not coming here again ever

    Chicken Fajita Chimichanga

    This taste like rubbish I rather eat Taco Bell. The bread is stale and the chicken taste like it was marinated in poop

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    Great food and great service. First time here and enjoyed it highly. Very good and tasty portions of food. The food came out hot and fast

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    Page 1 of 4

    Ask the Community - Abuelo's Mexican Restaurant

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    Little Coyote

    Little Coyote

    4.3
    (122 reviews)
    9.8 mi

    We had a fun meal. Our focus was on the small plates which we ordered and shared - 4 in total, but…read moreplenty of food for our date night. The selections were both interesting and traditional - a combination of old Oaxacan classics and modern Mexican faire. Plenty of opportunity to broaden your gastronomic range! Liberty, our server, was fun and engaging and full of helpful hints. We dined outdoors and the weather was perfect for it. Great view of the incline railway too. Overall our experience was muy excellente!

    This was spotted by my wife and she immediately added it to our must try list while visiting. This…read moreis a cool establishment with awesome, young and hip waiters. We had our two young girls and they were very understanding and accommodating (high chair and coloring sheets). The menu is interesting but to be honest, we enjoyed almost none of our items. The cocktails were very meh. Not awful but not great. The food is really where this place lacks in my opinion. No one was a fan of almost any dish we got. The puffy tacos with redfish were likely the worst. Under seasoned and close to being gross. The catfish dish was so so. The fish itself was good but the grits were hard and the green tomatoes were so sour that they overpowered everything else. The ribs tried but I'd suggest going to a legit BBQ joint for real meats like this. The potatoes were greasy and mostly bland. I'd rank this our least favorite meal in the city. Interestingly enough. We were just at a Michelin star restaurant less than a week before and had the complete opposite experience.

    Photos
    Inside view
    Inside view
    Smoke oxtail chili ..different style of chili
    Smoke oxtail chili ..different style of chili
    Spring Onion Queso

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    Spring Onion Queso
    Taco Mamacita

    Taco Mamacita

    4.0
    (760 reviews)
    8.9 mi
    $$

    Throughout the years, I've always loved coming to this restaurant with friends and family…read more And this recent visit while in town did not disappoint! Upon arrival, a friendly host found us comfortable booth seating behind the bar. The waitress not only answered our food allergy related questions pertaining to certain dish prep but the manager came over to our table to assure us that she would be double checking our order to make sure there was no allergen cross contamination. Such a kind, thoughtful gesture! Mom and I ordered the sampler to split - a huge tray filed with delish gluten free chips, a delish bowl salsa verde, a delish bowl of homemade guacamole, and a delish bowl of homemade cheese sauce. For my lunch, I got two of my favorite tacos on their menu still, the California Club ones, large tacos filled with roasted chicken, a tasty like crema, and avocado. Not as hungry as I, Mom got an Oy Vey Taco, another longstanding goodie, a brisket based taco, which she enjoyed. Our later than planned Wednesday lunch was perfect.

    Went for a late dinner on a weeknight & were seated immediately. This restaurant has recently been…read moreremodeled, so it has some more retro vibes than before, with the bar now in the middle. It took a while for a server to see us, but then it was fast to get our drinks as well as food once orders were placed. Tacos were alright, Cali club was messy & drippy. Homeboy was good but I don't think I'd get the spicy version again - not overly spice just overly sauced. The appetizer trio was good, but seemed expensive at $14. Overall the place is nice, but a little expensive for tacos.

    Photos
    Indoors
    Indoors
    Food
    Food
    Food

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    Food
    Mayan Kitchen

    Mayan Kitchen

    4.4
    (523 reviews)
    8.8 mi
    $$

    My family was staying at a nearby hotel and decided to try this place for dinner after a concierge…read moresuggested it. So happy we did! It was delicious. We enjoyed strawberry margaritas, queso, Mayan fajitas, steak tacos and kids Mac & cheese. Service was great & the restaurant was very clean. Would definitely go back if we're in Chattanooga.

    This is one of the best places I have found to eat in Chattanooga. The food and service are…read moreconsistently excellent, and the experience is reliable every time. The bathrooms are always clean, which I appreciate. Paid street parking is usually easy to find, though during busy hours it can take a little more time. The veggie fajitas are an absolute treat and full of flavor. The guacamole is fresh and perfectly seasoned, and the salsa is truly top notch. One of the most delightful surprises is that the churros are vegan, and they are unforgettable. The Papillón dish is especially meaningful. It can be made vegan and comes from the owner's grandmother's recipe in Guatemala. That personal touch really shines through and makes the menu feel inspired and unique. There used to be a young blonde male bartender who was hands down one of the best servers I have ever had. He was personable and somehow remembered both your order and your conversations even months later. That level of hospitality really stood out. Prices are not cheap, and the ingredients are not explicitly organic, but the quality, flavor, and thoughtful menu make it well worth it. Highly recommend if you are looking for consistently great food and a standout dining experience in Chattanooga.

    Photos
    Maya kitchen
    Maya kitchen
    Fajitas
    Fajitas
    Bar area

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    Bar area

    Abuelo's Mexican Restaurant - mexican - Updated August 2026

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