We stopped into Chago's Belmont Cantina before seeing the Dolly Parton musical right across the street at the Fisher Center, and honestly, you can't beat the location. We had a 5:45 reservation, arrived about ten minutes early, and they were kind enough to seat us right away. The place was absolutely packed with folks heading to the 7:30 show, but despite the rush, service was quick and smooth. The food hit the spot. The Jalapeño Chicken was pure Mexican-style comfort food...cheesy, flavorful, and with just the right kick of heat (definitely a heads up if you're spice-sensitive). The Chicken Quesadilla came out as a generous portion, easily enough to fill us up. We also tried the guacamole, which tasted super fresh with a bright pop of lime. Everything came out hot, well-prepared, and on time. Between the excellent service, great food, and unbeatable convenience if you're headed to the Fisher Center, this place is a no-brainer. We'll definitely be back next time! read more

Chago's Cantina - Jalapeño Chicken packed with cheesy goodness, served over a hearty bed of rice and black beans. - Mexican Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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Chagos is located in such a great spot along Belmont Boulevard. The ambiance is very nice with the open windows and new interior. I really wanted to love this place, but something is just off. The service was very slow when we went. It took 10 minutes to get a water, but the food came out quick after we ordered. Definitely great portion sizes and the food was ok. Not great, but not terrible. The salsa was really watery and the main dishes lacked flavor. The margarita was also watery. It is really cool that they do a 25% off menu after 8pm. Also there is limited parking available. Street parking only. Hopefully this place will get better because I really wanted to like it. read more

Chago's Cantina - Shrimp fajitas - Mexican Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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We were at Belmont for an event and wanted something to eat with friends before hand. The place wasn't crowded so we stopped in. I dislike places that charge for chips and salsa, but that's simply because who doesn't want to eat their weight in chips and salsa. The guacamole was delicious though. I absolutely loved how fresh it came out. I ordered a quesadilla and while it was good, it wasn't worth the price. Everyone got full, but we were left wanting more. Our service was also subpar simply because they never came and refilled our drinks. So we were all thirsty and sitting there waiting. It was good, but not amazing. read more

THE REVAMP This was the first day they've been open to the public. I was waiting on the highly anticipated email stating "NOW OPEN". After being closed for so long, I had been craving their nachos. Sad to say the nachos have changed from how they used to be.....bummer! The interior in here was aesthetically pleasing. The colors, decor, and vibe was spot on. It reminded me of Save By The Bell, a classic. We were greeted upon entry by Maggie, who was super sweet and welcoming. Very personable. We were given paper menus, that already had a couple grease and food stains on them. Which I'm hoping by time they get fully functional again they'll laminate these to prevent the dingy appearance of the menus. Not only that, but to keep from going through them so quickly because they are paper. Much grace on this issue, easy fix. Happy Hour 2-6pm daily on food and drinks. Major plus! I'll be back to check out happy hour soon. Drinks and appetizer brought over by Ben. He is definitely a gem you should keep around. His overall demeanor was great. So lively and cheerful. Made sure to say bye when leaving. He possesses a great spirit that's for sure. Becca, our server was great. Very attentive. The manager on duty, I'm assuming she's the manager based on her attire. She was friendly and attentive as well. The bartender unsure of her name, but she never once greeted us. We sat in the booths right by the bar, which I would assume would be her section. We were told our server would be right with us, but after conversation exchange between her and Maggie (the hostess), I don't believe she wanted to wait on us UNLESS someone else wasn't available to do so. I'm unsure if this was because we came in and was seated right at 8 and they close at 9 or what. Very interesting seeing as how a guy walked in to place a Togo order at 8:15 and she waited on him without hesitation. Some things we will never know..... FOOD ordered: Guacamole-4/5; enough for 2 to share. Chips were hot, fresh, lightly salted, and crispy. Very fresh tasting. Mahi taco-4/5; slaw could use a tad bit more flavor, but the crispiness of the mahi (reminds you of a fish stick) was superb. Birria taco -5/5; this may have to be ranked up there as 1 of my top birria tacos in Nashville. $6/each Nachos supreme-3/5; these were highly anticipated, but not the same as before. They come with ground beef, but the birria meat on these would have been much better. Not sure if that's an option though. The chips as stated before were fresh and not stale tasting but it sucks to have a plate of chips and everything just on the top. Especially the cheese I definitely would have liked if the cheese was evenly dispersed throughout the nachos rather than on just the top layer. Great portion size. Enough to take home to eat later. Fajita chicken quesadilla- 3/5; peppers and onions grilled perfectly, but the chicken lacked flavor. If the peppers and onions weren't on the quesadilla I'm curious as to how it would really taste. If the meat had been seasoned, the quesadillas could've easily been 5/5. DRINKS-PERFECT! Sweet heat margarita-5/5 The passion-5/5 read more

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Decent food. Good service. Convenient for after show dinner at Fisher Center. Gone there since our daughter's college days and it's a solid restaurant. read more

Service is great! Very friendly! The food was good but not great. Also $6 is kinda high for one taco. *Would give a 3.5 but that is not possible. read more

Chago's Cantina - BIRRIA TACO CHICKEN TACO - Mexican Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

I have visited the "new" Chagos quite a few times now. I've never been disappointed with the food or the service. The staff is exceptionally helpful and polite, and the food has been fantastic. I visited today for Brunch the first time, and everything was delectable. I shared the breakfast burrito ( which was stuffed with birria) and the avocado toast (which was fantastically rich with the egg and chorizo) and couldn't have been more impressed by the taste and the portions. The same extends to their lunch/dinner menu. One of my favorites being the "appetizer" quesadilla which is actually a full meal. They also have happy hour, EVERYDAY from 2-6 PM on drinks and food, can't go wrong! Being a California native, it's been a bit tough finding authentic and quality Mexican food in the area, but Chagos serves it up. From the salsa to the margs to the entrees , you won't be disappointed. The margaritas, sangria and frozen espresso martinis are just icing on the cake. But don't skip out on the dessert either. The tres leches cake and the crème brûlée are freakin out of this world! read more

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Very yummy! Great portion size too, the burrito was enough to share between 2 people. The steak in the burrito was surprisingly high quality. Service was great and everyone was very friendly. Looking forward to coming back! read more

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In case you are confused that is not a steak taco. This is a grilled MAHI MAHI TACO. Is the meat supposed to be grey? Took two bites and decided it was to stop because this looks like a case of food poisoning waiting to happen. read more

Chago's Cantina - MAHI MAHI TACO - Mexican Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Man - this place has gone DOWNHILL over the one year since our last visit. We were back in Nashville and our 2nd experience at Chago's was truly disappointing. We ordered almost the EXACT same meals, but the food was not good, and the service was embarrassing. I was amazed that this place had done a complete 360° versus our first visit in March of last year. The service was so bad that we spent half of our meal asking the bartender for help. YES - we had to leave our table to go up to the bar to ask the bartender whenever we needed a refill or sour cream or ANYTHING else. Our server was MIA. After the third time we needed "help", we finally asked the bartender what happened to Chago's because it was amazing a little over a year ago. According to the bartender, the owners fired the manager who was amazing and everybody "loved" working for...because he was "making too much money". So, restaurateurs of the world - let that be a lesson to you about management. If you have a great manager - cherish him or her and make sure he/she is happy. Because Chago's is a prime example of how bad things can happen if you have poor leadership. The next time we return to Nashville, Chago's will not even be an option. So, do yourself a favor and try something else. I'd rather eat at an average chain restaurant than a bad local place. Also - I forgot to mention that the bathrooms looked like a crime scene. Everything was dirty. My wife said that she felt dirty when she returned to the table. read more

Beautiful prime location right across from Belmont. Can't tell you about parking but super easy to ride my bike over there. Went by myself so can't comment on a lot of dishes but thought the chicken fajitas were quite good and the beer was cold. Service was prompt and pleasant , couldn't ask for more. read more

I've been in a few times w my poodle ! The five stars is for the food and drinks .. the service lacks but the food made up for it .. shout out to the waitress/ bartender from Rhode Island .. she got our drinks to us fast and was super sweet! read more

I've been to Chago's Cantina before, but this time I brought my mom and nephew who had never been. Nephew loves Green Hills Grille's enchiladas (same owner) and loved Chago's version with shredded chicken and queso on top. Breakfast tacos got a 10/10! My son had the ground beef tacos and a Red Bull Strawberry shake, both of which he was very happy with. I had a Spinach Quesadilla and watermelon margarita which hit the spot! Service was very friendly and spot-on, and the vibe was very upbeat! We had no trouble finding parking. read more

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Perfect location to eat if attending an event at Fisher Center, Belmont. That area has other restaurant choices and on street parking. Back to Chago's Cantina--the food and atmosphere are great. The theme is Mexican with a bit of a twist. We were late for our reservation so Dinner was rushed. When planning your dinner time take into consideration traffic at that time of day. We'll be back to assess Chago's Cantina soon! read more

When I was a young lad in school I had 3 goals: - maintain a good GPA - create everlasting friendships that transcend the college timeline - find the best queso on the planet. After barely graduating and having no friends... I accomplished one of those things. Chago's always had the best queso, best house margaritas, and the friendliest service. After 10 years I had my Chago's homecoming. Even with a decade in between, even with new ownership, even with tastebuds that have changed... I was home. You come for the ambiance of a neighborhood Mexican bar and stay for the incredible sips and tastes no matter the weather, the wait, or the whatever happens. read more

Love this place. Since reopening with new ownership the menu, food, margaritas are great. Wondering Happy Hour 2pm-6pm. Tonight I had the smash burger tacos. Mind blown. read more

Chago's Cantina - Amazing Mash Burger Taco. If you are local ask about the VIP Program! - Mexican Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

This food was ahhhhmaaaaazzzziiiinnngggg!!! We shared the Trio Sampler, which consisted of Tortilla chips with Queso, Salsa, and Guacamole. I didn't eat the guacamole, but my friends said it was great! The chips were perfectly seasoned with a great flavor! The salsa was good with a nice kick to it. Not too much of a kick. The queso... OMG!!! That queso was sooo good!! If you mix the salsa and queso together, even better!!! I ordered the Cheesy Chicken, my friends ordered the Enchiladas, and the other dish was some sort of Steak with Elote corn. They loved their entrees, and I loved mine! The flavor was on point! Everything married well together, and nothing seemed to clash in any way. Dessert looks scarce because it was too sooo good!! The Tres Leches cake was good but very coconut based. If you're not big on coconuts, you may not like it. I didn't eat the Chocolate Creme Brulee, but my friends said it tasted like chocolate pudding. The Flan...mmmm!!! It tasted like a dulce de leche cheesecake!! Sooo good!! I'm usually not a fan of flan, but this one will have me coming back for more!! This business says closed, but it's actually open. They just reopened and let me tell you, you want to try this food!! If you do go, ask for Nolan P!! He was our fabulous waiter who provided the best service I've had in a long time!! I'll definitely be back!! read more

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This was my first time coming to Chago's after their remodel + changing owners(?). The restaurant is very nice inside, cool vibe. I went here on a lunch break with my team for a colleague that is leaving our company. The food itself was good, however, the service and long wait really made the experience less than great! read more

Chago's Cantina - Sign hanging from ceiling - Mexican Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

If you were to look up the word "basic" in the dictionary, you would find a picture of Chago's Cantina next to it. This is a lunch eatery for Belmont folks. For nearly $20, I had hope for a little more flavor and substance than what was offered. It is not my type of taco spot. After being here 3 times, I can definitely say that you are overpaying for what you get here. I don't see the point in wasting your money for so little food + quality didn't match what I was paying for. If you want a close by alternative that tastes WAY better and half the price, make your way over to Taco Mama in Hillsboro Village. You're better off. read more

Chago's Cantina - Mexican Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Probably the worst meal I have ever had. The drinks were just straight tequila. I have never had street corn that tasted nothing like corn. It was like eating straight cabbage sprayed in lime juice. Absolutely everything we had was gross. read more

The food and drinks were excellent. The service was great, and the restaurant had an up-beat party vibe, garage doors open to the outside. We had a great time! read more

Favorite taco spot in Nashville! All the food is fresh and delicious, drinks are great and service is always awesome. Love how they have vegetarian options and are very accommodating to any dietary restrictions. The Baja Fish Taco is my favorite because I LOVE catfish!!! Also the Queso that comes with the salsa sampler is how queso is supposed to be!!! It is fantastic. It is a really great atmosphere, but be prepared that parking is street park and is not always ideal. read more

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When I heard Chago's Cantina had one of the best burgers in Nashville, I knew I had to give it a try. We started with the Salsa Sampler which included two salsas, guacamole and queso -- plus the complimentary salsa. The chips were light and crispy. They weren't quite sturdy enough to support the corn salsa and guacamole, but with a little creativity I had no problem with either. The red salsa was great, while the green salsa was good but my least favorite of the bunch. Now for the Cheeseburger -- it was much larger than I expected. It consisted of two smashed patties covered in melty cheese, steamed onions, tangy pickles and "gringo sauce," which tasted like a chipotle or jalapeño aioli. The beef was cooked perfectly. Overall, the sandwich was so good - definitely a top-5 burger in Nashville. The menu was slightly overwhelming (in a good way - so many enticing options!), but I'm not sure I'll be able to return and not get the burger. The service was excellent and the atmosphere was very laid back. I'll definitely be back soon. read more

Chago's Cantina - Salsa Sampler - Mexican Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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My partner and I came to Chago's for an outing before a date night with friends. We started with a salsa sampler: queso, bean & corn salsa, house salsa and guacamole and of course chips (which they'll refill upon request.) The guac was my fav of the four, my partner enjoyed the queso. I ordered the Tacos Borrachos- choose any two tacos and it comes with a 16 oz. margarita. This combo was $16, if you order the marg by itself it's $9 and depending on the taco combination you choose you can spend up to $10. So you're saving $1-$3 by choosing to order the combo. I enjoyed the fried avocado taco as much or more than the one from Mas Tacos. It almost made me forget I even ordered a shrimp taco. My partner had a carne asada taco, I tried a piece of her steak and it was seasoned perfectly. read more

Chago's Cantina - Salsa Sampler - Mexican Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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This is one of our favorite Mexican restaurants, which is why I'm still giving a three star rating. We usually go inside and sit down to eat but tonight we ordered take out. I was very disappointed when I cut into the chicken of my cheesy chicken order and it was pink. The rice is also undercooked making it hard and chewy. It was also after 8PM when I placed the order and I was not given the 25% discount they offer. The bartender that rang me up seemed to not know how to work the system. I've never had this issue while dining in so maybe it's a to go order issue. read more

Chago's Cantina - CHEESY CHICKEN - Mexican Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

First time since they revamped building, menu. First, the previous was sort of a dark dive; food was generally ok, service pretty inconsistent. New place is light, bright, great atmosphere when you walk in. Menu is drastically changed. Used to be one of those where stale chips and salsa on table; at first I was bummed that it was gone, but the QUANTITY made up for that! If I'd filled up on chips/salsa I couldn't have enjoyed the main meal as much! Chicken Enchiladas were incredible! Enjoyed the whole experience and the service was outstanding! Definitely coming back! read more

The new version of this restaurant is amazing! The interior is beautiful and vibrant, the food is delicious, and the service was awesome! I have heard people say parking is tough, but it was super easy! Lots of parking right in front, and there is a garage on Belmont campus right down the street. Definitely give it a shot, especially if you ever went to the "old Chago's" read more

Solid re-opening, but they need to lower the lights. It's like a doctor's office in there.

I ended up at Chago's for a post work Happy Hour. The chips and salsa were pretty good & standard for a Mexican restaurant. The chorizo queso was amazing. I had a chicken burrito bowl and it was okay. I felt like it was lacking flavor and needed some sort of sauce. My biggest issue was the service. Our waitress didn't make eye contact, forgot to take one of our friends orders and didn't say thank you. read more

Chago's Cantina - Chicken Burrito Bowl - Mexican Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Love the vibe! Cool surroundings backed up with spectacular food! Quesadilla with birria was my favorite appetizer. The mushroom and the pork belly tacos were amazing. We split the chocolate crème brûlée and the tres leches dessert and I couldn't decide which was better. It was a great all around stop. Highly recommend. read more

Chago's Cantina - Mexican Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

LOVE THE NEW CHAGO! Very excited for this restaurant to succeed. Their menu is elevated, such amazing food. You must try their Sweet Heat Margarita, incredible. If you're lucky enough, you'll get Micheal as your waiter......he was amazing, knowledgeable, attentive. Thank you CHAGO! We're coming back for sure read more

ABSOLUTELY the best chimichanga I've ever eaten!! Chago's is the best Mexican restaurant in Nashville. Much better than the overpriced trendy place in the gulch or any of the chains. They are also about to expand the menu so what is already good is about to get better. The beef burrito is awesome, and it comes with fries. Genius! read more

I gave this place a second try and I'm glad I did. Queso and guac are on point. The chicken taquitos here are perfect. Moist juicy meat on the inside, crispy and tasty outside. Also had the street corn which is a freaking flavor bomb. So buttery and tangy. I didn't love the tacos, but I think this place is the kind where everyone is gonna find something on the menu they love with a little patience. My friend demolished his fajita burrito and loved how succulent and stacked with veggies it was. The service was exceptional. It's a college campus vibe, which is fun to be around on a Friday night. Will be coming back for those taquitos soon!! read more

Last night my wife and I went to Chago's for the third time since it re-opened. We won't be returning anytime soon, for several reasons. To preface this review, we loved the previous iteration of Chago's under the original owner. We ate there dozens of times over the years, often with friends. It was generally very busy on weeknights and weekends, given its proximity to Belmont University. It was a popular neighborhood restaurant in the Belmont-Hillsboro area, and we were very sad to see it close. Needless to say, we were thrilled when we heard that Chago's was re-opening under new ownership. We hoped that "same name" would equal "same food" and "same ambiance", but it simply hasn't worked that way. During our second visit (shortly after the re-opening), our food came out cold. That experience, plus the higher prices, smaller portions, and lackluster flavor, gave us little reason to return. But last night we decided to give Chago's another try, hoping that some of the kinks had been worked out in the past few months. The first indication of trouble was the fact that the place wasn't even half full on a Friday night. They were quite overstaffed given the number of customers, with many empty tables and several servers standing around with little to do. The menu (quite limited compared to the "old" Chago's) hadn't changed from our previous visit. We decided to order a serving of chips and salsa (not free anymore), and didn't even finish the basket because of the spicy but flavorless salsa. My steak burrito wasn't bad, but it wasn't particularly good either. "Bland" would be the best adjective. My wife liked her taco salad better, but she would have preferred the burrito bowl (no longer on the menu). With tip and one beer, our tab came to about $60 for what was an overall unimpressive meal. Clearly the new owner is trying hard, but he's missing the mark. The "new" Chago's seems to be aiming at a somewhat more upscale a-la-carte dining experience. The prices are higher and the portions smaller than the "old" Chago's, but those are not the dealbreakers. The main issue is that the food just isn't that good compared to the previous version. When you can't even get red salsa right, there is something missing in your kitchen. I will say that the overall venue is a bit nicer since the renovation, and the servers were prompt and attentive. Some things are being done right, but it's not enough to overcome the limited menu and lackluster food. And judging by the size of last night's dinner crowd, I think that much of the old clientele would agree with me. If I had any advice for the new owner, it would be to hire the old owner as a consultant to help fix the menu and kitchen issues. Barring that, my wife and I don't plan going back. There are better restaurants at similar price points in the midtown Nashville area. I will miss having a good Mexican restaurant within walking distance of my home, and perhaps one day Chago's (or its successor) will be that again. Until then, we'll eat elsewhere. read more

Chago's has always been a must when we come to Nashville to visit relatives that live in the area. I was so totally unimpressed on this visit, that I doubt I'll go back. From being out of several items, to uninspired drinks, this visit was just blah. The black beans on my taco plate were straight out of the can! They had no flavor, at all! I can say that the tacos I had were good. Very disappointed this time around. read more

The new chagos has a charming fresh look. They have remodeled the bar, bathrooms and tables etc. and their is a brand new menu, which has a lot of choices, the food was delicious. Parking is an issue so be prepared to have to look for a spot. The service was great, Michael was informative and a pleasure. Nice to have the new chagos in the neighborhood. read more

You will get war flashbacks to middle school. Okay, hear me out...why is this restaurant decorated with those weird blue chairs that you had the displeasure of sitting in all throughout K-12. Other than that, this place is extremely expensive. The tacos were 4.50 (compared to bar taco 2.50) The margarita was subpar. The burrito was pretty good tho. read more

Chago's was good. Nice spot, the place looks clean. We arrived on the early side and there were lots of open tables. That being said, there was plenty of staff and I wouldn't say the service was speedy. Seemed like we had some waits that were unnecessary. If you were there with a group for the evening, this probably wouldn't be noticeable. We ordered a couple of the draft beer, the rotating craft varieties. Unfortunately our server didn't seem to know what these varieties were so my husband looked for himself and we found what we wanted. Had the Guacamole for appetizer. Good! I ordered the Cheeseburger and it was very good, but BEST burger in Nashville..... that's a bold statement. But it was tasty and the curly fries were also good. Husband ordered the carnitas plantain, and it was good. The plantain was very plain so it needed the carnitas to make it fly at all. So a fine evening and a fine place. read more

Chago's Cantina - Carnitas Plantain - Mexican Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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The food was fine, not my favorite. I wouldn't suggest the corn I always look forward to a good street corn but this one was hard to chew. The vibes though are great!! We had a booth right on the street and the window was open so that was really cool and the margs were good. I would come back for drinks at the table! The service was good and the staff was very friendly! read more

Nice, neighborhood vibe. Casual, mushroom, and grilled mahi tacos CRAZY excellent. Yummy happy hour prices.