Always delicious. Incredible owner and staff is always friendly and helpful. Fun to eat in but food travels well for pickup ! Had them cater my graduation party in 2019 and it was truly the best. I will never have anything but amazing things to say about this establishment ! read more

Their chicken tacos were the best (they make it in a special chipotle sauce). The carne asada was dry and the fish taco was too fishy. Their salsas are really good. The mild is tasty and green, the red has good flavor and not too spicy, and the orange is the spiciest but also has good flavor. Employees are friendly and there are lots of seating options inside and outside. Their decor is very bright and pretty! read more

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Nice, small restaurant. Service is very quick. You order at the counter and then go sit down and wait for your order. The queso and guacamole were both good. The tacos were excellent, the tilapia and barbacoa especially. They also offer three different sauces of varying spice levels, which were a nice complement to the tacos. read more

Chela's - Taco trio - one tilapia, one barbacoa, and one al pastor - Mexican Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

Reliable option for tasty, authentic tacos! Highly recommend ordering tacos a la carte and trying a few. They are well sized, not too small but not overly large. 2-4 tacos is probably a good amount on average, depending on how hungry you are. (I would minimally do 3 because I love food, 4 will really fill me up. My SIL who manages to actually savor eating slowly and stop when she's full - something I've yet to master - can handle 2 :)). Love the elote on the side as well. Recommend getting the larger size here! The small is maybe 2.5inches ish of a smaller corn cob so I'm assuming large is the full size. I haven't tried all the tacos yet so not sure on my favorites, but last night I got Carnitas, Campechana (which is generally a favorite of mine, Chela's version is very tasty), Al Pastor, and Barbacoa and all were delicious. Served up with well seasoned/marinated meats, on corn tortilla, with onion, cilantro, and lime. Salsas are great too and worth adding on - I tried the red hot one and the green salsa. Took a bite of my husband's Nacho Grande as well and that was good too! I still think tacos are really where it's at but good option for nachos if you're having a craving for that. Small lot on the corner of some pretty busy streets (Stadium and Maple) which could potentially make getting in and out for pickup a little trickier, but I didn't have any issues. read more

Chela's - Tacos A La Carte (pickup order) - Campechana, Carnitas, Barbacoa, Al Pastor... Elote (Small) and Salsas - Mexican Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

Chela's is a beloved fixture of Ann Arbor for affordable, delicious Mexican food in a casual environment. Chicken and birria tacos are reliably good, as are the beans, in any form. Catering trays are always a hit at student events and family parties alike. It's owned by a local family and I love knowing that the proceeds stay in the community. I made the mistake of ordering a rajas burrito bowl recently, and it was a train wreck. The peppers were raw, there was no cheese or guacamole (which I paid extra for), and it had pico de gallo (which I ordered without, and confirmed twice). It was lacking in flavor and fairly small. read more

*I never write reviews but I feel like this is necessary* This place used to be really really good. We're talking best tacos in town but over the last few months the quality and portion sized have majorly gone downhill. Chicken is dry, my tacos don't have enough meet to fill either side when I take a bit of the ends, and the chips (this has always been the case for me) are still always stale. But without the good food to make up for it it really isn't worth it a read more

Chela's - Taco - Mexican Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

Ordered carry-out on a weekday. The tacos were good, and made to specifications (no cilantro, no onion). The tamales were good, and the strawberry tamale tasted like cornbread with strawberry jam. I ordered a tres leches cake, but the restaurant forgot to put it in the bag -- I didn't realize until I got home and didn't want to go back out. (Out of $6.) Being from Florida, this was a good option for Latin food. read more

This has become my go-to taco place. Their tacos are solid and the salsas are delicious and free! The guacamole is also super flavorful. The corn was very average but the limeade made up for it! Overall fast and casual but very tasty. read more

Authentic, fast, friendly staff! This is my go to spot for campechanas and birria. Best Mexican food in all of Ann Arbor. read more

Chela's - Tacos campechanas and rice - Mexican Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

We catered for my job, and let me say I was extremely disappointed. The food was so mid like nothing tasted "authentic" and nothing was seasoned. Unfortunately there is better out there. Won't be back personally. I wish I could've taken a picture of the food to show how bad the quality is. It did NOT match the photos online. read more

My boyfriend and I come here at least once a week. We're obsessed with their queso--get the queso! I also love that they can make quesadillas easily gluten-free for me. Their sauces are excellent and elevate any taco you order. read more

This is my favorite place for Mexican food in Ann Arbor!! I frequently come here for their tacos, quesadillas, and horchata. If coming with a group, we usually like to eat out in the patio in the back of the building. My favorite things to get here are the carnitas taco and the elote. The carnitas taco is consistently juicy and flavorful. You can choose whether to add sour cream and salsa to it. There are three levels of salsa you can choose from (mild, medium, hot). The elote comes in two sizes. The seasoning is consistently on point. Service is friendly and efficient. Will definitely be back! read more

Food is consistently delicious and amazing. The Barbacoa is out of this world. By far the best Mexican in Ann Arbor read more

My favorite Mexican restaurant in A2. The fish tacos special are my favorite. No a strong fish taste, service is always excellent. Definitely recommend read more

Chela's - Chicken Daily Special Taco & Tamale - Mexican Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

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Over the years my go-tos here have stayed consistent: tacos or, if I'm feeling particularly indulgent, a chicken or steak quesadilla. But today I ventured from my usual and tried the Cuban Torta and wowowowow. I've got a new fave here, for sure! The torta, for the unfamiliar, is basically a sandwich. All their tortas come with lettuce, tomatoes, jalapeños, guacamole, and queso fresco and your choice of meat or vegetable. However the Cuban is it's own menu item and includes all that as well as chicken, ham, and pineapple. And, while it's a little on the messy side (I had to start the sandwich with a fork) it's HUGE for the price (I'm seriously still SO SO stuffed right now and I ate an hour ago) and so delicious. The chicken is moist and flavorful, the ham lends a nice salty smokiness, and the pineapple a touch of charred sweetness. I took one bite of this and swore out loud. It was that good. Can't wait till I can get it again. But first I have to digest the first one! read more

First time at chelas and loved it. I'm from San Diego so my bar for good Mexican food is really high and Chela's truly impressed me. Highly recommend the barbacoa and queso. Didn't love the chicken tamale or salsas, and wish tortilla chips were hot and saltier, but overall experience was great, and nice service. read more

Chela's - Queso was unreal - Mexican Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

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Prompt service with three guys assembling the orders, which makes it a great place for take out. Large patio but rathy sunny during the lunch hour. The awning helps but can't keep out all the rays. The tacos and tomales were not bad. I have been craving chorizo and they had a version with carne. The chicken stuffing was moist in the tomale. The food felt a bit generic and could use an extra dose of love and seasoning. The lunch special also came with rice and beans and a drink. read more

Chela's - Mexican Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

One door to enter and the other for the exit. Arrows and directions and spacing stickers on the floors. Salsa requests at the tables by the to go orders and the soda cooler. The Tamale is mostly cornmeal and very little chicken, it still tastes good, but would be better with more chicken inside of it. Their hot salsa has a high rounds-house kick to it, still burns where the it briefly touched my lip after a bite. The fish taco and the chipotle tacos were both tasty. The tilapia isn't breaded and the slaw is a nice accompaniment. The chipotle chicken isn't spicy but still flavorful. They use a blend of dark and light meat for chipotle chicken. Food is good here, we definitely be back for more. They have one in downtown on 5th Avenue too. Their good about social distancing here for sure. read more

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Living within walking distance if Chela's is DANGEROUS! Really great prices and delicious food! My go to is the torta al pastor always so delicious and satisfying. I've gotten the rice and beans and they're a little lacking flavor wise so I usually skip those but I've never been let down by their tortas or tacos!! I always go HAM on the spicy salsa too!! A true treasure in Ann Arbor! Despite how busy it gets the customer service is great and they've really adapted well to social distancing! Always excited to treat myself to Chela's! read more

Chela's - Mexican Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

I went for lunch today. I was greeted by the sweetest girl. She was helpful and had a smile. The food came out fast. The salsa is self serve so I got how much I wanted. Not the best salsa in the world, but good. I had 3 tacos. Steak, el Pastor and Barilla. They were delicious. The cheese dip was good, but I think it needed a spicy kick of something. When I was done everyone said thank you and asked me to come back. I will! Loved it . read more

Was craving Mexican food, and this came up on most reviewed places in Ann Arbor. Did not disappoint! Amazing tacos and quesadilla. Loved the sides such as the guac and habanero salsa. Friendly and quick service too. Highly recommend! read more

Chela's - Steak tacos and chicken quesadillas - Mexican Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

You know the feeling -- it's time for a tasty meal, and nothing but Mexican food will do! That's exactly the situation that I found myself in yesterday at lunchtime. I was meeting a friend, and -- trying to be diplomatic -- I suggested a couple of restaurants. A brief hallelujah chorus broke out when they also chose Chela's out of the ones that I had suggested. We arrived a little before the lunch rush and parked in the small lot in front. The restaurant recently expanded and there are quite a few more tables inside, as well as a nice-sized patio out back. We both went for the lunch special, carne asada tacos on a flour tortilla, and grabbed a drink at the soda fountain while we briefly waited. Once our food arrived, it was worth the short wait. Juicy carne asada in a soft flour tortilla, fresh salsas on top, and perfectly seasoned frijoles and rice made for the perfect noonday meal. When you get that feeling -- you know which one I'm talking about -- Head to Chela's to get your fix! read more

No frills restaurant with outstanding Mexican fare. Order at the counter and they'll bring the food to your table. Grab napkins and plastic ware on the way to your table along with individual salsa cups out of the refrigerator (there's a limit per order). Chips and full size salsa do not come with food, so order separately. The guacamole is fresh with a healthy dose of tomatoes and just the right amount of lime juice and onion. Over the years we've tried most, if not all, of the types of tacos and they're all delicious. Favorites are al pastor, campechano, and carnitas. Carnitas quesadilla is a great choice too. The staff is always friendly and helpful, so if you have a question, ask away. They remodeled during the pandemic and the dining room is more inviting, albeit a little cool in winter. This might sound weird, but the bathroom is awesome. The tile work and decorations look fabulous. So, nothing bad to report. Glowing review. :) read more

Chela's - Al pastor tacos - Mexican Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

DELICIOUS. All I can say is delicious. Very authentic food with tons of flavor. I don't usually love corn shells (I'm more of a flour shell person) but if all corn shells were to taste like this, then I would get them all the time. The guacamole is so good. You can tell they actually use fresh ingredients. It's not like a guacamole sauce...it's actual guacamole. If you are looking for good Mexican food in A2 this is it. There is also plenty of parking and seating inside. Staff is extremely friendly! read more

This place is hands down the best Mexican food I have had in Michigan! I went during lunch time and it was super busy! However, they got my food to me so fast and the staff was super friendly and talkative despite the chaos! Every bit takes me back home to California! Would recommend again and again! read more

My daughter was familiar with this place, but had never been, so we decided to give it a shot. It's not much to look at but the food is authentic and unique. A great range of protein options give you an opportunity to creat a lot of unique flavors. They have most of the basics: tacos, burritos, quesadillas, etc. I had the tacos - they were good, but not great. I honestly found them to be a little bland. We also had some chips and guacamole and the guacamole was quite good. read more

Chela's - Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

Food didn't have any flavor. Esquite was super sour only thing you could taste was te lime. Service was ok Family Ambiance read more

Very good Mexican fast food. I always get the loaded burrito Al Pastor. It has all the flavors and textures I feel are needed for this particular item. Their hot sauce is also quite hot (and very good) so be careful. Every time we eat a meal from Chelas everyone is quite pleased with their choice so you can't go wrong. For the last year or so we have been ordering online and either taking the meals home or eating them outside on the restaurant's patio when the temps and humidity aren't too bad. The only disappointment here are the corn chips. They seem to be straight out of the bag and are not worth eating. We usually just dump them in the trash. With so many excellent food choices you would think that they could come up with a better corn chip. Oh well, this one issue is not a reason to skip this place. Just plan to provide your own chips if eating at home. read more

Solid local Mexican food stop with both online ordering and in-house seating. Prices are comparable to chipotle or qdoba, yet food is fresh and homemade. I ordered the daily special which included 2 tacos, a side of rice and beans, and a drink. For the tacos, I ordered one with chicken and the other with barbacoa. Both tacos were juicy and had good flavor. My only complaint is that I paid extra for guacamole on the tacos, and hardly received any on both of them. The rice and beans were tasty and a great addition to the tacos. To drink, I ordered their house-made limeade which was refreshing. Overall, I enjoyed my meal and will definitely return. read more

Chela's - Daily special - 2 tacos with rice and beans - Mexican Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

Overall, the food was alright. The al pastor taco was great. The chicken tamale was pretty mushy - a very different texture than I'm used to. The black beans were like they came straight from a can, and the rice was so so. All together this makes up the daily special (1 taco and 1 tamale, with rice and beans). It was decently priced so I wasn't too upset. The horchata was veryyy sweet. Corn tortilla chips seemed store-bought and repackaged into a brown paper bag - that was pretty disappointing. But I will say, the salsas are delicious. I hope they were homemade. I've been here before and this experience wasn't what I was hoping for - I think I'll come back but I'll stick to the tacos. read more

Chela's - Daily Special Taco & Tamale comes with beans and rice. Corn Tortilla Chips with Salsa (Large) and horchata - Mexican Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

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Burrito vegetariano. They included what I asked for, but added orange peppers, which I didn't want. I mean, they check the boxes: fresh ingredients, organic beans, etc etc. But it was tasteless. B-minus for the burritio is being generous. Three stars instead of two because they are trying to be good and seem nice. read more

Chela's is a great authentic Mexican restaurant! I got their Daily Special with one Al Pastor and one Chipotle Chicken Taco. They got my order wrong initially, but they were super quick to fix the issue. Their staff is friendly, the restaurant is clean, and best of all, they have a spacious outdoor seating area behind the restaurant! The tacos were definitely the star of the meal. The al pastor tacos were juicy and flavorful, with just the right amount of onions and cilantro. The chicken tacos were good, but paled in comparison to the al pastor tacos, which were much more flavorful and clearly marinated in a host of spices. The medium salsa was pretty mild, and great for adding a bit more juicy brightness to the tacos. I'll definitely be coming back to Chela's for a cheap but quality meal, and I can't wait for the one on South Fifth to reopen! read more

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Homemade authentic Mexican, grab and go, but they have lots of seats. Great lunch spot.

Unfortunately, I've only been once since COVID. They are one of my favorite Mexican food restaurants. The tamales are so good and the service winderful. The online ordering, when I used it during the "shuttdown" was orderly and quick. One of the best I've used. read more

Pros: Relatively cheap Good beverages Fast service Cons: Bland food Skimping on food Lots of other,better options Wow, I think the food quality has gone downhill in the past year or so. Bland rice, bland tacos(meat and veggies). The elote had barely anything on it-like they were trying to skimp out on chili powder and cheese. it would have been so easy and cheap to load up on what makes elote so good but instead it was closer to plain corn on the cobb. Whats great about the Ann Arbor-Ypsi area is how many amazing Mexican and South American places there are. Go to one of those other ones. The upside here is that the food is relatively cheap compared to the food prices of other Ann Arbor restaurants. but its about the same price as other taquerias in Washtenaw so again: just go to one of the other places, same (or cheaper) taco prices and better taste. read more

This is the second time I have gotten food here. Once I did a dine in this time take out. This review is my most recent which was take out. I got the queso dip and chips. I forgot that I was not impressed with this last time till I got it this time and immediately remembered. The dip both times is "broken" and grainy as the cheeses are not blended smoothly and do not really have a good flavor. I also got a burrito and a burrito bowl. The bowl was carne asada and my companion liked it but Chelas is her go to (I was visiting) and not a lot of Mexican variety unless she heads to A2. I had the burrito with Al pastor and it was average. Nothing different than a chipotle burrito if I am honest. The menu is limited and due to the broken dip I had to go with a 2 instead of a 3. read more

I really hate to do this, especially what's been going on in the news recently about the owner of Chela's and the racist remarks he received. It was actually yesterday when I decided to order Chela's to-go online because I haven't had it in a while and I wanted to show my solidarity to the owner, the Mexican community, and the immigrant community. I ordered to-go online. My email confirmation said my order will be ready for pick-up at 11:45 AM. I arrive at 11:50 AM and someone who I'm assuming is a senior employee at this location stared at me, pointed at his watch, and said, "It's not 12:15." I matched his stern tone and showed him that my email said 11:45 AM. Then he began speaking to me politely and said that the guys in the back messed up the timing of my order and that they will have it ready asap. By asap, I still had to wait 25 minutes as I watched other people, whose orders who came after me, receive their food. The least they could have done was put my simple, single-person order at the top, but instead, I was met with a rude senior employee. I will always appreciate the diversity Chela's has brought to A2 and Michigan and I hope I can eventually let go of this frustratingly rude incident yesterday. read more

I did carry-out. The food was very good and I have no complaints about it. The only complaint I had was readily resolved, but I shouldn't have had to ask for all the missing items in my order. When I arrived, I was given a bag with my order. But it only included the fish tacos and the elote I had ordered. I had to ask for my horchata, which was quickly supplied. Then I had to ask for the rice pudding I had ordered. When she came back with that, she said to wait because I needed the sauces for my tacos. She was very nice and pleasant and even offered to carry my order out to my car for me as I walk with a cane. I declined, but she held the door open. I thoroughly enjoyed the meal. But shouldn't all of those items have been together with my order in the bag? I will go back with the hope that they will do batter next time. read more

I really like this place. I'm sad their downtown location closed but they're been at various events, such as the Ann Arbor Summer Festival and Fireside Cafe at North Campus on Mondays. I got their tacos at the summer festival and it was delicious. It was by far the best tacos I've had in Ann Arbor, and I'm picky when it comes to that. I'm from Texas and grew up eating gas station tacos so you know I like a good taco. read more

Chela's - Taco - Mexican Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

Gem of place in Ann Arbor for Mexican Food. Been here on Friday for dinner around 7pm. Straight to the counter and ordered the daily special that comes with 2 tacos/tamales, rice, beans and drink. I got one taco( Barbacoa), one Tamale (chicken)and Horchata for drink. My friend got 2 tamales and Mango Jaritos for drink. Paid at the counter ($16)and picked up the drink,sauces, sour cream from the fridge and cutlery and chose a table. 5 mins and boom they came with the order. Taco and Tamale were amazing. Dint like the beans and felt horchata is bit over sweet for me. Pros: ------- Amazing Food Quick Service Inexpensive Free Parking Townies brewery next to it Taco bell, Mc Donald and other food options close by. Vibrant ambience Cons: -------- None to me Cheap and Best !!!! read more

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