I've been to Chela's about four times in the last year. I am Mexican-American so perhaps my review is going to be slightly biased. I have tried the tacos and tamales. I am not a fan of the large corn tortillas used to make the tacos - I prefer the mini ones as per traditional Mexican tacos. Also, I seriously wish they had pinto beans instead of black beans - which are consistently over or under seasoned. In fact, it was today's visit to Chela's that sparked this review - the black beans had no seasoning whatsoever. They should throw them in a pot with some bay leaves and garlic, and salt at the very end. The rice is usually over or under seasoned, too. The tamales are okay - again, the consistency is just not there. I had one that was so salty I couldn't eat it. Anyway, I'd much rather spend $6.00 on their lunch special than on Mc Donald's or subway or greasy Chinese - it's an excellent bargain for your buck. Taco King down the street is no better or worse. My overall suggestion is that they standardize their recipes. No review on breakfast. read more

The beans and rice were VERY bland. I don't think the black beans even had salt in them. The only reason I'm giving two stars is for the quesadilla. I ordered the campechana quesadilla and it tasted very good, mainly because of the chorizo. The tacos were pretty uneventful as well. Service was great and fast though. read more

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I'm always surprised by what passes as good Mexican food. Food at Chela's was bland, soggy, and flavorless. If the management of Chela's reads these reviews then please step up your game. I know you are capable. However, you are probably not too motivated to improve your food since what you are putting out is accepted by your customers. read more

Chelas is a local spot in Ann Arbor that delivers on Its promise of authentic Mexican food. The owner was incredibly friendly and sociable, as were the rest of the staff. Expect exceptional food and service at Chelas! read more

Ordered the carne asada burrito and an horchata. Coming from California, taquerias are a rare occurrence here in Michigan. However, this place is up to par with what taquerias should be. The meat was tender and delicious, the fillings of rice and beans were great and the sauces on the side were also good. Price wise, a little on the steep side but it is worth it, in my opinion. I will come back again and again, even if it's bordering the Ann Arbor township. read more

Chela's - ~$9.75 for a burrito and horchata drink (comes with a few chips) - Mexican Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

Just the perfect taco stop! Fresh ingredients, homemade limeaid, crowded but cheery atmosphere on a Sunday afternoon. We had the tacos Barbacoa (shredded beef), chipotle chicken tacos, chipotle chicken tamale, chicken quesadilla and chicken & black bean burrito, which was loaded with guacamole and onions...Sides of really good hot sauce made it complete! read more

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

The food is admittedly pretty good and inexpensive. My gripe with this place is the service. I went within the first 2 weeks of opening and it was slow then which I chalked upto opening process. Now it's been months and it is still very slow for tacos. Additionally, I placed a take out order there Friday and came up 1 taco short on the order. I should have paid attention before leaving the restaurant. I think taco king's food is just as good so I'm going to be frequenting TK instead. read more

One of the most authentic Mexican places in A2. Amazing tacos, horchata, and tortas. Also have fantastic salsa that's up for grabs. Pretty basic interior but that's fine. read more

One of my favorite places in Ann Arbor, and the best of the three major Mexican restaurants on the outskirts of town. Not sure why I rave so much about an otherwise humble place - I think it's a mix of authentic Mexican food, a diverse and easy to understand menu, fair prices, friendly service. I usually mix and match a few tacos and a tamal. You can get other sides such as elotes, or skip a la carte and just order a torta if you like. Everything on the menu is tasty, and the red and green salsas are always a perfect complement. One big tip: get a pineapple or strawberry tamal as a dessert item, they're really tasty. read more

Good little place to grab some quick Mexican, for a seriously good price and it's not mind-blowing food but defiant worth ur money!!! If ur looking for something quick and good, go here. read more

Best fish taco I have ever eaten. This stop was not planned but the next visit will be. The daily special was delicious. The fish taco was amazing. Can't wait to return. read more

I was never a fan of tamales when I first tried them, but after trying Chela's ... all I can say is WOW! Best cheese tamale I've ever had! I am now a fan of tamales! I was excited to try Mexican street corn and The elotes street corn was delicious, I haven't had anything like it before! My friends and I refilled horchata twice because we could not help ourselves! We all loved it! Definitely a must for a fast, fresh, and authentic Mexican experience & flavor! read more

BEST Mexican food in Ann Arbor. But that is not saying much. If this place was in California, it might garner 3 stars at best. But for this CA native, Chelas is a welcome oasis in the barren desert devoid of excellent taquerias (aka the midwest). Don't miss their chicken tamales, burrito al pastor, and any torta. read more

Was heading downtown Ann Arbor for dinner when I remembered a great New Mexican restaurant that my friends had brought me some chicken tamales from. They were so good I quickly went to Chela's. It's nestled in between a party store and barber. The parking lot is small and can get full at busy times. Their menu is very affordable!! I got the daily special which is less than $8! Got a barbacoa (marinated meat), chicken tamale, rice, black beans, and a drink. Fresh hibiscus tea is one of the options. A great find and really good food! I'm glad my friends brought me some food from there and told me about it a few months ago. That's how memorable it was - I remembered months after how good it was. I wish I lived closer - this would be a regular restaurant for me! Well done, everyone at Chela's! read more

Screw Taco King...if you're looking for a much better taco and friendly service, head to Chela's, which is right around the corner in Ann Arbor's Mexicantown area. Last night I had three tacos: potato and chile, carne asada/chorizo mix, and chicken chipotle. They were all tasty and were made even better with the mildly spicy house-made green salsa. The tortillas were fresh and warm and toasty, not limp like I've had at some other taco places. They stood up to the ingredients and didn't fall apart while I ate them. Seems like a small thing but it really made a difference in my enjoyment of the tacos. The prices are fair (less than $2/taco) and you can have all the free extra sour cream and salsa you want. Since we live on the westside, I'm sure we'll be making this a regular stop. read more

As my husband and I were heading to the AA Hands On Museum, we made a stop here. Unfortunately the food was flavorless. Disappointed bc the other reviews were so high. Maybe it was just an off day. read more

I actually don't write reviews for places usually because I have to become a regular customer at a place to recognize if they have regular good business practice and customer service. This place has won me over completely! Great food at a decent price; I don't know where you can go wrong here. They special make my tacos which I get at least once a week of Chicken and Potatoes which is not on the menu but they've made it for me time and time again. I get 4 of these, and although I admit to have no idea what an "Authentic" taco is having been born and bred around Americanized Mexican food but if this is it; I'm moving to Mexico.. or at least a little bit closer to Chelas. read more

Another west side spot for cheap, good Mexican. I really love this place because it reminds me of my favorite Mexican place in NYC. The food is authentic and diverse enough to meet any Mexican craving you might have. I love how you can pick the dish (taco, burrito, etc) and then the meat and that they offer a variety of meet options. Personally, I am a big fan of their tacos and see no need to eat anything else but everything is really good. One thing to be mindful of: if you call and place an order and do not speak spanish fluently, ask to speak with someone who speaks English. This is only because said because some of the staff speaks limited English and there is a chance for miscommunication, especially if your Spanish is as bad as mine :) Great menu, perfect selection, awesome staff. read more

Love chela's rib eye tacos plus they have great specials. One of the better tasting mexi spots in south county. They have a cool decor with an urban feel. read more

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

Finally some great Vegetarian tacos in Ann Arbor! They have amazing veggie and tasty black bean tacos - I get one of each and combine them. The potato tacos are also delicious. Super reasonable and very quick as well! Try the hot salsas! read more

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

First time here and we are in love! The tamales were amazing! We had the pork, cheese w peppers, and strawberry!! (Yes strawberry!!) The barbacoa tacos were excellent as well! Very happy with the food quality and taste! We will be back on a regular basis!! read more

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

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I always order online on their site chelas.co -- they've made it really easy to pick up your food, you can park in front of the store (South Maple location), call the number on the sign, and they'll bring your food out to you. I always get the chorizo and potato tacos with hot sauce! read more

Solid small Mexican joint. I had the chicken and fish tacos, and they were definitely authentic. They had a good flavor, but were a bit dry. To address this, I sought out some of their salsas, and I was a bit disappointed. They lacked flavor and depth and really let down the meal. Overall, with so many better alternatives, I don't see myself coming back to Chelas. read more

Best Tacos in Ann Arbor. Their prices are so good. My friends and I like to go and get the lunch special - 2 tacos or tamales with rice, beans and drink. $7. Their limeade is really light and delicious. I like the steak tacos or the barbacoa. The people who work there are incredibly helpful and kind. I come here every other week, used to go once a week when I worked by it, but I try to get lunch with friends there as often as I can. I recommend this to anyone I meet who lives in the area, and I always take out-of-town guests there for a delicious lunch! read more

I've had takeout from Chela's twice now. Both times the order was on time, both times the staff was very friendly, both times the food was tasty, and both times they left something out... I live 25 minutes from the shop, so I can't just drive over to get the missing item. Chela's, please, insist that your staff be truly obsessive about making sure that orders are accurately completed. Your food is terrific, but the repeated errors leave a really bad taste in my mouth. With another Chela's about to open in Dexter, I very much hope that they can finally put this casual attitude about accuracy behind them. Right now, I'd be really hesitant to return. read more

I will be completely transparent, this review is not just for the food, which was tasty, it's for the customer service. We went to support this establishment on the weekend and enjoyed our carne asada tacos and guacamole with chips. Some time during the visit I lost an earring. It was a special gift that was given to me over two decades ago so getting home and realizing it was missing was heart wrenching. We retraced our movement that day to hopefully recover my beloved trinket. Unfortunately every place we went was closed for the night. The next day, the first place I called was the restaurant, when I asked if they had found an earring, the gentleman that answered happily replied "Yes, we have your earring and will keep it safe." I was thrilled! Needless to say, they have new customers, and thankful happy, full bellied customers. Thank you Chelas! The earring may not be worth much but to me, you finding it and keeping it safe is priceless. read more

Really good! Wish the chips were fresh! But everything was delicious. read more

Chela's - Veggie taco very good! - Mexican Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

Simple Good Authentic tasting tacos. Limited menu but what they make is fresh and good. Hope you like their style because the taste speaks for itself. I have eaten tens of pounds of their tacos all simple and delicious. It is a hole in the wall and the inside is spartan, think lunch counter. In the summer they have outdoor seating in the back. Only thing holding this place back is the location. I hope they succeed and give other A2 Mexi restaurants a run for their money. read more

Sorry yall, it aint that good! The frijoles are from a can! I volunteer to make the frijoles for this place.

I used to LOVE Chelas and go about once every other week for the last 6 years. Unfortunately, I don't think we will be going very often any longer. The last few months, my order has been completely wrong - even though we have ordered the same thing for the last 6 years. On top of that, the cashier was incredibly rude to me, when in the past everyone was so nice. I am not sure what changed but I'm done wasting money on food I can't eat and being treated poorly. read more

It just was not good. Everything was very blan... sour cream tasted watered down... salsa tasted more like tomato sauce like you would use for a spaghetti sauce... beef tasted off... the chicken taco was decent. read more

Excellent fish tacos, and super cheap! I tried the soup once, and thought it wasn't very good. read more

I LOVE this place. Whenever I'm near S. Maple I stop in for barbacoa and al pastor tacos or quesadillas. Add some sour cream and BOOM: delicious meal. Fresh, delicious & cheap....one of my favorite restaurants in Ann Arbor. read more

6/8/2016: Fantastic little place! All alone after a long day of parent orientation, I checked Yelp for something close by and yummy for dinner. So happy I came here. 2 tacos with everything, elote & flan $8.80! Everything had lots of great flavor and you can't beat the price. Very nice friendly staff. I'll definitely come back on our next trip to Ann Arbor. 2nd visit 10/6/2016: Grabbed lunch on our way out of Ann Arbor after an awesome (first!) Parents Weekend. The weekend menu includes huevos rancheros & chilaquiles all day Sat & Sun! We had tacos & elote and split an order of huevos. Everything was great but the huevos were especially good. Fresh with homemade authentic sauce. So glad we went!! This will be a regular stop every AA visit. read more

Man, if I lived near this place, I'd be such a fat lard. Their tacos are superb. The tortillas are out of this world. I could eat those alone. The meat tacos are always super spicy, which I love. I also appreciate that they use cilantro instead of lettuce. These guys really know what they're doing with a taco. I've also had the chicken quesadilla which is good. It's filling, so don't order too many tacos to go along with it. Only reason I can't give this place 5 stars is because of the nachos and salsa. It's really boring, like grocery store item boring. I do appreciate all the free sour cream on the counter where you pick up your orders. Most every restaurant wants extra money for sour cream, so props to them for just dishing the stuff out at no extra cost. read more

(Disclaimer: coming from Chicago where authentic Mexican food is abundant, we are biased). In a veritable desert of good Mexican food, so far Chela's is the only oasis we have found in Ann Arbor. The tacos are quite good and cheap. For vegetarian options, the potato taco is particularly tasty. Their guacamole is good (a little bland, but I like natural taste of avocado) but the chips are pretty bad. As for the tamales, the cheese & pepper one was good but the fruit tamal was a little cold and not very good. Overall a reasonably priced, reasonably tasty option. read more

As a San Franciscan, I'm pretty well versed in taquerias. Swung by Chela's after my family in Ann Arbor convinced me it was worth trying. WOW. By far the best Mexican food I've tried in the midwest. Holds a torch to some of the best in California. I'd especially recommend the Barbacoa and the flan. the Orange hotsauce and guacamole were perfect compliments! read more

Love, love, love! Awesome food, great service. Can't get enough. Everything on the menu is delicious. Love the burritos, guac, chips--all of it. read more

So much food for not very much money! For the two of us, we got 3 tacos, 1 torta, side of beans, side of rice and chips for $17. The food was fresh and the man who was working the counter (I assume he is the owner) showed us which things were in which box when our order came up. He was very friendly. We didn't have to wait long for our order. I really liked the chorizo taco. The beef was a little dry for my taste. I thought the rice was yummy but would have liked it better if a little heat was added. The beans were delicious. I highly recommend Chela's! :) read more

I was so excited to get authentic Mexican! We got the special and opted for a steak and a chipotle chicken taco. Also ordered a side of Elotes, chips and guacamole. Boy was I beyond disappointed!! I think I've written one other Yelp review and felt compelled to write this one. I cannot believe this place has 4+ stars! Maybe it was a really, really off day... but there was ZERO flavor... cardboard might've had more flavor! I'm not picky or overly judgmental- this place, Chela's, just got it wrong! The only thing worth 1 Star was the corn-on-the-cob (tasty but cold) and the guacamole and chips. I've had better tacos from Taco Bell. Never going back. Bummer!! read more