Fun in a "feels like a small town Mexican joint" kind of way. A bit tucked away, but a good neighborhood spot. We took the kids on a sunny spring afternoon and they were feeling squirrely. Always nice to have chips & salsa right away in any situation, but especially this one. They left something to be desired, with neither being super flavorful or with any spice in the salsa. We also got chips & guac, my daughter's fave, and it was pretty good. Nice flavor, good amount, and we all tore through it. Oh and wife and I got margarita's which were surprisingly good. Lately when I've ordered them around town it's felt like more mix than anything, but these were both made well and priced well. My entree was chicken fajitas which were good, but a bit on the bland side. The flavor of the grill was nice, but there wasn't much seasoning or pico to go with them. Good quality chicken and I enjoyed it, but can't say it was memorable. All in all, fun to try. A combo of distance and wanting to try other spots has me thinking it won't be a regular in the rotation, but it was fun to check out. read more

Best Mexican food I've had in Missouri so far. As someone who lived in San Diego & has the privilege of enjoying homemade Mexican food I was pleasantly surprised to find such good Mexican food in Missouri and think about my meal often. We came for an early dinner before an event. The restaurant is an L shape and has seating directly to the front of the door and off to the right. We had the shrimp fajitas, a carne sope, and a special of carnitas enchiladas. Our waitress was quick and efficient with getting the items we needed. The food was good portion sized and the flavors were AMAZING! Whatever the sauce is they put on their fajitas sets them apart from regular fajitas. The special of the day with the carnitas was absolutely a 10/10, I would eat it once a week if I could. Everything was fresh & flavorful, well seasoned, and the salsa had a good kick. Will absolutely be back read more

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This place is absolutely delicious. That birria torta. With the dip is so so good!! The service is phenomenal. very cozy. Family vibes. read more

Chelly's Cafe - Birria torta - Mexican Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

Quick, easy, and delicious Tex Mex in Waldo. Loved this spot and the fact that it's so close by to us, went here the other day for the first time. Service is quick and efficient. It's lovely inside with a lot of tables, tv's with soccer on, and a good hustle and bustle. Got the steak quesadilla and loved it. I'm a simple guy and it was calling to me. Generous portion of meat, good amount of cheese. Great crisp to the tortilla on the outside and a generous portion. My wife got a chicken fajita burrito and she loved it. We got the spinach dip and I thought it was better than the espinanca you'd get at Jose Peppers. I'm sure this isn't authentic Mexican, if you're looking for damn good Jose peppers then look no further than Chelly's. read more

Chelly's Cafe - Steak quesadilla - Mexican Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

We had a group of 6 and we were seated right away. Chips were light and crispy. We got there in time for the brunch menu which was a nice option to have. I got the Santa Fe Burrito which was a good size with plenty of filling. Flavors were good. Staff were friendly and helpful with descriptions of the dishes. read more

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One of the best Mexican food in kcmo and my Favorite for the past 18+ years !! Highly recommended !!

Well. This hidden gem needs to be seen! What great Mexican food and atmosphere. Everything was fresh and delicious. Get in early or show up hungry late in the evening! Everything we ordered was hot and perfect! read more

Chelly's is our go to spot for quick, delicious food. Prices are good, service is consistently good, and food is served hot and fresh. We always get guacamole and cheese dip to share and the fajitas, YUM. My only complaint is the very derelict (clean but scary to look at) bathroom which has a giant hole in the handicap stall with exposed pipes and draft of wind coming through. read more

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This was the first time I went to Chelly's, it isn't super big but feels like the perfect size for a local crowd on a weekday evening. The menu has a ton of options, from more traditional Mexican dishes to Tex Mex favorites. I went for the chile verde, and what came out shocked me a bit. The plate was a massive portion of the chile verde especially! I believe it was only $13, and I had tons of delicious leftovers afterwards. The meat was perfectly tender with a quality classic verde sauce, decent rice and beans as well, with piping hot fresh grilled tortillas. My friends enjoyed their food and their large margaritas especially. This is the perfect place for some comforting Mexican food. We really enjoyed our post work happy hour and dinner overall, and I must go back to explore more of this menu. read more

Chelly's Cafe - Chile verde - Mexican Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

Foods great. The service is awesome. They're friendly and quick with things. Been here a few times and it's a favorite for us read more

Chelly's Cafe - Mexican Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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Wow! How had I not been here yet?!? This place is tucked back in a strip mall a little hard to see from Wornall so I think I'd just overlooked it. So glad yelp lead me here because it was DELICIOUS. We had the queso fundido, fajitas, queso blanco and the Jalisco special. While everything was delicious, Jalisco won as best dish. Nice sampling of meats on delicious cheesy rice. Seriously what dreams are made of. Do yourself a favor and visit this easily overlooked spot. It will become a favorite! read more

I had the best time at Chelly's and I'll definitely be back!! I knew this was a great spot when we sat down and everyone got their own bowl of salsa. The margaritas were a steal and the food was delicious. Love! 10/10 slay read more

Love, love, love Chelly's! My favorite is the steak enchilada dinner. Great atmosphere for families and they make great margaritas! The service is always impeccable. Usually don't have to wait for a table except on weekends at dinnertime. The wait is never too long. They are very efficient and friendly. read more

If you are in the Waldo area I highly recommend this place. The Arroz Con Pollo is totally muck! The queso is muck! And the service is totally ~exceptional~ read more

What a gem! Chelly's Cafe is a very unassuming little joint in a strip mall off of 85th and Wornall. From the outside, you probably wouldn't even realize it's a Mexican restaurant. The lunch menu is loaded with all kinds of options and combinations for more than reasonable prices. The house marg was about 4x larger than I expected and didn't taste like straight sugar mix. The queso and salsa appetizer was also delicious. My only negative was the chips were nothing special, and the service was a little slow for it not being very busy. For 2 lunch combos, queso, and 2 jumbo margs we paid around $40 including the tip! Price, food, and drinks were on point at Chelly's and I'll certainly be back. read more

Chelly's Cafe - Mexican Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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1st time for my wife and I to visit Chelley's. The food, drink & service were fantastic. Watch out for the margaritas they have a sneaky punch to them. We will be back! Russ P read more

I have been living in Waldo for 2 years and had NO idea this delicious spot existed! The salsa was fresh and the chips were light. Our table ordered the Arroz Con Pollo, the special Pazole (soup), and the lunch quesadilla...all for under $30! If you are craving a cheesy meal, order the Arroz Con Pollo because it will satisfy the cheese craving and so will the spiced chicken. I will definitely be coming back. Make sure to try the Pazole..unfortunately I didn't get a photo...but 5 stars! read more

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We had a last minute party at work for around 20 people. Chelly's came through within 30 minutes. Everything was delicious!! They went above my expectations!!I am now planning my next outing to include a margarita with my food read more

The food was great, got the chipotle enchiladas. We enjoyed our queso and had a great house margarita. Everyone there is super friendly. It' doesn't appear to be much on the outside but when you step in it's like any other Mexican restaurant. Every time I go it seems to be pretty. The service can be a little slow because of this but that's a good problem to have. With that said, once you put in your orders they come quick. Positive experience and would recommend! read more

We visited with our two children on a Saturday and were very pleased with our experience! The service was lovely and the food was delicious and generously portioned! We will be back! read more

Nice place! The worker Martha is so delightful and funny and made the ambience more enjoyable! read more

Definition of hole in the wall Mexican place. Great service, locally owned. Highly recommend read more

Chelly's Cafe - Carnitas - Mexican Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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My favorite Mexican place in Kansas City area. They have the best food; great value; great service. The queso fundido is to die for. Their tomatillo salsa is the best; Modelo on tap... I always leave so very happy. Kudos Chellys!!! read more

Chelly's Cafe - Queso Fundido - Mexican Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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The owner and staff are always welcoming. The food is authentic, economical and delicious. We like so many things on the menu including carnitas, Jalisco special, jambalaya, fajitas, chimichangas me so much more! read more

Feels like we've been going here for almost a decade now. Service and food are always great and consistent.

My mom and I had a great experience here! We were visiting from NYC and Hutchinson and were doing a girls weekend and our Airbnb was right down the street. Since I'm doing keto, I had to pre plan my meal a bit and they were awesome at accommodating. I secretly brought my own pork rhinds to dip in the queso. Lol. And it was DELICIOUS. And they didn't say a word. They let me do my thing. I also ordered fajitas and just chowed down on the meats and veggies and they were spiced to my liking. My mom got a lunch combo taco and enchilada. And because it was her bday that brought us complimentary dessert. BUT above the great food and great service were the prices. Our whole meal with drinks was under $50. We will def be back when in the area. read more

Chelly's Cafe - Mexican Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

It's great. And within walking distance to my house. Kinda Want to keep it to myself lowkey. read more

Food was really good. Ordered carry out and everything was exactly how we ordered it for our family of 5.

Super tasty and Super quick. If you're trying to get your fix then come check out Chelly's cafe! The portions are huge and the price is budget friendly! read more

I've been to Chelly's a few time and I'm just not impressed. The service is great. They are attentive and are always ready with a smile. However, the food just does not rank amongst the top Mexican restaurants in the area. if you're hungry and near here than sure but otherwise, no. Additionally, the close around 9 which is kind of early. Once again, the food is good it's just not great and this is not amongst my Go to Mexican restaurants. read more

Chelly's Cafe - Soft Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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Great food and excellent service! The chips and cheese dip were great! My margarita was the best I've had in a while. The atmosphere is very welcoming! read more

Food is great!!!!! Highly recommend the chicken spinach enchiladas and street tacos!! read more

Was recommended this local spot in Waldo from numerous friends who live in the area and I can most definitely say it lived up to the hype. I came here for lunch and got the lunch special carnitas and chicken quesadilla. The bell peppers were so flavorful and the meat was well spiced throughout the plate. Service was great and fast especially if you have a short lunch break and want to sit down. The portions were large for the lunch special price too. They gave me chips and salsa to start the meal included with everything and even offered me refills towards the end of my meal. I was very impressed with this family owned business! read more

Great family style Mexican restaurant. Service is always friendly and the food is great. My favorites are the enchiladas and tamales, but everything I have gotten here has been great and I have been coming here with the family for many years. read more

Many o'Mexican Chelly's Cafe I am a Mexican food s*** I go crazy over chips and salsa, tequila really does make my clothes fall off, and do not get me started on hot melty ooey gooey cheese draped atop of a soft tender pliable flour tortilla. Okay, before this review veers into non PG-13 region lets start to discuss Chelly's Cafe a Mexican restaurant tucked away in an unassuming strip mall off of Wornall and 85th street. Now, I used to live in Waldo and was getting a tad tired of the tex-mex Jalapenos caddy-corner in brookside so I hoped on the bus and went a little further down Wornall to find Chelly's hidden behind one of my favorite neighborhood liquor stores, Mikes. It was sort of an off hour in between lunch and dinner so the restaurant interior was mostly empty aside from employees doing dinner duties such as folding new place settings but, we were greeted and seated promptly. My lunch guest and I both asked politely for the hot salsa from the back of the kitchen, a type of trick I've learned from years of exploring KC Mexican restaurants catering mostly to Midwestern gringos. The darker salsa was comprised of many different peppers I could not discern but it tasted delicious and I was hooked. I ordered a burrito which was in attempt to satisfy my hunger from skipping lunch and also make it so dinner would not be necessary. Well that wish certainly came true! When our food arrived to the table, in less than 10 minutes flat, my burrito was practically spilling over my plate and I sear it weighed the size of a newborn. The burrito filling itself was nothing notable, I can not even remember if I opted for it to be stuffed with chicken or beef. I wish the scoop of rice service alongside the burrito was instead on the inside with less meat, sometimes I feel like the rice can act like a barrier to soak up excess moisture and juices from the meat so the tortilla doesn't disintegrate and get excessively soggy. However, the queso blanco on top of the monstrous burrito was luscious and the side accompaniment of the salty quac was nice to have. Needless to say I left Chelly's Cafe with a box full of leftovers to take home and enjoy a little later than dinnertime that night...maybe a little after midnight haha. read more

Chelly's Cafe - Mexican Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

The food is extremely good and fresh! I rank Mexican food as my favorite cuisine and for me, nothing beats Chelly's. The owner, Chelly, is a joy to be around. Her staff is awesome. Gabby is our favorite of the friendly staff! We consider them as friends. The repeat business is abundant because of the awesome food, festive atmosphere and positive vibes. Go and check it out for yourself! read more

I have driven past this place so many times and never did I think, "oh this place has to have great Mexican food!" But man oh man was a shocked! The inside decorum definitely needed a bit updating. But ignore that because once you get your first margarita you'll know you made the right decision. Authentic rice & beans. Most importantly the service was great. I had the Shrimp chimichanga and added some pineapple slaw which was flavorful, yet refreshing to the palate. The sweet 7month pregnant waitress we had was moving quick and very attentive. Really appreciate this place. I will be back soon. read more

Chelly's Cafe - Pineapple Slaw Margarita - Mexican Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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Really good authentic food and nice cold beer great for stopping by for a lunch break.

Chelly's Cafe has the best cheese dip I have ever had. You will walk away from the restaurant happy and with a fully belly. The food portions are generous for the price you pay, not to mention delicious. I strongly recommend the Fajita Burrito. The wait staff can get very busy during peak hours, but that is to be expected. Four stars for the quality and quantity and a good price. To get to five, service would need to be better with better ambiance. The atmosphere comes off as a dull and cramped. Due to the size, the restaurant can get very loud if tables are full. read more

Love love love this joint. Atmosphere and food are worth my time when visiting KC for just a minute. Kind wait staff. We got quick service. Authentic Mexican, not a fake place for fajitas. read more