This was my first time here. The waitress at the bar was pleasant with conversation along with a couple sitting at the bar. The food was very fresh and tasted well along with the cocktails. The ambiance was one of a Mexican spot. I will definitely be returning Today was my second time going and the lady was behind the bar. She was plesant and accommodating as she was the first time. The manager even came by and talked for a few minutes. read more

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The service was excellent, and the ambience was OK except that the shades don't shut so you still have the sunlight coming in your eyes as we are all seated over by the window! I ordered a Sandria cause I hadn't had one in ages and it was good but it also cost $12 which I thought was a little expensive! But the real kicker was the chicken enchiladas you got two little enchiladas for 12 dollars!! No rice or beans comes with it that's it! They gave us a chips and queso for free as we are a large group, but the queso was nasty. It wasn't warm wasn't liquid like queso should be. It had a crumbly sandy taste to it And wasn't good at all in my opinion! If the group goes back, I'll go, but I will not go back to this place on my own as I think there's better Tex-Mex places out there! read more

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We've been twice. The first time we went on Mother's Day, shortly after the location opened. The queso wasn't melted all the way and had a very large chunk of cheese inside. They removed that from the bill. The rest of our food was okay, not well seasoned, but edible. People seemed nice. We decided to go back September because we assumed they had worked out some opening kinks. We tried the salsa and chips this time which were surprising good. The spicy salsa isn't too spicy, but had nice flavor. Husband got the Philly fajita sandwich, which was good. Black bean soup was way too salty. Kid menu is limited and quesadilla comes with a ridiculously small portion of rice, no sub options. I got the chicken fajitas. The fajitas were fine, although the chicken was a little dry and the seasoning was weak. The cold plate that comes with the fajitas was gross. The lettuce was browning and the guacamole was clearly a day+ old. It had browned and had a sour (not lime) taste. We told the waitress who took it back (no apology). She returned with what looked like the same plate, old guacamole scraped off, and a smaller portion of still brown guacamole on the plate. We asked. She said it was a fresh plate...but somehow still had browning lettuce and old guacamole. Manager got involved and said there was fresh guacamole in the back. At this point, I just started eating the fajitas dry because it was getting cold. Two fajitas into the meal, and the guacamole came out. Seems they either made new guacamole based on timing or finally found some. Why that isn't what is served is beyond me. The guacamole, when fresh, was pretty good...although even then it was overpowered with lime. Manager was nice enough and took the fajitas off the bill. Waitress still never apologized. Bill is paid at the table on a machine that the waitress is holding: so you don't really get to look over your bill or discuss tipping without them standing right there. All that to say, we won't be trying again. There are great Mexican style restaurants around here with free chips and salsa and fresh food. Can any restaurant survive this location? read more

We started with the Cadillac nachos with shredded chicken. They were good but we asked for salsa to go with them. We were charged $2.50 for each small serving of salsa (mild & spicy) the "spicy" was ice cold that we were to eat with warm chips. We weren't informed we'd be charged for the salsa. We got street tacos - crispy shrimp, birria and tinga chicken. The shrimp had so much mango salsa that I couldn't taste the two shrimp on my taco. The dipping sauce for the birria tacos was so salty that it tasted just like a boullion cube. We really want to root for this place but I honestly don't see it staying open long after f this is the quality of food we should expect. read more

Chili Willi's Tex-Mex Grill - Cadillac Nachos - Tex-Mex Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

My first visit here and the dood was delicious! The nachos and the fajitas are must haves! I have to give a huge shoutout to my sever and the bar tender, they only had a red sangria on the menu and I asked they can make it with white wine instead, they got creative and made this delicious drink that I ordered 2 of and I hope makes it on the menu (feel free to name after me). Also the ice cream taco was a delicious way to end the meal! read more

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Went at about 5:30 on a Tuesday night. Didn't have to wait which was nice. Menu has a good selection. We ordered the kids chicken/cheese/rice bowl, chips and salsa, chili con queso, chili relleno, Caesar salad, and a cup of chicken lime soup. As for our appetizers, it was disappointing to pay $6 for chips and salsa. The salsa was fairly bland and nothing exciting. The chili con queso was described as a "hummus texture" by the server. We opted to try it but it had a VERY unappealing texture. Very bizarre offering frankly. We sent it back and ordered the melted cheese and chorizo (queso fundido). That was good, very heavy on chorizo (too much for our liking but some may love that). As for the chili relleno, we ordered the salsa on the side but it came out on it and had to be remade. The Caesar salad and chicken lime soup were fantastic. Our bill was $72, including the chili con queso that we sent back and wasn't taken off the bill. We didn't realize until after we paid. So it should have been $66. I found this to be very expensive for two adults and one kiddo. Not worth the price point in my mind. read more

Tasty food, we will come back and try again. They only open d a couple weeks ago. Birria tacos had good flavor. read more

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The food was okay. We had the chile com queso and it was pretty bland. The coffee rubbed steak was fine. The refried black beans were the winner. They were well seasoned and delicious. The rice was okay according to my partner. The cups were dirty so we ended up getting to-go cups after a few dirty cups. The server and staff were very kind and the outdoor sitting area is nice. This definitely won't be a regular spot for us. read more

Chili Willi's Tex-Mex Grill - Coffee Rubbed Hanger Steak Black beans - Tex-Mex Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

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We went to Chili Willi's early one Saturday afternoon after their grand opening hoping to avoid the dinner rush, but we still had to wait almost 30 minutes to be seated. It was convenient that they used WaitlistMe to manage the waitlist so we could track our place in line. Unlike most Mexican restaurants, you have to buy the chips and salsa. We decided to share a few things - * Chili con queso * Cheese and green chili enchiladas * Chicken flautas Of three, the cheese and green chili enchiladas were the best. The queso was extremely thick and almost congealed in nature. It was also not hot enough. The chicken flautas were also covered in this queso. The chicken was almost flavorless, lacking any seasonings inside. And since the congealed queso was on top, this was a very unappetizing meal. The cheese enchiladas were definitely the best. They were full of cheese, and the Ranchero sauce on top was really good. For our drinks, we had an unsweetened iced tea and a ranch water. The unsweetened tea was very good, and the ranch water was great if you don't like sweetened alcoholic drinks. It was kind of expensive, however, at $12 for mostly Topo Chico with a small shot of tequila. Our server was very good, and we didn't wait very long for our food. However, the quality of the food wasn't what we expected, so we'll likely not return. What a shame! read more

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Attended soft opening. Grand opening Friday May 8. Tried the chili verde and Caesar salad. Interior is not too terribly differ from the old place. Service was fast and friendly. Chili arrived with 4 minutes. It is a little spicy, as predicted by my server. Served with a folded grilled tortilla. Salad was served about a minute later. Chili was hot and salad was huge. Look forward to having lunch here every week. read more

Chili Willi's Tex-Mex Grill - Chili verde - Tex-Mex Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

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If you like Applebees/Chilis/TGI Fridays, then you will probably like Chili Willi's. As soon as we sat down my wife goes "wow I haven't been in a place like this in a while" . It's not an insult, it's just a style/category choice. The food wasn't great. The server warned us when we ordered the Queso that "it's not like normal Queso, it's like the opposite" lol and unfortunately it was just a worse version of typical queso. The texture is thicker, the flavor is different, and just not what I prefer. My wife ordered chicken fajitas and I got a steak. Both were mid. I was so excited for this place to open, I was hoping something modern and flavorful would be taking up residence in this building, but unfortunately Chili Willi's ended up being a TexMex Chili's. read more

We had great service the entire visit for a girls night out. We all had the house margarita or pina coladas and they were the star of the show. I had the chicken fajita Philly. The roll on it was delicious but the bottom bun was soggy right from the start and there wasn't much chicken on it. What was there tasted good but I just ate it on the top bun because soggy buns are just gross. Everyone else was happy with their meal. I would go again but maybe skip the fajita Philly read more

Never heard of paying for chips & Salsa. Also, Just found that the food hardly resembled Traditional Tex-Mex. There were no winner meals on the menu that our table of 4 tried. read more

Had a great girls lunch at Chili Willi's! I ordered the Santa Fe salad with grilled chicken, and we shared chips and salsa with chili con queso and guacamole. Everything was delicious! My friends had quesadillas, salads, and fajitas, and everyone really enjoyed their meals. Our server was attentive and friendly, and the margaritas were excellent! Such a great spot for a fun lunch with friends. We'll definitely be back! read more

Nice casual restaurant with friendly service. If you're looking for a large portion average quality Mexican restaurant, this is not the place. Based on some of the reviews I read, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food that had a unique Texas personality. We really enjoyed the chips and salsa and dishes we purchased. The food tasted great and presented well. Prices weren't too bad for the quality of the food. We'll enjoy going back to try other items. read more

Chili Willi's Tex-Mex Grill - Chili - Tex-Mex Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

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Now my rating is based off of "Tex-Mex" restaurants in the area. Tex-Mex in Texas (where I lived for 5 years) is way different and way better than anything you can get in North Carolina. The closest I've come to true Tex-Mex here is Superica in Charlotte, but even they are not close to what real Tex-Mex is. The food at Chili Willi's was good but average. There wasn't anything special but also nothing was bad. I got to taste both the chicken fajita quesadilla and steak fajita quesadilla. Both were flavorful, fresh, and cooked well. I liked the steak better than the chicken though. The steak wasn't chewy and easy to eat which is sometimes hard to find in a Mexican restaurant. The chips and salsa were delicious and the guacamole was good but wish it had more lime in it. Overall, it was a good experience. read more

Chili Willi's Tex-Mex Grill - Tex-Mex Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

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We visited last night for their grand opening, and as someone who used to live in Huntington, West Virginia--where this restaurant originated--I was so excited to see them open here. From the moment we arrived, the staff was incredibly friendly, welcoming, and organized. We were seated exactly when promised, and honestly, you would never have guessed it was their very first night open. We started with the salsa trio, queso, and queso fundido with chorizo. A quick tip for anyone ordering appetizers: be sure to read the menu descriptions! The queso isn't your typical queso, and the queso fundido is also different from what many people may expect--but both matched their descriptions exactly. For entrees, we tried the chicken tinga tacos and pork carnitas tacos, and both were flavorful and delicious. The flavors here are unique and definitely lean Tex-Mex. The chips taste fresh and well seasoned. The guacamole was fresh and flavorful as well! The restaurant itself is bright, beautiful, and very clean, with a great ambiance that made the experience even better. We're excited to have this restaurant here and hope Norman residents will give it a try so it can be part of the community for years to come! read more

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We had such a great experience at Chilly Willie's Friday night! From the moment we sat down, our server, Caleb, was outstanding. He was attentive without being overbearing, made sure we never went without anything, and gave us some great recommendations that definitely steered us in the right direction. It was a busy night, but Caleb handled his section with ease and still made us feel like we had his full attention. You could tell he genuinely cared about making sure his guests had a great experience. And the food did not disappoint! We started with the chilled con queso, which was delicious. My fiancé had the chimichanga and I had the chicken fajitas, and both were absolutely outstanding. We were dining with friends as well, and everyone's meals looked just as good and were equally enjoyed. Caleb even took the time to tell us about the live music the restaurant will soon be starting on select nights on the patio and invited us back. We will definitely be taking him up on that! Great food, great atmosphere, and exceptional service. Caleb is definitely an asset to Chilly Willie's, and he made our night even better. We'll absolutely be back! read more

a little off put because I was hoping for esquimaux fūd (or possibly penguin chow) but texican will work. big bright indoor space with outdoor seating you can't sit at (yet) but maybe soon (it's better this way, honest.) meanwhile a window seat at the bar means controlled climate with a view of the chaos on Statesville Road while enjoying a morsel and a libation. lunch started with a bowl of original red chili: good spiced base flavor, heat is available if you insist otherwise chunks of meats and veggies and pintos in a rich juicy juice represent the category well. topped with yellow cheese, green onion, and a spot of soured cream plus a couple warm foldy tortillas to complete the picture. green chile enchiladas followed in an odd "where's the torrilla?" way but that could be because I was eating them wrong - with a chili spoon and playing with the cheese instead of knifing through and making bite-sized bites. FWIW: not very heaty which is odd for green chiles but maybe these aren't those those chiles. not feeling it today so just icy water, like four of them in a tall glass which was kind neat. not super busy at the bar so I had a lively little chat with Lamont about the business of business, family, and a life full of meaning in between him attending his official duties. read more

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Been waiting awhile to try this new place. Exceeded my expectations! Great food and service. Ps: get the Super Burrito. read more

Chili Willi's Tex-Mex Grill - Tex-Mex Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

Listen, for me it starts with great salsa and their's was outstanding. I absolutely loved my Coffee Rubbed Hanger Steak, great Smokey flavor to the dish. And of course, a nice ice cream taco to wash it down. What a spot! My wife said her margarita was super fresh and tasty as well! read more

Chili Willi's Tex-Mex Grill - Ice cream taco. Cinnamon and honey!!! - Tex-Mex Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

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Tasty chips , salsa , queso & margs ! Love the outdoor patio! Friendly staff! Walking distance from my apartment which is very convenient!

Beer was good! About all I can confidently say. Don't think I will be going back, I'll stick to my local Taco Bell next time i think about Mexican food. read more

Chili Willi's Tex-Mex Grill - Birra tacos - Tex-Mex Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

Very lame on the seasonings. Ordered the burrito bowl and the lettuce was old and yellowing. Had that "out of a bag" smell and ruined the whole dish for me. My partner had enchiladas- he was underwhelmed as well- said they were very bland. We both agreed price was high, especially $12 for a pretty puny House margarita. To be fair, portions were adequate. Our sever must've left her personality at home, but hostess was friendly and welcoming. read more

Thrilled to have Ron Smith's masterpiece foods available again! Visited opening weekend and it was absolutely fabulous! Fantastic service! Smells and tastes just like the WV restaurant. Do not forget to get an ice cream taco!! read more

Chili Willi's Tex-Mex Grill - Photos of the original location on 4th Avenue in Huntington, WV - Tex-Mex Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

Great food, great customer service Go eat here ) The manager is very nice he fixed our order promptly and did I say the fajita chicken quesadilla and their chips bowl is amazing!!!! read more

Great delicious food Nice portions Good service, hard working team. Our waiter Vance was super awesome! read more

Good service, slow kitchen but manager explained & apologized. Food was great. Salsa & chips with two different types of salsa: both really good "free refills". Would recommend. read more

Got a surprise the management at Duckworth Inc made it right thanks to all the management

Service was good. Had Burria tacos, which were okay. Also had shrimp tacos, which the shrimp seemed close to non- existent. The cinnamon taco desert was pretty good. No real reason to go back, especially when you consider the cost. read more

Food is very pricey, quality maybe a 6, service good. Ambiance is good. 16.00 for a plain chimichanga with no sides, sides such as chips, extra a another fee. read more

Great casual place. We were very pleased with the serving size and the fresh, flavorful taste. The Cadillac nachos and burrito were more than enough and definitely hit the spot. ALL of the servers, bartenders, and managers were wonderful. I wish I could remember everyone's names because they all deserve to be mentioned. The staff was friendly, attentive, and made the whole experience even better. We'll definitely be back. ~ Stefano read more

Best Tex Mex in the region. I live in another county and drive up to enjoy the food. Very good bar with lots of choices.

Really cute inside. Server was very nice. Hated the salsas they were all so sickly sweet. The steak dinner was really good! Definitely would come back but skip the salsa read more

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Chicken fajitas tastes like dirty dish water. We bought our family of 6 here and everything tastes like a Mexican restaurant made by white people. Very bland not great options. Wouldn't recommend read more

Chili Willi's Tex-Mex Grill - Chicken fajitas - Tex-Mex Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

We went here for the first time this evening (5/23/26). We gave it a 7/10. They need to work out the kinks like any new restaurant. The first disappointment was the margarita. It was served in a glass that you would typically use for an old fashioned. Way to small and it wasn't' even filled. They only put salt on 1/2 the rim. The overall service for our dining experience was good. The food was tasty, but they are a little on the chintzy side. Tex Mex, Mexican, whatever, they all have the same stuff. But in most Mexican restaurants, rice and beans are included. Not here. You have to purchase a la carte. Atmosphere good. read more

I wish the food was as good as the branding. The building and marketing look so fun! Service was spectacular, friendly waiter that constantly checked on us. The queso had a hummus texture, we did not like it. We were also disappointed with the fajitas, lacking in flavor. The hype did not live up to mural for me. read more

CHILI WILLI'S REVIEW Hey everyone. I went to Chili Willi's Tex-Mex Grill Cornelius for the first time with my husband today. We knocked off early for the holiday weekend and arrived before 4. Seated quickly as you would expect given the time. The restaurant was lively and our waiter arrived quickly. Lamont was awesome! I think he secretly wants to be a chef given his passionate knowledge of the menu:). You should ask for him personally. We ordered the Mezpresso Martinis and weren't disappointed. . My husband and I tried the queso and chips since we had been hearing lots of discussion around it. We both agreed that the melted cheese tasted great. The portion was perfect as an appetizer. I ordered the spiced beef chimichanga and my husband the salmon in acho chili sauce. We loved both! We will definitely be back! read more

Absolutely amazing food and atmosphere every time we visit. The servers are helpful and you feel connected to them from the start! I'm really looking forward to our next visit. Best ever restaurant! Yum! read more

Great drinks. Great Birria tacos. Worst guacamole I've ever had. Tasted like it came in a bag and they added fresh Green Onions. Also needs better musiic that supports the brights colors of the decor. Guacamole is an easy fix. Make the change and see attendance improve. read more