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Cocina Chiwas

4.1 (234 reviews)
Closed • 5:00 pm - 10:00 PM
Updated 2 months ago

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Bean dip
Bailey L.

Cocina Chiwas has been on my list for AWHILE. I love some of their other concepts (Taco Chiwas is life), so it's honestly overdue for a visit here. My husband and I met some friends for an impromptu dinner date on. Friday evening. We caught an earlier time slot. My friend thought they made a last minute reservations, but alas...they did not hit the final confirm button, but upon showing up at around 5:45 they were able to fit us in. It really was not that busy yet and their patio was open, but as its heating up we were grateful to get an inside booth. The inside dining room is intimate with an open kitchen concepts. They have a lovely moody vibe with wood tones, greenery and a modern spanish touch, which I really liked. Their booths are roomy, able to fit six comfortably. I don't think they could accommodate much larger groups, perhaps outside or seperate tables, but perfect for date night or small group for sure. Ou friends had been there before and love to eat family style like us, so we really let them roll with it for the table. I started with a Trip to Chile for my cocktail, one of their house specialities - PERFECTION. I love a egg white froth, and this cocktail delivered on flavor, freshness and I understand why its a fan favorite. you also don't find pisco too much, so fun change of pace. Its really not very spicy, but just enough to scratch the itch. My husband who usually doesn't lean towards a cocktail like this, loved it and got it for his second round over his usual bourbon preferences. For the table we had: the burrata salad, wood fire elote, wood fire quesadilla, chile rellenos, their pinto bean dip & I cannot recall the name (& its not listed on the online menu) but a shrimp and jerky starter. The standouts were the burrata salad, the quesadilla and chile relleno, oh and of course the bean dip! Everything though was fabulous. So much flavor, beautifully plated, VERY generous on the cheese and the overall portions were great. I noticed on past menus they had a ceviche or aquachile, which is really what or experience missed. The shrimp dish we got was meant to be that, but honestly just did not hit the mark and personally was the only thing I would not get again. We ended the meal with their tres leches carrot cake. Still delightful, but a bit different then Taco Chiwas (unless they changed their recipe) and had more of a bread pudding consistency. It was tasty, but not a repeat for me, just a tad too dense compared to their sisters concept. Service was great. They were all on top of of water, offering drinks, clearing plates and overall a very smooth and great experience. Overall consensus, It will definitely be part of our date night rotation, they continue to bring quality and fabulous flavors in all their concepts and Cocina Chiwas is no exception. I look forward to having a few repeats and trying some new options when I visit again.

Andrea H.

Cocina Chiwa is an absolute gem and dare I say, I enjoyed more than sister restaurant, Bacanora. Every bite here is bursting with flavor and creativity. We started with the elote corn, and wow -- it was smoky, creamy, and perfectly charred. One of the best I've had. The burrata salad was a surprising standout -- the combo of velvety burrata with roasted squash and sweet potatoes was both comforting and refreshing. The carnitas tacos were Juicy, tender pork with bold seasoning, nestled in warm blue corn tortillas...3 of them.. So simple, so perfect. They hit all the right notes. Vibe? Chill, stylish, and full of good energy. Service? Friendly and fast. Cocina Chiwa has that magic mix of great food, great people, and great atmosphere. Can't wait to go back.

Short rib
Ben H.

Originally tried to go to sister restaurant Espiritu on a Saturday night without a res. Unfortunately they were not able to seat us, but lucky for us, a direct shot on Main/Apache12 minutes away Cocina Chiwas. I've been to Tacos Chiwas before. In my honest opinion, I thought it was overrated, but Cocina Chiwas is on a different level. Its Bacanora collaboration is on display instantly, as only a whiff of the mesquite grill as I stepped in. Multiple menu options sounded amazing: we chose 3- the elote (which if you've been to Bacanora, you know), birria quesedilla , and burrata salad. I equally loved them all. I've never had a short rib I didn't love, but to be completely honest, this bone in, shareable dish was a little fattier and tougher vs what I like. The accompanying rissoto or farro? Was great as well. Great experience, cool area, trendy spot which look like it was built from pre- fab / sustainable materials. I'd definitely recommend

Delaney H.

Excellent service at the bar from Mike and Brennon tonight. Everything was delicious and they even made me a special birthday drink. Highly recommend dining in at a table and especially the bar!

Taco de papa
Damian P.

Best taco de papas in town. Delicious food, good service, and a modern yet warm ambience.

Cocktail
Yu W.

The food is decent, but I probably wouldn't return. First off, there's ample parking behind the restaurant--just be sure to read the sign carefully to check when free parking is available. The interior is stylish and upscale, which set high expectations. However, I was taken aback by the menu prices. Don't get me wrong--I don't mind paying a premium for fresh seafood, sushi, or a high-quality steak, but $26 for a small portion (I believe it was around 8 or 10 small pieces) of pork belly felt excessive. If you pay $26 to a Korean restaurant, they will fill your stomach with a lot more pork belly that your stomach will be about to explode. Our server was friendly and nice. The restaurant has a nice atmosphere, but in my experience, it doesn't feel like a Mexican spot.

Great ambiance
Renata L.

I hate to give it only three stars, but as being well known for having some of the best Mexican food in town, the expectation was high. The service, ambiance, and live music were top notch, but the food was a let down. The birria quesadilla was just ok, the flavor or the meat tasted of regular "pot roast". The mole in the chicken thigh with polenta was overly salty and the polenta had a strong hard cheese aftertaste that pairs better with Italian cuisine. The chile in the mole had a nice taste to it, but the subtleties of the different notes of a mole were missing or hiding with the saltiness. The taco ribeyes were on the smaller side, and while I appreciated the handmade blue corn tortillas, the fillings didn't really wow us. We don't mind paying for higher prices, but since the food was nothing spectacular, I don't see us coming back. I wanted to love this place, maybe we can come back just for some drinks and the music.

Sophie K.

This place is awesome! I love their atmosphere, it's cozy and romantic, and their food is yummy! My friends and I got to try grilled elote, fried pork belly, quesadilla and everything was so good. I especially loved elote so much, perfectly grilled and the sauce was the bomb. Fried pork was super crunchy and grains came with it was satisfying. And quesadilla, it was cheesy and the meat was soft and flavorful. Can't wait to come back and try their other food!

Carnitas tacos
Meily A.

We initially wanted to go to Espíritu but the place was packed so we decided to come here. I am glad that happened because otherwise we would have missed out. Even though they have been opened for a bit and it's been on my try list I had not made it down to Tempe to try it. We had an early dinner around 6 pm and the place wasn't busy. We were seated right away. Service was good and fast. We shared a few appetizers and they were all a hit. I loved the burrata salad and the elote the most. My husband and I shared the short rib and although it was tasty it was probably my least favorite out of all the things we tried - I think it was a little too fatty for my liking.

Pork shoulder and chile relleno
Luciana V.

The birria quesadilla is a must! I tried the pork shoulder with beans and corn tortillas, my husband ordered the chile relleno - both dishes were flavorful and seasoned perfectly. I tried the piña colada - disclaimer it's not blended, but it was tasty. Very nice flavors going on with that drink. The atmosphere is modern and picturesque- I love all the desert touches throughout the establishment. Server Edgar was great, attentive yet chill. Looking forward to returning.

Bloody Maria and Avocado Toast
Jennifer B.

Stumbled into this place by luck! Ordered and enjoyed their bloody Maria. I thought the carne seca was awesome twist from the regular bacon. Also enjoyed their avocado toast, which was delicious as well. Great environment! Good music selection! Not too loud where you can't hear the person next to you! Josh was a great and attentive bar engineer!

Chile Con Queso
Kat V.

We made a reservation and got there a bit early so we got to walk about this nice car-free community. When we got the table and hear about their special, we ordered it right away. The shrimps are perfectly cooked and seasoned, the green paste that comes with them is super complement the tasty shrimps. Oysters are so fresh and delicious. Chile con queso is the best! I love all kind of chiles and veggies in the creamy (not too creamy) sauce. I could not stop dipping chips into this queso. The sweet corn panna coat is so delicious and looks loving in pink plate.

Elote

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Creative, excellent food. I love food cooked on a wood grill. Highly recommend. Prices were very reasonable for the quality of food.

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Ask the Community - Cocina Chiwas

What is the parking situation?

You can park in the lot behind the restaurant with no issues. We had zero problem with parking but lots of problems with the restaurant LOL.

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Cocina Chiwas - mexican - Updated May 2026

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