The Food is Hardly Worth the Headache of the Atmosphere
Written: May 02 '00
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: Good food.
Cons: Lousy atmosphere, service, and drinks.
|
|
|
| TerryBain's Full Review: Chevys Fresh Mex |
If you’re anything like me, you’re getting older, and the last thing you want to be reminded of when you go into an "eating establishment" is that you’re getting much, much older. Which is precisely what you’ll be reminded of when you go into a Chevy’s Fresh Mex, especially if you sit anywhere in the vicinity of the bar, where you can watch the giant margaritas waltz through.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m just as in favor of barely-of-age folks getting good and drunk on fruity Mexicanish drinks as the next guy, but I really show my age by whispering to whomever I’m dining with: "who do you suppose is driving?" and I know the answer is probably "all of them."
I suppose some of what I have to say about Chevy’s Fresh Mex isn’t going to apply when you go to your own local restaurant. For instance, your server probably isn’t as creepy as ours.
Server: "Can I get you guys something from the bar this evening?"
Me: "Can you give me a couple of minutes?"
Server: "No."
By the way, even if you really do need a few extra minutes, never ask for it. Just blurt something out. Say "Strawberry Daiquiri" or "Sex on the Beach" or "Gigantic Papaya Margarita." Later, when it arrives, you can always say, "Holy heck, this is terrible. Send it back." See, these places have very strict policies about upsetting you. Nine times out of ten they’ll do everything they can to make you happy. You just have to let them know you’re on the verge of being unhappy. Unfortunately, just about everything they do will either:
1. Make you nervous.
2. Give you hiccups.
3. Test your patience.
(I usually get 3. )
Anyway, I asked for a couple of minutes, and eventually I got ‘em (he was kidding when he said "no"--I think). He gave me many minutes.
Eventually I ordered a margarita on the rocks (which came in a beer mug--I can’t even remember the last time I ordered a drink in a chain restaurant and got what I was expecting), a bowl of the tortilla soup, and grande nachos. The food, I’ll have to admit, was excellent--because they use fresh ingredients creatively combined. I’ll also admit that I love their salsa (I love almost anything with chipotle) and their tortillas are fresh and first-rate (they make them on the premises). The nachos were a little too grande though, and when asked if we could get them with shredded beef our server said, "what we have here is more like hamburger." Okay. The chicken then. At least the guy was honest (though still creepy).
The atmosphere, you say? And I say: Do we really need another restaurant with an airplane hanging from the ceiling?
The Chevy’s interiors are nothing but imitations of every other "concept" restaurant you’ve ever been in, including a kind of open warehouse feel, knick-knacks on the walls so dense that none of them stand out in my memory (except the airplane, which is silly), and no accommodation for noise (and you guessed it, obnoxiously loud and stupid group singing for birthdays). Of course they don’t want you to sit around and talk, they want you to order your nachos, drink your giant drinks, pay your bill and go home so they can have the table. (Yes, Chevy’s folks, it really is that transparent, and I’m beginning to resent it. If you really want the table, I’ll be happy to give it to you so long as you make my meal an enjoyable experience. I’ll also be happy to sit in the bar and drink over-priced cervesa if you make it non-smoking.)
So here’s what I recommend: Drop by your local Chevy’s, pick up some take-out, go home and enjoy it. The food is hardly worth the headache of the restaurant itself, but it is worth giving a try in the comfort of your own home.
Recommended:
Yes
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
TerryBain
|
|
Member: Terry Bain
Location: Spokane, Washington
Reviews written: 126
Trusted by: 177 members
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.