Chimichangas — Restaurant in Wollongong City Council

My wife and i have lived in Woonona for over 15 years and we support our local restaurants ie thai Chinese mexican lebanese etc so during that period we have frequented chimichangas since its opening on a number of occasions. Last saturday 8th january we had an experience we have never had before at this restaurant I had booked a meal on the friday the 7th for a meal the following day 8th january i recieved confirmation on my phone saying everything was good the meal was booked for 7 30 We arrived at 7 34 We were shown to a table and we waited for menus and water it got to 8 pm and no service I asked a passing waitress could we have some menus and water she was very polite and said she would be with us directly 15 minutes passed with no service i asked again and again i was told yes be with you shortly I noticed a couple had sat at a table across the way from us a good 10 minutes after us and they were given menus and there order was taken a few minutes afterwards I asked again for at least a menu the menus were given to us with the water after asking again for it our order was finally taken and our entree was served round 8 30 We again waited for our mains I noticed that take away meals were flowing quite freely as though thay were taking priority the time got to 9 30 by this time we had enough i asked could we pay for what we had and we were leaving the waitreess did apologise and asked us did we want to take the meal home I refused and said if i wanted a take away i probably would have got it an hour or so earlier We have always had great service and great food at chimichangas that is why i was quite shocked at this particular happening We dine out regular with friends and we always tell others how the meal went No worries with the food its just a case of when you get it very...

I love Mexican food. So I was excited and optimistic to visit Chimmichangas for dinner with my partner, having recently moved to the area. I’d been to Amigos in Wollongong multiple times and always pretty disappointed but knowing that Amigos has never pretended to be authentic Mexican, more like Chew-and-Spew Mexican, huge plates of food to stuff your face with, but not a lot going on as far as taste. I really hoped “Chimmis” would be different. I was wrong. It’s fair to give a new restaurant at least two attempts to get it right. They didn’t. The second time I took my family, it was worse than the first. Such a shame because there is real potential here. Mexican food is not difficult to do well. I’m no chef but I cook it regularly. I ordered the frijoles enchilada, which I understand literally means refried beans, but some other vegetables would have been nice – some sautéed capsicum, mushrooms? It was cold in the middle and just beans out of a can slapped into a tortilla and a heap of lettuce leaves on the side to bulk the plate up I guess. The guacamole was on the verge of being brown and the lemon juice in it, totally overpowering. The crumbing on the poppers, thick and stodgy, and again they weren’t hot. My classic margarita was tasty and well-balanced but the glass was half full, the second time I sent it back and asked politely for a full one. The waitress didn’t seem too happy to be there, a smile and a hint of personality would have gone a long way towards our disappointment with the food. One positive – the hot sauce selection has a rating of 1-8, which is handy and comes out on...

Chimichangas has adequate on-site parking, and an attractive exterior. On walking into the restaurant, you are greeted by a modern cantina style of decor, with a well-stocked bar as the centre piece. We were seated in the semi outdoor area, which is enclosed, and heated. The fairey lights in this area are a great addition, and create a warm atmosphere.

Our waitress was friendly, and presented is with a couple of well bound menus, and a seperate drinks menu. The drinks menu is comprehensive, with a dazzling array of margaritas. The food offering doesn't overburden you with choice; it offers a great selection of the core Mexican dishes.

We sampled a number of margaritas, and a bucket of Coronas. The share platter stunned us on arrival, with a large quantity of colourful and tasty looking appetisers. I couldn't find fault with any of the food, each item was an absolute delight.

For mains, we opted for the signature chimichanga, and a serve of taquitos. The mains are served on a bed of rice, with a very fresh and crunchy salad. The flavour profile was typical Mexican street food, but no intimidating levels of chilli. If you prefer it spicy, you can order a side of hot sauce, which we did. I really wish that I was able to review the dessert selection, but the generous portion sizes left me with no room for sweet treats!

Although some of the reviews here have given negative feedback on the speed of the service, we found it to be well-paced, permitting us to enjoy the food, and some drinks in between.

I look forward to my next trip to...