Chino-Mex — Restaurant in Chandler

BEWARE: NOT 100% HALAL

Backstory: Had family in from NYC and brought them here for dinner with a reservation for 12 people. 11 of us ordered with the 12th being late. We ordered a variety of things including several birrias. Upon delivery of the food, the birrias came with some spice packets which the owner told 11 of us it wasn’t halal, which immediately raised my suspicions even though there are certificates everywhere of 100% halal and clear halal advertising. The 12th person that came late also ordered a birria, and again the owner gave the packets but this person was not with us when we were told the packets weren’t halal and immediately poured it in the birria. We stopped her from eating it, and took it up to the counter to the owner and let him know we mistakenly put it in there, if we can get another one. To my SHOCK, the owner literally shrugged and said there was nothing he could do, that he told ME it was halal, as if my responsibility to tell everyone while I’m already eating. I lost it at that point with his dismissive attitude, and told him that he told me but didn’t tell the late person that it wasn’t halal. I also went off about how can he serve something non-halal with all these certifications and advertising, and that it was absolute nonsense he couldn’t do anything and that he could charge me again, just make another one. Instead of just doing it, he tells me again that he told me it wasn’t halal, to which I again repeated why would you even serve non-halal products to a group visibly Muslim (several hijabis) and that again, he told me, but not the person who was late that ordered separately. He rudely walked off without saying anything, and started making the new birria. He came back and put it on the counter and I presented my card to pay for it since he said he wasn’t going to replace it. He turned his back on me and walked off. A new business with an incredibly disrespectful owner that advertises halal but still chooses to serve items that are non-halal as part of a halal meal. Makes absolutely no sense, and its no wonder restaurants like these can’t survive. To the owner: improve your service, be respectful of your customers, and stop serving non-halal products and misleading our Muslim community. It brings everything in your restaurant into question of whether it is halal or not. Absolutely embarassing to have this episode in front of family from out of town, and for what was basically a $5 expense. Never again! I fully expect the owner to give a BS response to this review....

I found the concept of the restaurant interesting, but there is room for improvement. My group ordered the Birria Ramen Duo and two Quesabirria Munchies Plates, with sides of spicy orange chicken, salt and pepper shrimp, and pollo peño.

Upon arrival, we were greeted, and the man behind the counter gave us a lengthy explanation of the combos, but we still felt a bit confused. The menu could be simplified, especially with choosing the sides and meat for the tacos, considering it's a fusion place. However, the man helped us choose everything, which was fine. If it had been a different employee, I think we would have had a hard time.

The Birria Ramen combo was the best out of everything we ordered. The Chinese food tasted Americanized, similar to Panda Express. The spicy orange chicken wasn't spicy and was too sweet; I couldn't eat more than a few pieces. The pollo peño was the best of the three sides we ordered. They were out or running low on a few sides, including the salt and pepper shrimp, but they made some fresh upon request, which I appreciated. The Mexican food here is much better than the Chinese food. The quesabirria tacos were the best item on the munchies plate, and the consommé was alright. Overall, I felt the flavors were lacking for the...

Chino Mex in Chandler is an amazing halal restaurant that really stands out. The food is fresh, cooked right in front of you, and the setup feels a bit like Panda Express where you pick your dishes and sides. The beef was excellent, tender, and full of flavor. The staff was very friendly and even gave us a little extra food, which showed how much they care about their customers. Everything was clean, well organized, and the service was fast.

What makes Chino Mex interesting is that it serves both Chinese and Mexican food, not as a fusion but as two separate cuisines in one place. You can enjoy fried rice and orange chicken or switch it up with tacos and burritos all in the same visit. The portions were generous, the food tasted great, and knowing it is halal makes it even better. It is a fun spot with good energy, great food, and a unique concept that is worth...