Chelito’s - UTEP — Restaurant in El Paso

I saw the menu and pictures before visiting, and it looked promising. My family wanted to go, so we went together. The tap water tasted like chlorine. I suspect the jamaica water was made with the same water, as it was both expensive and tasted similar to the complimentary water. This is a substantial problem, particularly for those with sensitivities and health issues. The owner and manager really need to invest in a water filter.Upon arrival, we were greeted by a friendly waitress who later informed us that they didn’t have piña coladas available. Three other people also asked for it and received the same answer. If it's not available, it might be better to note that on the menu, as many restaurants do, even the more upscale ones.

The waitress was attentive and kept asking if we needed anything. Our food took about 30 to 40 minutes to arrive, which is reasonable if you're not in a rush or starving. I appreciate food that requires a proper cooking time. Most of my family members (three in total) thought the food was very good. For me, the al pastor was decent but incredibly spicy. Normally, I can handle a lot of spice due to my cultural background, but this dish was off the charts spicy. I wasn’t warned about the heat level, nor was it indicated on the menu. Unfortunately, I couldn’t eat it and ended up staying hungry. I won’t order that dish again and wouldn’t recommend it to my friends or family who aren’t accustomed to spicy food, nor to other potential customers.

The restaurant could really benefit from having either two servers or one hostess and one server. I realize they don’t get a lot of customers, but having more staff would help both the waitress and the patrons. It felt like we were being rushed every time she came to our table.

On a positive note, the chairs and tables are cute and classy, but they can be slippery. The TV screens weren’t displaying anything interesting; they were just showing scores from a boring sports game. All four screens had the same display. The music was also rather loud.

I appreciated being able to see where my food was prepared. The chicken tenders were very greasy, but at least I knew they were freshly fried and breaded. I might consider ordering again for takeout only, because I have to mention that the water was a...

I'm not a fan of this location, the food was mediocre, the service was lacking, and it has a dull industrial aesthetic. If you've read my prior reviews, you know I don't normally do a negative review unless there are glaring issues, which there were several.

When we arrived, we weren't greeted, and there wasn't a sign indicating if we should seat ourselves, or wait. Since there were already menus on the tables, so after a couple of minutes, we picked a table. We were then ignored for nearly 10 minutes, before we were told that someone would be right with us, and that was just in passing. It was another 5 min before a server finally came over. He was at least helpful, (and rocking a man bun) so I'll give him some props for that. After taking our order, it was nearly a 40 minute wait for our food,and they weren't that busy, most of the other patrons already had their orders.

We went on a Tuesday, so there was the $6 burger special. I'm glad I didn't pay full price, or I probably would have been much more upset. I got the blue cheese burger. It was a plain burger with some blue cheese dressing dumped on it, and barely had any flavor. The patties were seriously dry and overcooked, they were beyond well-done, bordering on shoe leather. I would have sent it back, but I didn't want to wait another 40 minutes to get a replacement. My Dad got the flautas, they were good, even better with the Chile de Arbol, it was the one redeeming quality on the meal, a long with the al pasor that was on the nachos we ordered. The nachos themselves were meh, crap from a can cheese sauce over chips, with some shredded cheese, surprisingly good al pastor, and avocado tossed on top for decoration.

The inside is dull industrial and nothing to write home about, with concrete floors. The music was really loud, making conversation difficult. They did turn it down, but someone kept turning it back up,and there were only a few people in the space. Dude, if you want to sing, go do Karaoke, don't interrupt my lunch.

I'm going to give them a second chance, and I'll adjust accordingly if...

My first time going, I was with a group of friends who saw an ad for Chelito's on Instagram, where it was promoting the burger challenge they offer. Of course, we didn't try the challenge, but the idea was so much fun that we still went. I love that they offered different food options, not only from burges but also tortas, tacos, and flautas, and have the Mexican restaurants in the border town Classic offering Mexican sodas like Coke and Fanta. As we entered, they allowed us to sit anywhere we chose and served us later. The Atmosphere provided a casual setting, not only saying "eat with your friends" but also "available to dine whenever," and that's the best type of vibe you want when visiting these types of restaurants. It's always great when you don't feel overstimulated at restaurants, and that's precisely what they do here. Our server asked if we had ever had chili before, and when we said no, he was very kind and talked to us about how the menu worked and different things we could add to our burges. I ordered a pastor burger with a Mexican Coke to accompany it, along with regular fries. One of the best pastor burgers I've ever tried, and highly recommended if you are a first-time visitor or looking to try something different. As we finished eating and reviewed the check, the total was not expensive, and overall, the price for three people was quite reasonable for what they served us. I recommend trying it here from time to time. It's delicious food at a great price, served by...