Chili Willi's Tex-Mex Grill

Reviews

• HB

  Hector brasa

  2 days ago
  2.0
  Hi, first I’m not a difficult client, actually if I’m saying this is because i want to help you to fix your food issues and you stay open in our community. Service was good, Siana and Derek the manager on duty. But the quality in the food is embarrassing , is Tex Mex food, impossible you can messed up with tacos and salads. The queso disgusting (no flavor, cut, looks like frijoles). Tortillas dry, the rice was dry! Literally the peas was dark and looking like raisins, no flavored and the salad was disgusting, spring mix was old and nasty and chicken (please use 6 oz breast) your chicken is dry and the texture is a like a shoe. Shout out to the agua fresca sooo good and the service! But the waterman is closed because the quality on food and food manipulation. But get another corporate chef and real chef to operate this location. In overall fix your kitchen. “I was clear don’t take off nothing, I want to pay is not cuz I don’t want to pay, is that the food issues, terrible”
• EG

  El Guapo

  4 days ago
  4.0
  Food was tasty and large portions. Chips and salsa are not free, but fairly priced and very good, giant portion. Queso dip is unique, closer to beer cheese taste and texture than traditional white Mexican queso, so set expectations accordingly. Chili Verde was outstanding, as was the salad. The fennel salad dressing was delicious and packed some spice! The burrito was huge - again, Tex-Mex style as advertised - nothing spicy there. Everything was delicious, presented well and fairly priced. Only exception was the margaritas and mezcalritas - they were both extremely basic in ingredients and presentation, wouldn't be priced more than $10 anywhere else. Server was very new, friendly but struggled to place order and could not aswer basic questions. "I don't know because I don't drink" is not the right answer when asked about cocktails. Overall, really enjoyed the experience and will be back for the salad and Chili Verde. A tad pricey, but quality ingredients and presentation (except for the cocktails).
• PS

  Paul Segall

  6 days ago
  2.0
  We went last night hoping for a tasty and fun Tex-Mex meal….unfortunately the food didn’t come close to meeting our modest expectations…. we started with house margaritas which for $12 each were fine….not as good as they think they are but definitely ok….guacamole was full of fresh avocado but tasteless….the chips with it were thick and large and also tasteless….the two small dishes of salsa and pico were ok but not worth the extra money…..I had street tacos….1 order of crispy shrimp and 1 order of birria ….both were terrible….shrimp we’re cold and soggy and the two tacos had 1 1/2 tiny fried shrimp each …at $4 per taco I don’t expect a large portion but seriously? the birria had other issues ….the shredded meat was totally dried out and the “crispy” taco had sat before being served and at room temperature the corn shell had the crunch of cardboard….at least the amount of meat was respectable…if street type tacos are your thing I think Bar Taco does a much, much better job…..Wife had the chicken fajitas and thought they were decent. Plenty of meat and veggies and it came with a nice plate of shredded lettuce and cheese on the side..At $19 it was more than twice the food I got for the $16 I paid for the 4 tiny tacos I got (2 orders 2 each) …the service was pleasant and professional although I wish the food runners were trained on the menu….they brought out plates and couldn’t tell us what was what let alone who got each one..if the food was better that would be a minor detail but as it was it just added another layer of mediocrity…..all in all a restaurant I wish I could recommend but at this point just can’t….we may go back and try other dishes but at this point not really impressed
• KD

  Kaleigh D

  May 8, 2026
  5.0
  I visited Chili Willis Tex-Mex on their opening day, and I was thoroughly impressed from start to finish. Despite the buzz of a grand opening, we had a very short wait before being seated. The service was exceptionally detailed and prompt, which is a rare find during an opening week. Our server was attentive and knowledgeable, making the entire experience feel seamless. I was particularly struck by the menu offerings and the sheer variety available. There is truly something for everyone, whether you are looking for classic comfort or something a bit more adventurous. I sampled a wide range of dishes, including: • Chips and Salsa: Fresh, crispy, and the perfect start. • Lime Soup: Bright and incredibly flavorful. • Shrimp Street Tacos: Perfectly cooked and seasoned with a delicious side of veggies. Everything we tried was packed with flavor. While I normally prefer a lot of heat in my food, the spice level here was perfectly balanced for everyone in my group, it wasn't too spicy, but the depth of the seasonings and the fresh lime notes made the meal stand out. Lastly, you cannot miss the margaritas. They clarify their lime juice in-house, a labor-intensive process that pays off with a clean, crisp, and delicious cocktail.
• SR

  Scott Revis

  May 4, 2026
  5.0
  Tonight, I had dinner at Chili Willi’s in Cornelius which is on the old Waterman's location as they prepare for their friends-and-family nights next week, leading up to their grand opening on Friday, May 8th. The staff was in training ahead of these events, making my visit a preview of what’s to come. Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to attend many early openings, and I always enjoy the energy and anticipation. It’s exciting to see a new restaurant come to life and to sample dishes before the official launch. Up until tonight, I’ve usually preferred to wait until a restaurant has been open for a few weeks to allow time for any kinks to be worked out and for service to stabilize. However, tonight’s experience felt like something I would expect three months after opening—not just a week before the grand opening. We arrived at our predetermined time of 6:00 and were quickly greeted with a smile and seated. Since it was a training night, the restaurant was only about one-third full. Our waitress came over immediately, took our drink orders, and returned within a minute with drinks served in mason jars. Tammy explained that during training, we could order one appetizer for the table, one entrée per person, and one dessert for the table. For our appetizer, we ordered the Cadillac Nachos with spicy ground beef. I can absolutely see why they’re called that—they were amazing. The chips were fresh and better than just about any Tex-Mex or Mexican restaurant chips I’ve had. They were piled high with beef, guacamole, cheese, and jalapeños, and honestly could have been a meal on their own. I also asked for just a taste of the Texas Red Chili, but they ended up bringing me a full bowl—which I was not complaining about. It was excellent, topped generously with cheese and sour cream. I skipped the onions, but for anyone who enjoys a beanless chili, this one is outstanding. They offer two other varieties, but I’ll probably stick with this one because it was so good. As a table, three of us ordered fajitas. Since they only allowed one of each meat type per table and two of us wanted steak, we decided to order all three options—steak, chicken, and shrimp. Each came with a large stack of tortillas and generous portions of cheese, lettuce, guacamole, sour cream, and pico. Wow! These sizzling platters both smelled and tasted incredible. My wife ordered the quesadilla and said it was amazing. I was too full to try it, so I’ll have to take her word for it. For dessert, we shared the ice cream taco, which tasted like a churro on steroids. Even though we were full, there was no way we were letting that go uneaten. Throughout the meal, our drinks never dropped below half full, and the service was impeccable. I would give it an A+—especially for a training night. On a fun note, I had the chance to meet and chat with Rob Duckworth, who was incredibly friendly. We both had visited the original location in Huntington, WV many times, and he shared the story of how he decided to acquire the name. He had also been a frequent guest at the original location and loved both the food and the experience, which inspired him to bring it here. All in all, it was an absolutely fantastic night. If this is the level of service before opening, they are going to do exceptionally well once everything is fully up and running. They also plan to open the outside patio a few weeks after launch, which I’m really looking forward to. Highly recommend!