We came in mid-April and the place was full, but we got a table after about a 5 minute wait. My wife got the Mexican salad with carne asada and I got the carnitas plate - my wife enjoyed her salad and the carnitas was some of the best I've ever had as a SoCal native. The lime margaritas were also proper margaritas and not from a mix - delicious! read more

Chak Balam was a great stop for our group of 10 (7 adults and 3 kids). The building has a unique exterior, though the inside is pretty plain. It's small but busy, yet we were seated quickly and received great service despite several complicated orders. The food came out fast, hot, and tasted great. Even as Texans used to our own style of Mexican food, we really enjoyed it. read more

Surprisingly, one of the best Mexican restaurants I've been to across six or so states. They have very good vegetarian options, for one, which drew us here instead of the others in town. The vegetable soup was the best I've ever had at a Mexican restaurant - maybe 10% too salty but amazing with some crushed chips. My vegetarian burrito had perfectly grilled fresh vegetables. Amazing! Just enough cheese and well charred tortilla - good rice and whole pinto beans inside. Easily top five burritos I've ever had. Also, see if you can get service from Efrain - he was great. Good friendly ambiance here so I fully recommend Chak Balam 5/5 stars. read more

Place was surprisingly packed on a weekday at 4pm, so service was a bit slow but not unreasonably so. They were very friendly too! The inside is bustling and in a small space but has a lot of windows to look out at the surrounding rock landscape. The free salsa was very fresh and nice. Got the burrito and huevos rancheros. The burrito was good and filling. I'd say the huevos rancheros was the better dish of the two read more

Chak Balam - Chips salsa - Mexican Near Me - Torrey, Utah

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This place is open and bustling! And for good reason. Holy smokes those verde pork tamales were the best I have ever eaten. Spicy and good good!! Mole was no joke either. Almost had an indian flare to it. Open for the season till 9 pm! read more

Cuter inside than out! Quickly sat and served which was nice. Chips and salsa not the best but the food was pretty good. Maybe just needed some hot sauce for the salsa. read more

Chak Balam - Menu - Mexican Near Me - Torrey, Utah

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Don't let the rustic exterior fool you! If you enjoy Mexican food (or even if you don't), this is a must try. Quaint, yet authentic... friendly service, large portions, and a delicious meal awaits. read more

Chak Balam - Steak and chicken fajita - delicious! - Mexican Near Me - Torrey, Utah

This place is nothing fancy. Our server was attentive. They served free chips & salsa, that were good. They have a very impressive menu! Octopus tacos, tuna tacos and much more. I had the enmoladas (3 tortillas with chicken& cheese with mole sauce) that were very tasty! My husband had the flautas with pork in green sauce. They were delicious! They also had a nice selection of drinks. Our food was very reasonably priced. read more

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We were on a road trip through a few national parks and stopped for the night a few towns over. Not a huge selection of places, but we decided on Chak Balam. It was the best decision. The place was packed with both locals and tourists, like ourselves. Efrain was our waiter and he was amazing. Gave some advice on our choices, despite being as busy as he was. The food: phenomenal. I would have been impressed with this anywhere, let alone small town rural UT. My wife had what she felt was the best shrimp taco with just the right amount of heat to it. I had the Alambre, mixed meat platter. I could barely finish but did because it tasted so good I didn't want to waste it. read more

This side of the road Mexican restaurant in Torrey is fantastic. Food is fresh and service is wonderful. We had a chicken mole enchilada which was delicious. read more

This service was amazing!! The tacos were so good. Highly recommend this yummy restaurant!!

I was staying one town over for a night but there were only 2 restaurant options so I ventured back into Torrey and chose Chak Balam based on high reviews. You wouldn't even know it's a restaurant from the outside, looks closer to an abandoned bungalow in a grimey lot at first glance, but the interior decor is homey and festive. Ordering was such a pain. I just wanted chicken mole with double rice since I didn't want refried beans and they didn't have black beans, but somehow that took 8 minutes to get my order in properly. Luckily I realized I was being over-charged for an extra side of rice before I paid. There was also some bogus take-out fee they tacked on. The food was ready fairly quickly, it looked good, smelled good, and tasted fresh with plenty of flavor. It's pricey but the portion is probably enough for most to stretch into a next-day lunch with leftovers. The chicken was fork tender and the mole was rich while not overly spicy. I'd return for the food, but not if I was in a hurry because placing a simple order is unnecessarily difficult. Keep an eye out for undisclosed fees too. read more

Chak Balam - Chicken mole, double rice - Mexican Near Me - Torrey, Utah

Delicious, delicious, delicious!! ¡Comida tan sabrososa! Efrain and team are so friendly, welcoming, and helpful. The fiish tacos are tender, juicy, and so yummy. The veggie tacos are epic - large variety of veggies prepared in tasty (but not spicy) spices. The Patrón margarita is fantastic. Flan is always a tasty sweet treat. Definitely one of my all-time favorite restaurants. ¡Grácias! read more

Food was good and atmosphere was fun with the Halloween decorations! I had gotten the battered fish tacos where the menu said it came with a creamy chipotle homemade sauce which you can tell by the pictures, it did not come with that. I was pretty disappointed since that's why I wanted to order that. Without the sauce, the battered fish tacos were so dry. It was literally fish, tortilla, onions, and cilantro. The birria taco was a redeeming factor. read more

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Food was excellent. They offer a great variety of food at a solid value. The food was authentic, but they are able to cater to people with dietary restrictions. Great atmosphere. The orchata is hella good, just make sure you like cinnamon and it's pretty thick. If you are craving Mexican food you can go wrong here. read more

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Chak Balam: A very strange place. When we first got there it was very busy, so the worker took us to an empty part of the restaurant that looked like an employee hangout spot. It was very run-down and had no curb appeal. The salsa and chips were delicious, and the queso was okay. When we go our food, everything was Overly cheese or under salted. The fish tacos were all breading and no fish, and not flavourful, the enchiladas were very cheesy along with the tamales which were both barely any meat. I had to spit out my bite, the cheese was unchewable and impossible to swallow. The only good meal was the tortilla soup. Delicious and warm, perfect. Would not recommend this place. Very nice people though. 2/5 for salsa, chips,and service. read more

Great food! The place was full when we arrived but the staff was quick to turn tables around. We loved the chimichangas!

We had the fajitas and they were delicious! We also enjoyed the chips and salsa! We will definitely go back read more

We've been here twice and both times in the off season but it was still packed. We love the traditional decorations on the wall. They made for great topic of conversation while we waited for the food. Service was friendly and efficient. The food was mostly good. Very good carne asada and carnitas. The refried beans were nothing special but good. The only thing that was really bad was the rice. They must have cooked at high temperature because it was mushy on the outside and chalky in the center. We like going to Torrey and this a good place to have a nice meal. read more

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Coming from San Diego, CA the bar is set pretty high for Mexican food. While I can't say it lived up to that bar, Chak Balam offered me a decent taste of home while traveling. Thanks! read more

Quirky place with elk head on the wall and pretty cool vibe. Service was good, but it was the blandest Mexican food I've ever had. The food was not bad, but ask for some hot sauce right away. read more

We came here due to the positive reviews! We arrived right before dinner time so it wasn't busy. We got some complimentary chips and salsa. The salsa was good so we quickly finished and asked for more. However we realized when we got our bill that we were charged extra for the salsa, which is ridiculous. We ordered a burrito and a steak plate. Food was good but expensive for being in the middle of nowhere in Utah. I don't think I would return, unless nothing else is open in the area or something lol. read more

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I had queso taco kinda like Burria with the dip and a gobernador shrimp taco. Both good and fresh. Husband had Al pastor also good. read more

Great place!! Our waiter Ephraim was amazing and so helpful! Stopped in for a Pacifico and shot of mezcal with chips/salsa! Food looked delicious read more

Chak Balam is a small Mexican restaurant in the town of Torrey Utah. The inside of the restaurant is nice but the outside looks just like a house and could use a facelift to make it look more welcoming. The food was good! My chicken mole enmoladas were seasoned well. The chicken was cooked well. The food was fresh and hit the spot. The salsa was not my favorite but the house made red and green sauce was excellent! Our waitress did a great job of getting us our food and drinks so the service was great too. I would recommend Chal Balam if you're in the area. read more

Chak Balam - Chicken Mole Enmoladas - Mexican Near Me - Torrey, Utah

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It would be a mistake to visit Torrey and not eat at Chak Balam. The food is great. Not fancy. Just great. We've had various tacos and types of fajitas. All good. I would love to try the tortilla, which looks amazing, but I never have room! read more

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If there was any way to leave 0 stars, I would. Not only was our server extremely inattentive and at our table 20 minutes after we sat down, he got our order wrong and when it was brought to his attention, he didn't deal with me or my friend the whole rest of the night. He avoided our table like the plague. When I got my food, my rice and beans were cold. When my friend got her meal, it was all wrong and her rice (she didn't get beans) was also freezing. We told a different waitress about these problems and she got us new rice and a free chips and queso on the house which was very nice and appreciated. Now it's the next morning and I feel like I have food poisoning. I believe it's because of the food from this restaurant since I didn't eat much of anything yesterday but that. Needless to say I am extremely disappointed with this place. I was really looking forward to it because of the good reviews. Do not come here. read more

Service was fantastic So friendly Food was so good and authentic! Loved the people here and the kids played outside with other kids. :) read more

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It was just ok. I have had many of the dishes and the carne asada is probably the best. The tortilla soup had great flavor but not good over all. They put the tortilla pieces in the soup before they bring it out. No good! read more

Chak Balam - Tortilla soup - Mexican Near Me - Torrey, Utah

Great spot to come after hiking at capital reef! I love that you're greeted with chips and salsa at the table. The outside is a little unassuming, but once you're inside, you get great views of the mountains at distance during sunset. Casual dining area inside. The service was very friendly, and it was great that we could get some drinks, especially in Utah. Haha! I got the chicken chimichanga, which was good, but it did have beans (not mentioned in menu) in it, which I don't enjoy. I probably would've gotten my friend's enchiladas next time. Looked great! Overall a great place to go in the small town! Cheers! read more

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Great food, homey ambiance with cute lights, good service, all in the middle of nowhere (not many restaurants in the tiny town of Torrey, Utah)! A pleasant surprise. I had the fajita on sizzling plate, amazing. Server was attentive, prompt, and friendly. The best part: they have mobile terminals! They would come to your table with a European style terminal (typical in Europe, rare in the US) to settle the bill. You'd give them your credit card and they'd insert it there right on the spot. Time saving. No more walking back and forth! No more waiting around. On the terminal you can enter tip as well. And it prints out a receipt right there. Love this. Don't be fooled by this restaurant's humble appearance outside (see my photos). So cozy inside! read more

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This restaurant was amazing. The ambiance and decor reminded me of eating in Rosarito. Our server Aurora was very attentive! The food was deli ious! read more

Wow. We're from California and know Mexican food but for being in a hole in the wall town in Utah, this was a pleasant surprise. We knew it would be good because the line was almost out the door on a Tuesday night at 7. Got seated within 15 minutes and served quickly by ephriam. Someone just posted a one star review yesterday and we couldn't disagree more. We had the completely opposite experience, a full restaurant on a Tuesday with a line out the door at 7 tells it all. read more

We tried 6 different types of tacos and each one was delicious. Service was excellent, salsa and chips were good. Reasonably priced.

Sorry. Wanted to have a 4-5 star experience and give a 4-5 star rating. Maybe it's me bc the place is busy and everybody seems happy with their food. Barbacoa and ground beef both were off tasting. Chips were store bought. Just not at all what I was hoping for. And the stunning views? I'm sitting here looking at a garbage-strewn desert. I'm really sorry to give it just one star but my God! It's NOT a charming setting, the stunning views of the beautiful cliffs and mountains are available anywhere in Torrey or the general vicinity. The property surrounding the restaurant is filled with the trash tourists have littered along Highway 24. It just doesn't deserve a rating above 2 stars and that's giving them the benefit of the doubt in case my taste for Mexican food is WAY off base (and it isn't since I've lived in the Southwest United States eating in Mexican food restaurants in Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, California and Nevada for the last 70 years.) On my way out of town, I stopped at the Philips 66 gas station and convenience store and seriously thought about buying one of the pre-made sandwiches in the refrigerated foods section. Thankfully, I resisted that urge. Okay. I'm done. read more

Chak Balam provides excellent service. Forgot to take a photo of the food, but this is the view from the restaurant. The chili relleno was one of the best. The shrimp tacos were better than what I had had in southern California. read more

Chak Balam - View from Chak Balam - Mexican Near Me - Torrey, Utah

great food. Efrain was our server, very attentive We enjoyed the music and is closed to town and good hours The menu is very good.

The queso dip was very good, but came out lukewarm. I had cheese enchiladas and I'm not sure if they were cheese or shredded chicken. If they were cheese, the cheese was not melted. Again, lukewarm. Our table was in the back and we had lovely views (NOT) of trash and abandoned items. read more

This should be a one star review but adding a star because of the nice employees and because the dishes were nice looking and I liked the dining room. I visited after hiking for most of the afternoon in the local area, so I was starving. I always order chicken enchiladas on my first visit to a Mexican restaurant and have had them across the southern and western United States. If you make good chicken enchiladas, I will try everything else on your menu. The enchiladas served were likely the second or third worst I have ever encountered in all my travels. To start, there is no seasoning in ANY of the food. The salsa served with chips was simply blended tomatoes or even defrosted frozen tomato product; ketchup would have been a more authentic choice and it would have tasted like something. The beans were scooped straight from a can (No Seasoning of any kind and I could taste the "can"!) and the rice was poorly prepared, hard, "Mexican" boxed rice that you can buy from any store. Did I mention beans and rice are an extra upcharge? The enchilada sauce was off - seasoning was strange and the overall flavor left much to desire, and it lingered for the rest of the evening.... I think the sauce was likely from a can/bottle as well - very poor form, shameful even. At the table next to me I overheard a lady mention how bad her dish tasted. She requested hot sauce so I did as well, but it didn't help matters. Surprisingly, though, numerous tables seemed to be enjoying their meals, but they've very likely never had real Mexican food. read more

So good, even my dad (who notoriously dislikes Mexican food) said he liked the takeout we brought back for him! I waffled between four and five stars. Is this the best Mexican food I've had in my life? Naw. Is this damn good Mexican food that exceeded all of my expectations for a tiny speck of a village in a touristy backwater? Darn tootin'. I'm erring on the side of generosity here, and I have no reservations about it. My al pastor taco was enjoyable, but not a standout. The fish taco, however, ranks up there with some of my favorite fish tacos I've enjoyed on either coast, and even south of the border. There's something truly special about biting into a flawless fish taco that features counterpoints of texture, temperature, and taste. It's the heat of freshly fried flaky fish against the crunch of a crisp, cool slaw. There's a harmony between a light, airy batter and a creamy drizzle of dressing. And much like syzygy, the timing has to be juuuuuuust right. Wait too long, and you'll miss that precise moment when each component is in perfect balance with its companions. Chak Balam is the kind of destination that I could see myself returning to again and again if I'm ever within reasonable driving distance. I haven't tried many other dining establishments in the Torrey area (not that there's an abundance), but I'd posit that it outshines its peers. read more

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