Started by being welcomed and sat in a manner that felt like I was almost expected. Denae was incredible! She was quick to the table, introduced herself, and offered a beer sample and great recommendations for food right off the bat. The menu is ideal with selections while staying manageable to ensure quality. Ordered the Enchiladas with carnitas. The food came out fast and the presentation was excellent. Everything was delicious and seasoned perfectly. If you're in downtown Tucson, this is a great spot for dinner and a drink. read more

Chela’s Latin Cuisine - Enchiladas, street corn, black beans. - Bars Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

We needed a little snack after having some beers and really wanted something cheesy. I searched nearby restaurants for quesadillas since Tucson is known for them, and Chela's had the highest rating. The restaurant is large with great Mexican decor. We sat at the bar and received great service from the bartender. We ordered queso fresco and a crispy tortilla topped with cheese and birria. Both were very cheesy and delicious. read more

What a fun stop. Full of vibe. Mind you, I was here on a beautiful, sunshine (what else is new) splashed day. At night I believe it's more of a club vibe, during the day a good food retreat. read more

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Fun spot in downtown Tuscon. It's family-owned and operated and it shows. Bobby and crew were friendly and helpful. Service was attentive and food came out in a reasonable time. I ordered the camarones da la diabla and it was nicely cooked. The sauce had a perfect hint of spice. The flour tortillas was a great touch. Hubs ordered the carnitas and appreciated the slow cooked flavors. We both thoroughly enjoyed our meals and time. read more

Chela’s Latin Cuisine - Camerones da la diabla - Bars Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

The ambiance is sexy and cool. There are glittery skulls, brick walls, and green foliage. It's great for a girls night out or an impressive date night. The food here is delicious! I had one of the best salads here. The veggies (except for the lettuce for obvious reasons) were cooked which is typical in Latin food. I also had the tostones appetizer. They were delicious! They were topped with meat and pickled onions. Because they were $10, I wish we were given more than 2. While the food was delicious. Chela's lost me at the level of service they provided. Our server did not seem knowledgeable on the menu. That's fine, until she rolled her eyes when I asked her what a certain item was. I didn't know what it was, so I asked her to describe it. She rolled her eyes, sucked her teeth, and said that she'll ask. She walked away. She returned several minutes away and provided a super vague explanation of the dish. I still had no idea what she was describing, so I chose the salad. Our appetizer came out pretty quickly. But we had to wait 40 minutes for our entrees. Most of our neighboring tables got their appetizers, entrees, and their checks in that time. My friend called our server 30 minutes in and asked for the status of our food. She said she'll check. A few minutes later she said that it will be a wait as they got a bunch of orders at once. No apology. No further status updates. Just annoyance that we were even asking. Chela's has delicious food and the ambiance is sexy and cool. But I wish that we received better service. I don't know if maybe our server was a one-off. But I wish that she independently checked in our food after seeing that we were waiting 20 minutes and I wish that she was less annoyed and more professional. read more

Excellent friendly service from the management down to the waiting staff. The food came out promptly, nice and hot and simply delicious . We went with a chicken chimichanga and the enchiladas that came with a birria, a cheese& a shredded chicken enchilada. Everyone was simply delicious. The chicken was full of flavor as well as the birria. For dessert, we opted for the churros those were nice and not too sweet, and I had a hint of chocolate drizzled on the top looking forward to returning and testing out some of the other menu items The inside decor was simply amazing so cute to look at and great for pictures read more

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I popped into Chela's on a late Sunday evening during Memorial Day weekend while the surrounding area was still alive with nightlife. It was a bit quieter inside due to the time, which I expected, but it actually made for a nice, relaxed vibe to unwind in. The decor is stunning--warm, vibrant, and full of personality. The bar is especially eye-catching and definitely makes for a great photo op. I found out they convert the space into a nightclub on Fridays and Saturdays, and now I definitely need to make a return trip to experience that side of Chela's. For dinner, I ordered the flautas--four crispy rolled corn tacos filled with shredded chicken and topped with guacamole, queso fresco, crema, and salsa verde. As a longtime flauta lover, these did not disappoint. Flavorful, crispy, and so satisfying. Our server was kind, helpful, and made the experience smooth from start to finish. I didn't try any cocktails this time, but their menu was tempting--so that's a must for my next visit. Looking forward to heading back to Chela's soon--this place is a vibe read more

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Absolutely loved it here. Such a modern and cute Mexican restaurant downtown. I tried their blue corn empanadas and although it's not something I would order from menu I'm glad I did! Service was amazing and staff was friendly. The prices are fair and we didn't wait long to be seated. 10/10 recommend. read more

Chela’s Latin Cuisine - Bars Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Oh yeah!!! Finally a good Mexican food restaurant on Congress. I'm going to list what I like. 1: presentation is spot on, I eat with my eyes first 2. The sides are amazing the elote is my favorite 3. Atmosphere is nice and it feels open and I don't feel crambed in. 4. The staff is friendly 5. They take reservations 6. Everything I've had has been good So what's not to love read more

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We dined before an event at the Fox Theatre. The service was pretty good, and the food was excellent! I had Camarones Culichi because of a review on Facebook, and my wife had the La Bandera Enchiladas. We were both pleased, and the calabacitas were especially good with squash being the shining vegetable. We will definitely be back! read more

We had dinner here and it was fantastic. We had tacos and street corn. It was tasty and the serve was quick. Everything came out hot and tasty. Our waitress was attentive and the servers made sure our drinks were full. The decor was super cool - there's a nice mural and it had a celebration vibe. read more

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Wow! The hibiscus margaritas - will make me remember Tucson! I had the avocado tacos - there was nothing left on my plate when Gabe came by to pick up my plates! Service - great, great timing with the food and drinks Go to Chela's if you want a great dining experience. read more

Chela’s Latin Cuisine - Bars Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Stopped in for our first time and it happened to be our waiter Deons first day too. He did a great job - we ordered both the happy hour margarita and the Chelas Marg wit chamoy and tajin rims and they were super refreshing and made well. The happy gourmet menu options are great- we got the Elotitos which personally could have had even more tajin but they were such a great value! I ordered the quesabiria and it was tender and juicy - perfect with the onion and cheese pull was a 10. Husband got the Chelachonga with carne asada and the crunch on that thing was crazy! Packed full and like the biria came with two sides. Great meal- we left happy and full. The place has a great vibe with a beautiful mural and currently has a spooky feel for Halloween which is fun! read more

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Food was meh. I thought we couldn't go wrong with Mexican food in Tucson, but I was wrong, unfortunately. We ordered the elote side and it was just a pile of canned corn with a dollop of may ond cheese on top. Ugh. The people were very nice. read more

I ordered the el pastor and it was okay. i wouldn't order it again. meat too oily and sort of a paint to eat with the skewer. I get it, its presentation but naaa no thank you. The onion wasn't fully cooked so i had a few bites of it and the rest was left. the ambiance was nice! it was slow when we got there so that was nice! My Fiancé had the enchiladas and those were pretty good! I will be going back to get me a plate of the enchiladas but not the pastor plate. read more

We had a party of 6 and everything that I tasted was extremely flavorful. The chicken fajitas were the best I've ever had. The peppers and onions were cooked perfectly and not just thrown on to soften up like so many other places. Great service. I also really loved the modern and stylish decor. read more

Chela's offers a wide range of delicious foods... I have visited a few times the food is delicious! Birra Chimichangas I think I will stalk them endlessly, just for those alone! It does not matter which entree you choose the flavor profiles are absolutely delicious! Let's talk about the drinks! Tamarindo margarita this flavor profile is as spicy as Chela's is.. Delicious! You'll never be disappointed when walking into Chela's the staff is always welcoming and friendly; they give you that extra touch as if you're at home with family.... You will not be disappointed no matter the choices you make. You will always get your moneys worth no matter the entree your choosing. Flavor profiles are on point! Beautiful place with beautiful people. "Representing Tucson well." During the night hours this place turns into a dance club! A packed house of fun! The location in smack in the center of downtown Tucson! Lively always and light rail is right in front.... read more

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Niko the goat. He was so awesome answered all questions. Gave me all the info ever. So helpful so informative. Thank u NIKO. Coming back just for you Niko!!! read more

I had dinner here a few days ago with a friend. We split two dishes: chile relleno ($15) and camarones culichi ($18). We also split four side dishes (you get two per entree): calabacitas, elote guisado, seasoned black beans, and pozole (the sides are included, but there's a $5 upcharge for the pozole). I liked the relleno. The culichi was OK but the green sauce was too salty and heavily spiced (though not spicy-hot at all). The pozole was delicious. The other sides were just OK and came in very small portions. Service was pretty good. The ambiance is hip and modern. read more

Randomly decided to stop for lunch on Saturday and it was very good. We were the first ones there for lunch. The brought out cold towels to wipe your hands off with and water right away. I ordered the chilli relleno and it was very good, stuffed with cheese and shredded chicken. Loved it. My friends ordered the Cameron Culichi and Mini Chimi's both were great. We also had the ceviche and it was very well done. Definitely deserves another visit. read more

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Visited Chela's for a NYE dinner because we thought the atmosphere looked like a fun vibe, and it definitely was! I loved the colors, the lights, & the greenery. Food was better than okay but wasn't incredible. I thought the appetizer of empanadas were a little dry, as were the carne asada tacos. My date had the chile relleno had wished the portion was a bit bigger. But overall still tasted good. Some of the downsides were how high the AC was blasting, I was freezing cold at the table with long sleeves on. the bathroom situation is a bit disastrous - very tiny, people had to duck behind the door, there was a max of 5 of us crowded waiting for a stall, I can't fathom what it's like after 10pm when it turns into a nightclub. The staff also struggled with the toilet paper roll holder so we told them to just leave it and we could all work around it. Lastly, the server at the table next to us had zero spatial awareness. His butt was in our table more than once and when taking the neighboring table's order he was closer to my shoulder and ear than he was the people he was actually speaking to. read more

Hats off to Austin our server last night. He was kind and helpful with our service during our dining experience. The interior is clean and inviting, we especially liked the mural on the wall. We ordered two appetizers, elotes on a stick and the flautas. We enjoyed them very much. The flautas will be my meal the next time I visit. Crunchy exterior, the meat inside was delicious and the salsa verde on bottom of dish was bright and delightful. I didn't have a elote, but my friends said they were good with the Mexican cheese on the outside with a sprinkle of tajin. I will also mention their presentation of their dishes are lovely. On to the food...I had the shrimp tacos. I think they need to change their menu to give their guests notice that the tacos are street tacos size. We had a choice of two sides, and I chose refried beans and calabasitas. The shrimp tacos were good but had too much salt for my liking. The beans were good but needed just a tad more fat. The calabasitas were just okay, the veggies were cut too small to really get the zucchini taste. Problano over powered the side dish. My friend said his swordfish was cooked perfectly with tajin lightly sprinkled on the fish. My friend enjoyed her chicken tacos she said the chicken was delicious. My hubby had the Birria enchiladas. The Birria was good just needed more spices. Overall a pretty good first visit. FYI - at 10 the place changes to a nightclub. read more

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Stumbled upon this place on a random date night with my husband and the snapper that I had was a winner for me, plus the spicy cucumber drink that I had, it was delicious. Definitely coming back here to explore other options ! read more

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Loved this place. Perfect ambiance and very welcoming and friendly staff. The bartender actually took the time to chat with me. The food was excellent. Get the Ceviche for sure. read more

Chela’s Latin Cuisine - Ceviche Tostada - Bars Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Delicious dinner in a pretty space with friendly staff! I loved the skull disco ball.

I ate outside with a small dog. My server Brendan and the manager are very polite and went above & beyond. Thank you

Stopped in with the bros before the Roadrunners hockey game. The place is nicely decorated and very welcoming. Food is excellent. The specials of swordfish and chorizo stuffed chicken were very flavorful. The fajitas were served sizzling and the aroma from them were crazy. Just a fyi the place converts to a night club at 9:45 on the weekends. There is a brunch starting at 11 daily. That will he my next visit. read more

Chela’s Latin Cuisine - Swordfish and side of street corn - Bars Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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My husband and I had an excellent time at Chela's! The service was great and ambiance vibrant, modern and beautiful! We had the blueberry and strawberry mojitos...they were so refreshing for a hot summer day! The Camarones con Poblano sauce and a La Diabla were exquisite...sabores riquisimas! Chela and her staff were super lovely and added to our Anniversary with kindness and grace! Can't wait to return! Highly recommend! read more

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It was dead here tonight for dinner. Service was great and the manager was very involved from beginning to end. It was freezing inside and I asked if they could adjust the temperature and they did. I ordered the camerones culichi with no cheese or tortillas and black beans and calabacitas on the side. The shrimp was extremely flavorful, I loved it. The sauce is good enough to drink! There wasn't anything exciting about the beans or calabacitas but they tasted fine. I would return to try more of the menu. read more

Chela’s Latin Cuisine - Camerones culichi (no cheese)-delicious! - Bars Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

HORRIBLE Place. Do not waste your money. Came in for dinner before a show at 6:30 when they open at 4:00. Place was practically empty. We ordered 2 Michelada. The glasses were overflowing with ice and very little drink. I informed our waitress who I guess is the manager that day. She brought back 2 new ones with more drink than ice. Then we ordered the Mole Poblano with sides of Spanish rice and corn shaved off the cob. Order showed up in 4 min. We were going to split the dinner so the waitress brought an extra plate. The food arrived looking nothing like what is posted, the shredded chicken looked dry with a huge pouring of mole on top, I think to cover up the old chicken. The rice was bland and dry and the corn was shaved probably the day before due to how shriveled the corn was. I took a bite of the bland and stale corn and rice and my wife took a bite of the chicken and said it tasted old. All horrible. The worst part next was when my wife was going to hand me the extra plate to use and there was grease and dirt on the plate. My God. What does the plate they put the food on look like we thought. How FILTHY this place is. They are trying to give us food poisoning. I didn't even need my glasses to see the FILTH. I promptly went to the back to find the manager. It turned out to be the waitress. I brought her back to our table and picked up the plate and showed it to her. What do you think of this, I said? She looked at me like I was annoying her. I said "do you see this plate"? She looked back at me dismissively and said "Yes I can see it"! I told her we would be leaving and she can keep whatever it was she put on our table. HORRIBLE place. Do not waste your hard-earned dollars there. There was only one other table that had people. If they serve food poisoning to people when it is empty imagine what they will serve when they are busy, come to think about it maybe that was why it was so empty. The word is out and we didn't get the memo. read more

We had dinner for 6 and 6 different entrees. Food and service was excellent. A great middle ground between classic Mexican and some newer twists on the classics. read more

Stop number three on our date night. We had wine and empanada. The venue is great. They have a full Mexican menu. Service was great. We only had the empanada. They were good but slightly over done. read more

Came here for a girls night and really ended up enjoying this place! It is a bit on the pricier side for the portions you get but service was good, food was tasty, and the drinks were delicious. I got the Flora and highly recommend it! read more

Chela’s Latin Cuisine - Mini chimis and flora - Bars Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Went here for Valentine's Day and finally crossed it off my list. They had a prefix me you but I found it to be limiting so, just ordered from the menu. The restaurant is small and cozy, right off of Congress so no parking lot, but they are t far from the parking garage by high-fi. We parked there and took a short walk to the restaurant. The tables I will say are VERY close together, so that felt a little uncomfortable, buut we still enjoyed our time. We ordered a chicken quesadilla and toritos for the appetizer. The toritos were good but the quesadilla came without the chicken. The server notes that when it came out it looked different and made sure we were okay with it. We decided not to mention the missing chicken and just ate it as is. It also was good. My horchata was also really yummy. When it came to the dishes, my husband seemed to like his enchiladas, and the chelachanga I ordered was a great size, but bland. It was stuffed with shredded unseasoned chicken Soo, even though I got it enchilada style with the green sauce on top, it really was t enough to distract from the heaps of bland chicken I was eating. After a few bites I really wanted to show what I was tasting so I tried my best to take a picture of the inside of it. I would not recommend this dish. The calabacita side also was not good. This is the first restaurant I haven't liked calabacitas at, but it literally tasted like the mixed frozen vegetables you buy at the grocery store with the corn and peas and carrots. Not good. Outside of my main dish, the super close seating, and the calabacitas, the experience was good. Would I go here again? Mm not sure. read more

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It is always good to see spaces and business open after a pandemic and the revitalization of downtown is coming together nicely. Chela's is a nicely decorated space with a pretty cool bar. Their have a good happy hour with cheap huge margaritas and generous sized and priced food items. The food itself was decent - it was flavorful- and their tacos and corn were my favorite ... and I highly recommend leaving room for dessert ( their flan was spot on). Parking is free if you can find street parking after 5 .., but if not there are several reasonably priced garages nearby. read more

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So- as a night club (after 10 pm) this place is supposed to be great- my review is about the food and service- was so so- we ordered the queso fundito and guacamole to start- which were both good then we had the mocajete which was very copious and flavorful and the over cooked (super dry) whole fried fish. We were four and shared those dishes Plenty of food remained We each had a cocktail- (margaritas were very sweet).. it was hard to get water at the table (had to ask a couple times) Venue is cool, love the building and decor is fun My recommendation is to hydrate in advance and go to the club! read more

Chela’s Latin Cuisine - Snapper - Bars Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Chela's was a great choice for our dinner! We were sat quickly and received very quick service this meal. They have a nice martini selection but more importantly, their camarones culichi was the most impressive to me. I can't recommend this dish enough, my friend heard me talk about it for a full day after since the sauce the was so good! Cute place and definitely recommend. read more

Chela’s Latin Cuisine - Camarones culichi - Bars Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

We were in town for a conference and stopped in for a late dinner. Our server, Brandon, was accommodating and friendly and helped us select amazing entrees. We made it just before the nightclub setup, and we appreciate the kitchen being available for us. read more

Dog friendly with outdoor seating on Congress at lunchtime. Good Latin food. I had a chicken salad with pinto beans and my husband had the shrimp tacos. Good service. We recommend it. read more

Chela’s Latin Cuisine - Shrimp tacos - Bars Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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I wasn't going to say anything but after seeing a recent review of someone saying that they felt targeted for being LGBTQIA+ and the business stated that they have "many" events for the community, I decided to speak up. just because you have limited events for a community doesn't mean you support us, it means you profit off of us. I personally have also had an awful experience here that I believe was due to homophobia, and rather than the staff/manager trying to actually apologize or handle it, because it was their own staff who were being aggressive with me, they doubled down and gave the same excuse they used on previous reviews. Not okay. read more