Great food! Fun atmosphere! This is a welcome addition. We hope they're here for the long haul.

Been several times already and couldn't be more pleased! Authentic Tex-Mex Grill if ykyk! food, both outstanding! Only critique I could make is the nachos could definitely stand to have a little more cheese on them read more

We had great service the entire visit for a girls night out. We all had the house margarita or pina coladas and they were the star of the show. I had the chicken fajita Philly. The roll on it was delicious but the bottom bun was soggy right from the start and there wasn't much chicken on it. What was there tasted good but I just ate it on the top bun because soggy buns are just gross. Everyone else was happy with their meal. I would go again but maybe skip the fajita Philly read more

We started with the Cadillac nachos with shredded chicken. They were good but we asked for salsa to go with them. We were charged $2.50 for each small serving of salsa (mild & spicy) the "spicy" was ice cold that we were to eat with warm chips. We weren't informed we'd be charged for the salsa. We got street tacos - crispy shrimp, birria and tinga chicken. The shrimp had so much mango salsa that I couldn't taste the two shrimp on my taco. The dipping sauce for the birria tacos was so salty that it tasted just like a boullion cube. We really want to root for this place but I honestly don't see it staying open long after f this is the quality of food we should expect. read more

Chili Willi's Tex-Mex Grill - Cadillac Nachos - Tex-Mex Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

a little off put because I was hoping for esquimaux fūd (or possibly penguin chow) but texican will work. big bright indoor space with outdoor seating you can't sit at (yet) but maybe soon (it's better this way, honest.) meanwhile a window seat at the bar means controlled climate with a view of the chaos on Statesville Road while enjoying a morsel and a libation. lunch started with a bowl of original red chili: good spiced base flavor, heat is available if you insist otherwise chunks of meats and veggies and pintos in a rich juicy juice represent the category well. topped with yellow cheese, green onion, and a spot of soured cream plus a couple warm foldy tortillas to complete the picture. green chile enchiladas followed in an odd "where's the torrilla?" way but that could be because I was eating them wrong - with a chili spoon and playing with the cheese instead of knifing through and making bite-sized bites. FWIW: not very heaty which is odd for green chiles but maybe these aren't those those chiles. not feeling it today so just icy water, like four of them in a tall glass which was kind neat. not super busy at the bar so I had a lively little chat with Lamont about the business of business, family, and a life full of meaning in between him attending his official duties. read more

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Tasty food, we will come back and try again. They only open d a couple weeks ago. Birria tacos had good flavor. read more

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We went to Chili Willi's early one Saturday afternoon after their grand opening hoping to avoid the dinner rush, but we still had to wait almost 30 minutes to be seated. It was convenient that they used WaitlistMe to manage the waitlist so we could track our place in line. Unlike most Mexican restaurants, you have to buy the chips and salsa. We decided to share a few things - * Chili con queso * Cheese and green chili enchiladas * Chicken flautas Of three, the cheese and green chili enchiladas were the best. The queso was extremely thick and almost congealed in nature. It was also not hot enough. The chicken flautas were also covered in this queso. The chicken was almost flavorless, lacking any seasonings inside. And since the congealed queso was on top, this was a very unappetizing meal. The cheese enchiladas were definitely the best. They were full of cheese, and the Ranchero sauce on top was really good. For our drinks, we had an unsweetened iced tea and a ranch water. The unsweetened tea was very good, and the ranch water was great if you don't like sweetened alcoholic drinks. It was kind of expensive, however, at $12 for mostly Topo Chico with a small shot of tequila. Our server was very good, and we didn't wait very long for our food. However, the quality of the food wasn't what we expected, so we'll likely not return. What a shame! read more

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Attended soft opening. Grand opening Friday May 8. Tried the chili verde and Caesar salad. Interior is not too terribly differ from the old place. Service was fast and friendly. Chili arrived with 4 minutes. It is a little spicy, as predicted by my server. Served with a folded grilled tortilla. Salad was served about a minute later. Chili was hot and salad was huge. Look forward to having lunch here every week. read more

Chili Willi's Tex-Mex Grill - Chili verde - Tex-Mex Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

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Went at about 5:30 on a Tuesday night. Didn't have to wait which was nice. Menu has a good selection. We ordered the kids chicken/cheese/rice bowl, chips and salsa, chili con queso, chili relleno, Caesar salad, and a cup of chicken lime soup. As for our appetizers, it was disappointing to pay $6 for chips and salsa. The salsa was fairly bland and nothing exciting. The chili con queso was described as a "hummus texture" by the server. We opted to try it but it had a VERY unappealing texture. Very bizarre offering frankly. We sent it back and ordered the melted cheese and chorizo (queso fundido). That was good, very heavy on chorizo (too much for our liking but some may love that). As for the chili relleno, we ordered the salsa on the side but it came out on it and had to be remade. The Caesar salad and chicken lime soup were fantastic. Our bill was $72, including the chili con queso that we sent back and wasn't taken off the bill. We didn't realize until after we paid. So it should have been $66. I found this to be very expensive for two adults and one kiddo. Not worth the price point in my mind. read more

Nice casual restaurant with friendly service. If you're looking for a large portion average quality Mexican restaurant, this is not the place. Based on some of the reviews I read, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food that had a unique Texas personality. We really enjoyed the chips and salsa and dishes we purchased. The food tasted great and presented well. Prices weren't too bad for the quality of the food. We'll enjoy going back to try other items. read more

Chili Willi's Tex-Mex Grill - Chili - Tex-Mex Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

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We visited last night for their grand opening, and as someone who used to live in Huntington, West Virginia--where this restaurant originated--I was so excited to see them open here. From the moment we arrived, the staff was incredibly friendly, welcoming, and organized. We were seated exactly when promised, and honestly, you would never have guessed it was their very first night open. We started with the salsa trio, queso, and queso fundido with chorizo. A quick tip for anyone ordering appetizers: be sure to read the menu descriptions! The queso isn't your typical queso, and the queso fundido is also different from what many people may expect--but both matched their descriptions exactly. For entrees, we tried the chicken tinga tacos and pork carnitas tacos, and both were flavorful and delicious. The flavors here are unique and definitely lean Tex-Mex. The chips taste fresh and well seasoned. The guacamole was fresh and flavorful as well! The restaurant itself is bright, beautiful, and very clean, with a great ambiance that made the experience even better. We're excited to have this restaurant here and hope Norman residents will give it a try so it can be part of the community for years to come! read more

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Listen, for me it starts with great salsa and their's was outstanding. I absolutely loved my Coffee Rubbed Hanger Steak, great Smokey flavor to the dish. And of course, a nice ice cream taco to wash it down. What a spot! My wife said her margarita was super fresh and tasty as well! read more

Chili Willi's Tex-Mex Grill - Ice cream taco. Cinnamon and honey!!! - Tex-Mex Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

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Great casual place. We were very pleased with the serving size and the fresh, flavorful taste. The Cadillac nachos and burrito were more than enough and definitely hit the spot. ALL of the servers, bartenders, and managers were wonderful. I wish I could remember everyone's names because they all deserve to be mentioned. The staff was friendly, attentive, and made the whole experience even better. We'll definitely be back. ~ Stefano read more

Amazing! We frequented the Huntington location regularly. From 1983 to it's closing on n 2011 we were there- and we dragged every friend we had to partake of the goodness there. We loved both the original Downtown location and then we followed it to the new larger more upscale location up the street by the bus station closer to the university. (We also ate often at the Chili Willies Charleston, West Virginia location during the years it was there.) Can you tell we are die hard fans? The food, atmosphere- and the welcoming at each rendition of Chili Willies always made it our favorite restaurant of all time. Yesterday we came to Cornelius and returned to the Tex Mex Temple of goodness -and we were amazed and enamoured by how great it still is. We had been hungering for this goodness since 2011....BTW-we were in the Huntington location the day it closed and told Ron goodbye- Now flash forward- and I am Absolutely thrilled to say the new Cornelius location is as good as ever. The menu is pretty much the same - with some tweaks and additions. The decor is spot on and you are carried away to Huntington again as it is so good in every way (even smells the same) and the new store keeps up the standards that we all loved. Great job! The Monster Burrito is the same -but better now as it has evolved into a real feast. Oh my! Chips and two types of salsa in a tin tub blows you away from the very start. We had a shredded beef monster burrito and it was killer. Also we did chicken enchiladas and they still hold their own. The finishing touch was the ice cream taco- goodness, I still can taste it! Every bite was beyond first rate -and I do not now where you can find any tex mex food that comes close. Really. Absolutely amazing. We are thrilled and thankful that you have given our favorite restaurant of all time -Chili Willies- a new life. It has evolved and is still "the best ever !" Thanks Ron for creating Chili Willies up in Huntington decades ago. Thanks to the Duckworth group for making this dream happen! I'm Glad you and your wife had that date in the Huntington location years ago- and that you have taken Ron's magic and brought it back to life for us! I can see that we will be making many trips to Cornelius to savour the goodness of real Tex Mex at Chili Willies!!!! read more

Great food, great customer service Go eat here ) The manager is very nice he fixed our order promptly and did I say the fajita chicken quesadilla and their chips bowl is amazing!!!! read more

Beer was good! About all I can confidently say. Don't think I will be going back, I'll stick to my local Taco Bell next time i think about Mexican food. read more

Chili Willi's Tex-Mex Grill - Birra tacos - Tex-Mex Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

Really cute inside. Server was very nice. Hated the salsas they were all so sickly sweet. The steak dinner was really good! Definitely would come back but skip the salsa read more

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Very lame on the seasonings. Ordered the burrito bowl and the lettuce was old and yellowing. Had that "out of a bag" smell and ruined the whole dish for me. My partner had enchiladas- he was underwhelmed as well- said they were very bland. We both agreed price was high, especially $12 for a pretty puny House margarita. To be fair, portions were adequate. Our sever must've left her personality at home, but hostess was friendly and welcoming. read more

Good service, slow kitchen but manager explained & apologized. Food was great. Salsa & chips with two different types of salsa: both really good "free refills". Would recommend. read more

Thrilled to have Ron Smith's masterpiece foods available again! Visited opening weekend and it was absolutely fabulous! Fantastic service! Smells and tastes just like the WV restaurant. Do not forget to get an ice cream taco!! read more

Chili Willi's Tex-Mex Grill - Photos of the original location on 4th Avenue in Huntington, WV - Tex-Mex Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

Nice place, nice people, excellent service. The first shock is paying for chips and salsa. We got chips and cheese dip, which was reasonable and pretty good. Food quality is good and ingredients are good quality but plates are a bit of a "mess." My chiles rellenos was drowning in cheese and salsa and toppings and excess liquid. Same with the burrito we ordered. It's not a chain and owned by Duckworths so there's a good chance they'll practice continuous improvement and fix things where needed. Worth a try. read more

Service was good. Had Burria tacos, which were okay. Also had shrimp tacos, which the shrimp seemed close to non- existent. The cinnamon taco desert was pretty good. No real reason to go back, especially when you consider the cost. read more

Food is very pricey, quality maybe a 6, service good. Ambiance is good. 16.00 for a plain chimichanga with no sides, sides such as chips, extra a another fee. read more

Chicken fajitas tastes like dirty dish water. We bought our family of 6 here and everything tastes like a Mexican restaurant made by white people. Very bland not great options. Wouldn't recommend read more

Chili Willi's Tex-Mex Grill - Chicken fajitas - Tex-Mex Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

A first visit for us. It turned out excellent. I ordered enchiladas and my husband tried the salmon. My dish seemed a smaller portion when it arrived, but it actually was a perfect amount and the beef in the enchiladas was delicious. Husband was happy with his selection. We had the ice cream taco for dessert (we shared). Oh, my, so unique and super delicious. We had great service. We will be back. read more

We went here for the first time this evening (5/23/26). We gave it a 7/10. They need to work out the kinks like any new restaurant. The first disappointment was the margarita. It was served in a glass that you would typically use for an old fashioned. Way to small and it wasn't' even filled. They only put salt on 1/2 the rim. The overall service for our dining experience was good. The food was tasty, but they are a little on the chintzy side. Tex Mex, Mexican, whatever, they all have the same stuff. But in most Mexican restaurants, rice and beans are included. Not here. You have to purchase a la carte. Atmosphere good. read more

Our ladies' group went to Chili Willi's today for the first time. Each of us ordered something different and we all thought our food was delicious. We also got the brownie dessert and the cinnamon ice cream taco; both were yummy! Caleb was our server and he was very personable and attentive. We'll definitely make Chili Willi's one of our regular restaurants! read more

CHILI WILLI'S REVIEW Hey everyone. I went to Chili Willi's Tex-Mex Grill Cornelius for the first time with my husband today. We knocked off early for the holiday weekend and arrived before 4. Seated quickly as you would expect given the time. The restaurant was lively and our waiter arrived quickly. Lamont was awesome! I think he secretly wants to be a chef given his passionate knowledge of the menu:). You should ask for him personally. We ordered the Mezpresso Martinis and weren't disappointed. . My husband and I tried the queso and chips since we had been hearing lots of discussion around it. We both agreed that the melted cheese tasted great. The portion was perfect as an appetizer. I ordered the spiced beef chimichanga and my husband the salmon in acho chili sauce. We loved both! We will definitely be back! read more

Was so excited about this place but was disappointed nonetheless. We had a friendly waitress that took care of us but she could not make up for the low quality. First quesadilla didn't have chicken and then the replacement was soggy. Had high hopes but there's more to be improved. read more

What great food and Staff! The food portions were big and perfectly cooked! I recommend trying this place. We did and already have gone back! read more

It's hard, if not impossible, to get a truly authentic huevos rancheros in the Cornelius area, but thought I'd give Chili Willi a try. Now this was a great choice! Really substantial and made in the traditional stack - tortilla, refried beans, sunny side up eggs and great toppings. It was very filling, and the tortilla was not a plain one but rather one that was fried, I believe, and really crunchy. This was a knife and fork meal. Highly recommended! read more