I went to Chili's for the first time with a friend, and our $102 meal was the best I've ever had at a chain restaurant

Erin McDowellJan 12, 2024, 14:28 IST

I recently dined at Chili's for the first time with a friend and was pleasantly surprised.Erin McDowell/Insider

I ate at Chili's, a chain restaurant specializing in burgers and baby-back ribs, for the first time.
Dinner for me and a friend including cocktails, two appetizers, two entrées, and a dessert was $102.

Growing up in small-town Connecticut, I was raised going to chain restaurants like The Cheesecake Factory and Applebee's.

In my opinion, nothing compares to selecting from an expansive menu of juicy burgers and guilty-pleasure appetizers, before indulging in a classic chain-restaurant lava cake.

However, even though I identify as a chain-restaurant superfan, there are a few chain restaurants I've never visited — including Chili's.

Recently, I visited a Chili's location in Queens, New York, for a Friday night dinner with a friend.

Chili's Grill & Bar first opened in Texas in 1975 and now operates in dozens of countries.

The outside of the Chili's restaurant in Queens, New York.Erin McDowell/Insider

On a Friday night and prime dinner time, my friend and I were immediately seated at a booth in the restaurant's dining room.

The inside of the Chili's restaurant.Erin McDowell/Insider

After we were seated, we perused the extensive menu, which included everything from burgers and salads to pasta and sizzling fajitas.

The Chili's menu.Erin McDowell/Insider

I ordered a classic presidente margarita, while my friend chose a tiki beach party margarita.

We both opted for a margarita.Erin McDowell/Insider

I also loved how my margarita came with a personal shaker.

The presidente margarita.Erin McDowell/Insider

We opted for the dip trio as our first appetizer and loved all three of the dips.

The dip trio from Chili's.Erin McDowell/Insider

The guacamole was fresh and flavorful, and the salsa was just spicy enough. However, our favorite dip of the three was the skillet queso.

A chip dipped in the skillet queso.Erin McDowell/Insider

We wanted to try as many appetizers as possible, so we also ordered the Triple Dipper appetizer sampler.

The Triple Dipper appetizer sampler.Erin McDowell/Insider

The Southwestern egg rolls were filled with corn, chicken, black beans, spinach, red peppers, and jalapeño jack cheese.

The Southwestern egg rolls.Erin McDowell/Insider

The Buffalo wings were really juicy, but I thought they could have been just a touch crispier.

The bone-in Buffalo wing.Erin McDowell/Insider

But my favorite item from the sampler was the Big Mouth slider.

The Big Mouth burger slider.Erin McDowell/Insider

For my main, I chose the half-order of baby-back ribs and two sides. I was really impressed by the chain's signature dish.

The baby-back ribs with mac and cheese and street corn.Erin McDowell/Insider

The white-cheddar mac and cheese was indulgent and creamy.

The white-cheddar mac and cheese.Erin McDowell/Insider

The street corn blew me away.

The street corn.Erin McDowell/Insider

The baby-back ribs had a crispy char on the outside, but the meat was fall-off-the-bone tender.

The baby-back ribs.Erin McDowell/Insider

My friend ordered the Quesadilla Explosion salad, and she loved how fresh it tasted.

The quesadilla salad.Erin McDowell/Insider

For dessert, we opted for something decadent to share.

The chocolate lava cake.Erin McDowell/Insider

The final cost of our meal came to $102, plus a tip for our hostess. I would definitely eat at Chili's again after such a great experience.

The author and a friend outside the Chili's restaurant.Erin McDowell/Insider

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