Chelino’s Mexican Restaurant

This is the newest of Chelino’s locations. This location used to be Aloha Garden. They have kept much of the same décor, except added a few splashes of color with Mexican influences. I personally think the food here is better than most of the Chalino’s locations. It is hot and fresh, with very good flavors. Recently when my parents and I dined here, Mr. Chelino, the owner, and his daughter were there. They were very nice and greeted us. They ask how we heard about the new location, and mentioned that they have ads in both the Gazette and a new TV commercial. They were very friendly and very open on finding ways to improve the restaurant.
The meal started with the complementary chips, tortillas, queso, and salsa. We always ask for the special salsa, which is roasted, spicy, and has avocados in it. It’s very delicious! All three of us had enchiladas. My mother got cheese enchiladas with sour cream sauce, but my father and I got beef enchiladas with their very spicy salsa Verde. It is a fresh green salsa, it is not cooked, and it is extremely spicy. I like to get it on the ground beef enchiladas, but my dad ordered it on the fajita beef enchilada and really enjoyed it. Rice and beans are standard accompanists with all meals, but you can substitute for other sides such as Mexican potatoes. All meals come with complimentary sopapillas, but they are not very good in my opinion. Most of the time they are hard and seem like they have been sitting awhile and are not freshly made.
As someone who is been coming to Chelino’s for many years, I enjoy this new location and think that they have really amped up the food. It was fresh and the flavors were delicious. They have recently updated their menu and offer many traditional Tex-​Mex options, but also some traditional Mexican dishes. Go give ‘em a try.

A wide range of emotions were felt yesterday…
3:40 pm. On I-​240. My eyes are scanning for a restaurant that meets the arbitrary personal requirements that I had established only moments before. [Feeling]: Hunger.
3:45 pm. Exit on Penn. There is a sudden realization that Chick-​Fil-​A is nearby. [Feeling]: Happy.
3:46 pm. The jerk in his unnecessarily large pickup truck (which has to be overcompensating for something) won’t let me in to go straight. I’m forced to turn left. [Feeling]: Frustrated.
3:48 pm. My brain scrambles to figure out how to deal with the turn of events. [Feeling]: Irrational.
3:50 pm. I turn left into the closest parking lot, and notice that there’s a new Chelino’s. [Feeling]: Hope.
3:55 pm. I order the Chimichanga lunch special. [Feeling]: Mildly Excited.
4:05 pm. I receive the Chimichanga lunch special. I discover a mountain of rice, beans, chips, tortillas, cheese goop, salsa, and the entrée (Chimichanga) that is so small that it would make a Hot Pocket feel smug. [Feeling]: «Damn it…»
4:10 pm. I silently begin the process of devouring the mundane food. [Feeling]: Full.
4:20 pm. A realization hits me: I just wasted money on a bloat-​worthy meal that left me queasy. [Feeling]: Regret. Also, possibly Gas. Is that a feeling?
Thanks a lot, jerk truck driver.
On the plus side, it only cost $ 6ish dollars + tip (for that particular lunch special; everything else is overpriced), and if your only concern is satisfying your ravenous hunger as opposed to wanting food with… I dunno, taste, then this place will do it for you.