The May opening of Chuy’s East Side location was highly anticipated — area residents had seen the chain while traveling to Indianapolis, Louisville, Kentucky, or Nashville, Tennessee, and were happy to have its well-known creamy jalapeño dip and other Tex-Mex dishes close to home.
That early excitement “has only grown,” says David Daugherty, general manager of the Evansville restaurant. “Many guests have come back several times, which is the best compliment we could ask for.”
Founded in 1982 in Austin, Texas, Chuy’s has expanded to more than 100 restaurants across at least 15 states. Like all of its locations, Evansville’s — in the former O’Charley’s on East Indiana Street — is full of energy, color, and eclectic decor. Check out the Mil Pescado (English translation: “1,000 fish”) ceiling display.
The scenery is fun, but it’s the food that keeps diners returning. Recipes are native to South Texas, New Mexico, and Mexican border towns, and Daugherty says freshness is a hallmark. The aforementioned jalapeño dip has sparked numerous copycat recipes. Chuy’s tortillas are made by hand daily, and margaritas come with fresh-squeezed lime juice.
Meal choices include Chicka-Chicka Boom-Boom Enchiladas and sizzling fajitas, plus the signature Big As ‘Yo Face burritos that require no further description — they are enormous and stretch clear across the plate.
Items like those are pillars of the Chuy’s menu, but “we keep the experience fresh with occasional seasonal features and small, thoughtful tweaks guided by what guests love — always true to our made‑from‑scratch standards,” Daugherty says. “We’re continually developing new ideas in the kitchen and behind the bar.”
Beyond margaritas, “we’re also known for the New Mexican ‘Tini, which is our spicy take on the Texas ‘Tini,” Daugherty says. Made with Lunazul Silver tequila infused with green chiles and orange-flavored Cointreau liqueur, it’s shaken and served in a chilled martini glass.
Chuy’s offers meal bundle options serving four people, plus catering. The Evansville-based team has about 70 people, “and we’re always looking for great folks who bring heart, hustle, and Chuy’s fun,” Daugherty says.
Daugherty is new in Evansville — he’s been with Chuy’s for the last 14 years of a quarter-century restaurant career, mostly spent in the Louisville, Kentucky, area. He most recently was the kitchen manager of the Clarksville, Indiana, Chuy’s. He says his wife, four kids, and two dogs are enjoying the River City, and “we’re excited to call this community our home.”
