Chuy’s: What’s Vegetarian Editorial Review

Chuy’s gives vegetarians more to work with than a menu built on fajitas and brisket tacos would suggest. This Tex-Mex chain makes its tortillas, sauces, beans, and rice fresh in every kitchen, and most of that base is meat-free to start. That fresh-kitchen habit matters, because the beans, rice, and tortillas don’t hide the animal shortcuts that many chains lean on to save time.

What to order at Chuy’s

Cheese Enchiladas and Veggie Enchiladas under tomatillo or ranchero sauce are the strongest entrees, and both the Bean & Guacamole Tacos and the Bean Burrito with jack cheese come vegan if you skip the cheese. Chile Rellenos are on the menu too, though they’re cheese-stuffed and battered. Round out the plate with Refried Beans, Charro Beans, and Mexican Rice, all made without meat, and start the meal with chips, salsa, and guacamole from the free salsa bar.

What to watch out for

The Chile Rellenos come in an egg batter and go through a shared fryer, so treat them as a check rather than an automatic order. The Creamy Jalapeno Dip is dairy-based, so it’s fine for vegetarians but not vegans, and Chuy’s hasn’t confirmed whether it uses animal rennet in its cheese, which matters if you’re strict about that. The Cheese Sopapilla contains honey and dairy, so it isn’t vegan even though it’s meat-free.