Chapala Mexican Restaurant

This place is amazing. The atmosphere was great. Food was fonominal. The drinks were strong and delicious. The staff was wonderful. We sat at the bar with the swings and had the best time. Well worth the price. We can't wait to go back again.

Great food, great atmosphere and great staff. This once was another place that my wife and I had our first date back in 2016. So we stopped by since we were in town together and checked the new place put and it did not disappoint We sat in the same area we did back then on the half wall and looked around at the decor and it was beautiful (see pics). Sara was our server and she was absolutely wonderful and would highly suggest having her as a server. I'm sure the others are great too, but we had Sara and she was top notch. The food was delicious as I had the fajita bowl and my wife had the roman dish that's in the appetizer portion (can't remember full name of it). I tried a bit of it and it was out of this world. This weekend is the Art Fair in A2 and I suggest stopping here for lunch or dinner. They have something going on every weekend and pretty much every night. They have a country night on Thursday and Latino dance night on Friday or Saturday (can't remember which day it is). All the more reason for you to stop by and check for yourself.

We have been to this place quite a lot! We usually order shrimp tacos and steak fajitas. The food is really good and delicious, but the service is awful every time!!! For a group of 4 they included 20 percent tip on the receipt, and the waiter just threw the receipt into the chips basket.

We love Chapala in downtown Ann Arbor. Our party came in early on a Saturday afternoon, just ahead of dinner rush (which we highly recommend) and by the time we left there was a line out the door! Which does not surprise me, the staff is friendly and inviting, fun atmosphere making you forget you’re in Michigan and feel like you’re drinking margaritas on the sunny shores of Mexico. The chips were warm and fresh, the salsa has the right amount of spice, guacamole is fresh and delicious. On this visit I enjoyed the Steak Quesadilla for the first time (very tasty!) and our entire party was pleased with their meals as well. Last but certainly not least the margaritas are great. If you’re looking for a Mexican dining experience, Chapala stands out above most others. I can’t wait to come back!

Food was good. We had Chicken Fajitas and 4 Tacos. The chicken could have used a bit more flavor, but was plentiful. The beef tacos were very good. Margaritas start at 12$. Cute interior, outside seating available.

📍Best Vibe! 🌮🇲🇽 Great place for food and drink! I love everything here from food, vibe, atmosphere, drink and service. - They are really nice warm welcome you from start walk in serve you with chip and salsa for starting then check on your table frequently and even went over to drop extra napkin without asking best service. - Food here is also really good. I been here more than 3 times and never disappointed once. The drinks are definitely a must here. - Atmosphere is is fun vibe well decoration for Mexican restaurant music is great. Overall this place is great for group of friends meet up and hangout or even family to stop by with kids on any occasion. I for sure will recommend this place for everyone to try out! 🎉🎉 Love it! 💛🧡💚💙💜

I rarely ever make reviews and this is the first ever bad review I’ve ever wrote. The food was great, we had a great time, however when the bill came we noticed that there was 20 percent auto gratuity. Usually at any given restaurant if it’s auto gratuity it’s only for tables 6 and up, we were a table of 2. We also give very generous tips when we dine out, as I’m a waiter myself, however I firmly don’t believe in auto charging a table of 2, 20% gratuity. We also ordered a generous amount too, since we wanted to try a lot of things, but finishing our lunch with this, really was off putting.

My partner and I had a fabulous experience dining at our new favorite spot in town, Chapala, on our anniversary. We were promptly and kindly greeted by our waitress, Sarah, and served warm chips with homemade salsa. We each had chimichangas, per our waitresses recommendation, and they were so flavorful. I would highly recommend ordering them with the shredded beef. Additionally, what stood out to us both was the inclusiveness of our dining experience. As both of us identify within the LGBTQ+ community, we were impressed by the use of gender inclusive pronouns when being taken care of. We will definitely be returning soon. Thank you for a wonderful experience and I am so glad to have moved to Ann Arbor.

My wife discovered it was margarita day so we decided to try Chapala based on prior reviews. We arrived around 3:30, right around shift change so we had a little time to chat before getting down to business. Our server was very attentive and friendly. The margaritas were nicely presented amd were pretty strong. For dinner my wife had beef fajitas and i had shredded beef enchiladas. My wife really enjoyed her fajitas, and thought the flour tortillas were really good. My enchiladas with beans and rice were ok, typical for what you would expect. The atmosphere was lively, but could use a little refreshing as it's its a popular spot. We enjoyed our visit and would certainly return in the future just to have a margarita and sit on the swings at the bar!

Always a great time here! Our server Lucy was so great and very friendly! Their piña coladas are so fun and cute! A great place for a group outing or a chill date night :)

This place is my favorite Mexican spot in AA. I just love the vibe and the servers. They have a nice outdoor seating, bar area, and lots of tables inside. The food is so good! I'm obsessed with their complimentary chips and salsa. I like their fajitas as they have a nice Smokey taste. I got the Baja shrimp tacos and they are so good. Overall food is great and fun birthday spot as well. Would recommend!

Good Mexican spot in Ann Arbor. Complimentary chips and salsa which were good. We ordered the monster burrito and pollo Jalisco. The monster burrito is big and filling. My husband really enjoyed it. I had the pollo Jalisco and liked it. The beans were good. Service was good. Music was a little loud but they have plenty of TV's to watch sporting events etc. We would definitely return.

My friends and I went to Chapala after a rough day at work. The tasty, not made from mix, margarita tower turned everything around! We also ate shrimp tacos and a lobster quesadilla that were delicious. Giant lobster quesadilla was only $18! Our waitress was super nice and knowledgeable about the menu, giving recommendations. Highly recommend!

I usually don't write negative reviews because i understand restaurants chefs to waiters put in a lot of efforts for every meal they offer. But unfortunately didn't have a very good experience with this particular restaurant. We ordered for a vegetarian taco , i requested to add fried avocados, she said that will be with up-charge of 2$ i was ok with that. And they serve 1 sliced avocado on the side. Taco were ordered in hard shell they got us in soft! Upon bringing to her notice she transferred from soft to hard. We requested to swap mushrooms in quesadillas with fresh jalapeño, again with extra 1$ we were pretty ok with that but unfortunately they didn't. The restaurant looks like pretty good with good reviews but turned around with the overall experience we had. Margaritas were called with tahini on the rim, they got empty glass with tahini on the rim for us to transfer.

Amazing ambiance and perfect for a night out. Free chips and salsa always hits. Drinks are pretty strong and overall taste good. Elote queso dip is fantastic if you love corn. Perfect time to hangout with friends during the weekend or on a Wednesday!

Food is good but for God sake turn the music to a level where people can hear themselves speak to their family and friends who come to enjoy the food and each other's company. I understand there is a bar and a overall beach vibe, but it's not a dance club. You have a Sonos speaker in the main area blaring out music right next to where people are eating and talking, have a little common decency.

I'd primarily done takeout here but a few months back I was able to enjoy a dinner outside on their patio with a friend and what a wonderful dinner it was! First off, we came on a Friday night so it was BANGIN', but we were able to put our name and number in and they told us the wait would be about 45 minutes and they'd text us when we were up next. Great! My friend and I were able to walk down Main Street a bit and browse in a few shops before heading back for our meal. We secured a lovely picnic table outside which was perfect for a breezy late summer evening. Now, when I say patio I really mean "part of the sidewalk adjacent to the parking spots on Main Street." but really this did not bother me. The place is festive inside and out, with fun beachy type decor inside and colorful banners and brightly painted picnic tables outside. Because I had previously only done takeout I had not enjoy any of their cocktails so this time I made sure to try one, particularly their Chapala Colada which was a pina colada served in a coconut. So delightful and perfect for creating some FOMO through photos. My meal, to no surprise based on my previous experience, was great. I went with the birra tacos and they were excellent. For dessert my friend and I split the tres leches cake and WOAH. What an unexpected fun presentation! It came on its very own colorful serving table (almost a mini version of our picnic table, haha) with a few little cupfulls of whipped cream on the side. A really memorable dish and recommended for a special occasion for sure. We weren't celebrating anything ourselves but there's nothing wrong with treating yourself to a lovely dinner, drinks, and desserts any old time of year! And Chapala is a great place to do either.

Oliser is waiting on us, he's a good waiter, a people person for sure. He took care of us. The upper floor has more tables, the first floor is mostly bar area. There is larger party space downstairs too, so I am told. Ordered a guacamole, chicken flautas with everything on the side and beans only on the side and chicken quesadilla. $40.28 The guacamole is good. The hot salsa is habanero salsa, it's good some real kick and burns your mouth a bit afterwards. The chicken quesadilla was good, the meat is tender and flavorful, it's not too cheesy either. It doesn't come cut for you here. The quesadilla was a bit runny from the marinade on the chicken meat, which made the tortilla a bit softer. The chicken flautas aren't too and, super meaty. The corn tortilla shell isn't as crispy as I like it, but still tastes good.

Stopped in a bit after noon on a Sunday. Not many people there, though Chapala was filling up by the time we left. We were waited on quickly, and received cheerful, attentive service throughout our visit. I ordered the Catalina Baja salad with chicken. The strips of chicken breast on it were excellent, with a tangy but not overpowering. The creamy catalina dressing was rather thin, though the black bean salsa gave the salad a nice flavor. Avocado chunks were ideally ripe. My wife got a 4-taco platter, 1 chicken, 2 carnitas, 1 beef. She though the chicken was best-it was likely the same chicken that was on my salad. The carnitas she found a bit weak on seasoning. The beef she took home for a workday lunch, so the verdict on that is still out. I did sample the refried beans she got on the side and found them very creamy. Overall a satisfying visit.

I recently went to Chapala on a Tuesday (didn't even think about it being taco Tuesday), but luckily it wasn't too busy. I didn't realize there were taco specials until I left and saw a sign, but it was fine. I ordered the Veggie tacos and they were delicious! For almost $20 I was a little taken back by the price, but it came with four tacos, beans, and rice - enough for two meals. The only real reason I give them a four, not a five is because the music was SO LOUD. Like night club loud at hardly 5 pm. It was almost too loud to hold a conversation.

Wonderful service ! Amazing food ! Party vibes & great place to celebrate with friends & have one of the speciality cocktails.

Love this place. We spent over a year total in AA with our child at C.S. Mott and Chapalas was our most re-visited restaurant. The staff is very friendly and the food comes out very quickly. It was not uncommon to be in and out within 45 minutes. My wife loves the shrimp chimichangas. My son and I love the white queso. Sometimes I would order a large queso for my meal (add a side of the house hot sauce). The steak tacos are above average but I wouldn't say they are anything too special. the birria tacos are great, but it blows my mind what restaurants can charge for something that my wife can make with a cheap chuck roast at home. The kids cheese quesadilla has about 2 lbs of cheese on it lol they do not skimp on the ingredients!

They have never, not one time ever, delivered a complete order for us. We have given up. And when you call them, they offer to give it to you if you go there to pick it up. Morons.

We both got birria and it was delicious! Our waiter was friendly and our food came out quick. Inside had louder music but I liked not being able to hear the tables next to us.

Great place with a fun and festive vibe! We sat at the bar and had a tasty meal and great margaritas, beautifully garnished like a work of art! Will return on our next trip to Ann Arbor.

Hubs and I were in A2 for "The Game". Came here for dinner on Friday night after a recommendation from a bartender. The decor of this little spot is cool and fun. There are swings at the bar; Swings! The food was excellent. Both hubs and I had some tacos and libations. Drinks were strong and the tacos were a delicious pair. Hubs got the Tex mex tacos with steak and I got the tacos locos with chicken. Both versions were executed well and served quickly.

Service was absolutely horrible. Food was great but the worst service we have ever had. We had to make a decision between chips or water from the most unsanitary bar tender. Dude never washed his hands but was putting his nasty fingers all over the rim of glasses then serving. We tried moving off the swing to a normal chair at the bar. But people were sitting there. We sat at the bar for 45 more minutes and no one came on either side of us. Dude walking by mean mugging us speaking Spanish under his breathe, only word I could make out was puntas. All because we asked for a water, silver ware and chips. VERY SIMPLE REQUEST. Now it's our turn. PUNTA

I went after hearing about it and seeing reviews. I always like great Mexican so I had to check it out. It was easy to find. It is always easier to park in the structure as parking can be difficult to find. It was a short walk to the restaurant and I was seated pretty quick. The waiter came and explained the menu and the drink. We were given nachos and sauce. I decided on a drink and the combo meal. My friend got the enchilada. The tacos were great. Seasoned well and authentic tasting. The margaritas were awesome too. I will definitely come back.

One of my favorite restaurants in Ann Arbor. The vibe is so fun and inviting. The food is consistently delicious- their chicken tacos are one of my favorites in town!

We stop here whenever we're in town from Columbus and we could tell something was different this time around. Salsa was not as good, margaritas were strange tasting and the entrees were fine but slightly off. After further investigation, basically asking other staff at restaurants, they are under new ownership and it shows. Just truly not as good. Menu is much smaller now and there is very little under $15 or entree size. I would have been haopy with just a few tacos, but it doesn't exist anymore. Friday night, ambiance is loud, but we didn't hate it. Sadness has taken over.

New favorite Ann Arbor casual restaurant and perhaps the best Mexican food I've had ever. You start with free unlimited chips and salsa. Fajitas Texanos were fantastic. Large portion loaded with chicken, shrimp and steak at a reasonable price ($19). It's a very loud restaurant especially upstairs but great service. Very authentic with everything working super hard. We waited 15 minutes on an away football Saturday and the food came out quick. Highly recommend!

NEVER place a reservation with Chapala. We had a group of 30 people who we called for a week in advance. We were told that it was accepted and we would have been called if there were any problems with the reservation. They did not call us. We then called at 2 day of and they told us to call back at 4. We called back at 4 and they said they did not have a reservation for us. And then, instead of telling us that they did not have a reservation they hung up the phone on us!

The owner " Caesar" is a cretin and bully! The food is not that good and way over priced. Tried to give this place a chance. Something went wrong with food order or bad service each time. Owners response is always " if you don't like it don't come here"! Always blames the costumer and acts like there are endless amounts of customers. I have a few friends that have been here and they have similar experience and won't go back! Don't bother with a reply to say you're sorry. Because you're not and customers can see through you to the truth!

My niece gave me a gift card to this restaurant less than a year ago. I went in today to use it. It turns out that the former owner no longer has an interest in this location, but they honored my card anyway as a one-time courtesy. The food was well-seasoned and authentic Mexican like I've had at other traditional restaurants. The restaurant and bar were bustling but the noise level was reasonable. I'd love to come back for dine-in in the near future. In the meantime, the carryout was very well-packaged and portion size was appropriate.

The design of this place is super cool. The bar has legit swinging seats. The staff is kind helpful and laughs with you at jokes. The food was great. I had the birria tacos and was impressed. Highly recommend.

Wish we liked this place more. I'll start with the good, though! The ambiance is great. Super cute place, good music, and swings at the bar - adorable. The food, though ... it's just good. Not bad, not great. We ordered El tropico, the fish tacos (says grilled on the menu, but arrived fried), chicken flautas (chicken was a bit dry), and coconut shrimp - didn't finish it. Service could use some improvement. Our server sat a hot cast iron plate in front of our kid, without warning it was hot and he burned his hand. When I mentioned that typically a server would announce the plate is hot, the response was "why would they touch that part?" .... I don't know, maybe because they're 8 years old?!?! That was it - nothing else done to make the kid feel better. We gave him ice from our own cups of water. At minimum, an apology would have been nice, rather than blaming the kid. Cute vibes, but would not go back!

Chapala Mexican Restaurant. That is what this place calls itself, but do not be fooled. "Mexican restaurant" is a lie. A big fat fucking lie. Both the "Mexican" and "restaurant" part is a lie. It is a glorified food court that feeds college students alcohol. Yet they struggle to do that as well. We waited 1 hour after reservation, got a wobbly table, bad service, and mid tacos. If I wanted those things, I WOULD HAVE GONE TO SOUTH QUAD DINING HALL. NOT THIS PLACE. I BEG YOU DO NOT GO TO CHAPALA PLEASE IF YOU ARE READING THIS. PLEASE I BEG YOU.

The absolute worst service I've had anywhere in a very long time. First we were told by our waiter that they could not make virgin daquaris or Pina coladas. That was a lie! Someone in our party had to go to the bar and inquire for themselves to get an accurate answer. Then there was the Muenster cheese that tasted like funky feet, the abundance of cilantro in EVERYTHING and the fish stick they placed on a tortilla to make fish tacos. More than unsavory food was the unsatisfactory responses to valid concerns. We were very much aware of the language barrier and quite patient as we had someone in our party who spoke fluent Spanish. Even with that additional help, we were still not given the customer service we deserved! And did I mention the 20% gratuity that was automatically added...although the effort was reflective of 5%?? Yeah, NEVER AGAIN!

Decided to walk on by because the music was so loud. Wanted to go here for my birthday dinnner. Even my teenage said it was too loud.

Located a few blocks past the main drag of Downtown. A series of neon signs illuminate the night with streetside tables as a seating option. Food was decent and generous portions. Enough food for lunch the next day. Entrees hover just below twenty. Since we ordered drinks/cocktails it ended being half the bill. Always a festive crowd. SInce it was a weeknight, we only waited about 20 minutes for a table. By the time we got our drinks at the bar, the table was ready. My carnitas was tasty. It was stewed with salsa verde. I usually prefer roasted, but I enjoyed it none the less. We found a free parking lot nearby. Just read the signs carefully.

Full disclosure: This is one of the first Mexican restaurants that I have eaten at since moving from Austin, Texas so take what I say with a grain of salt. I ordered flautas because I missed Chuy's (in Austin). These flautas were different. The dish comes covered in cheese which is not my preference but I never ordered it without cheese so that's my fault. There was so much cheese I could barely taste the refried beans which seemed to be good. The taste of my flautas were not bad, there was just too much going on. My kids got the chicken quesadillas and they were huge! You get a lot of food for your money here. My husband got the pollo Mexicano which looked delicious. I tasted it and yum! This is the dish I will be getting the next time I come. Their house margarita was good and we enjoyed the Asada fries. There is a festive ambience with lots of people on a Friday night. Despite how crowded it was, we were sat right away. Our waitress was attentive and responsive. The service was great. We will be back.

Go to Chapala!! I've tried a few Mexican places in AA and Chapala definitely has the best vibes. They had holiday decorations up and all the servers were wearing holiday sweaters, which was very cool. We went at 5:30 PM on a Friday and were immediately seated. Servers were friendly and food came out fast. Also!! Free chips & salsa :) Carne Asada Taco & Fajitas were both good! Server mentioned that the steak was really good there so we both went with that - did not disappoint. HUGE margaritas!! Easily could be shared. FYI price is not shown on the menus, but it was $18. Very tasty! Will 110% be coming back.

tasty good food nice great service enjoyed dinner choices atmosphere authentic not loud they have skinny margaritas

This restaurant is in the heart of downtown Ann Arbor and parking is on the street. Luckily my friend and I easily found a spot. It is metered parking so be prepared to pay. There is both indoor and outdoor dining (along the busy street). We choose to eat inside. Our service was decent and the salsa was very good. The bar atmosphere is fun with swinging seats and I noticed they were squeezing fresh lemons and limes for their drinks. Nice touch! My food was just alright and my friend's too. She had a salad type bowl and there was a lot of water in the bottom which made the lettuce kinda soggy. Otherwise she liked it. My combo meal was very average and nothing I'd run back for. Overall, the experience was nothing impressive and I would not return.

Great happy hour options and very cute display. $6 margaritas and nice patio seating.

This restaurant is located downtown so parking may be hard depending on the time and day of the week. We were seated right away when we came. Our server, Monse P., was really sweet and personable. We were provided with chips and salsa when we sat down. The chips were served warm. We were also provided with a spicy salsa upon request. The restaurant is bright with cool decor. It is also spacious with tables and bar seating. I ordered the Tacos Mexicanos which consist of four tacos of your choice, rice and beans. I got the carnitas and carne asada tacos. I preferred the carnitas. The beans and rice were fresh and also tasted good. I would def return and try one of the drinks that looked really good while I ate.

Come for the food, and stay for the margs. This place is always busy, and has been one of my favorites lately. The food has always been great, and exactly what I'm looking for. You can't go wrong with a fajita here! It'll be tons of food, and so worth the cost. The margs are strong, so keep that in mind! Whether it's frozen or on the rocks, all great. I can't recommend them enough. If you're out for a fun weekend, get the large size. If it's a weekday... maybe get a regular size. Can't wait to come back!

Chapala surprised me in good and no so good ways. Food wise? I was pleasantly surprised. The birria tacos were delicious and packed with flavor. Unfortunately, the drinks were served warm, somewhat bland, and had hidden prices (i.e., didn't state prices on menu and were around $13 each). The restaurant itself also had a lot to be desired from a dine-in experience perspective. On a 80+ degree day, there didn't seem to be AC and we couldn't wait to go outside to cool off. Lastly, it may have been a construct of our seating, but our entire meal was also consistently bombarded with regular and fruit flies. Overall: Good food, subpar drinks, and subpar experience

A friend of mine visited expecting to enjoy herself for cinco de mayo. While sitting with her friend at the bar she felt her feet get wet. She turned and saw someone with a squirt gun and not being careful with it. When she asked if he could avoid getting her wet. His responses? "I'm just having fun on cinco de mayo!" "Well I'm the owner and if you don't want to be here you don't have to be!" ...wait, what? "And go tell all of your friends too!" After leaving and coming to our place, we checked online to make sure it wasn't a rando being belligerent and calling himself the owner. Sure enough, it WAS the owner being belligerent! So...yeah. Food can be fantastic, but me, fam, friends and associates will be visiting more welcoming restaurants in the future. Edit: see owner response below. I've been to many a spot over the last 20 years on cinco de mayo, most at capacity, and haven't once been squirted by a water gun by the owner and told to leave if I don't like. Stay being a stand up guy Cesar!

Words cannot even describe my love for this place. No matter what you order, you won't be dissatisfied. All time favs are the chapala colada, chips/queso, and carnitas. Their portions are generous, service is spectacular, and ambiance is out of this world. Chapala, I love you with my whole .

I love the vibe of this place. The music is so fun and the margaritas are Aaaamazing. Servers are always so friendly and bartenders are fun. I've been here several times and have not only enjoyed everything I've ordered, but I always want to go back to try something new!! Outdoor seating is fun too or the swings at the bar :). such a cute place

Best Mexican food in Ann Arbor close to UofM. Great when needing to take your kid close to campus in between events. The owner is awesome. He's full of life along with everyone in the restaurant. We need people in life who like to have fun. Serious people who don't like to have fun should not dine or drink at this place. :)

Love love love chapala a vibes. The servers are so sweet and the portions of the food are really big, I'm always full halfway through the meal! The drinks are also strong but very good. In general I do think chapala is overly expensive for the quality, as a drink and my fajita skillet were ~$40 total. Fajitas Chapala: seafood is bountiful, tilapia is surprisingly really great! The side beans and the char on the zucchini are also a highlight.

Best Mexican in Ann Arbor! We sat at the bar while we waited for our table and loved the tiki beach bar vibe -- after a few of the strong margaritas you feel like you're in the Bahamas! It's reasonably priced considering the large portions. I ordered the fajita bowl with chicken which was great and had leftovers to bring home. It's reasonably priced considering the large portions. We loved the music but it was almost too loud to talk at points. Will be back!

This was the best Mexican food I've ever had. Fajita bowl vegetarian and the frozen Margherita!!! Yuppp. Strong drinks great food what more can you ask for?

I got carryout here on New Year's Day because I've been wanting to try them and few restaurants were open on New Year's Day. My go-to order at most Mexican restaurant is Camarones ala Diablo. This version was very good and the spiciest version that I have ever had. It was sweating spicy so if you don't like spicy order something else. The shrimp tacos were also very good and came with beans and rice. The chips tasted fresh and not salty and the salsa tasted fresh and had a nice level of spice. It was a huge amount of food for two people. Food was ready in about 10-15 minutes and was well packaged. Pick up was easy and the people were friendly. The decor was bright and festive and it looked like a fun place to eat inside.

We came for taco Tuesday since it's dog friendly with outside seating. My son had the combo with enchilada, which was spicy, and a taco eith just meat and cheese. He liked the rice a lot. He was bummed that there was no mexican soda. I had the Cabo tacos which were pretty tasty. Great service.