Mexican Chain Chips & Salsa Ranked From Worst To Best, According To Customer Reviews

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Is there any better appetizer than a bowl of warm, salty tortilla chips with a cup (or four) of restaurant-style salsa? (The answer is no.) Sadly, there's also no appetite killer quite like a bowl of cold, stale, saltless chips with bland tomato water either.

It's easy to find great Mexican restaurants in every U.S. state if you know where to look. While many serve up excellent burritos or tacos al pastor, it can be difficult to know which spots are consistently on point with their chips and salsa game too.

While it's a seemingly straightforward appetizer to your Mexican meal, chips and salsa can be difficult to get right. Chips are best if they're freshly fried — enough to get crisp and hot, but not long enough to taste like burnt oil that's overstayed its welcome. A generous sprinkle of salt straight out of the fryer goes a long way toward making those tortilla triangles delicious, but too heavy a hand makes you reach for your water pitcher instead of back into the chip basket.

Salsas always seem to taste better at a restaurant. They should be punchy, bright, and flavorful: Acidic without being acerbic, and full of freshness that complements the salty and starch dipping vehicles. Thankfully, plenty of aficionados have helped us rank which Mexican chains serve the best chips and salsa... and which ones should be left on the table.

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It should go without saying, but to be included on this list, the restaurant chain needs to actually be considered a Mexican place — or at least devote its entire menu to Tex-Mex options. For example, thin and salty chips with stellar restaurant-style salsa are an incredibly popular menu item at Chili's, but I will die on the hill that Chili's is not a Mexican restaurant. The end.

Restaurants on this list need to be chains: As of this writing, all of the restaurants listed have at least 20 locations, though most have 50 or more spread throughout the nation. Your favorite Mexican place down the street might serve up the best chips and salsa you've ever had, but it doesn't count here if it's not replicated for the rest of us to enjoy. (That said, if you've found the winning combo of always-crisp chips and perfectly spicy salsa, cheers to that.)

Though the internet can't agree on anything — least of all chips-and-salsa superiority — I dug deep into forums and reviews of multiple locations for each restaurant to glean a general consensus about the quality of the chips and salsa. Where applicable, I also leaned on my own experience of consuming many, many bowls of chips and salsa at several of these chains to confirm or disagree with the broader customer sentiments.

Rubio's was one of several chain restaurants that filed for bankruptcy in 2024, and it doesn't seem like things have improved much since then. The fast-casual chain known for its fish tacos still operates 82 locations, but that's quite a fall from its peak of more than 200 spots in the pre-pandemic era.

According to online reviews of the restaurants' chips and salsa, this subpar appetizer isn't why customers are sticking around either. Diners say the salsas can be bland, and the salsa bar for some locations isn't always well-stocked. Some say the fish tacos are decent for a fast food chain, but note that the salsas have an off-putting taste that doesn't mesh well with the tacos themselves.

The ghosts of reviews past still litter the internet from permanently closed Rubio's locations, and those tell a story of sad chips and salsa, too. It might not have been the nail in the coffin for these spots, but the quality certainly didn't help improve customers' opinions of the chain either. One reviewer of a now-closed Florida location said the salsa was "junk," and that the spicy version was loaded with seeds that made it difficult to enjoy. Yet another closed location had reviewers report that the chips were simultaneously stale and overcooked.

On the Border's tortilla chips didn't rank very well in our round-up of store-bought chips, and it seems like reviews in the restaurants aren't great either. We found a few positive reviews of the chips and salsa for a location in Texas, and one Redditor said they remember On the Border's table salsa as very tasty — although they wondered if the company was around anymore. Like Rubio's, On the Border has struggled in recent years, and it's one of the chain restaurants we could lose in 2026. Amid other complaints, we found several mixed reviews of the chain's chips and salsa, with most comments skewing toward the negative end of the spectrum.

"The tap water had more spice and flavor than the salsa," one blistering review of an Anchorage, Alaska, location said. The Redditor also said the chips weren't salted. One now-closed location in Plano had several complaints about the chips: Some were cold or stale, while others were oversalted. On the Border had a few locations in Texas that were generally well-reviewed, up until a few months ago. During the chain's bankruptcy sale, several existing locations were sold to Pappas Restaurants, a company that owns Pappasito's Cantina, another Mexican chain. Numerous reviewers of a once-popular On the Border spot in Texas now say the chips and salsa are too thin and the salsa isn't as good as it once was — with at least one saying it's now too spicy to be edible.

Chipotle is my personal Mexican fast food chain of choice, and I frequently order the chips to scoop into my chicken bowl. When they're good, they're just so, so good. The problem is that there are too many variables, and too often those variables go wrong. There are numerous Reddit threads devoted to when that happens. One Redditor posted a picture of their chips, each one individually topped with its own teaspoon of flaky white salt. Meanwhile, commenters on the post said their local Chipotle couldn't find the salt shaker if life depended on it.

Sometimes the chips are soggy. Sometimes they're overcooked or stale. Sometimes they're completely missing the salt and squeeze of lime juice; other times, they're a salt lick. But what really annoys customers is when they pay for those chips — unlike most places where they're complimentary — and the serving is so skimpy you might as well have skipped them altogether.

That said, Chipotle's salsas of varying spice levels get a lot of love. And when the chips are on point, they're hard to beat. The main reason they rank so low is that you really never know what you're going to get. One Redditor summed it up perfectly: "Getting chips is like gambling at this point." I'll roll those dice most days for a chance at the perfect ones, but can't in good conscience recommend that others do the same.

Chevys has a smaller footprint than many of the other chains on this list, with just around 20 spots still on the map. Though it's small, some loyal fans remain true to what they say is quality food that's remained unchanged for years. The main issue, much like with Chipotle, is that the dishes — including the chips and salsa — can vary greatly by location.

One online thread devoted to Chevys locations in the Bay Area had several commenters saying it was still the best spot to get fresh, crispy chips and punchy salsa. "Those greasy warm salty thin chips with the fresh roasted salsa were so on point," one fan wrote. "That alone man was a reason to come." Another said the Chevys salsa was so good because the ingredients were roasted in-house and blended for the perfect consistency.

Unfortunately, not all customers are still singing Chevys' praises. One location in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, had several commenters who weren't happy with the new salsa and queso recipes the restaurant rolled out in recent months. Many said the chips and salsa have changed into versions that aren't as good as the original, and several were disappointed in the quality of the chips and salsa, along with other entrees. As a result, Chevys lands in the middle of the pack with our ranking, because you'll need to verify by location whether or not they're still the classic recipes you know and love.

Free chips and salsa go a long way compared to other fast-casual spots featured on this list (ahem, Chipotle). Moe's recently topped our ranking of the best Mexican fast food chains, mostly due to its commitment to fresh ingredients and quality preparation.

Several customers appreciate that Moe's salsa bar actually provides a variety of spice levels. You'll always find a mild option and maybe even a medium at most Mexican chains, but Moe's actually uses ghost peppers and Carolina Reaper peppers in some of their spicier options. "I'm not used to a restaurant putting so much effort into their spicy food, but it's definitely worth it," one commenter posted on Reddit.

Though I personally prefer the entree options at other chains, I will admit that free chips and a full salsa bar are a continued draw to the Moe's in my neighborhood. I especially love the tomatillo salsa, a tangy and bright salsa verde that helps Moe's salsas stand out even more. That said, the main reason Moe's didn't crack the top three spots in this list is that numerous customers — especially in recent months — say the quality at the restaurant chain isn't what it used to be. Reviewers say that their favorite salsas they used to love just aren't what they used to be. Others said salsas within the past few months have been watery and lacking in flavor, and the chips are either over- or under-done.

El Pollo Loco is a fast food chain that's grown increasingly popular in several western states, and is on track to open 20 new locations in 2026 — double what it did in 2025. The Mexican restaurant has big plans to increase its number of stores and become a national presence, and already has more than 500 locations.

According to loyal customers, this chain that turns out quality chicken meals and burritos also has some killer chips and salsa. One commenter online believes their location fries the chips in-house for an extra fresh crunch factor. Others say the salsas are similarly prepared fresh each day, which can lead to unique differences for some visits (a good thing, in their book).

Of all the tips fans give to El Pollo Loco newbies, most say the same thing: Get the chicken, and don't skip the salsa bar. Specifically, don't miss out on the avocado salsa, which they say is a mix between a guacamole dip and a true salsa consistency. Several loyal customers say it's the best thing you can get, and some have devoted serious time and recipe testing to trying to recreate it on their own.

If you're hoping to make a mini meal of free chips and salsa, Plaza Azteca can grant that wish. The chain — which boasts about 60 locations primarily on the East Coast – is appreciated by its customers for bottomless bowls of crispy chips and consistently great table salsas.

"Be careful. Chips and salsa will fill you up," a commenter posted on TripAdvisor for one Plaza Azteca location in Virginia. I can personally confirm this is true, as I've been known to take home half of my entree because the plentiful chips and salsa got away from me.

The chips are consistently warm and crispy, and usually perfectly salted. Some guests say the red salsa could be spicier, but in my experience, it's the perfect level of pre-dinner heat to keep you coming back for the next chip. Other reviewers from a Maryland location agree the salsa has the "perfect kick," and one restaurant critic visiting a Lancaster, PA, location said they had to force themselves to stop eating the chips and salsa to save room for their entrees.

Plaza Azteca newbies might be initially thrown by the "white sauce" that's served alongside the red salsa. It originated in Virginia and is served in a handful of Mexican restaurants in the region — including Plaza Azteca restaurants. Most compare it to a Mexican version of ranch dressing, with spices and jalapeños for punch. It's an acquired taste, but many customers swear by it.

This casual Tex-Mex eatery has fans across more than 100 locations in the U.S. The chain gets praise for its generous portions and delicious rice and beans — but the chips, salsas, and other house-made dips tend to steal the spotlight.

Every review that mentioned chips and salsa for one location in Virginia said they were excellent, with some saying they could be the entire meal. "The best chips and salsa out of any restaurant, and it's not even close," one customer summarized on Google. Redditors claim Chuy's has the best chips and salsa available in Columbus, Ohio, particularly because the thin and crispy chips are so mouthwatering. A reviewer from a Texas location praised the chain for how fresh the chips and salsa always are, adding that the salsa has a good heat level to it with fresh tomatoes and lime flavor to give it extra zing.

Like Plaza Azteca, Chuy's also offers a creamy jalapeño sauce that comes free upon request. It now has a cult following, as it gets several mentions in online reviews that rave about the flavor and uniqueness of the tableside sauce. In fact, some diners say they could drink the dip if they had to.