Some OU students from Texas are jubilant because a taste of home is coming to Norman, bringing fresh Tex-Mex cuisine and fresh jobs to the city.
Chuy’s (pronounced Chew-ees) is an Austin-based Tex-Mex restaurant famous for its fresh food and unique decor, including hubcap-adorned ceilings, an Elvis Presley shrine and 1,000 hand-carved fish garnishing the walls, according to its website.
The restaurant is being built between Cracker Barrel and Ted’s Cafe Escondido on North Interstate Drive and is set to open in late spring or early summer, marketing assistant Emily Gartner said.
A new, high-quality restaurant could be economically beneficial to the city, according to local government officials.
“If you spend any time eating out on a Friday or Saturday evening or any other high-traffic time, given the crowds and the wait times, it certainly seems like we could support any number of new restaurants in the city,” Ward 3 City Councilman Hal Ezzell said.
The restaurant plans to begin hiring about 150 employees on location about six months before opening, Garter said.
According to the 2010 OU Fact Book, 63 percent of out-of-state students at OU are from the Lone Star State. Some of those students who know Chuy’s said they are ecstatic about the new restaurant.
“I’m pretty excited,” said Stephanie Buckman, marketing senior from Plano, Texas, who says she has eaten at Chuy’s a couple of dozen times and loves the food and atmosphere.
“I think it will do well here,” Buckman said. “It’s a really fun atmosphere, and it’s nice because they have a little waiting area where you get to eat your chips and salsa while you wait for a table. You can go out with your friends and not starve while you wait.”
Emily Wehrmann, accounting sophomore from Dallas, said she is not impressed with the Tex-Mex in Norman and could see Chuy’s adding competition.
“They’ll set the bar pretty high,” Wehrmann said.
She said her family loves Mexican food, and she is looking forward to a taste of home.
“It’s nice that I’ll be able to eat some good, hopefully Dallas-tasting Mexican food instead of the weird Mexican food I find in Norman,” Wehrmann said. “I think they know how to make Mexican food right at Chuy’s.”
Her favorite part of Chuy’s is the atmosphere, Wehrmann said.
“It’s really fun and kind of relaxed,” she said. “It’s a place where a big group of friends or family can go. ... It’s very laid back.”
Chuy’s boasts entrees such as “Big As Yo’ Face Burritos” and “Chicka-Chicka Boom Boom Enchiladas,” along with signature sauces ranging from vegetarian ranchero to creamy jalapeno, according to its menu.
“Our ‘Fullosophy’ is to make everything fresh every day,” Gartner said. “We just want to fill you up and leave you stuffed. ... Chuy’s is very passionate about fresh food — the only thing that comes into our restaurant frozen is the ice cream.”
Chuy’s should be successful in Norman because the city is similar to Austin and both are home to a diverse population of young professionals, Garter said. The restaurant also will focus on a local charity in Norman.
“Giving back to our communities is a privilege we take very seriously, so we try to find a local charity to partner with in each market,” she said. “It needs to be children-focused because that’s our company’s priority.”
“Chuy” is a common, everyday slang term meaning “friend” in the valley where the restaurant originated, Garter said. The owners heard it yelled across a bar in Austin and decided to call their restaurant “Chuy’s.”
Though Sooners and Longhorns may not always be friends, they’ll soon share a common bond of Tex-Mex food made by bringing the flavors of Texas to Oklahoma.
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bends 3 months, 3 weeks ago
Holy crap I'm so excited! I'm from Austin (don't hate me, I'm here aren't I?) and one of my primary complaints about Oklahoma in general has been the distinct lack of quality Tex-Mex/Mexican food!
Chuy's is amazing. I can't wait.