Chiwahwah Mexican Cantina

I really enjoyed this restaurant. For 50 NZD each, we had plenty of food and a drink, which I thought was a great deal. We definitely overordered and could have managed with one less dish each. We tried the money bread (essentially a pizza), mushroom quesadilla, fried potatoes, and falafel taco. My favorite was the mushroom quesadilla. While there were enough vegetarian options, I wished there were more vegetarian tacos available. I just don’t understand why there can't be a greater variety. Although I know that vegetarians may be a minority in New Zealand, it wouldn’t hurt to offer more choices. Our host was very friendly and helped us decide on our options. We sat outside and were fortunate to enjoy live music from the venue next door. I would definitely return if I'm in the area, but I think the Mexican options in England are better for vegetarians.

We had a delightful Sunday lunch on a pleasant day outdoors and truly enjoyed our experience. The menu offers a fantastic variety of dishes, many of which are perfect for sharing. The fish tacos are a standout favorite, and I also really enjoyed the palomas—absolutely delicious!

The staff here are very friendly, and the portion sizes are quite generous. We inquired if the amount would be excessive, and we were reassured it would be just right, but we ended up with leftovers. While everything was delicious, it can be a bit heavy on the stomach due to the thick dough and cheese in the appetizers, and the potatoes were a tad greasy. I highly recommend trying the modern taco; the seaweed taco shell is incredibly crunchy!

Great vibe, margs and food! The guy serving us was so lovely and fun. Really great range of cocktails and the food was outstanding. Some interesting things on the menu and wide range. Would return next time I visited Christchurch.

I really enjoyed my dinner at Chiwahwah Mexican Cantina. I was lucky to get a table without a booking, even for just a party of one. So I recommend making a booking if you plan on dining here. I ordered the roasted cauliflower that came with a romesco sauce, a fish taco, and one of their sangrias. Everything was delicious! I love roasted cauliflower and theirs definitely ticks all the boxes. It was perfectly charred on the outside and soft on the inside. The romesco sauce was bright flavors from the acidity of the tomato, which paired well with the smokiness of the cauliflower. The fish taco was good too! It wasn’t greasy despite it being fried. It came with capers, which I don’t actually like, but in this taco it was yummy and needed with the fish. The sangria was comprised of rosé, mint, and strawberries. It was light and fruity. Service was excellent! The staff made sure I was doing fine throughout my meal. The atmosphere is vibrant and loud. Chiwahwah’s seems to be more of a fusion restaurant, but I don’t think they advertised themselves as a traditional Mexican restaurant anyway. If you want good food with Mexican-inspired flavors, definitely check them out.