Chili's Grill - Merrillville

Although Ray wasn't my server—he was the host—he was absolutely fantastic! He informed me about the specials and guided me through the menu when he seated me at my table. My actual server didn’t check in on me or the other guests in our section very often, but Ray made it a point to make sure we were taken care of, which I truly appreciated. The food was incredible! I was pleasantly surprised by the smokehouse combo; it's both delicious and affordable. I also ordered the always-reliable Cajun pasta, which was spot on. I’m a big fan of the Presidente margarita—it's always a hit. *Edit: I later learned that Ray is the manager. He provided excellent service and ensured that the restaurant ran smoothly during the busy rush. I will definitely be back!

I always enjoy dining at Chili's. This location was exceptionally clean, and the staff was very friendly. Our waitress was fantastic. The food was delicious; I had the loaded baked potato soup and a cheeseburger, which was very juicy. My party ordered the 6 oz sirloin, and it was cooked perfectly to order. I highly recommend this restaurant for lunch.

The manager informed us that they were very short-staffed that night, with only three servers and no bartender, so we should expect a bit of a wait. Our server, Meeche, was wonderful—pleasant, attentive, and on top of everything. All the staff members we encountered were friendly, engaging, and in good spirits. Despite the staffing challenges, there were no indications of being overwhelmed. Our food was served promptly, hot, and accurate. A big shoutout to Ray and the rest of the team for providing us with an enjoyable experience this Friday night!

I had to take a moment to consider how to rate this particular location. I believe the mediocre service can be attributed to management, as employees are often a reflection of their environment, and I don't want to single out individuals who may not be the main reason for my disappointment. This location fell short when compared to other Chili's establishments I frequent. One suggestion for Chili's (as a corporation) is to change their chip supplier. They should look into where Bubba's 33 sources their chips or consider contracting with Mission Foods based in Irving, Texas. There's nothing worse than being served a bowl of overly thin chips, with half of them ending up as useless shards and pieces.

The food was enjoyable, but the service left something to be desired. There was only one waitress attending to all seven tables, which made things slow. We waited 20 minutes just to place our appetizer order, and after 45 minutes, we still had to inquire about our food. Considering we live two hours away, we were almost ready to pay for the appetizers and call it a night.