Chilte

Chilte is a neighborhood spot for community, friendship, a unique cocktail or drink, and a creative bite. I’ve dined at Chilte multiple times now, and every time there’s something new to try — my favorite kind of dining experience! There are always menu staples that are on my “must order” list, but the rotating specials always introduce me to something I could have never imagined. What’s on my go to list? The sweet plantain, the mole de la casa, and the santa quesadilla. Pro tip — Always ask for an extra side of salsa macha 🔥 Chef LT and his incredible team bring so much personality, creativity, and community to this corner of the Valley. Chef focuses on his heritage, celebrating diversity, unique flavors, and local purveyors whenever possible. Their beverage leadership team makes some of the best cocktails, mocktails, and source incredible quality wines and liquors! By the way, don’t skip the dessert. Chef got his beginnings in pastry, and makes a killer sweet bite. If there’s a semifredo on the menu, you have to order!

Totally blown away by the food here! We were so excited to try Chilte, and it did not disappoint! From the yucca frites, to the hoja santa quesadilla, to the Jamaica birria, to the final bite of cheesecake—DELICIOUS. Our server was so lovely! She knew the menu incredibly well, made great recommendations and even took the time to offer substitutions as available for my husband who is dairy-free. She was so intentional with his order and genuinely cared that we enjoyed our meal. Super cozy and fun atmosphere and well worth it for our birthday dinner! The aioli on those frites was to die for!

We tried several dishes at Chilte — the Quesa Birria Tacos and Santa Quesadilla were definitely the highlights, and the Sweet Plantains were also really good. The Mole de la Casa was okay, but after having mole in Oaxaca and CDMX, it’s hard for us to be impressed. That said, most people who haven’t had mole will probably really enjoy it. The flautas themselves were quite hard and overly crunchy — even difficult to cut with a knife. The Carne Apache was interesting but not something we’d order again. On a positive note, the Poblanita Margarita with mezcal was outstanding — one of the best margaritas we’ve ever had. The overall atmosphere was a bit chaotic — it was loud inside, and there was a club-style event outside the restaurant with people leaning against the glass right next to us while we were eating, which was a bit uncomfortable. We had high hopes for Chilte after finding Bacanora underwhelming, and while this was a bit better, it still didn’t quite live up to the hype.

We went to Chilte for their Valentine’s Day prix fixe dinner and left extremely disappointed. For a restaurant described as “cuisine that blends traditional roots with creative, experimental ingredients” we failed to find anything creative or experimental about the menu. The prix fixe menu wasn’t released until very close to Valentine’s Day, so we booked without knowing what would be served. The evening was promoted as a steakhouse-style experience, yet the main course was a BURGER. With a bill close to $400, the food and service did not justify the cost AT ALL. Some of the biggest issues: * The shrimp course had an unpleasant, squishy texture and zero flavor. * The chile relleno was unbelievably salty and just not enjoyable. * The menu felt disjointed and lacked cohesion, and nothing stood out. Everything lacked flavor. * Plates arrived dirty, which shows an extreme lack of attention to detail. * Our water glasses were never refilled at any point during the meal. * No fresh plates or cutlery were offered between courses. * We stepped away briefly and came back to find our food cleared and discarded, despite asking that it not be removed. * Service from both the host and servers felt extremely inattentive and borderline rude. A mandatory 25% gratuity is just ridiculous given the extreme lack of hospitality. We noted a very common food allergy when booking, but staff seemed unprepared and scrambled to address it once we arrived. We make a real effort to support local, small businesses because they are such an important part of the Phoenix community. Experiences like this make that support feel taken for granted rather than earned. The consumer’s experience is clearly not valued nor kept top of mind at Chilte. There are far better dining options in Phoenix at this price point.

Okay, breakdown: The small bites are truly small bites. If you have a party of 4 or more, get 2 of each appetizer you order. The birria tacos are AMAZING. Omg. You have to order it. I did the flour tacos with beef birria. 10/10. The atmosphere is very modern and unique, with a blend of club-mexican.