Chi-Chi’s revival begins in Minnesota after 20-plus years since restaurant chain closed

After more than two decades of being away from the dining scene, Chi-Chi’s is making its long-awaited comeback. 

Chi-Chi’s Mexican restaurant will celebrate the grand opening of its flagship location on Monday, Oct. 6, in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, just west of Minneapolis, Fox News Digital has learned.

The revival is fueled by nostalgia, faith and a hunger for both classic and modern Mexican dishes.

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Michael McDermott, founder of the new Chi-Chi’s and son of one of the original chain’s co-founders, said the brand’s rebirth is about honoring its legacy while keeping pace with how American tastes have evolved since 2004.

“If you look back at when Chi-Chi’s first started in the Midwest and East Coast, it was the first time for most people to ever have Mexican food,” McDermott told Fox News Digital. 

The flagship Chi-Chi’s Mexican restaurant outside of Minneapolis is the first to open in more than two decades. (Michael McDermott)

“So, we understand that the consumer’s been educated, so we want to make sure the menu reflects that as well with certain items – not just the Chi-Chi’s items, but items that Chi-Chi’s has never had.”

Chi-Chi’s will still stay true to the food that fans remember.

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“We have all the original recipes, so we’re bringing back a number of those – the chimichanga, the deep-fried ice cream, the seafood enchiladas, the enchilada sauce. There were some really just great recipes that Chi-Chi’s had.”

McDermott, who founded Kona Grill and Rojo Mexican Grill before turning his attention to Chi-Chi’s last year, said the decision to revive the brand was a message from above.

“I’m a big believer in prayer meditation,” McDermott said. 

Michael McDermott is shown from inside the revived Chi-Chi’s restaurant in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, as he speaks to Fox News Digital. (Fox News Digital)

“I literally got down on my knees one morning. I said, ‘God, I don’t know what to do. I know something needs to be done here, but if you can just kind of put a thought in my head’ — and I sat down, and I did my meditation, and it popped in my head to do Chi-Chi’s. I had never thought about doing Chi-Chi’s prior to that.”

With his father’s blessing, McDermott secured the naming rights from Hormel Foods, which owns the Chi-Chi’s trademark.

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McDermott said Chi-Chi’s carved out a unique place in American dining because it introduced Mexican food to millions of people and created lasting memories along the way.

“It was a great experience,” McDermott said. “The food was great. The atmosphere was lively. [There] was the Mexican music in the background. People celebrated their birthdays there. I can’t tell you how many handwritten letters I’ve received from people [who] said, ‘That’s where I met my wife.’ ‘That was my first job.’ ‘That got me through college.'”

The last Chi-Chi’s Mexican restaurant closed in 2004. (Tolbert Photo/Alamy)

He admitted that upholding the legacy of Chi-Chi’s has “been the biggest challenge.”

“I just didn’t realize the impact it had on people,” McDermott said. 

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“That’s probably the hardest part of bringing this concept back — making sure that we incorporate the success that Chi-Chi’s had with something that is new and relevant for today’s customer.”

At the Chi-Chi’s restaurant chain, people often celebrated birthdays and relationships. (Gene J. Puskar/AP Photo)

McDermott said the expansion plan will likely “follow the same path that Chi-Chi’s did with focusing on the Midwest and East Coast” – much like it did during its heyday.

“I’ve had a number of people reach out to me already,” McDermott said, from real estate developers to potential franchisees.

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“So, I think there is an opportunity there but, obviously, we’ve got to make sure this one works.”