Editor’s Note: Best in Texas is a review series that showcases local shops, drinks and food to determine which is the best in the area. TRL’s Eleanor Koehn continues the series by reviewing four restaurants that serve queso.
Queso is arguably one of the most iconic Tex-Mex dips. Some restaurants succeed in taking on the challenge of the perfect queso, while others deliver subpar results. I have decided to review some of the most hyped-up queso in the DFW area and decide which one deserves the Best in Texas award.
First up is Uncle Julio’s, which operates in 11 states across the country. Admittedly, Uncle Julio’s is not my favorite Mexican restaurant. Sometimes, Uncle Julio’s food can taste as if it came out of the freezer. However, when I went to try their queso, I went with an open mind. When I was served the queso and chips, my eyes were drawn to the chips. They looked extremely fresh like they had just come out of the fryer. However, the queso was bright “Big Bird” yellow with no vegetables evident. The physical appearance matched the taste because when I tried the queso, it tasted like an exact replica of the Velveeta queso. It was extremely thick and did not taste fresh at all. I would not recommend the queso at Uncle Julio’s, but there are plenty of other places on here that I encourage you to try.
Next up on my queso journey is Chuy’s. Chuy’s is one of my favorite Tex-Mex stops because of its extensive menu; their queso did not disappoint either. It came with an addition of chili, which added to the flavor. The consistency was also just right; it wasn’t as thick as Uncle Julio’s, but it also wasn’t too thin. Overall, Chuy’s is definitely a front contender for the Best in Texas award, but I had two more queso dips to try before I could make my decision.
Next up, I decided to try out more of a fast food location that has received rave reviews for their queso blanco. Chipotle is one of my favorite restaurants around for a delicious bowl complete with enough food to last a lifetime. However, I had never gotten their queso before, so I decided to try it out. I ordered it with a side of chips, which I also am a big fan of. When I tried the queso, I immediately disliked the consistency. It tasted watery to me and lacked a lot of the flavor that was prevalent in Chuy’s queso. Chipotle is definitely not a Tex-Mex restaurant, and their queso proves that point. While I think they make a lot of their ingredients fresh and delicious, their queso is a skip for me from now on.
Lastly, I went to Torchy’s, the most hyped-up queso on this list. Their queso has hints of green chile, cotija cheese, cilantro and a touch of their famous Diablo sauce. By far, this queso had the most flavor as it was loaded with fresh ingredients. The consistency was thinner than any of the others previously mentioned, but I thought that it was delicious served with their fresh chips. Compared to the other restaurants, Torchy’s has the best queso.
