I think we can all agree that 2016 is a year that should never be looked back upon. Everyone had high hopes for 2017, but honestly, those first few weeks in January weren’t much of an improvement (looking at you, Mr. Trump).
However, the good people of Cho’s Nachos & Beer are here to help. As Charlottesville’s (and probably the world’s?) first nacho-focused restaurant, 2017 truly is a great time to be alive.
The Concept
The ingenious idea of a nacho bar is the brainchild of Boylan Heights owner and self-proclaimed “nacho snob” J.R. Hadley. He says that one of his favorite things to do with his friends is rank the quality of the nachos whenever they’re out at a restaurant or bar. Based on the amount of nachos it sounds like this guy has tried, you know these are gonna be epic.
I was eager to see if Cho’s would live up to the hype, so I took three of my friends to check it out. We arrived very hungry, which was a good decision on our part since we ended up ordering three different nacho platters, plus dessert. While the service was a bit slow, we wrote it off as kinks that were still being sorted out due to their very recent opening.
The Cho’s
Some advice: be sure to go with a group, because you’re never going to be able to settle on just one plate of nachos. We tried the buffalo chicken nachos—tortilla chips topped with fried chicken, buffalo sauce, white cheddar beer cheese, and bleu cheese dressing—and the “Lucky Cho’s” waffle fry nachos, topped with bacon, white cheddar beer cheese (Cho’s signature sauce), and horseradish cream.
However, the highlight had to be the poke nachos—yes, you read that correctly. Fried wonton chips, topped with sushi-grade tuna, avocado, jalapeños, wasabi, and sriracha aiolis… I could have eaten the whole (ginormous) plate by myself. These were also less heavy than the other two nachos we tried. By that I mean you could probably eat a plate of these without inducing a food coma.
Despite all of this, we still had room for dessert. What can I say, eating is one of our more marketable skills. There are two options for dessert, and we went with the s’more nachos, because, duh. And let me tell you, they are worth every calorie. Order them. Praise them. Insta them (you know you want to).
The Perks
The other great thing about Cho’s, besides the insane nacho creations, is the price. My friends and I split the check four ways and each ended up paying just over $10 for four dishes. Granted, we didn’t order drinks, but even with a drink or two, it’s still a reasonable price for a ton of food.
If you’re not a fan of nachos (is that even possible?), or you’re in the mood for some lighter, less artery-clogging fare, don’t feel excluded. Cho’s also serves up wings, salads and sandwiches.
You can also feel good about eating at Cho’s from an environmental perspective—much of their beer and meat is locally sourced, and they use bread products from nearby MarieBette and Breadworks. It’s also right next door to Three Notch’d Brewing Co., making it an ideal spot for beer enthusiasts.
In short, there are countless reasons to eat at Cho’s—a big game, celebration, or even just a casual meal—so get there ASAP to experience a world of nachos you never knew existed. It’s cheap, quality food with enough choices to please everyone, so there’s really no excuse not to try it.