Mexiville in Chattanooga: Build-Your-Own Mexican in St. Elmo

Mexiville is a fast-casual Mexican restaurant on St. Elmo Avenue where you order at a counter, choose proteins and toppings, and eat in a compact dining room or take food to go. It occupies the middle ground between a food truck and a sit-down restaurant: faster than table service, cheaper than most full-service establishments, and built around customization rather than a fixed menu.

What Mexiville actually is

The restaurant operates on an assembly-line model where customers order burritos, bowls, tacos, or quesadillas and specify each component. You select a protein (carnitas, carne asada, pollo asado, chorizo, or vegetarian options), then add rice, beans, salsa, cheese, lettuce, and other toppings. The kitchen prepares food while you wait, typically in under ten minutes. No table service, no reservations, no printed menu beyond what appears on the wall or a digital screen.

Menu and pricing

Burritos and bowls run $9.50 to $12.50 depending on protein choice; tacos cost $3.50 to $4.50 each, sold in orders of two or three; quesadillas are $8.50 to $11. Add-ons like guacamole, extra salsa, or queso run $1 to $2.50. Most customers spend $12 to $18 total. Prices are consistent but confirm current rates by phone before visiting, as food costs shift seasonally.

The carnitas are the strongest protein choice: slow-cooked pork shoulder with enough fat to stay tender through the assembly process. Carne asada (grilled beef) works well in tacos where the thinner cut lets you taste char. Pollo asado (marinated grilled chicken) is reliable but mild; it suits customers who prioritize volume and prefer less spice. Chorizo leans fatty and smoky, better suited to quesadillas than bowls where the grease can pool.

How it compares to other Chattanooga Mexican options

Most of Chattanooga's Mexican restaurants fall into two categories: full-service spots with table service and printed menus (like restaurants in the North Shore), and true food trucks without indoor seating. Mexiville's strength is convenience without sacrifice. A sit-down Mexican restaurant in Chattanooga will offer salsas made in-house and cocktails, but you'll wait 15 to 30 minutes for food and spend $14 to $22 on an entree. A food truck offers lower prices and sometimes superior quality, but no seating and limited menu options.

Mexiville trades menu breadth for speed. You won't find chile rellenos, mole, or house-made horchata. You will get a customized burrito in the time a server takes your order elsewhere. Choose Mexiville if you want lunch between errands or a quick dinner without assembly-line quality suffering. Choose a sit-down Mexican restaurant if you want cocktails, appetizers, or dishes that require kitchen technique beyond grilling and slow-cooking. Choose a food truck if you're willing to eat standing or in your car for sometimes superior proteins and salsas.

Who it suits and who it does not

Mexiville works best for solo diners, professionals on lunch breaks, and families with young children who need food fast and don't require a destination experience. The compact dining room (roughly 20 seats) means it clears during peak lunch hours (11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.). Groups larger than four will find seating tight and the ordering line frustrating.

It does not suit customers seeking table service, cocktails, carne en su jugo, or authentic regional Mexican cooking. It's also not ideal if you need to linger over a meal; the room is loud and high-turnover, designed for eating and leaving.

What the first visit involves

Walk in, review the menu board above the counter, decide on protein and base (burrito, bowl, or taco). Wait in line (usually 3 to 8 minutes), order, pay, move to the pickup counter. The kitchen calls your name or number in 7 to 12 minutes. Grab your food, find a seat if you're staying, or take it to go. Napkins, salsa, and hot sauce are self-service in a wall station near the register.

Hours and parking

Mexiville operates Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and is closed Sundays. Street parking is available on St. Elmo Avenue in front or directly adjacent; the neighborhood has no designated lot. Verify hours by phone before visiting, as restaurant schedules occasionally shift seasonally or for private events.

Mexiville fills a practical gap in Chattanooga's Mexican food landscape, offering customization and speed without sacrificing core ingredients.