With Lakeforest closing in just a couple weeks, we felt it was time to bring back an old favorite here at The MoCoShow. Our founder, Mr. MoCo (Alex T.) has previously stated that some of his fondest MoCo memories took place at Chi-Chi’s (photos of the Lakeforest location below). Growing up in Gaithersburg, he and his family would frequently go to the Lakeforest location for dinner– it was the restaurant that introduced him to fried ice cream.
Chi-Chi’s also had a Rockville location in Wintergreen Plaza that later became Broadway/Ted’s 355 Diner and is currently Habit Burger and Jersey Mike’s. Tough the restaurant chain left town approximately two decades ago, Lakeforest never replaced it (located across from the old Lakeforest Silver Diner). The vacant location was closed off, but a few years backthe window covers were temporarily removed and MoCo resident Jeff Melia was able to take a few photos through the window. Inside were the ruins of days past.
“I remember the cigarette vending machine in front of the restaurant and how the smoking and non-smoking sections were separated by a few feet. I recall feeling grown up because I ordered a (virgin) piña colada. My first taste of chips and salsa at a restaurant…how could this be free???” Alex said. Chi-Chi’s left the United States in 2004 when Outback Steakhouse purchased the 76 Chi-Chi’s properties for $42.5 million, but didn’t buy the name, operations, or recipes. They later sold to Kimco, the development company that is responsible for the recent changes in Gaithersburg’s Kentlands neighborhood. Aside from the salsa being made available in grocery stores by Hormel, you can still eat at Chi-Chi’s restaurants in Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, and The United Arab Emirates.
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