Yes, Chuy’s restaurants were sold to Olive Garden. But not the Fort Worth family Chuy’s

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The Great Chuy’s War is over.

The little family-owned Chuy’s Restaurants in Fort Worth won.

The big, corporate Chuy’s Tex-Mex restaurant chain of Austin is no longer Texas-based. It’s been sold to the Florida company that also owns Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse.

So — if the hot sauce starts tasting like marinara ...

Just kidding. But after 30 years of explaining, “We’re not that Chuy’s,” the older Chuy’s Restaurants of Fort Worth are now the king Chuy’s of Texas.

In 1997, when the newer Austin chain known for Hatch chile festivals and Elvis Presley platters invaded North Texas, the two restaurants agreed to coexist.

If you look back in old phone listings, you’ll see the big chain restaurants listed here as “Chuy’s of Austin” alongside the little locally owned Chuy’s Restaurants.

Founded March 19, 1982, by Artemia and Jesus “Chuy” Adame as a three-table restaurant on West Central Avenue, the family-owned Chuy’s now has four locations across Fort Worth, River Oaks, Haltom City and Richland Hills.

It’s known for daily lunch specials for less than $10, fajita lunches for less than $13 and breakfasts served daily until noon.

“The customers always ask, ‘Are you the little guys or the big chain?’,” Jesse Adame said.

“We say, ‘We’re the family-owned restaurant in Fort Worth.’ “

The big, corporate Chuy’s opened later in 1982, but only by a month.

It still has plenty of appeal: a busy bar, fresh-chopped chunky salsa and a choice of 10 sauces including creamy jalapeno or green chile “boom-boom.”

The big chain’s annual New Mexico green chile festival continues through Sept. 8, although the chiles are no longer advertised as from the town of Hatch.

Let’s hope Olive Garden keeps all that, and makes the big Chuy’s comparable to its value-based Cheddar’s restaurants. The same company also owns the high-end Capital Grille, Eddie V’s and Ruth’s Chris steakhouses.

The family-owned Chuy’s Restaurants, on the other hand, are basic Tex-Mex restaurants.

Originally, the big breakfasts, burritos and low prices appealed to working-class northside families from the Adames’ native Zacatecas and other states in central Mexico.

Over the years, the family-owned Chuy’s has become a bargain Tex-Mex restaurant, with locations from Lake Country to Richland Hills serving enchilada and taco platters.

Without question, the No. 1 dish at the family-owned Chuy’s is carne guisada, the spicy beef tips many Fort Worthians first tried at an old Chuy’s location near the Stockyards.

“Our customers keep coming back,” Adame said.

“I’ve got customers who remember when their grandfather brought them here. Now they are bringing their grandchildren.”

The senior Adames are still at the flagship River Oaks location, he said.

It’s open daily for breakfast and lunch at 4441 River Oaks Blvd.

The Chuy’s at 7344 Baker Blvd. in Richland Hills is also open only through lunch.

The two largest Chuy’s are open daily for breakfast through dinner at 9120 Boat Club Road, Fort Worth, and 5115 NE 28th St., Haltom City; chuysftw.com .