2 years after fire, Chili's celebrates opening of new eatery in Ross

A Ross restaurant damaged by fire more than two years ago celebrated its reopening on Monday, July 21.

Chili’s on McKnight Road was the scene of a roof fire in April 2023.

The fire was caused through an issue with a hot water tank, and it was accidental, a spokeswoman for the Allegheny County Department of Emergency Services said.

One of the first Chili’s in the Northeast when it opened in 1987, the building could not be saved following the fire, spokesman Jake Young said.

The restaurant, which opened at 11 a.m., is a new build.

“Seeing the doors reopen at McKnight Road Chili’s is a bit surreal and extremely gratifying,” said B.J. Renteria, vice president of operations. “When the fire happened, a community institution closed. The Chili’s was a mainstay for more than 35 years, and welcoming people back to a new building with all the modern touches is a special way to end a sad story and a long wait.”

Members of the nearby Berkeley Hills Fire Company were on hand for the ribbon cutting. They used the fire-damaged building for training before it was torn down.

Following the fire, the company offered employees the chance to move to other Pittsburgh-area Chili’s. Many of them took that opportunity, and a few have now returned to McKnight Road, Young said.

There are more than 1,600 Chili’s locations worldwide, with about 1,200 in the U.S.

Including Ross, Chili’s operates five locations in the Pittsburgh area. The others are at The Waterworks, Pittsburgh Mills in Frazer, Greengate Center in Greensburg and in West Mifflin.

Brinker International is its parent company.