El Cholo

El Cholo was poppin' the night I stopped by, and for good reason. The food is absolutely delicious. I had the carnitas, and it was truly the best carnitas I've ever had. I also REALLY liked the chips and salsa. We had a giant group and they were easily able to accommodate our group (which was probably 15-20 people). Considering how packed the restaurant was, the food came out so quickly. The service was good and there wasn't one single error with our bazillions of orders. I was very impressed. If you're looking for some delicious carnitas, go to El Cholo.

Although this is a lovely place for happy hour, and the ambience is great! unfortunately the food quality it’s not quite what it used to be. The food prices have been steeply increased without adding an actual value to what is brought to the table. As far as quality goes, it is not up to pair up to some local Mexican eateries in the area and it certainly does not merit such high prices. One of their better dishes, beef fajitas, do not live up to expectations in both taste and portion size of it’s $28 price tag. Not to mention a $10 valet parking charge.

Some good mexican food since 1928 on Santa Monica. The ambiance is great, service is great and I had chimichanga and enchiladas which were delicious and good in quantity. Would definitely go again.

Was there with family for a b'day celebration. Everyone loved their food... and I got the surf and turf enchiladas. Although, when the restaurant manager came in to basically shove us out of our space, while we were reviewing the bill, because they had a new party who'd booked our space, we were all taken aback. We weren't informed that we had a time restraint while making the reservation! The manager was quite indifferent to our exasperation... quite disappointed about her cool and dismissive attitude!

Sat outside with our pups- service was great, attentive. Food was delicious- def a fun place to go on an afternoon. The seafood fajitas was next level.

This place is perfect for authentic Mexican food. Lovely ambience and outdoor seating. Good service, eccellente value money. .

The food and service was really good at lunch time. This is a very well and old established restaurant in LA with deep routes in the community. Fish tacos were excellent and this is a restaurant that you will not walk away from still feeling hungry.

Great Mexican restaurant to go for every occasion. We just walked in without reservation and still got a “private” booth. The waiters were super friendly and helpful. Free nachos as a starter are perfect to start your food experience. My boyfriend had the burrito and I chosen the Blue Corn Chicken Enchiladas. So delicious!!!

It's been many years since my last visit to El Cholo. It was completely out of my realm of thinking. I thank my son for recommending it for our latest family dinner. I forgot how good the food at this wonderful restaurant is. For example you can't go wrong with El Cholo's patented Green Corn Tamales. And the Chili Relleno I ordered was the best I had ever eaten. Most of the heat was cooked out of the pepper, but it retained an amazing Crunnncchh. Don't let this place pass you by. Go for it!

Came to El Cholo with a big group that's been coming here for years. We ordered the carne asada burrito, carne asada plate, and a kids bean and cheese burrito. (plus guac, margaritas, and Palomas.) My carne asada was fire and everyone else said their food was great too. Our server was awesome, and I'll definitely be back!

I went here for lunch with a friend on a Tuesday afternoon around 12. It was not busy at all and we were seating immediately - we chose outdoor seating. There is complimentary chips and salsa after being seated. I ordered the lunch special and my friend got t fish tacos. Her order came with 3 tacos, rice, beans and guacamole. I got the chile relleno and tamale and the special came with the Cesar salad. Price wise, the lunch "special" was still about $20 when the dinner price of the entree with rice and beans is only ~$22 so it doesn't seem like you are getting a deal at all since you don't get the rice and beans. The chile relleno was also a lot smaller than ones I've had at other restaurants - only seems to have half a pepper inside. The tamale and salad were good and filling. Street parking in the neighborhood or on the Main Street, we found parking easily on a weekday afternoon. There is also an option to valet your car.

Growing up, this was the spot that my mom loved, but I like others better. Things have changed. The crab taquitos are the bomb and, even better, they're on the happy hour menu. My mom comes for the tamales when is season. Pretty decent chips and salsa. Big spot, have an outdoor patio and a decent bar. Often has tennis on, which makes me happy.

I frequent El cholo. I love the Mexican mixed salad. The margaritas are fire!!!! Brian is an amazing, smart and cool waiter, ask for him. Tell him Flynn recommended him.

I always enjoy my time here! It is such a festive, fun atmosphere. The staff and guests are seemingly happy. It would be amazing to work where everyone is so dedicated to being happy. The food: I ordered the fish tacos and they were spot on. Perfectly spiced, so that my wife doesn't try to take them, but mild enough for me to enjoy. The drinks are perfectly made and I could easily be content bringing friends here often. I strongly recommend that you go here for great times, very good food , and a warm atmosphere!

Very good Tex mex type spot! Fajitas are great, love the salsa and the guac is fantastic. Almost as good as Don Antonio's so if you're a bit farther into the westside this spot is great.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the meal. I think that the prices are pretty high for the portion sizes but we did enjoy our dishes. I would return for happy hour, but I find that $30 a plate for a small portion seems to be overpriced. The margs range from 15-22 which is normal and I will say you can taste the alcohol and they give you a little tequila shooter. The patio is nice for hanging with friends and inside they have a lot of space for big parties.

We love El Cholo Santa Monica. We've been coming to El Cholo for over 50 years! Beginning with the original on Western! My favorite current dish is the Santa Barbara enchiladas with black beans. My hubby enjoys the two enchilada combo with ground beef and refried beans. This evening we had albondigas soup and Sonora Nachos with ground beef, delicious! Wendy was our server. She is always sweet and attentive. We haven't seen her in a while but she remembers we like the pralines and brought us a few after our meal. While we missed having Michael make our margaritas this evening, the new Fina Margarita with Cristalino Patron was delicious and I highly recommended having one or two!!! This place has history. It isn't trendy but authentic filled with heart and love for the community. Even the valets remember us when we come and greet us warmly. You can't put a price tag on that. That said, May I suggest a minor detail of putting tables together of equal height so one isn't an inch higher than the other? I only mention because a simple swap would eliminate this issue as the two set ups side by side in the bar area could have easily been swapped and no one would even know the tables weren't all the same height. Attention to little details speaks volumes. Still, we love this place and will continue to be supportive patrons!

I was craving Mexican food, so my friend recommended El Cholo because growing up in LA it was her Grandma's favorite restaurant. Established in 1923, El Cholo is one of the oldest Mexican restaurants in Los Angeles. The atmosphere and decor feels very cozy, family-friendly and authentic, and the portions are huge. I'd recommend their famous Green Corn Tamales with their habanero salsa, and their Burrito Dorado which is my personal favorite. El Cholo also has a large selection of margaritas, and if you ask them at the end they'll give you their homemade cookies. The cookies were out of this world and like nothing I've ever had before, I couldn't help but ask for some more to take home with me! Did I mention they also had amazing service?

This is a classic Mexican place in the heart of Santa Monica. The service is great and the food is good but leaves a little to be desired for. We had the fajitas and a few different apps. Would come back for dinner with friends!

The food and ambiance here are always top notch. Such delicious and authentic Mexican food. Excellent service. Good salsa (though not the best in LA). Their margaritas are top notch. It's always a pleasure dining here. Highly recommended!

Why is this place rated so high? The guacamole? Absolutely. The salsa? If mild is your thing, sure. The fajitas? Depends. If you seek a higher ratio of bell peppers compared to your protein, you are in heaven. The burrito? Yep it's massive, and the crunch of black beans is the star, for your dentist. I had the burrito. Can't recall the name. It's massive. I ate maybe 1/4. It comes with a lot of rice, crunchy black beans - I assume they were not meant to be al dente. Guacamole, that was in a tiny cup, your protein, sour cream and cheese - which I removed. I went shrimp for my protein replacing the chicken. They were cool with the switch. Huge plus. I guess there is a run on tiny shrimp, because at best there were nine. In the entire burrito. I know this because I used a fork and opened up this bad boy. I can't understand why the guacamole wasn't in the burrito and why it wasn't refried beans? They include a salad, though. They show the year it became part of the menu. I think it was 1967. Regardless, they are late to the game. I recommend going back in a time machine say 1824. My friend had said fajitas with chicken. She ate all the chicken, part of the refried beans and some of the veggies, but my god there was a ton of those green, yellow and red peppers left over. My guess? A new version of M&Ms - veggie version.

I haven't been there for a while, and WOW, have their prices gone up! Definitely not worth it! The $17 mezcal margaritas tasted only of sour limes and the food was just ok! Definitely better Mexican restaurants out there especially for the price!

Best tacos in OC!! Hands down. It's really crowded but overall the food is good and I love that they have options.

This place is solid old school Mexican. We were surprised by how big it was inside. It's really nice and roomy. There are lots of tables and booths. You can sit indoor or outdoor. We loved that they had a full bar. We got the albóndigas soup. I didn't get a photo, but it was very good. Spicy and warm and the meatballs were great. We also got the fajitas with chicken and mole enchiladas. Both were solid. Nothing over the top amazing, but just good. We sat at the bar, and the bartender was nice. He wasn't super attentive, but he was also busy. This place gets a solid 4.

My uncle and aunt had their Engagement Party which became their wedding here and what an AMAZING place to hold such an event! The service here is impeccable, as is the food! We all had wonderful meals and desserts & a drag queen officiated the wedding! Plus there was an all-female Mariachi band providing entertainment! On my way out I was given a nice big bottle of water for my trip home (stayed in Palm Desert that night)! Very awesome staff & ownership here!

Went there to watch the 49ers on Monday night on the way to LAX. My son moved to Manhattan a few years ago and anytime he's in town he wants to stalk up on good Mexican food. I find it amusing that some of these comments say EL Cholo isn't real Mexican food. It's literally the foundation of Mexican food in LA. First time at this location but have gone to the original location a few times. So, on to the review, not lying, got off to a little bit of a Rocky start with the server, but it smoothed out as he figured out, we weren't tourists. We started with some of their specialty Margaritas, specifically the Gran Traditional (5), LA Lemonade (5) and the La Flaca (5). They were all spot on and not a premix in sight. Appetizers: chips (5) and salsa (2) are complimentary. The house salsa is really really mild (2), ask for some habanero salsa and mix some of that in, until you get the heat level you like (5). Habanero salsa (5) straight, its awesome on its own, but only for the extreme heat fan. It also adds a nice smokey flavor as well as heat when mixed into the house. We also ordered guacamole (4), very tasty, just needed a little of the salt from our margarita rims. The STAR and must order though, are the Crab Taquitos (5), I will remember to swing in for theses on a regular basis. The Beef Taquitos (4) were great too and went well with the Crab. Entrees: A taste of History (5), Fajitas' steak and chicken (4), No.1 with chicken enchilada (4). Service: (5) started off a little rough, but as he grew more comfortable with us, he was great, we can be a little intimidating at first, I guess. Dessert: (5) don't forget to ask for the complimentary pralines, wow small but mighty. Valet: (5) Next Time: definitely the Crab Taquitos, A taste of history and try the Green corn tamales and the blue corn chicken enchiladas. We will be back of course, but there are many great Mexican places in town of all types. This one is old school Baja border Mexican food, not Yucatan or some of the other more refined regions. Although I didn't try their Mole, one of the true tests of the quality of the kitchen.

We have been going to El Cholo for as long as I can remember - 50 years maybe. It was our go-to Mexican restaurant, where we always knew we could get a delicious meal. WHAT HAPPENED? We went there for lunch yesterday and I swear, they changed the chef. The rice and beans were very skimpy. In the old days, I could never finish the portions. The rice was tasteless, the shrimp taco was a mini taco/street taco size - when did they reduce the size of the tortilla?), the beans were fine and the shrimps were tasty. My husband ordered a combo plate and he ordered the ground beef in his taco: he said it was tasteless Was it because we went there for lunch instead of dinner??? I don't know what happened. The service was excellent and our waiter was very attentive, and of course, the ambience was top notch, as usual. But I'm really bummed out with the food that was served to us; really heart-broken...

I ordered online which was simple and they got my order correct! I picked it up since I was on the go and didn't get to the full dinning experience. I think I ordered the Chilaquiles and pollo quesadilla. I will go back to try other items on the menu. I suggest you do the same.

Good food, fast service, great ambiance. I want to thank Douglas for going above and beyond to make sure our experience was great. Thank you Douglas! May you get a raise! Cheer!

El Cholo is LA's most famous Mexican restaurant has a nice ambiance and is popular in Santa Monica. Not much choice on the westside since my beloved casa Escobar Wiltshire closed down. Service is decent and the food is pretty good but average. Margaritas are decent but maybe a little weak. Food -3 Drinks-4 Service -3 Ambiance -5

Came here for a work event that hosted about 40 people. The guacamole is excellent, really couldn't get enough! I also got the cheese enchiladas which was super tasty and super cheesy! The margaritas aren't boozey, but have a slow burn and the next thing you know you're two drinks in! Overall though the star of the show are the staff!! Our wait team were just two people, a young man and woman w long red hair. They were extremely helpful, attentive, and efficient. Great service!!

This conveniently located Mexican Restaurant in Santa Monica at Wilshire and 11th is a real treat! Tim was the most helpful, fun and knowledgeable host ever! Looking forward to this excellent service and attention to detail often! The food is delicious. The indoor ambience is authentic, old world vibe and there is also patio dining. Everyone in group ordered a different combination which was generous and tasty. I especially loved the prime rib tacos, refried beans & rice and the abonigas soup with its hearty broth with Meatballs! The guacamole and chips were enjoyed by entire group! The Medori Margarita with lime slices is a definite must!

The hosts and waitresses are very kind and provide professional service at this location. Normally, over the years I have patronized El Cholo, I haven't had any complaints about the flavor of the food choices I have made. However, my recent order of the Santa Barbara enchiladas was so SALTY! After expressing my disappointment to my dinner guests, one said she has noticed some of the dishes she enjoyed in the past were salty. So, my advice would be for El Cholo management to taste and see if the cook is heavy handed on the salt. I didn't enjoy this visit.

**YeEl Cholo, the place that promises a fiesta but delivers more of a siesta. I had high hopes for a vibrant Mexican meal, but unfortunately, the overall experience was a bit lackluster--like a piñata that just won't break. Let's start with the margaritas, which were highly recommended. I'm not sure if they were trying to appeal to the sweet tooth crowd or if they mistook the concept of balance, but these drinks were like sipping on a sugary cloud. Seriously, if I wanted a sugar rush, I'd have opted for a candy bar. A little more tequila wouldn't have hurt either; I like my margaritas to have a bit of a kick, not feel like I'm drinking a dessert. As for the food, it was fine--just fine. Nothing to write home about or to share on social media, really. I've had better Mexican food at the same price point right down the street in Santa Monica. The flavors just didn't pop, and the dishes felt like they were missing that authentic flair that makes Mexican cuisine so vibrant and exciting. Overall, El Cholo didn't quite hit the mark for me. It's not that it was terrible; it just didn't stand out in a city with a plethora of fantastic Mexican options. If you're looking for a place to grab a drink and some mediocre food, it might do the trick, but I'll be heading elsewhere for my next taco fix!

El Cholo is a long standing LA spot for Mexican food. It's a fun place with something on the menu for all. Great for family gatherings and big groups. Be aware that food portions are large!

I've been going to El Cholo for over 20 yrs, and I must say that the portions have shrunken too much only in two months : the fish tacos for 24$ for tiny 3 tacos, at least the guacamole on the plate should be larger than two table spoonfuls. Service is great, the ambience, always warm and fun, but really, they can't have scanty portions at a Mexican restaurant. I'm not sure if I want to take my family there anymore...

Frequent this place due to friends who adore it and is their go to. I've finally found my favorite items at our last visit and it's the El dorado burrito and chicken chimichangas - be ready for leftovers! Their chips and salsa are always such great starters and I love the warm chips! I also love their chopped salad. Such large portions. The drinks are well spot on and tasty as well. We also love the staff that's so kind and entertaining. Atmosphere is family friendly and overall chill with great cleanliness and professionalism. Highly recommend and definitely will be back.

One of the oldest restaurants in Los Angeles! Service here is so friendly and welcoming, there's plenty of indoor as well as outdoor seating as well as valet parking and street parking. Prices are fair, portions, generous, and the food is made to order quickly. They have a large variety of their menu, there is something for everyone. We really enjoyed the food, great option. If you are looking to revisit history, I'm so glad that places like this are still around!

El Cholo is an institution. Established in 1923 it was LA's first Mexican restaurant and is still family owned. I've been to the original location in DTLA & the one in Pasadena. It was my first visit to this one. I met up with some friends here on a Sunday afternoon. The decor is charming. The dining room is large, the bar area is spacious, and the patio is cozy. Our reservation was at 3 pm, so maybe they were in between shifts because it took awhile before anyone brought over water, chips, & salsa. After that, our server was on it and food & drinks arrived quickly. The menu seemed smaller than what I remember. We started with cocktails: L.A. Lemonade $15.95 & Skinny Margaritas $15.95. The L.A. Lemonade is served straight up like a martini. The Skinny Margarita was tasty & strong. Our food order consisted of: Sonora Style Enchilada $20.95, Plato de Carnitas $21.95, Fish Tacos $22.95, & Mexican Chopped Vegetable Salad $16.95. Each dish was nicely presented and everyone enjoyed their selections. The enchilada was impressive! The Mexican Chopped Vegetable Salad consisted of romaine & kale and was loaded with roasted corn, avocado, jicama, black beans, tomatoes, cotija cheese, beets, raisins, & tortilla strips. It was a delicious feast! The fish tacos were a generous serving of 3 tacos consisting of pan seared Mahi Mahi. They were also quite tasty. Even though I don't get out to the west side very often. I would come back. The food was good & flavorful and the margaritas were on point. *Valet $9 *Metered street parking. Residential parking on Sunday only.

We've been fans of El Cholo for over 30 years, first on Western Avenue, and here in Santa Monica for the last two decades. It may seem pricey for Mexican cuisine, but El Cholo serve the best Mexican food in Los Angeles IMHO. The interior is festive, contributing to a very enjoyable dining experience. Service is always very good. Margaritas here are delicious, made with juices not mixes. My favorite is the L.A. Lemonade (5/5 $16.95). Some of my favorite dishes are the Blue Corn Chicken Enchiladas (4/5 $23.45), Plato De Carnitas (5/5 $22.95), and Cheese Enchilada and Chile Relleno Combinacione (4/5 $21.45). My "must have" dish is the Green Corn Tamales (5/5 $22.95). Sadly, it's only available May thru October). There's small parking lot. Otherwise, street parking.

My absolute favorite Mexican restaurant in LA! Been going to this location and their other ones around LA and OC for 40 years. The green corn tamales are phenomenal but only available May through October. Their other tamales and traditional Mexican entree's are also very good!! Their chicken mole' enchiladas are also, phenomenal!! Cocktails, ambience and service are always fantastic!! The small patio up front is terrific and if you're wanting a cozy seat inside near a fireplace, they have that also.

I have wanted to try El Cholo for many years but never made it there. After reading an article recently about how it is one of Kamala Harris's favorites I decided to give it try it. We were pleasantly surprised by the outdoor seating, as we went for lunch and it was a bright sunny day and we were not looking forward to sitting inside a dark restaurant. The outdoor area is small, but very cute. We were greeted and seated right away, and our waiter checked in on us frequently. The menu has quite a few options, and there was a section of lunch specials which we both ordered from. My friend ordered the chicken taquitos, and I had the combination plate consisting of a crispy chicken taco and a chili Reno, which came with a Caesar salad. The food was decent but nothing blew us away. Overall I'd stop in again for a quick lunch if I'm in the area and it's convenient, but probably wouldn't come for dinner as there are other Mexican restaurants in the area that I find to be better.

My family & friends have been loving El Cholo since they came to Santa Monica. Whether it's happy hour, lunch or dinner IT'S ALWAYS A WIN!!! The staff is so friendly and attentive.

Great location. We had a big group and we sat outside on the patio under the heat lamps. It was great. We sat for hours and we were not rushed out.

The food is horrible, food tastes like it's days old. Ordered fajitas combo , chicken, steak and shrimp. The plate also supposed to come with rice and beans. They bring my plate and allll it had was dried refried beans, NO RICE and they forgot to add the chicken and steak.

This was my first visit back in a dozen years and my expectations were high. I ordered the luncheon special with a taco, enchilada, and Caesar salad--but overall, it was average at best. The enchilada was especially disappointing: just a thin tortilla folded over a small amount of cheese and smothered in sauce. On the plus side, the ambiance was fine and service was attentive and friendly. But I won't hurry back for the food.

Have been going here for years but it's just not the same. Service is rushed, got an exasperated response to a request for a split check and then waiter still ran both checks on the same card. The kids chicken nuggets are frozen Dino nuggets. I can't believe they serve these at a restaurant and charge $12 for something you can get at Costco.

I am a big fan of El cholos, this location was slightly different. Tricky parking situation, you HAVE to valet. My sister was very pleased with her fajitas an as always the nachos are absolutely fire. I wish I ordered set of chimichangas, really woulda rocked the house. delicioso

This is a very cozy homey authentic Mexican restaurant. It feels like the Westside's version of El Compadre or El Coyote. I've been coming here for years, and it has remained constantly with food and ambience. It's pretty big with a nice dining area, outside patio, and happy hour area. It is always busy which I like though the restaurant slows down in the last hour on weeknights so if you are craving something quiet you can slide in around 8:30 and make it happen. I've tried their fajitas, tacos, and burritos and all are good, definitely recommend the spicy margaritas.

El Cholo is an LA classic! The Santa Monica location has been there over 100 years, and we live this place for special events, large groups etc. the food is very good and very generous portions. Something for everyone here, and a very festive environment!

Was there earlier this week and am getting around to posting this very well deserved review. Which one should I start with? A) ABSOLUTELY THE ***LOWEST*** QUALITY meal I've had in God knows how long. B) By far the ABSOLUTE SMALLEST PORTIONS EVER!! No exaggeration whatsoever. I would be surprised if there was even one single ounce of chicken in each taco. ***Not even joking***. The amount of chicken in each taco would not even fill up a tablespoon. Shame on you El Cholo! The beans were this gross slop of prison food mess and the rice was soooo minimal in size I was astonished. The biggest restaurant rip-off in the history of the United States of America.

Who doesn't love a nostalgic southern California restaurant? This one has history and that the food is yummy makes it much more fun to visit. Always super service here. Valet parking is the way they roll, but street parking is possible, although likely difficult to find. I like the numerous menu options - they all include the year they were first served. Can't say there's any one item that stands out. Everything is tasty and predictable, a good thing too because they've been serving quality food here for over 100 years. Slurpy yummy margaritas, crispy fresh chips and super good salsa (ask for the hotter salsa, it's muy awesome!) Mark and I manage to extend our meal almost 3 hours, it's easy because the ambience is pleasant, service is fast and friendly and the food is delicious. We've always managed to miss the Friday/Saturday dinner hours, I'm told it gets quite busy so keep that in mind if you visit. Not a huge fan of the drive to Santa Monica, but as soon as I see the original neon El Cholo sign, I quickly forget the drive and dive right into deliciousness. Salud Yelp friends!

Excellent food and service. This place is a true classic! Even when I change things up to get what I want, they manage to make it even better.

Just try their green tamales and just thank me later! Discovered this hidden gem via Yelp and absolutely love this place. Love the cozy ambiance, prompt customer service, and mouth watering food; enough said. Valet is offered but it's not that hard to find a street parking. Highly recommended this place!

The food aren't good. Taste less than I expected. The service was ok.. Restaurant looks like an old style traditional Mexican... But I won't come back because food aren't my taste .. Not recommend..

Love el cholo always try to go if I'm nearby for concert work etc the food is delicious always! Eating out is expensive everywhere so at least want it to be great food! Enchiladas and tacos and tamales are delicious! only comment is no one checks on refilling ice tea and water! but I've never had a bad meal at fl chollo love it!!!

These were the best Fajitas I've ever had. The small strips of meat were perfectly tender and flavorful. I've never had them with corn and carrots . Oh me oh my the Margaritas are A1 perfect perfection. The tortilla chips were deliciously hot and crispy I didn't love the service. I requested more salsa but it never came. I ordered a tamale that was also never delivered. I didn't feel welcomed by the server nor the waiter, but the Hostess was exceptionally welcoming. The ambiance was special, it seemed very authentic and historic. I wished music played inside the eating area. I heard it in the restroom which was large, nice and very clean with ample supplies.