Chulita
Mexican restaurant · Venice ·
Alta California Mexican cuisine, mezcal & tequila, vibrant Tulum-inspired vibe
Alta California Mexican cuisine, mezcal & tequila, vibrant Tulum-inspired vibe
"With its mod Mexican good looks and its Venice location not far from the beach, Chulita is primed for sunny SoCal days. Tacos are served all day at this spot where Oaxacan-style, California-influenced fare rules. Slake your thirst with a tequila or mezcal, then tuck into a starter, such as the quesadilla de calabaza, made from dark masa, filled with Oaxacan queso and garnished with pipián de calabaza. Tender barbacoa takes it up a notch. Tortillas are made in house, and tacos are always a good idea. Order the tinga de pollo, filled with juicy chicken, or go straight for the steak taco with its slight char. You'll be satiated but go for the vegan churros with dulce de leche-style dipping sauce anyway." - Michelin Inspector
"Chulita offers a range of gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, and keto dishes made with seasonal produce from Oaxacan farmers. Shireen Imani's menu includes vegan mushroom carnitas tacos and cauliflower al pastor tacos." - Michael He
"A self-described Alta-California-style Mexican restaurant with locations in Venice and West Adams, quietly slings one of the best vegetarian-friendly breakfast burritos in Los Angeles. It's packed with protein heavy-hitters: think jalapeño-pocked black beans, queso Oaxaca, and vegan chorizo or scrambled egg if you want it, as well as mix-ins like a charred onion aioli, avocado-tomatillo salsa, and pico de gallo. It's the kind of breakfast burrito that is filling but not overfilling; the kind of breakfast burrito that can see you through the last week of an interminable month (January 2025), as it did for the reviewer. The gluten-intolerant set can get it wrapped in a gluten-free tortilla for a $3 charge, making it among the very few gluten-free-friendly breakfast burritos in town." - Eater Staff
"A bright, sunny spot in Venice, Chulita has a patio and open-air dining room along Rose Ave. They serve Mexican-inspired plates like cauliflower al pastor tacos and esquites, and have a long, tequila- and mezcal-heavy cocktail list." - brett keating, james montgomery
"Chulita looks like a tiny beach bar you’d walk up to and order a margarita to numb a sunburn that’s ruining your vacation. Instead, you’re across the street from a Jeni’s Ice Cream and a whole lot of condos. The bohemian beach bum vibes are still in full effect at this Venice spot, though: booths are separated by painted cinder blocks, wicker lamps dangle over a tiled bar serving cucumber-infused margaritas, and you can cozy up against tasseled pillows that belong in a Tulum pool party that rents out hookahs. The larger dishes on the menu are skippable for the most part, but there are decent small bites that go hand-in-hand with a drink, like chunky guacamole with blue corn tostadas, charred esquites with chipotle butter, and saucy barbacoa tacos that drip down your forearms." - brant cox, sylvio martins, nikko duren
