Recommends

samuels sami

Joined 2 years ago

Awesome Food. Our food came out on time and was prepared just right. I would recommend this place to a hungry person the portions are huge! Service as ok but the food made up for it! I

Doesn't Recommend

logjammers99

Joined 3 years ago

It'll do.... You know what you're getting when you visit El Cholo. Unauthentic food and ambiance, waiters that want to be elsewhere, and so-so margaritas. That said, Mexican food in general in Santa Monica is awful, and El Cholo is actually better than most.

Doesn't Recommend

FoodLuvr1

Joined 3 years ago

American Styled Mexican Food. The restaurant is very nice to dine in, which is kind of unusual for Mexican food in LA. But the waitress kept trying to get us to purchase more food and suggesting drinks, guacamole, dessert, etc to increase the bill instead of providing better service. I had to ask for water several times and the restaurant wasn't even 1/4th full. It's loud, so I have a friend that always brings her kids, and the food is just so-so. If you like real authentic mexican food, don't bother. This last time I was with a bunch of elderly women so the constant push for margaritas was kind of odd.

Doesn't Recommend

turkeydan

Joined 5 years ago

SMELLY. Uncomforting comfort food cooked with no love, served in a smelly dining room by waitresses with ridiculous costumes. Regulars to this place must be easy to please.

Recommends

Artex

Joined 4 years ago

Best Mexican in LA/Santa Monica. I'm a huge mexican food fan and have tried almost all mexican restaurants in la & santa monica. This is by far my favorite spot. Great margaritas (and variety), great food (my fave is the fajitas) and love the down to earth & traditional atmosphere.

Also, cheap valet ...but it does get full fast ...

Recommends

CynMcKeever

Joined 5 years ago

Love the salsa!. This place is my home away from home. Great food, great service and great cocktails.

I love sitting outside on their small patio and in their huge bar lounge area. Great for a fun date or bring the whole family. Mixed crowd. MUST try their fresh lime margaritas.

All natural and better calories for you.

Recommends

BBM4567

Joined 5 years ago

The most amazing tamales I've ever had. I have always heard about this place, but have never went. I am glad I did. They had the best tamales I've ever had. Unfortunately they only had them May-October, so now I have to wait six months to try them again. The other food was delicious as well, try the enchiladas. The margaritas had no tequila though.

Recommends

jenheidir

Joined 5 years ago

One of my favorite, Mexican restaurants. In a city filled with Mexican restaurants, this is one of the best in my opinion. Their margaritas are thick and flavorful. The guacamole tastes tantalizingly fresh, which is good since the wait staff makes sure to keeping filling up your tortilla chip basket. The meat and shrimp for the fajitas has never come overcooked for me, and the enchiladas are deliciously creamy. Make sure you bring a big appetite as the portion sizes here are huge. The inside of the restaurant decorated to look like Mexican kitchen is a festive place to eat, though sometimes noisy. The outdoor patio on a warm night, which is sectioned off from the roadway, is perhaps the more intimate area of the restaurant to dine. Prices are average for what you pay at a higher-end, sit-down Mexican restaurant around L.A.-area. El Cholo fills up fast, so be sure to make a reservation.

Doesn't Recommend

kumarik

Joined 5 years ago

El Cholo = El Terrible!. I went with a friend for the first time and didn't have a good experience. Ordered salad in a tostada shell and sent it back because it was so greasy. Ordered chicken enchiladas instead because I thought it was a safe choice. Not the case. Food was extremely salty, and slathered in cheese and sour cream. By that time I was starving so I ate most of it. Really seemed like they use prepackaged frozen foods and ingredients. So overpriced! I prefer Taco Bell to El Cholo.

To their credit, the salsa was decent. The service was decent as well.

That night, I also ordered a plate of enchilada suizas to go for my boyfriend. Didn't say anything about my experience with the food in case he liked it. It turns out he didn't like his food either. Same reasons: salty, cheap ingredients, soaked in grease. Neither one of us would recommend El Cholo.

Doesn't Recommend

elguapo1

Joined 5 years ago

never again!. awfulk service! I came down here on a saturday night and damn....just plain awful. I had the enchiladas and my friend had the steak fajitas. Lets say Pepto is a must after dinner. I had to flag down our witress servral times andi guess they dont give refills cause I sure didnt on either my cke or water......awful place.....