El Cholo Restaurant
Los Angeles, CA 90006
Phone: (323) 734-2773
Fax: (323) 734-0276
- Price:
- $$
- Cross Street:
- West 11th Street
- Best of Citysearch:
- Margarita 2004
- Hours:
- Mon-Sat 11am-10pm, Sun 11am-9pm
Message from El Cholo Restaurant
Voted Best Margaritas in LA by Citysearch Editors & Audience!
- Delivery/Take Out
- Full bar
- An LA tradition
Paid advertisement by El Cholo Restaurant.
Editorial Review for El Cholo Restaurant – by Lesley Balla
The Scene
Low ceilings and exposed wood beams crown this venerable family-owned restaurant, with vintage photos of L.A. and memorabilia lining the colorful walls. High-back booths fill the dining rooms, and comfy sofas are strewn throughout the spacious bar. Gas-lit fireplaces add cozy ambiance while servers in traditional Mexican garb treat devoted customers like family.
The Food
This Mexican fare has changed little since 1927. To start, a bowl brimming of freshly made guacamole is best with the obligatory warm chips. On the lighter side, the tostadita features a mound of shredded lettuce, black beans, fresh peas, avocado and tender, grilled chicken pouring out of a crispy flour shell. Otherwise, food is hearty and heavy: Bacon adds smoky flavor to grilled sirloin tacos, and chicken-filled blue corn enchiladas are doused in thick tomatillo sauce. The Taste of History combo tours house favorites like cheese enchiladas with slightly spicy red sauce and the ultra-puffy chili relleno.
Editorial content is independent of paid advertisers. Any expenses are paid for by Citysearch.
Insider Tips
ParkingValet is free, Monday through Friday, from 11am to 3pm, and costs only $3 any other time.
What to DrinkThe margaritas are famous, but the L.A. Lemonade is a deliciously tart concoction made with three kinds of tequila and Cointreau.
DeliveryYou can get food delivered by calling L.A. Bite at (310) 441-2483, but you'll pay a delivery fee. For takeout, call the restaurant to order.
User Reviews for El Cholo Restaurant
05/22/2008 Posted by foodie114
I'm not a huge fan of Mexican food, but I enjoyed my trip to El Cholo. The restaurant is homey and comfortable. The tables are private and the restaurant is very well decorated. The food was really good and our waitress was very nice!
Pros: Food, decor, service
05/01/2008 Posted by MXC
Okay, I've read some of the reviews here -- several made me angry -- so I'm throwing in my '2 cents': I have to laugh at people who trash El Cholo after apparently just one visit. This means that they completely discount the place based on one item on the menu that they hated. Now, I've been going to El Cholo restaurants for years at several locations: Santa Monica, L.A., Whittier, and one or two that no longer exists -- one being The South of Santa Fe down in Orange County somewhere, which was part of the El Cholo famly chain and pretty much served the same menu. I've sampled a variety of items on their menu -- very consistent in taste from location to location -- and some are fantastic and others are so-so. In other words, it's like every other restaurant that ever served up a meal. Sure, if you're from Mexico, I doubt very much that the food will remind you of your homeland, and you can probably buy a more accurate representation of a taco or burrito from your local taco truck, but I really don't think that is what El Cholo is all about. It's good to great food with a Anglo/Mex theme. Nice decor with friendly people working there, a great cantina with great drinks and fair prices that won't break you at the bank. The only criticism that I have to offer is that their margaritas are not as good as they once were -- which makes me believe that they might be cutting corners where the actual alcoholic content is concerned. Still good, but they were once the best; no more. They also used to have a 'bottomless margarita Sunday brunch' which was absolutely amazing. A ton of food -- all you can eat including huge shrimp -- and as much margarita that you could stagger away with; all for about $11.95 ! Those days are gone forever, unfortunately.
Pros: Good food, good drinks, location, service, parking
Cons: Cantina can be crowded and noisy at times
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