Very happy to have discovered yet another hidden Mexican restaurant in London. This restaurant's right in the middle of Camden market - so the area's a little crazy but overall it's a good spot to tuck away from the madness. You can book ahead for a table or just walk in normally (I would highly recommend only going in small groups as the restaurant is small). There's an expansive tequila and mezcal menu, and you can order pitchers as well. Cafe Chula serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The nachos are delish (not those disproportional nachos with a pile of chips and just a handful of toppings). We ordered the short rib and pork shoulder tacos, which weren't toooo filling and absolutely mouth-watering. Love this restaurant and would recommend it to anyone visiting Camden! read more

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I love this little place. Great menu and excellent cocktails. One of the more authentic Mexican places in London and the only spot I'd actually eat in at Camden market. The main issue is struggled with was the loose being constantly busy with market shoppers but it's a minor issue. read more

Cafe Chula - Mexican gin and tonic.. - Mexican Near Me - London, XGL

Went here today for brunch with my husband and had some of the best Mexican food we've had outside of Mexico and S. California. I am kicking myself for not trying this place sooner! 2 years I've been in London, and have I been missing out. This small cantina is tucked along the canal by the locks and when I had first seen it, I dismissed it as probably being one of the many ethnic fast food type places scattered around the stables area. Wow, was I wrong... We ordered a couple Micheladas to kick things off which I'd describe as a beer bloody mary/margarita. It's made with Mexican beer (Pacifico in this case), lime juice, tomato juice, hot sauce and served in a salt rimed mason jar. This drink really helped to perk me up! For brunch, we ordered Chilaquiles Verdes with a fried egg and Huevos with Choritzo. The eggs & sausage were served with a side of tasty beans and corn tortillas (Ya for real corn tortillas!) and reminded me of the many breakfasts we've had sitting by the beach in Mexico. But the chilaquiles tipped the scale as the favorite - it was the perfect combination of lightly fried tortilla chips, green verde sauce and chicken with crema, queso and a fried egg on top to put it over the top. Although we were pretty stuffed at this point, we couldn't pass up trying the cake of the day which was a tres leches which was delicioso! Can't wait to go back to try their lunch/dinner menus, especially to taste their tacos. Thinking it might be a taco Tuesday for dinner this week :) read more

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When arriving at the restaurant, we had to find the host ourselves, there were lots of staff milling around but nobody came to seat us. Eventually someone came to help and they were very friendly, explaining the different items on the menu to us. We weren't waiting long for our food to come out, which was lucky as we'd worked up quite an appetite walking along the nearby Regent's Canal. I ordered the pork quesadilla and my fellow diner had the flautas and some chips and guacamole. I found the food to be quite tasteless and bland, there wasn't much flavor to the meat, I could really only taste the cheese. For the flautas, my friend didn't think she could taste much chicken in the dish, but still enjoyed it. I probably wouldn't return, especially as there are so many good alternatives in Camden market, but on a hot day it was nice to have a rest and a break from the heat. read more

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Good Mexican food but I've had much better at Taqueria in Notting Hill. FYI the online menu is not the most up to date which is disappointing and deceiving to customers. We went here last Friday night. We started with drinks- I got the Paloma (which also includes a neat, yummy grapefruit wedge filled with mezcal jelly, not cited on the menu)- and my husband got the Malbec (also not cited on the online menu). My Paloma was lovely- the grapefruit and tequila work well together. The Malbec was pretty terrible- and I've never had a bad Malbec! The gerwurtztraminer listed on the online menu (and what I really wanted) is also no longer. I got the rajas con queso and my husband got the carne asada tacos. Note you no longer get three tacos as the online menu says but now two large soft corn tacos (very good) for 9 quid versus 8.50 for three tacos. I thought mine was very good: the queso and stewed green peppers tasted well together. There was a heft pretty amount on each taco. The tacos held up well (no sogginess). My husband though said he has had much better carne asada elsewhere. For dessert, he got the Mexican coffee and the churros. I don't think the coffee was what he expected. The churros were fine: covered with a dulce de leche sauce and served with a small pot of hot chocolate. I expected them to be dusted with cinnamon sugar, but alas, it was not to be. read more

This may be the first time I've encountered an actual brunch menu in all of London. And, lucky me, it's in a Mexican café, where huevos rancheros are featured, Cholula is on the table and horchata is on the specials cocktail board. I think I'm in love. I've only stopped in a few times for mid-day mimosas while perusing Camden Market, but this brunch menu looks seriously legit. Service is decent, considering they are always packed full in this cramped little café. Mimosas and bloodys will run you £4 (not bad). A casual, street-style food stop vibe, with laid back (and young and hipster) bar keeps and RHCP on the speakers. Décor is just the right mix of hole-in-the-wall Sonoran Mexican restaurant and modern-cool Camden coffee shop. This place made me miss my Arizona so. It will be hard to meander past the food stalls promising all sort of regional delights literally on their front door step, but I'm willing to make the trek from Croydon to bet that it'll be worth it. Tip: If you love Cholula, don't fall for the £3.95 price tag at the register where they sell it, you can find it (with some diligence) in Tesco and Waitrose for £2. read more

Today is only 3 stars. I would have ordered dinner but service today was missing. I ordered chips with guacamole and salsa but the salsa was not chunky, closer to a sauce. I saw one of female staff playing with her hair where food sits and that was one reason I decided not to order more. Plus I could have used a napkin! read more

Cafe Chula - Best Mexican food I have found in London. - Mexican Near Me - London, XGL

Came in solo during my last London visit and heard about this place in passing. I was so happy that I actually found it through the madness that is Camden town. When I arrived it wasn't so crowded and I felt so relieved. I sat down excited to enjoy a nice break from the heat and to have a quick snack. That feeling was short lived when I realized that besides being the only person inside the restaurant, the waitress was choosing to spend 20minutes cleaning up rather than taking my order or asking me if I wanted water. I ended up being serviced after two other groups who came in AFTER me. It's London so I was not expecting to me impressed with the tacos and I wasn't. I'm left feeling meh about it all and obviously I will spend my time more wisely on my next visit to the UK. read more

Excellent hidden gem along the canal. Staff was incredible. Food was delicious. Atmosphere was inviting. Price was great. I highly recommend stopping by for a margarita and tacos! You will be glad you did. read more

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I ate lunch there on a Saturday afternoon with two friends and I can't say that I was as impressed as other reviewers. The restaurant is pretty small, with only about 10 tables inside and a couple tables outside. In theory, this means that the staff should never be overwhelmed because it's mathematically impossible. Welp either my arithmetic is incorrect or this staff has another excuse for the unbelievably slow service. My friend continually called our waiter over to ask about our meal and drinks. Once our food finally arrived, we even had to grab our own silverware. Because of the poor service, we opted not to pay the optional 12.5% service charge. The food, on the other hand, was delightful! I ordered the fish tacos, which came with spicy chipotle mayo, avocado, tomatoes, onion, and tons of vibrant purple cabbage. If there's one thing the Brits mastered, it's crispy yet juicy fried fish... and this filet did not disappoint. Together, the components of the dish created a fresh, balanced, and filling meal. Though this entree only comes with two tacos, the serving size is much larger than the other taco entrees that come with three. My friends ordered the carnita tacos and breakfast burrito, and they both enjoyed their meals. Oh, another reason why I gave this place only three stars: none of the waitstaff told us about the lunch special! Terrible marketing on their part. I would revisit Cafe Chula, but with much lower expectations. read more

Cafe Chula - Crispy fish tacos - Mexican Near Me - London, XGL

This place is not very welcoming The lady that look after us was rude! The food substandard the worse nachos I've ever had! And way too much cilantro on everything but if you love cilantro this place will be heaven to you! read more

Very nice restaurant in the middle of the market. Super service, great drinks and even though it is a relatively small menu is has a fine selection. Would definitely recommend the place for a lunch with friends. read more

Cafe Chula - Mexican Near Me - London, XGL

This place was cute and had seating both indoor and outdoor that looked really nice. We ordered the Carne Asada tacos which appeared to be really authentic. Sure, that sounds weird but I don't TOTALLY know Mexican food- I'm from Texas- we like our Tex Mex. Whatever, anyway, I've had proper Mexican Tacos and these were done very well. Totes adorable and delicious too! I shared them with my husband because we just wanted to try them out. They were very good and although the tortillas are small there was a lot of meat in them. :) We'd come again. read more

Cafe Chula - Lose up of steak tacos- delicious - Mexican Near Me - London, XGL

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I was craving Mexican. Being from California though I was afraid of the disappointments I'd find in London. A friend swore on this new place. I'm seriously impressed. You cannot find better Mexican in California. Amazing traditional tacos and margaritas. They even have horchada! After having the classic margarita and deciding it was very good, I had one of their more creative margaritas with tamarind--because I love the tamarind drink you find in MX restaurants back home--it's now my favorite! I know I won't find that one when I go back to the states. Top notch tequila. I can't drink the cheap stuff, it makes me sick. And good is just so much better! (I can vouch for the authenticity here. A nice American girl runs it and a lot of Mexicans work at this cafe too I've noticed--in the kitchen and behind the bar--they must be keeping this place grounded). I have now been back to Chula a number of times and have had almost all the tacos they offer. The carnitas (pork) with pineapple and habanero salsa tacos and both of the fish tacos are my favorites. Good brunch too--get the chilaquiles. It is an intimate place with good, attentive but casual service and my bill matched the cafe style atmosphere. This place is my home away from home. read more

Why are you looking for Mexican food in London? If you are try one of the vendors outside the doors of this place. Much better. Service was heinous. The meal was a 23 pound mistake that ended up going into the trash. read more

On my never ending quest to find good Mexican in London, I ended up at Cafe Chula. Once we found it (it's a bit hidden away), we were shown our seats since I made a booking. Bookings are highly recommended given how small the place is. It gets quite crowded in there as well, so just be prepared. So there are things that I really liked about Cafe Chula, and things I thought could have been better. I tried all four of their special margaritas. And they were all tasty, with my favorite being the Cucumber and Jalapeno (which was way spicier than the grapefruit and Habenero for some reason) followed by the tamarind. They also brought a giant pitcher of ice water to our table. Win! The food is kind of hit or miss though. We ordered the chips, salsa and guacamole and I wasn't impressed with either the guac or the salsa. It needed something (chili). We also had the chips with refried beans and cheese. Well the beans were stewed pinto beans, definitely not refried. And kind of bland. We spiced it up a bit with the chipotle sauce on the side. One of my friends ordered the ceviche, and it was full of flavor and actually really good. For mains, I went with the tacos. They're quite small, so just be prepared. However, the pork was really well cooked and flavored well. The fish tacos looked amazing (may be the next ones I order) and were much larger than the other tacos. The flank steak came out and looked and tasted fantastic. The marinade is just spot-on. However the menu claimed it was served with lentils with pineapple and plantains. Instead it was served with rather bland rice and stewed pinto beans. Apparently the menu has "changed" but they haven't printed up new menus. Basically three stars for the food, but five for the drinks. They good be some of the best margaritas I've had in London. So I may be back. It seems from reviews that brunch is the time to come, so that will probably be when it happens (if it does). I'm not sure if it was good enough for me to want to trek out to Camden often, but it's definitely better than most Mexican places in London (although really not as good as a few others I've been to). read more

The food here is unbelievable. Best Mexican food in London by far. Fish taco are incredible and the place will make a real chevelas. The service on the other hand is horrendous. Couldn't be slower. I've been there 4-times and all 4-times, it took ages to even get drink orders in let alone even get the drinks. I'd love to go back, but the service being what it is makes it tough. read more

Finally a good Mexican restaurant in London! I have been searching since I moved here from the states 1 1/2 years ago, and FINALLY, we stumbled upon this little canal-side gem. Now, I should preface to say that I grew up among excellent Mexican food in California so I come with many opinions and high standards to be met. They met all my expectations and I couldn't have been happier. The service is fantastic, the carne asada burrito was super flavorful and yummy, and the chicken tacos that my partner order we equally superb. We're already planning on coming back and bringing friends. Highly recommended! read more

Dropped by for a shot of tequila (ejuela) and a pastry... Great personality, and the staff was so friendly. Also - what an amazing selection of tequila! The pastry was high quality and I wish we would've visited this sooner in our trip because we would've come back! read more

The perro's bollocks! I went to Cafe Chula last night for Mexican Independence Day (which is NOT a Latino remake of a well known disaster film) and had a hoot. The food is excellent and they have cracking bar that serves cocktails, beers and what seemed like good quality tequila - although I'm no expert on that front. I met the chef and he was actually Mexican, which to me is a good sign and gives Chula a leg up over the plethora of photofit chains that litter London's streets these days! read more

So far this is the only place in London that I found that has authentic Mexican food with the proper spices and no added weirdness. Well ok they wanted to put mayonnaise on it but being the Mexican I am, I knew better. So tasty. And they have Valentina! No Tapatio but they're basically the same. So glad I smelled their awesome food and came in! read more

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Last night we had the 'flight' menu, 3 assorted taco's & and 3 artisan tequila's for 18£. The food was light and lovely, the tequila smooth and seductive. Highly recommended - fun, great service and learnt more about good tequila production in 10 minutes than the past ten years - apparently stone mills play a part - who knew! Well worth a visit if in the area. Looks like they do a good margarita, and they do a good selection of beer, Pacifica, modelo etc. read more

Easily missed within the bustle of Camden Lock, the unassuming Cafe Chula is a brick and mortar alternative to the numerous food stalls that comprise the center portion of one of London's most boisterous markets. Take a seat on the patio and order the signature jalapeno and cucumber margaritas where an intoxicating blend of spicy and soothing notes serve as the perfect complement to a vigorous tequila kick. After taking in a pitcher of this delightful elixir, you will assuredly be able to navigate the maze of Camden shopping opportunities for hours. read more

Typical London spring day - rain, snow and wind. Stopped into Chula - great vibe, friendly staff and food was good ! Nice margaritas- on the smaller side but well mixed. Had the Quesadillas - nicely cooked and tasty. A good spot - will be back read more

The Mexican coffee was nice and the food was decent. The service was abysmal. We ordered two breakfast burritos and was told we'd have them in 10 minutes. After 30 minutes I followed up with the waitress who seemed to have no recollection of the order, despite me watching her write in her note pad. She took the order again but helpfully suggested we'd ordered it with ham (we're vegetarian). After another 30 minutes I chased again with a different waitress, who was much better. She followed up, apologised, explained to us that the order was never sent through to the kitchen either time, and offered to comp our coffee if we could wait another 10 minutes for the food. Food arrived promptly and I asked waitress #1 for tap water to have with the meal. Even this was apparently too much to ask as the water never arrived. However, she did try to bring us other food that we hadn't ordered twice in the 5 minutes it took us to eat. Conceding defeat, we asked for the bill, which then took another 15 minutes and another follow up to arrive. read more

Waited an hour for some eggs which they didn't start cooking until about 50 mins after we ordered. The restaurant wasn't even busy. Would've got about a 2-3 stars if the eggs were actually any good. They weren't. Would recommend going to the KFC around the corner for a quicker, better meal. read more

I'll start this review by stating as a native Californian I have very high standards for Mexican food. That said- I wasn't overly impressed by the quality of food here. The interior decoration drew me in to try the food. I came here for lunch with a friend. The restaurant itself is quite small inside but tables are spacious. For our starter we shared the tortilla chips and guacamole- which was quite good. The chips were pretty authentic. For my main I ordered the "de rejas con queso"- this is where my review drops. The topping which was cheese, corn, and green peppers tasted like the filling was from a tube and very greasy. It was not appetizing to eat. The tacos themselves were quite tiny- it comes with 3 small tacos for £8.50 which is pricey for the portion. My friend ordered the chicken quesadilla and felt the tortilla was burned and very dry. The flavours were not traditional Mexican. The staff were friendly and welcoming but I was not impressed by the food. I can see this place being more fun for drinks as is in a nice location next to Camden lock. They have a patio outside which looks like it could be a nice place for drinks during the summer. read more

We stumbled upon this place after doing a boat cruise. This was one of the best Mexican food meals any of us had ever had. Great margaritas and beer. Tacos were all excellent and the service was friendly. read more

This was our first visit to Camden as part of a weekend away. I had one requirement - a good restaurant serving Mexican food. This is exactly what we got. A small restaurant with a great relaxed, friendly atmosphere. The food was different to the 'commercial' offerings in most restaurants and yet very good. The service was excellent and it set the tone for the rest of the weekend. Thanks you. read more