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    Chelas Mexican Kitchen

    4.2 (41 reviews)

    Chelas Mexican Kitchen Photos

    Business Info

    CHELAS MEXICAN KITCHEN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Chelas Mexican Kitchen

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    Taco alambre (with red pickled onion) and taco al pastor.
    Craig P.

    Really tasty, colorful and flavorful dishes ... ¡muy auténtico!.. I've tried the tacos alambres and al pastor ... pictured. It's a small, pleasant, clean place with both indoor and outdoor seating. No wait staff, but very nice people at the counter who bring the food to the table. We've been here a couple of times and really loved it; recommended it to friends who texted us to say how great it was.

    Steph G.

    Honestly, we love Chela's. There's one closer to us in the Talega area, but we happen to be by this one. There is some parking right out front. Nice communal tables along with a bar front that looks cool. We love the specials and happy hours including taco Tuesday. Usually we get an order of fries because they're really good as well as the crispy chicken tacos. We also like the bean burritos. The beans themselves are delicious. Service is always upbeat and friendly. Really love the salsa variety. Honestly, I was too hungry to take a picture of the chicken tacos I had but trust me.

    Menu
    John M.

    Several times I have been to the other location in Talega and they were great experiences. Today I tried their newer location and it did not disappoint! At their other location I have had the breakfast burrito (one of the best in SC), the bean and cheese burrito, and the el Macho burrito and the chili verde wet burrito. All great. This time I wanted something different so I had the Chela's Chicken Burrito. The very nice server took my order for the burrito, the verde, La Famousa and chipotle salsas. $0.45 for the extra salsa as you get two with the food order along with a handful of tortilla chips. But I wanted to try them all and I should have tried the habanero as well. Next time and, spoiler alert, there will be a next time. Order came out quickly and is brought to your table after ordering at the counter. I started my meal with a salsa sampling. With the warm and fresh chips, I dug into the three salsas I had chosen. Immediately I liked them all, as I recall from the other location. After several tasting rounds I put them in this order: 1. Verde, 2. Chipotle, 3. La Famousa. Honestly, I'd be happy with any of them. Can't say I've been to a Mexican restaurant where I REALLY liked all of the salsas! Damn, should have tried the habanero! On to the Chela Chicken Burrito. Came out very quickly and looked and smelled (smelt?) good. Took some boudoir pics of it and then tried it out. Another great burrito. They are consistent at Chelas! The Chela Chicken Burrito is black beans, sour cream, guac, cabbage, onion, cilantro and Monterey Jack cheese. I would have preferred my tortilla grilled, but it did not take away from how good this burrito was. Just delicious and I would get it again. For me, the highest, high point of Chelas is their breakfast burrito, but all I have had beyond the BB has been great. GO! EAT WELL! HAVE FUN!!!!

    Surfboard table is very cute
    Elisa G.

    I've driven by her so many times and finally stopped in today before my MRI. Marilyn was here to greet me and she's very sweet and said it's happy hour! They don't have any margaritas though but they do have beer and shrimp tacos on the happy hour menu along with stuff that I don't eat. The shrimp fajitas are tasty and the vibes are great and it's such a deal!

    Samantha P.

    Oh how I love OC Restaurant week! Took a drive to visit this gem and it was well worth it! For $30 I got chips with salsa and guacamole, carne asada fries, 3 tacos (beer battered fish, crispy carnitas, ribeye) and flan. Everything was tasty but the beer battered fish taco was a standout for sure. The staff was all so kind and pleasant to work with and I will for sure be back

    Menu
    Nancie M.

    Wow wow a great start to this eatery in San Clemente the wait is finally over and this has been a great way for this restaurant to start off by having the most amazing Happy hour in town. Fish tacos 2 for $6 so huge not the street tacos look at the pics ..... great deal and the happy hour is Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday until closing 9pm . Don't miss this deal it's as good as it gets.

    Food.
    Bob S.

    I love this place very much because the food here is delicious, there was awesome service, great ambiance, and nice upbeat Spanish music, too.

    Chilaquiles with steak.

    Food is delicious. And customer service (Angel) was great. My girlfriends and I will most definitely be coming back here for breakfast.

    Happy hour chicken burrito
    Joe A.

    We've been waiting for this location to open for a long time! And we weren't disappointed! The best part of Chelas is their happy hour. They have both food and drink specials which are discounted pretty well. Their salsa is on point, definitely check out the habanero salsa.

    Don ole burrito was amazing

    Food is amazing ... definitely coming back !! The decor was very cute as well . I recommend this place for sure !!

    Counter service
    Virgil E.

    New location in SC same great food. Love the salsas served! Someday will serve beer we hope. Counter service still. There's some outside tables with umbrellas.

    Got the ORIGINAL chicken burrito on a Wednesday for happy hour.
    Mark C.

    The food is great, the service is a little confusing (probably because they are new) , the chicken in the original chicken burrito was a little rubbery. We have been here 3 times to give it a fair review and each time it has taken 20 minutes to get your food, so just plan accordingly. We live close to this Chelas and we have always loved driving to the other so we were very excited for this one to open, but we may be driving out to the Original in the future. We ordered chips and salsa for an appetizer and they gave us a bag of chips and a pint of salsa for 8.99$. Everyone who works here is friendly, but they all seem to be training. All in all we support local so we will be back and will try it again. The ambiance was delightful .

    Get stronger togo bags.
    Anne K.

    Some kinks to works out, but it's still new. The man behind me ordered after me and was able to finish his food before my food even came out. The couple who ordered before me, found out their ticket was never received. All that said, the cooks created beautifully plated dishes. All of our food was delicious. The art work is beautiful and so creative. The artist did a phenomenal job. The surfboard table is awesome. The only complaint is please get stronger togo bags. It ripped so easily and my food could have fallen out. We will definitely come back.

    Chicken bowl

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    4 months ago

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    8 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    Karla V.

    Yay for happy hour! We appreciate your support. ~Karla V.

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    10 months ago

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    7 months ago

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    10 months ago

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    4 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    Karla V.

    We appreciate you choosing Chelas Mexican Kitchen! ~ Karla V.

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    1 year ago

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    Karla V.

    Thank you so much for choosing Chelas, Virgil! ~Karla V.

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

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    8 months ago

    Best breakfast burrito in Orange County! How are they not 5 star rated?- blasphemy! Come eat and review it! 5+++

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    11 months ago

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    5 months ago

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    5 months ago

    this restaurant was so nice and lovely and i enjoyed the nice staff and the food was very good so were the drinks

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    1 year ago

    Beautiful food. Great service. Definitely returning. Loved the steak nachos and guacamole. All the salsas were superb. Thank you Chelas!

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    1 year ago

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    7 months ago

    This is the second Chelas that I've been to and it is just as good as the original store.

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

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    Karla V.

    Please check your messages Martha. ~ Karla V.

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    11 months ago

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    1 year ago

    Food was excellent and service was very good. We will definitely order again in the future.

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    Karla V.

    We appreciate your support so much! ~ Karla V.

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

    Love this place! Taco Tuesday and Taco Thursday is the best. They also have the best chips and salsa in town.

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    South of Nick's - Birria tacos

    South of Nick's

    4.4(3k reviews)
    3.1 mi
    $$

    One of my favorite spots for delicious Mexican food in South OC! They have plenty of great options,…read moreyou really can't go wrong with anything! I tried the stacked birria enchiladas for the first time and they were phenomenal, the red sauce was amazing! Plenty of drink options as well, I got a blood orange margarita and it's definitely one of the best margaritas I've ever had. Definitely recommend giving that one a try! Service was excellent and staff were all very friendly and professional. Can't wait to come back again to try more yummy things!

    It's been years since I've been here. Ambience inside is very sort of sports bar around the bar…read morearea and masculine with a Mexican touch booths and seating. Our young waiter was very peppy and friendly in what I consider an overly familiar kind of way. Not my style but I can't fault them for it. Chips and salsa were brought to the table, good as before. Plates-beautiful presentation, some items better than others. Pork Mole Enchilada-meh, the mole was on the sweet side, not very punchy, not memorable. Shrimp Taquito-amazing, tasty shrimp with nice spices and garnish, pinto beans well pureed and good. Mexican street corn-pretty good, a little heavy on the mayo. Food was good and solid, but not a WOW! There is better Mexican out there around here for the same or lesser prices, so don't go here for the value, go for the ambience and if you like drinks and/or expensive tequilas, they've got plenty of those too. Desserts were very generous, flan with caramel and candied pecans was delicious, creamy, firm, not flabby like some flans can be. Churros-rolled into a circle and fried, served with vanilla ice cream, caramel, candied pecans too. Desserts were the best part of the meal. I enjoyed eating here, once. Twice, I won't.

    Photos
    South of Nick's - Check In Here Reservations Highly Recommended

    Check In Here Reservations Highly Recommended

    South of Nick's - Filet salad

    Filet salad

    South of Nick's - Get the mezcal with smoked pineapple cocktail. It's so drinkable

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    Get the mezcal with smoked pineapple cocktail. It's so drinkable

    Avila's El Ranchito

    Avila's El Ranchito

    3.5(626 reviews)
    3.1 mi
    $$

    Just recently came here for the first time, recommended by a friend. We were mostly checking out…read moredowntown San Clemente and all its shops and restaurants and pier. Great little town to explore. This was our lunch spot. We had already walked for a couple hours. Avila's is a beautiful restaurant and fairly spacious. There is parking on both sides of the street among the shops on Avenida del mar. We were really thirsty and the busboy, Christian, got us 3 iced teas and chips like within 2 minutes. Super nice. Rafael was our waiter, and we ordered quickly. 1. Two taco combo platter, chicken and shredded beef. 2. Tacos and Caldo, my friend ordered with tacos. 3. Mama Avila's soup which came with chicken and lots of other things, and a tortilla. All 3 were delicious and filling. I always get a two taco combo plate since I love this meal, and to compare to other restaurants. This was great. The tacos perfect and flavorful. We will come back. Next time I will order the fajitas. I believe this is a chain with like 10 stores or so, so check to see if any are in your area. A very nice lunch with two fine lady friends as well. Thx Rafael for always checking on us and the iced teas to go.

    Took the redwood/sentient boulder and my canine roommate to Avila's El Ranchito, and let me just…read moresay, oof, it was great. We sat outside because I am with dog (she is my roommate and i need to win her back bc rn she's #teamBoulder, the traitor jk i love her). No regrets. The patio was cute, vibey, and most importantly: accommodating to both mammals and photosynthesizing, mineral-based lifeforms. The Food Mama's Soup (me): Someone's mamá absolutely poured love, healing, and probably generational wisdom into that broth. It was warm, rich, comforting -- like emotional support in liquid form (with chicken and rice in it, some of my 5th year phd dread melted away) . 10/10 would cure seasonal sadness tho. Chinga Lingas (Boulder): First of all, elite name. Second, imagine a taquito that went to therapy, discovered abundance, and decided to become more. More filling. More pastry. More crunch. Fried, stuffed, glorious little rolls of joy. They were EXCELLENT. the tall-tree-rock shared with me. Plus points for the boulder. The Service The Boulder runs slightly cold (geologically predictable), and the staff LIT A HEATER POST next to us without us even begging. Just quietly activated warmth like hospitality professionals. Next time, I would absolutely order Mama's Soup again. I would absolutely bring my dog and my mineral companion back for more chinga lingas and heat.

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    Avila's El Ranchito
    Avila's El Ranchito - Chips and salsa

    Chips and salsa

    Avila's El Ranchito - Corona Rita! Whooo-Hoo!!

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    Corona Rita! Whooo-Hoo!!

    Chelas Mexican Kitchen - Chile Verde Burrito Wet

    Chelas Mexican Kitchen

    4.4(240 reviews)
    3.0 mi
    $$

    We were in the Laguna beach area during optimal brunch time so a lot of breakfast-y restaurants…read morewere PACKED. Little unassuming Chelas was the perfect little spot for some brunch. They had a nice dog friendly ground level area so we could bring our pup. We ordered their chicken tortilla soup, 1/2 pint of guac, and burrho de alambre! 10/10 for everything. The chicken tortilla soup as hearty and toasty, perfect for the cooler weather. The guac was exactly my style, not too salty, not too tart, and demolished in no time. My husband really enjoyed his burrito from the speiclas menu as well!

    Got my hair cut today and after that difficult task was done I was hungry. Luckily nearby was…read moreChelas. Been here before so it was an easy choice to slide on in. I have been jonesing for a good bean and cheese burrito for some time now. Over that time I have been very disappointed in the B&C burritos I have come upon. Some even from my trustworthy B&C places. This was my first B&C burrito from Chela's and was looking forward to their version. At the last minute, without warning, planning or any notice I ordered my bean and cheese burrito wet. I was feeling kinda wild! Also, I asked for some chips and salsa in the side. When it was rung up, the cost was quite high and it made me step back. So I did question the charge. I didn't realize that when I ordered chips and salsa the guy thought I meant another full order of large bag of chips and a pint of salsa, not the little bag and little cup you get with your order. A nice gal helped fix that and the order cost looked much more reasonable. Whew! Financial crisis averted. I sat down after getting my Diet Pepsi (won't hold it against them that they don't have Diet Coke). Soon after, I was brought a small bag of chips and some salsas. Get the chipotle and you will not be disappointed. Shortly after that my plate with a HUGE bean and cheese burrito with lots of sauce, cheese and a drizzle of sour cream. Check the pic out, it's a beauty. The taste did not disappoint. Great beans, ooey, gooey cheese inside and out. The wet sauce was great. I thought it would be a verde sauce, but it was red. Next time I will see if they have a verde version for me to try. Just a really great B&C wet burrito. Delicious. With the chips, I only ate half the massive burrito and am already looking forward to lunch tomorrow to eat the other half. I don't give out 5 stars to many places. They have to blow me away with food, service, consistency, on and on. Chelas is an order at the counter and they bring it to you kind of place. The people taking orders and bringing food are quite nice and always willing to see if you need anything. The food has been consistently very good. All wrapped up, it's one of my favorite places around. Great job.

    Photos
    Chelas Mexican Kitchen - One year Anniversary celebration!

    One year Anniversary celebration!

    Chelas Mexican Kitchen - Beer Battered Fish Burrito

    Beer Battered Fish Burrito

    Chelas Mexican Kitchen - Breakfast Burrito

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    Breakfast Burrito

    Adolfo's Mexican Food

    Adolfo's Mexican Food

    3.8(258 reviews)
    3.4 mi
    $

    I've had their birria tacos before and they were good so, today after a long day I ordered their…read moreregular carne asada tacos and one chicken asada taco and they were TERRIBLE. Save your money and order something else from their menu, like their birria. I ended up getting birria tacos instead. The service was not the greatest, a little attitude and not customer friendly. I hope they do better in their new location.

    I believe they have new management team and food is way better than before. The prices are pretty…read moreinexpensive, I got Asada Burrito with extra meat with tax and tip total up $19.19. Got this to go and it's about a 30 minutes walk back home and it was still warm. Yes, I can get a burrito from Chipotle but it's not close by me and ordering delivery would be double of what I paid here. The burrito was hefty, I could only finish half and saved the rest for next day for lunch. The meat were juicy, not dry and full of flavors. Comes with rice, beans and pico de gallo. I get a bag of cheese from Ralphs to do the modification of having a crispy cheese crust and that made the burrito into a 9.2 out of 10. (see pic) Overall, I'm glad this place isn't cash only anymore and the food is much better than before. Definately coming back when I'm craving a burrito or carne asada fries. (Yes, I know there are way better ones in Buena Park and Santa Ana but I don't live near there nor want to be stuck in traffic again) This place will do for now.

    Photos
    Adolfo's Mexican Food - Salsa

    Salsa

    Adolfo's Mexican Food - Salsa Bar

    Salsa Bar

    Adolfo's Mexican Food - Carne asada fries

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    Carne asada fries

    Xclusive Riviera - Xclusive Riviera

    Xclusive Riviera

    4.6(77 reviews)
    4.6 mi

    Mack is one of a kind of bartender that keeps you coming back. Friendly, attentive, and makes the…read morewhole bar feel welcoming -- especially from a local's perspective. Drinks were hand crafted, service was fast, and the vibe was great all night. Xclusive is lucky to have him behind the bar. PS: Taco Tuesday is the best in town

    We came here when our family from out of town invited us when they were guests at the hotel…read more All in all, food was good (some dishes were great), drinks were very solid. Service was fine. Very slow for a not a busy night of just 2 tables including ours, but we were fine with it. One guy was working both the bar and serving all the tables. My family member left him a standard tip for standard service (15 percent and he is of the older generation and from a different country with different tipping culture), and doesn't even know the new tipping customs of the younger people of 18 to 20 percent. Ten minutes after we left, when we were going to the game room, the waiter approached our group and made a big embarrassing scene in the lobby, demanding to know what was wrong with his service, asking why the tip wasn't 18 to 20 percent like the receipt indicated, and saying things like "I just want to know." He was very aggressive, very confrontational and highly unprofessional. And he handled the situation loudly, publicly, and unprofessionally and scared our children with his rude, aggressive way of speaking. If management wants to speak to him, he had dark brown hair shaved underneath and longer on top, brown eyes, and had a safety pin styled earring in his ear. He was fine during the dinner and we didn't observe any rude behavior and left happy and impressed with the restaurant but aggressively chasing older guests down in front of family, young kids, and other hotel patrons is beyond inappropriate and should be looked into by management.

    Photos
    Xclusive Riviera
    Xclusive Riviera - Butter Cake

    Butter Cake

    Xclusive Riviera - Shrimp taquitos Ceviche with tostada shells Homemade chips and salsa

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    Shrimp taquitos Ceviche with tostada shells Homemade chips and salsa

    Chelas Mexican Kitchen - mexican - Updated May 2026

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