Came here for a quick lunch, impressed with the lunch specials The chips here are always warm delicious and fresh Got the lunch burrito special. Service was fast and friendly, with nice relaxing music and clean spacious dining spaces Will be back soon read more

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Located in the Target plaza by BJ's. You can grab some Mexican food while waiting for your Tesla charger. The food was okay and good. Can't go wrong with steak fajitas. Can't compare to other Mexican restaurants, but still delicious. It is on a higher price point for Mexican food. Service was mediocre. Just be careful when they offer you other items, they don't specify how much they are, especially if you want sides. Asked for chilli and they didn't have it? The decor was cute with nice colorful vibes though. read more

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EL CHOLO - I Came here with not much expectations, but unfortunately the food really missed the mark. The fajitas tasted pre frozen and where burnt. the salsa didn't seem fresh, and the chips were stale. We also paid $15 for tableside guacamole, which was very bland and lacked flavor. The rice was noticeably stale, and overall nothing on the menu tasted fresh. The only reason this place is getting two stars instead of one is because of the service. Our server was fantastic, and the front desk lady who seemed to be the manager was also very welcoming and attentive. Service was truly the highlight of the visit, but the food quality needs major improvement for us to return. Cheers, read more

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Came here with a friend for dinner. Hadn't been in years. The food was excellent. Classic, dependable, flavorful. It doesn't have the same old world charm as the original location, but it's still nice. Our server Elizabeth was great! The margarita was perfect. I had the Tacos Al Carbon and it was tasty. Would come here again. read more

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Cute and festive vibes!! The customer service could be better, with a little more effort. I ordered their Southwest Chicken Tostada Salad, and the salad was good, but the chicken was super salty. I loved the dressing, as it had a nice kick of spicy. Very flavorful with enough dressing. The chips and salsa were also very tasty. I was expecting a huge flour tostada bowl, but there was a very small fried corn tortilla at the bottom of my salad, so I was a little surprised and disappointed. Iced tea tasted like Lipton, nothing special there. For the prices they charge, I expected more. Nice menu. Other than that, I would return in the future. I'll just try something else, next time. Ample parking. Overall, my experience was decent. A strong 4 Stars! read more

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This location is part of the downtown LA location offering same menu. The service was absolutely stellar and made the dining experience that much better. La Flaca margarita was 10/10 and packed a punch. Blackened chicken tostada was flavorful. Chicken well seasoned and salad had a nice mix of crunch and spice. Cannot wait until their green corn tamales are back in season. The vibe was typical of Mexican restaurants and very clean and vibrant. Will be back for their delicious green corn tamales in May. Nice to not have to drive to LA for this amazing dish read more

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Delicious Mexican food; fun, vibrant environment; and outstanding service. All reasons to dine here. Our go to spot for chili relleno (they have them both ways here) and fajitas (served with either corn or flour tortillas). read more

El Cholo - #2 Cheese Enchilada and Chile Relleno - Mexican Near Me - Anaheim, California

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This El Cholo is nothing like the El Cholo that I know and love in Santa Monica, and everything like the Chevy's that was here before it. OC has a way of ruining LA things with its sure to be cheesy take, and this is a prime example of that phenomenon. If it didn't have the El Cholo name and with it its expectations, I probably would enjoy this location more. Service was fine. Ambiance was your typical Mexican restaurant in OC. Food was meh. Drinks good. Contain your expectations. This ain't the El Cholo you know and love. If you're an OC diehard, I love this place for you. read more

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First time eating here and its definitely one of the best Mexican restaurants I've ever been to period. We were seated quickly and the booth was very comfortable and quiet could not of been better. I had a bowl of albondigas and a chicken enchilada. My wife had the Tostada with chicken but it was more like a Taco Salad. The salsa is thick and perfect and the guacamole was perfect as well. We were given a free plate of nachos by our awesome server Sergio and they were the best ever. I would like to note our server guy was so friendly and knowledgeable that me and my wife were very impressed with him making us feel so welcome. Thank you Sergio I cant wait to go back when its Mexican food time again. Great restaurant a must go. read more

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Consistently good food. Wide variety on their menu with a few good vegetarian options too. I like their blue corn chicken enchiladas, the verde salsa that comes with it is definitely made fresh. Great place to go with your family. Service is great, they will let you make substitutions based on your dietary requirements. read more

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If you want frozen reheated food. This is your place.. service was really good.. too bad the majority of the food is not fresh.

Ambiance was festive and spacious. Customer service was excellent. Happy hour margaritas, were great. Chips and salsas was plentiful. read more

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Soup was yummy . The soup had 3 meatballs in it , tasty broth . Tacos were fresh and made to order . Service was on point . Ambiance was festive fiesta style . read more

I've been lucky enough to have visited 9 countries, spent plenty of time in Jalisco, the Yucatan, Puerto Villarta, and a ton of restaurants from Canada to Tokyo and I just spent 3 hours relaxing, enjoying well made margaritas and fajitas with just incredible people at El Cholo. The care and quality of everything put before me was superb and I truly felt at home. I can't put my finger on it, but it was special. Whether a well-made cocktail or salsa and chips, it happens with a warm smile and greeting and you want to stay a while watching soccer or talking to a new friend. Franky and staff were excellent. This is my new favorite place. Cheers read more

FOOD: uninspired. lacking distinctive qualities and the presentation totally uncreative. SERVICE: the service is friendly, although refills were not offered our server was pleasant. AMBIANCE: the location boasts beautiful decor and the exterior is adorned with well-manicured plants, creating a welcoming atmosphere. read more

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Great food, great service and great margaritas. Been going here for 10 + years and never disappoints

5 stars for "rating my experience" and an overall 4 stars to rate the restaurant and food. Originally, our party of 10 had reservations next door at BJ's at 5pm on Saturday. Understandably for a large party, we waited. 45 minutes later, while waiting for two adjacent tables to vacate, a party behind us took one of the booths and not the hostess nor staff said anything! I walked over to El Cholo and was greeted by the manager. I didn't get her name, but by the reviews, must be the owner's daughter. I explained to her our situation and party of ten and she had two adjacent booths and asked if that was okay since their one long party table was occupied. She held the booths as I brought the rest of the family over. The service from our server Julio was prompt and excellent for our large party. I was pleasantly surprised by the unique selections on the menu such as crabmeat taquitos and enchiladas and green corn tamales. I tried the crabmeat taquitos and tacos al carbon that our server recommended since it had bacon, peppers, and cheese which was different. Those were excellent as were the light and fresh chips. The regular salsa was okay and I asked for a medium heat one which was much more flavorful to me. I tried my brother's scallop/shrimp enchilada and inside was uninspired. I'm a margarita on the rocks person, but tried the blended coconut margarita which had a caramel dipped toasted coconut rim which was tasty. The food wasn't a culinary experience, but on par with a franchise like El Torito. What I appreciated was the service was prompt and friendly, and the food was hot and overall tasty, making it a great experience! read more

We have been fans for over 50 years. The food was really great. We had the taquitos enchiladas and tacos. ! Very fresh and tasty. The guacamole is really great. It is very fresh also with some great spices and great salsa.. Our waiter was so attentive, and he just took care of everything immediately. And the restaurant was so clean bathrooms clean. read more

After 8 years, I think this review deserves an update! We've discovered the easiest party hack thanks to El Cholo. From the catering menu: 1 order of cheese enchiladas ($45) which serves 10 + 1 order of chicken tacos ($60) which also serves 10 plus a side of rice and a side of beans (each $12) for the win! The enchiladas, taco filling, rice container and beans container come in metal tubs that pop perfectly into a standard size chafing dish so with 2 total chafing dishes we were set for warm food all night. Everyone loved the enchiladas, because come on, they're cheese enchiladas! The red sauce is really delicious and of course it's filled with cheesey goodness. We had a choice on the tacos between chicken, shredded beef or pork carnitas and I'm glad we chose chicken. It's lean and flavorful...actually quite healthy if you don't slather it with cheese and guacamole! The taco tray also came with shredded lettuce, a tub of grated cheese, pico de gallo and our choice of corn or flour tortillas. And the whole thing comes with chips and salsa. So with a quick salad, some homemade guacamole, a quick stir-fry of beyond beef for our favorite non-meat eater and my better half's famous salsa, we had a fairly easy party with very minimal effort! We'll be calling up El Cholo for future party needs! read more

Great place for a margarita and enchiladas. I love that they still do the happy birthday songs with a giant hat! It's a fun ambiance and very tasty food! read more

Always a great place to stop an eat. Great food and great margaritas! Pralines are awesome

Tried this place for happy hour. Good deals, the food portions are quite large for happy hour. Strawberry margaritas are not included in the happy hour but they taste great. Service was great. They never let you run out of drinks or chips & salsa. Friendly servers explain the menu items in great detail. Happy hour on Tuesday was a not crowded at 5:00 but I'm sure it will pick up. I was a little disappointed they didn't have a taco Tuesday special. Happy hour is only in the bar area. They have high top tables and a few large booths. My husband had the el chili margaritas, he didn't finish it because he said it tasted bad. The food was ok. Salsa is mild, I tried their spicy salsa and it was still mild to me. The beef taquitos were ok, I wasn't fond of the meat filling. The chicken chimichangas were good though, and had plenty of cheese. I would come back for happy hour but I would try the quesadilla next time. read more

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Great margaritas but that's about it- $70 for the crappiest Mexican food ever. We had a wilted overdressed Caesar salad, a shredded beef taco and a fake chile relleno. The shredded beef was mushy n flavorless. The Chile relleno tasted like it was a stouffers frozen item. WHAT THE H HAPPENED TO THIS PLACE?! ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING. read more

Staff were super attentive and quick to respond. Food was good. The El Cholo margarita was no joke. One drink was enough (heavy on the liquor), I loved it. read more

We went on a Tuesday night and sat in the bar area for taco Tuesday margaritas. Our server was great, refilled our drinks without asking. I got the steak fajitas and my mind was blown! Looked amazing, and tasted divine! My husband got the cheese enchiladas per usual and liked his combo plate. He loved the thin chips and salsa as well. We had a loud party nearby but my husband and I just laughed at the absurd things they were saying and enjoyed the night. The restaurant was nicely decorated, I find that cozy feeling lacking in many places but not here! I'd recommend! read more

Tonight we went to dinner here and it was excellent! We're in the area for a couple days and our friends recommended this place. We sat at the bar and had a nice conversation with the bartender. When we were done with dinner he brought us a flan, compliments of the house. It was delicious! Two thumbs way up The blended coconut margarita is very yummy read more

El Cholo - Dessert - Mexican Near Me - Anaheim, California

The worst food ever. We ordered shrimp, scallop enchiladas en la tortilla was not even warmed up, and the seafood inside was cold. The plate was super hot, but the food was not hot at all. Not even room temperature. read more

The 1 star is for the service. My family and I were very disappointed. The portions of food of each of our meals were ridiculously small. The only thing large was the plate the food was served on. Prices were high for what we received. The small portions of food were just okay in taste. Ambiance was nice. read more

I was beyond disappointed with the service last night that I was there with my family. Our server was giving me and the entire table glares, attitude, and discriminating behavior. She attended other people very differently but to us she was very rude. On top of that she practically was incredibly rude when closing our tab, we left tip and she's like you guys aren't tipping me on the card with a glare. Like how selfish and rude are you. I would never recommend this place. You guys need to check on who and what type of people you hire. Very very disappointing! read more

These Nachos are the perfect appetizer you can also add beef, chicken, or pork. They totally filling made from fresh ingredients and real cheese. read more

El Cholo - Mexican Near Me - Anaheim, California

Good food nice bar. Happy hours are great here. There tortilla soup is very good, but unfortunately I eat the chips and salsa first and I'm pretty full when the soup comes. read more

El Cholo - Mexican Near Me - Anaheim, California

This restaurant provides great food and service! We ordered crabmeat enchiladas and enchiladas suizas. The crabmeat enchiladas were delicious! Real crabmeat in a flavorful green sauce. The suizas enchiladas were just as delicious. Service by Catalina and her assistant was spot on! read more

El Cholo - Mexican Near Me - Anaheim, California

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I have been going here since I was little. The one in Whittier. Now I go to this one! Love their Southwest Chicken Tostada but I sub it out for Carnitas! The Best...put the carnitas on the grill and get a little crispy! AWESOME!!! Chips and salsa great also... read more

Wonderful find! Thought we' d give this place a try and wow ! From ambience to delicious authentic Mexican food to the most outstanding service ever !!! Put waitress always with a smile being so attentive and extra charm from start to end! Thank you ! We will definitely be back and will bring friends too!! read more

From the front desk to the servers, they provided amazing service that actually elevated the restaurant experience. They were friendly and professional. However, the interior needs some care. Even though the lights are dimmed, you can see the dusts, spider webs, dirty carpet and wear and tear on the furniture and glass cover of the table. There just wasn't any excitement in the restaurant. Foods can be improved a little bit as well. Since it was my first time visiting, I ordered several dishes including dessert and overall, they were all dull. Wish there were some oomph to it but I couldn't find it. read more

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El Cholo in Anaheim Hills is nicely decorated and their menu items are tasty. I especially like that they offer two types of chile rellenos, the traditional egg batter and another version with a fresh chile that is only lightly breaded. Service is good. I wish the salsa was a bit more roasty and flavorful. read more

Sergio was fabulous and our meal came out hot tasty and we're very happy. Will definitely come back to El Cholo

Another great chips & salsa takeout. Perfect addition to taco night or to bring as a side to a party/as an appetizer. Love that they offer this! read more

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So the other night, family was feeling like having some Mexican food, so we decided on El Cholo! We have been to this location on multiple occasions, and it never disappoints. The menu is classic, scaled down, and offers a wide array of dishes. This evening I decided to try their Fish Tacos (2001) option. All of our food came out quickly and was beautifully plated. The food tasted even better than the food looked!! For my tacos, I do recommend you either request extra crema fresca on the tacos or on the side. You WON'T regret it! Overall, the service was quick, restaurant was clean, and the staff were fantastic. We will definitely be coming back quite soon to try some new dishes! Keep it going Anaheim Hills!! read more

El Cholo - Fish tacos were fantastic! Ask for extra crema fresca! - Mexican Near Me - Anaheim, California

I really wanted to like the food here because the service was excellent. Thing is the food is very bland. Best way to put it, overpriced Taco Bell food. Chile relleno is mostly batter with chile sauce having no flavor. Tamale was definitely not fresh.. definetely frozen and their crab "taquitos" were super fishy made my stomach bubbly. Beans had so much manteca it almost looked like coagulated beans. Chimiganca burrito was definitely frozen food, very bland and watery inside. Guacamole also tasted like it came from a bag. Chips are the only thing that was fresh. The salsa tasted like watered down ketchup. Food is definitely overpriced and not worth the almost $80 bill for 2 adults and one toddler. This is a no for us. read more