We arrived around 4:30 on a Saturday and found a table right away in the bar, where a lot of Kings fans were getting ready for the game. We started with margaritas. The El Cholo wasn't too strong and Zapata's widow was "sneaky" according to my hubby. For the main course we got the steak fajitas, which were HOT but the steak was a little chewy, and the Caesar salad, which had a disappointing salad dressing that lacked flavor. The servers were attentive and the fire place was decorated for the holidays and was on, which added nice charm to the room ambiance. There were a few TVs showing various games. read more

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I've had El Cholo bookmarked for the longest time, but not this location (the one on Western in Koreatown, which is apparently the original). Since wifey and I just got out of a L.A. Kings game at the Crypto.com Arena (such a stupid name btw - Staples for life!), we saw El Cholo just across the street from L.A. Live and decided to give it a shot. This location is on Flower St between Olympic Blvd & 11th St. Since it's so close to L.A. Live, it seems like it's a good spot for anything pre/post-game or shows if you're in the area. We were seated right away in the back area of the restaurant. It's surprisingly quite spacious, so if the front is full don't worry about it. They also have bar seating if you're not looking for anything fancy. We didn't know what to order so we opted to share their A Taste of History (1996) platter, which comes with a cheese enchilada, a rolled beef taco, a chile relleno, a pork tamale, and rice & beans. They also serve complimentary chips and salsa for the table while you wait. Our waitress was attentive and kept checking up on us (always a plus). El Cholo is credited with having the first restaurant-style burritos in the U.S. and in 1959 they introduced nachos to L.A. While the history is nothing to sneeze at (along with celebrating over 100 years in business since 1923), El Cholo has also had a reputation of just not being that great when it comes to the food. I knew of their rep and can confirm that it's true. The food is pretty whitewashed/Tex-Mex, so it's disappointing if you've ever had the real deal Holyfield when it comes to Mexican food. My better half said that El Torito is sadly more authentic. Everything is on the blander side so no spice or anything tasty jumps out at you. The beef was dry and still a little bit cold. Of the platter, the only thing I liked was the pork tamale. Overall I'm glad I got to try El Cholo and strike it off the list, but this location (opened in 2010) just isn't it. Maybe the original location is better? Much respect to the history, just wish the food was better (but if you know, you know). read more

A friend wanted to come here to enjoy dinner and a margarita. Unfortunately, they don't have any margaritas on the menu. Hummm... :( Ambiance: I observed that it seems they segregate here, seating minorities away from the Caucasian area outside (all outside were white). Hmm... :( Its a beautiful restaurant, celebrating Mexican culture with color, plants, and decor. Food: Salsa gets 2 out of 5 stars. Didn't taste authentic. I ordered the beef taquitos with a side of beans. The taquitos were small for the price and mostly stuffed with potato, not beef. I kept thinking, where is the beef??? I did not sign up for this. Also the guacamole tasted watered down and flavorless. I thought, oh well, maybe I'll fill up with the beans...nope. They were salty so I only ate a little. Booo!!! Service: Service was okay. Our waitress was attentive, but a little clumsy and bummed my friend's glass as she was drinking, caushing her to hit her teeth with the glass. The waitress apologized, stating she was having and "off day." :( Overall: Beautiful restaurant, terrible overpriced food that lacks authenticity. Wont be back. read more

It's a place that I been wanting to try to scratch it from my list. FYI this is my personal experience! I encourage you to try it for yourself My food had no flavor, food was cold, and definitely not for me Service it's poor the only good thing it's the ambience Other than that that's it I would never go back again, I don't think the price matches the quality at all Surprised that it's being around for a minute I wonder if it was just a bad day? read more

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I've wanted to try El Cholo for years, and found it the perfect place to eat after leaving a bonkers Kings game at Crypto Arena on Mexican Heritage Night. Might as well milk the $40 parking fee! Is it the best Mexican food ever? No! Is it good? Yes! The chips are freshly fried and the salsa is simple and perfect for dipping my warm chips into. Sometimes I want uncomplicated, and that is the perfect mentality to have for dining at El Cholo, where the drinks are strong and the large plates of hot mush are easy to digest and enjoy. This location is enormous so even at dinnertime right after a packed game I was not worried about having to wait too long, if at all, for a table. Great for large groups! Service is very fast and efficient because they have a lot of staff. read more

If you are in this area and are looking for some authentic Mexican food. El cholo on flower is where you want to be The green corn tamales have always been my favorite and for a short time you can get them here . They're a little on the sweeter side, but they are so delicious. We had such wonderful service. There's plenty of parking. It's such a graciously large property. Unbelievable how large this property actually is. The margaritas tasty . The chicken taquitos were packed with chicken which we loved . And of course, the table side guacamole made spicy to your liking. This place is wonderful for pregame after game in between game or just a hungry night out. We absolutely loved the little praline that was given to us at the end of our meal . Just a little sweet treat read more

First time going to this chain. This place is large so good for large groups! We had an after work event and they were able to accommodate our group of 10. The menu seems authentic like you will find at many Mexican sit down restaurants and they show the year they first made that particular item. Guacamole is prepared table-side. I got the 1923 Sonora style enchilada which was different than the usual "wrapped" type of enchiladas. The fried egg on top was a neat addition to the red and green sauces. Restrooms are nice and if you still need more drinks they have a bar to hang out at for a night cap. read more

El Cholo - Exterior - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

STEPH JUDGEMENT: A great pregame option by Crypto arena if you're not feeling the usual suspects at LA Live. We happened to be walking by on our way to a Kings game when we spotted this place and the sandwich board outside mentioning their happy hour. We've only eaten here once before and liked it, but never thought to come here before a game since it's not right near the arena. But since we've been venturing farther afield to places like Pine & Crane, this place was actually very close. Best of all, there were no crazy crowds like at yard house, etc, and their happy hour deals were quite good. We bellied up to the bar and got some margaritas to start, and got some of their happy hour food, like a salad and quesadilla. The food and drinks were good, and the service at the bar top-notch. Would definitely try again! read more

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Normally this establishment on Western or Flower has been amazing! For some reason Friday May 15th was anything but!!! We had a large party and the hostess first told us an hour, but was much shorter...30 minutes or less, THE BEST PART OF THE EVENING!!! It was downhill from there..... the server was courteous and friendly, a plus.....but ....... after that..... we ordered the Guacamole for the table, they came out served with the normal flair put the bowl on the table but NEVER brought out the small plates so we could indicate some....after asking the server at least 3 times for plates and the assistant server once...we ended up passing the bowl up and down the table for anyone wanting some to dip their chip and eat immediately....then ran out of chips (mind you there were 3 baskets at the table) we had to remind the service at least 3 times and finally got them when our dinner was being served and we're still waiting on small plates....several items had to be sent back due to not being accurate as ordered....along with our meal there was an order of beef taquitos to go.... I was very excited since the food was decent not up to your normal quality but decent....I went through the process of warming the taquitos the next day.... first thing is the shells were black in color I've ordered before and I could have sworn the shells were yellow corn?, and to top that off the taquitos were chicken....,that was the final straw that pushed me to write this Yelp review..... initially I was gonna chalk it up to the restaurant was having a bad day but I couldn't!!! read more

Went on a Tuesday afternoon about 5pm before an event at Crypto. Super convenient to Pico Station Metro. The building's exterior stands out as it's an old style Spanish building amidst high rises. Initial reaction is "oh". But once inside the ambiance is wonderful. Open roof in some portions of the restaurant (in the back where most customers are seated) provide lots of daylight. Warm "casa" vibes. Immediately "thanked" by 'management' for coming as we were seated by a hostess. At 5pm, the place was moderately full, by 6pm it was very full. Happy Hour runs 3-6 and is even happier on a Tuesday as the El Chollo Margarita prices are lower by $2 more! We did 3 between the two of us! Service is good and we quickly received our margaritas, complimentary chips and salsa (salsa so so but I won't quibble since few freebies these days). I ordered the Cheese Quesadilla from the Happy Hour Menu without any extra protein and it was delicious. It was made from a large flour tortilla and presented in 4 slices with a small, but adequate portion of guacamole. It was really good - melted, decent quality - actually high quality cheddar! My dining companion got a combo plate - taco, enchilada, rice and beans. He was happy with his decision albeit doesn't like refried beans. Not sure if he could have swapped out. He forgot his jacket but our efficient server caught up to us as we hit the restroom before departing the restaurant. We would both easily go back! read more

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For what's considered a Los Angeles staple, I'm not sure as to why. Maybe we dined at the wrong time or maybe this place has gone downhill over its 100+ years, but after our first time dining here, I'm not interested in returning. To start, we had cold, slightly stale chips with no salt. Luckily they provide salt on the table so I was able to make them a little more edible. The salsa was pretty average, decent amount of cilantro though which I always enjoy. Coming from Texas, I've had far better Mexican food at half the price. $30 for Steak fajitas with no rice and a total of 4 tortillas is criminal. The tortillas weren't even in a tortilla warmer. We received a mountain of sautéed veggies with the tiniest slivers of steak I've ever seen buried underneath. At least they were sizzling. read more

El Cholo - Steak Fajitas (Mountain of Sautéed Veggies) - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Best thing is the ambiance. People come here for the ambiance and location not the food. Food tastes like it comes from a can. Not kidding. Service is always friendly but some servers barely know English. I do appreciate they try to speak English. That's all I can ask for is for them to make the effort to assimilate to the USA. read more

I have been to the original el cholo in koreatown a few times but this was my first time visiting the downtown location. First off, chimichangas that are the shape and size of egg rolls? What is not to love? The blue corn enchiladas were good too, very tender chicken under a thick blue corn tortilla. Quick service too even though my non-sporty husband and I had the misfortune of visiting just as a hockey game was letting out. Still, no wait for a table for two! read more

After a day of shopping on the DTLA garment district, we needed a margarita and some delicious Mexican food so we ended up at the famous El Cholo. The drinks and lunch did not disappoint at all! Stellar customer service and friendly team of people, the restaurant was clean and the surroundings pleasant and upbeat. It was a joy and a pleasure for an impromptu lunch. read more

El Cholo - Cadillac margarita with tajin a rim. Yum!! - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Customer service was okay, they only came to us once and that was to take our order, they also forgot something we ordered and had us waiting for it knowing it wasn't gonna come. The place is nice and neat, feels very authentic and the bathrooms are nice as well. As for the food, the rice was very hard and flavorless, I've had many Mexican rice and none have tasted this hard or dry. The beans did not taste fresh or made properly. The rolled tacos were okay, maybe a bit too over fried. The chile relleno was good. way too expensive, could get the same thing at another restaurant for half the price have it taste better. read more

El Cholo - combo #5 - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Didn't realize how close the restaurant is to USC! Came to eat with a coworker during site work, I loved the food and the portion. As a non-Hispanic, I definitely found the plate to be interesting but my Hispanic coworker found it just okay. One thing I don't like is how they treated us versus the next table filled with gentlemen in suits. Service for us was different and worse, they did not offer us drinks or options, which was very unfortunate. Otherwise location and ambiance were amazing. read more

El Cholo - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Great place for a big group. We were able to make a reservation for 12 without too much trouble and only a couple of days in advance. The margaritas were obviously delicious. I got the flaca (skinny) and it was very tasty, tart, and strong. I also had the Mexican chopped salad and it was absolutely delicious, with lots of fresh avocado and veggies, and a great vinaigrette. Service was quick. My only complaint is that the guacamole that they said was hot was mild tasting. It was still tasty though, and the accompanying chips were fresh and crunchy. read more

El Cholo - Mexican Chopped Vegetable Salad - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Good luck finding cheap street parking Huge lot south of restaurant Spacious size interior Lots of tables, cozy vibes & bar area is also cozy Clean spacious bathrooms Medium sized menu, predictable dishes , please don't come here expecting a revolution of Mexican food. Acknowledge that most chain LA Mex food is a standard offering. Is it tasty though ??? Yummy , & tasty, but not mind blowing, average price . I ordered cheese & chicken quesadilla, satisfying, Tortilla soup was off the chains ! Cadillac casamigos margarita superb Top notch hospitality staff Will return for sure & recommend. read more

El Cholo - Tortilla soup delicious - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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My new favorite restaurant in DTLA. You've been here for over 100 years and I'm just finding out about this place?!?!? Everything was so tasty. I had the chicken chimichangas and my partner had the chili con carne... both meals were excellent! I can't wait to bring our families here when they visit Los Angeles. The host was very helpful and our server, Myra was fast and sweet. The ambiance was perfect for date night. We both, really, really loved this place. New fave!!! read more

The staff is always very nice here and the location has some historical value. My problem is, historical value is the only value you'll find. The prices seem expensive for what you receive. You're playing for the name/reputation, but better Mexican food can be found for a better price nearby. read more

El Cholo - Fiesta Platter - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Delicious food, great service & cool ambiance!!! Will definitely be back especially pre show Orpheum theater!! Ivan the bartender was professional,friendly & took great care of me!! Angel the Guacamole master was Awesome & so friendly! I'll definitely be back!! read more

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As much as I respect the history of this place. As one can see with their numerous photos of celebrities at their establishment. The food was devasting. Perhaps the best thing I ate here was their soda water. I ordered the blue corn tortilla enchiladas. First off, the texture of the meat is pink and weirdly shredded, it looks like salmon meat. The flavor was bland. It was definitely not authentic mexican food. The rice and beans were okay in taste. The flan was okay and nothing special. This place has the story, location, and "it"factor. Now if they can get the kitchen on board. They should build a whole new menu and fire whoever okayed the enchiladas. The service was good. read more

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This place is deceptively huge. Can't tell from the outside. Decided to come here since it's been around since 1923. Figured it must be good if it's lasted over 100 years. We'll, honestly it was slightly above average. The chips and salsa were fresh and good. The food came out extremely fast. I ordered the taco and chili relleno combo. Taco was fresh and not bad. Chili relleno had a decent flavor, but the sauce was good on it. My girl ordered enchiladas and again the sauce was good and the food was fine. Service was a little lacking especially since they were not busy at the time. At no point were we checked on to see how we were doing and if needed anything. I probably won't be back mainly since this is far from where I live. I'm sure there are better options here. read more

El Cholo - Taco and Relleno Combo - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Wow is the food here is greasy. Only come if you want a heart attack or gain unhealthy weight. read more

El Cholo - Carmen's Original Nachos - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Possibly the worst Mexican food I have ever tasted... The service was great, but can't say the same about the food. The seafood enchilada was horrendous... I almost gagged when I took my first bite. It was fishy, the texture was gummy and overall just revolting. I am absolutely sure the "seafood" in it was from a old bag of frozen combination seafood in the back of the freezer... The chicken taquitos.... Where do I even begin.... It felt like it was fried in really really old oil and the chicken was so tough I couldn't even swallow it... absolutely horrible. The only thing I was able to somewhat keep down was chicken tortilla soup... How is this establishment still open? Horrible horrible horrible food read more

Food: 3/5 The flan was a standout and the chimichangas were good but not great. The rest of my order was fairly bland - unseasoned chicken, mild, watery sauce, and bland beans. Value: 3/5 The portion sizes are fair, but given the unimpressive quality of the food and the fairly high price, I can't say the value is good. Service: 5/5 The host, the server, and the busser were all very friendly, quick, and helpful. They helped make the experience of being in the restaurant fun and welcoming. read more

Great vibe , tbe carnita plate with home made tortillas is soo good. I would recommend it read more

El Cholo - Carnita plate with homemade tortillas This wa soo good. I would getting this ita filling amd take a nap after lol El Cholo is a go to - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Cada visita a El Cholo, va a ser diferente. Muchos platos, buen servicio, muy amables los empleados. Margaritas perfectas. ¡Viva El Cholo! read more

Japan tour group stops by El Cholo Downtown for lunch before heading to the Dodger stadium read more

El Cholo - El Cholo Downtown - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Visited yesterday for our first time. Staff was welcoming, friendly and attentive. Colorful atmosphere....COZY VIBE.... My boyfriend ordered a Carne Asada Burrito. I had the sizzling Steak Fajitas. Ample portions, great presentation, DELICIOUS entrees!! They have multiple locations, this particular location has been here since 1923!! Many pics of celebrities adorn the walls that have eaten here,...over the years. Will definitely be back. One thing to note....THIS particular location has no parking lot of their own....BUT, HOPEFULLY you're lucky enough ( as we were ) to find a parking space on the street. IF not,....you'll be paying $$ to park, nearby. read more

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Went for early lunch recently, and was easy to find street parking. Seated immediately and water & chips/salsa came almost immediately. We got tableside guacamole which was delicious and a little tangy. Nice that the server adjusted it to our taste in real-time. Taste of History combo for me: pork tamale smothered in a balanced red chile sauce, thick rolled taco with shredded beef, and chile relleno (super light and cloud-like egg around a thin chile, piping hot and fresh). We also got the Plato de carnitas, a giant crispy pile of citrusy carnitas with tortillas, nopales slices, and beans/rice. We devoured everything. I enjoyed a Gran Tradicional margarita in a pint glass served with a shot on the side. We also had a coconut margarita which is a creamy tropical blended refresher. It's no wonder this place is over 100 years old, they clearly continue to do everything right. Service was impeccable and kind, food was a delight, the vibe is comfortable and real. Be aware: green corn tamales only May thru October. I would easily come back for the craveworthy carnitas, guacamole, addictive warm chips and margaritas, and laid-back vibe. Hope this place is open for 100 more! read more

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ATE: Filet minion tacos FOOD: Very tasty and they give you SO much food! VIBE: Laid back at least when we were here! The walls are full of signed pictures of historical LA celebrities from Tommy Lasorda and Jack Nicholson to Michael Jackson, this place has a rich hi SERVICE: Fantastic! We walked in and the first person we saw was warm and genuinely friendly! He said "welcome" and showed us where to sit and not long after we were brought a basket of tortilla chips. The chips come out of the kitchen warm and fresh! I was told you get unlimited chips and salsa! PRICES: There were three of us the bill was $81, not bad at all! PARKING: Parking can be tricky, hard to find or expensive, especially when there's a game or event at Crypto arena. There's metered parking if you can find it, parking which the day we went was going to be $35 (um no) or different paid lots. We got lucky and found a meter but that's the toughest part about this place RECOMMEND: Totally recommend! If you can beat the lunch rush, drop in for happy hour or are just in the neighborhood, this place is just the greatest! read more

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Great food and absolutely amazing servers!!! They had to attend to a large party and we never noticed a lapse in service. Best service ever!!! read more

Let's just say I've had better Mexican food and was sorely disappointed. They tried to make up for it by giving me a free horchata but that didn't help. Perhaps I had high expectations given this was the first Mexican restaurant in LA and might've set it off for a deluge of some of the best Mexican food restaurants from California, but not here. They lost their way. It seems the younger generation of this family owned restaurant cut corners or left out some key ingredients for the sake of profit. The refried beans were dry and so was the tamale--two basic things you can't get wrong at a Mexican restaurant. And the tamale was flavorless on top of that. And this two star review was prompted when the waiter came with my order he yelled, "The plate is hot." So I preceded with caution only to find the rice was COLD, frio, ICE. The salsa tasted like it was store bought not homemade. Just go to Sonoratown on 8th St. It's a hole in the wall spot but puts this place to shame. read more

El Cholo - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

For unbelievable Mexican food you must try this place! This has been my favorite spot for years! I love the nachos and the sizzling shrimp fajita place! Get a margarita as welll! And by the way, their salsa is pretty darn amazing! YOU NEED THIS!!!! read more

El Cholo - My boy and I having a great time at El Cholo! Yesss - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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I visited this location in Koreatown during their 100th anniversary celebration. I was wondering how I never even heard of this place so I made it a point to check it out on their special occasion. They went all out for the event and even decorated the place with balloons. Staff were friendly and helpful. They led guests to the table and server came immediately to take orders. Almost everyone ordered that day's special which is combo #1 for $1. The plate has cheese enchilada, rolled beef taco, rice and beans. While waiting, we were served chips and salsa. Order was served immediately. My expectations were sadly not met. Salsa tasted sour and bland. It's not even that hard to make salsa. The combo plate wasn't any better. It tasted weird to me. Not sure if it tasted burnt or what. I wasn't able to eat both the salsa and what's on the plate. Not sure what went wrong. I have many questions. read more

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We were in downtown and decided on EL Cholo for lunch. The downside is that they don't have their own parking lot and you have to settle for public parking which cost us $30 to park. The food however was very good ! I'm Critical of Mexican food and the food was delicious ! I had the "Taste of History" which included a chile relleno, beef taquito , enchilada , and tamale with the traditional rice and beans and a small Tostada bowl of guacamole. The wait staff was very tentative to our large Party. Drinks never went empty , they had the refills ready to go. Avoid coming down when there is a Laker or clipper game , parking will be hard to find and the restaurant might get packed . read more

El Cholo - The Taste of history platter . So much food! It was really good ! - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

This was my first visit to this location. The good: the food was pretty similar to the other locations. The service was pretty quick even though it was busy. The bad: it was an indoor/outdoor patio. There was a large industrial fan. But, it was scorching hot! You were essentially in a giant tent. The awful: the parking lot next door was $25. I know it's downtown, but that's a lot just for dinner. read more

El Cholo - Hot death indoor/outdoor patio - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Classic LA spot. Love their margaritas and their coconut margarita (so sweet but soooo yummy). Got the taste plate which was very large and can be shared by 2 people. The refried beans are the star of the show- so well seasoned and creamy! Service is good- no nonsense kind of staff but el cholo is usually pretty busy so I don't mind at all. Still the staff is attentive and kind. Ambiance is loud but has good energy. You're surrounded by happy customers eating Mexican food and drinking margaritas or beer. It's a good time. read more

The place is beautiful and bigger than I expected. We went on a Friday and surprisingly it was not packed. We were able to get seated quickly and we got our orders in fast too. Staff and everyone there were nice and friendly. I ordered the Sonora Style Enchiladas and they were okay, the chicken could've had a bit more flavor and the rice was not the best. I also wished the yolk on my egg was runny instead of it being cooked all the way. On the bright side, the blended mango margarita took the spotlight. This was the best margarita I've ever had in my life. You could taste the natural mango and when combined with the slushy consistency, it was as if I was having a mango raspado. 10/10 dangerously delicious! read more

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