And we are back! We deviated from our green corn tamales and added nachos and taquitos. Yummy addition. Andrea was our server and she was great! The vibe is nice. Lots of locals. Today I noticed some of the pictures have a QR code. Didn't scan them but curious as they probably tell the history of the photo. Also appreciate the parking lot in the back. read more

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Server was nice, pleasant -- not terribly attentive after orders were placed (no offers to refill chips, and water refills stopped early in the meal). He did fulfill all of our initial requests. Chopped Vegetable Salad ($18.95) was not what I'd expected; while it was colorful, I didn't care for the textures and flavors, which somehow seemed to lack the freshness I was seeking and expecting. When offered, we agreed to a margarita; I'd expressed my dislike for mixers (requesting fresh lime juice). Our server described the straightforward ingredients; the simple-in-presentation cocktail arrived, tasted "clean", but very light in alcohol (not even the slightest delight from feeling buzzed) -- and to our surprise, it turned out we were served the El Elegante, which came with a charge of $21.95! We should have asked or at least, looked at a menu before making a decision. I have not been to this location in years; I appreciate the interior decor, dim lighting, and booths in the main dining room, attractive-&-comfortable seating in the front patio, and the open, bright bar area. Parking in the back lot is available after 5 PM; fortunately, we were able to find parallel parking in the neighborhood. read more

*** 2nd time reviewing. I don't know what happened to my original review. The pics are here but Yelp asked me to review. It's not in my drafts or reviews so I find it quite interesting that it vanished. *** We had a large party of 20. The people we were with have been here before and this was my first time. The restaurant was flexible as our dinner time kept changing based on our sons' tournament time. They happily were able to accommodate us with seating outside in their large patio. Considering we were a big party, they managed to take care of us. They had waters and chips and salsa for us while we ordered cocktails. Took a while to get them but understandable since we ordered many margaritas. I ordered the side Caesar but I found it to be overdressed. Next time I would order the dressing on the side. I shared the Sonora Nachos with beef and another order of nachos with chicken. Both nachos were good and cheesy. Loaded and hits the spot. My margarita was good. I wish it was more tart though. They gave us little bags of something sweet inside. I don't know what it was but it was pretty good. Like a chewy pecan flavored flat candy. read more

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I came here after a group hike and the restaurant was very accommodating for a large group. The restaurant also offers free parking in the back so you don't need to look for street parking! Our server started us off with chips and salsa which were delicious. I kept reaching for the chips because they were so thin and crispy. I ordered the enchiladas suiza, which has chicken breast and salsa verde. Since we were a large group, the food did take a while to come out but everything came out piping hot! I like how the Mexican rice was seasoned well. The restaurant is very spacious; there's both inside and outside seating. read more

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Decent food, okay service. This is a chain that we have visited often in other locations. Overall this was better than other Mexican food, but not as good as other El Cholo locations. read more

El Cholo - Kids enchiladas - Mexican Near Me - Newport Beach, California

El Cholo then and now are not the same. We have good memories of eating tasty delicious traditional Mexican food. Now the food is bland and lacks real flavor. Our server was very friendly and attentive. The patio was decorated with beautiful flowers. Something is missing in the kitchen. read more

EVERYONE....Don't miss out on the Tuesday happy hour specials. Ohhhh, so deliciouso Sit at the bar and let the awesome bartenders take good care of you. Happy Yelping read more

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Have driven past this place many times and, when out of town guests requested Mexican food, we decided to give it a try. So glad we did!! Quiet little patio that is just off the PCH in CDM. Staff were super friendly and the food was delicious - fresh and flavorful. It's not fancy but a great place for great food, drinks and conversation! read more

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Great food and amazing service. The staff were really friendly. Tacos al carbon were amazing! read more

El Cholo - Flan dessert. - Mexican Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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Food is flavorless and dry and overpriced. Happy hour drinks are drastically sweeter than regular priced ones. Overall I like the ambiance and servers are nice and would come back for A (one) drink but never for food again. read more

El Cholo - Mexican Near Me - Newport Beach, California

Okay okay, the place is cute ... it's giving Gloria's in Downey ambiance wise, which is for 1. AUTHENTIC -- I ordered a burrito... it was giving chipotle but like 2x the price They advertise "hand made tortillas" but what a false advertisement this was .. My mom said her enchiladas were sad. It was giving canned salsa poured on top... Can I give a tip? Maybe add some traditional menu items like: cafe de la olla, aguas frescas But don't worry, if you aren't Hispanic, you'll enjoy read more

Aye Caramba!!!, just stopped in. Tuesday so looking for taco deals. No Esta Aqui. No taco deals no happy hour deals. Items we ordered, was strange. Absolutely everything had no flavor. The chicken, the mole, the rice, the beans, which came straight out of a can. And tomatillo sauce, which was 100% herdez...What's up with that. Weak drinks tasteless food, via con Dios hombre. read more

I love enchiladas Suiza and this Suiza is probably the best I've ever had. Fluffy tortilla, grilled chicken, balanced green sauce, and lots of sour cream! All their enchiladas sound good and I will totally come back and try more. The mole enchiladas in particular sounds amazing. Wonderful outdoor seating area. Good service. Casual. Street parking. Please come and create your own adventure. read more

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Finally went to El Cholo on PCH and had the best time. First, we made a last minute reservation by phone which was already a great experience. We sat on the alley patio which was gloriously quiet and conducive for conversation but still close to the action. A portable heater made it cozy in the cool dusk. Service was excellent and our bday girl (21!) received the royal birthday treatment and treat. We thoroughly enjoyed the chx fajitas, mole, tamales and chile relleno. Flan was top tier. Thank you for making it a night to remember, EL Cholo! read more

Delicious! There is a reason this restaurant has been around for more than 100 years. We had the Santa Barbara enchiladas and green chile corn tamales and took it to the beach - perfect lunch very tasty! Ask for the habanero spicy sauce If you want to kick, and beware. The guacamole was okay. Traditional Mexican interior if you chose to dine in with patio seating. read more

El Cholo - Santa Barbara enchiladas and Green chili tamales - Mexican Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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El Cholo is always a hit!! This family owned restaurant is extremely charming and feels very welcoming upon entering. We sat at the bar for margaritas and the service was fantastic, very attentive staff. We were given chips and salsa to enjoy with our drinks. Such a staple restaurant for us, so glad we have them in CDM read more

Marco - Star Server My wife and I recently celebrated her birthday at this El Cholo location. Marco, our server, was fantastic. He delivered the tasty food and drink with the utmost ease and professionalism. The restaurant's atmosphere was very joyful and inviting. Even though we dined on a Wednesday, the dining room was nearly full. We frequent El Cholo's various locations regularly. Marco stands out as one of its top servers! He is a class act. read more

Horrible service and experience. Came in for lunch. Were sat and given chips and salsa. No napkins. No waters. Had to flag down a bus boy and ask for waters. Then had to go to the host to ask for a waiter/waitress to come take our order. Waitress comes. We order guacamole for an appetizer and taquitos and then a cheese quesadilla and enchiladas to split (with beans and rice) for lunch. And we said "we are going to split enchiladas." Guacamole never comes. The rest of the food comes out at once. We never get a refill for water despite glasses being empty. Our food comes out - cold cheese quesadilla, and the enchiladas on one plate. We asked them to split it. Instead she brought an additional wet plate. No spoon. How does one split wet enchiladas, rice and beans without a spoon? We had to ask for a spoon and her response was "let me see if I can find one for you." And then be expected to put food onto a small wet plate. Sent the quesadilla back - no guacamole for it and it was cold. Didn't want to wait for them to remake the quesadilla or the guac. There was food all over the table from trying to split it with a fork. It was gross. Just horrible service. She took the guac (which we never got) and the quesadilla off the bill - duh - we sent it back. One of the 3 of us (vegetarian) had no lunch as a result. Couldn't have been worse, honestly. read more

Me and my family ate here and honestly the Mexican food is not that good. There are places that are way better. Going to give it 2 stars rather than one because they have good service and a good ambiance. However, my sister and her boyfriend got sick from the food shortly after and both threw up. After the food me and my boyfriend felt bloated and had slight stomach pain/discomfort. The food appears that it's not made freshly. No good seasonings on the food and some of the food is bland (especially the fajitas). I got an enchilada and the sauce taste like it's made from the can and the beans taste like they come from the can as well. Honestly, not coming back again and not worth the price. read more

El Cholo - The entrance - Mexican Near Me - Newport Beach, California

Service & staff were on point. Food was delicious. I got the combo with a green corn tamale and an enchilada which I added roasted pork and green sauce. That was my favorite! I also subbed for the cilantro rice instead of the traditional Spanish rice. Everything was delicious. The tamale was so soft and tender. I tried a regular pork tamale with red sauce but much preferred the green corn! read more

El Cholo - Green corn tamal, roasted pork enchilada with green sauce, cilantro rice and beans - Mexican Near Me - Newport Beach, California

The food was a pretty average to good sit down Mexican food place that was overpriced due to its location. I had the taco/enchilada combination and it was all fine but just nothing super special. The service was actually pretty good as our waiter was nice and attentive and wanted to do a good job. It's a nice space and I like the tributes to the family and the decor and openness of the space made it comfortable. I could have given 4 starts (close), but it was just an average sit down Mexican place..... if the prices were better I'd return but considering the area, I completely understand and think it's appropriate. read more

It's been a year since I was last here and the food remains above average but the service was very slow. My dinner arrived luke warm, which you don't want in an enchilada. I ordered the Santa Barbara enchilada and it was pretty good. Four shrimps and lots of goodies as well as a side of black beans and rice. Margaritas have increased in price as well as food in general. No, not as good as last time, but it was a busy Saturday evening. Ah well. read more

Stopped by today for happy-hour. Had the special margarita, taquitos and tortilla soup. Everything was well prepared and tasty. The restaurant is on PCH but there is plenty of parking in the rear. The only draw-back was there were no chips/salsa offered. Perhaps, you have to ask???? Anyway, not a deal-killer. Service was quick and scene was perfect. Oh yeah.....the do offer free wi-fi and the code is 1923, so since I was solo I needed to catch up on a project I am working on. read more

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Best place ever for any Mexican food in SoCal, you don't get to survive for 100 years in restaurant business if it's not the best thing out there, established in 1923 this place continues to be my favorite for every major occasions. Every time I go there, I'm unhappy. Service is always great, gotta try the habanero salsa if you can handle the sizzle. Best nachos, best fajitas, and enchiladas. Great location, dine indoor or outdoor whichever you like, can't go wrong with this place. Love it every time I am out there read more

Jose luis and Juan Trujillo at the bar we're such a delight. From the moment I walked in the offered great menu recommendations. The service was impeccable and they put their heart in their work. Cocktails were well made and Jose even showed me a few items off the menu. I love spicy...when he learned this he offered a few offers off the menu and it was perfect! So happy with the food quality...filet mignon Fajitas with scallops (I added extra) and it was wonderful. Talk about sea meats land! Loved it! Recommend fully! I will come back for their happy hour. Great spicy habanero sauce if you ask. read more

El Cholo - Filet mignon Fajita's (added scallops) - Mexican Near Me - Newport Beach, California

Had another great time here. The waiters take a tag team approach. Jose Luise is the best! The Queso Fundido special of the day was amazing! I hope I can always order it in the future. We went with our neighbors tonight and they said that dish was so great that next time we should each order our own! The red salsa is not that great and flavorless, more like pico de gallo. I then asked for green salsa and that was much better. They say they also have spicy salsa that I'll have to try next time. The large guacamole was excellent and prepared table-side. It had a certain creaminess to it that almost seemed like a touch of mayo. Our neighbor didn't like it but I loved it. My wife and neighbor each got the Combo #1 cheese enchilada and beef taquito. Next time my neighbor only wants a cheese enchilada. Next time my wife wants to get the filet mignon fajitas. My other neighbor got the chili relleno and loved it. I got the Plato De Carnitas. It was fine. The house El Cholo Margarita was great. My wife also liked that they had Marlborough New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. read more

First time here, beautiful ambiance just missing the view of the ocean. The evening was set for a delightful Mexican dinner with my wife, and we chose to dine on a charming outdoor patio. The gentle glow of overhead heating ensured our comfort as we settled into our seats, surrounded by the inviting ambiance of the evening. Our attentive waiter approached us with a warm smile, ready to guide us through an exquisite culinary journey. As we perused the menu, the waiter kindly offered his recommendations, and we couldn't resist the temptation of indulging in a delicious coconut margarita to start our evening. The refreshing blend of coconut and lime, perfectly balanced with a hint of tequila, transported us to a tropical paradise with each sip. Chips and salsa were complimentary and were warm, ordered the habanero salsa with it and was a great delicious start. For our main course, the waiter's suggestion of Diablo shrimp caught our attention, and we eagerly placed our order. The tantalizing aroma of sizzling spices filled the air as the dish arrived at our table, a vibrant display of succulent shrimp bathed in a rich, fiery sauce. With each flavorful bite, we savored the perfect combination of heat and savory goodness, a true testament to the culinary artistry of the Mexican cuisine. - Added over easy eggs and man was it tasty. the service was exceptional and both food and drinks arrived timely. We got lucky with parking right outside the front door on the street. read more

El Cholo - Diablo shrimp with 2 over easy eggs - Mexican Near Me - Newport Beach, California

This was my first time dining at this restaurant. I brought a good friend who's had the chance to dine here a few times with her daughter's family, it's their favorite restaurant too We parked behind the restaurant where they've provided Two Private Parking lots for their customers to park in. It was a Sunny Sunday afternoon with Blue Sky and Wind. Our Server was very attentive and the Staff were Friendly. My friend had a Fish Taco as well as the Chips and Salsa. They had my Favorite Mexican Beer ~ Dos XX Equis Amber I splurged and got their Enchiladas Mariscos with Lobster, Scallops, Shrimp & Jack Cheese, Topped with Chipotle Cream Sauce. This Tasted Awesome! The Best Tasting Enchiladas I've ever had. Ambiance was great being outside with my good friend sitting in Total Sun the way we like it, enjoying the Sun too 〰〰〰〰〰 G E T T I N G ^ T H E R E 〰〰〰〰〰 〰3520 E Coast Hwy, Corona del Mar, CA 92625-2403 〰 〰〰〰〰〰〰〰 949.777.6137 〰〰〰〰〰〰〰 〰〰〰〰〰〰〰 elcholo.com 〰〰〰〰〰〰〰 〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰 read more

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Chicken chimichangas were great! They easily accommodated our large 11 person party (we called ahead). Kids enjoyed the quesadillas and they also have chicken nuggets for the pickier eaters. Nice large restaurant!! read more

Super cozy outdoor seating that is great for pets and kids! Excellent, friendly staff. The guacamole is outstanding. If you like, they'll include a ramekin of fresh jalapeño. The green tamales are a summer treat. On the sweet side, so, not my fav. The crunchy beef taco is pretty good. Generous portions of basic Mexican food, not the most creative, innovative style, but okay. Nice place to hang, but not the culinary experience read more

Ambiance: nice and clean, subtle, and family style design. Wasn't too busy but a nice atmosphere. Service: amazing service, quick and friendly. Had no complaints at all. Our server was knowledgeable about different tequilas and helpful with the decisions. Drinks: I just came for a few drinks and had a great time. Had a margarita and tequila on the side. Both were delicious! read more

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Amazing all around! Edwin, Renee and their wonderful staff were the perfect pick! We are from Utah but my son and our new daughter-in-law decided on a wedding in the Newport Beach area. We had a large group to feed for a the groom's dinner and El Cholo in Corona Del Mar did not disappoint! Edwin and Renee made the experience of planning and coordinating a dinner from afar seem easy! Thank you making it a magical night! If you are in the Newport Beach area make El Cholo your next place to eat! The best Mexican fine dining area around! My favorite is the Enchiladas Suiza or their Molé! Muchísimas Gracias!! read more

El Cholo - Wedding Party - Mexican Near Me - Newport Beach, California

Amazing all around! Edwin, Renee and their wonderful staff were the perfect pick! We are from Utah but my son and our new daughter-in-law decided on a wedding in the Newport Beach area. We had a large group to feed for a the groom's dinner and El Cholo in Corona Del Mar did not disappoint! Edwin and Renee made the experience of planning and coordinating a dinner from afar seem easy! Thank you making it a magical night! If you are in the Newport Beach area make El Cholo your next place to eat! The best Mexican fine dining area around! My favorite is the Enchiladas Suiza or their Molé! Muchísimas Gracias!! read more

Nice size parking lot to the rear of the restaurant. Had a reservation on a Saturday afternoon for a group of 20. Could not have asked for better service. Table was ready and everyone was quickly sat. The server was very on top of things from drinks to food. Something on the menu for everyone. Great spot. read more

Excellent and authentic. Service was really good. Had the chicken mole. Outstanding. A little difficult to park, but worth the challenge.

Amazing, Delicious highly recommend. Seafood Fajitas Taste of history A+ Excellent dining experience read more

El Cholo - A Taste of History - Mexican Near Me - Newport Beach, California

If you're looking for authentic Mex food at this location - go elsewhere. I was hesitant to come try this place because of the mixed reviews. But it was 5 mins from CdM Beach. I regret it so much. I'm not from LA but when visiting I love to try as many Mex restaurants as possible. Cholo seemed ideal. I read someone's review (after the fact) about having to adjust for local taste but this doesn't make sense to me. When I go out to eat any cuisine, it's because I want to actually try the differing taste and ingredients!!! They missed the mark and cater to the local taste (bland) vs the authenticity of the cuisine. No aguas frescas at a Mexican restaurant? Why remove it instead of promoting it in a way that exposes others to something delicious and good! The service was good. We sat outdoors which is always a treat in some areas - this one being ideal. The ambience provided by our family get together. If I had done a little more digging I would have driven to Mamalonas in Westminster. Please go there, it is bomb and only 15-20 mins away (not responsible for traffic). You won't regret it! read more

The tacos were packed with flavor, the salsa tasted fresh, and the service was fast and friendly. Great atmosphere and authentic Mexican food that I'd definitely come back for again. read more

El Cholo set the standard for every Mexican restaurant in America. However, no other Mexican restaurant compares. I have even traveled to many of the largest cities in Mexico and El Cholo does it better. 2026 starts my 72nd year of deliciousness! read more

I took all of my Christmas visitors from three different states to El Cholo. The dinner was one of the highlights of our holiday season. The food and service were excellent. read more