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Photo courtesy of Jeff Peters
Photo courtesy of Jeff Peters
Photo courtesy of Jeff Peters

El Cholo

Item: El Cholo
Author: Jenny Peters

Cuisine: Latin, Mexican

Price: $$

10Best Says

The family-run Mexican restaurants known as El Cholo began in 1923, with a small place near the Memorial Coliseum (which opened that same year). Now there are six of them scattered across Southern California, all offering up the classics that have made El Cholo such a resounding success. You'll notice the dates on the menu that mark when a dish was first served: the seasonal (and unexpectedly sweet) Green Corn Tamales have always been on the menu and are not to be missed. Carmen's Original Nachos (from 1959) set the standard for that dish and we adore the Plato de Carnitas (1989), lush roasted pork paired with a tangy avocado relish. El Cholo is famous for their top-shelf margaritas, too, and proudly lay claim to being the first restaurant to use premium ingredients in their drinks.

Address:

1037 S. Flower Street.
Los Angeles, CA 90015
213-746-7750

Hours:

Sun-Thu: 11am-10pm
Fri-Sat: 11am-11pm

Website:

elcholo.com

EXPERT TIPS BY: Jenny Peters
Los Angeles Local Expert

Mexican, Homestyle: "Always order the lusciously sweet Green Corn Tamales if you are at El Cholo when they are in season, from May through October. There's nothing like them."

Best for Mexican Because: One of L.A.'s venerable Mexican restaurants, El Cholo has always been one of the best in town, too.
Best for Homestyle Because: El Cholo has been one of L.A.'s finest Mexican restaurants for more than 90 years, ever since the first one opened in 1923.

Main Menu
- Antojitos
  Fiesta Platter
  crab and beef taquitos, nachos, quesadillas, chimichangas, guacamole and sour cream
  
  For Two: $10.95
  
  For Four: $18.95
  Aged Cheese Quesadilla
  cheddar and jack cheeses grilled in a handmade flour tortilla
  
  $7.95
  
  With Beef, Roasted Pork Or Chicken: $1.95
  Sonora Style Nachos
  
  frijoles, simmered tomato sauce, sour cream and guacamole ($8.95)
  
  Carmen's Original Nachos
  
  ($7.50)
  
  Guacamole
  
  molcajete style served in an authentic bowl for you to mix and mash ($10.25)
  
  Tortilla Soup
  haas avocado, grilled chicken, cheese, roasted poblano chile with strips of tortillas
  
  Cup: $4.15
  
  Bowl: $5.95
  "felix's" Caesar Salad
  Entree Portion: $7.95
  
  Side Portion: $4.25
  Guacamole & Chips
  
  ($5.95)
  
  Joe's Traditional Albondigas
  Cup: $4.15
  
  Bowl: $5.95
  Handmade Flour Tortillas
  
  ($1.25)
- Enchiladas
  
  Blue Corn Enchiladas
  
  (rosa's all time favorite!) marinated breast of chicken enchiladas wrapped with blue corn tortillas, tomatillo sauce, sour cream, and avocado garnish. served with black beans and rice ($14.95)
  
  Sonora Style Enchilada
  
  (first enchilada served at el cholo) layerd corn tortillas, savory chicken simmered in a tomato, onion, cilantro broth, & cheese, topped with olives and a fried egg ($11.95)
  
  Crabmeat Enchilada
  
  jalapeno-cilantro pesto sauce, sour cream, fresh avocado, black beans and rice ($14.85)
  
  Enchilada Suiza
  
  breast of chicken, in a light salsa verde, sour cream, beans and rice ($11.95)
  
  Annie's Early California Enchilada
  
  garden fresh vegetables, spinach, sauteed mushrooms, and jack cheese, corn and tomato salsa ($10.50)
- Green Corn Tamales
  
  So Yummy
  
  fresh corn off the cob, corn masa, cheddar cheese and ortega chile, steamed in its own husk. beans and rice ($11.45)
- Comidas Especiales
  
  Filet Tacos
  
  three handmade corn tortillas with molcajete salsa, cilantro rice and black beans ($15.75)
  
  Carne Asada
  
  new york steak, beans, rice, pico de gallo and guacamole ($16.50)
  
  Chicken Chimichangas
  
  chunks of flavorful chicken in a crisp flour tortilla, guacamole, rice and beans ($12.25)
  
  Tres Tacos Al Carbon
  
  grilled marinated top sirloin with bacon, jack cheese, tomatillo-chipotle salsa,black beans and rice ($14.95)
  
  Chicken Tostadita
  
  fresh garden vegetables, grilled chicken breast, avocado and crispy tortilla strips ($12.85)
  
  Burrito Dorado
  
  chili con carne, beans, rice, aged cheddar cheese, simmered tomato sauce, sour cream and guacamole ($12.25)
  
  Tostada Compuesta
  
  an el cholo tradition with an array of fresh garden vegetables, beans and chorizo ($9.55)
  
  Plato De Carnitas
  
  roasted pork served with fresh avocado relish, escabeche onions, nopales, rice and beans ($13.75)
  
  Chile Colorado
  
  tender beef in a traditional chile sauce with beans, rice and a cup of guacamole ($10.95)
- Sizzling Fajitas
  
  Steak
  
  tender strips of steak marinated and sauteed with fresh garden vegetables ($15.75)
  
  Succulent Shrimp
  
  sauteed with fresh garden vegetables ($16.75)
  
  Chicken
  
  delicate chunks of chicken breast. sauteed with fresh garden vegetables ($14.95)
  
  Fresh Vegetable
  
  sauteed with fresh green bell peppers, red peppers, onions, mushrooms, zucchini, carrots and tomatoes ($11.85)

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