Cha Cha Chili

I had passed by this place a couple times — always when I had a million things to do– but finally got a round to trying it and I was not disappointed.
The place:
I think this gets its namesake as Korean/​Mexican Fusion place, however, their menu is more like Korean fusion into many forms of non-​traditional Korean dishes. (like burgers, sliders, tacos etc.)
I also wanted to highlight the staff — great staff. In a time when customer service seems to be less important — it has never been more important (well to me at least). The cashier was super helpful, non-​invasive, and overall I had a very positive experience when interacting withe the staff.
small parking area (5 – 7) cars
small outside/​inside eating area
Also I was pleasantly surprised by this massive TV inside this tiny establishment (literally takes up a wall) that plays the food network (which for me is a plus).
The food:
I ordered Hawiian Sliders w/​bulgogi and the El Jefe taco from the special menu.
I really enjoyed the food, the only criticism I have is that the El Jefe taco should be made with the addition of a melted cheese (I guess next time I’ll request it) because I enjoyed it otherwise.
Bottom line — I can justify the eating here because I really enjoyed the food and the environment.

The food is uniquely good the Asian flavored added to traditional tacos and burritos make a good blend. A little divy, but the food is good enough to keep you there. When I’m late afternoon in the area, I get some beef burritos and fish tacos to go.

I’ve been wanting to try this place out after I saw the restaurant featured on Food Network but I was sadly disappointed. It was fairly close to my work so I decided to drive out for a quick lunch. I pulled up to a small parking lot and I could already tell it was lunch rush hour. After seeing how many people were in line I was more eager and excited to try the food. I ordered the chicken teriyaki bowl and an order of beef taco. The rice in the teriyaki bowl had a porridge texture and the vegetables (cabbage, broccoli, carrot, mushroom) was what was the worst for me. The vegetables tasted like the packets you purchase for instant microwaveable dinners. There was nothing great about the chicken either even though I noticed that they were grilling the meat outside.
The beef taco was «Korean inspired» with some type of bulgogi sauce but for my preference the sauce was too sweet. I prefer my tacos to be authentic and flavorful. Not sweet. They had plenty of table setting inside and outside so it was convenient for the customers. I ended up having a nice seat by the street outside and that was pleasant. I’m glad I finally tried the food but definitely not somewhere I would want to go back to.

Great place to eat with friends, the chimichangas are the best I have ever had.
My only complaint would be the ambiance, like the dark paint and lack of scenery. Other than that the food and service is great.

I haven’t even tasted anything just yet, yet the aroma wafting from their kitchen smeelllss sooooo good… my FIRST reaction after I ordered my takeout.
Came across this place on youtube Fung Bros channel featuring ChaCha Alhambra. I just happened to be sitting on the 10 during rush hour and after 9 hrs of driving that day, thought what better detour to pass time in traffic than a foodie find. ABSOLUTELY WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED ~ Flavorful PUNCH is what I like about this place. It looks pretty random, super casual, and some of the nicest service I’ve come across for LA.
Went with their (last) bulgogi chimichanga, chacha bowl with their japchae, rice and chicken, and a few of their street taco specials on a separate menu. I LOVED everything … definitely enjoyed the chimichanga and their japchae the best!!! Even my guy liked the chimichanga and it took me about another hour-​and-​a-​half to get home. The japchae is seriously some of the best Korean flavors I’ve come across and it’s my Korean staple.
The street taco features their own meat variations but the one I loved the best was the potato and chorizo one. Even their homemade tortilla makes it a standout taco!
I’m already trying to reroute my drives to best accomodate another visit here again sooner than later! Seating inside as well as outside patio space. Parking lot fits about 5 cars or so and street parking seemed convenient enough after 7pm on a weeknight. Also their restroom facility is a basic tidy space.
Thanks so much, Wendy, for your help! I loved all your recommendations.

Delish! We shared the Philly cheese streak, El Jefe taco and Chicken Sliders. The meat was super tasty, tender and perfectly cooked. The corn tortillas wer freshly made as well. On a hot day, you can find a few tables inside with air condtioning.

Cha Cha Chili has been a place I’ve loved to come for years. But there are draw backs. The dinning hall is tiny and loud, the location is WAY too difficult to get to, and from time to time they run put of Sriracha, which really sucks. I can’t recommend the food higher, but it is time this place grew up a little bit.

I came here in high school and was in love with Korean Mexican fusion. I loved the burrito. But I found the chimichanga to be 100x better. The burrito is good when you’re on the go but try the chimichanga. It’s like a fried burrito and they cut it up for you so it’s easy to eat. It looks like a gigantic fried sushi roll. It is so filling and easy to share. I got cha cha fries on time. They were delicious as well. Their pico de gallo was fresh and addicting. This place is bomb.

Got their short rib kimchi quesadilla, spicy pork taco & mushroom poppers.
Do not take-​out mushroom poppers, eat it on the spot or they will get soggy.
Short rib is on the sweet side. Its sweetness didn’t mesh well with the kimchi & gunks of cheese (had to add a LOT of Tapatio), so I’m guessing their short rib would taste much better in a taco over a burrito or quesadilla. Or go sweet all the way in a Hawaiian slider.
Definitely going to come back for their sliders & special menu.

Ok so I went on a Foodventure.
It was really good.
This is truly a Dive. And easy to get to.
Parking was small but adequate for the spot.
Was a little leery of some of my fellow diners.
But the food was great.
Going back for a signature dish again.

We were on our way to the Staples Center on a weekend day and decided to eat at Cha Cha Chili because we were craving that Asian-​Mexican fusion-​type food. After several recommendations and reading through some Unilocal reviews, we decided to try the mushroom poppers, kimchi quesadilla, and the burrito. Let’s break it down– CCC is similar to Red Hot Kitchen in its taste and style.
Parking– Very difficult. Only about 5 spots in a small, small lot next to the shop. There is also street parking, but it is a little iffy. The neighborhood doesn’t seem like it is the best and so I’d be concerned to park on the street.
Pricing– Fair. I think it’s about similar to other fusion-​type restaurants $ 6−10/item.
Food– Mushroom poppers were really great. It came out steaming and there was so much crunch to it when we bit into them. The sauce that came with it was just ok and I’d rather eat it without that sauce. Kimchi quesadilla was good, but the salad (?) that came with it had no sauce and seemed just like filler. The taco that we had was ordinary and wasn’t really distinct, but the tortilla was handmade and that made the taco better. However, I’m not sure if I’d order it again. The burrito. was subpar. I think that I had high hopes for it especially after the mushroom poppers, but was slightly disappointed in its taste. I think that the sauce hid the taste of the other ingredients inside. Long story short… I’d get the quesadilla. I would definitely try to come back to taste the chimichanga though!

Like those before me, we saw this place on DDD. It definitely lived up to our expectations and more. We will be back. …soon!

I came here a while back but never wrote a review. At the time I was craving Korean Mexican fusion since it’s really hard to find a place in my area. I found this place I Unilocal and thought I’d give it a try
It got great reviews but to me, i don’t know it fell a little short. Maybe it was a lot of hype around it.
The parking isn’t the best, but there is on street parking.

Like many, I learned of Cha Cha Chili thanks to DDD. So, I went and checked it out. Believe it or not, I’ve never had the Kogi Korean Mexican fusion foo so I can’t compare.
I had the fish (fried), beef (bul-​go-​gi) and short rib (kalbi) tacos so I can try a few different proteins. The owner (Gavin) saw me eating and asked if I wanted to try some of the special hot sauce. I said yes and also told him that I came from west LA (again, thanks to DDD) to try his food. He then suggested that I try items off the special menu (see photo) which was not obvious as it was behind some other menus. Since I already had (3) tacos, I just had room for one more and thus got the El Jefe from the special menu which has a handmade corn tortilla versus the machine made corn tortillas.
All the proteins were seasoned properly. In fact, the short rib and beef tastes better than some Korean BBQ joints. The special hot sauce is worth using but it has a kick afterwards so you will feel it in the back of your throat.
I’ll go back and try the Hawaiian bread sliders next.

Stopped by this Korean-​Mexican fusion for lunch. The restaurant is tiny — 5 small tables inside and 5 outside where you order.
I ordered a couple short rib tacos (recommended by employee) and the El Jefe taco (also short rib but with different toppings). The tacos were small and three was just enough to not stuff myself.
The short rib was flavorful and a little sweet. However, it was a little more spicy than anticipated (my coworkers couldn’t finish it). Overall, it was good, but nothing I would rave about. I wouldn’t mind coming back to try a different item, but wouldn’t go out my way for it.

Wanted to pay a visit to this joint after they were featured on Triple D. Wanted to taste the hype for myself. Since I was So overwhelmed with all of the reviews that I wasn’t sure what to order, I asked if I could sample the various meats offered and the person helping me out gladly let me sample all of what they offered. I decided on the beef and I ordered the Cha Cha Bowl and the Jalapeño poppers.
When my bowl arrived, I couldn’t believe how generous the portion was. The bowl comes with glass noodles, broccoli, rice and beef (beef was well seasoned and had a fresh taste to it). The order can def feed and fill two adults. Jalapeño poppers were nothing special and I personally wouldn’t try again.
I’ll def be coming back and trying the short rib tacos and burrito. Giving them 4 stars because the person at the front was very kind to allow me to sample the various meats offered.

Hubby has been here a couple of times for Lunch & Raved about their Chicken Teriyaki Bowl. Since this is a mix of Mexican/​Korean BBQ Food I decided to try their Spicy pork rice bowl with sautéed Veggies & it was Delicious ! Next time I gotta try their Bulgogi burrito that looked amazing as well…

BOMBDOTCOM
I get the kalbi burritos here and take em to Dodger games. It’s the best korean fusion I’ve had =)

I am a Korean cuisine eater! And all Asian cuisines I enjoy, especially authentic. I really dig the spices they use. I will return for this is my spot when I’m craving fusion foods.

Have you ever been stuck in the decision between grabbing Korean food or Mexican food? Now you can have both with Korean infused Mexican food! Haha, I’ve never actually been stuck in that situation but if ever I did, this place would be the place to go!
I usually go to the one in Alhambra and compared to that one, this cha cha chili is smaller and a lot more run down looking. The food is good and it comes out fast! Plus the workers are friendly! Definitely a must try!

Had an hour and a half lunch break and was feeling Korean (actually wanted kimbap at first) and came across this restaurant on Unilocal.Read some of the reviews and seemed legit so decided to give it a try. Was very decent, but minus a star for the appearance of the restaurant. There were a lot of flies buzzing around, made me kind of wonder their cleanliness in the kitchen area… but they do have a health grade of B so whatevers.
This place is Korean-​Mexican fusion, but mostly what I think it is, is using Asian ingredients in Mexican styled food. I got the steak Chimichanga and although it was a more on the pricy side ($ 8.95) I think their portion made up for it. Chimichanga was cut into four pieces… and the size was like two burritos. I’ve had the chimichanga from El Compadre and the portion cannot be compared to Cha Cha Chili, and the taste was very different too. At El Compadre it was much more legit, but then again Cha Cha Chili is a Korean Mexican fusion so being different is part of its attraction.
The chimichanga tasted a little sweet but the meat quality was bomb. Pretty heavy tho so I’m sure not all of you would like it. If you’re not hungry, strongly suggest ordering their taco or something else coz you will not be able to finish this. The rice they used in it was Asian rice, and of course I can tell.
Not something I’d die or crave for on a regular basis but would want to come back and try their other items.

Genius. The combinations and creations on the menu are mouth watering. This place is out on the sketchy part of town by the train tracks, but I will gladly make trips out here again. Fourth meal food? Sure. Will it give you a heart attack? Probably. Delicious? Abso-​effing-​lutely. It’s a good thing it’s not closer to me or I’d really be in trouble.
Order the Chimichanga! Great pluses are the free parking and casual atmosphere. Come in a t-​shirt and flip flops.

Saw ChaCha Chili on Dives, Drives, & Dine-​Ins with Guy! Looked absolutely delicious on tv so me and my roomies went to go try it. It’s pretty in the middle of no where but there’s a huge sign so when you drive by you should see it! There is a small parking lot but I didn’t see a space so I parked across the street and walked on over. Came around 8pm on a Wednesday and there was no wait. Ordered my food and sat down at the many tables and my short rib burrito came out within a few minutes of sitting down.
Now to the food:
–short rib burrito ($ 7.99 with tax = $ 8.71): I just wasn’t satisfied with this to be honest. I think there was so much hype coming here that I was expecting much more with this. My friend also got this and he was dissatisfied as well. I would recommend trying something else. Sure the short rib was tasty but the whole thing together didn’t make it for me.
–fries ($ 2.20): NOT GOOD. I was slightly frustrated when I ate the fries and they weren’t up to par with other places that serve fries. Not very tasty…
–short rib chimichanga ($ 8.95): I honestly didn’t know what a chimichanga was until I came here but pretty much it is a burrito that is fried and at chacha chili they cut it up into four parts and put some sauces on top. To be honest, it was too greasy for me and I was not into the flavor combination. Some people will like it and my friends agreed that was the best thing out table had ordered but only try this if you dare…
Overall: great service, but I don’t think I would return because none of the food really blew me or my friends away…

At the recommendation of a co-​worker, another co-​worker and I decided to stop in while in the area during a weeklong conference.
The restaurant is located in a predominantly residential area on one side of the road and industrial on the other. There aren’t too many restaurants in the immediate vicinity which I suppose works since it’s convenient for the nearby businesses not to mention residents who are out and about doing their thing.
There is a small parking lot on one side of the building and they offer both indoor and outdoor seating. The seating inside is very small space wise as is table size too.
During our visit and after much debate I settled on the jalapeño bombers, one beef taco and one fish taco.
Here’s the breakdown:
1. Jalapeño bombers were good but they didn’t wow me. The batch of jalapeños that I got were not hot, it isn’t necissarily a bad thing and it’s practically impossible to tell which ones will be hot and which won’t). The fresh jalapeño flavor came through and the tempura like batter they were fried in also had a nice flavor and crunchy consistency. But, I didn’t get much in the crab flavor that they boast. They were on the smaller side and I was expecting something along the line of stuff jalapeños (e.g. cream cheese) like at my favorite sushi spot (
), those suckers are to die for!
2. Fish taco, despite the fish having a fresh taste it was bland. The batter didn’t have much in the flavor department either. I was hoping that the lettuce/​cilantro salsa mix would also deliver an explosion of flavor but unfortunately it wasn’t there. I think the fish tacos from Taco Nazo are still more flavorful and they are slightly bigger.
3. Beef taco, this was definitely the best item. The beef was tender and had a wonderful sweetness to it, which was nicely complimented by the lettuce/​cilantro salsa mix. I wouldn’t mind going back for these.
In all I don’t’ regret my visit. I certainly wouldn’t go out of my way to try this place but if you’re in the neighborhood the beef tacos might be worth a try.

Oh Mushroom Crab Poppers, I Love You!
SITREP
Cha Cha Chili does it again & blows away my taste buds with some delicious Mush Crab Poppers!
THE SETUP
Back down in our Monterey Park (East L.A.) regional office conducting training always presents me with an opportunity to check out Cha Cha Chili for lunch, and I love to do so.
* I got to grab the Korean BBQ Philly Steak Sandwich, and it’s fantastic in it’s own right:
* But it’s the Mushroom Crab Poppers that blew my mind and raised my rating up to 5-​Stars this time.
BEER KAT
My buddy Peter’s Beer Kat wants to know why I didn’t save any mushroom crab poppers for him.
THE LOWDOWN
I will keep going down to L.A. to our work sites just so I can have lunch here. :D

Really really really good food. Deep-​fried chimichanga was delicious. Absolutely delicious.
The Hawaiian bread sliders were just as delicious. If I wasn’t that full because the portions are a good size I’m sure everything else on the menu when I’ve been just as delicious. If you ever are around in the area and are in need of a great meal I would highly recommend you stop by Cha Cha Chili’s