Every time I think of Cha Cha Cha, I think of BOMBASS SANGRIAS. The tapas are so flavorful and filling - none of that 3 small scallops on a small plate bullshit. I've tried real jerk chicken in Jamaica, but Cha Cha Cha's variation of jerk chicken is my favorite. And trust, I had my fair share of it because apparently that's all they eat in Jamaica. If you're somehow allergic and live in there, you're fucked. That thick sauce covering the chicken tastes so good with the rice it comes with. It falls off the bone as it is so tender with the moisture and flavor of the sauce cooked into it. The cajun shrimp is also my favorite despite the skimp on the shrimp. None of us could stop dipping the complimentary bread in the creamy sauce. It has a fun atmosphere with the music and decor. It's a good place to share a few tapas with friends, drink pitchers of sangria, and be merry. read more

If you are going here on the weekends GET THERE EARLY. I tried coming here to see what all the rave was about and all 4 times there was like a 2 hour wait at like 7pm and it stayed like that until like 10. Only twice were we patient enough and not starving that we decided to stay. This was a few months ago. But i don't think the place has changed much in that time. The Sangria's are muy bueno!! This is a must try. . we had a whole pitcher while we waited. . . the food was ok. . . not like Amazing. . . the mussels were ok. . . the calamari was good . . . and . . . ummm really i can't remember what else we got. . . everything seemed like typical mexican food, obviously not memorable. . . This place is avg. w/ a long wait. i really don't see what all the hype is about aside from the joy that you get from saying the name of the place "CHA CHA CHA!!" read more

Recognized by Fodor's (Frommer's, maybe?), Cha Cha Cha is described as "boisterous" - in a good way. Caribbean/vinyl kitsch and sangria are sure to make any meal lively, and the atmosphere is upbeat and buzzing. Definite favorites include the jerked chicken and the sauteed mushrooms. Wash the lovely spices down with your sangria, and order another pitcher. You'll be singing this place's praises louder than the reggae rhythms they've got coming out of the speakers. read more

AMAZING sangria! its an absolute must if you come here! My girls and I devoured the Jamaican jerk chicken, ceviche del dia, Spanish rice and black beans, fried new potatoes and spring salad. ALL of it was good...but the most memorable dish was the bread pudding cubano!! yuuuuummy for my tummy! 1 star knocked off because the host wouldn't seat us since dinner wasn't starting for another 20 minutes when there were open tables and people hanging out at the tables. Luckily, my friend talked to the manager and we were seated while we waited. read more

I love this place. It has such a great atmosphere. It makes you want to get up and dance! I've been twice and both times were great. My party got the cajun shrimp, mussels, guava wings, a cuban sandwich, and SANGRIA!! You cannot leave this place without getting the cajun shrimp. It is so good!! The mussels were cooked just right with a great broth. The guava wings had a nice kick. They were crispy, but the guava flavor made it something better. The cuban sandwich was the only disappointing part. I guess a typical cuban sandwich doesn't have mayo and this one had A LOT of mayo. It was kind of just a ham and cheese panini. They lose a star because the prices are a bit on the expensive side, but it's still worth it! Tips: They have two locations: Haight and Mission. I prefer the Haight location because there is more parking and its a nicer area. Get LOTS of bread...Here is the order of dipping..1. Cajun Shrimp Sauce 2. Mussel Broth. You can't go wrong!! It's so delicious!!! read more

I totally remember when this place was kick ass. Tonight it just fell completely flat. We shared the fried new potatoes (YUM!), then I had the Beef Chimichanga special and Mom had the Jerk Chicken (what many go here to have). I have never seen such a lifeless plate of food as that Jerk Chicken dish. The sauce was slopped on top and you couldn't even see the actual chicken pieces. I've just had way better. I was introduced to Jerk in DC and, man, it was fabulous. Maybe because it was being prepared by actual Jamaicans...okay, I guess I can't put Cha Cha Cha up against the homies. My chimichanga had more flavor, but not much, and I didn't get the pimento-stuffed olives added to the mix. It's Monday. It's after the holiday rush. We walked in at about 5:30, a half an hour after opening. Maybe the alignment of all of these things aided in their less-than-stellar performance. Oh, and the Sangria wasn't all that this time around, either. And don't get me started on the service. read more

Wow, over 1700 reviews! Not sure if I can add much to the body of knowledge out there about this restaurant. I have eaten at Cha Cha Cha twice and both times the food was quite mediocre. I just don't get the appeal. read more

We discovered this restaurant by accident. I think we couldnt decide where to eat, and my gf thought the name was cute, so we went! We have been here about 4 times now. We went to the Haight location. Parking was a bit of a pain, but what was worse was the wait. If you go after 7:30, expect to wait at least an hour and a half. The place is crowded ( a good thing) but annoyingly so. When you come in, the host looks a bit annoyed, and can never give a straight answer to how long the wait is. Your choice is to go the bar or wait outside (its awkward to be staring at people eating - very cramped spaces). The Sangria - this stuff hits you from behind! It is pretty tasty, but you better watch out! The food - We had the New Potatoes with chile pasilla aioli, which was awesome (but basically just fried potatoes), the Cajun Shrimp (amazing and so far, impossible to recreate) Steamed black mussles (nothing special, but still good), fried calamari (pretty standard). Overall, the food was excellent and great for sharing and having alot of drinks with! Overall - IF you are early enough, it is a great place to hang out with friends and noshing on some awesome food (not quite tapas, but similar). I dock a star for the unbearable wait. read more

I really enjoyed myself at this restaurant. Some friends and I were walking around Haight shopping and enjoying the evening and when we started to get hungry we asked a someone to recommend something in the neighborhood. He mentioned a few places including Cha Cha Cha and automatically a few other people chorused in saying to check it out. So we did. We were advised to try the sangria and that the sauces were amazing (one girl told us to just ask for the sauces and bread and she wasn't wrong!!) We were told there would be a 20 minute wait which didn't bother us since we hadn't made reservations. It ended up being just long enough for us to order drinks from the bar (more like 3 minutes) before we were seated. We decided to do a few tapas and then order our own entrees. Big mistake, but only beause we ended up with too much food and it was disappointing to have the deliciousness go to waste. We tried the cajun shrimp first. The shrip itself wasn't great but OMG the sauce was heavenly. We were all fighting over getting another swipe at it with the bread. We also had fried calimari which was good. Nothing spectacular there, but it wasn't oily or chewy which is just about the only way to screw it up. I had the seafood pallea and it was fantastic. If I hadn't been staying in a hotel or had a fridge in my room I would have taken the rest home with me. It was spicy and flavorful. The scallops were tender the fish soft and flaky. The andouille was thick and delicious. Just...great. My friends also ordered some crab cakes (really good) and Jerk Chicken which was also very yummy. I'd definitely eat there again when in the neighbourhood. read more

Definitely busy on a Saturday night, but so worth it! A little on the dark side, but cool voodoo vibe with lively Latin music. If you're a small party I would recommend going back to the bar and eating there, the wait time is much shorter. Now about the food. I highly recommend the plantains. They are deliciously sweet and cooked perfectly. Another must is the seafood paella which was so tasty. And another recommendation is the spicy shrimp in a Cajun cream sauce. It was so flavorful and perfect for dipping your bread in. Such an amazing meal! Definitely try the sangria, and if you have a sweet tooth the flan is homemade. read more

Cha Cha Cha has perhaps the most consistently upbeat and boisterous vibe in the Haight. It is loud, but the fun kind of loud. I think the Haight is a perfect place for this home-made, fun restaurants with lots of character (another one would be Kan Zaman just a few doors down). The food is good, with a tapas menu and a dinner menu that focuses mainly on Caribbean fare, but with some Spanish overtones, including the ever-flowing sangria. They have a bar to wait for seating, but that fills up too most of the time, so the better way to go is to plan to check in early and wander the street a little bit, or pick out some nearby dive bar to help you contrast your Cha Cha Cha experience. I always have a really good time there. read more

Haha, has anyone mentioned the sangria yet? Yeah, it's good. Waiting for a table can be a bitch, but as long as you've got a pitcher... it's OK! This place is extremely loud and crowded, so keep that in mind. Conversation can be hard. People have said it's great for groups, but I think it can be nice to just have just a couple of people with you, considering the space and the wait. Great decor and music, and all the times I've been here, the staff has been friendly and happy to serve us. Although I wouldn't consider them tapas, because the servings are a bit large... the food is great, and it comes out of the kitchen like, 3 minutes after you order it. Yay for the Cajun shrimp, the fried potatoes, the plantains, the chicken paillard, the jerk chicken, the ceviche. And use the bread to soak up all the sauces... I WANT TO BATHE IN THEIR SAUCES! read more

I love that I can kill a pitcher of tasty sangria in the the presence of some 10+ portraits/statues of the virgin Mary looking at me from every direction. I prefer to sit at the bar and stare at the decorations that hang from the red wall behind it while I stuff my face full of delicious food. The chicken wings, calamari, sauteed mushrooms, ribs, and fried platanos, are a few things that usually find their way into my stomach by the end of a visit there. Be prepared to wait a while if you catch it when it's busy. It can get pretty crowded in the bar area when people are waiting to be seated, but just relax, grab your sangria and chill, it's worth it. read more

As a vegetarian, I really liked this place. They had a lot of options. I got Fried New Patatoesand Friend Platanos Maduros. Those was great. I also got the Ricotta-Spinch empanada. I wasn't a fan of this. My husband got the marinated chicken wings and chicken paillard. He loved both. He liked the Chicken Paillard more. All together, the portions are large. So 5 tapas for the 2 of us was too much food. I would come back! read more

Quirky, vibrant, and lively Cuban spot located amongst equally quirky, vibrant, and lively shops lining the Haight/Ashbury area. I hungrily stumbled upon this place with a friend and can't stop thinking about/planning my next visit! I really regret writing this on an empty stomach, but let's just get down to the tapas: - Platanos Maduros: sweet fried plantains served with black beans and cream. I absolutely love plaintains, and these somehow were the best I've had. Perfect level of ripeness and tasted wonderful paired with the beans. - Fried potatoes with spicy aioli: I'm not sure what was so amazing about this plate, but the potatoes were roasted and fried to perfection in saffron butter, and the spicy garlic aioli just took it over the top. - Vegetable paella: Really plump and flavorful rice, chock full of well-cooked veggies. Tasted better as leftovers the next day (don't judge me, but I ate it for breakfast...) Service was attentive and very quick; be sure to avoid coming at a peak meal hour to avoid chances of a wait. Portions are very sizable - make sure to order a lot of dishes and share family-style! read more

Wow wow and wow just unbelievable this place is just wonderful I would definitely recommend you to go and try it out for yourself definitely going back there I would like to bring my co-workers here this place is just a really good place read more

There was once another time. A time when the question wasn't what new restaurant would we try, but what favorite are we returning to? A time when the question wasn't would I have a drink, but how many? A time when the question wasn't can you make that dish healthier, but can you add extra sauce/cheese/etc.? That was another time, and the answer was usually Cha Cha Cha. I didn't quite return to this time last weekend, though the temptation was definitely there. I stopped in not at this one (easily the better of the two, more personality, more chaos, more debauchery), but the Mission towards the end of a birthday party. I didn't eat, not exactly the best food to have in your stomach before an epic DJ like Ronski Speed, so I just popped in to say hello. I was reminded of the outstanding menu, where everything was delicious, and your best call was to order one of everything. We've done it. Including two orders of those fried plantains. I was reminded of the outstanding sangria, where one glass easily leads to five. Or ten. True story - I fell asleep during dinner one time thanks to too much sangria. It wasn't my proudest post-college moment, but one of the more memorable. Sort of. I was reminded of how outstanding the prices are, where even in a large group with plenty of food and drink, you are walking out for about $20 - $25/person. Well fed. Well intoxicated. I might not live in that time anymore, but there's no saying you can't go back for a visit. Fire up some plantains. pass the sangria. I'd probably get a good workout in first, and then enjoy every last bite. And hopefully stay awake. read more

I really do not understand what is so great about this place. Seriously. The food isn't that special, the Sangria was watery and the staff (especially our server) had disappointing attitudes. Okay, wait....the exterior is pretty fun. Blue is fun. I like looking at the building when I'm walking towards Whole Foods. read more

Didn't get to try the food or the drinks because the host was a prick and the bartender was nowhere to be found :( I hope the second visit goes better. 0-1 read more

Finished a Haight Ashbury tour and we're starving. Walked into the first place we saw, which rarely works out. Well this time it did. Got jerk chicken, BBQ chicken quesadilla, fried potatoes and dijon chicken. Plus a pitcher of their awesome sangria. Everything was wonderful, including the service. That area is definitely hit or miss. Cha cha cha is a big hit. read more

Cha Cha Cha - Caribbean Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Dinner with mi familia...platanos with black beans is still my favorite thing on the menu. I'll come just for these. We also shared the bistek and paella which came to the table piping hot. See you again Cha Cha Cha! read more

Steak sandwich and plantains are so good. The aioli sauce is really good! I would certainly come back here again!

Service was okay, definitely not anything to rave about. Red wine sangria was amazing. Highly recommend this place if you're in the area and looking to pre-game before going out for the evening. read more

I had lunch here this afternoon and thought it was pretty decent. It was not the best food I've ever had and I did feel that the tables were a little too close together, but I still had a pretty enjoyable lunch. The ambiance here is nice and not obviously cramped (this is helped by the high ceilings), but I found the decor a bit tacky. Service was good - they promptly took my drink order and all the food was brought out quickly. We ordered a few items from the lunch tapas: BBQ Chicken Quesadilla, Fried Calamari, and the Jerk Chicken. The food was tasty, but somewhat mediocre in terms of preperation and presentation. I found the calamari pretty bland. The quesadilla was good - juicy pulled chicken and delicious fresh salsa - however, they only gave us 1/2 a teaspoon of sour cream. The jerk chicken had excellent flavor and the portion was pretty generous - it was probably my favorite item that we ordered. We also ordered a 1/2 pitcher of sangria which was not too strong but not weak either - it had quite a bit of fresh fruit soaked in it and it had a nice flavor to it. Again, it was tasty but not the best sangria I've ever had. Overall, a decent spot but not one of my favorites. read more

I find it really weird that I've never written a review for this place... Downsides: shitty location (although, I consider all S.F. to be a shitty location), can't make reservations, long wait-time Pluses: TASTY TASTY TAPAS, reasonable prices, great atmosphere, best restaurant-made sangria I've ever had, always a good place to take out-of-town guests or celebrate your birthday/anniversary/bris/getting fired. This is one of the few places I miss in San Francisco... and that's saying a lot. read more

Shocked to see that Cha Cha Cha has poor food quality rating. That's too bad. Won't be going there anytime soon, as it ends up being rather expensive and who wants to eat dirty food at high prices? San Francisco continues to disappoint. Why do people not care anymore? Sad an institution would let go of their quality with food safety. Seshhhhh read more

Beautifully done. Bright and colorful bar. Boisterous and beguiling crowd. How do I love Sangria? Let me count the ways...I can down pitchers in a sitting, and I've done it several times with friends. I've been here with 1 friend, I've been there with several. The tapas menus is great to share and everything is equally tasty. Try it all! The calamari, potatoes, jerk chicken...all yummy. Only drawback? Drunk shopping afterwards at Amoeba Records. read more

Seen many a fun nights at this place. Your money goes a long way, so order away. The Mussels are sooo good and I'm not a big sop up the broth with bread type of girl in front of strangers, but hey -- gotta do what you gotta do :) Fried calamari is usually on point too. Mushrooms are surprisingly tasty. Wait can be painful, but the Sangria makes the time fly. Grab a pitcher until the host calls your party. This one doesn't take reservations, but the other location does -- yippee! read more

I've been to CHA CHA CHA several times, but I haven't written a review?! So the low down on this place is that it offers up great food and delicious sangrais.. A couple girlfriends and I got together and we chatted over: Chicken Paillard Fried calamari with dijon mustard sauce Marinated chicken wings Seafood Paella Pitcher of sangria (ok, I lied.. not a pitcher, but rather pitcherS!) Everything came out piping hot and yummy! Between munching, drinking, chit chatting up a storm, our cups were filled with sangria and pitchers being refilled! 4 stars is definitely what it says: YAY! I'm a fan! I'm so glad they're planning on opening a location in San Mateo. read more

This is one of my favorite places of all time. I want to give it an extra star just for being at the top of my list. I might even choose it as a place to have my last meal. I like to come here with four or five friends so that we can order a whole lot and sample the entire menu. I just pig the heck out whenever I come here. The shrimp is INSANE good. I dream of the plantains and beans. You have to get pitchers and pitchers of sangria. It is the best. I know that I'm gushing here, but I'm not exaggerating my passion for this restaurant. If it hasn't been on one of those travel channel shows, it really should be. When you go, expect to wait a while for a table that will be cramped. Plan to hang out for a long time. You won't want to leave once you get there anyway. read more

I love a good tapas place, and Cha Cha Cha definitely fulfills my tapas needs. I've been here several times, and the food and service have always been consistent. I love that it's located on Haight St. so it's great to eat and browse Haight afterwards. The atmosphere of this place very much reminds me of day of the dead given some of the decor. Very cool though. Every time I've been here, I've ordered the cajun shrimp. It's probably my favorite dish here. The sauce is full of flavor and is rich and creamy in the right way. I've definitely finished all the shrimp and would save the sauce for some bread dipping throughout the meal. Other dishes that stand out are the seafood paella and the chicken wings. Those were delicious as well. Definitely shareable between two or more people, especially the chicken wings. I've also had the ceviche here which is really fresh and a good start to a meal. The sangria here is pretty strong in my opinion, but it's the perfect complement to a meal here! Definitely come here if you're in the area and want some good ol' tapas! read more

Can't believe I haven't written a review for this place...it's one of my favorite local spots! +good food--get the shrimp, potatoes, warm spinach salad, mussels, mushrooms...i love pretty much everything on the menu +good ass sangria +cool casual spot +usually nice servers -the wait is always hella long...BUT you can always go hang out at the bar and chill w/some sangria while you wait and the time goes by fast that way! read more

Came here while visiting San Fran for the day. I believe this started in Silverlake (L.A.) and has expanded. But they've managed to avoid a chain label by keeping that incognito. Correct me if I'm wrong someone, please. Service- very friendly and on top of their game. Here is what we had... Sangria- Only $5 but on the sweet side like most restaurant sangria Cajun shrimp- A little piece of heaven, comes with fresh bread Chicken Paillard- A little dry but good sauce Fried Plantains- Like a dessert, so order as such Plaintain Shoestring French Fries- YUMM! Not on the menu, request them. Comes with the most wonderful aoli ever. Fried New Potatoes- Not my favorite but the table loved them read more

Freaking horrible food and worst damm service I have ever experienced waiters and even host guy out front are fffff

Some marketing brainiac devised Cha Cha Cha. They insist you wait forever for a table at the bar, where you are then generoulsy sangria-ed up until you realize you are sucking the life out of grapes and citrus slices for any last taste of fruity wine. Once seated (an hour later), you order appetizers and meals at random, because everything sounds amazing and then you get it and can only say the word "amazing" over and over again. It's yummy, sure, all spices and chicken and rices and beans. But you do not fool me, Cha Cha Cha! read more

I've been a few times before and liked the food but wasn't overly impressed, however tonight when I returned I really enjoyed myself! The flavors and taste of the food were right on. My party and I ordered a bunch of tapas, some of my favorites were: the Jamaican jerk chicken with rice, Chicken Paillard, Fried new potatoes and the Bbq Chicken quesadilla. Portions were just perfect for everyone to share. Service was a little slow but all of our food seemed to come at the same time which was nice. This place was pretty busy Thursday night and although it was loud, it was a late night hang out spot. Would definitely return. Good place for small group tapas! read more

Cha Cha Cha is a great place for cheap tapas and Sangria pitchers. One star for the sweet Sangria, one star for the shrimp with spicy cream sauce, one star for the totally random but quaint interior decor (look up at the walls!), and one star for being so inexpensive. FYI the kitchen is closed from 4-5pm every evening in preparation for the dinner rush. read more

I love this place for the Sangria and Mussels (the bread dipped in the sauce is sooooo addicting) Expect a long wait for a table if you're coming in during peak grubbing times. However you can entertain yourself and your guests at the packed bar in the back and grab a pitcher of Sangria. I haven't had a chance to try many of the entrees; the Tapas are usually what I order. Mussels, New Potatoes, and the Jerk Chicken are a few of my favorites. read more

-BLACK MUSSELS steamed in saffron broth with garlic, tomatoes, & onions -SAUTEED MUSHROOMS sauteed in sherry, garlic & olive oil -FRIED NEW POTATOES with chile pasilla aioli -CEVICHE DEL DIA assorted seafood in a spicy lime vinaigrette over a bed of mixed greens -SPANISH RICE AND BLACK BEANS with sour cream -A half pitcher of Sangria I flew back to LA with my tummy full and half drunk. Fun times! read more

I happened upon this place during a recent trip to the Haight district and, I was dead-set on going to a totally different establishment but, then my traveling companion/love interest got a random text telling us to check out Cha Cha Cha. Skeptical at first, I gave in, since we had already been squabbling and I didn't want to rock the boat any further. Ultimately, I was pleasantly surprised. Coming from Puerto Rican decent, Cuban delights resemble the food of my childhood to a point that it might as well be the same thing. The fried platanos were WONDERFUL, so ripe and sweet. They were partnered with a pureed black bean and sour cream sauce that complimented them perfectly. We also ordered the jerk chicken, and I found it tasty although I've never had authentic jerk chicken so, I have no idea what it should taste like. We also had rice and black beans which was a great compliment to everything else. I didn't find what we ordered to be overpriced either although, I think we ordered off the lunch menu. Lastly, I must rave about the SANGRIA! So good and it's been a long time since I've had it. We ordered a half pitcher and it got both of us tipsy enough that, we didn't even notice that we were crammed like sardines in the bus on the way home. I also felt that the wait staff was attentive but not over talkative (i hate the spiels!) which we appreciated. Back at the hotel, I settled into a dream-filled two-hour nap and realized that there's no other type of food in this world that has such a comforting effect on me. I may go back to SF just to enjoy Cha Cha Cha again. read more