Fun time at Cha cha cha. Good Sangria, by the pitcher. Fun food options. Fun ambiance (kinda Caribbean voodoo, if you ask me). The food was not the best I've ever had but I'll go again for sangria, ambiance and fun. read more

I didn't liked this place at all. Ceviche was really bad, it tasted like it was inside their fridge for weeks. The sangria wasn't bad but it wasn't good either. It was missing something.... maybe more sugar will make it a great sangria. Customer service wasn't good either... read more

Nice Sangria to enjoy on a nice weekend. The plantain with the warm bean paste on this raining is an excellent choice. Cuban sandwich was great according to my lovely bf with the southern pallet. :) great place to enjoy the nice weekend brunch. read more

Sangria is great. Food was great. Dishes were small for the price. If you want similar food with larger servings, go to Soul Food in San Rafael. If you're coming here, than it's great for the bar to have sangrias with friends. Oh and come early because it gets packed...quick! read more

Eh. Ok. Talk about over rated. Sangerias, suck. Calamari, standard. Plantains, i don't think i'll ever like. The rest of the food wast not even worth the hour wait for a table. Service, ok. The Host was a prick. "You need to be where your job requires you to be you dumb fuck. The the front door/host stand". The company I went in there with, great. That is pretty much the only reason I enjoyed my self. read more

Let's get one thing straight: This is NOT the best place to go if you DON'T a) feel like downing pitchers of sangria, b) enjoy shouting at people across a restaurant, c) feel contented crowding in the aisles between tables, d) mind laughing especially loudly and obnoxiously and e) feel comfortable saying inappropriate things loud enough so that your neighbors can hear you. IF you happen to want to enjoy your food, have a conversation, and not booze it till you lose it, you should go somewhere else. The food is pretty good, not excellent and not bad, but you shouldn't come here solely because of the food or else you will go crazy and feel like you're eating dinner in a glorified bar (only with less elbow room). If you are more tolerant than I am, go ahead and give it a shot... BUT if you wind up under the indoor palm tree foliage neglected by your server, unable to hear the person/people you've come with and have someone's ass in your face as they lean over to talk to the party next to you... DO NOT blame me... read more

So I hate the cha cha in the mission and wasn't crazy about the fact a friend was celebrating her birthday at the cha cha cha in the Haight. But it is what it is and I'm always happy to give things a second (or in this case tenth) shot. Plus I thought maybe it wont be so bad, people had specifically recommended the one in the Haight so I knee there was a chance there was a difference. I definitely liked it and understand why people recommend the one in the Haight. The ambiance is cuter and the food was actually better. I was a particularly big fan of the Ceviche. It had a good flavor and wasn't too sour. Rice and beans were good and the potatoes were quite lovely if I do say so myself. The cajun shrimp was good, but it was a good shrimp in red sauce. I didn't get cajun flavor at all. But its okay, now I know what I'm in for next time I go there and won't be worried because everything is at least good. read more

This has been one of my favorite San Francisco restaurants since I first started coming here some 15 years ago, and have brought my husband, here, my friends, family, co-workers, even my grandma, and they have all loved it! Really good unique tapas, tasty sangria, all in a fun, colorful setting. Last time we came w/ 6 of us and tried a bunch of tapas, but some of our favorites were the quesadilla, and paella. Surprisingly, the chicken wings were really good, too. We try to stop here on every trip to San Francisco! read more

Cha Cha Cha - One of our favorite SF restaurants! - Caribbean Near Me - San Francisco, California

My friend and I sat in this very cute restaurant after waiting about half an hour and ordered a pitcher of sangria. It may look small, but it's pretty awesome sangria, and we couldn't finish the whole thing. Here's what we shared: Ceviche. Scallops, shrimp, and calamari in a lime-serrano chile vinaigrette with some greens. It's really more of a seafood salad than a ceviche, and the lime is way overwhelming. Still tasty though. Cajun shrimp. It's pretty spicy, and the sauce isn't as creamy as you would think. I wasn't a huge fan, but my friend was, and our waitress told us it was the most popular dish. Chicken Paillard. Grilled chicken strips with dijon mustard cream sauce. This was my favorite. The chicken was a little dry, but the sauce was super buttery and creamy and just exceptional. Ask for extra bread and just mop all of this sauce up. Tres leches. Spongy, sweet, and flavorful. What more could you ask for? Cha Cha Cha was a little on the pricey side, and you have to be prepared to wait, and you will sit at a pretty cramped table, but the flavors are definitely delicious. read more

Came here on a Friday night for a friend's birthday dinner with a fairly large group. We were a group of 20 and they gave us 2 booths next to each other, but we weren't sitting on the same table. I understand that a large group of people can be extremely annoying to deal with, especially when people start to get a little drunk off pitchers of sangria, but I wouldn't say the service was the greatest. The servers looked visibly annoyed with us and hastily took our orders without ever asking if we wanted anything else. They brought out the check as soon as they could, just to get us to leave faster. In comparison to the not so great service, the food was great! I love tapas and a place with so many vegetarian options sounds like a dream! Our table ordered every single vegetarian option on the menu and there were some hits and some misses. Surprisingly the plantains were very good. I don't enjoy eating bananas at all so I was really surprised to like this dish! My favorites were the plantains, the potatoes, the mushrooms and the cheese quesadilla. The empanada and the beans&rice plate were just ok. Not sure if I missed any other dishes but clearly, they didn't stand out. The best part were the pitchers of SANGRIA! Omg it was so delicious. Our table easily ordered 4 rounds and we were all at a great level. I really recommend ordering this to drink. Great experience minus the service, but we were honestly all way too happy to care too much about it :) read more

Share! Seriously, the menu is just too good to only get one thing, so order table/family style and share. The sangria was a little lighter on the taste than I prefer, but not in a watered down way- just felt like they use not so strong flavored wine as a base. Still worth the price of a half-pitcher. Make use of the bread and dip it in the sauces that you'll have left over from the plates. Don't let that awesome flavor go to waste! read more

Best place discovered for Cajon food ... the Cajun Shrimp is must try. Service is super fast ..... read more

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I ate here before I moved to San Francisco in the 1990's and it was my first favorite restaurant. I recently was back at the Haight St location twice and both times the food was excellent. A friend didn't like his fish dish as much, although he cleaned up the rest of his plate while my other companions both times also thoroughly enjoyed their meals. It can get a bit busy here so it's best to go early or off hours. read more

Came here for my Birthday with a party of 12, therefore dodging the notoriously long wait by having a large party... The loud atmosphere hid the rowdiness of our table quite well. 8 pitchers of sangria later, we were feeling good. Best dishes - Jamaican Jerk Chicken, Fried Palatanos Maduros, Cajun Shrimp Great for any occasion! read more

I took my friend here who has lived in San Francisco his entire life, and he had never been to Cha Cha Chas. He is one of those types that has never waited an hour to get a table at a restaurant. At first, all he noticed was the trendy white people. But after we got our food, he realized why I hyped this place up so much. I'm taking away a star because the host is kind of an ass, because he thinks he has such coveted spot at such a popular place where everyone and their mama wants a table. But really, when it comes down to it, hes just a restaurant host. read more

Thank you Yelp for helping me find yet another great place. I probably would have never walked in here if I hadn't already heard about it on yelp. And I'm so glad I did. The main thing to say is that the Sangria is AMAZING! Most sangria I have ever had has been too much like fruit punch or waaaayyy to winey. This was another drink entirely! I would recommend it to anyone and everyone. We also ordered a few tapas. The Cajun Shrimp was very tasty. We ordered another loaf of bread just to mop up the rest of the sauce. The Fried Calamari was unremarkable, I have had better at street festivals. The Ceviche Del Dia wasn't very fresh just really lemoney. In general, I would come back here in an instant just for that sangria. read more

Really not sure why this place has so many 4 and 5 stars. The food is boring and the sangria is only ok, you're better off going to a SPANISH restaurant for good sangria. Trust me...you can make a better one at home. The Cajun Shrimp were small and rubbery...the sauce was actually better with the BREAD! The mushrooms were boring...only jazzed up with a lot of garlic. But again...the sauce was better with the bread. You're better off ordering the sangria, a couple of different sauces and bread. Totally underwhelming. read more

I had a flight to catch, but I was not about to miss out on my favorite area of Norcal: Haight and Ashbury. Besides, why fly if you can't make it just before the flight (insert epic running montage), right? My friend recommended we stop into Cha Cha Cha, for their sangria. The place wasn't terribly packed, so the waiter said it was cool to sit inside the dining room, but I guess when it gets packed they prefer people who aren't ordering a lot to hit the bar. Anywho, We grab the sangria, and ceviche so we have something to munch on. First, the ceviche. I hate cilantro. I'm allergic. Everytime I eat it i'm prone to hulking out and throwing shit everywhere. The cilantro was everywhere on the ceviche, so I had to eat around the freaking weeds (so fair warning for all of those who despise it as much as I). That being said, it was brilliant! It was tangy, and fresh, and the aroma was delightful. Sans cilantro, I would have probably killed the bowl on my own. But I was resigned to eating around the green evil, and sip my sangria. Oh. The Sangria...whats the word i'm looking for....yummy. Yes. My friend was absolutely right about it: the Sangria was top notch, and the fruity concoction played brilliantly with the ceviche. Highly recommended! Not too strong either, just enough of a punch to ease you into the after hours of your day (or to start your day - who am I to say when one should drink). Needless to say when i'm not in such a rush, I will try to catch a whole meal here, as it seemed everyone around me was enjoying their dishes. Be back soon~ read more

Came in on Valentine's Day & we were seated within 30 minutes, not bad. Of course we ordered Sangria first... ;) Our waiter warned us that due to the busy Valentine's Day, they ran out of a lot of the items on the menu... Luckily, they still had everything I wanted. Our order: -Cajun Shrimp -Fried Platanos Maduros -Marinated Chicken Wings (guava chipotle sauce, mmm!) -Fried New Potatoes -Fried Calamari (just okay, in my opinion) They ran out of bread which was unfortunate because I love dipping it in the Cajun sauce from the shrimp, but it was a busy day so I understand. Overall, I always love the food & quick service. I definitely don't mind the wait times. read more

food and sangria were amazing, however, check and keep your receipts. there has been two occasions where i tip cash and the tip gets added to the final price or the final price changes. I dispute with my bank and they refund the difference right away, be careful! read more

The sangria gets 5 stars, 2 thumbs up, A+++++++. The food was delicious. The garlic shrimp and jasmine rice that was on special was perfectly prepared. My husband had a Cuban melt and loved it. The service and atmosphere though, were kind of meh, 3 stars. It was hard to get the attention of our server and the tables were all crammed together. All in all though, a cute little lunch spot in Haight Ashbury, especially if you've got time to take it slow and enjoy a pitcher (or two) or the delicious sangria with your meal. read more

My friend and I rolled in here on the early side on a Friday night. There was a 20 minute wait for a table but we got seated at the counter fairly quickly. It's good to get here early cause it was really packed as the night went on. We got a large pitcher of sangria which was really yummy and they gave us another small pitcher on the house. How can I not love them after that? Update: I have been here countless times since and Cha Cha Cha's has never let me down! Try the calamari and the potatoes...they are the best read more

Had dinner here tonight out of the blue with an old college friend of mine... I go to the funky Haight Street location to reminisce about my college days long ago... back when I considered this place "fine dining...." Whenever I go I always order the SAME thing... Cajun Shrimp, Jerk Chicken and a pitcher of sangria... it's good to know that even as we get older Cha Cha Cha will still be exactly the same. read more

This review is long over due. I have been loving this place for a long time, way before I left the city. And since this week I'm back to my beloved San Francisco for a visit, I'm sparing my 5 min before bed to yelp. My favourite dish is the Jamaican Jerk Chicken. It's such a comfort food with a little bit of kick from the spices. I have to have it everytime I'm there. And pair with refreshingly sweet cold sangria...yum! Plus their free salsa is really good. Home made salsa with fresh tomatoes and crispy tortilla chips...delish! Other dishes that I like here are the fried calamari, the fried new potatoes and the sauteed mushrooms with garlic....Just try not too kiss anyone after that. It's quite garlicky....aaahh... Unfortunately they don't take reservation, and the wait could be more than 1 hour on certain nights. But try to get seats at the bar, the wait is usually not bad and you could still enjoy dinner. read more

So this is part 2 of my saturday at Zazie. Check it out like how I'm keeping it all in the hood? This is more like part 3 and 4. So after Celtic's Piston game we're all a little buzzed from the shot the grey goose and crans oh and some cute girl with really long curly hair bought me a drink of something and the bartender at Hobson blessed the tab I think. Thats another review I got to do. Anyway we stroll into Cha Cha Cha's and the party has already started cause the place is packed! So we make reservations for a table and head straight to the bar. I have another goose and cran and everything is great I've forgotten about the man made suction tatoo on ol"girls neck and started to knock back a few Sangrias (did I spell that right ) not by the pitcher but it started to feel like it because I was too friendly and got my Mojo back. I was meeting people and sampling food off their table. Kat and her dude let me sample the fried potatoe deal they got plus some chip and salsa. The potatoes were really good I think they came with a dipping sauce. I went back to my party and chopped it up for bit flirted with the lady and met Mae or was Mai? Well either way she was nice enough to bring us a plate of bread a few rolls and it was all good. Then I had a chance to meet Ester Brooke and Michelle and they shared shared some calamari and Fried plantains and black beans. Oh they were so good. You know how when Calamari is over cooked it can become tuff and gummy well not this Calamari and the plantains were cooked just right and not all soggy. To bad Ester and Brooke were from the Chi because they were a lot of fun. I'm not sure if I had more Sangria but I do remember dinner. I'm guessing my theme for the night was seafood and black beans. I had a fish with a banana leaf and cream sauce black beans and more tasty plantains. I ate everything on the plate minus the banana leaf. I wish I could remember what kind of fish it was. I even got to have some of my lady friends chicken and something. That was tasty as well. I not sure if food good food make people all lovey dovey but we sure was trading kisses for food and what not and when dessert came up I was El Tango Mango the most interesting man at my table. I had the spoungy moosie goodness on the tips of my taste buds. Not to mention a few other things And I didn't have to PAY!! I was high price man whore for the night and I loved it. I was done I didn't even make it over to Milk to see Shortkut to the video mixing gig. Anyway I had a great time at Cha Cha Cha's and didn't pay plus I got my MOJO back! read more

I agree what Patrick B. said about this place. Sangria- great. Great for a crowd of friends to go. Food was okay ,nothing I can remember ( it was a month ago since I have went to this place), so if I can't remember what I ate there and how it tasted it must not have been all that. They make up for the location, Sangria (of course) and nice on the eyes when your buzzed and the lights are dim. read more

Yay Cha Cha Cha! First time I came here I was taken on a first date with a really nice guy. Although things didn't work out with him, I'm definitely enamored with this place. In fact, last time I came here, I took a boy out to a date, which went really well :D . We sat at the window near the bar while we waited for a table. Yes the no reservation policy is a bit odd, but oh well, it's worth the wait. If you don't want to wait for a table, which can be quite a while on a busy night, you can get a bar seat easier and eat there. We first got two glasses of the famous sangria and after those realized, what the heck, let's just get a pitcher so we can have that during the meal as well. Wow, that stuff is stronger than it looks/tastes. There was a very rambunctious party sitting at a table near us in the dining room. A waiter had to ask them to go get their girls from the bar room as "they are all over the bar". Thankfully, my date and I didn't get that sloppy, but we were very giddy and a bit ruddy cheeked on the bike ride home. I can't remember what we got for dinner, but as an appetizer we got the chicken wings. Messy but very nom. One of the only things that bothers me is the 4% Healthy San Francisco fee. I don't mind a set fee based on per person, but the percentage thing feels more of a profit move on their part. read more

Beware of sharing a pitcher of Sangria with one other person, you may get drunk. OK, so because of that I may be a little biased. It could've been the drunk eating, but I think this place is pretty damn good. I don't remember what I ordered (for apparent reasons) but I do remember having the Jamaican Jerk chicken which was delicious. There's always a wait at dinner time, but seating at the bar is faster, and as a plus, you can wait there and drink! YAY for Sangria! read more

While en route to go to the park and visit some museums, Cha Cha Cha stood out to me as I looked out the window from the bus. As a tourist from the NY while visiting the Bay area for the first time I of course had to check out Yelp to see what the deal was. With reviews citing that you need to come here with Sangria, I opted to visit here while the rest of my party attempted to go to the Conservatory of Flowers. I don't pick daisies like Pico, so you better believe I made the right decision. I arrived around 3PM on a Saturday and arrived in time for lunch which ends at 4PM. I immediately pulled a seat at the bar and figured since I was on vacation, it was completely acceptable to do this dolo. Initially i was fiending for some Cajun Shrimp tapas, but when I saw that people next to me had it and it wasn't that much of a portion I had to call an audible. The next thing that popped into my head was ceviche. I needed to get some greens in my system and since I stuff my face with seafood whenever possible, this was a win/win. I saw a few couples drinking half pitchers of sangria and other groups drinking pitchers of sangria. Now Yelp of SF what do you think the sole tourist at the bar with the Yankees hat did? He ordered half a pitcher for himself looking like an alcoholic. A glass for $5 vs. half a pitcher for $14...come on son, you would do the same. I don't know if this is standard practice or if they do this just at the bar, but the bartender gave me some bread with butter on the side. This was much appreciated and the bread tasted really good. In fact, I had to do a second re-up on the complementary bread for this inner fattie. The cerviche came out a few minutes after I ordered it and with the first forkful of calamari, scallop, and shrimp in lime green sauce I was a firm supporter of it. The ceviche exceeded my expectations and if you are a fan of ceviche you will be a fan of Cha Cha Cha. Now for the Sangria, if anything come to Cha Cha Cha for the Sangria. This was on par with my favorite Sangria spots in NY. I would name drop 'em, but what would be the point. The point is your looking for someone to eat or/and drink and I've already cited two reasons why you should come to this place. Even though I've only experienced two items (along with the fantastic bread), I have to hit Cha Cha Cha with a 5 star rating. The service was on point and I can't call them on any tomfoolery. read more

Decided to try Cha Cha Cha on a friend's recommendation and was a little disappointed. I had the Marinated Chicken Wings, Fried New Potatoes, and the Arroz con Pollo. Everything was good but not spectacular. It was around lunch so the place was busy. Service was good and a little over priced. Over all just average quality Cuban food. read more

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

After checking Yelp for nearby restaurants to have a casual Wednesday night dinner. my bf and I settled on Cha Cha Cha. I was aware of the somewhat mixed reviews, particularly regarding the service but I was curious to try the food. The place was busy, though not full, and we were seated immediately. Our waiters (we seemed to have three of them) were attentive, sometimes annoyingly so. I can certainly see why some Yelpers weren't satisfied with the service since almost everyone who works there appears to be entirely nonchalant. The menu consists of tapas, salads, and entrees. I'd say the tapas were fairly priced starting at $6.50 for a cheese quesadilla and going up to $11 for steamed mussels. They also have a specials menu with 2-3 dishes. We opted for straight up tapas and ordered the cajun shrimp, sauteed mushrooms, and chicken curry empanada. We also got the ceviche (listed under salads) and the ahi tuna with lentils (one of the day's specials). Considering the dishes were tapas, I found the portions to be relatively generous and probably enough to feed one more person. I found the food to be really good, my only complaint being that the ahi tuna was a little overcooked for my taste. The ceviche was really fresh and came in a sizable bowl (not a bad deal for $10.50). The curry empanada came with mixed salad greens and a dressing I couldn't identify but really liked. My favorite dishes were the cajun shrimp and the mushrooms. We actually struggled to finish everything towards the end and our waiter seemed to be genuinely shocked that we didn't want more bread to soak up the delicious cajun sauce or the mushroom jus. For dessert, we opted for the coconut flan, which was really just regular caramel flan with coconut flakes sprinkled on top. Nevertheless, it was a well-made flan. As for the sangria, of which we got a half pitcher, I found it to be a little too fruity but still good. read more

We tried Cha Cha Cha before we even moved to SF; actually, we were looking for a place at the time. The Haight location is in a lively spot near Golden Gate park. It's definitely a hip spot and can get busy, but we were there a little off hours. We sampled the plantains, beans and rice, and chicken curry empanadas. All of the food was good, but I wouldn't say anything stood out to me as a real 5* dish. We would definitely go back, and maybe will check out the Mission location next time. read more

We came here on a Tuesday around 345 in the afternoon because of the good reviews. It took about 10 minutes for someone to come over and take our drink order. The waiter looked like he didn't want to be there, so I have a feeling he was a manager covering for someone else, but I don't need to know that. We ordered our food at the same time to reduce the amount of wait time overall. The food was good and came out quickly, and that saved this review from being a 2 star; Cuban Sandwich, Spicy Shrimp, and Crab Croquetas, great job chef! The ambience was kitschy, but I think that was supposed to be part of the charm. The bathrooms weren't super clean so they lost a point there. It also took a long time for the bill to come which is kind of the nail in the coffin for me. read more

I asked if they have any gluten free dishes and the bartender said NOTHING is gluten free. I mean they have rice and beans and I'm not sure his rice and beans is not gluten free. Maybe he didn't know or maybe they just put flower in everything .. oh well .. read more

"very underwhelming" I was there with three girl friends onn Friday evening. Nothing particularly bad but just can't find any reason to go back there. The city is full of great tapas places. I can think of many other places to hang out than this one. The space is very cramped. Parking is a nightmare in this area. I have been to the one in mission too. I think that one is better than the one on Haight street. read more

One of my fav hangouts in San Francisco! The food is great, the sangria is out of this world, and although it does get busy, the wait staff does a good job addressing everyone's needs. The only time I've seen a bad attitude from a waiter was when someone at our table, after the six of us finished seven large pitchers of sangria, tossed sangria fruit pieces around and struck a waiter in the face with a piece of orange. Understandable i suppose~ Be sure to get there at least an hour ahead for dinner on wknds as they don't take reservations. Chicken quesadilla and sauteed mushroom, mmmmmmmmmm..... read more

This is my girl Mel and I's place. Excellent Cuban Tapas. Even better Sangria pitchers. Good service. Good looking crowd. Have gone here multiple times. I know where I'm celebrating my next birthday. read more

I love tapas and this place is delicious. However, the variety just can't stand up to what I've experienced in Spain, so part of me can't help but wish for more. The food was good, though and it's not fair to compare it to the stuff abroad. Be sure to get the banana chips :) They're great. Also The main reason I'm giving it 4 stars is for the wait - I have always waited... even with reservations - and for the slow service - it takes quite awhile to get food, drinks, bills, etc. read more

I LOVE TAPAS!! This place can get busy, so I would recommend you not to come here hungry and go hang out in the bar. Grab some sangria and wait until your table is ready. If you like a lot of space, this is not the place for you. I can guarantee you will be accidentally pushed by people walking by or be seated extremely close to your neighboring table. But, if you don't mind it, please proceed! The food here is amazing! We ordered the chicken paillard (amazing), sauteed mushrooms (even more amazing), fried plantains maduros (really good, and I HATE HATE bananas) and their fried calamari. The only unfortunate thing is that this place is in the city and I've only been here once. I hope to return soon! In other words... TRY THIS PLACE! read more

I love this place, especially when I come with a big group. We end up ordering everything on the menu. This place is family style, so you can share. They are known for their Sangria and its a creeper. After a glass or two, I feel a strong head change and love it when they bump up the music when I'm feeling a bit buzzed. The dishes are pretty decent sized and my favorite dish to order is the cajun shrimp with the sauce dipped in bread, fried calamari and sauteed mushrooms. I also tried the ceviche. Raw calamari and scallops with lime juice?! yummm Def one of my favorite place to happy hour at and drink sangria! read more