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    Cha Cha Chicken

    3.9 (2.6k reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Order Cha Cha Chicken Takeout or Delivery

    Cha Cha Chicken Photos

    Business Info

    CHA CHA CHICKEN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Cha Cha Chicken

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    Whole Cha Cha Chicken A La Carte
    Christine C.

    I was looking forward to trying this however it was very mid. We ordered the whole cha cha chicken à la Cart with sides- plantains, rice and beans, slaw and corn bread. The portion sizes for the sides were fairly small. They food comes out fast! Plenty of seating and street meet parking. Staff is friendly.

    Chicken enchilada and tostada combo! So good!
    Molly T.

    After a work conference, headed to Santa Monica for some R&R! A short walk away, through Yelp, found this pretty little gem. Walked right in and snagged a chicken enchilada and tostada combo! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Sat on the patio and listened to reggae for a late solo lunch.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Omg so good. I inhaled the enchilada, stuffed full of pulled chicken with a lovely citrusy spicy sauce that took me back to the island, mom. Don't sleep on the watermelon guava juice! So good! No alcohol but that's ok! Come here. Get some. Life is too short for boring food! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Relax a moment and let the flavors take you on a little adventure.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

    1/4 Chicken with 2 Sides $14.50 - UberEats Order
    Erik G.

    This review is for an UberEats order. I rarely order delivery, but after failing at intermittent fasting, I had to order something. I work on Wilshire in Santa Monica, so I'm relatively close to Cha Cha Chicken. I appreciate that they used foil to keep the food warm, but there were no utensils included. Luckily, I had a fork at work. I ordered from Cha Cha Chicken specifically because I had a major chicken craving. I ordered the 1/4 Chicken with 2 Sides ($14.50) and chose the mixed mild and hot jerk sauce, which was quite nice. I think it leaned more towards mild, being sweeter than spicy, but I enjoyed it. It had a hint of spice, so I also ordered a small side of hot sauce ($1), which had a nice, smoky flavor without being overly hot. I'd definitely order this dish again, but next time I'd get 1/2 a chicken, as it wasn't very filling on its own. The dirty rice and beans were just okay, to be honest. Ordering rice and beans with plantains is a must when you order Caribbean food. The rice was a bit crunchy, almost undercooked, and the beans were hard, not tender at all. It could have been a bad batch. The plantains were excellent - I could have eaten a dozen! However, they were on the smaller side. I'm looking forward to visiting in person and trying some of their other dishes, especially the famous coconut fried chicken.

    Michelle H.

    [[HIGHLIGHT]]The atmosphere is a mix of Caribbean and Latin vibes, exactly like the cuisine! They have big lotería cards on the table tops with Virgin Island/Bahamas license plates and colorful details all over the restaurant. It's not overdone, the colors and details are just right :)[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We were greeted and helped promptly. Although it was our first time and we had many questions, the lady was patient and had all the answers. We got the coconut fried chicken (1/4) and the cha cha chicken (1/4). [[HIGHLIGHT]]Bathroom is around the back. The covered outdoor eating area has total island vibes.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I will be back any time I'm in the area. So delicious!

    Her plate is the cha cha chicken. Mine is the salmon. You see how small my portions are
    Slim C.

    Went here yesterday. Drove 40 minutes to get to Santa Monica and it was a huge disappointment. I ordered the salmon. My lady order the cha cha chicken and we shared a jerk chicken fajita. She also ordered a Ting(drink) this came out to nearly 70 dollars. The price would've been fitting if the portions were bigger and the food tasted better. Suffice to say I won't be going back. The best thing about th place was the music‍. I recommend avoiding cha cha chicken

    Coconut chicken
    Hussain L.

    Delicious food at a reasonable cost in a primetime location near Santa Monica beach! Watched the sunset and walked over for dinner - the Ropa Vieja was tender, spicy, and delicious! The Cha Cha chicken was flavorful and juicy to the bone. Rice and beans were decent and plaintains were decent. The coconut chicken is nothing special but the jerk sauce helps add flavor. It's BYOB with Caribbean music and vibes. Highly recommend Mango guava and cucumber mint juices!

    Cheese Quesadilla
    Elizabeth M.

    4 stars for the ambiance, location to beach & great vibes! Absolutely love the location near the beach. Service was very quick. Order at the window & the food comes out fairly quick. There is only one bathroom, but the line moves quick and there is a changing table - huge win!!! Ordered the cheese quesadilla for my toddler. Pretty tasty. It usually comes with jerk chicken. I think I enjoyed the quesadilla more than my toddler. The jerk chicken enchiladas were pretty good. My husband inhaled his spicy enchiladas. They were SPICY! I could've used a pinch of salt or seasoning in my jerk chicken enchiladas. The plantains were great! We tried our friend's cha cha chicken. Pretty good & seasoned well!!! Would definitely go back and order the cha cha chicken. We also ordered the banana smoothie with chocolate. Excellent choice!!! Highly recommend!!

    Mulato Cubano Sandwich
    Karen L.

    My daughter and I stopped in to Cha Cha Chicken after living in Los Angeles our entire lives and driving past it every day. I decided it was about time and I'm glad I did! [[HIGHLIGHT]]I was very impressed by the colorful wall designs and the incredible service.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I love that the owner, Elvira, stops by to ask how everything is. I could tell how much she cares about customer service which seems to be a bit of a lost art today. We ordered up at the counter and sat on the back patio. My daughter had the Cha Cha Chicken-oven roasted chicken with mildly spiced Jerk sauce with rice. The chicken was tender and flavorful and she really enjoyed it. I had the Mulato Cubano Sandwich with shredded chicken breast, cheese, lettuce, pickles, and mustard on a pressed Cuban baguette. The chicken was pull-apart tender. I also had a yummy grape soda. I'm so glad that we decided to stop in today. We will definitely be back to celebrate Cha Cha Chicken's 30th year in Santa Monica!

    Deni B.

    Such a tasty spot, and a great place to go with a group! You order at a window and each person takes a number to the table. Food comes out very quickly. I ordered the jerk chicken combo which came with an enchilada, tostada, and plantains. The tortillas were fine, but the chicken was so flavorful! The plantains were the perfect balance on the side. I felt the food wasn't quite balanced, because certain aspects were fairly plain and the chicken was very spiced. Over all, it was an enjoyable meal and I felt very satisfied after. The prices include a cash discount, so be prepared to pay a little more with a card. After tax and tip, my plate was $22. Parking was fairly easy since there are tons of meters down the block.

    Mary D.

    Very cool shack vibes, felt like I was really transported to somewhere else. Portions are big. Tried 1/2 a chicken each of the cha cha chicken and coconut fried chicken. While good, I didn't think it was addicting enough to try again but it's a nice change of cuisine than most places in the Santa Monica area. The aquas frescas were truly refreshing I could taste 100% real fruit with no artificial flavoring. What stood out the most was the excellent service. Taking orders past their closing periods, despite customers giving them a hard time. They also didn't kick out people who were overstaying past closing either

    Heavenly coconut fried chicken and devilishly spiced shrimp

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    [[HIGHLIGHT]]Great place! Cute design, awesome location and delicious food.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I would definitely go back there!

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    Tasty food fast . [[HIGHLIGHT]]Right between the beach and main street.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Super friendly window staff.

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    Page 1 of 65

    Cha Cha Chicken Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Cha Cha Chicken

    Whats the parking situation like?

    You will have to find street parking around the restaurant. I usually find some within 5 minutes of arrival.

    As of july 2, 2021 is cha cha chicken still byob? Do we need to bring our own wine opener and wine glasses?

    Was just there today, September 13th. Still BYOB - not sure about the cups (they def do not have wine "glasses" - they usually have cups by the water jug at the back and the servers usually have an opener (or churchkeys for beers at least).

    Small dog allowed outside seating?

    Yes outside. Of course!!! Open air seating it's the best

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    Country Style Jamaican Restaurant

    Country Style Jamaican Restaurant

    4.4
    (617 reviews)
    8.0 mi
    $$

    Came here for dinner this week, on our way to see Rosalía at the Inglewood Forum. Found it on Yelp…read more(thanks Yelp!). This area is not familiar to us at all, and we don't normally eat (for us) exotic cuisine. But, we were in the mood to try something new, so we stopped here. It's a colorful, cheerful little place. I think there are only like 4 tables. Apparently, it is mostly takeout. This became evident when our food was "served". We ordered a large two-meat plate and two large fried chicken plates. The two meats were "brown stew chicken" and curry goat. The meat is served in thick savory gravy/sauce. The "plates" are served with rice and fried plantains. The brown stew chicken was good. The curry goat was really good. Here's where the experience really veered sharply from our normal dining experience. The "plates" were served in takeout fold-over boxes with plastic forks. The meat itself was pretty much all adhered to bones. It was tender and delicious, but eating with our hands doesn't come naturally. So, I asked for a knife, and the sweet woman who takes the orders looked at me and said they don't have knives, and that we "just have to dig down into it". Indeed. She did give me a second plastic fork though, which I used. Nice workers. Authentic food. Huge portions. New experience which we all enjoyed.

    I had a taste for beef patties, so I went to the closest spot hoping they would have some ready…read morebecause it was fairly early and I believe they had just opened. When I walked up to the counter I was happy to see that their warmer was full of beef, chicken and veggie patties. I ordered a couple of beef and chicken patties. When I got home OMG so good. I ate the beef and shared the others and everyone said that they were so good. Definitely coming back to get more and the price is not bad at all. There is a huge parking lot so you don't have to worry about finding Parking. They have tables inside where you can eat. Service was very good.

    Photos
    Country Style Jamaican Restaurant
    Beef Patty
    Beef Patty
    Large oxtail

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    Large oxtail
    Si! Mon

    Si! Mon

    4.4
    (353 reviews)
    1.9 mi

    Lovely spot to take over the old Jane's Beach…read more The tuna tostada and the corn were my personal favorites. We truly loved all the food, my one comment is the pupusa was a little too oily from the cheese, but that just me. Didn't stop me from enjoying all the food. I HIGHLY recommend a date night here. 5/5

    My husband and I were craving something different and thank the food gods, we stumbled on Si! Mon!…read more The location is beautiful and has a dreamy candlelit vibe. We sat at the bar while we waited for our table and the bartender was so nice and gave us recommendations on the menu. The 'Way of the Road' milk punch was so perfect--smooth and flavorful, it was almost too yummy. My husband had a couple of the spirit-free drinks and he loved them, too--he said they were much better than the usual mixed juices that get passed as mocktails! And to complement the delicious drinks... oh my THE FOOD. We tried so many things and every single one had such a unique flavor. We over-ordered because we were celebrating my birthday, but did we leave a single morsel on the plate? No... no we did not. Highlights of the apps/small plates were the kanpachi ceviche (his fave), the tuna carpaccio tostada (mine!), and the baked oysters. We figured there's no way the main dish could top what we had (especially considering it was fish which is never my favorite), but holy moley the kanpachi en banana leaf with its delicious makrut lime flavor... I'm going to think of you fondly until I get to come back! (For any cilantro haters like me, I didn't even realize it was in there until right now when I'm referencing the menu to write this review, so don't miss out just cuz of that!). The side of coconut rice was so fluffy and perfect (not the usual sticky sweet version that's personally not my jam). For dessert we tried both the sticky toffee and the toasted coconut flan and they were both amazing, too. The flan had this touch of lime zest that added lightness and freshness and helped to cap off the meal without being too rich, so that was my favorite. Shout out to Diane for being such a fun server--we loved your energy and you made my birthday extra special--thank you!!!

    Photos
    Inside - bar area
    Inside - bar area
    Sticky toffee pudding ($12)
    Sticky toffee pudding ($12)
    Frozen Negroni

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    Frozen Negroni
    bolivar coffee + arepa bar

    bolivar coffee + arepa bar

    4.1
    (503 reviews)
    1.5 mi
    $$

    My husband and I recently discovered this place and I am obsessed. Have been here so many times in…read morea span of a couple weeks. Their arepas are amazing. I've had many of them now but my fave hands down is the chicken breast. It is so so flavorful and the green sauce on the side is so yummy. Great coffee as well. Service is quick and friendly and arepas are made to order. Fair prices too. Haven't tried the pastries yet but they look great. Just hard to order anything else when I know how good the arepas are!

    This used to be my favorite spot for arepas, but after today's experience, I won't be coming back…read more I called ahead and clearly explained my order: three arepa orders, with one having the masa scooped out. I also specifically asked about the price and was told it would be $13 per order, consistent with what's listed online. However, when I arrived, I was told the orders would be charged separately, and the employee became visibly frustrated when I asked for clarification and requested that everything be grouped as discussed. What made the situation worse was the pricing. I was charged $15 per order, which didn't match what I was told over the phone, nor what's listed online or even on Yelp (where it shows around $10). When I politely questioned the discrepancy, the employee became argumentative and made the interaction uncomfortable. I paid, because that's not the issue--but being treated dismissively and feeling misled is. Pricing should be consistent and clearly communicated, and customers shouldn't feel like they're being taken advantage of for asking reasonable questions. Really disappointing experience from a place I used to enjoy.

    Photos
    bolivar coffee + arepa bar
    2 Grilled Chicken Breast Arepas.
    2 Grilled Chicken Breast Arepas.
    Outdoor seats with street view.

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    Outdoor seats with street view.
    Jonah's Kitchen + Bar

    Jonah's Kitchen + Bar

    4.3
    (359 reviews)
    2.1 mi
    $$$

    Writing a review in remembrance of this wonderful wonderful place. I dream of your mushrooms all…read morethe time.

    I like it, the atmosphere is wonderful, but it's very understaffed, and there was only one server,…read morewho was awesome, to handle the entire restaurant, including a big party in the back room. So, of course, there was no follow-up or getting more drinks, etc., because she was super busy handling the whole place by herself. She said that's how it is normally staffed. I suggest you know what you want, and if you want more than one drink, you might just order two because you'll likely not have a chance to order another. It happened to be happy hour. There were a few drink specials but nothing that was that great, same with the food choices. I had the Jonah's Burger. $18. Not on the HH menu. It came with a few bite-sized fried crispy potatoes, which were very good. They have a wood fire grill so I was expecting a wood-fired taste, but I didn't notice it. It was pretty good, but not remarkable...and if you don't have a big mouth, you'll not be able to get a good bite of all of it. My friend had the Peruvian Yellowtail Ceviche. $26.Not on the HH menu. He liked it, but didn't rave about it. It's about the size of a hockey puck. I'd say order something else. For dessert, we had a serving of berry pie ala mode. It was perfect! It was the perfect size for sharing. The one and only server was awesome. So all kinds of kudos to her. Still, I won't likely be back because having just one server took a lot away from the experience. They do have another person who brings out your food, so you don't have to wait too long once you order your food. Regarding parking, I'm not sure. We were lucky and found a meter right in front. Not sure if they have any parking other than street parking. It's a really cool place. If you don't mind waiting a while for service, you'll enjoy the atmosphere.

    Photos
    Jonah's Kitchen + Bar
    Frisita
    Frisita
    Jonah's Kitchen + Bar

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    Empanada's Place

    Empanada's Place

    4.4
    (970 reviews)
    4.1 mi
    $$

    Absolutely delicious empanadas in the area! We stopped by on a Wednesday afternoon and we were the…read moreonly customers at that time. We were greeting by a friendly staff member, perhaps the owner, who helped us with our empanada selection. We got spicy chicken, spicy beef, corn, and criolla empanadas. I strongly recommend the Criolla empanada, which is the most traditional, Argentinian empanada. It has ground beef, raisins, eggs, green onions, and spices. It was absolutely delicious and, when I go back, I will select this empanada!! I also recommend the corn empanadas (humita), especially if you're looking for a vegetarian option. It has corn, melted mozzarella, and white sauce. So delicious! I got these to go, but there are cute tables indoors and outdoors if you want to enjoy your empanadas there. They also sell mate and other Argentinian goodies like alfajores. Prices are reasonable; you can purchase just a few or a dozen. This has become my favorite empanada place!

    I love empanadas and wanted to see if this place lived up to the great reviews…read more The gentleman taking the orders was super nice and threw in a little something on the house. While the empanadas are $7.50 each, they are large and packed pretty well. Unfortunately that's where it ends... I tried four different kinds (cheese and potato, beef, criolla and chicken) and while they tasted fresh, they just didn't have a lot of flavor. I was also a little disappointed that they were fried instead of baked. They don't compare to the empanadas at El Gaucho market in North Redondo Beach, which has been my go to spot for empanadas for a while. Now those are super flavorful. Two disappointing stars for the empanadas and an extra star for customer service.

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Empanada's Place
    Inside

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    Inside

    Cha Cha Chicken - caribbean - Updated July 2026

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