I can't believe I haven't written a review until now! Cha Cha's Latin Kitchen is easily one of my favorite spots for Mexican/Latin American food--higher-end but still super welcoming, with amazing service. They seem to prefer reservations, but my boyfriend and I always walk in, and the longest we've ever waited was maybe ~2 minutes. The staff is always friendly and helpful. Service speed depends on how busy they are, but they're consistently great. Right when you're seated, they ask for your drink order, and their drinks are fantastic--huge portions and a great deal. I love their watermelon margarita, and my boyfriend their skinny margarita. Last night, we both got a jalapeño kick added, and wow--it was amazing! Food-wise, I'm mostly vegan/vegetarian and they're super accommodating. Their wild mushroom tacos (sans cheese for me) are incredible. My boyfriend loves their steak tacos and fajitas. Their rice and beans feel like a solid, balanced meal, and their chips come with two salsas. Everything is fresh and high quality. What really prompted this review was that I left my credit card there last night and didn't realize until this morning. I was freaking out, but I called right at 10:30a when they opened, and the manager answered immediately. They had kept my card secure in a safe, and retrieving it was seamless--no unauthorized transactions. Just so professional and reassuring. I felt so relieved!! I'll definitely be back whenever I visit my boyfriend, and I'll miss this place when we move. If you haven't been, I highly recommend it! Everything is customizable, fresh, and delicious. Huge thanks to the staff for always making each visit so pleasant--I write a lot of reviews, and this one was well-earned! read more

Cha Cha's Latin Kitchen - (Note: I only ordered a single taco, though it's normally served as a set of three.) - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

Met a friend for dinner on a weekday evening. For some reason our reservation didn't show up but they were able to immediately seat us. Our server was phenomenal and really helpful throughout our service. The food was good. The restaurant was modern, fairly loud, and a good time for margaritas. My only complaint was when the person who brought out our food (not the server) they knocked my margarita around and spilled a good amount out of it. They simply apologized and walked away which would've been fine if it was a soda but for a $16 cocktail it soured my experience a bit where I felt they could've discounted it or offered a complimentary side item proactively. They also offer a free private parking lot for patrons. read more

Cha Cha's Latin Kitchen - Crab & Shrimp Enchilada - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

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Food was amazing! I got the tamarind wings and they were finger licking delicious! And the FLAN was so smooth!! Best one ive had so far!! Also our server Carlos was very friendly, it was our first time here and he made sure to walk us through the menu and highlight some of the dishes based on our likings. Will definetely be coming back and recommend this place to our friends and family. read more

Cha Cha's Latin Kitchen - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

This plaza has a lot of restaurants and I was happy to see this one have availability for morning brunch where kids' meals are free per adult . It's been hot lately and I do find it strange water is served at room temp. I recommend serving with ice . The kids quesadillas were very tasty. Chilaquiles were fine and so were the enchiladas and tacos . The waitress was technically nice but she also looked tired or bothered , not sure what was going on . Good option if you are looking for a deal for family and availability. Few recommendations made to improve . Ambiance was pretty , as well read more

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We got the Queso Fundido to start, the corn tortillas were not my favorite so I'd get the flour instead! Fernando the Bartender served us, such a nice guy, very attentive and patient! They have such an affordable lunch menu, I had no idea! I got a taco, some flautas, rice and beans for like $14 bucks! A steal! It was really good honestly, I hadn't been here in a while! It was super quiet for lunch time, the place is so cute! read more

Cha Cha's Latin Kitchen - Bar - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

My husband and I have been coming to Cha Cha's for several years. Whenever we are in Irvine we come for lunch. Cha Cha's has a great vibe with an indoor/outdoor bar. On nice afternoons we typically sit at the outside bar. I love a good margarita and my usual order is the Mango Habanero. My husband typically gets the Watermelon or a regular margarita. My husband's go to meal are the carnitas tacos with all beans. I tend to order off the appetizer menu. This past weekend I ordered the Chicken Tinga Quesadilla. Typically the staff and bartenders are friendly. This past weekend our bartender seemed to be having a bad day. We watched several interactions between him and a manager and waitress. He told one of the waitresses that she was annoying and needed to go away. We also witnessed him throwing a binder at the manager on duty when she asked for it. My husband's order was wrong, he ordered all beans no rice and it came with rice. Since the bartender only checked on us twice we decided not to bother him. Food 4/5 Drinks 5/5 Atmosphere 4/4 Service 4/5 Typically read more

Cha Cha's Latin Kitchen - Cha Cha's and Mango Habanero Margaritas - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

Favorite place for enchiladas! The veggie ones are my favorite! Scott is the best! Would love to see well drinks on Happy Hour for those of us who can't have margs! Always a good time! read more

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The food is Americanized and sub par. Had the enchilada combo and it tasted like they took flavors of the Latin cuisine and made it more bland to appease the white American preference. It wasn't awful but it lacked flavor, distinction, and specificity. read more

Cha Cha's Latin Kitchen - Three Enchilada Combination - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

Carlos was an amazing server! The food was very good and was quick. we got the carne asada, short rib and chicken. Short rib was definitely the best! read more

Cha Cha's Latin Kitchen - Carne Asada - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

Came here for taco tuesday dinner, very pleased with our meal! Ambiance is on the louder side but nice, servers are attentive and check in often. We ordered: - ceviche sampler: huge fan of the raw ahi ceviche and the marinade, the cooked shrimp was just alright. In the future I would order just the ahi ceviche but that is a personal preference! - Shrimp and calamari: nice and crispy but not super special. Had a lot of vegetable calamari including onions, spicy jalepeno, and unexpected fried lemon slices. - 3 tacos: got a mix of shrimp, steak, and short ribs. Shrimp and short ribs have an extra $1 charge. Personally I would skip out on the short ribs and go with shrimp and steak. Steak was fantastic on the portion side and had a strong red marinade on top. Shrimp was very juicy and flavorful, we were huge fans of this. Tortillas are on the thicker side but for taco tuesday it's a solid deal. They seem to have a different deal/happy hour each day of the week but would say Taco Tuesday is definitely worth a try! read more

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I love Cha Cha's! We come here every so often and I pretty much always get the same thing - short ribs. They are so tender and flavorful. They have a bit of a kick to them. It's a good portion size too. Highly recommend. Another dish I really like is the three seafood enchiladas. I think it comes with crab, shrimp and one other thing (can't remember off the top of my head!). It's so good that I tried to recreate it at home but couldn't live up to Cha Cha's version. They have nice cocktails here too and a variety of seating options. There's indoor, patio and bar seating and they have heat lamps for when it's cold. It's a great mid- to nice-level Mexican/Latin restaurant and it's one of our regular rotations! read more

Cha Cha's Latin Kitchen - Braised Short Rib Capas - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

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The food just so-so, and it's pricey. Came in to try this resto and had high expectations coz we're craving a good Latin-Mexican food. The 2 stars is for the steak that was seasoned well, that my son ordered. It was the hottest day of the week so we decided to sit inside. We got seated by the roll up window. Then the next thing we know, a staff member opened it that caused hot draft on our side. So much for sitting inside. We kind of hinted our server but he just ignored us. I normally take pictures but I was just so disappointed so I didn't. We wont be back here to say the least. read more

Food was ok. Salsa just ok. Margaritas $25. Definitely NOT worth it!!!!!! To sweet no and tasted like they forgot to put tequila in it. Will not recommend or go back again!! read more

I personally am not a fan of this business. It may be authentic Latin food, but I was also hoping to see burritos or chili relleno on menu. I felt the menu was high priced. They do have a full bar with the drink specials. I ordered shrimp ceviche as an appetizer that came with tortilla chips to scoop, which was OK. My wife and I shared a fajita platter, which was enough for us. Service was OK but nothing to write home about. We were visiting family in the area and Probably will not be back. read more

Cha chas consistently delivers good food, good service, good drinks, always seating even when it's busy. Thank you to our server Carlos for his attentive service. read more

As much as I (thoroughly) enjoyed checking out so many Asian restaurants in, and around, Irvine, I have to admit that it got to the point where my taste buds started to crave flavors of the non-Asian variety. Nothing against the noodle soups, dumplings, and rice plates that I love, among other things, but even I have my limits before the likes of burgers, tacos, and kebabs sound a whole lot more appealing. So, after perusing Yelp to see what other great places Irvine has to offer, one place immediately shot to the top of the list - Cha Cha's Latin Kitchen! Between their many Yelp reviews, the majority of which are overwhelmingly positive, and the delicious looking photos of their food, I couldn't help but feel equally excited and hopeful for our meal here. Inside, the restaurant has a chill yet lively vibe and I like how they even project movies onto the back wall. More importantly, the menu looked great! Along with their selection of margaritas, cocktails, and ridiculously extensive collection of tequilas (DOZENS!), their food options are just as intriguing. Most of it is made up of shareable appetizers, as well as an assortment of tacos, enchiladas, salads, and house/signature entrees. They also have a daily happy hour, lunch specials, daily specials, and even a champagne brunch, so something to keep in mind depending what day/time you're here. -- CHIPS & SALSA...$FREE.99 Not going to lie - this might been the highlight of the meal, if only because it was bottomless and free! The chips have the perfect thickness, all three salsas were delicious (the medium spicy one was my favorite), and, best of all, it was both bottomless and free! Hard to argue with that. -- CHA CHA'S MARGARITA with Siete Leguas 100% Blue Agave, Fresh Lime, Elderflower Liqueur, Agave Nectar, and Grapefruit Juice...$15 Not super unique, but pretty decent overall. This had a nice hit of blue agave to it and I really liked how the elderflower wasn't overpowering, like it has in other cocktails I've had. The slight tartness from the grapefruit added a nice finish, too. -- FRESH PINEAPPLE - Gran Centenario 100% Blue Agave, Elderflower Liqueur, Pineapple Cilantro, Agave Nectar...$13 Not surprisingly, given their near identical makeup, this tasted similar to the Cha Cha's Margarita...but better! The whipped cream and pineapple made this comparatively sweeter, but I like how they gave this a more tropical flavor. -- CRISPY SHRIMP & CALAMARI with Calabasitas, Serrano Chili, and Lime-Cilantro Aioli...$17 Based purely on taste, this wasn't bad. The calamari and shrimp were fresh and the batter was thin yet crispy. That being said, the portion size of the two felt light, as a decent portion of the plate was made up of fried chilis, onions, and even some lemon slices. -- SHORT RIB CAPAS - Guajillo Braised Short Rib, Layered Corn Tortillas, Epazote Black Beans, Goat Cheese, Fresh Radish...$25 I was pretty excited to try this, but it was just okay. There was a fair amount of short rib, which was tender, and I thought the sauce on this was flavorful. That said, the sauce was the predominant flavor and the tortillas were a little mealy. -- TACO TRIO PLATE...$18 **FRESH FISH - Flat Grilled, Spice Mix, Tomatillo Salsa, Chipotle Cabbage **SHRIMP - Garlic, Chile, Jalapeno Crema, Cabbage, Cotija Cheese **STEAK MOJO - Guajillo Salsa, Pickled Onion, Cilantro We were hopeful for this one and, thankfully, it didn't disappoint. Of the bunch, I liked the steak one the most - juicy and seasoned well. The fish taco wasn't far behind (the piece felt a bit small), but the shrimp wasn't remarkable. As for the sides, the Black Beans were fine (kind of watery), but the rice was really hard. While our dishes and cocktails were fairly decent, service, on the other hand, was rather uneven. On the plus side, our server was really on top of things, as he came by often to refill our waters and was super efficient overall. Yet, on the other, he might've been too efficient, as at times, it felt like we were being rushed. What's more, it felt like he was constantly trying to upsell us - nudging us to get another round, order guacamole, get dessert, etc. By no means was he rude, but it got repetitive to keep getting asked "are you sure?" after every question/suggestion. Even with all of that in mind, despite how nothing in particular blew us away, I actually thought the food here wasn't too shabby. It's just that, for the money, it felt like what we got fell short of what I would've expected, especially with the portion size of our appetizer. At the very least, I can still see why folks like this place (including a few of my friends) and we might have felt differently had we been here for one of their deals. If nothing else, I wouldn't be opposed to coming back for their drinks and the chips and salsa! read more

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We loved it! Definitely try this restaurant if you love this type of cuisine! Food, atmosphere, service, they have it all! Everything was fresh and tased amazing, we really can't say enough good things! All of our food was delicious and we also ordered the clams appetizer and carnitas entree but we were having such a good time eating and chatting I missed a few photos! They were delicious the clams were so good we even asked to take the broth home! Definitely will be coming here more often, today was our first visit. Easy access parking in a large shopping plaza. We walked in no reservations but if you have a large party those might be good to have. There's also a glass window where you can see inside the kitchen in the dining area, another cool unique touch that adds to the ambiance. There is a large bar area and flat screen tvs too. Good for dates, family, friends a really relaxing vibe! read more

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Cha Chas continues to be one of my favorite Mexican spots. The Irvine location is just as good as Brea. Food and drinks are both still just as good. Cha cha's holds my spot for all time favorite marg! Love love love their mango margarita on the rocks. And I love that it's available in a large size for those times when I need a little extra. On top of the incredible food and drinks, their service is always top notch. I've been many times and I don't think I've ever had a negative experience. It's always clean. The aesthetic is there. Whenever we order, I'm always shocked at how quickly we get our food. I could go on and on. I don't have one bad thing to say! If you have been to cha Chas get your butt over there!! Oh and kids eat free on Sundays, it doesn't get any better than that! read more

Cha Chas Latin Kitchen never disappoints! Our server, Carlos, is consistently friendly, attentive, and responsive no matter how busy the restaurant gets. The food and drinks are delicious...it has become our go to spot! read more

Had the Thursday fajitas special. Chicken was very good, but the onions and peppers were cooked down too much and had little texture. The salsas were very good and the overall experience was positive read more

Cha Cha's Latin Kitchen - Chicken fajitas - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

Good place for taco tuesday and HH, amazing deals. My friend and I came here for taco tuesday, tacos are 50% off and for HH they have various apptizers and cocktails at discount. Interior is dark with many table and bar seatings, HH is available at high top or counter seating. Each table gets complimentary chips which is always a plus. Was pretty packed at 05:45 PM but were able to get seats. We both got margaritas ($12 each) and the 3 taco combo each ($9 for HH). The combos come with rice and beans. Margaritas are strong and refreshing! Mushroom Taco-bit salty but good plant based alternative (7/10) Fish Taco-not enough flavor but good portion (5/10) Shrimp-plump and fav out of the three! (8/10) Overall solid with decent food, good vibes and drinks. Would love to try the other entrees my next visit! read more

Cha Cha's Latin Kitchen - Taco combo - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

Sorry, but the food was inedible. The service was okay but when I returned my meal after the first bite the server just let the dish sit where it was until I asked him to move it and told him again I wouldn't be eating it. I didn't pay the check but I believe we were still charged for that dish. My friend ordered calamari and some other fried foods, The calamari was good but the others were soggy. We ordered empanadas and they were horrible. Even the guacamole lacked flavor and the chips weren't fresh tasting. I also had a virgin margarita that tasted like sugar poured into a glass. That said, I loved the restaurant's atmosphere. It is very open and I liked the seating arrangements. Maybe they just had a bad night but I would definitely hesitate if asked to come here again. Sorry. read more

nice restaurant! interior and decor was great, plenty of seating and gives off the vibe of modernity with a sense of taste. came for taco Tuesday and very decently priced. 50% off tacos and tequila! After seeing reviews I was excited to try the food! However flavor was lackluster due to seasonings and taste, as well as just quality of the meat. - Short rib 4/5: best taco I tried here! meat was juicy and tender and tasted good. I think the toppings they add are a lil too much but the goat cheese adds a nice touch. - Fresh Fish 2/5: fish essentially had no seasonings. overpowered easily by the tortilla and other toppings. - Steak 3/5: meat wasn't of the highest qualities, more rubbery imo. sauce was spicy which was surprising but I prefer easier to eat w steak, and have had better. - Mushroom: they mistakenly gave me this taco, mushroom was actually good on it's own but lacked flavor as a whole. overall authenticity in the food isn't there. nice restaurant to hang out in the area but if you're looking for mx/latin food there are better spots out there especially in OC read more

Cha Cha's Latin Kitchen - 3 Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

See this guy? Gael. We had a reservation for 5:45. They told us it'll be a couple of minutes. Another party of 2 came in a few minutes after us without reservations (I heard the whole conversation) and they were told 10 mins. A few more minutes later, they were seated and we were not I went up to Gael and he said the had a reservation before us, not knowing I heard what was said before. I told him this and he wouldn't even look at me or answer or apologize for lying, The rest of the staff is amazing - I have been coming here since literally Day 1. But if I walk in the door to deal with Gael next time, we will just walk out and go to Sauced 2 doors down. read more

Cha Cha's Latin Kitchen - Gael. Watch out. He lies. - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

Service was absolutely amazing, food was excellent and tasted good. Would recommend the the cha cha nachos, enchiladas and the spicier salsa. read more

Delicious. Yummy. Absolutely amazing! First time here but my friends have been here before and recommended this place as our place to eat and catch up! And it was wonderful. Our server was very patient with all our questions and had great recommendations. We ordered: Nachos Cha Cha's (marinated grill steak), Shrimp Ceviche, and the Cheese Enchiladas! And we ate all of that family style. Everything was really good and yummy. I really enjoyed the steak nachos. We weren't expecting the nachos to be plated like that but we loved it. We thought the steak would just be everywhere and not on each chip. Probably my most favorite steak nachos of all time. Would love to come here again next time I'm in town! read more

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So here's good and bad. The hostess seated us right away. I feel like the chips should have come when they took the Drink order. The bald guy was nice but the blonde had some sort of attitude and not good vibes. Any time I have ordered from the weekend specials they are able to omit the cheese. This blonde lady didn't omit it when I asked and both items had cheese. So I was in a dilemma. She didn't even offer suggestions and said "that's what an enchilada" how in the world am I sipped to know. The food was good. Watermelon margarita was too potent. It seems each time my family and I go there there is one sever who is rude as she was. That's why I'm giving 2 stars read more

This is our second time here. And it was amazing both times. Our server was Miguel. He is so friendly and attentive. The food is fresh Service is quick, in the ambience is great, with a combination of indoor that opens to the outdoor. Highly recommend! First time here we have the carne Asada and enchilada combo, both were so good. This time we had the braised short ribs, which were a bit spicy and the roasted chicken which was 10/10, the side of veggies almost topped the chicken that's how tasty they were. read more

Cha Cha's Latin Kitchen - Roasted Chicken - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

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I've dined here a few times, and it's always been a pleasant experience: great food and beverages and a chill atmosphere. Highlights: - Daily specials and events - Taco & Tequila Tuesday 50% off! - Happy Hour and Lunch Specials - Signature cocktails, margaritas, beer and wine - Tequila & Mezcal Flights - Kind and attentive staff - Occasional live music My current favorite tacos are shrimp, chicken, fish, and steak. The enchiladas look appetizing, too, so that'll be one of the entrées I try next. The flan or churros are my favorite desserts to end a meal. Indoor and patio seating is available, and plenty of parking in the Marketplace. I'll be back! read more

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great time coming here for their happy hour half off enchiladas on wednesdays. we were seated promptly with our reservation. inside has a lot of seating and nice music. you're served chips and salsa and we got the trio enchiladas and 2 mushroom tacos of the enchiladas, the crab and shrimp one was the star of the show. all were stuffed generously and we ate to our hearts content! read more

Cha Cha's Latin Kitchen - mushroom tacos - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

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Carlos was great! So kind and hardworking! Great food and great atmosphere. Went for cinco de Mayo there was a live band. Drinks were great

Food was 5/5, music is AMAZING, drinks are good, and Carlos is the best!! First time here and I'll be coming back! read more

Cha Cha's Latin Kitchen - Watermelon margarita - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

Having had Mexico styled cocktails and food in 9 countries, I still found myself describing the cerviche to the manager as nuanced and brilliant. Their combo cerviche is like a well done cocktail of flavors and textures. Bravo. As far as bartending and cocktails, they really worked hard to please and I give them a lot of credit and gratitude for that effort. The pours and ratios need to be more consistent though. Good, no great, Tequilas deserve perfect ratios of cien por ciento, Cointreu, lime juice and chilled glass. Enjoyable bar and food. Salud read more

Always a solid choice but best to get there and find a seat at the bar. ChaCha's Latin Kitchen served vibes and flavor. The mezcal old fashioned was smoky perfection - honestly, it deserves its own applause. The watermelon margarita was just okay but what made up for it was the way the salmon melted in my mouth. Like it knew I deserved luxury. The guac guaced with confidence. My friend's vegan options were limited but tasty - and don't worry, they're the cool vegan, not the preachy kind. Overall, 8/10 would come back to sip mezcal ( as long as the waiter remembers to bring it) and I will snap some pics in return. read more

Great service from Carlos , He accommodated us and was friendly . The food was delicious especially the Sherry / pine nut dressing . Carlos made great food recommendations and brought our dinner with wonderful discussion read more

This is my second time here and the food was delicious. Great vibe. Love the music. Carlos our server was super nice and took great care of us. Thank you Carlos! read more

A truly great place that's always worth coming back to. The most important thing -- the food is genuinely delicious and always fresh. You can taste the quality of the ingredients and the care that goes into preparation. Everything is nicely presented, the portions are generous, and the flavors are rich and well balanced. A special thank you to the staff -- the servers are always friendly, attentive, and welcoming. The service is quick and comfortable, and you really feel taken care of. Another big plus is the pricing. For today's standards, the prices are very reasonable, and the value for money is excellent. If you're looking for truly good food without overpaying, this is a wonderful choice. Highly recommend. read more

ChaCha's Kitchen never disappoints. Great vibes, drinks and service. We recently dined for a girls night out and to celebrate some wonderful news for our friend. Carlos was great and so accommodating as we were waiting for our full party to arrive. He was very attentive and kind. Wonderful service from him! We had a great time! read more

Cha Cha's Latin Kitchen - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

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Had the most amazing service experience by our server Carlos. He was attentive, enthusiastic, and easy to talk to. He made sure our party was constantly being taken care of. And all food and drink recommendations were amazing. Thank you Carlos! read more

Cha Cha's Latin Kitchen - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

We came in for a celebration and the service was great. The restaurant was clean and had a nice mellow vibe to it with great music playing. They provide you with chips and salsa while you wait for your food and I really enjoyed the green salsa, it was tangy and delicious. I ordered the mushroom sopes from the appetizer section and the plate comes with two sopes. My only critique is that the sope itself was over fried and really hard. Other than that the toppings paired very well with each other and I enjoyed it. read more

Cha Cha's Latin Kitchen - Sopes - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California