Chulita — Restaurant in Los Angeles

I came here a year ago and tried the ceviche and the coliflor fundido; I absolutely loved the latter.

I came here last month (Oct 2023), reordered the fundido as well as a few other items.

COLIFLOR FUNDIDO $16.00 * 5/5 This dish can fill you up. It’s delicious but a little difficult to describe. It has the flavor and consistency of melted cheese - gives you that awesome cheese pull - but then also has some slight cauliflower flavor…. Much less than you’d expect. The micro greens on top add a light refreshing flavor. It is served with blue corn tostadas you break into chips and dunk into the cheesy goodness; you can ask for more if you need them. This dish will always be a staple when I come here.

STEAK TACO w/cassava tortilla $8 ** 4.5/5 The steak was cooked medium rare to perfection (make sure to ask for them this way if you want them cooked red). It was juicy and flavorful. Tastes very fresh. There is a good amount of meat- enough to take half off and make two smaller tacos because you are given two cassava tortillas. These had just the right amount of avocado. The only thing I wish is for it to be served with a little more pico de gallo. I would definitely get this again.

I paid for the above and highly recommend you try them, but nothing I’ve tried here is bad. So explore! Get a group of friends together and try multiple things. I doubt you will be disappointed.

Through yelp, I was fortunate enough to be able to try a couple other items for free.

TAQUITOS DE CAMOTE** 4.5/5 These are vegan. The tortilla shells have a good crunch, the camotes add a smooth texture to the inside, the vegan jalapeño aioli adds spice (in love with this sauce), and then they have pickled onions and radish with micro-greens on top which add wonderful complementary flavors. I even reheated one of the taquitos at home for my mom, and it was still good!

When I visited, there was a month-long yelp check in deal for free churros. I couldn’t pass that up!

PUMPKIN PIE SPICED CHURROS * 3/5 These were not like any churro I’ve had before, but keep in mind these are not normal churros, these are vegan and gluten free. They came out piping hot! The carmel sauce tasted mostly of coffee or espresso, so I wasn’t a fan of it with the churros, but I did enjoy it at home atop whipped cream :) hehe Although these are not my favorite churros, I think they are a good option for people who are gluten-intolerant or have celiac disease.

I think I might prefer, and thus definitely want to try, the VEGAN CHOCOLATE PUDDING

I had two servers waiting on me, Juliet and Camille. Juliet greeted me, gave me recommendations, and took my order, while Camille brought me water and checked on me later. Both were courteous and good waitresses.

I love the location of this restaurant. It has such a great beach vibe/ vacation aesthetic. They are part indoor, part outdoor. I was able to find a parking spot about a block away, but it can be difficult...

Incredibly disappointed in our experience at Chulita. After arriving for our reservation, we were escorted to the back patio, which was all concrete. The ambiance was fine, but the ground wasn’t level, and so our table wobbled all night. It took a while for our server to greet us, but a number of tables sat at once, so we didn’t mind. I immediately asked for a new water glass, because mine was dirty. It seemed to have been coated in something inside the dishwasher. I was given another glass that looked exactly the same, covered in particles of food. I asked a runner for another glass, and she took mine but simply never returned this time. My partner and I shared one glass all night. When we ordered, our guacamole was served while our server was still at the table. Quick, but no problem. Five minutes later, our drinks, appetizer, and six tacos were delivered at the exact same time. I asked our server if they typically course things this way. She said that Chulita is a “fast casual,” so they “don’t really course things.” Needless to say, Chulita neither markets nor prices itself like a fast casual restaurant. Of course, half of our food was cold by the time we got to it, and our experience was over within 20 minutes of ordering. Our server never asked how the food was or if we wanted a second round of drinks. We ran out of water halfway through a short dinner. There were some decent bites and some mediocre ones, but nothing exciting enough to make Chulita worth our time or money. Our server seemed more concerned about a table of 8 nearby (whose food was coursed, by the way) and closing out for the night. The worst part of all of this is that I didn’t want to write a review, because I respect how hard it is to run a restaurant and know that bad nights happen. There is no way to contact Chulita’s management (except a catering inquiry) on their website, so I sent a DM via Instagram which was read and ignored—twice. I would have been happy with some understanding and an apology, but Chulita seems convinced that its trendiness will offset a consistently poor customer experience. This is usually not the case. My hope is that they can find a better balance, but I will not be back...

I stumbled upon this restaurant by accident, when I parked my car on Rose, a few blocks away. Normally I go to my friends place called Flake or Rose Cafe, but decided to give this vibrant spot a shot. First off the ambiance and energy is extremely cozy and warm. The decor and outdoor seating, were spotless and meshed well with the inside of the restaurant. I was given a table on the patio by the hostess, who I later found out was the owner. That in itself was special, as anyone knows that to run a successful restaurant, often the captain of the ship has to take control. Shireen was very gracious, lovely, and hands on. She asked me what I like to eat, and I ended up ordering the delicious Frittata.

The staff was lovely and responsive, service was impeccable, and I would highly recommend this, as a go to place for Brunch. I always like to give my business to non chains, that are unique, and have a bit of that zest for life and Joie De Vivre, and Chulita does not disappoint. The only thing i was a bit surprised by ,was the $5 for a regular coffee, but perhaps that was an honest mistake, on the bill, by the staff, and I am not one to complain.

My Frittata arrived super hot, in a Skillet and had the freshest ingredients. I can't wait to comeback . and try dinner. In Summary, I highly endorse this establishment, and I applaud Superstar owner Shireen for being so hands on , in order to make her guests feel welcome.

Bravo to...