Chela — Restaurant in New York

When venturing out to the borough of Brooklyn, you know that there is sure to be good food. This was the case with Chela. From the outside you would think this is a small restaurant but it runs deep with a full bar. The seating can get a little tight during prime hours as this is a very popular spot among the locals.

When I walked in initially I was waiting for a bit for a seat as it was busy. I got a table near the front entrance and that was fine. All throughout my stay, the managers who were actively walking the floor, checked in on me every now and then even though there were periods of being crazy busy. Cathy and Henry were very pleasant and courteous and were very helpful with suggestions as this was my first time dining at this establishment.

You get salsa and chips to whet your appetite while you wait for your food.

My server Jimmy was very polite, upbeat and super helpful. He knew about every dish that I had a question about and explained in very accurate detail the contents of each dish. He was very good at checking up on me and all the food came in a very timely manner. Compliments to him and the diligent kitchen staff.

The dishes that I had decided on were:

*Tacos de Conchinita Yucutan style slow cooked pork, pickled red onions, sweet plantains queso fresco and cream. There were three that came and they were all delicious!

*Tostada de Marisco The market fresh ceviche item included walnut puree, shrimp, calamari, octopus marinated in citrus juices. It was spiced with habanero and Serrano with an array of vegetables that included sautéed onions, cherry tomatoes, cactus, cilantro and micro greens. This was one heck of an appetizer. The seafood was very fresh.

*Camarones Huatulco This awesome dish consisted of pan seared jumbo shrimp with mezcal chipotle emulsion, mango pico de Gallo and chunks of grilled pineapple (all beautifully plated and served on an actual pineapple). This was one of the special menu items and it is very special.

*Nopales Salad Cactus was something I had seen only once before at another establishment in Manhattan. So when I was able to get a small helping on the side I was ecstatic. The nopal is pickled and handmade so it has a bit of a sour taste that goes well with most savory entrees.

*Churros Vanilla bean with a special chocolate dipping sauce using 'abuelita chocolate' which is very popular in Mexico.

This is certainly a very casual busy place to bring friends but I had seen large parties walk in. There is an area in the back to accommodate such groups. The noise level is quite high but that means that business is great...just like the food...

This review is about a month delayed, but I had brunch here at the bar with a couple of girlfriends and was truly blown away by the attentiveness of the staff. The third member of our party arrived much later — after my friend and I had already begun eating our meals (possibly even after we’d already finished, or were near finished…) We ordered for her at the same time we ordered our food, though, and without even having to ask or say anything, the staff carefully waited and watched for her to arrive so that they could promptly serve her her meal once she was seated. They had clearly been keeping it warm for her in the kitchen. I ordered the vegan version of their Gorditas De Hongos, which was phenomenal. (FYI this is only an appetizer; Chela does currently offer one vegan brunch entree option, though: the Vegetarian Enchiladas, sans dairy.) My non-vegan friends, both of whom are Mexican, loved their dishes as well. We stayed for a couple of drinks after our meal, so ended up being there for a good while — at least a couple of hours. Every single one of the bartenders and waitstaff who served us and who we otherwise interacted with were abundantly kind/warm, friendly, and professional. I’d been here just once before this, earlier this year, that time just for drinks, but had a great experience then, too. The margaritas are super tasty, and there’s lots of flavors to choose from. 10/10 recommend Chela for any occasion and any time of day! Can just about guarantee you will be well taken care of and have a great...

Uncomfortable service experience, would have made for a bad first date:

My husband and I stopped in after a busy day for a relaxing early dinner. The serving staff left a bottle of water at our table. But from here the waitress and other serving staff were on us the rest of our visit. The waitress may have been in training, but she and another waitress gave us little time to breathe, and were clearing plates almost before we were finished. They were by every few minutes asking how things were. The restaurant wasn’t even half full but it felt like we were rushed even in the first 20 minutes we were there. The serving staff also came to refill our water glasses after each drink, to where we stopped drinking the water. By the end we asked them to please stop just so we could have a moment to talk to each other. There were 3 serving staff and 2 waitresses for our table.

The tacos were ok, the vegan ones were just spinach and tomatoes, but it wouldn’t have been so bad if we had had time to just sit without someone coming up. We wondered if they might even have too many staff who were just trying to find ways to stay busy. We left confused at a weird dining experience. We are somewhat quick eaters but they had us out of there in 30 minutes. With paying at the table, didn’t even have a break as they got the check. Haven’t experienced this before, it was surprisingly unsettling.

TLDR: rushed staff overbearing service, exhausting...