On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Categories: Caribbean, Cuban, Tapas Bars [Edit]
Neighborhood: Haight-AshburyMon-Thu. 11:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 11:30 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.
Sun. 11:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Loading...
Delicious!
The sangria is cash, as in simply deliciousness!
The food is pretty good too. Recommend the steak. I think they call it bistek encebollado. It is so juicy and tender, and just has a great taste to it.
It's usually pretty busy, but they do their best to accommodate everyone, and the wait usually isn't too bad. There's not a lot of elbow room, but the ambiance, food, and feel good music def. make up for it.
-1, the server rang us up wrong, again. This is the second time I've been and every time hes added stuff to our bill that wasn't right. Both times it was something the table next to us had. If he does it a third time I'm going to have to think he's doing it on purpose.
First impressions are everything, and I've been proven right. A very relaxed environment that creates a tropical atmosphere to enjoy down time while savoring rich Caribbean food. We were a party of 4 and the wait was approximately 45-60 minutes, which is pretty reasonable for a Saturday evening. The service is very good as the wait staff is friendly, timely and courteous. The food is delicious, well prepared and presented. We had an order of the fried calamari, Jamaican jerk chicken, cajun shrimp, and Santi's Spanish Zarzuela. Our meal was accompanied by their signature sangria and topped it off with the El Mango Tango Mango.
The dining experience was great, we all loved it and felt that the best kept secret has been revealed.
Met some friends here and was blown away at how busy they were so early in the evening. We had at least a 1/2hr. wait at 6pm. A pitcher of sangria later and our spots at the bar were ready.
Had a blast trying many things tappas-style. The hits: Jerk Chicken(!), Tamarind-glazed Chicken Wings, Fried Plantains. The miss: calamari was just OK. Well, the calamari were light & crispy--perfectly prepared. But the aioli could have been straight-from-the-jar mayonnaise. And no real hint of seasonings in the breading. So we all felt that dish fell flat. Otherwise, great time enjoying great food & drinks and prime Haight St. people watching!
This is the better of the two Cha Cha Cha locations. I absolutely love the Sangria pitchers! This is a great place to go with a group of friends.
I love the Jamaican Jerk Chicken, steame Garlic Mussles, and the Potato dish. Definitley one of my fav spots in the Haight.
I don't know why I haven't yelped this place as I used to frequent it a lot in college-- my old roommate loved coming here-- um, and she still does.
Everything here is delicious, the shrimp, plantains, mussels, fried new potatoes, warm spinach salad, chicken wings-- everything!! Many come for the Sangria also, but I usually come for the company, the vibe, and the little plates-- love them!
If you like tapas I'd definitely recommend this place.
It's usually crowded during peak hours so be prepared for that.
If you keep the tapas coming it can run up the bill.
Sangria was good.
Great Sangria! I can drink this stuff all night (and I have). The absolute highlight of this restaurant. The other thing I love are the tapas. Very tasty. Among my favorites are the shrimp, calimari, and potatoes. The dining areas are great as well. Very rustic feel, and the bar is great. Very freindly service. The only problem (and the only reason I gave this place 3 stars) are the prices. These tapa portions are so, so tiny. And for the prices they charge, there should be a lot more food. Way too expensive for my taste. I would have easily given this place 5 stars, if not for this factor. Too bad.
I went here for a birthday and we had a group of 13. I don't know if I recommend it for big groups. The place is just so small and you are already jammed packed in their like sardines in a can. The nice thing was that there was some room in the bar area where we could drink sangria while we waited our long wait - as they had to wait for two big booths next to each other clear (and there were only about four of them in the place).
The sangria was delicious but $21 for a pitcher might make you think twice about getting it. I definitely see where they make their money.
The ambiance is cool but again so crowded you wouldn't want to be here if you were claustrophobic.
The table I was sitting at ordered a bunch of different things so it was fun to taste everything. The potatoes were amazing! They serve it with some type of chipotle dip that melts in your mouth. The mushrooms soaked in sangria were also one of my favs. I ordered the Jamacian Jerk Chicken and it was as good as everyone says. The quesadilla was ok - nothing to write home about and I wasn't a fan of the fried bananas.
Overall, I would come back here but not during peak hours. And for someone coming from outside the city it's kind of a pain to get to - unless you drive.
I FINALLY made it here last Friday. Thanks to my cuzzo. I called his bluff and he actually came thru. Now I know why.......
I won't give a whole story, it'll be similar to all the other 1215+reviews.
So YES to :
*BOMB ASS SANGRIA (I'd just like a mini pitcher with a straw please and thank you!)
* garlic mussles (dip your bread in the juice...YUMMMMM)
*calamari
*cajun shrimp
*fried potatoes....not sure what the BIG hype is, I mean they're just red potatoes, quartered and fried *shrugs* and I found that the potatoes went better with the sauce that the cajun shrimp were in as opposed to what they offered.
NO to:
*long ass wait (apparently the norm for Fri & Sat nights) but with sangria and conversation, the wait isn't that bad.
* street parking (altho' we lucked out and got one across the street)
*good for groups?? I don't think so. You'd definitely need a reservation. you'll still be tightlycrampedlikesardinesinacan but the food will make up for that.
I can't wait to go back and try more!
One more thing, I was told by my cuz and his girl that after eating here, I'd wake up the next morning thinking about the food I ate...
I'll just say this...DAMN THAT WAS GOOD!!!
Very good for tapas. All kinds of smaller dishes that are yummy and satisfying. Here's what we had:
Calimare- good, i have had better though
Cajun Shrimp- creamy cajun sauce is excellent
Chicken wings- my favorite! i love all chicken wings, but these had a different yet good glaze on it
Spanish Rice and black beans- you have to get them if you go for tapas. they complete all the little meals. Comes with sour cream.
Oh and the sangria- not too sweet, just right, and very potent
What is there to like about Cha Cha Cha?
The Black Mussels. The sauce is so good. Dip your bread in it. It's money baby!
The Cajun Shrimp. The sauce is so good. Dip your bread in it. It's so money!
Jamaican Jerk Chicken. Tasty. So so money.
Warm Spinach Salad. Green.... Like the color of money...
Also, the Fried Calamari and Sauteed Mushrooms is... money.
Sangria. Money.
Final thoughts?? Mony Mony...
On a windy, rainy night, what could be better than eating dinner with 5 good friends? Add a little bit of sangria, and some delicious tapas, and you have my heart.
Since I've only been there once, I am only giving 3 stars, and since we had to wait for 2 hours to sit, only to be seated basically in the kitchen. But, after we were seated, and I had a good little sangria buzz on....we had a great, meal within minutes!!
I'd go back, just maybe not on a Friday night.
Walked down here for dinner and ended up ordering some great tapas! My girlfriend and I had the steamed mussels, fried new potatoes, chicken wings, and fried calamari.
Steamed mussels are one of my favorite things in the world to eat, and this place has some of the best I've had! $8 for a big bowl of fat, juicy, delicious mussels and enough broth to turn a whole loaf of bread soggy!
Potatoes were also very good. They were nice and crispy, like good home fries and came with a chipotle aioli.
Chicken wings were tangy and slightly spicy, delicious!
The fried calamari itself was pretty good, but they served it with what tasted like plain mayonnaise. Personally, I like having cocktail sauce with my fried calamari because the tartness of the sauce cuts the fattyness of the calamari. I just squeezed some of the lemon onto the calamari and it was fine like that though.
The service was meh, but this would definitely be a great place to come with a group of friends to have tapas and drinks!
Better name: Bleh Bleh Bleh.
I don't understand the passion for this place, I really don't. It's in the Haight, so I guess that makes it cool by default, but that's about all. The "Cuban" food really isn't. (Well, there's pork in it, and something that resembles western creole, so maybe that counts.) Don't get me wrong, the food is fine (hence the two stars) but it's nothing to specifically run out cuz you gotta have it.
The bar is ridiculous. It's wine and beer only, with a piss-poor selection of both, and the sangria that everyone seems to be raving about is...horrible. Weak. Watery. Uninspired. Limp. The citrus fruit just sorta floats at the top as listless as a dead goldfish.
It's also loud (ridiculously so), crowded and difficult to walk in...but I guess that's cuz it's so cool. Whatever. Enjoy it, folks.
We happen to be in the neighborhood and stopped by for dinner here and was quite impressed with the food and the energy (even on a Monday night)
The tapas dishes were served in decent-sized dishes. You always think, tapas = small dishes but not at ChaChaCha. We stuck with the basics, chicken strips, black beans, sour cream, spanish rice, etc. But one day I'd like to try their Plaintain dish, sounds yummy!
Here's the best part, the Sangria. One word -Wow! Definitely coming back for more Sangria if we happen to be in the area again and would check out the one in the Mission.
Gotta love this place. Wonderful authentic food, even better pitchers of Sangria. Nice eclectic atmosphere, and good vibes. What more can you ask for. It gets pretty full, but worth it.
cha cha cha SANGRIA!!! cha cha cha SANGRIA!!! ^^
Marie and I came here with three of her friends, we had to wait an hr for a table but the wait was so worth it. The longer u have to wait, it just means the place is gonna be good!! well not all the time but in this case it was!!! As soon as we were seated Marie and I ordered a glass of Sangria each, i wanted to get a pitcher but no one else was drinking! boo! Its 4 bucks a glass, 12 for a half pitcher and 21 for a full pitcher of yummy goodness.
Here's a report card for Cha Cha Cha:
-Fried Calamari: A
-Jamaican Jerk Chicken: A+
- Cajun Shrimp: A
-BBQ chicken and pork quesadilla: A
-Grilled Marinated Chicken Wings: A+
-Ceviche de dia: A
GPA: over a 4.0 duh!!!!
The food was amazing, everything we ordered mixed very well together, u could substitute different sauces with other dishes or if u got sauce on something else it tasted even better. Then pair it up with some Sangria and its a perfect dinner! The reason i can't give it 5 stars is I didn't get to try the dessert and not to mention that this place isn't small but the tables are a bit too close together, I felt like i was being smooshed into the wall -__-. I will be back for more, for sure!
imma coming back for u Sangria!!!! muahhaha and don't forget the yummy food!!!!
You can never go wrong coming to this place. The food is great, sangria is great, service is good and on a busy night you can always hang out at the bar and have a drink until your table is ready.
We ordered the cajun shrimp which you dip your bread into, mussels, ceviche, chicken wings. We got there around 7ish and got lucky with parking. Everything was as good as I remembered except for the marinated chicken wings-I thought it was a bit too dry and not as tasty as the last time I had it. Overall, great dining experience.
This review is way over due! I love coming here when I shop at Haight. You can go straight to the… Read more »
It's pretty apparent that people love this place, and who am I to disagree? They had good drinks (sangria, as everyone has said) and great food. The wait is a little long (we stopped waiting and just ate at the bar), but since their food was good and the atmosphere was cool, I'll still give it 4 stars. Sangria, I think, was $21 for a pitcher, and their dishes are about $8-10 each. Great to share w/ some good friends, although since I didn't order, I can't recommend anything but the cajan shrimp w/ bread. THAT, was sooo good.
4.5 out of 5 for me.
Love this place. Their sangria is deadly. It'll kill you. Seriously. Like drinking Drano... it'll totally kill you.
Once in awhile they have these enchiladas that are ridiculously good. Honestly I have never had less than an amazing dinner there.
If you're in the Haight, it's a must. Go there.
LV
Meh...
I wouldnt find myself craving their food.
I sampled the cajun shrimp, warm spinach salad, calamari, fried potatoes, mussels, seafood paella, and ordered a half pitcher of sangria.
The only memorable dish was the sauce in the cajun shrimp dish and warm spinach salad, everything else was blah.
I also felt the waiters were rude, but maybe thats just how certain people are. I didnt like my cups and dishes slammed in front of me.
I like anything that is either miniature or in small portions. Don't know why, but I do. Tapas fits right into that category... we tried lots of tasty things here- the ceviche, calamari, quesadillas, beans, etc. And of course, like others have mentioned before me- the sangria. Delicious!
And the service was great to boot. We were here duing a weekday so it was not too crowded. Our server even gave us hugs by the end of lunch, but I don't remember why... must've been the sangria.
Just went to Cha Cha Cha last night for a girls night of sangria and tapas. We had to wait for our entire party to arrive to be seated, so my friends and I went to the bar and got a pitcher of sangria to hold us over. The sangria was delicious, and totally sneaks up on you ;)
Once the rest of our group showed up, we were seated right away. We ordered tapas, and another pitcher of sangria. I thought the fried calamari and mushrooms were alright, but what I really loved was the cajun shrimp. They came in this spicy cream sauce that was amazing. Another must-have is the ceviche.
Maybe it was the sangria kicking in, but I thought the atmosphere was very fun and festive. Cha Cha Cha was a great place to go to with a group of friends, especially since its easier to try more tapas when there is more people :)
What a cool name this place has!
Come here for the Sangria! Too bad I was the dd, otherwise, I would have had much much more. All the Tapas were delicious. If only I knew of a place in the South Bay that had Sangria's and tapas like Cha Cha Cha.
Music: World & Latin Jams
People: Granola-ey Marina
Decor: Dusty South American (???really??) kitsch
Waited 2 hours for a table New Year's day, and finally just left because in the end they couldn't even sit our party together. I mean, I understand that it's crowded here... but when you buy a drink and you can't even sit at the bar... unless you buy food (seriously, they made us give up our seats for "potential" food buyers that never sat down). And you can at least be nice about it! And the bartenders were,,, how do you say it, NOT friendly? Maybe it's because they are dealing with "Marina" customers. That, or they ARE the Marina types themselves. It thought that "Marina granola" was an oxymoron, but I guess these types do exist.
Hey, judging by the enormous crowds (and the reviews) my guess is the food here is probably pretty good. But food safety appears to be lacking here (see: 2 open vats of non-refrigerated sangria being served freely). Viewing the lack of the aforementioned led to us going down the street to continue our evening.
Cha cha cha is ok. I had a good enough time, and the atmosphere was lively good fun, but upon serious reflection I realize that I have spent a much wiser $30 on dinner and that truly GREAT "Spanish" food can be found much cheaper in this city.
Cha Cha Cha just wasn't what I was expecting, but still decent enough. I thought it was going to be a more traditional tapas bar, with stronger, spicier sangria and bread akin to what you'd actually find in Spain- not a cheap white dinner roll only served upon request. There is nothing Spanish about the "Spanish Rice" and the sauce on the fried platanos can't at all be distinguished as a mole though it appears that's what they think it is. The cajun shrimp was pretty good, though its sauce is a little too creamy without any texture (a must in spicy cooking!). And if you go, pass on the chicken quesedilla- the chicken is a greasy, shredded concoction, hardly fresh tasting and would be so much better if it was grilled.
I wouldn't go back to Cha Cha Cha for anything other than a drink, and while I am not implying the food was of poor quality, I do think its pretty standard fare that could be easily recreated in your own kitchen. Or in mine! So that's where I'll be the next time I want rice and beans with spicy shrimp (Mexican White Shrimp: $4.99 a bag at Trader Joe's!)
Tasty, tasty, tasty!
I can't believe I have lived 3 blocks from this place for almost 15 years and this was the first time I've ever been! Okay... I take that back... I've been to the bar once before, but this is the first time I've eaten at Cha Cha Cha.
We had tapas and they were all very good. I especially liked the shrimp and the platanos. YUM! And, really, you can't beat the sangria.
Sneakiest Sangria on this side of the panhandle!
One pitcher and I guarantee you there is no way you could be unhappy here.
My Husband took me here on one of our first dates. I love this restaurant!!!! The Sangria is the best I've ever had. The food is wonderful!!! We usually come exactly at 5pm when they re open the restaurant for dinner then end the night at the bar. After a hard week this just the place to help me relax and unwind.
We need one in the East Bay!!!
Cons- Parking is a b@$@& in the area.
Yeah, I'm a B&T'er. Yeah, I've been coming here for yearrrrrs for the nostalgia & grub... This is such a FUN, loud place. I LOVE the bright red wall behind the bar with the huge green tropical plants, cool lighting, framed art, & mirrors - and the sangria! ~It gives you a perma-smile! I am a total sucker for the ambiance - awesome Santeria-type alters, brick walls, reggae/jazz/Afro-Cuban, etc music, colorful oilcloth tablecloths, laughs, and good vibes. I am partial to the calamari, black mussels, warm spinach salad, cajun shrimp, chicken paillard (sooo yummy), sauteed 'shrooms, fried new potatoes with chile pasilla aioli, Bistek Encebollado, and the fried platanos maduros. Great, fast service, they've got it down. I prefer this location over the one in the Mission... just seems more fun. Parking can be sketchy. And in the words of Anthony Bourdain: NO RESERVATIONS.
I came for the sangria, I stayed for the mushrooms. Also, the shrimp. And the ceviche. And the calamari.
Get all of the above. You'll love it all!!! Oh, and the restaurant was too crowded so we sat and ate at the bar - it was a great fun environment!
Oh, and dip your bread in the leftover shrimp sauce. You can thank me later.
We just heard about this place at a volleyball tournament this past Saturday. Granted, I'm new to the area, but my girlfriend and I put it high on our priority list to check out. Like any good Yelper, I had to check out what other people were saying as well.
As expected, there was a pretty long wait for a table (~30 mins for a table for four). However, we were still waiting for two more friends to join us and we were excited to try the touted sangrias. They definitely lived up to the hype and helped numb the h'anger' pains from waiting too long for dinner!
I highly recommend going in a larger group of four or more so that you can try more tapas! I loved the New Potatoes with the delicious aioli sauce and the lightly breaded Calamari had a very tasty and light aioli dipping sauce as well. The Cajun Shrimp came in a delicious "shrimp bisque-esque" sauce that had us dipping our bread pieces long after the shrimp was gone. We did order one regular entree to share (Lechon Asado) and I must say that it was hands-down my favorite! It came with only marginally appealing sides of plantains, spanish rice and black beans, but the pork itself was the most tender and tasty pork I've had in years. A must for any other other white meat afficionados.
Granted, this place doesn't hold a candle to my personal favorite tapas restaurant (Costa Brava in the Pacific Beach area of San Diego), but it's my favorite little restaurant in the City thus far. I'm sure that will change in the coming months!
Cha Cha Cha! No, I'm not talking about the famous classic dance. It's a restaurant on Haight street in SF. This place is good. My girlfriend mention this spot but to me but for the first time I went with my cousin his wife and my younger brother. Haha sorry babe!
This place is known for there Sangria and tapas style serving. So be prepared to share everything with your party. We ordered so much. We like the fact to have a variety of different dishes. They have unique and abstract art all over the walls which I thought was very interesting.
As, for the food.....YUMMY! We ordered the black beans and rice, chicken quesadilla, spinach salad, potatoes with a nice tasting dipping sauce, cajun shrimp that came in an aioli mild spice sauce (delsih), calamari, jamaican jerk chicken. Food is served with bread and butter. Of course a pitcher of the sangria too. Everything was so good. They also have a lunch menu that you can chose sandwiches from.
So whenever your on Haight street shopping and walking the blocks and you get hungry....you know where to go. You will be satisfied and happy with you food and sangria, you will Cha Cha Cha your way out!
I totally remember when this place was kick ass. Tonight it just fell completely flat. We shared the fried new potatoes (YUM!), then I had the Beef Chimichanga special and Mom had the Jerk Chicken (what many go here to have). I have never seen such a lifeless plate of food as that Jerk Chicken dish. The sauce was slopped on top and you couldn't even see the actual chicken pieces. I've just had way better. I was introduced to Jerk in DC and, man, it was fabulous. Maybe because it was being prepared by actual Jamaicans...okay, I guess I can't put Cha Cha Cha up against the homies.
My chimichanga had more flavor, but not much, and I didn't get the pimento-stuffed olives added to the mix.
It's Monday. It's after the holiday rush. We walked in at about 5:30, a half an hour after opening. Maybe the alignment of all of these things aided in their less-than-stellar performance.
Oh, and the Sangria wasn't all that this time around, either. And don't get me started on the service.
I didn't think I was going to like this place because of it's location in the Haight (I'll admit that the Haight is not my favorite neighborhood in the city) but it was great! I guess I missed out by not being around in the summer of '67. However, after playing tourist with some out of town friends around the Haight on Friday, the neighborhood is beginning to grow on me. :)
I don't know where to begin with the decor at Cha Cha Cha (hodge podge cajun?) but while we waited for a table to open up we dug into a pitcher of sangria at the bar. The sangria was OK but the real surprise was the food. The highlight of our meal consisted of the plantains and beans, the bbq'd chicken quesadilla, the the ceviche. Yum! We left with a little post new years holiday friday buzz and happy stomachs.
Note: this place appears to be very popular so I would expect a wait for larger groups. Just settle in at the bar, grab a pitcher, and get your drink on while waiting for a table.
I found out that Im not particularly fond of Cuban food. The platanos are not my favorite ways of eating a banana. The place was definitely an experience for my taste buds and we did have some tasty dishes and leftovers to bring home but my ex GF gave them to a homeless guy outside.
I know, a useless review.
I went here for Clarisse C.'s 24th Birthday around the end of August. It was my last time to see my friends before i relocated to los angeles.
Although the wait was long and it was uber crowded on the inside..an actual line just to wait for the bar as well!!
We were packed into a booth, but once we were settled and started ordering, I was in spice heaven. The Cajun Shrimp has got to be my favorite dish of that night.
I was iffy about the "Fried platanos maduros" because sweet banana & black beans made me think it wouldn't taste good. But it was actually pretty damn tasty. That was probably my second fave of the night. I forget what else we ordered but those were the most memorable.
however, i fail to mention that the best part of this place was the sangria. I'd never had a better mix in my life. I'm not a fan of wines in general, but this mix happened to drown out the wine taste that i dread so much. It was really sweet and quite fruity.
I really want to come back here!
oh and sidenote: when I was looking up cha cha cha to write the review, I forgot to change the city to s.f. and found that there is a restaurant also named cha cha cha out in los angeles. I HAVE to try this place. doesn't seem like they'll have the same menu..obviously. but they're sangria looks the same...lots of fruit chunks.
I get to town once or twice a year and ChaChaCha is a MUST!
Sangria rocks, food is awesome, and the vibe is pure Haight!
If you are looking for a great time, great drink, and a low key sit this is the place!
I have been twice. The first time we tried to get a table, ended up at the bar. The second time we waited an hour for our table. Its loud, and the tables are crowded together. The bathrooms need cleaning. The shrimp cost about $1.25 each and are not very large.
The Sangria is great. The pork is the best with the steak and chicken not far behind. We ordered 1 of almost everything and loved it all. Come with a few friends and order as much as you can, it will all be worth the wait and the cash.
Known for their tapas. So make sure you order some if not all of it on the menu!
You MUST get the BBQ chicken quesadilla that comes with salsa, guacamole and sour cream. This is probably one of the best quesadilla I have ever tasted and I've had many.
Also try the grilled marinated chicken wings smothered with guava-chipotle sauce. It's sooo delicious that you just want to drink the sauce. But don't, that would be just gross.
We ordered off their special lunch menu. The spicy pork sandwich was good and juicy. You either get potatoes or a salad to go with your meal. I would suggest the salad but the potatoes looks good and fresh also. The steak fajitas were ok. Not very flavorful so we used the sauce from the wings to put on it to give more of a kick. The pork and ham sandwich was pretty tasty and I got the plantain chips to go with it.
Overall I would definitely stop by here when shopping on Haight. Service was quick and friendly. But next time I will definitely try their sangria. It seems like every table had a pitcher of it but us.
~ Now Serving Lunch & Happy…
Neighborhood: Mission
Best Brunch and Happy Hour in…
Neighborhood: Nob Hill
Neighborhood: Mission
Category: Tapas Bars
Neighborhood: Twin Peaks
Category: Cuban
Neighborhood: Mission
Category: Tapas Bars
Neighborhood: Mission
Category: Nightlife
Neighborhood: Mission
Category: Latin American
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
Raise your hand if you keep a profile on yahoo!…
I love desserts. It's the best part of the meal.…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
I've recently developed a strange fascination with…
These are my favorite places to go on dates (or be…
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,…
Congratulations! You've made it. No introductions…
