Cha Cha Cha

3433 SE Hawthorne Blvd Date of Visit: October 30, 2009 Price for 2: $16 Cha Cha Cha is the best local baja-style Mexican chain around. Specific enough for you? Ok, so it's the only place that fits all those criteria. But it is pretty good; sort of like a local Baja Fresh with better, more sustainable ingredients and an ever-changing menu. Obviously there is no shortage of Mexican restaurants on Hawthorne, but there are a few reasons to hit up Cha Cha Cha instead of the others. The menu is quite extensive, it's fairly reasonably priced, and as I've already mentioned, the ingredients change with the season. There is also…
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Pepino’s Fresh Mexican Grill

3832 SE Hawthorne Blvd http://www.pepinos.org/ Date of visit: Oct 7, 2009 Price for 2: $11.50 After a few days out off town, we opted against somewhere new and headed to Pepino's, by far one of my favorite lunch spots. The taqueria is quick, cheap, and one of the few places on Hawthorne with an actual parking lot. (If you've been to Hawthorne you know parking can be a real pain.) Unlike the nearby, over-hyped Por Que No, Pepino's is seriously cheap. I almost always go for the taqeria taco combo: two tacos, chips and a drink for $4.50. The tacos themselves are super basic. Two corn tortillas, meat (I get…
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Cha Cha Cha

3433 SE Hawthorne Blvd Date of Visit: October 30, 2009 Price for 2: $16 Cha Cha Cha is the best local baja-style Mexican chain around. Specific enough for you? Ok, so it's the only place that fits all those criteria. But it is pretty good; sort of like a local Baja Fresh with better, more sustainable ingredients and an ever-changing menu. Obviously there is no shortage of Mexican restaurants on Hawthorne, but there are a few reasons to hit up Cha Cha Cha instead of the others. The menu is quite extensive, it's fairly reasonably priced, and as I've already mentioned, the ingredients change with the season. There is also…
Read More

Pepino’s Fresh Mexican Grill

3832 SE Hawthorne Blvd http://www.pepinos.org/ Date of visit: Oct 7, 2009 Price for 2: $11.50 After a few days out off town, we opted against somewhere new and headed to Pepino's, by far one of my favorite lunch spots. The taqueria is quick, cheap, and one of the few places on Hawthorne with an actual parking lot. (If you've been to Hawthorne you know parking can be a real pain.) Unlike the nearby, over-hyped Por Que No, Pepino's is seriously cheap. I almost always go for the taqeria taco combo: two tacos, chips and a drink for $4.50. The tacos themselves are super basic. Two corn tortillas, meat (I get…
Read More