If you’re itching for an out-of-L.A. escape, all it takes is a blue fin tuna tostada and a strawberry milk punch on this palm and cacti-lined Arts District patio.
LA Cha Cha Chá channels its Mexico City predecessor, and the aesthetic details are divine. If you’re up for a bit of homework, scroll through the restaurant’s process shots to see just how it got those white concrete block walls, elegant hexagonal tiles and subtropical flora onto the second-floor rooftop.
Those CDMX terraza vibes also come via the seafood and tequila-forward menu. Though every restaurant will try to sell you on its shareables, you really could craft a memorable meal here on botanas alone. Consider the guacamole, tacos and tostadas a foregone conclusion for each visit: The charred octopus tostada is the scene stealer, but the tuna one, topped with crispy cilantro and chile morita aoili, is fresh and smoky perfection. The fideo seco, meanwhile, chases its bit of heat with a fresh dollop of whipped avocado atop the pasta. As for the mains, the whole grilled red snapper left us wishing there was just a little bit more chimichurri to soak up.
On the flip side, you could post up at the bar all evening and pound spicy margaritas and palomas served in a traditional clay pot for just as transportive of an experience. For a straight-up sip of paradise, try the cachaça, rhum and mandarin Jarritos-based painkiller.
