El Cholo - the Original

Founded in 1923, El Cholo is now a veritable regional chain—and while its cuisine may not exactly be cutting edge, the comforting mix of enchiladas, fajitas and other classic Mexican American fare is downright iconic. Despite the “Spanish Cafe” part of its marquee, the menu here isn’t at all Iberian; the name is a holdover from the more racist times of yesteryear. Visit the Western Avenue flagship to bask in the Mission Revival interiors and soak up some L.A. history with a side of chips and salsa. There are also other locations in Santa Monica and Downtown (plus a breakaway offshoot in Pasadena), but we prefer the Koreatown semi-original—it was originally located closer to USC—whenever we want to feel old-school cool. Every menu item lists the year it was added; I recommend the seasonal green corn tamales (1923), combination plates (1938) and taquitos (1995).