Chonitos Mexican Restaurant in Alhambra

We came tonight for a marching band fundraiser. There is a very large selection and the portions are very good for the price. They also have a happy hour menu that has good sized portions. The menudo was a bit spicier than I expected. The Jamaica was very good, not too sweet and a good size (see the photo). They also have a few large screens for sports fans.Parking: There is a small parking lot and free street parking.

Walked in and immediately felt like family. Every single staff welcomed greated us. We came for the buffet style brunch. They had so many options. The chilaquiles and pozole were spicy but delicious. Never had green mole it was so good. The best thing was the enchiladas they were so cheesy. They had so many options but didn't get to try everything. But everything I tried was delicious. Thank you to the staff for being attentive and really getting to know you. This place is a MUST when in LA. BRUNCH is 11am to 2pm

A great addition of authentic Mexican cuisine to the Alhambra area. This non-franchise, mom and pop restaurant offer daily and weekend buffet at an affordable price.Service is quick and friendly and the seating area consists of both booth seating and non-booth.Free parking available in the front, side and rear with multiple entrances and exits.

Updated review:Came to try the weekday lunch buffet. It was pretty good with a decent variety of dishes. It was pretty busy for a Tuesday. The buffet doesn’t include soda or other drinks, just water. It also doesn’t include chips and salsa, but if you ask they may bring some to you. The salsa was bland but the bean dip was good.***********I'll admit that I need to try this place again to see if it deserves a higher rating. Only been here once so far. The service was quick, the food could have been a little better. It was good but what I ordered I won't order again. Mainly because I didn't like it but also because I want to try something else. I ordered the shrimp enchiladas and there were too many onions in the enchilada. Rice and beans were ok. We had them make a shrimp quesadilla and my daughter really liked it. I thought it was too salty. The salsa and bean dip are good.

So freak'n delicious 😋 please take your appetite bcuz so much to choose from; great place to take family from out-of-town!! Nd the Best part is their Hometown is also my mother's so no wonder the food was amazing!! 🇲🇽🙌🏽❤️Parking: Restaurant located at busy intersection of Valley & Fremont nd within a neighborhood so you may have to walk a bit but well worth it.. 👌🏼

Great food and friendly service. We arrived at the opening hour and witnessed something that we had never seen in any other restaurant and that was that the servers brought out sizzling plates with onions, garlic and jalapenos to fill the restaurant with a more appealing aroma. The caldo de res was fresh, hot, with lots of perfectly cooked vegetables, lots of chunks of beef and a bone.

First time visiting Chonitos, probably not the last!The food was really good for us. I had a carne asada burrito, and my girlfriend tried their sopes (one chicken, one steak). We also had a watermelon agua fresca that was SO refreshing, and a horchata that was incredibly flavorful and rich (to me, it tastes like a mouthful of Christmas)!The burrito was really good - the carne asada wasn’t too fatty, and the flavor was beautiful! It comes with rice and beans on the plate - the melted cheese they use on the beans is freaking great! So tasty!My girlfriend enjoyed her sopes and said they were very good as well. Both of us were content with our plates - the portions are big, so we had leftovers the next day for brunch!The chips and salsa with bean dip served when you arrive; let’s talk about this. Actually, the promise of bean dip was what sold us on trying Chonitos to begin with - bean dip is a huge bonus in our opinion, so that sealed the deal! Unfortunately, the bean dip is very spicy - so much so, that my girlfriend couldn’t eat it, which was really disappointing. I like spicy and I’m here to tell you - the bean dip is definitely too intense for casual diners, in my opinion. It needs to be toned down a notch. The salsa is decent - nothing incredible, and again, a touch too spicy for folks to truly enjoy. My mouth was definitely burning as I ate both - and my girlfriend had to sit it out and watch me eat as she sat there hungry. No bueno. And I’m not sure if it was our server or the restaurant’s practice - but the amount of salsa/bean dip they bring is SO little, after a few chips, I had to ask for more of each - the serving bowls are small, and they were each filled only half way! This comes across as the restaurant being super cheap, whether they intend to or not.We had to ask our server multiple times to bring more chips and dips - the restaurant was not busy at all, and so that was unfortunate. The best is when you’re brought more chips, etc. without even having to ask; this was definitely not that. Our server was nice - very friendly, even. We just had to keep asking for things when we were one of her only tables. The rest of the staff was very nice, too - so no complaints about the team except for the spotty service we had.The food took a long time to arrive. Too long, honestly. We weren’t in a rush - but if we had been, this would have been an issue. The restaurant was not busy - it felt like we were waiting at least 20 minutes for the plates, which is just a hair too long when you’re sitting there hungry (and unable to enjoy the chips/dips because everything is too spicy).The restaurant has a loud sound system. Half of the interior is a bar space and the music is definitely louder there. The more formal dining area is a bit more quiet but the music is still just a touch too loud - or at least it was for an early afternoon meal, in our opinion. 8pm on a Saturday, we’d totally understand! But it was like 2pm and not very busy - the music should have been set to a more appropriate volume. It wasn’t HORRIBLE - but it was a bit annoying.We will definitely be open to trying Chonitos again! It’s hard to judge based on one visit - the food was very tasty overall, and the service WAS nice, albeit slow. So maybe these things change with a different day and server. We shall see! It’s not super close to home - it’s about a 20-25 minute drive, so it’s not quite a neighborhood spot or impulse choice for us. But we agreed we definitely will return and try this place again - you can definitely do a lot worse when it comes to Mexican food, so give them a try and enjoy!Parking: Small lot, not many spots - could be a pain during busy times. Neighborhood street is full of cars as well. Definitely easier to park on off hours.Wheelchair accessibility: It’s ADA.

The food and drinks were good. Service was okay, but much to be desired.Most people are drawn to restaurants based on reviews and food presentation. With that said, the food tasted better than how it was presented. When I received the Chonitos Platter I literally forgot what I ordered. Everything was kind of piled one on top of the other so it basically looked like one large platter of nachos.Overall I would eat here again.

Will only come here to drink beer and watch the dodger game. Table side guac was so pricey for one avocado mashed up w some pico d Gallo. They literally spread it all over the dish to make it seem like a lot. So In my picture I gathered it up so you can understand what I’m talking about. I could pick it all up with a spoon. ALSO TO NOTE….. it is not made TABLE SIDE… it is made in the back and brought to you. Ordered a beer w a Tajín rim and squeezed lime juice only. The girl suggested something else, a beer with maggi juice….it was awful. Our waitress was amazing I will say but the food and drinks were bad. The aguachiles were raw, they had to be pressed in the juice to cook, it was literally served raw… seriously bad. And they also charge you if you ask for salsa…. Not EXTRA SALSA … but charge you per cup. It a mexican restaurant why are you charging for salsa?….I mean if it was a gourmet ADD ON ..ok. I also ordered a peach margarita and that was insanely sweet. Towards the end I ordered an horchata and that was super tasty.

CHONITOS is one of my FAVORITE restaurants that serves THE BEST MICHELADA!! The food is delicious and the BEAN DIP with Chips is my FAVORITE (has a lil kick to it).Today 5/8/21 I had lunch and we ordered the “Flight of Margaritas”, because the presentation is beautiful and colorful, so I wanted to try it for the first time. Dear Management, I was VERY DISAPPOINTED that our drinks was “watered down” and thought, “how can that be?!!” Then I see on your IG, you have glasses served and ready to go…so THAT explains why it’s “watered down” because you have ICE in the drinks melting. Ironically, I told my friend, next time we’ll order without the ice, but now this j see this, I’m a bit disappointed. I feel like I should have complained or just politely said, this isn’t up to satisfaction. So my suggestion, either ask, “No Ice or bring to managements attention.” Other than that, the food and Michelada is good. I’ll be there in a few weeks and hope to have a better experience. Oh and ask for VICTOR!! He’s an excellent server.

Definitely Delicious! All food is homemade. Buffet is amazing! Very flavorful authentic food, which is hard to find, unlike most other buffet's which others use so much can food or undercook the food. This place has all food cooked to absolute perfection, place is clean, plenty of outdoor shaded seating. Coffee is great and hot! Plenty of vegetarian, meat and ceviche for pescatarian. Fried banana, menudo, jello, salad extras are amazing. Buffet is 11am to 2pm, come early or for lunch. The service is so sweet and courteous. My husband asked for a pitcher of water due to thirst, they brought out an ice glass pitcher, how amazing is that! Plenty of parking in front and back. Thank you Guys so much, that Brunch was delicious and the bomb dot com!!! Yummers I will be coming back!Vegetarian options: The potatoes, rice, beans, salad, steam veggies, green enchiladas had spinach and onion, red enchiladas have cheese only, fried little bananas, tortilla chips, salsa, etc. I'm eating good with no meat right now.Parking: Plenty parking in front and in the back.Kid-friendliness: Yes comfy couch seating outside is perfect for little ones.Wheelchair accessibility: Yes. Disability parking and ramp to the front door and to the outdoor seating which is spacious enough to never leave your wheelchair.

Although the food was good my order was not. I asked for chicken nachos and received beef. Even though they let me keep the wrong order the correct order looked under editable the chicken one looks like someone scraped it from some where else sorry 😞 but I could have returned it but what's the point so I decided to write a review since this was my first and last time coming here

It was our second time there, first time I ordered a shrimp cocktail, it was ok. This time my friends wanted to return to gather for dinner and hang out.We tried to order guacamole with chips, however we were told they did not have it available, which was odd being a Mexican restaurant you would think they would have that readily available, also my friend was told “this is your last refill” lol as he was handed his soda, that was odd as well.I asked for a mangoniada virgin, in hopes of getting the Chile straw as they picture it but those weren’t available either, sorry I like my spicy stuff😄 My ceaser salad was good though, had to order light but all my friends plates looked awesome!They do need to upgrade the bathrooms as there is only one stall working and it was pretty gross in there. Parking is plenty and there’s also parking on the streets.

So I order chilaquiles. And this is what I got, nothing like the picture on the reviews, I also order some chips that they charged for the tiny bag, so I told the guy that I had placed an order of the chip and salsa and he still charged me an extra $3.00 . So in total I payed $17.00 for this. Not worth it . Never again will I go back. What happened to the chesse,onion and sour cream 🤔

The food is not as authentic as I expected. The presentation was supposed to highlight the dinner but our plates were chipped around the edges and some food was overseasoned while some was bland.We had a party of 10 and our waiter never came to check on us. We had to get up and ask for extra cutlery, napkins, chips and salsa.The drinks were so watered down its sad.

BEWARE CORKOACHES The food was good however the fact that another couple kept staring and we look up to realize there was a huge cockroach above us we literally got up and ran out of are seats we were waiting for a drink but asked for it to be removed as we just wanted to leave and pay the fact that the manager or no one offered to comp or discount anything is ludicrous

Not bad for a cheap lunch buffet. They would always rotate and add fresh food to the buffet so that the food do not go stale. Fairly flavorful and the meats were over all pretty tender. My only complaint was the chicken is a little overcooked and a bit dry. The sauces/salsa were good and the service is excellent.You also have the option to order entrees that are not part of the buffet. They have quite a bit of options on their menu.

Wonderful Mexican Restaurant in Alhambra. For lunch they have an all you can eat buffet with lots to choose from. But if you go there, the must have dish is an order of their Table-Made Guacamole. Watching it being made right in front of you at the table, you see how fresh all the ingredients are, plus you can pick your level of spiciness.

We arrived around 4, and it was going for the trendy look and vibe and full of patrons. As we were seated, not many people came. We were there until 7 pm. Service was slow. I was told they were short staff. The food was ok. Food was drowning in sauce that took away from the actual flavor of the food. Others in my party stated their food was bland. The staff was pleasant, just slow with service. I might give them another try.Parking is somewhat difficult as it is located on a busy/main street and residential area.Parking: Very compact.

Service was the worst. Saw the server once, no visits to offer straws, or more drinks. Had to get my own straw and she didn't listen when I asked for water. So had to wait almost until the end. Host quickly sat us so that was a plus, and food was good. But they need work on their service. Too bad for la Chica we tip well even if buffet ask the omelet man my husband always tips them too. If I can give a zero on this chic I would.

The food is often good, and the spicy bean dip served with the chips is a favorite. But the service is inefficient and unkind. Our last visit we arrived 15 minutes before happy hour ended. They gave us a happy hour menu to look over. When they brought our complimentary chips, we tried to order but they would not accept it. Server finally came back 3 minutes after happy hour ended, took the happy hour menu away from us, and then refused to honor happy hour prices for drinks or appetizers. The wait time to order and to receive the food were unacceptably long to begin with, but seemed intentionally designed to deny us a chance to order from the happy hour menu at all. Will not be going back.

Very authentic family friendly restaurant. The place really gave me a feeling of being back in Mexico. The ambiance... is upbeat and busy. The staff was friendly and attentive. The food was great with generous portions.The chicken taquitos were crispy, not greasy and delicious!! I will say that at Chonitos, special orders don't upset them, and they aim to please their customers!!

Authentic homemade traditional Mexican food. Salsa, chips and spicy beans as appetizers were delicious and complimentary. I had chicken with mole which was very saucy and flavorful as were the rice and beans. The facility is older and outdated but food was good. Atmosphere was quite for Thursday. They have music videos playing on the large screens located throughout. Option to sit in dining room or bar style section for drinks and eating. There is also an outdoor dining patio. Parking is limited though we were able to easily find parking right in front of the.

Dropped In for quick lunch buffet and their selection, while small, was decent. Fare included normal stuff like rice and beans, cheese enchiladas. Chicken fajitas and pork and chicken taco fillings. Most other stuff were not marked, so I could not tell what they were. The fish ceviche was pretty good as well. Service was efficient if not particularly attentive. Could stand to have better labeling on food items so we could understand what was being served. We did not get any chips and salsa like many restaurants give.

Amazing brunch experience! We were greeted by Anthony at the door, always with a smile and amazing attitude. Every dish looked delicious and tantalizing. I highly recommend the tostadas de ceviche, menudo, and the carne en su jugo. Our servers Evelio and Elias, were attentive and very nice despite being super busy. Don Chon is always making sure all guests are enjoying their meal. Overall it was an excellent dinning experience.

Went for the first time with a group of friends and we had a great time. Since it was our first time being there they gave us a walk through the whole buffet and showed us a different food and different items they offered. The margarita flight was delicious and all the food was delicious as well. Some of the best champorado I've ever had. I would totally go back again for the drinks and the food anytime!

Great place to meet new people and very nice bartender, fernando was an awesome bartender kept all people at the bar entertained and kept helping me and the others i met there, met 4 regulars eating there at the bar area of the restaurant. I would recommend this place to all kinds of people especially those looking to meet the regulars here they nice too

Went near their closing hours on a Friday, thinking it was gonna be packed but there was still some space. They have an outside eating area which was very nice and well lit. Inside you got this club atmosphere going, dark with club lights and Bad Bunny loudly playing over the speakers. Good ambiance. Food is bomb especially the shrimp tacos I got. Service is great and pretty attentive even with many customers to check on. Overall a nice spot with great service, bomb food, and a party atmosphere. Would hella recommend. 👍