PRICE:
Frommer's Highly Recommended

L.A.'s oldest Mexican restaurant (Gary Cooper and Bing Crosby were regulars, and Jack Nicholson and Warren Beatty still are), El Cholo has been serving up authentic Mexican cuisine in this pink adobe hacienda since 1925, even though the once-outlying mid-Wilshire neighborhood around it has since turned into Koreatown. El Cholo's muy strong margaritas, invitingly messy nachos -- the first served in the U.S. -- and classic combination dinners don't break new culinary ground, but the kitchen has perfected these standards over 80 years (I wish they bottled their rich enchilada sauce). Other specialties include seasonally available green-corn tamales and creative sizzling vegetarian fajitas that go way beyond just eliminating the meat. The atmosphere is festive, as people from all parts of town dine happily in the many rambling rooms that compose the restaurant. There's valet parking as well as a free self-parking lot directly across the street. Westsiders head to El Cholo's Santa Monica branch at 1025 Wilshire Blvd. (at 11th St.; tel. 310/899-1106). Note: Be prepared for a long wait on weekends.

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's Los Angeles 2008, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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