Los Angeles is full of iconic restaurants, but few have the kind of history and heart found at El Cholo. As LA’s very first Mexican restaurant, El Cholo has been serving generations of Angelenos since opening its doors in 1923, building a legacy rooted in family, tradition, and unforgettable flavors.
Since the beginning, El Cholo has operated as a family-owned business, and today the restaurants are proudly run by Ron Salisbury, the grandson of the founders. Many of the stories shared here come directly from Ron himself personal memories and reflections that capture what it truly means to survive, evolve, and thrive as a restaurant for nearly a century.
A Legacy Built on Family, Quality, and Loyalty
The true spirit of El Cholo lies in its unwavering commitment to quality ingredients, a deep family history, and the kind of loyalty that can’t be manufactured only earned over time.
It’s in the long-time employees who have dedicated their lives to the restaurant, some for over 40 years.
It’s in the devoted guests who have returned again and again, celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, first dates, and family traditions at the same tables their parents and grandparents once sat at.
Nearly a Century of Los Angeles History
El Cholo hasn’t just served food it has lived through history.
Through Prohibition, the LA Riots, the golden years of true Hollywood glamour, and into the modern era, El Cholo has remained a place where memories are made and revisited. For so many guests, walking through the doors feels like stepping into a living scrapbook of Los Angeles itself.
Whether you’re a first-time visitor or someone who’s been coming for decades, El Cholo has a way of bringing the past forward one plate, one story, and one shared moment at a time.
