Cha Cha Chicken is a caribbean restaurant in Ocean Avenue, Santa Monica.
Editorially verified August 18, 2026 by Lewis Vaughan, TableJourney editor. Source.
Must order: Jerk chicken plate with fried plantains
Tip: It runs one of the most lenient BYOB policies in town; bring a bottle and eat coconut fried chicken outside.
Address: 1906 Ocean Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 90405
Heavy Handed smashes short-rib-blend patties on Main Street in Santa Monica, beef tallow fries and Straus soft serve from a pandemic pop-up made good.
Order: Double smashburger with beef tallow fries
Tip: Double smash with American cheese, fries in tallow, soft serve after; the line moves faster than it looks.
Ghisallo blisters Neapolitan-and-New-York-style pies on Ocean Park Boulevard in Santa Monica, with arancini, radicchio salads and a semi-hidden back patio.
Order: Squash blossom pizza in season, the diavola year-round
Tip: The back patio is the seat; squash blossom pizza when it is on, diavola otherwise. Wine list stays well priced.
Milo & Olive runs its wood oven from dawn bakery to late pizzeria on Wilshire in Santa Monica, garlic knots, breads and pies from the Rustic Canyon family.
Order: Garlic knot, then the mushroom pizza
Tip: The garlic knot with sea salt is non-negotiable; breakfast service turns into pizza service at 11:00 without pause.
Colapasta sheets fresh organic pasta on 5th Street in downtown Santa Monica, beef ragu lasagna and beet ravioli in brown butter at bargain prices.
Order: Beet ravioli in brown butter and the ragu lasagna
Tip: Seating is first come, first served; last seating is fifteen minutes before close, so do not cut it fine.
La Purepecha hand-presses corn tortillas on Broadway in Santa Monica, a Michoacan-style counter of asada tacos and machaca burritos without the fuss.
Order: Asada tacos on handmade corn tortillas
Tip: Tacos on handmade tortillas with cilantro and onions are the order; parking sits right beside the shop.
Tacos Por Favor has fed Santa Monica's Olympic Boulevard workshops since the nineties, a no-frills counter of hard-shell tacos and chile relleno burritos.
Order: Chicken tacos and a chile relleno burrito
Tip: The lunch rush peaks at noon sharp; order the chicken taco plate and grab salsa from the bar before sitting.
