Cha Cha Cha (restaurant)

Cha Cha Cha
Exterior of a Cha Cha Cha restaurant on Hawthorne Boulevard in Southeast Portland, Oregon, 2022
Restaurant information
Established2001 (2001)
Owner(s)Javier Hurtado
ChefJavier Hurtado
Food typeMexican
CityPortland
CountyMultnomah
StateOregon
CountryUnited States
Websitechachachapdx.com

Cha Cha Cha Mexican Taqueria (often simply Cha Cha Cha, or sometimes Cha! Cha! Cha!) is a chain of Mexican restaurants in Portland, Oregon. Chef and owner Javier Hurtado opened the first restaurant in 2001. There were nine locations, as of 2014. The menu includes traditional Mexican food such as burritos, enchilada, tacos, tamales, and margaritas. Cha Cha Cha is family-friendly and has garnered a positive reception.

Description

Cha Cha Cha is a chain of Mexican restaurants in Portland, Oregon. The menu includes burritos, tacos, tamales,[1] tortas, and salads with carne asada, chicken, fish, and pork carnitas. The "wet" version of a burrito includes red enchilada sauce, guacamole, pico de Gallo, and sour cream.[2] The machada burrito has shredded beef, scrambled eggs, Spanish rice, and vegetables,[3] and Cha Cha Cha also serves a breakfast burrito.[4] The restaurant has enchiladas with Dungeness crab and a sauce of garlic and white wine;[2] another variety has mole.[1] The menu has also included poblanos stuffed with seafood, as well as margaritas.[2]

History and locations

Exterior of the Hawthorne Boulevard restaurant in 2021

Javier Hurtado is the chef and owner.[5][6] He opened the first Cha Cha Cha restaurant in 2001.[7] In 2003, there were three locations in downtown Portland and another planned for Southeast Portland's Sellwood-Moreland neighborhood.[8]

In 2013, the business announced plans to operate in a 1,700-square-foot space in South Waterfront's Emery building.[9] There were nine locations, as of 2014.[1] A woman sued the business for gender discrimination in 2018.[10]

Cha Cha Cha has operated in the following neighborhoods:

Cha Cha Cha also operates at Portland International Airport, as of 2024.[12]

Hurtado converted a Cha Cha Cha restaurants he opened in 2011 into the Cintli Cantina in 2022.[7][13] He also operated Cha Taqueria Bar on 21st Avenue in Northwest Portland.[14] Eater Portland described Cha Taqueria Bar as "the slightly more upscale property of the Cha! Cha! Cha! local chainlet".[15]

Reception

Cha Cha Cha has garnered a positive reception and is a perennial favorite in Willamette Week's annual readers' poll. The business won in the Best Burrito category in 2005,[16] 2006,[17] and 2007,[18] and received honorable mention in the Best Mexican Food category in 2015.[19] One guide book by Moon Publications recommended Cha Cha Cha for families with children.[20] Julie Lee included the chain in 1859 Oregon's Magazine's 2015 list of Portland's best family restaurants and 2016 list of the city's best burritos.[21][22] In a 2022 list of Portland's highest-rated Mexican restaurants based on Tripadvisor, Cha Cha Cha had an overall rating of 4 out of 5, based on 90 reviews. The chain scored the same in the atmosphere, food, service, and value categories.[23]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Wolf, Laurie (2014-01-14). Food Lovers' Guide to® Portland, Oregon: The Best Restaurants, Markets & Local Culinary Offerings. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-1-4930-0670-0.
  2. ^ a b c Gottberg, John; Lopeman, Elizabeth (2010-06-01). Best Places: Portland, 8th Edition. Sasquatch Books. ISBN 978-1-57061-699-0.
  3. ^ a b Portland - Fodor's. Fodor's Travel Publications. 2010. ISBN 978-1-4000-0454-6.
  4. ^ "Hot Chefs, Cheap Eats". Willamette Week. 2009-03-11. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  5. ^ Giegerich, Andy (October 8, 2013). "Cha Cha Cha's new farm, conservation measures help restaurants go all in on sustainability". Portland Business Journal. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  6. ^ a b DeJesus, Erin (2014-05-08). "Eater Tracking". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2023-11-30. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  7. ^ a b Jackson-Glidden, Brooke (2022-07-12). "Chapulines and Huitlacoche Arrive in North Portland at This New Modern Mexican Cantina". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2024-02-23. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  8. ^ a b c "CHA CHA CHA MEXICAN TAQUERIA". Portland Mercury. Archived from the original on 2024-07-10. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  9. ^ Russell, Michael (2013-11-06). "Cha Cha Cha, Greenleaf Juicing Co. opening S.W. Portland locations". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2022-05-13. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  10. ^ "A Portland Woman Sues Cha Cha Cha Taqueria For Gender Discrimination, Alleging Years of Sexualized Taunts". Willamette Week. 2018-11-14. Archived from the original on 2023-06-01. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  11. ^ "Hot Chefs, Cheap Eats". Willamette Week. 2003-03-05. Archived from the original on 2024-07-10. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  12. ^ Baillargeon, Zoe (2023-07-27). "Where to Eat and Drink at Portland International Airport". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2024-06-20. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  13. ^ Russell, Michael (2022-07-12). "22 new Portland restaurants to know for summer 2022". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2022-08-07. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  14. ^ Russell, Michael (2013-11-01). "Northwest Portland's Cha restaurant to become Mexico City-inspired taqueria". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2021-12-07. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  15. ^ DeJesus, Erin (2013-11-01). "Revamps". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2024-02-27. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  16. ^ "READER'S POLL - YOU VOTED. WE TALLIED". Willamette Week. 2005-08-10. Archived from the original on 2019-07-18. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  17. ^ "Best of Portland: READER'S POLL". Willamette Week. 2006-08-09. Archived from the original on 2023-08-18. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  18. ^ "Readers Poll". Willamette Week. 2007-07-25. Archived from the original on 2020-11-13. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  19. ^ "Best of Portland Readers' Poll". Willamette Week. 2015-07-15. Archived from the original on 2019-01-06. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  20. ^ Morris, Elizabeth; Morris, Mark; Jewell, Judy; McRae, W. C. (2007-02-26). Moon Oregon. Avalon Publishing. ISBN 978-1-56691-930-2. Archived from the original on 2024-07-10. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  21. ^ "Best Family Restaurants in Portland - 1859 Magazine". 1859 Oregon's Magazine. 2015-11-23. Archived from the original on 2024-07-10. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  22. ^ "Best Burritos in Portland - 1859 Magazine". 1859 Oregon's Magazine. 2016-01-19. Archived from the original on 2023-10-02. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  23. ^ "Highest-rated Mexican restaurants in Portland, Oregon, according to Tripadvisor". KOIN. May 5, 2022. Archived from the original on May 17, 2022. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
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