Chulita: A Modern Neighborhood Spot Bringing Authentic Mexican Cuisine and Community to Venice
Discover the story behind Chulita, a modern Mexican restaurant in Venice, CA, blending authentic flavors, scratch-made ingredients, and a welcoming community vibe. From standout tacos to pandemic pivots, learn how owner Shireen built a neighborhood gem that redefines Mexican cuisine.
When Shireen first reconnected with her longtime friend Andre in Los Angeles, the two shared more than just nostalgia. “We felt like something was missing,” Shireen recalls. Having both lived in New York—she in Nolita and Andre in Harlem—they had grown accustomed to the sense of community unique to city neighborhoods. “Whether you like it or not in New York, you become part of a community. You know the guy at your bodega, you see the same faces every day, and there’s this comfort in knowing you have your ‘spot.’”
This longing for a true neighborhood gathering place sparked the idea for Chulita, a vibrant, modern Mexican restaurant located in the heart of Venice. “We wanted to create that feeling here in LA—a spot where the food is excellent, approachable, and people feel at home.”
A Neighborhood’s Favorite That Started with Friendship
For Shireen, the leap into the restaurant industry was more of a return than a new beginning. “I grew up in the restaurant business—my parents had restaurants—but nothing could have prepared me for this,” she laughs. She and Andre opened Chulita in late 2018 with a focus on authentic Mexican food, scratch-made ingredients, and a welcoming, laid-back vibe.
“From day one, we relied on word of mouth,” she says proudly. “We don’t really advertise, but we’ve built this incredible community of friends of friends, neighbors, and locals who just show up every day.” And show up they do—drawn by Chulita’s relaxed, indoor-outdoor setting that feels less like a restaurant and more like a “really cool friend’s backyard.”
Resilience and Reinvention: Chulita’s Pandemic Pivot
Opening a restaurant is no easy feat. Opening one just before a global pandemic is even harder. Yet Shireen and her team at Chulita didn’t just survive—they thrived.
“When the shutdowns happened, we were closed for about two weeks,” Shireen explains. “But then we thought—why not pivot? We weren’t planning to do takeout, but it pushed us to adapt. We built a bar along the wall outside the restaurant, and people would line up to grab tacos and drinks. It turned into this outdoor hangout, and it just worked.”
Being one step ahead was key to Chulita’s survival. “We established relationships with vendors early, so when everyone else was running out of takeout containers and glass bottles, we were covered,” Shireen adds. By staying open and maintaining a restaurant-quality takeout experience, Chulita quickly became a local go-to for people eager to escape their homes—even if just for a drive to pick up fresh tacos.
Today, the takeout business remains an essential part of Chulita’s operations, even as diners flood back for a table in its breezy, sun-soaked space.
Authentic Mexican Food, Made Fresh from Scratch
While Chulita is often described as “modern” or “Alta California Mexican,” Shireen is quick to clarify. “It is authentic Mexican food,” she insists. “But it’s not what many Americans think of as Mexican food.”
For Shireen, authenticity goes hand in hand with quality ingredients and simple, traditional preparation. “Mexican food is Whole Foods,” she explains. “We don’t have a freezer, we don’t use canned ingredients, and we make everything from scratch.”
The menu, rooted in fresh and approachable dishes, includes options for everyone. “I’ve been vegetarian since I was 12, and I hated going to restaurants where my only option was some sad pasta primavera. At Chulita, I wanted a menu where vegetarians, vegans, and meat-eaters could all choose from a variety of flavorful, robust dishes.”
Customer favorites include rich tinga de pollo tacos—made with a recipe perfected by Shireen’s own cooks—and vegan options that highlight bold, vegetable-driven flavors. “I wanted people to come three times a week and leave feeling satisfied but not weighed down,” she says.
It’s this dedication to quality and balance that sets Chulita apart.
Listening and Growing: The Secret to Success
For Shireen, running Chulita is all about staying engaged and continually improving. “Restaurants are hard because you have to be good at everything at once,” she says. “Food, service, music, the environment—you can’t let any of it slide.”
A big part of her approach is listening to customers. “Some of my best feedback has come from people who left one-star reviews,” Shireen admits. “One guest gave us a bad review for inconsistent churros, and he was right. It took us years to perfect them, and he became one of my best ‘advisors.’”
It’s this openness to feedback, combined with an unwavering commitment to quality, that earned Chulita a Bib Gourmand recognition from Michelin—an honor Shireen describes as both humbling and surprising.
What’s Next for Chulita?
With a second location in West Adams and a food truck bringing Chulita’s fresh tacos to new neighborhoods, the future is bright—but Shireen is taking it one step at a time. “Every location has its own vibe, its own community. We’re just focused on making sure people love the experience, wherever we are.”
