Chaparritos

This brand new restaurant reminds me of why i first stopped in a taco joint on cherokee. No frills authentic mexican food. Many of the areas "authentic" mexican restaurants have seemed to water down the authenticity for the sake of their patronage with hip white kids. The first thing to go was the salsa. Several years ago it seemed that smoky spicy handmade salsa all but disappeared from cherokee's taco scene; being replaced with a bland ketchupy substitute that any mexican will tell you is not "salsa".

At chapparritos, the first thing you encounter is a hot basket of chips and two varieties of excellent salsa ( roja y verde ) prepared by the chef/owner himself.

It may seem silly to write a review based on the basket of free chips brought by your server before the meal; but any restaurant that puts care and attention to detail like this into a free appetizer, should make you confident that this skillful chef will work for your money and leave you satisfied with anything on the menu.

Authentic inexpensive quality fast. This is what you've been longing for in a cherokee taco joint.