CHAAK KITCHEN - Mexican restaurant in Tustin - 215 El Camino Real, USA

Chaak was a serious letdown for me. I had very high hopes for this place since I'm a Tustin resident. I believe this place has gotten way over hyped. Not only are the 5 star reviews a little misleading, but I have seen it on social media being related to a possible Michelin star contender. I definitely don't agree with any of those claims, sadly. The atmosphere in the restaurant was very nice. The decor and service from my waiter were great. Where it all fails is in the food! The lack of flavor and seasoning is absolutely mind-blowing. We had some chicken quesadillas for our kids with "oaxacan cheese," definitely not quesillo. The chicken was bland, had no salt, had no seasoning, and was extremely dry. The kids only had a piece out of it and didn't bother finishing it. We ordered the bone marrow appetizer, and they had me really confused on this one. First off, deciding to match bone marrow with esquites? Why? Then, with the esquites, they grate some cheese on it but overly mix the corn with too much lime, and that combination doesn't go well lime corn and cheese?? Then, the steak ... again, no salt, no seasoning, I can honestly grill one at home and have it 2x better than what we received here. I had to force myself to eat the 100.00 steak, which was definitely not worth it. The pork belly tacos didn't really stand out. There's nothing good about it, but nothing bad about it either. The only plate that had some kind of flavor was the seared octopus. It was cooked perfectly, and the puree it was paired with was delicious it had some bits that were crunchy that added to the texture of the food. In conclusion, $380.00 for a dinner of 4 2 kids, 2 adults, it's definitely not worth it. I believe they have a target market, and they are hitting it with the people leaving 5 star reviews, but as a Mexican cuisine fanatic, this place isn't it. The lack of flavor in all of their dishes needs to be improved, in my opinion. I will definitely not be returning, sadly.

An incredible restaurant!!! The best Mayan/Yucatán cuisine I’ve had that never ceases to amaze me. So incredibly fresh with thoughtful ingredients. My FAVORITE grilled octopus on earth - to die for!! Empanadas are delicious as well. Great cocktails, great wine list. I love coming here for date night, the ambiance is lovely. Been to a few of their wine dinners as well which have always been awesome!!

One of our favorite restaurants in OC. Good vibe. Solid Service. Delicious food. Go to: - tacos (so good) - pork shoulder (with tortillas) - steak - Caesar salad - clams (with dipping bread) - enchiladas

The food was Okay. It was from the southern most part of Mexico. I’m not used to the flavors, compared to the typical Mexican food… My party and I arrived 3 hours early and waited to see if they were able to sit us earlier… despite having a few tables open we were told nothing was available… when we got our food.. it was mediocre.. the portions were way too small.. and one of our plates was COLD. We asked for an IPA and after 20 minutes, we requested the check and still no drink. the waitress brought the wrong drink afterwards. Despite wasting $240.00 we went to grab food elsewhere afterwards because we were STILL HUNGRY…

Beautiful restaurant in the heart of Tustin serving a very unique style of modern Mexican cuisine. They take inspiration from the Mayan Peninsula and cook with a lot of warm spices such as cinnamon. Expect some really nice smooth heat and heartier, more substantial dishes than the usual Baja style Mexican food we find everywhere. Their dishes are incredibly comforting and are really varied. Parking can get a bit busy but usually isn’t too bad. Reservations are definitely recommended.

Went for dinner with my friends. Loved the decor and atmosphere. It was laid back but still nice. It was Sunday evening and the dress was a lot of sun dresses and shorts. My favorite was the octopus but everything we ate was flavorful. Can't wait to take the husband. Easy, flavorful and thoughtful food.

A five star dining experience which I'm looking forward to having again soon! I don't remember the exact names of the various "flavors of green" dishes I tried but my favorite was the clams. I also tried some ceviche green thing and a puffy taco with duck. Dessert was bombas. I highly recommend making reservations and trying everything on the menu and doing forget to try the special black tar "essence of salsa" because even though it looks like something taken from the la brea tar pits in Los Angeles, it actually tastes good!

The food is phenomenal and super fresh. All the flavors are strong and make you want to have it over and over. Every dish was a star.