CHAAK KITCHEN 215 El Camino Real, Tustin, CA 92780

"We stopped by for lunch while car shopping and were seated promptly. David was our server, and he was attentive, professional, and customer friendly. We started with a couple of tequilla drinks with chips and guacamole. My wife ordered the chicken tacos, and I had the steak and potatoes. Both meals were good and the drinks fantastic. The ambiance is positive and bright in downtown Tustin. Recommended."

"Food is good, special and unique Mexican food, especially the grilled quail and beef tartare. Server is very friendly, nice and knows their food. The surprise is there is a kitchen appreciation in the receipt. I guess it is 3% of subtotal. I just feel a little coerced to pay extra money. If the chef and cook deserve higher wages, i think it is more reasonable for restaurant owner’s responsibility to share the profits."

"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."

"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."

"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!"