A Night at Chapala (Burtonsville)

A couple weeks back we spent a night enjoying the food and drinks at Chapala, a restaurant in Burtonsville that is often referred to as East County’s best Tex-Mex spot.

We sat with Chapala owner and general manager, John Angel, who spoke with us about what he feels makes Chapala a must-try in the area.

He told us it starts with the food. All of Chapala’s food is made fresh daily with carefully selected ingredients and prepared without any preservatives. Though the family owned restaurant has been around since 1996, the recipes they use have been passed down from generation to generation. We enjoyed the food, but also loved having a mariachi duo play a few songs for us tableside (a clip of that is available on our instagram.

In addition to great food and drinks, Chapala is home to the Blue Beetle Bar. Angel considers the space a social gathering spot for the Burtonsville community and surrounding areas. Many people I grew up with would spend plenty weekend nights at the bar, enjoying live music or just hanging out with friends.

The space is also rented out for fundraisers, quinceaneras, small weddings and school functions. They have live music, comedy shows, video games tournament and show numerous sporting events in our multiple flat screens TV. It also used to be home to PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING, but that had to stop a few years back because crowds were getting too big.

Chapala has also hosted fundraising events to benefit local families in need as well as numerous charitable organizations and plan to continue supporting Burtonsville and Montgomery County in various ways.

Pictured you’ll see:

• The queso fundido that’s served in a tower like pot that continuously heats the cheese as you eat, ensuring each bite is full of warm, gooey cheese.

• The ceviche mixto, which features tilapia, shrimp, and avocado marinated with lime and various spices.

• Enchiladas with green sauce, sprinkled with cotija cheese

• Mar Y Tierra (Sea and Land):  BBQ pork ribs, shrimp brochette, and choice of beef, grilled chicken or combo fajitas