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58 reviews
Neighborhood: Santa Monica
"The food here was DELICIOUS!! I ordered the center cut steak medium done, with a side of spinach and a loaded baked potato. The steak was…" read more »
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I vouch for the Chicken Caesar salad.
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Yay!!! California Chicken, you make my day!!!!
Order to go, the Calfiornia Chicken Cesar Salad.....yummie, ummie...
Beware: The parking can get a little cray-dizzle....
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I'm convinced that CCC stays in business solely thanks to cash from tv producers sneaking out of the edit bays during a 14 hour day for their allotted 10 minute lunch. They'll drive here, wait impatiently in line, and speed back to their crypt with a wrap or a salad and munch it down while trying to figure out which out-of-context reaction shot to include in the final cut of whatever horrific reality program they're working on.
I can say this because I worked on something like 2 dozen tv shows and the only time I ever went here was when I was working on a show. Sometimes I wouldn't actually go here and the bosses would buy us lunch from here because it was nearby and they were lazy thinkers, and they really didn't want us to leave the office. "We're buying you lunch! You just have to work through lunch!" they'd say. Yeah, it was illegal. But the reality tv business is a shady enterprise trafficking in human misery, feeding off the more sociopathic instincts of television viewers, and making us "care" about what "happens" to people who are likely are quite normal but are made to look via editing like assholes or superheroes. Having said that, fucking HATE Kenley on Project Runway, yo.
Okay, back to CCC. This is strictly mediocre fare. L.A. is one of the greatest food cities in the world, in my opinion, so why should we cut some assembly-line wrap joint any slack? I mean, it doesn't taste bad, exactly. It's just kind of bland. The wraps are a little too heavy and tend to fall apart. The ingredients are unimaginative. Eating in the place is uncomfortable because I always felt rushed or cramped, and my remembrances of eating it as takeaway are less remembrances and more hallucinatory Vietnam-style flashbacks to me hunched over a binder of transcripts, desperately trying to find an interview bite the execs say exists but I am slowly realizing does not, all the while trying to chow down on a flavorless roll of whatever in my hand that is about thirty seconds from spilling out all over said binder. Oh the humanity.
And also, it's really not good for you at all. Have you seen how much cheese they put on their food? Really, it's shit like this that passes itself off as health food and leads to all those svelte happy-go-lucky motherfuckers I came to L.A. with eight years ago suddenly reappearing in my life--after 5+ years unseen working in the TV trenches--as ghostly, pale apparitions with about sixty extra CCC-fed pounds and dark circles under their eyes and whose only contact during that time has been passionless Facebook updates begging, "Please watch the premiere of my new show, it will be on TBS at 3am on Sunday."
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I love this place. Sometimes the chicken wraps can be a little bland, but just spice them up with the yummy salsas. I'm a huge fan of the pasta salads too. I always get my food to go, because it can be REALLY hard to find a place to sit.
Oh CCC, why aren't you right next to my house? *sigh*
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I don't have place in my neighborhood as far as healthy eats, so I frequent this place when in need of something healthy and non-greasy. Every time I go here, the temperature is on the border of cold for me. Parking is a pain in the a$$, as most of the time you have to squeeze in a parking space. It makes your compact feel like you're parking an suv in a space made for a mini cooper. CCC just have regular food, not really processed. So if you're big on spices, don't expect too much. It's as simple as it comes. Their salads are huge btw, and don't be surprised, this place always has local cops stop in for lunch.
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(DROOOOOOOOOL)
awwwwww yeahhh. ccc is where it's at. best rotisserie chicken i've ever had. pita bread? everyone loves pita bread! the broccoli pasta is bomb as hell. potatoes??? yes please! gigantic salads??? gimme some more! actually no, i'm really full! cole slaw? no thanks, i'll pass!
el pollo loco? huh what?
california chicken cafe? send me to the mental hospital!
Two stars reads as harsh, but this place incapsulates "Meh, I've experienced better."
I think I've had it bookmarked for almost 2 years. It sounded great and just like this hole-in-wall in Tallahassee called "California Chicken Grill" that I ate multiple times a week in film school.
Unfortunately, this place served me dry, unpalatable chicken. I didn't eat more than I had to of that. The steamed squash was okay, though bland. The potatoes were good but so oily that they canceled out whatever health benefits I thought I was getting by picking this place.
My favorite thing was the cabbage salad slaw stuff. That was good.
But I'm not going back.
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The food is decent. The place is always packed so getting a table is sometimes hard and there is a bit of a wait. The crowd is muscle guys from Golds, cops, and model/actress/waitress types.
The Chinese Chicken Salad is huge and filling (at about $9, it should be). The combo wrap is kinda meh.. not sure why people rave about it. Not really much flavor. The chicken itself, if ordered a la carte, has a weird metallic flavor. I do really like their sides - chinese slaw, fried potatoes, and pasta salad are all excellent.
The place runs like an assembly line and they are not particularly flexible. Requests for some bbq sauce or a smidge of slaw in my wrap have been met with stares of confusion. I couldn't get either, it turns out. Not sure why.
Bottom line, this place is trendy with people who see the food as healthy. The place makes out because they can sell salad and fried chicken for 60% more than places like Zankou or Roro's or Al Wazir, which are really no less healthy.
It's right down the street from my work so I will occasionally go back for the Chinese Chicken Salad... but without all the joy of some of my fellow yelpers.
Also, I'm not sure what some people are doing raving about the prices... they are NOT low. You can get a hoagie and drink for $3.99 at Rafallos right down the street. You are going to spend a minimum of $9.00 on the same thing here.
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Such humongous portions for their itty bitty prices!! I find their chicken can be a bit on the dry side now and then...but they have a bunch of different condiments available, so it's a-ok! Their salad is humongo...& just delish! I feel so healthy when I eat here. Guilt-free eating!
3.5 stars
I never get to come here as I usually pass it going home and it's so close I think I'll come back...but never do. The first time I came here was with Jason - this is his spot and he always told me it's a big gay hangout. May be it's why the Christian church nearby welcomes gays...no idea, but just an observation.
So on this weekday lunch time I managed to get away from my desk as a friend was in town and we headed here. 1/4 chicken, dark meat, potatoes, fruit salad and iced-tea was $10. Great value and pretty healthy even though those potatoes was smothered in oil. The fruit salad was sad.
The watermelon looked like it was prepared in the field it was harvested in...brown and soggy on the edges and generally like the refrigerator had broken down because this salad hadn't seen a chiller for hours! If that got sorted then this would be 4-stars easily for its laid back cafe style that's always gonna be in style as the food is pretty fresh (except said fruit salad.)
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This used to be a place that I would only go to when I was in the neighborhood. I always loved it and found it delicious. Well then, something amazing happened I began interning a block away and reunited with my old love CCC (way better than the KKK).
I almost always get the Chinese Chicken salad and it is simply the greatest. I am an enormous fan of adding pasta and mandarin oranges to salad. Upon having my first bite after not eating it for a year, I thought I need this in my life daily. It is really that good. I have learned to be smart and call ahead and Mark M. is totally right I have never seen this place without a cop. While I realize that cops aren't known for their amazing palates it does make me feel at ease to see them in my dining establishments.
I may just have to turn my internship into a job to be closer to CCC and my CCS (Chinese Chicken Salad) it is a travesty that we ever spent so much time apart.
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i'm addicted. it's my favorite lunch spot as of late.
currently on rotation:
- 1/4 chicken (white) with rice and chinese cabbage coleslaw
- rice wrap
- chinese pasta salad
the prices are cheap, the food is fresh, and there is a buffet of sauces. and i LOVE sauces, it's out of control.
Went back for lunch today and these idiots still haven't raised their prices. The 1/4 chicken and 2 sides for $8.50 is still the best lunch deal in LA.
Oh wait, upon further review they did raise their prices $.25. WTF?! That's it, just 25 freakin' cents more for all that tasty food??? Fools!
Now if only I could get rent control to do the same and my car to run on chicken, then we'd really be onto something.
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01/06/2008
CCC is ridiculous. One of my all-time favorite lunch spots. If it was closer to work I'd probably… Read more »
I work near Santa Monica and Highland, and the restaurant choices are ho-hum at best... until I found this gem.
A bit expensive for lunch fare ($7-8) but well worth it... I swear I licked my plate. Licked it. Right there in the restaurant, in front of everyone. Yep.
I had the chicken (shockingly good, considering their name), roasted taters (great cold later, considering they gave me enough for leftovers), and a salad (which I expected to be boring iceburg lettuce, but it was a great mini-flavor bomb on it's own).
The peeps that worked there were great, and even gave me some extra pita bread to bring back with my leftovers... which my co-workers promptly thumb-wrestled for.
In short, worth eating top ramen for a day or two and saving my lunch money so I can eat there as often as possible.
(Note: parking lot is teeny tiny but I was able to find street parking without too much of a fight.)
Pros:
-food - tasty rotisserie chicken, delicious sides, and several different dipping sauces. I always go with the Rotisserie Chicken with three sides (rice, chinese cabbage salad, and potatoes). I do feel a little healthier after eating here.
Cons:
-seating - this place gets packed, especially during the lunch hours, so it might take a while to find a table. Also, the tables are really close to each other, so you feel like you're eating with a bunch of strangers, who are screaming TMI convos right into your ear
- - - - - - - - - -
Out of Wallet Costs - around $10 for chicken and three sides
Chance I Would Go Again- Yup
Would I Recommend This Place- Yup
Combo wrap... Combo wrap... I want to write a song about their combo wrap...
I LOVE this sandwich. Could eat it every day. Chicken... avocado... Mmmmmmmmmmm!
Four stars instead of five because I'm on a budget now, so $7.50 a pop every day for lunch means I have to cut back elsewhere. Also, not five stars because there isn't a CCC in every neighborhood. There should be!!
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Oh Shane...you're gonna kill me. Just like the 80s, I only like this place if you're around. I don't like chicken...but who really wants to cart me around and eat filet mignon at Lawry's everday...tell me who...cause I need to meet this person!
So I love that...whenever I order 3 pieces of chicken...when the plate comes...there are clearly only 2 pieces of chicken. And it's like this at the Santa Monica location too. Don't bother arguing with them, your IQ will drop as a result of coming in contact with ppl who lack braincells.
Whatelse? They have good fruit. They don't have service. You wait in line like cattle to get your food...but L-A foodies love this place...why?
If you want a typical dining experience nowadays...this is your place.
I'll recommend the chinese chicken salad...apparently its bomb...don't ask me ask Shane.
This place is really just two stars but...because I'm a person who naturally detests chicken...I gave it another star to be fair.
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I've been eating here for 15 years! It's not fast food, and it's super crowded at lunch time, but it's worth it. Great rotisserie chicken, sides, salads, wraps and the like. They serve the meatiest chicken breasts I've ever seen ... it makes you wonder about steroids, but who cares? It tastes great.
Only cons are parking and they aren't open on Sunday.
Wow, I really miss this place. I ate here probably 3 times per week. It is healthy with generous portions and always packed. I am here to help you open your first San Francisco store!
Maybe I just don't like healthy-ish food?
Possibly....but I just wasn't too jazzed about the Primavera wrap. It was mostly lettuce and carrots, and, admittedly, I'm not a big fan of either. Why would I order this then, you might ask? Well, the menu had me at the words avocado and ranch dressing, but alas they played but minor parts.
It was all just kind of bland. I even tried to kick it up a notch by smothering it with their salsa, but there was no spice in that either. I guess this is what happens when I stray from my beloved Larchmont sammies.
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The Chinese Chicken Salad has some sort of crystal meth-coated cocaine in it. I could eat it every day. Super addictive.
Also, there is always a cop there. If you are ever being assaulted, run to the California Chicken Cafe. You'll get help and an enormous delicious salad.
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The food here is pretty good, healthy, affordable. I even saw "darryl" from "The Office" here once. But the problem i have with this place is that they charged my friend twice on his atm card. Be careful and only use cash. Its kinda sketchy if you wanna use you credit card because they might pull a fast one on you if you're unaware and charge you two days in a row for the same amount.
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Recently I have fallen in love. Truly, madly, deeply.. without thought or hesitation. It consumes me.. I must have.....chicken. From California Chicken Cafe. Oh, yes, it is that good. When my friend referred to this as 'crack chicken' I can understand why. Just a simple side of their squash or fruit salad, and I am very happy soul. Even my parents (in Florida, who I took here recently) call me to say how they crave it. That in itself makes Cal Chicken a winner. My parents are, um, not easy to please.
California Chicken Cafe, I adore you. I need you. Now.
Good thing I have them on speed dial. If only they delivered..
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This place has a lot of chicken salads, sides, wrap and of course...chicken! I always get the California Chicken Salad. I love how there are pastas in the salad. I have never tried their rotisserie chicken but I heard that the chicken is nice and moist. The food is great but the only thing that sucks in parking and sometimes, it can be PACKED...but still, I love their salad that I will keep going back for more.
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i rather have el pollo loco chicken instead.. chicken i ate here was not well done and got sick for 2 days..
watch what you eat, please...
One of my favorites places to go when your in the Melrose area. This joint is perfect for lunch and caters to the health conscious freaks. I never had a chicken breast so tender and juicy cooked before. This place knows what they're doing when it comes down to chicken.
Their prices are good and you get to add a variety of fresh sides as well to your meal. I would recommend their house salad with balsamic vinaigrette. TRUST.
TIP: this place can be packed during lunch! I would advise going there 30 minutes before noon to avoid crowds of hungry people.
yummy chicken.
chinese chicken salad dressing was very delicious. the bad thing is they put mandarin oranges in the salad. i hate salads with mandarin oranges. but that's a personal problem.
their chicken is succulent and juicy. also tried the hot potato wedges, very delish.
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Enter and the place looks boring and cafeteria-ish with boring tables and chairs as if to say, you're just here to eat and that's it. So that's why my friend and I did.
After visiting LACMA, we headed over here, ordered, ate then left. Not a place very conducive for good talks. Yes, parking's a biznatch but we eat at odd hours so it went okay. I got the combo wrap that had chicken, avocado, sprouts, etc. and friend got Caesar wrap with chicken salad pasta on the side. The wraps looked small, but were actually very filling. The chicken is really good, and it's quality chicken, not like the cheapo crap from Del Taco. Yeah, the wrap was really good, but nothing to really fall head over heels over.
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The rotisserie chicken is juicy and crispy and it's healthy food that tastes great! Doesn't compare to Boston Market. All the sides are good and fresh. I hope they come up to the Bay.
Very good food! Very clean restaurant. Park on Melrose at a meter...that's ur best bet! The employees here are so kind and will bend over backwards for you.
Try going at times other then lunch time as they are very busy then and u might not get a seat. They have never messed up my order even when I call and pick it up!
They only bummer is they are closed on Sundays (though I respect that for what ever ur reason)
I only had the pleasure of trying the takeout here, which came in unassuming packaging of foil and styrofoam containers. My friend highly recommended the chinese chicken salad, so I was excited to try it. And after devouring the whole thing, I can assure you that the salad dressing indeed does have crack in it. (figuratively speaking, of course)
I had a couple of sides, which were pretty good but not amazing, and I believe I tried a piece of chicken, but because I don't really remember, I guess that was just okay as well.
If you're coming here, make sure you try the chinese chicken salad dressing - it may be best to just get this in a vat so that you won't run out.
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I love this joint!
Its seriously so fresh. My friend and I shared the California salad and it has a perfect amount of dressing to it and the best part is there are pita chips in there! Their chicken is fresh and its just flavorful eating there since they give you like 40 sauces to eat with your meal so you definitely can have it salty or spicy!
Proves a fresh, healthy meal doesn't have to be costly. You've got to come here liking A) rotisserie chicken or B) vegetables. If you like both, you'll love this fast, simple place.
-wraps, salads, a la carte sides, chicken
I was most excited about the mashed, steamed butternut squash....where else can you grab a quick side of that?!
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I wish I could have lunch here every day. As far as I'm concerned this is the best salad in L.A. Whether it be the California Chicken Salad or the Chinese Chicken you can't go wrong.
They have multiple locations throughout the city, but this one is the best.
Salad's always come out quick and consistent at this location.
I wish this location delivered like the Venice location!
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It just so happens that I love......LOoVEEE this place!!! Whenever I am in LA I make sure to stop by for lunch. I always get their Rotisserie Chicken and a salad which comes with a little slice of pita. They have a variety of sides--ranging from pasta salads to butternut squash--all of which are good. The Chinese Chicken Salad is huge enough to be shared and I love the little pastas they throw in with it. I really wish they would open one of these in San Diego because I seriously crave it a lot!!
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I ate here 4 days ago and I still can't stop thinking about the salad I had. Talk about huge portions, reasonable prices, and fresh ingredients. I can eat their squash and rice forever. I love the veggie wrap and the Chinese Salad. They've got something in their dressing that makes you keep eating. This will forever be one of my favorite salad spots.
I don't know if it's that I live in West Hollywood, or that I live in LA, or that an internet quiz said I'm 80-years old and should find Mah Jong and a colostomy bag a good time, but I run into a lot of people these days jabberjawing about having "fun." Talking about going out and "having a fun time." About how this will be "so much fun." About finding "fun things to do." About wishing this were "more fun." And after the fact, reminiscing about "fun times."
As far as I'm concerned, kinky sex acts while skydiving high on E may be "fun" (and hard on my aching back), but they'll never fill my belly with substance, make me forget the morning-after disgust of "fun," or the empty promise of California Chicken Cafe. It's only when I forgo those soulless chickens and tasteless sides for the greater marrows of ethnic foods and seasonal menus that I find the way to innocence, to the uncreated, and to G-d, which leads on, not back, not back to the wolf or to the child, but ever further into the sin of doughnuts, ever deeper into human life, ever beyond decency into braised lambshanks, buttered brussel sprouts, smoked bacon, potatoes gratin, and dark chocolate-hazelnut-coffee gelato.
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My favorite salad in LA. Chicken vegetable salad with out chicken. So good...with fat free Italian or balsamic.
My fiance loves the pasta salad which seems to have a thousand island dressing of sorts.
Ambiance is relaxing- very much like it's name. A cafe. Simply great food.
I miss this place. Terribly. The grilled chicken caesar salad is to die for. I have dreams about it.
When I think about living in Los Angeles and all of the crazy things I experienced then, I usually don't miss it. In fact, most of it makes me cringe. I had a real hard time looking past the ridiculous hipster scene. Yeah, I know. It's 'hip' to bitch and moan about the 'hip', but oh well. Most of those people were total douchebags.
What I do miss about LA is the food. And this place is atop that list. I still go back for work a few times a year and CA Chicken Cafe is usually the second place I go to. The first being Coffee Bean for an ultimate vanilla.
If you live in LA and you've never been, shame on you. If you're visiting LA, then definitely check this place out. The one on Melrose is nice, and convenient to that whole Hollywood thing. But if you find yourself on the west side, the one in Westwood is a little nicer, bigger, cleaner in my honest opinion.
This is one of my favorite places to eat! If I could eat here every day, I would!
Their rotisserie chicken is moist and perfectly seasoned on the skin! All their sides are delicious and the pita bread that they give on the side is soft and chewy.
Their wraps are not my personal favorite. I usually order the chicken with sides or their salads. The chinese chicken salad is very tasty but my I love the California chicken salad. I order it with lowfat ranch and it tastes the same as regular almost if not better because it's lighter tasting..
The salads are huge enough for 2 people and always very very fresh. I;ve eaten here many times and have never found an old or dried up lettuce.
BEST SALAD AND BEST CHICKEN at good prices I just love this place!
