Seattle's Best Mexican Food 2008

This place draws crowds with quality modern Mexican food, margaritas and a bar full of beautiful people.

Reviews:

• “Great food, good atmosphere, Did not need reservations!”
• “Mediocre Mexican”
• “Super Good Mexican Food”
• “If you care about service, don’t come here”
• “why did I miss this place for so long??”

Tips: The house margarita shakes fresh lemon-lime juice and triple sec into the mix, but keeps the sweetness to a pleasant minimum.

El Camino or email El Camino

Original location of this funky and affordable taqueria featuring healthy, diet-friendly Mexican fare that’s big on flavor.

Reviews:

• “Good mexican with a twist”
• “Excellent grilled meats”
• “Best Mexican on the Eastside”
• “Awesome Mexican Cuisine”
• “Costly and Horrible”

Tips: Ooba’s has a variety of alcoholic beverages; try the sangria, or have wine or a margarita.

Ooba’s Mexican Grill or email Ooba’s Mexican Grill

Ten varieties of tacos, inventive side dishes and Portage Bay views compensate for the frenzied atmosphere of this wildly popular cafe.

Reviews:

• “Lunch!”
• “Great casual waterfront spot with fabulous food and service”
• “Excellent seafood enchiladas”
• “Great menu and food”
• “Not nearly as good as it used to be”

Tips: Rent kayaks on the lower floor Monday-Saturday, 10am to dusk; Sunday, 10am-6pm.

Agua Verde

Laid back taqueria serving up traditional Mexican fare, including homemade pozole and carnitas, to a South Park audience.

Reviews:

• “Very good Authentic food.”
• “Seattle’s most Authentic Mexican food”
• “THE BEST IN SEATTLE”
• “Authentic & Additctive”
• “Mexican the way it should be”

Tips: Wash down that spicy beef taco with a refreshing glass of sweet horchata, made with rice milk and cinnamon.

Muy Macho Taqueria Y Senaduria

Healthy, fresh and expertly prepared Mexican standbys keep customers coming back to this Greenwood joint.

Reviews:

• “Amazing Burritos”
• “Healty but not tasty at all”
• “mexican food”
• “Amazing Mexican Food! Nothing better when you’re in the mood for high-quality!”
• “Get the fish or carne asada!”

Tips: Burritos are roughly the size of a Duraflame log, so share or plan on having lots of tasty leftovers.

Gordito’s Healthy Mexican Food

About as authentic as Mexican food gets within the city limits.

Reviews:

• “The Real Deal”
• “Great atmosphere, simple but authentic food, great price – I will go there regularly”
• “Worst place in Seattle”
• “taco del who? Blue water where?”
• “The only authentic mexican food in Seattle”

Tips: It takes a stack of the warm, handmade tortillas to make full use of the excellent salsa bar.

El Puerco Lloron or email El Puerco Lloron

Small plates, big drinks and plenty of sexy attitude bring new life to west Seattle.

Reviews:

• “OK food, great atmosphere.. "
• “Great food, great service”
• “everything was perfect!”
• “Great staff, great food, great spirits, great atmosphere”
• “Gotta love the staff”

Tips: Take advantage of the special happy hour prices 5pm-7pm and 10pm-midnight.

Mission or email Mission

A diverse crowd comes to Ballard for the original flavors of Oaxacan cuisine.

Reviews:

• “Great Mexican food”
• “bustling place with authentic mexican food!”
• “Excellent Mexican food”
• “it’s about the food…”
• “Calm down Tatoo..the plane is coming.. you can stop being a conchatumadre”

Tips: With more than two dozen tequilas from which to choose, the bar manager concocts delicious, distinctive cocktails (ask for a Chimayo or a Jazmin).

La Carta de Oaxaca

Family-friendly Mexican restaurant near Greenlake offers traditional favorites like burritos and enchiladas in a casual atmosphere.

Reviews:

• “Delicious, authentic food”
• “BEST Mexican food around”
• “donde esta el sabor?”
• “Delicious”
• “Solid Mexican food with no suprises”

Tips: Warm tortillas from the tortilla bar are free, come slathered in butter and are a perfect snack for hungry kids waiting for entrees.

Rosita’s Mexican Grill

Affordable Mexican fare served up in a brightly cheerful restaurant.

Reviews:

• “Great Mexican Food”
• “very good food….a winner”
• “Yummy to my tummy”
• “Almost Real”
• “Terrible”

Tips: Kids and sugar fiends will love the sweet, fruity agua frescas, while everyone else will love the rice milk and cinnamon combination known as horchata.

Taqueria Guaymas

Unassuming Mexican takeout spot on Queen Anne.

Reviews:

• “Too bland for my taste”
• “Mex – I – Ain’t!!!!”
• “Expensive for very bland food”
• “Misplaced raves”
• “Great food, can get pricey”

Malena’s Taco Shop

Camp-meets-Frido Kahlo for imaginative Mexican food and margaritas at this Capitol Hill favorite.

Reviews:

• “Unprofessional”
• “Horrible service and attitude after 1.5 hours wait – AVOID AT ALL COST”
• “Awesome Mexican restaurant”
• “Good food, great sauces!”
• “Best Mexican”

Tips: Order a margarita with some of the fanciest tequilas in town, plus fresh juices.

Galerias

Popular Seattle-area burrito chain serves up authentic, tasty and fairly healthy Mexican favorites.

Reviews:

• “best mexican in town”
• “Great Mexican food, for a great price!”
• “Salsa Saavy”
• “Cheap or Expensive”
• “Good sit-down taqueria”

Burrito Loco

Folks flock here for tasty tapas and the winning mix of Southwest, Mexican and Latin flavors.

Reviews:

• “DON’T BOTHER!!!”
• “Good Drinks "
• “Going down”
• “Good Food – Horrid Deafening Environment”
• “mouthwatering food”

Tips: Portions are generous: Both “big plates” and tapas provide ample opportunity for sharing and tasting.

Cactus Restaurant

Bargain burritos, a rockin’ juke box, and margaritas from scratch heat up Phinney Ridge.

Reviews:

• “Formerly great, now on the skids”
• “Worst Service in Seattle”
• “I’d rather pay someone to burn off my fingernails.”
• “I finally found the quality of Mexican Food I expect in Seattle!”
• “If you like stink-eye from the waitresses, you’ll love this place!!!”

Tips: On Monday nights, a live DJ alternates the mix between heart-wrenching country and head-bashing punk.

El Chupacabra

This scrappy hole in the wall serves only tacos, from classics like pork to less common fare, such as goat.

Reviews:

• “plastic in my taco…bad man owns this place. "
• “Great !!!”
• “These Tacos are bomb son”

Tips: Although tacos are the only thing on the menu, the meat fillings rotate irregularly between three options.

Taco Gringos

This tiny former school bus dishes out some of the city’s best—and cheapest—Mexican food.

Tips: Go ahead and dredge up that high school Spanish vocabulary; it might speed up the ordering process and will at least produce a friendly smile from the counterperson.

Tacos El Asadero

Nationwide chain boasts gourment burritos and tacos prepared as you like by an animated counter crew.

Reviews:

• “The best Fast Food Restaurant around”

Chipotle Mexican Grill

This homegrown restaurant provides shoppers a vibrant atmosphere and dining alternative with modern Mexican food.

Reviews:

• “Best tuesdays in town! "
• “An upscale Agua Verde, without the wait!”
• “Great Happy Hour!!”
• “Tuesdays are for taco’s!”
• “Best Margarita I have had”

Tips: Picky eaters will find enchiladas, tacos and other familiar faces on the menu. The more adventurous might try a dish like a New York steak in a tequila mustard sesame marinade, served with cotija mashed potatoes.

Sonrisa

Regionally-inspired Mexican recipes and a homey vibe are making this Ballard cafe increasingly popular at breakfast and beyond.

Reviews:

• “very good”

Tips: The coffee, imported from Mexico and roasted locally, is exceptionally good, as are the generously-sized glasses of fresh-squeezed juices.

Cafe Moose

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