good food, meh service. i thought the mangodilla was good and the proximity to the water was nice. most of my friends and i got our orders within 10-15 minutes max. one of my friends, however, was waiting over 45 minutes for just a plain quesadilla. we brought this up to a lady who seemed to not care or tell anyone because nothing came after another 15 minutes. we then told a different employee who did something about it. the workers were pretty rude about the situation overall. not worth the hype read more

Agua Verde Cafe - *Mangodilla - Mexican Near Me - Seattle, Washington

A friend recommended this place and once I saw the veggie options in the menu , I didn't want to miss this place . And boy oh boy , so glad I stopped here, mind blown by the mushroom chorizo. I ordered the veggie hongo and shared it with my husband. Both of us loved this dish. The beans, Spanish rice , mushroom chorizo , guacamole and diced potatoes , everything was perfectly balanced in the bowl. All the individual flavors were amazing and complemented the bowl . They also have 3 huge bowls of different types of salsa which was like self-serve for chips. I couldn't stop eating the salsa , this was yummy too! Damn, I wish I could come back to eat here again . Next time , Seattle. read more

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Came for their 25th anniversary celebration of a 90-minute AYCE experience for $25. Had to opportunity to try items off the menu that was specially catered for the event. Our tickets were for the 5:30 PM time slot on Saturday. We were astonished to find a line of people waiting to be seated for regular dining the entire time of our stay, even more so at 7 PM. The restaurant is large too, spanning two floors with a balcony up top and an outdoor patio down by the waterside. The fiesta took place at the patio with an evening DJ. Even at a lower elevation the spot offered a pleasant scenery of the Portage Bay. Many of the items were made-to-order and had an adobo-marinated pork being roasted on a spit. Aperitivos had the classic Basket of Chips & Housemade Salsa and Guacamole & Chips. The two special appetizers - potato-filled Tacos Dorados and Tuna Ceviche Tostada - were surprisingly good. Quesadillas were the Corn Masa Quesadillas and Quesadillas Con Hongos, which I thought were standard with a preference for the mushroom stuffed one. Same for the Enchiladas that was Pollo Suizas. Tacos De La Casa were Pork Al Pastor, Traditional Carnitas, Tinga de Pollo, and Hongo. The Pork Al Pastor had cuts from the spit-roasted pork that was juicy and flavorful. The Traditional Carnitas was Michoacan-style that had whole pig ears fried then sliced along with other parts like pork tongue, and was also tasty. Dessert was Horchata Ice Cream made with rice, almonds, and cinnamon. It incorporated whole grains of rice that gave a nice chewy texture. Across the street has a parking lot that is free for customers. read more

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Delicious, fresh food - quick and friendly service - fun atmosphere, near the water of Lake Union. This place is always packed when I go there - it's fun to sit at the bar. Fish tacos are my favorite! read more

Agua Verde Cafe - Tacos Baja with rice and beans - Mexican Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Wonderful summer day at the Paddle Club & Cafe. After a morning of kayaking (my first!), a few friends and I opted for lunch. We settled into the cresent-shaped table overlooking the cut-- best table on the deck! Beautiful day and tasty food. I had the Salmon Tacos with a Strawberry Limonada. Agua Verde did not disappoint. read more

Agua Verde Cafe - Salmon Tacos and Strawberry Limonada - Mexican Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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The employees at agua Verde are truly amazing. Our group threw a huge curveball at them: our group of 6 became a group of 12 at the last minute, and they nimbly coordinated our seating situation before eventually we decided to get food to go, and they managed to switch everything to to-go bags, even the stuff that had been served! We were very difficult customers and they handled our service calmly, positively, and constructively. They truly went above and beyond to get our group sorted out under the surprise conditions with grace and friendliness. read more

I love coming here over the summer months of Seattle! I was originally attracted because I saw that they had birria tacos on the menu, but since then I've tried other tacos and burritos as well. My favorite by far is definitely still the birria tacos (quesabirria). It has a very smoky and savory flavor from the meat and comes with a consommé that ensures your taco will never be dry. The cheese in the taco is also very unique, similar to mozzarella but less creamy (almost rubbery?). The taco shell is a soft corn tortilla, but it's also been crisped up with some of the meat juices as well, so tasty! The chips and guac were pretty tasty. These tortilla chips were really crispy and remind me of juanita's tortilla chips. The burrito was also pretty good, and very big! This place is super cute and situated right on the water! It makes it a really pleasant and beautiful location over the summer months. There is even a dock right below for boats to come and park to eat. The servers were all very nice and friendly, although this place does lean towards serving yourself (you get your own water, utensils, napkins). Overall, a cute place with a great view and decent food! Definitely would come again. read more

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You can't miss this lively aqua establishment when driving along Boat Street! Located right along the Portage Bay waterfront near the University of Washington, this is one of the most popular restaurants for students and locals alike. Even at 3:00PM on a Saturday, it was packed with customers dining in and ordering takeout. Since we opted for takeout, the hostess directed us to the window inside where we ordered and paid, then stepped back outside to wait by their pickup window. They had a menu pinned on their outdoor bulletin board that didn't exactly align with the one inside. I was pretty excited about ordering the Birria Enchilada (on the outdoor menu), but I then found out that they were not offering it and I had to choose something else on the fly. After about 15 minutes, our order was ready and one of the employees threw in a few extra cups of salsa at our request. We ordered the Traditional Carnitas Tacos, Rockfish Tacos and Carne Burrito. The Carnitas Tacos ($14.50) were filled with pork, topped with onion, avocado salsa and a spicy red chile salsa. The pork itself was seasoned and flavored with lime (a bit too tangy for my taste), but contained a lot of dry pieces. It was like they filled it with only the charred edges of the meat. Luckily, pouring on some extra salsa somewhat saved them. My tacos were paired with a scoop of rice and pinto beans. Although the beans were fairly salty, I liked how they served them whole instead of in a mashed refried form. My dad got the Carne Burrito ($15) which came paired with a side of chips. While he said it tasted fine overall, he didn't think it particularly stood out among other burritos he's had elsewhere. It came wrapped with rice, beans, guacamole, queso and onions, but for the price, he would have also liked to see it stuffed with more steak. My sister seemed happy with her Rockfish Tacos ($15.50). Seared rockfish in an adobo marinade was topped with a mango salsa and red cabbage; it looked quite fresh and bright. Our takeout experience was okay overall, but unfortunately wasn't as memorable as I'd hoped. Pricing also seems relatively high for what you receive. Perhaps dining in would have changed our perspective (since they normally offer a salsa bar!), so I'd be willing to return sometime in the future and order a different menu item. read more

Agua Verde Cafe - Carnitas Tacos ($14.50) - Mexican Near Me - Seattle, Washington

When my party of three first arrived it was extremely chaotic. You are supposed to order at the front and then seat yourself and wait for your food to be brought out to you. The front of the building was extremely congested and it was confusing to know where the line started (if there even was a line). We ordered chips and salsa for the table which was probably the best thing I ate. The salsa verde was good. It was a serve yourself salsa area so you could have as much as you want. My main entree was a pollo burrito. It just tasted very bland. There really wasn't any seasoning and just left more to be desired. Although the location is very nice (right on the water) I wouldn't recommend this restaurant to a friend. read more

Agua Verde Cafe - Pollo Burrito - Mexican Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Great ambiance, service was fast, salsas were FIRE. I got the Hugos tacos, and they were delicious. The salsas paired great with everything. The guac with chips weren't really the best I've had -- the chips were minuscule, which made it difficult to eat with the guac. The first time we went, we were seated in the main restaurant area, but the second time, we were seated in the outdoor patio area where the food was made in a food truck. Would def recommend the indoor area. Overall an amazing experience and would def come again!! read more

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Went there on a Friday evening and sat at the bar. Started with prickly pear margarita (3/5), Barbados punch (3/5) and basket of chips(1/5). The chips were all broken which was a disappointment. For food we got the butternut squash enchilada (3/5) and veggie quesadilla(4/5) Overall I have had better days at Agua Verde in the past. read more

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Great food - you can really tastes the freshness. Awesome view of the water and boats going around. It's going to be a great place to have in the rotation come summer . Handmade fresh tortillas . Great guacamole and chips . You order and pay and they were pretty quick . Not to many people at the time we went read more

Great food, fast service. We had the mole chicken enchiladas, a braised beef burrito with extra braised beef. The burrito was a full meal by itself, I just ordered extra beef assuming hit would be on the burrito, but they just gave me an extra cup of the beef. That by itself was great. For a high protein meal I would order two sides of braised beef and maybe some of thier salsa. The mild salsa we got was a green, maybe tomatillo style, but very good. The medium salsa was almost sweet and smoky flavor, and only a little spicy. But also very good. Some people complain about the wait times, but we went at 1pm, and probably walked out with our food to go in less than 10 minutes. I would would highly recommend to others. read more

I've always heard a lot of good things about Agua Verde Cafe at Portege Bay. Alas, we are sadly underwhelmed. The wait and ordering was fine. A lady was organizing everyone, and we waited in separate groups per order of arrival. Only fully arrived groups are called in to be seated. We placed our order at the register by the front door, and were given a number to be placed on the table awaiting food to be delivered to us. They were out of quite a few menu items, so we ended up ordering the same dish for the both of us. Baja Fish Tacos, $15.50 - 2 Stars Menu: panko breaded, fresh, wild, WA black cod, chipotle mayo, pico de gallo, avocado, red cabbage with choice of tortilla chips or beans and rice The fish was very small, one piece only, about a short finger size. The tacos were very dry. It might have been because of COVID that we were given a single small plastic cup of salsa only (see photo). The tacos were far too dry without dollops of salsa. I don't understand the need to individually plastic-cup the salsa. Just ask the table to choose one type to share. A friend later told me they normally have a salsa bar; that would have been much better. Alas, our experience is dry tacos, without enough salsa, and too small fish. Even with the nice view and nice enough staff, we're not coming back anytime soon. read more

Agua Verde Cafe - Baja Fish Tacos, $15.50 - 2 Stars - Mexican Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I know Mexican food is not Seattle's strong suit but this one was so disappointing because the location is one I definitely want to go back to. The service and location were wonderful, but this is a restaurant so I have to judge on the food. The elote was almost entirely mayo, so much that I had to scrape some off, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to taste the corn. I also tried the enchiladas which had a confusing cheese sauce and dry flavorless rice on the side. The fish tacos were decent, especially after adding salsa from their salsa bar. We got a table on the patio where the views of the water were immaculate. This is a place I would come back to but only to take a friend from out-of-town and only to have chips and salsa. There's a parking lot across the street. It was full when I went but I was able to find street parking not too far away. read more

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Nice place in a less populated area of campus. Stopped by mid week, in the middle of the afternoon, but it was still had many customers! Lots of people coming in for a late, heart lunch. Had the mangodilla, which sounds crazy, but it works, they're onto something. Partner had the quesabirria tacos and we had some nachos to share which was also tasty. Everything is paid for at the front but I am not sure that the menu outside matches the menu inside, I could be wrong, but it was a tad confusing. Everything was quite good, but I will say the prices are on the higher side compared to other Mexican restaurants. Give it a try! read more

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I was referred to this place from the UWMC patient waiting room person. The tacos were crispy and packed good flavor with the toppings. The in-house tortillas were awesome for being a first-timer here. Absolutely recommend this spot if you're in the area! read more

Agua Verde Cafe - Tacos Baja - Mexican Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Really loved the food and location, BUT..left feeling a bit cheated..we got an order of guac and chips for $15 ...& it was literally the smallest portion of guac I have ever seen in my life...for 15!!!! I don't mind paying more for fresh guacamole, but the portion really needs match the price...it was truly a rip off. read more

An amazing view, decent food, and lovely staff. Felt like such a cozy spot, especially at sunset! The burritos were very filling. read more

Agua Verde Cafe - outside patio - Mexican Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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We were a pretty large party and they were very accommodating. Had a great time kayaking right before stopping by this cafe for an early dinner. The food was very good and the portions are quite large. Staff was efficient and friendly. I ordered a strawberry limonada and was surprised to find actual strawberry pieces in my drink. They helped balance the sourness of the lemon taste very well. Definitely recommend this place & its an added bonus after kayaking . read more

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Overall good experience fast wait time for seating. A lot of self service though. You have to get your own water, utensils, and salsa. I'm a bit sad the salsa wasn't spicy thought :(. The guac is reallly good and flavorful. The fish tacos could be a little more flavor full but had a good slung of food. The ambiance is really nice especially in the summer. I love being by the water and being able to look out. read more

Agua Verde Cafe - Baja fish tacos and chips and guacamole - Mexican Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Cool spot! I think I would have enjoyed it more if I sat out on the deck. It was insanely busy for a Thursday night. The food was okay, nothing to write home about. I got the carnitas burrito in a bowl. The meat was really good. The cheese was definitely cheese meant to be rolled in a burrito, it didn't translate well to the bowl imo. And they have 3 salsa options which is fun. I found this restaurant really expensive for the type/quality of food. read more

Agua Verde Cafe - Mexican Near Me - Seattle, Washington

The best Mexican food in seattle. Plenty to choose from and they have their own spin on every dish. Fish tacos are my favorite. The drinks are spot on as well. Must have on your list of local Seattle great eats. read more

My friends and I went here for dinner and coming in I've had a try on their foods specifically their Birria tacos. I would say that their service was good because one of the workers put a heat lamp next to my friends and us thus the four stars. I removed a star because the food was bland. But the ambiance of being outside was lovely per say. The aesthetic was also nice. read more

Agua Verde Cafe - Pollo Burrito - Mexican Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Delicious mushroom tacos (Hongo) with cream, corn and mint and sides of rice, beans and guacamole. Absolute perfection, especially on a beautiful summer day read more

Agua Verde Cafe - Hongo tacos (mushroom) with a side of guacamole, rice and beans - Mexican Near Me - Seattle, Washington

This was my first time here and I really liked it. The restaurant is casual and lively, and I love that it overlooks the water. I had the mushroom tacos - they were delicious! Everyone loved their meals and the margaritas were perfection... strong, just the way I like them! (Food photos aren't great because I had to take snippets from a video.) read more

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One of my favorite spots for lunch by the water. They have delightful seasonal additions to their menu, although the standard is lip-smacking fantastic! read more

Agua Verde Cafe - Mexican Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Sit out on the deck on a sunny day and drink a very well made Margarita watching the boats cruise by. Good experience. The Margaritas are scratch made with NO mixer. One and two are just warm upstairs!The food has been good. I typically get the burrito which is very good. read more

Lots of natural lighting with great waterfront views Kind waitstaff Chicken tacos were delicious (rice and beans included -- the beans are pretty great) Tortilla chips + self-serve salsa bar is a great appetizer option read more

Beautiful Mexican restaurant near UW and right by the water! Food is tasty and highly recommend the Mangodilla and Mexican Mocha drink. Prices are very reasonable and portion sizes are quite big. Service however can be more hit or miss, especially with how busy the restaurant is. You have to seat yourself and grab your own utensils, napkins, and water. One of our drink orders got forgotten and finally came out multiple reminders and 30 minutes later, after we had already finished eating our meal. read more

Agua Verde Cafe - Mangodilla - Mexican Near Me - Seattle, Washington

VERY. COOL. SPOT! I went there on late autumn day and it was very nice as we were able to sit outside on the deck and the sun came out to make it quite lovely out there! Right on the water, lots of boats bobbing in the water nearby made for a really cool atmosphere. Had great food with amazing people and it was overall a positive experience. There were three of us at a six-place table and we were asked to move even though the rest of our party was less than 5 minutes away. I understand you're busy(ish) but you don't tell your paying customers to move to a smaller table when half our party was already there. Kinda ruined the good food and atmosphere. By the way, within an hour, the deck was almost completely empty. Just due to the fact they wouldn't give us a few minutes for our friends to arrive, I probably won't return. Food: pretty good Service: good except the one staff member. Ambiance: Great especially if you are there on a nice day, and on the deck. read more

4 stars because it was a picture perfect day to be sitting on their deck and having lunch. My tacos were so so - fresh ingredients but tasteless. While they have signs that says you must wear a mask indoors while transacting or transitioning through the couple ahead of us were unmasked and the check out person was also unperturbed. We kept our distance. Luckily it seemed that few folks know they were open for dine in so no lines. Glad to patronize a local restaurant, especially after kayaking on Lake Union. read more

Agua Verde Cafe - Rockfish tacos - Mexican Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Occassion I came here 2x with friends after kayaking/paddle boarding in the area Ambiance Casual, slightly loud especially during summer when it's hot and summery for people who have gone kayaking/paddle-boarding Food Burrito bowl with chicken I ordered was super salty that I couldn't finish it Service Mainly self-service when you pay up-front at cashier before getting number and getting seated at your table. They come by your table to serve you food and sometimes provide utensils I'd come here after a kayaking/paddle boarding read more

Wow, this place was amazing! The food, views, and environment was just great! I chose the cracks with rice and beans and it was flavorful and extremely great for the price. You can eat your food outside the place with terrible views of the water. I'm excited to come back here again and enjoy my time read more

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Nothing is better on a sunny day than to enjoy some Mexican food by the water at Agua Verde outdoor Cantina. If you have time you can even rent a kayak at the Agua Verde Paddle Club and go enjoy Lake Union. We've been going for several years and our 'go to' meal is the Mangodilla! It is a good size quesadilla with a nice heaping of mangos, onions inside topped with sour cream and pico degallo. Their complimentary salsas are good. And IMHO, the Chipotle salsa is especially primo. Also, the cocktails are so yummy. We had the PricklyPear and the Paloma margarita. They were trying out a QR code ordering system and it did not seem to be quite as easy as ordering from a person. So, I had to remove at least half a star for that. read more

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Five star review to try and counter some of the lower ones. This place is great! I don't know what everyone else is on about. I haven't had better Mexican food around Seattle, and I've been trying. The beans are tender and silky; you can tell they cook quality beans from dry. The rice was buttery and wonderfully perfumed with herbs. The tortillas are soft and chewy in just the right, corny way. The salsa were each so good on their own and made everything they touched amazing. And the carnitas were supple, tender, crispy, perfectly seasoned and dripping in fat. I'm going to miss this place when I move away. That said, the service is so-so, and it's pricier than I would wish. The view and vibes in the summer are immaculate. But really, the food is great, and I tell everyone looking for good Mexican food in Seattle about it. read more

Agua Verde is a cute Mexican Restaurant with a view of Portage Bay. The inside is like a cozy casa with traditional Mexican artwork on the walls. They have a nice covered patio too so you are literally next to the water! I've been twice now, once last spring and once this past autumn quarter. The first time I got the carne asada and my friend got the shrimp tacos. My carne asade came with avocado, greens, cilantro rice, and a side of black beans and tortillas. Parts of the carne asade were fatty and tough, and so it wasn't the most tender of meats, but it was moist and flavorful. My friend, however, was disappointed by her dish as the shrimp were small and not very filling. The second time I came here, I was recovering from a cold and so I ordered Pozole, Mexican chicken and green chili soup. It came with a side of tortillas, tortilla chips, and cabbage slaw. My tastebuds were still somewhat numb, but the soup hit the spot. The best part of this restaurant, besides the view, is their self-serve SALSA BAR. You have to pay for chips, but the salsa is never ending. They have a salsa for all different tastes: mild salsa, chipotle salsa, green verde salsa, and super hot chili salsa. It's a salsa party to say the least! Service is okay, but can be kind of slow, especially during dinner rush hour. I haven't come her for breakfast or lunch yet, but it's on my bucket list. Overall: 4/5 for food, 4/5 for service, 5/5 for ambiance read more

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Perfect spot for a blind date on a sunny day that's on the water. It's a vibrant colored spot with a rustic and unique bar. Music added to the vibe. Drinks and nachos were very satisfying. I'd return for sure! read more

This iconic Seattle joint is super popular because if it's location and the low key vibe that fits so well with the city and the area being that it is so close to the UW Campus. My date and I were really hungry and we had my dog with us, so we were thankful that there was no wait and that they accept dogs in their patio. You have to order and pay at the counter and they bring the food to your table. The lady at the register said we needed to grab water at the water station but when we sat at our table the waitress said she would bring it to us. She was super nice and told us to ask if we needed anything. When the food arrive we would realize we would need silverware so we asked another waitress and she told us we needed to go and get it. Needless to say, we like the first waitress better! The food was good, I ordered shrimp tacos and while the shrimp were good, but the tortillas seemed old. I also tried the strawberry horchata and I definitely prefer the regular one. read more

The amount of fish in the fish tacos seems to keep decreasing. Last night it was barely detectable. I expect more for the nearly $20 cost. The ridiculous cost of the margaritas has been a problem for a long time--now $14.50 for a small glass of lemonade with no detectable alcohol. Perhaps we'll keep coming occasionally for the salsas and view, but it's really gone downhill since the change of ownership. read more