Um yeah...discovered this place and I am back the third time this week! Their tacos are insanely good! Their slushies are next level deliciousness with a kick that last for hours. Their weekend bands are killer! I think I want to volunteer here...would love to learn how to make these tasty treats! Will work for tacos! read more

AK's Mercado - Edgy vibe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Walla Walla, Washington

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Absolutely delicious. That's the main takeaway from here. The flavors were bold, fresh and exactly what I was looking for. My main complaint if you can even call it that is that my husband and I shared the nachos and I was stuffed for over 7 hours. If you could only have one meal a day this place would leave you stuffed!! The nachos were a beautiful and delicious sight. We ordered one tinga taco to try and we both agreed we should have ordered the tacos. They were absolutely amazing and we wouldn't have been so uncomfortably full. You live, you learn! Service was friendly and quick. We would definitely come back. read more

AK's Mercado - Tinga taco and nachos - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Walla Walla, Washington

BEST. BRISKET. EVER. Let me say that I'm sentence form: This place has some, if not, THEE BEST brisket I have ever had in my life and it is definitely worth coming here just for it. You can get their suadero brisket beef in tacos, in a burger, or in a torta. I have had them all and recommend either their suadero brisket tacos or burger. You will NOT be disappointed. Their fries and nachos are also massive. Out of all the times I have ordered nachos or fries here, I have had 2-3 other friends with me and we still had plenty of leftover. Their wait staff are also friendly and outgoing. If you have any questions about the menu, they are always helpful and you never feel bad about asking for their recommendation(s). The vibe of this place is a cool hipster gastro pub type place and on weekend nights when they have live music, the vibe is poppin with nearly every table full. When they have live music nights, be prepared to yell across the table or to the person next to you as if you were in a nightclub though because it is incredibly loud. But, I always find this place fun to eat at with friends and LOVE their appetizers and again, suadero brisket tacos. read more

AK's Mercado - Fries is HUGE - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Walla Walla, Washington

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We loved our taco lunch here. There was the yummiest elote corn dish that we shared, and then we each had two different tacos. I loved being able to mix and match. But i couldn't tell you which one was my favorite... that's too hard to decide. On a sustainability note, I'm not sure why alllll the drinks come in plastic when the place has a dishwasher. It's better for the business and the planet to use reusable options. Minus a star for this. read more

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Short rib tacos are the best! Every visit to Walla Walla necessitates a lunch stop at AK Marcados. We prefer to sit outdoors, enjoy the quant town of Walla Walla, and people watch. Price is decent, fast and friendly service. We will be back! read more

AK's Mercado - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Walla Walla, Washington

Great people, great service, great food, great location If you are visiting WW, it's a must. The smash burger is really really good, especially with a side of Voodoo fries. read more

This place was so delicious! We sat outside in the covered patio area where we got to see people passing by, which was entertaining. And bonus - unlike several of the places we went to in Walla Walla that seem to forget they have outside areas - the service was prompt and friendly and helpful. We both had the slushie of the day which was a mango/tequila/spice mix which was delicious and well balanced - neither too sweet nor too busy. We shared the nachos which had all sorts of awesome things on them, from pickled onions to a really good salsa. I also got the short rib taco which was tender and juicy - but not too juicy for a taco! If I lived here I would be by all the time! read more

AK's Mercado - Nachos and short rib taco. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Walla Walla, Washington

This place is hard to define. Mexican themed, yes. But also other surprising offerings like plant sales. The place is always busy, which is because the food is very good as are the drinks. The servers manage the busy atmosphere and still take care of you in a timely, professional, and friendly manner. i've been here several times and always gone away. Satisfied and happy. Try it out, it won't break the bank, and your taste buds will thank you. read more

Exquisite authentic atmosphere, it was like being in old Mexico. The food was amazing and creatively unique. The service was excellent. The music was the best in the world. It was as good as it gets, a close second to Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass. read more

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I really like the energy here. Our server was Kennedy. She was friendly and welcoming. I liked her personality. We were welcomed first by Zack . He gives a good first impression. Jacob was nice and helpful too. Where I'm from young people aren't so friendly . Props to them . The atmosphere here is causal . Food prices are average. My burger was tasty . I'd give it a #8 and my friends beef brisket I'd give it a 7 . I didn't get a chance to try their speciality cocktail cause they were out of it. The have plenty of street parking . Fun fact : The story behind Mercado is , he started at a gas station. read more

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Decent food great service. Nacho with suadero was really good, loved the taco arabes. Great vibes

Service spectacular Bar tender was great and made an awesome shaken margarita. Had Shrimp and Tinga Tacos delish! Disappointing on the shrimp. And my fault for assuming and not reading the description. The Shrimp was breaded. Sorry, authentico? Nope. Shrimp tacos don't have bread in my nook and based on recommendations of others to come here and what I experienced, wish that item would be reconsidered to be made differently. Breaded says Sysco food products all the way in my book. But to each his own. Possibly the "patron market" doesn't have an issue. I'm a snob. So..... Still tank high and recommend the place. Lots of other items I wish to try , and will be back. read more

AK's Mercado - Breaded Fish Tacos and Tinga Tacos with my Margarita. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Walla Walla, Washington

Took about 5-10 min before anyone talked to us at the hostess stand. Then Waited around 15 min for a table on a Sat around 1pm. The restaurant was busy and felt understaffed. It took around 20 min for our food to arrive - a brisket sandwich and fries, and 2 tacos - 1 cod and 1 short rib. The brisket sandwich was the stand out and so delicious. The fries were great as well. The short rib taco was tasty but a tad too spicy for me, could not eat a second one of these. The cod taco was meh, would not get again. Don't come super hungry because you will get hangry like I did ha. read more

I absolutely hate giving under 3-star reviews, but I was just so incredibly disappointed with this place. A friend was SO excited it was a legit restaurant and not in a gas station, the hype was probably too much. Key points: Covered, dog-friendly patio. First come first served. Reservations are only for large parties. They are not serving brunch, despite it being on the website (and having the arguably more enticing menu). Service was fine, if not a bit aloof. I went in already disappointed that there is no brunch. The lunch/dinner menu is kind of heavy, which is not great before a day of wine tasting. In an effort to get something light, I ordered the Caesar salad with brisket. For $19 I was expecting something a bit more....edible? It was so salty I couldn't eat it, nor could my dining partners. It was a regular Ceasar salad, but overdressed and with white (pickled) anchovies and not regular ones. It had cojita, which is more salt, and then the brisket itself was cubed and tossed, and the meat itself was really salty as well. The three of them had gotten sandwiches (the Reuben was standout), so I ate fries instead. The sandwiches were not hot, more like lukewarm, and they were so greasy. Yes, smoked meat, yes I get it...but even the buns were greasy. I was also kind of surprised at the color of the brisket. It was a dull grey, an while it tasted....fine? it just wasn't what I was expecting. I know people loved this place, I know it was a bit of a quirky institution in the past, but I could not in good faith recommend going here. It's really disappointing because it's unique for Walla Walla, but sadly it's just not my jam. read more

The brisket taco is really that good. So was the short rib taco. Two tacos made for an excellent lunch. Great service. read more

AK's Mercado - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Walla Walla, Washington

Solid 4.5-4.75 happy hour is 3-5 every day! Can't beat that! Had $4 tap beer, smash burger and nachos! Delicious and fab waitstaff. This is a must after wine tasting all day! read more

The ambiance, service, drinks, and food presentation were great, the bummer was that the food was a bit bland and could have benefited from a greater amount of salt, pepper and other spices to really make it all come to life. We had the chori-queso which had a confusing mozzarella base (I at first thought it might be a non-dairy base) and some tacos. For my taste the tacos arabes was the best, the suadero brisket taco was very tender but unfortunately a bit bland, the al pastor was ok, and I wished there had been more spice added to the shrimp batter. I'm not writing this place off just yet but look forward to seeing if this was just a one off night. read more

AK's Mercado - Tacos and queso - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Walla Walla, Washington

Should have zero stars option. Last 2 times we have come here the young girls that work there are so rude. The owner is also a jerk. We had a lot people with us both times, spent a lot of money. And the servers treat you like you are an inconvenience to order something. Last night they were clearly understaffed for the amount of people they had there. And so they were mad at the customers for that. If that was our first time there I would have given them the benefit of the doubt that it was a busy and they were overwhelmed but since we had the same experience another time that obviously is just the way the treat people. Won't be returning and will never recommend it to anyone. read more

We had a wonderful lunch today - the Food & Service by Libby was wonderful. We always enjoy the positive atmosphere and fun decor. I usually get the nachos because they have a delicious flavor explosion but today I was feeling the AK's Burger. It was cooked to perfection and served with fries. Don't sleep on the caramelized onions and do add the cheese! Phillip enjoyed the Saudero Tacos because they are his favorite! and if you find yourself here and see beignets offered, get them! They are only offered at special times and are AMAZING. read more

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Best Happy Hour in Walla Walla! Only place downtown you can get a $4 beer and $4 burger. 3-5 everyday they are open

This restaurant came highly recommended at a tasting room. We were excited to try tacos at Walla Walla. Walked in Monday night, the wait to be seated was 20 minutes. We ordered a bunch of tacos - brisket, grilled cod, shrimp, and tinga. The only one we liked were the shrimp tacos. We didn't get the hype about the brisket or the fish tacos. The tacos came lukewarm and had pickled carrots on top. The pickling was too tart, and it overpowered the proteins. The Tinga was quite spicy and the cod cold. We also ordered the wings. They were ok as well. Overall, the experience was quite Meh. read more

AK's Mercado - Wings - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Walla Walla, Washington

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Service was great, ambiance was fine. Unfortunately every dish at our table was quite heavily salted. I most likely won't be back as I live out of the area. read more

This place has amazing tacos!! And great live music. I will be back! Not sure why the reviews are only 3.5 on average

First place that we stopped when arriving in Walla Walla. Really cool restaurant set in an old gas station with lots of fun art work, dark wood & plants inside. Nice outdoor seating area too - dogs encouraged! I was hopeful for a really nice crispy/crunchy salad on a hot day & was disappointed that the salad was overdressed. However, the bits of spicy brisket were a nice touch, as were the grape tomatoes. I think this would be a better setting for chips, salsa & tacos. Unfortunately for me, I don't do well with lots of spice, so most of the dishes didn't fit my palate. read more

AK's Mercado - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Walla Walla, Washington

A nice spot to grab something to eat in between wine tasting in downtown. Good food with a fun and casual vibe. I'd come again to try other items on the menu that is more than just a snack. Also, there is a plant shop inside for the plant people! read more

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Food is spectacular! At first I thought the $5.50 per taco seemed steep, thinking this would be like other street tacos you might get at other places. So I ordered three. They came absolutely stuffed with meat. It was way more than I needed - but despite only needing two tacos, I was glad I got to try three different types. Each one was great. I will absolutely be back here on another trip through town. read more

If I could leave zero stars I would! The coleslaw was so spicy it was inedible and when I told the owner his comment was "we've been making it for 10 years with no complaints", and refused to take off the $2 dish. Fish taco came out cold, service was slow. Won't be going back and I advise you to read the other bad reviews before you go there too. Wish I would have. Apparently other people think the owner is a "jerk". read more

I give this place 3 stars for the food. It's okay tacos. Grandma's Kitchen is better. Oddly enough, they don't serve or sell chips, salsa must be asked not automatically served. ODD. read more

AK's Mercado - Brisket tacos. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Walla Walla, Washington

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My BF and I tried this place Saturday night, we will definitely not be going back. We were seated fairly quickly, ordered one drink, then we didn't see our waitress again for a solid 30 minutes. I finally had to go up to the bar to order another drink. BTW, they didn't have cranberry or Bombay Saffire. When we were FINALLY able to order food (50 minutes after being seated), the waitress seemed put off that I went to the bar to order drinks. My BF ordered the Voodoo Fries which were entirely inedible due to spice, and we LOVE spicy food. I ordered veggie tacos but was given pork tacos. It was so dark in there I didn't realize it until I took a couple of bites. I'm not a vegetarian, so no big deal, but it would be a VERY big deal for a strict vegetarian. A different waitress very quickly fixed that situation and comped us the tacos. Overall, cool vibe but terrible service, inedible food, inadequate bar and a wasted 2 1/2 hours of our Saturday. read more

We were in Walla Walla for one night and knew that we had to eat here. If you don't know the backstory, the chef-owner's first restaurant was a walk-up counter inside a gas station. I love great stories behind the great food. We had already done some wine tasting, so I selected a local beer from their impressive list. My wife had one of the House Slushies. I can't remember the flavor, but she loved it. We started off with an order of the Voodoo Fries. The fries were very tasty, but the ladies that were sitting next to us order the nachos. The nachos looked awesome. I will probably next the nachos next time. We then ordered one brisket taco and one short rib taco. Both were delicious. You can tell that the chef put a lot of thought into the flavors. They were good sized tacos, not little street tacos. I can't wait to come back. The breakfasts look incredible. Can't wait to try it. Enjoy. read more

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Server was pleasant and insightful. We ate tacos, many unique fillings. Two was a good meal. I had a special stewed goat. Wife had shrimp. read more

Seated right away, received attentive service. I had the rings taco which was so good I ordered another. My friend had the rings as well and she loved her brisket taco. Our skinny margaritas hit the spot. read more

Best tacos. I have been searching for these tacos FOREVER! Fast and friendly service. Will for sure come back when in Walla Walla. read more

AK's Mercado - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Walla Walla, Washington

loved our goat and pork tacos ! 1st time to the Mercado service friendly and fast , blueberry cheesecake worth the plane trip to get to Walla Walla ! read more

AK's Mercado - Chef at wine and tennis camp Dinner at Echolands and best taco I've ever had - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Walla Walla, Washington

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Second time here and was...not what I remember. Food and drinks are very pricey, which is to be expected in Walla Walla. Limited happy hour options. Craft cocktails were tasty and food was good but just a little underwhelming. For the price I expected to be on par with similar cuisine and cocktail menu I've had locally. I'm sure I will go again and would recommend, just know what you're getting for the price. read more

AK's Mercado - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Walla Walla, Washington

Delish tacos, I recommend ordering 4 or more different types of tacos and sharing with whomever else you're with so you're all able to try them out before you order just one flavor. Also keep in mind they are so stuffed tacos so you'll get full quick. The waitress was nice and it was a busy evening. read more

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Bomb chorizo breakfast burrito. Best brunch item in Walla Walla. Hands down. Great fries. Local lager. English premier league soccer on the TV. Old soul music playing. Perfect Saturday morning out. read more

Been here 10 minutes. No communication from server yet. Not impressed. 40 minutes from when we we sat down I got my first drink. The place is empty. HIGHLY RECOMMEND AVOIDING THIS PLACE. Servers seem to think questions are annoying and they are not to be bothered. On a PLUS NOTE the nacho was really good. It's a beautiful downtown with tons of places to eat and enjoy. Stay away from this one. read more

The reviews are all over the place - I could see why. The food in my opinion is very good - particularly the suadero (brisket) and the nachos. The nachos may be my favorite nacho platter I've ever had - anywhere. The service is spotty and disorganized. To me this is a classic "scaling up" issue of a restaurant that started in a gas station. The back end of the restaurant is solid - they know how to make the food. The front end is not managed well - very disorganized. Service is slow and the seating was not efficient. My advice to the manager/owner is to hire a good front end person to manage seating and service. It would be a much more successful restaurant. read more

Not sure why this place doesn't have more stars! My partner and I enjoyed a very tasty dinner here. I got 3 tacos--veggie, cod, and shrimp, he got the pastrami sandwich and fries, and we split the Caesar salad with salmon. Everything was well seasoned and fresh. Food came out quickly and the service was friendly. All in all, a great dining experience! read more

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