Truly excellent Mexican food! We're fans of Mexican food, and it's amazing how many places serve mediocre to truly bad Mexican food. El Gitano really impressed us. The food was delicious, as were the drinks! The service was outstanding, some of the best service we've had in this area. Warm chips and salsa with just a bit of heat (perfect!) were on our table within moments of sitting down. We were waited on promptly, and the food came out quickly and was hot and wonderful. The restaurant also has a very nice atmosphere and is much better than those chain Mexican places. We'll definitely be going back! If you're looking for good Mexican food in Bellingham, you've gotta check this place out! read more

Friends suggested we give it a try & sure are happy we did! The salsa was a great "opener" ... followed by 2 entrees, as pictured; Pork Burrito & a Pork Taco Salad. MUST give "culinary kudos" to the pork; high quality & perfect flavor enhancement. Will most certainly repeat visits here to try other entrees. Must give the Margaritas a try next time since that's a CRITICAL part of dining Mexican! read more

El Gitano Mexican Restaurant - Express Pork Burrito, chips & salsa, Pork Taco Salad - Mexican Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

We haven't tasted Mexican for a long time, and it just seemed right...... Comfort food on a grey rainy late afternoon.. We like El Gitano...It was warm and cozy and satisfying. It even smelled good when we walked in and smells are important to me when i enter a restaurant.. Melted cheese, guacamole, refried beans, rice along with Chile Relleno is what we always order, and it was delicious. Chilis were not spicy at this time of year so a double positive for me! Service was friendly and reasonable quick. read more

Excellent service, decent food. Salsa and chips are complimentary, although pretty hot - not for everyone! I had the Mulcajete and it was gigantic, piping hot and delicious. My wife had the tacos which came out wrong but were promptly fixed and were decent. We didn't order drinks but the variety seemed to be excellent from the menu. Would go again, for sure. read more

Two words. Mole sauce. El Gitano (Sunset) has the best mole sauce I've had in this area. The food is always so fresh and well-prepared. I stick to this classic favorite of mine since I don't eat Mexican that much these days, but when I do, I come here. Definitely check it out! read more

i normally love el gitano, i often go to their mount vernon location, but i will never again visit any location of the business. im sorry i have to even give it one star, id give it zero if i could. A friend and I stopped in for lunch and she ordered a margarita with her meal. they checked her ID and questioned her as if not to believe she were really 21, (she just turned 21 in jan). it's policy and the law, i get it, but the service that followed was TERRIBLE. our waitress brought out our drinks, but immediately walked away and it took another 15 minutes for her to come take our order. we had our menus closed to let them know we were ready to order. once we ordered, the food came out in a timely manner and everything was correct, so no problems there. throughout our meal, we noticed that our waitress was very attentive to other guests, but would not make eye contact with our table, ask if everything was okay, if we needed refills, etc. while my friend was drinking her margarita, she noticed that it hardly tasted like alcohol at all. we assumed it was the overwhelming mango flavor that was masking the taste of alcohol, so it wasnt really an issue. plus, our waitress wouldnt communicate with us either way to see if there was any issues. at the end of the meal, friend ended up chugging the rest of the margarita and felt nothing. not drunk, tipsy, buzzed, etc. we decided to ask the waitress if they even put alcohol in it at all, since earlier we were being questioned about friend's age. it took another 15 minutes after we finished our food and set plates aside for our waitress to even come up and start taking plates. when we asked if there was alcohol in the margarita, she looked dumbfounded. "yes, 2 shots" and then a long pause of her staring at us with her jaw wide open. it was the most awkward 30 seconds... then our waitress suddenly realizes that she "forgot" to put the alcohol in our ALCOHOLIC MARGARITA and instead of apologizing she laughs and comes up with many different excuses. one excuse would have been enough until she would leave our table and come back with another excuse, she probably told about 5 different stories, still without apologizing for making the drink wrong. when i asked the host for the manager, she went to go get her but then suddenly the manager "wasnt working today" and we were told to call back tomorrow. then, a male waiter came up to us and wanted to know what the problem was, he said he was the manager on duty. when we explained what happened, he again said "oh well the manager will be in tomorrow you can call her." what was the point of coming to see what the issue was if you had no plan to resolve it? we understand people make mistakes, but neither tried to make it right with us. we had to ask twice for the margarita to be removed from her bill, and finally they agreed. we werent offered a free drink to make up for it, or a free desert, nothing. which is fine, at least they took it off the bill, just goes to show their customer service is terrible. needless to say, we will not be back at this location, or to any el gitano locations. the quality of the food is NOT worth the absolute joke that is customer service. dont waste your time.... read more

The food and service was just ok. They got my order wrong, gave me chicken instead of pork in my enchiladas. Also, they told us they used corn tortillas, but they were clearly flour. read more

It took forever to get out food When we did, one of the most expensive dishes - mariscada, was awful! Mush and super dry!!! read more

The food here was great for the price but what made me come back again and again was the excellent service, the waiters are nice, the chefs come out and talk to you and at the end they give you a free little dessert. read more

How I heard of this place: Through my friend Leslie. It was recommended as we shopped to satisfy a nacho craving. Type of cuisine: Mexican Ambiance: Large, spacious interior with Mexican-themed decor in reds, greens and white. What I ordered: I ordered the vegetarian taco salad ($6.50) which was served in a large tortilla bowl with rice, beans, lettuce, olives, sour cream and guacamole. I added the salsa picante (from our chips and salsa) to give it more flavor. One dining companion ordered the large plate of nachos ($8.99), which consisted of a large plate of corn tortilla chips, lots of cheese and shredded chicken. We asked for a side of olives to place atop the nachos. The third dining companion ordered the children's nachos ($4.50), a small plate of chips and cheese. They also ordered a side of rice and beans to accompany the nachos. What I loved: I loved the flavorful salsa! Why I loved it: The quick efficiency of the food and the do-able portions made the meal. Cost: Low to average ($6-$10 for lunch) read more

Fantastic Mexican food, good service.. .and the world's booziest sounding Mariachi band. The carne asada is some of the best I've had north of Los Angeles. The band is a little.. eccentric, but with a great sense of humor and very entertaining. This is our new favorite Mexican spot in town. Note to Disabled: Reasonably accessible, has its own parking lot. read more

Bait and switch. Came in and saw today's specials sign said "jumbo margarita at regular price" turns out regular is in regards to the price. They refused to acknowledge there was anything confusing about the sign and said I had ordered a margarita that didn't qualify for the special price. However I showed them on the menu that I had ordered a classic margarita, nothing special. They admitted this was True, and then said sorry, all of our margaritas are jumbo. What a sleezy way to do business. I've eaten here once or twice a week for the last 2 years. The service is always mediocre and they always charge full prices at happy hour until you call them out on it. this just goes too far. The food is good but I'd rather spend a few dollars more anywhere else than support these scammers. read more

Very consistent great Mexican food! I would give 5 stars if they hadn't goofed my last order up a little bit. The food was still good despite the goof. read more

Wonderful food here! Went here for the first time this past weekend with the fam (4 adults and two children) and could not be happier. The food was awesome, the waitstaff was uber-friendly and they were quick with my beer (really important). The chips and salsa were really tasty and they have a wonderful mole sauce (another really important factor for me). Nothing really bad to say. Everyone was happy with their meals and the food came out quick and fast. My son's grilled cheese sandwich was even really tasty (made with real cheese..not the processed kind). read more

Great family place to go in Bellingham! Will be coming here soon to try out there best flavored home made meals. Good thing I gave them a try before I never had discovered them. As for that, I think every family in town should go. read more

I love this place, and come here often. The service is great, always fast and friendly. The food is very consistent which wins big points with me. Their chips and salsa are some of the best I have ever had at a Mexican restaurant. The chips are thin, super crispy and always hot when they bring them out and the salsa is just spicy enough with a nice thick consistency. My favorite thing to order here is the chile rellenos, they are nothing fancy but they hit the spot every time. The pepper is always tender, the egg is always done perfectly, great sauce and the cheese they use is stringy and delicious. The guacamole here is also a stand out. Many other Mexican places use an artificial preservative in their guac that gives it an off taste but I never get that here, the guac is super fresh and on point! read more

OMG I am extremely excited to have found this restaurant I ordered the floutas & my husband & brother in-law ordered the 2 Burritos with a large amount of refried beans with the same amount of rice. We got our meals takeout style & when we opened the containers we all looked at each other & then we heard angels singing! EVERYTHING ON OUR PLATES WAS SO GOOD, I felt like I was back in Texas! You MUST visit this restaurant. It would take too long to describe the flavors, just think of the best Mexican food you ever had & that is this food but better!!!! I'M SERIOUS!!!! read more

The restaurant is very friendly, food cooked up to standards, and the food is ready to go as fast as you order it and you can sit down outside on the benches in a serene area while waiting for a few, have a smoke, and be on your way! read more

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Everyone is so friendly and their take out is AMAZING! You get chips and salsa with every take out order for no extra charge. Love the mole sauce it is my favorite blend of spicy and sweet! read more

Good food and friendly service! They were helpful with accommodating my son's food allergies.

The queso dip is so good, it's nirvana in a bowl. I love the quality of food here, the drinks are strong, and the service is swift and friendly. read more

Fajitas burrito w jalapenos was awesome! Spicy steak picante was ok, bland sauce. Recommended for a quick, inexpensive meal anytime. Also good for groups. Healthy portion size, enough for leftovers. good chips n salsa. I'll be back. read more

The salsa is fantastic. The chips are nice, they are not stale and they are warm. The food was fine. The food is served extremely hot! I ordered the shredded beef chimichangas. I was surprised to find refried beans mixed in with the shredded beef. read more

El Gitano Mexican Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

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The food was awful!!! I ordered a taco salad and it looked like soup :-( I wouldn't recommend eating here. See pic read more

El Gitano Mexican Restaurant - This doesn't look like taco salad to me :-( - Mexican Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

Good Mexican food but usually a chaotic atmosphere. Most of the Mexican restaurants in the Bellingham area are fairly similar, extremely Americanized Mexican food. But this place is probably the best of the mediocre. The one issue I usually have is with how unorganized they usually seem and how often you have to flag somebody down to get what you want instead of them coming to you. read more

Everything was perfect! Staff was all super friendly and attentive. From when I called before going to ensure they're currently offering dine in to the end of our meal, top notch service. Was so pleased the quality of food matched the service. Between the three adults we ordered the fajita burrito, fajita quesadilla, and taco combo and were all extremely happy. Cheese dip as an app was amazing as well! Thank you! read more

I love the food here! The customer service is excellent too. My favorite meal is the asado burrito with salsa. There salsa is the best salsa I've ever had! read more

I have been eating at El Gitano for 8 years, every Wednesday. The food is great, the staff is very good. The food is consistent, and well prepared. I would recommend El Gitano to everyone who loves Mexican Food! read more

My husband and I live 2 miles away from El Gitano's and love their food and hospitality. However what can ruin a nice romantic dinner with your loved one is the loud mariachi band. The trumpet, strings, and off key singing is so loud, it echo's off the walls, and it's impossible to be heard. There is a bar room & restaurant room and the mariachi band plays in both. You can speak to the management prior to being seated and request the mariachi band play in the opposite room you select. However, there are no guarantees yet it's worth a try. My husband and I decided to write this review so your romantic meal is not ruined and you leave with dinner in a bag. read more

Ordered take out. Didn't get tortillas for carne asada and the pico de gallo was bone dry! I will NEVER return!

Really disappointed with my togo order. It took over 30 mins on a slow day. And I asked for chicken on all my enchiladas. I got ground beef. On my second order it was supposed to be shredded beef. And I got ground beef. read more

Their food is pretty so so for Mexican. I think they go for the pretty girls drinks and Karaoke more than excellent Mexican food. The people I know who like it are from the midwest and have no appreciation for REALLY TRULY AWESOME Mexican food read more

I would leave negative stars but not an option. I just ordered take out from this restaurant. Got home and cut into my ground beef enchilada only to find an ANT inside! So disgusting!! My husband called to complain and this is how that went.... He asked to speak to manager and was told it's their dinner rush so she wasn't available. He informed this girl what I found and she went directly to her manager, knocked on some door (so she wasn't out helping with the dinner rush) and he was able to speak to her. After he told her what happened she proceeded to LAUGH!! My husband said 'excuse me'! She said 'no, I believe you.' Unreal!!! My husband then said he was going to leave a review and call the health department. To that she replied 'Go Ahead, they were just here'. She then asked is he could send her a picture of what I found through Facebook on a private chat. He doesn't have Facebook and if he did we would surely make that a public conversation. She then said if I drove back in with the food she would give me a refund. It's about 25 min for me to get there. In total I spent $26 there. $20 for food and I stupidly gave them a $6 tip thinking they were nice and had good food. Then she asked if we could bring in a picture of the food and then we could get a refund. I think my time is better spent warning you others out there that are considering eating here about this situation and you'd be better off going to a restaurant that 1.Appreciated and respected you and 2.Had good CLEAN food! It's a shame because back in the day El Gitano used to be one of the best around. Obviously that has drastically changed!!! . read more

El Gitano Mexican Restaurant - Found in ground beef enchilada from El Gitano! - Mexican Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

A must is Seafood Soup..it had king crab...mussels. .fish..squid. ..Amazing. ..worth a hour drive....ask for it.....

Flavorless food. Margaritas had about a half shot of tequila. Two big thumbs down!

This place has the most bland, tasteless Mexican food. How do you make Mexican food bland!? I have no argument against the good service, but it doesn't really matter if the food is boring and uninspired. The actual restaurant is a dump as well. When we sat down my daughter looked at the ceiling as said "Look mom, someone spilled coffee on the ceiling!" Nasty brown leak spots - come on - it takes 3 minutes to replace a ceiling panel, and have some pride and check your roof for leaks. I would NOT want to see the kitchen- I can just imagine all the health violations. read more

I absolutely love El Gitano! The service is fabulous every time that I have eaten there, and the wait staff is more than friendly. Sometimes, when you go to a Mexican restaurant as a Caucasian you pronounce things incorrectly or attempt to pronounce certain dishes, you kind of get the feeling that the waiter or waitress is laughing at you on the inside, but I've never felt that way there. I don't know maybe I'm alone on this one. But, for me this makes me feel a little less dorky trying. I want to start by saying that their salsa and pico de gallo is delicious as well as their chips. Never have I had them be stale. They are always fresh, and you get them just about immediately when you sit down along with a waiter asking for your drink order. Very speedy service which I very much appreciate. They also are very prompt at taking your food order. Once you have gotten your food, which is also very speedy, they are on top of refills, but not in an obnoxious way where you feel like you're being disrupted. The food is always delicious. I've never tried anything there I have not liked. But with whatever dish I have had it's never over or under cooked, and it's never bland or too seasoned. This place is hands down the best Mexican food in Bellingham. I completely recommend it. Yum! read more

The one thing I can say about dinning in Bellingham is that there are a lot of good choices when it comes to Mexican food. This is one of those options. The decor is standard Mexican restaurant but the food is easily above average with a huge portion for what you pay for. I haven't been for a while but they us to have a mariachi band on Sundays that would walk around and play while you ate. read more

This place always seems packed but the waits are never long, staff is always checking in, and your food is ready quick! I have never had a meal here that was not delicious and as an added bonus the prices are relatively cheap especially when compared to what you get! read more

The food is really good and they have a lot of vegetarian options (yay!). But the past few times I have been there the service has been a titch slooow, which is the opposite of what you expect at a Mexican restaurant. Won't keep me from going back though! read more