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    El Jalapeno

    4.1 (23 reviews)
    InexpensiveMexican, Grocery
    Closed 12:00 pm - 9:00 PM

    El Jalapeno Photos

    Business Info

    EL JALAPENO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - El Jalapeno

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    Tamales Selection and Price: 12-23-22
    Cross S.

    First off, Yelp and other social media gets El Jalapeño mixed up as being the restaurant next door. El Jalapeño is a STORE. The restaurant is just to the left of the store and it's called Los Tamales. Once again El Jalapeño is the place to go to get Mexican groceries. Getting authentic Mexican groceries is a real chore in Washington because of lack of diversity. So this place is the place to go. We come here mainly for the Tamales. They have a self service tamale bar where you can pick and choose the tamales that you want. They are priced individually or by the dozen. They also have a nice selection of Mexican pastries. Unlike most places that I've been to theirs are fresh. Like most really good Mexican store, the place is no thrills. Meaning to real decor. Just stock. This is how they keep their prices reasonable.

    Gazing at all of the options at El Jalapeño in the bulk area.
    Alden C.

    It's kind of a crime that I haven't gone to this grocery store up until recently. The handful of times I have been in here the last several weeks have been great! There is a lot packed into this space but at the same time the layout is pretty easy for me to get a grip on to find items. This grocery store definitely caters towards the Hispanic population of Tacoma so you will see brands, produce, spices and other foods that you aren't used to seeing in mainstream stores. They have a self service hot case with five different kinds of tamales. This is my first place I start when I come into El Jalapeño and I just dive right in by grabbing some tongs and putting a tamale of each in a plastic bag. I can't say which one I like the best. They are all great but you can pick from a sweet corn tamale, chicken tamales and pork. I then take them home and enjoy them there. Fortunately I don't live too far from this store. Another thing I simply love with El Jalapeño is their fresh salsas! I have a major Achilles Heel for chips and salsa and the salsa from here is so fresh and delicious I have to come back once I run out. There used to be these salsas near the produce section but you can also find the salsas by the fresh meat/butcher area as well in the back in a small refrigerator. I have had a very spicy red salsa which was great and a more milder salsa verde. I can't wait to try more of the salsa options as there are a few more from those two. They have a fresh pastry case up near the registers in which I brought a few home on one trip here. Very moist and flavorful! Definitely recommend those too! I feel like there is a lot more to discover here as there is a lot packed in here. There seems to be a small deli of sorts by the tamales and produce that would be worth exploring and Steve can't wait to buy some produce for some of his recipes at home. Coming to El Jalapeño has been a great experience every time and I can say with a lot of confidence I will become a regular here!

    two burritos on a table
    Polly C.

    Food was great!!! Had lots of flavor and the girl at the counter was friendly. Definitely coming back.

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    Photo of Carlos G.
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    4 months ago

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    6 days ago

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    11 months ago

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    7 months ago

    Best tamales and chicharonnes! Cheese and jalapeño ones are my fav. Go early cause they sell out quick! Staff is very nice and personable.

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    2 years ago

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    4 months ago

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    1 year ago

    They sell Dubai Chocolate Strawberries Good customer service, and great prices. They sell all sorts of food and fruit cups as well.

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    5 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Delicious TAMALES and SALSAs-a-plenty cooked up FRESH herefor you and for meand fiesta and parties.

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    2 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Love all the different types of Tamales and the back counter for ice cream and elotes. Will definitely be back!

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    8 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    8 years ago

    This is traditional style. Loved it we will return great service. Very popular with Hispanic community

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    9 years ago

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    15 years ago

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    8 years ago

    Love the environment! Felt very authentic and warm . I really enjoyed the tamales and fresh bread...

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    9 years ago

    On the weekends they have fresh Tamales, and fresh tortillas. We can find so many dufferent Mexican products. Definitely our to go place.

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    8 years ago

    Cool spot, the ppl were friendly, the prices were good and the selection was decent. Would go back again.

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    12 years ago

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    Ask the Community - El Jalapeno

    Review Highlights - El Jalapeno

    always buy them by the dozen (way better deal).

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

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    Indita Mia - Street Tacos

    Indita Mia

    4.2(301 reviews)
    3.9 mi
    $$

    OMG This is a restaurant I WANT to gatekeep. Loved it so…read moremuch. ALL food and drink was top notch. Flavorful meats, fluffy rice, fresh hot sauces, airy Tres Leches cake, dangerously good cocktails. Great decor and vibe. Mix of indoor and an outdoor seating. Companion rated it a 9.8/10 and only knocked it down due to the waitress to be very attentive.

    Indita Mia seems more charming than it actually is…read more I'm not usually one to pick apart a business let alone a local business... The restaurant itself is beautiful but I feel that the amount of money it costs to eat there should be reflected, if not in the food itself then at least the service, and both were lacking. This is a place I've been heard about a lot on TikTok, I don't know if it is honest reviews, or if it's paid promotion, but the pictures and videos that are used online are doing the food more than justice. Upon walking in at exactly 6:03 PM, I have Life360 to reference arrival and departure, we get to the front door and it's pretty slow with maybe a few people in the bar, with what looks like a full staff; we finally get greeted at 6:14 PM and get seated outside. I'm thinking maybe they got done with a rush and are getting ready for the next dinner rush, so that's why it took long to greet us. I'm assuming the best here and extending grace where it may be needed, as I also worked in the restaurant business and know how busy it can get. As we get seated, again, it takes a while for someone to bring us water but me and my friend aren't noticing quite yet how long everything is taking. We finally get our waitress and she brings us water and asks if we want any drinks. My friend orders her drink and I stay with my water and we get asked what we want, we're not sure yet so we ask her to come back. As time goes on, it's about 30 minutes so at this point with us waiting for someone to bring my friend her drink and finally being seated at 6:14 PM, that brings us to 6:45 PM and my friend is just now receiving her drink and we're being ask what we want to order. I ask her to see if the mole is nut based as it's a food allergy for me and I know most places will use nuts as a base and some don't. It's now 7:03 PM and I check my phone to see how long it's been since I asked about the sauce. She and other staff walks past us SEVERAL times before stopping to see if we were ready or needed anything. It's now 7:17 PM... I figure it's now clear that I'm time stamping and checking my phone for the time. We finally get our waitress to our table and she asks us if we're ready to order, and we obviously have quite a few things in mind since we were sat down 6:14 PM. My friend orders her appetizer and her entree, the waitress turns to me and asks if I'm ready, so I ask, "Were you able to find out if the mole is nut based?" She tells me she forgot to ask and runs back to the kitchen. She comes back about 5-10 minutes later and tells me it is so I go straight to my Plan B as I am plenty prepared for first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and so on backups for my order. We wait about another 20 minutes, so let's say it's 7:43 PM, and we get our appetizers. The food is so salty, but at this point, we're both so hungry, we eat without complaint. Another 30 ish minutes go by and we get our entrees. Within the time we got our first dish and now (8:13 PM) no one has checked on us to even see if the food was good. The food did NOT look anything like the food content that's shown in pictures and videos. We're both just eating because it's 8:13 PM and we got to the restaurant at 6:04 PM; we're hungry. We HAVE to call someone over for some boxes and the check at this point because the sun is now pretty much gone and luckily that was quick, but it took us a while to grab someone as the entirety of the staff continued to walk by us several times, as we obviously aren't eating, talking to each other, and look like we're trying to flag someone over. It's quite obvious actually. We've been very polite this whole time, we both worked in the restaurant business, so we know it can be stressful especially for women. By this point of getting our check and I'm paying, it's already 8:20 PM. We didn't take long to eat and also are appetite has kind of passed with the time as well. I pay and my friend thankfully asks about the desert I ordered back when we initially ordered our whole meal! (Appetizers, entrees, AND DESERT!) Thank god she did because I would've forgotten; it's been over 2 hours at this point! The waitress tells me she forgot... brings it out quickly. We use the bathroom and leave quickly. It's the official end time of 8:31 PM... 6:04 PM to 8:31 PM... A slow greeting and service with a hasty send off. *eye roll* *sigh* I was so disappointed in the greeting, the hospitality, the food, the urgency, or at least the concern/attention that I feel should be presented when the food service went the way it did. I felt disregarded and conned out of $150 to be honest. This review is to not tear them down, even though I did provide a lot of concerns, but to provide constructive feedback, because it is a beautiful restaurant with a breathtaking location on the water, but the experience was not worth $150...

    Photos
    Indita Mia - Bar

    Bar

    Indita Mia - Guacamole

    Guacamole

    Indita Mia - $17 Espresso Martini at Indita Mia

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    Moctezuma's Mexican Restaurant & Tequila Bar - Rib eye tacos

    Moctezuma's Mexican Restaurant & Tequila Bar

    3.9(1.3k reviews)
    3.7 mi
    $$

    Doing an update after not being in Moctezuma's for a long time…read more Someone gave me the impression that the food wasn't as good as it used to be and one of the last times I was here the wait to get seated was quite long. It's good that they are doing so well however. The parking lot always looks full. My last visit here was after a planned meal stop somewhere else fell through. I still wanted supper and I was in the vicinity and decided if I could get into Moctezuma's. I got in with ease (there was just me) and seated right away. I haven't had a taco salad in I don't know how long so I ordered one of those. I also got a small sized Spicy Cucumber Margarita. The taco salad was good, very satisfying as well as the chips and salsa that came along with it. The Margarita was great, very refreshing with the cucumber and spiciness blending together nicely. Service was prompt and friendly. I still have a good impression with what I had for this place from meals of several years ago and if you do precise timing (like early supper arrival time (4:30-5 p.m.) or lunch you are more than likely to find seating easier.

    I placed a to-go order, and Alejandra completely changed what could have been just another quick…read morepickup. She went above and beyond what I would expect from a hostess. She was welcoming, attentive, and genuinely cared about making sure everything was right with my order. She treated me like I mattered, not like I was just another customer grabbing food and leaving. The tip I left was specifically for Alejandra because she earned every bit of it. She did far more than simply hand me a bag her kindness, professionalism, and willingness to help made a lasting impression. Great customer service like hers deserves to be recognized. Thank you, Alejandra, for making my experience such a positive one!

    Photos
    Moctezuma's Mexican Restaurant & Tequila Bar - Inside - entrance

    Inside - entrance

    Moctezuma's Mexican Restaurant & Tequila Bar - Mimosa flights

    Mimosa flights

    Moctezuma's Mexican Restaurant & Tequila Bar - Tequila Flaming Fajitas, Birria Tacos, rib eye tacos

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    Cactus Restaurants - Proctor - Seasonal item: 
Smoked Chicken Flautas

    Cactus Restaurants - Proctor

    4.4(863 reviews)
    6.4 mi
    $$

    LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Cactus! This is my go-to place whenever I visit Tacoma!…read more The butternut squash enchiladas are absolutely the best, and the margaritas are fabulous! The chips and salsa are amazing, and their house sauce is just perfect. Everything is full of flavor, and I always leave wanting to come back for more. If you're in Tacoma, you have to try Cactus! Definitely one of my favorite spots!

    From the moment we sat down to the moment we left, the service at Cactus in Proctor Tacoma was…read moreoutstanding. Our waiter, Mark, was incredibly attentive -- checking in regularly, keeping drinks topped off, and making sure we had everything we needed without ever feeling rushed. Exactly the kind of hospitality that makes a meal memorable. We started with the Guacamole Sampler -- Traditional, Carlito's Way, and Austin Style -- served with warm housemade chips and their signature salsa. Every style had its own personality, and the flavors were spot‑on across the board. A fantastic way to kick off the meal. For my entrée, I went with the Seasonal Al Pastor Tamales, and wow... this dish is a true taste of the south. The ancho, guajillo, and achiote citrus slow‑roasted pork was rich and tender, perfectly balanced by cumin black beans, pickled pineapple, white onion, and serrano salsa. Every bite had depth, heat, and brightness. My wife ordered the Smoked Chicken Tomatillo Soup -- hominy, red bell peppers, carrots, onions, chipotle, buttermilk crema, cilantro, and blue corn tortilla strips. Served with fresh housemade sopes, it was comforting, flavorful, and beautifully layered. A perfect bowl for any season. We also shared the Navajo Fry Bread -- honestly, this should be listed under desserts. Warm, soft, slightly sweet, and absolutely delicious. The overall vibe was relaxed and inviting. It can get a bit noisy -- especially for someone like me who's hard of hearing -- but the energy is still warm and enjoyable. Cactus never disappoints. From the kitchen to the front‑of‑house, the team consistently delivers great food, great service, and a great experience. Hats off to the cooks and staff for another fantastic visit. We'll definitely be back.

    Photos
    Cactus Restaurants - Proctor - Restaurant booth facing the bar

    Restaurant booth facing the bar

    Cactus Restaurants - Proctor - Sonoran Spa Chicken

    Sonoran Spa Chicken

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    El Jalapeno - mexican - Updated September 2026

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