Love the atmosphere, it's basic and very chill, it's got that home-y feel if you know what I mean. Food is good, menu's got everything you'd expect and drinks are decent too. You wouldn't get a "wow" experience here, but you won't be disappointed either. Prices aren't bad either. I've been to this place twice by now and next time I'm in the area, would probably stop by again. read more

Always good. Our go to place. Had two tacos and the chicken enchilada. Sat in the bar. The owner is amazing.

The chips and salsa are delicious. Once the food came, I was blown away! Friendly staff, super clean nice place. It's right in town with all the shops and makes a really good place to stop. read more

Friendly staff. Food is bland, American style. Costco tamale, store bought crisp taco shells, tortilla chips store bought, canned chillies for the Rellano. Nothing authentic, taco bell is cheaper and just as good! read more

Amazing friendly service and great food! Tonight special drinks were made; pumpkin spice martini which looked amazing! I had the large taco salad with the chili Colorado, tender and full of flavor. The chicken enchiladas as well are full of chicken that is tender and has a nice sweet and savory taste. Go and enjoy the friendly environment, lively atmosphere and great food! read more

See all

Food was Excellent both times we went there. As well as the service, worth the drive. read more

1-2-2026 I visited El Jinete Restaurant for the first time today upon the recommendation of a friend. He described a particular dish so well, that I had to try it! The restaurant is easy to get to, and there was plenty of street parking at the time I went (4pm). The restaurant was clean, well lit and very in tune with its Mexican heritage. Many nice items to make it feel cozy and the music was soft and nice. The wait staff was excellent, saw to our every need and brought the chips, salsa and bean/cheese dip. We didn't want any well drinks or cocktails. My friend ordered a taco/enchilada rice and bean combo. I ordered the El Pollo Crema, a velvety soft chicken breast sautéed in a heavenly cream sauce with sliced mushrooms and corn. I had them leave off the bell peppers. My order also came with rice and beans, but I opted out of the rice. Our orders were completed without too much of a wait, but know that the chicken dish took a little bit longer, but it was worth it! The plates were brought loaded down with food! My friend enjoyed the taco and enchiladas and my pollo dish was great! It was hot, the chicken was perfectly cook and kind of slivered. The Crema sauce was out of this world! I don't know what type of cream they used, but it had a slight kick to it. Not hot spicy...but tasty spicy. There was no way that either of us could finish our food, so we brought the remainder with us. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone going through Anacortes to the mainland or adjoining islands. read more

See all

It was ok, we had about 7 people and they put us in our own room which was nice. Food was a bit bland for me. read more

See all

Went in to escape the rain and have a drink and a snack. The whole place smelled like rancid oil when we walked in. We were brought chips and salsa immediately and the chips tasted like the rancid oil as well. I was going to order food but decided not to because I was afraid it would be cooked in the same nasty oil. We all know times are tough and costs are high but this was honestly the first time I've met a tortilla chip that was inedible. read more

This place was a total surprise. Not sure how the bad reviews got posted, but we loved this restaurant. We were looking for something different in Anacortes, and this place was great. Marisela was awesome and took great care of us. The Carne Asada was really good, and the Pollo Crema was outstanding. Skinny margaritas were wonderful! This place deserves better than 3.5 stars, but all I can advise is go try them yourselves, great food, great drinks and outstanding service. This place is a gem! read more

This is not only the best Mexican food but the BEST staff The chicken is very soft and flavorful. But the thing I like about it most is that the portions are nice-sized, but not those overly large - too many refried beans and Spanish rice - type plates served at so many other Mexican restaurants. Nice to have a local place to go. The atmosphere is nice and the wait staff is always friendly. read more

El Jinete Mexican Restaurant - Nightlife Near Me - Anacortes, Washington

See all

One of my favorite places to grab some food and a drink!! Good salsa, great people that work there also!!

First Phase 2 restaurant dining experience! Great service, delicious food, and relaxing atmosphere. I ordered cheese enchiladas and beans. I'm generally a fussy lady when it comes to enchiladas; these did not disappoint. Following the first bite, I hardly took a breath between bites. The margaritas definitely have a "premixed" in a bottle taste, but that's alright. The food was what mattered. Seating was appropriate to allow for safe social distancing. Employees wore masks. Much appreciated. read more

The people that work here are always super nice. Margaritas are great, personal favorite is the old fashion made with Patron. Food is typical Mexican American but the prices are great. read more

I took my mom, wife, and daughter here for dinner. It's mom's favorite place to go out to. Even though we have had bad experiences here we all kinda overlook it. Food being made rong, or poor attitudes from the staff. Accidents happen. No big deal, but we have had hair in are food lot more than once. They have comped the plate the hair was found in. This time when I took the fork out of my mouth and there was hair on it I said I'm not paying for any of the food. Because my daughter wouldn't eat any of her food after I had hair in my food. We could not be sure, after past incidents that there wasn't hair in all the other plates. I told them I would pay for everything and a tip, but I'm not paying for the food. Instead of comping the food they called the cops and tried to get me charged with theft for 20$. They do not wear hair nets, they do not care about the well-being of there customers. I over here the lashing in the back at a booth when he told the other worker what had happened. I have spent a lot of money there and no one I know will ever eat there again. My Mexico is a wonderful place with great service. Choose your favorite Spanish restaurant carefully. It's your piece of mind. Have a great meal! read more

We have eaten here in the past and the food was OK. It's been probably a year or so since we have been here. Tonight my husband had the chilli Colorado burrito and I had the chicken fajitas. There was absolutely no flavour in either of our dishes including the salsa and chips. We ordered some pico de gallo thinking that would be good but no joy. Also the atmosphere with bright lights at dinner time was not very nice. On a positive note the staff are nice and service was ok. read more

Second time we visited El Jinte this month! Excellent Mexican food... the Steak Fajita and Chicken Chimachanga are our favorites. Maxwell was our server both time, he is a treasure! read more

On our way back to Orcas Island, this place looked interesting from the outside, so... we stopped. Being from Texas, we never know what we're getting into... this place though... it exceeded our expectations! I had enchiladas, the boyfriend had shrimp chili relleno and both were excellent! If you're in the area and you want AUTHENTIC Mexican, stop in, ask for Greg, tell him his customers from Texas referred you. Then, get ready for your taste buds to be happy! read more

Great service There burrito was great Love the music There worker service was great and good read more

We love El Jinete. Food is always great & so is the service. Very pleasant & friendly staff- always there & always smiling. The food is flavorful & plenty of it in the servings. read more

This place is awesome!! The food and drinks are great and the service is speedy! I got the arroz con pollo, it was so tasty! I also had to try out their churros with strawberry sauce! They were the prefect ending to a fantastic meal. Will definitely go back! If you're in Anacortes definitely check them out read more

I am constantly looking for restaurants when I am on the road. Found one! My husband and I stopped here for a bite to eat after I had a job up in Anacortes. We love Mexican food. This place hit the mark? I had the chicken ala crema, great taste, made fresh. My husband had enchiladas verde, with pork, he loved it. I would have given 4 stars except for two things. Chips not so great, cleanliness. Place needs updating. read more

This is our go to restaurant. We eat here so often, the staff knows our drink order and brings it without me asking for it. We do try to vary the dishes we order, but I think the two enchilada and one taco combo is my favorite and my wife likes the large taco salad. We don't drink alcohol, but I have been told by several people their margaritas are the best in town. read more

Ordered chicken fajitas. The side dish came out with my husbands meal and about 5 min later they brought out the fajita chicken. The chicken was in small pieces, a few slices of onions and a few slices green pepper. There was no spice or taste to the chicken, pretty bland. My husband ordered Guadalajara omelette. He said it had more meat then my fajitas but was pretty bland. read more

El Jinete Mexican Restaurant - Nightlife Near Me - Anacortes, Washington

See all

Should went to Taco Bell. No flavor in the enchilada, rice, or beans. Appreciated the familiar Pace Picante salsa. This place is so un-mexican that Trump would allow it to stay in the country. Service is okay, beer is beer. Will hit Taco Bell on the way home. read more

Asked twice for chips and salsa because they brought a bottle of salsa and we wanted two. Never brought. Asked again. Didn't bring. However, the girl we asked did spend time chatting with her boyfriend and Instagram. Finally ordered food. She did however feed her boyfriend in the room next to us. Maybe she needs a different job. Then finally got food. Let manager know and he gave us the meal no charge which was not our goal so that was surprising. Great food. Photos posted and also the girl and her boyfriend chatting. read more

See all

OMG how does this place stay in business. The service was passable but the food is just awful. My wife ordered a burrito and enchilada combination and the only difference between the two was that one was corn and the other a flour tortilla both stuffed with dry shredded chicken and nothing else! Flavorless as we're my tacos. Shredded chicken and nothing else does not a meal make. In the 30 years we've lived here this is the worst so called Mexican we've ever had. Avoid this unless you want to go home disappointed! read more

Great Mexican food. Friendly servers and bartenders. We have been going here for over nine years.

great place for reasonable prices, try the carne asada fajitas. schooner margaritas are great to share.

We rolled late into Anacortes to pick someone up from the ferry at 8:30pm, so we had less than an hour to find a place to eat. While we didn't initially feel like having Mexican food, where we parked was curbside to El Jinete, so that's where we ended up going. Since we had arrived past the peak dinner hour, the restaurant wasn't too busy. We were seated promptly by a window table opposite the entrance. Fresh chips & salsa were immediately delivered to our table, as well as glasses of ice water. I love when a meal starts off on a positive note - and the prompt service definitely checks that box! Our server (whose name I can't remember) game not long after we received the aforementioned goodies, offering to take our drink order. They had several margaritas on their menu, ranging from $5.75 and up - and because I couldn't a) justify a $10 margarita and b) differentiate the alcohol/difference between the cheapest/most expensive margarita, I went with the cheapest. I did spring an extra $0.75 to get it peach flavored. I probably would have preferred it plain (which I can only assume is lime), but the peach was good. I had mind blended and there were no annoying ice chunks to clog my straw. The only thing missing from this margarita was a salted rim - I wasn't even asked if I wanted my margarita salted. So, taking off a 1/2 star. Hubby opted for a deluxe burrito, and I couldn't decide so I went for the taco/tamale combo plate. While waiting for our food (which came out expediently - in about 15 mins!) we noshed on the gratis chips & salsa. The chips weren't anything special, but the salsa was damn delicious. They bring it in a mini carafe for you to pour yourself into a stone bowl. I could have drank the salsa straight, it was THAT good. I ended up dumping some on my taco & tamale because I didn't want to waste any! Food came soon after, and dinner was good. My taco had delicious picadillo filling with shredded lettuce & tomato. The tamale was filled with a generous amount of shredded chicken, and the masa was perfectly tender and moist. The refried beans were just normal beans, baked with cheese on top. And the rice wasn't exactly memorable. Why the 4 star review? I think I synthesized some of my reasoning above. I couldn't give it 5 stars (it isn't), but I also couldn't give it 3 stars. I think it safely sits at the 3.5 star level but thanks to Yelp and no available .5 stars, they get an extra half star! read more

This is the best Mexican in A-town. The menu is your classic Mexican options including house specialties, combination platters, and entrees. The chips and salsa are solid. Fresh hot chips and the fresh and tasty salsa is served in a decanter allowing you to refill your salsa dish yourself as needed. You can't really go wrong with anything on the menu and most dishes are served with your standard refrieds and rice. There is often a beer or cocktail special and the service is friendly and fast. The restaurant is located in the heart of Old town and what more can you want from your local family Mexican restaurant. Es Bueno! Quench your thirst my friends. Cheers! read more

I honestly hope this is not the best Mexican food in Anacortes. Had dinner here. It was ok, but I had a hard time figuring out what to get without meat or cheese. I didn't ask if the beans had lard. Stayed "bliss"fully unaware. I ordered the Spanish burrito, without cheese. It was more like an enchilada and tasted more akin to something creole than something Mexican or Spanish. It wasn't something I would typically order since I'm not always fond of cooked bell peppers, but it was cheaper than getting a side of rice & beans. It was ok and hen I saw the taco salad my in-laws ordered I thought maybe that would have been a better bet. It was typical basic Mexican food, which left me thirsty for the rest of the evening. read more

Three of us went to dinner - one of three meals was good (Enchiladas Colorado), one was marginal, one was basically inedible (Pollo Crema) - it must have been made days prior or something. Service was laughable. Slow and non-responsive. When we mentioned that one of the meals was horrible, she just looked at us and shrugged. No apology, no credit, no discount, no free desert, no nothing. I hate it when I drop $70 on crap food and bad service. The beer was good. read more

Great little place. Authentic food and reasonably priced. We were celebrating with a margarita. Their version of the Pink Cadillac is wonderful! Check it out! read more

El Jinete Mexican Restaurant - Nightlife Near Me - Anacortes, Washington

My husband and I go here a ton. I always get their enchiladas. The food always comes out quickly and it's piping hot. The staff is friendly. Service is prompt. I've never left dissatisfied. They have decent chips and salsa. We get seated the second we walk in the door. Everyone is always smiling and laughing. Great atmosphere. read more

The puntas des res is the best dish I've had in a long time! Absolutely pleased with this restaurant!

Two stars for the service. My mom had a taco with ground beef I think Taco Bell has more meat based product in their taco. Margaritas were weak with fake lime juice and this foam on the top that would not go away. I agree the salsa was good. I will not be going back there anytime soon. If I was to go back I would look up the current health board review. read more

Fajitas subpar having alot of diced tomatoes in it ruins fajitas Small portions compared to other Mexican places. About the smallest side of sour cream and guac about 1 spoon full. Rice and beans again small portion. Girlfriend ordered tamales had so much spice in the masa couldnt taste it. I thought it was chicken.l but supposed to be pork. Deep fried ice cream smallest ever seen. Again a trend here. Probably won't be back rather go to agave. read more

Run South to the border not worth it at all dog chow food this is in no way Mexican food at all read more

El Jinete Mexican Restaurant - I think this is the food they use - Nightlife Near Me - Anacortes, Washington

Great salsa, prompt service, generous portions and yummy food. Can't go wrong. You can get a whole wheat tortilla and black beans substituted for a delicious healthy option. The restaurant is clean and the food is tasty. Great burritos!! The bar area is especially nice, Gretchen is a doll. read more

El Jinete Mexican Restaurant - Unlimited chips and Mama's lip-smacking homemade salsa! - Nightlife Near Me - Anacortes, Washington