Every once in a while you find a new restaurant in what I like to think of as "the Goldilocks zone"; just opened, full of optimism, everyone doing their best to impress, the culinary equivalent of "new car smell". Even the restrooms seem happy to see you. El Sirenito is one of these, a lovely hopeful offshoot of Fonda la Catrina next door, they stand a better chance of carrying that lovely optimism foreword (Fonda la Catrina is well-renown as the some of the best Mexican in town, and is obviously well-managed). Seafood-centric small plates garnish an impressive tequila, cocktail and wine list. The service is friendly, personal, and warm. Prices are reasonable. The cactus salad was an eye-opener: freshly pickled crisp nopalitos, mild soft cotija, avocado and onion. Gone are the mushy cactus bits, here to stay is fresh, crisp, tangy nummyness. Recommended! The shrimp taco was perfect, with cabbage, salsa verde and pickled onion. The Sopa was generous and rich, with a red broth, clams, tilapia, octopus, and fragrant masa. A squeeze of lime provided some brightness. The sardine appetizer was intensely salty, tangy and unctuous- the only suggestion I have for the entire meal was that they consider using bocharone instead of sardines for this dish, for a gentler flavor. You can't really ask for more, really. Come here for the relaxed service, excellent beverage selection, wonderful small bites (tapas lovers will get this place), inviting atmosphere and modern take on a timeless concept. They might not be in the Goldilocks zone forever, but I bet they remain pretty damned good for some time to come! A rare five star rating from this old Sous Chef. read more

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Giving this place two stars because the drinks were good and the place was cute. However, they should address some major issues. #1 There are massive amounts of flies in the patio. It was just 2-3 flies before we got our food but when food got there, I had a small cloud in front of me. I saw no fly traps anywhere, and when I asked the waiter for help, it took him forever to get there (we started moving before he arrived). He also didn't finish bringing drinks to the new table. So that brings me to issue #2. Service is mediocre. At least when I went it. Waiters barely came to check on us. We didn't get silverware and napkins when our food arrived, so we ended up getting up to ask for them. And finally, the food was not great. It's pretty bland. I had shrimp tacos and the tortillas were soggy and broke, so I had to eat the shrimp with a fork. Definitely won't be coming back read more

Our group (of 7) heard about this place because it was recently featured in The Seattle Time's "Top 20 Cheap Eats for 2016" (as seen here: http://www.seattletimes.com/life/top-20-new-cheap-eats-for-2016/); and boy, did it live up to that praise. Now, just as a preface: we showed up just before 7pm; parking around here was crazy, but don't fault that on this place -- it's just so dang popular (and amazing) that it makes *sense* that all of the parking is taken. Where else would everyone go on a Saturday night? As our first group of four (out of 7) showed up, the place was *packed*. There were no open tables, however there was a cluster of bar seats open, so we took those and hoped more would open up as the rest of our group came (it did, thankfully - there were folks after us who showed up and had to wait as long as *25 minutes* because of how popular this place was). Breaking this place down further: 1) APPETIZERS/MENU VARIETY: 8/10. The time difference between the first part of our group and the final three showing up was about 20 minutes (mostly due to the aforementioned parking situation), so we started off everything with a few orders of chips, salsa, and guacamole, as well as a Queso Asada (which is this cheese-like dish with sauce and fried crumbs; the Queso goes well with the chips). The first bowl of chips were fresh, as were the second, but the other side of the table reported the first set of chips to be less fresher than ours. Overall, lots of options for main dishes / starters (mostly related to fish, especially rockfish and shrimp), but only one option for dessert though, so rating takes a bit of a ding there. 2) DRINKS/ALCOHOL: 9/10. The alcohol selection was incredible - I wasn't down to drink anything harder than beer due to previous shenanigans that took place the night before, however three people in our party ordered the Margarita and all seemed to enjoy it. I had the Hefeweizen on draught, which was pretty good; others had also ordered the two lagers that were on tap and also enjoyed those as well. I also had a Mexican Coke (the bartender joked that I shouldn't call it Mexican while looking at him), which was as good as always, but it's $3; take that note as you will (I probably won't get it again but was curious as to how they served it). 3) SERVICE: 10/10. The bartender(possibly owner?) was incredibly personable, joking with us the entire time and managing all of the orders, as well as directing new barcomers to open tables, or getting their information for (the aforementioned lengthy) waitlist. While being incredibly busy, he was still able to check in with us fairly often; despite the food service being a little slow, there was a lot of great banter between him and our party, one even leading up to a free tequila shot for someone in our party. I'd definitely come back here just to try different types of drinks. The bartender who served us the entire night was also incredibly helpful in splitting the bill and double-checking all of the relevant costs, which a lot of places don't go out of their way to do - big thumbs up there! 4) FOOD/VALUE FOR MONEY: 9/10 / 8.5/10. The food was also fantastic - I had one shrimp taco, one rockfish taco, and the "pescadilla" (rockfish quesadilla), which seemed a lot more like a taco, but with the chips as the breading instead of a soft shell. All of them were amazing, and were well-priced, but because of the a-la-carte way the menu is structured, you spend a decent amount on food before realizing it (bill for me came out to $41 after tax/tip). This isn't a bad thing, given the massive quantity of food (great value for money!), however it *seems* cheaper than it is; so it's worth it to be mindful. OVERALL: 9.5/10. All in all, this was a great experience, both as a bar and as a place to get food. I'll give it a 9.5/10, since it's hard to find great authentic Mexican bars like this in Seattle (in contrast to the "TexMex" places that exist, as people in my party like to refer to other establishments); hopefully this place keeps doing what they're doing! NOTE: Doesn't take American Express, but not a dealbreaker by any means - just something good to keep note of. read more

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We live in the neighborhood and have frequented everyplace in this strip... I now consider this the only Mexican Restaurant on this strip. Don't get turned away by their small menu. Everything, is fantastic. The fish tacos are easily some of the best in the city. The Drinks are fantastic and the service is equally as fantastic. You're doing yourself a disservice if you pass up this place for a seat next door... read more

El Sirenito - Fish Tacos - yummy - Mexican Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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We've been thinking about trying this place for a while so we finally decided to have dinner there. I love the ambiance! It's a smaller, quieter place than the other Mexican restaurant we usually go to. We ordered chips and salsa. I like places that give chips and salsa complimentary, but here it's $4.The salsa is good but a tad oniony and the chips are good but a tad thick. I ordered a pescadilla and a goat cheese w/zucchini montadito. My boyfriend ordered the chorizo tacos sans onions. The pescadilla was not good. The fish inside was very small and very burnt. We sent it back and got a new order but it still wasn't very good. No flavor and very greasy. The montadito was OK. I don't know if I was a fan of the flavors but it was OK. I think it was the smoked salt on it that I didn't like, and that's just a personal dislike (smoked things). The chorizo tacos were good.They definitely don't skimp at all on the meat and cheese! They were very greasy, but they were good. All in all, great ambiance and service and food is alright. read more

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Go here for the soups! The broth is amazing!! I got the soup with clams and chorizo and that is my favorite thing on the menu. We also got tacos, calamari, and guacamole. I'd skip out on the appetizers and go straight to the soups. If you want tacos, get the crunchy ones. Their soft tacos tasted pretty standard, but still good nonetheless. The cactus was also really good. I wasn't impressed with their cocktails. I got the mezcal cocktail and I tried some of the margarita, neither were amazing, but I finished mine with no complaints. I'll definitely be back here for the soup. Other menu items were mediocre. read more

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Very good food! Had the rockfish tacos and chips with guacamole and salsa. Just the right amount of heat in the spice of the food. Quite delicious. Will definitely come back again. The music is a trifle loud for me in general but not obnoxiously so. read more

We've been here several times. The margaritas are fantastic. Mezcal place, no tequila, so the riff-raff will stay away. Food has a freshness you can taste. It can be a little loud so you may have to hear the tables next to you yelling at each other just to have a conversation. That means you may have to hear someone talking about how we should have let the South scede and become there own country like Gilead. Ugh, turn the music down. I don't want to hear that shit. read more

We love coming to Georgetown because there are so many places to eat and drink. One of our best spots is this place. We like to sit at the bar and order our favorite drinks, so far I've had the Sirenito margarita made with reposado tequila and the Sombra Margarita made with mezcal. You can't go wrong with any of these choices. Our favorite thing to eat here are the ostiones fritos (fried oysters) served with chive aioli and cocktail sauce. They are crunchy on the outside and so yummy soft on the inside. What a delicacy! So far we haven't ventured outside of these items because we love them so much. On warmer days you can sit out on the patio which is very nice and relaxing and listen to music. This place is 21 and over only so come on down and enjoy an afternoon or evening out. read more

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Good ambiance with candles, I went on a Friday so I had the Al pastor tacos. The tacos were amazing with some good sauce. The waiter also came fast, and she was kind for waiting for me and my family to order. read more

FOOD & COCKTAILS ARE BLAND. I met my father here for dinner. They asked him if he wanted chips and salsa w guacamole before he could look at the menu, but neglected tell him it was $9. The guac was teeny tiny. Every single thing we ordered had ZERO flavor. The margaritas(didn't even finish), ceviche, pescadillas, carne asada, ahi tuna tostada all were VERY disappointing. Sadly we wasted $100 and left feeling extremely underwhelmed. Service was eh. Skip this place. The other 5 star reviews were probably friends of people that work there. When I asked the server about the $9 chips, she arrogantly said, " I don't tell people the price because I don't want to make assumptions about what they can afford." OR how about you be clear with your customer since chips are normally complimentary. It's not about what people can afford, it's about giving them the choice whether they want to pay for something or not. read more

Service was very bad, to the point where everyone at our table (who have all worked service jobs) spent various amounts of time having full length conversations about the things they were observing and how off putting it was. We generally agreed that what we were seeing was likely the result of employees who did not care anymore and probably were "done" with management there, as opposed to just being bad employees. Food was OK at best, several dishes were left unfinished but most of the food was eaten. Fish tacos did not even get finished as no one wanted the last couple halves that were there, just not good enough to gorge on I guess. The non-fish stuff was fine, but over-salted and kind of bland. Decor and interior was fine, nothing special, but the outside seating space was nice enough. Would have been good for them to actually turn on the heaters for us, but this feeds back into lack of service. They had the heaters on for the only other table that was there when we sat down, but never turned them on for our table. Menu is a mess, they really need to be more specific with what their dishes actually are. Substituting fried fish for fresh fish or visa versa and not saying that specifically on the menu is always going to result in mixed experiences for people, even more so when the deep fired foods are battered. It would also be good to actually label what is gluten free and what isn't to prevent food being ordered that cant be eaten and then having to charge the customer for food they cant eat because you didn't label it on your menu and didn't think to offer up the information when directly asked about it. Finally, we are fairly confident that we got food poisoning from this food. Cant specifically say this was it, but fairly sure. read more

This place also has a restaurant with traditional dishes but we sat on the bar side which has a smaller menu. I ordered, chips, salsa, guacamole and the fish tacos. Salsa and guacamole had great flavors! The fish tacos were so yummy, of course messy but there tacos so I expect nothing less. The sauce they put on it adds great flavor! The menu is pretty small, so I'd definitely look at that before coming here to make sure they have something you'd like! It can get pretty loud in there just so you know what to expect. read more

El Sirenito - Mexican Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I've only eaten here once but the fish tacos I had were probably the BEST I've ever had! And I grew up in SoCal with lots of access to fish tacos! The fish fillets were fried perfectly, seasoned just right, and the tacos were filled with just the right amount of filling and accoutrements. I don't even remember what it all included--just know that it was super tasty. And the tortillas were sooooooo good. Wow. Again, best I've ever had. I have to get back here and eat these divine tacos again. read more

After walking 20min, there's no service bring up one cup of water, no one said hi, no one give a menu. Why open a business when you don't give a shit of your customers? read more

El Sirenito - Mexican Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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I came here on a suggestion from family and I have no regrets. This location is definitely a bit isolated, being in the industrial district, but it's worth it! It is a tequila bar and restaurant so I'll definitely say that if you don't like tequila it may not be the optimal place for drinks though they do have a few other drink options. If you do like tequila, like me, definitely come here. They have fun twists on classics like a spicy margarita as well as tequila flights or traditional cocktails like a Paloma (which was delicious and well balanced). They also have a heated, covered outdoor patio in the back and it's a really beautiful space. The friends with me got the tacos as well as the calamari fries and everyone was happy with their choices! Their menu isn't huge but definitely has something to satisfy everyone. Definitely will come back! read more

Best margaritas I've ever had! Anywhere, ever. Incredible guacamole, and homemade chips. My husband and I have done many times. Great service as well. read more

LOVED the fact they highlight Mezcal - they make some great drinks that are not run of the mill. The food was very tasty - if you're looking for a vast menu with large quantities, maybe keep looking. These dishes are more tapas/appetizer sized. We had shrimp tacos and marinated port tacos. With Chips and salsa. Super good all the way around. Our neighbors had the fundito and that looked really tasty - must try that. read more

when the fri evening fates grant you a parking spot right on airport way in the thick of the georgetown business district, you're not only grateful but you return the favor in kind by patronizing businesses right there. since i'd already been to fonda la catrina, and the special next door at el sirenito looked tasty, that's where we landed. ten minutes later, i had a house margarita in hand and had sealed the deal by ordering said bacalao. there was definitely an end of the week vibe going on but nothing too rowdy. tables of people all happy to be shaking off the week and welcoming the weekend. our food was good and the drinks were potent. the server was congenial, kept checking back to make sure we were happy or if we needed anything. i actually liked el sirenito better than its sister next door. both have good food but for some reason el sirenito seems less pretentious than fonda la catrina. i also liked the lengthy drink options at el sirenito--they have a mezcal list a mile long as well as some interesting mixed drinks, what you'd expect canned beers (tecate?! haven't seen that in a good long while, but ok) and a nice array of wines. we left happy. good portion size, good flavor, good service and no effort on street parking. it seemed to bode well for the weekend! read more

El Sirenito - fri night special - Mexican Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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The food/drinks here are great, and they are good people. However, they've always struggled with hosting. The Covid situation, I think, has only made it worse. On Friday, 3/5, my girlfriend and I were in a celebratory mood as she'd just gotten vaccinated. Felt like tacos and margaritas to celebrate, so we called ahead and they said they'd be able to seat us on the patio in 20 minutes. We got there in more like 18 or so. The host asked if we had a reservation, we said yes, he found our name and said it would be another half-hour. Which is not really how a "reservation" is supposed to work, but I figured, it's Friday, they're busy, and everyone wants to be on the patio. No big deal. He took my number down and said he'd call when a table is available. So we went next door to Brass Works, grabbed a drink and some tots. The half-hour went by. 45 minutes went by. Finally, we figured we'd go back over to Sirenito and wait by the door. Checked in with the host again, and we were told we were the next table. I told him no problem and waited there at the door. 10 minutes later, went back in, checked in with him yet again, and was told the table had paid and they'd have us sat down as soon as they left. Another 10 minutes went by. Then I felt my pocket buzz and noticed they'd just called me, so I immediately rushed back in only to find they'd given our table to another couple. When I asked for an explanation, he said I didn't answer the phone. But I mean, I was standing right there. I'd talked to him three times. A manager came over and said rather bluntly that the staff doesn't have time to call for names at the door and so they only call people. That made no sense to me...the time it takes to dial my number and wait for me to answer takes twice as long as walking the 10 feet over to where I'm standing. She said it would be a while before another table opened. So nearly two hours after I initially thought I'd be sitting down, I instead left to go find sustenance elsewhere. So yeah, when you go here, be prepared to wait and don't miss that call. read more

Hooray, just found the best fish taco in Seattle!! The corn tortilla is so good! Then the fish is perfectly battered and cooked. It's topped with a pile of cabbage, pickled onions, and radish. Soo delicious, I wish I could have one every day! Ok too if the amazing taco, the drinks, guac, and atmosphere are wonderful. Go, order the fish taco, and enjoy! read more

El Sirenito - Best fish tacos here I come! - Mexican Near Me - Seattle, Washington

After I left my original review, I get a back handed comment from probably the owner. Not really a good response to a bad review. I figured I'd share it with the audience. read more

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Top notch... Stopped in last night for a little Happy Hour action with a co-worker. We were both super impressed with the food and service. The menu is rather limited but, I would rather dine at a place with a limited menu that is done extremely well, than a shotgun menu. The salsa which came with the chips was so good I wanted to drink it. Seriously... This is worth a trip. Checkit you for yourselves and I have no doubts you'll agree. read more

Fonda la Catrina's sister restaurant, located right next to each other, both great restaurants. The Mezcal selection is Amazing and well put together. It is rare to find a place in Seattle that serves good food and good mezcal. The Mezcal is served with "sal de gusano" and orange slices. Which is also very rare in Seattle. The proper way of drinking and enjoying mezcal is when it's pared with "sal de gusano", grasshopper salt (they have both) and orange slices. In regards to food, here are my recommendations: Start with your food experience with the Sardina montaditos, order a shot of Tobala mezcal with its pairings. (this is your appetizer) Order the fish taco and add some of their house green sauce (to die for), and the grilled queso (this is your entree) or the grilled octopus. Finish it off a Jalisco Sour! You won't regret it :) If you want to try various mezcal selections, check out their "Mezcal Wednesdays". Service is always great, place is clean and open late. read more

Beautiful covered and heated deck, friendly service, and DELICIOUS food. Guac, queso with chilis, and mouth-watering seafood tacos. Did I forget to mention the amazing Cadillac margarita? Go! You won't have regret. read more

If I could give 3.5 stars I would. I would give 5 stars if our service would have been better. My bf and I came for a quick dinner, thinking maybe we could order to go. Turns out they don't do take out but that was okay with us. Our server, Zach, made it seem like we asked the dumbest question ever though when we did ask, which was kinda rude. We had the fish tacos and shrimp tacos and an order of chips with salsa and guac. Both tacos were so good, the fish being my favorite. Everything was super fresh. The chips were a little thick for me and the salsa was kinda too tomatoey and smushy but the guac was great. It did seem a little overpriced though, $7 for the chips salsa and guac. The tacos were a great deal though for what you got and the freshness. We wanted to take the chips to go since we couldn't finish them, but when we asked if they had small boxes, our waiter looked at us like we were crazy again and said in kind of a snotty tone "no we don't have those" and he seemed annoyed that we asked again. Sorry y'all are too good for take out. Overall, the food is delicious and fresh and I do want to come back and try other items on the menu and drinks. Service was lackluster for us though, our waiter having no personality besides being slightly rude at certain points in time. Hopefully we'll have better service next time. read more

El Sirenito - Rockcod and gulf shrimp tacos - Mexican Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Margaritas and mezcal selection here are fantastic! The japeleno margarita is definitely among the tastiest that have touched my tongue (i.e. not to sweet, and legit spicy). The sangrita (spicy tomato juice) that comes as a palate cleanser with the mezcal flights is delightfully fresh with a little bit of spice. Unfortunately for me, the food seems to be hit or miss. The chips and salsa are not free and are not a large portion, but I do always enjoy the thick chips and the serving size is right for 2 people to share as an appetizer. If you're not eating anything else, you'd still be hungry (although we did not ask for a refill on chips, so am not sure what is their policy on refills). I remember having the queso fundito with chorizo on a previous visit, and the flavors were sooo gooood. I'm now pescatarian, so on my most recent visit, I had the calabazita tacos with shrimp. The calabazita was super bland, and there was only one average-sized shrimp on each taco. At +$2/taco, not a worthwhile addition for me. Service was leisurely but very gracious! Will definitely be back for drinks, but will probably hold off on food unless the vegetarian side of the menu gets updated. read more

Popped in on a Friday night around 7 for the first time. The food is fantastic and filled with fresh seafood. The plates claim to be small but didn't seem all that small to me. The stand out dish to me was the soup, which was deep in flavor and heavy on the seafood. El Sirenito feels spacious and classy inside. The space is clean and minimal - plus there's an amazing outdoor space with a fire pit! I'll definitely be back! read more

El Sirenito - Soup with rockfish, shrimp, clam and octopus. Sardine and zucchini "Montaditos" on Macrina bread - Mexican Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Another great Georgetown place. The fish tacos are some of the best I have eaten. Fresh fish, great batter, cabbage and sauce on a fresh tortilla. Nice atmosphere, great service and a good drink menu. Well worth trying out. read more

Great spot for late-night eating and drinking. The price however is on the higher end for the portion size and quality. Loved the outdoor patio! Great vibe. read more

Nice bar with lots of appetizer selections and drinks. Not a large place by any means. Has an outdoor patio and indoor art exhibit which you can purchase. Our waiter was nice and all the food was delicious! read more

Very good unique Mexican food ! Love the tequila flights. Would love the patio this summer!

This restaurant is nothing short of amazing. We have searched for a good "mariscos" restaurant for a while and have finally found it at El Sirenito. The mezcal margaritas were delicious. Everything is small plates and shareable. We ordered the Ceviche, Coctel, Carne Asada & pescado seafood tacos. Every bite of food was delicious. All the small details to the combination of flavors were appreciated and didn't go unnoticed. I highly recommend this restaurant. read more

El Sirenito - Ceviche - Mexican Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Dropped in here on a busy Friday night. Ordered tacos and a margarita. Both were good. That's not why I'm leaving this review though. I have a peanut allergy and a lot of restaurants act so nonchalant or careless that I spend a lot of my meal wondering if I'm going to have an allergic reaction. I can't remember a place I've been to recently that has actually made me feel as if they really cared that I had a peanut allergy. The waiter and kitchen were great at accommodating me, to the point that I felt bad they were so concerned. Will definitely be back. Especially given the servers at the place next door couldn't care less about my food allergies. read more

The chorizo tacos were huge and delicious. We also thought the chips were fresh and tasty, but too thick in our opinion. Unfortunately the ceviche didn't taste fresh, but the flavor and strength of the margarita sort of hid that. read more

I've loved this place since it opened. Their cocktails are fantastic, and the shrimp tacos are a must. We just went for the first time during the pandemic, and I was so impressed with their outdoor space! It's covered but still open for airflow, there are dividers between the spaced tables, and there were enough heaters that I actually took my jacket off on a cold night. Probably the best COVID date night restaurant out there. read more

- Food is unique and delicious - seafood, no gut bombs here! - As of today, we can always get in - Atmosphere - the people, the space...it's got it all and great patio too! - It's in our hood - Mezcal!! So many, so good! read more

Wow, impressed! I am not a Mexican cuisine fan, but this place has some ass kicking tacos! Drinks are strong and tasty, their chips are house made, so crunchy. Price is also reasonable, very packed at night. Come in early! read more

El Sirenito - Mexican Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Well we tried this little place after a day at the museum of flight yesterday and i was sadly disappointed. We should have gone back to Fonda. We sat outside and the server was slow from start to finish. The waitress had 2 other tables besides us and she more interested in talking to her friend then serving anyone. The food was ok, and everything took a long time to get. Not worth the slow service for carne asado tacos. They also charge extra for everything, more salsa, extra! Sorry but the margaritas were ok. read more

This was my first and last time at this place. First, let me say the atmosphere is nice & waitstaff is very attentive and efficient. However, the food is bland and tasteless (other than overpowering lime) maybe this is why they bring a slew of hot sauce bottles with your order. Seemed like we ordered half the menu and all of it was just "blah" ... there was nothing we tried that was particularly enjoyable or at all flavorful, which was disappointing based on the other positive reviews and the promising presentation that has enticed us. Our party left feeling gypped and still hungry, because we had essentially spent almost a hundred dollars on underwhelming appetizers (including $9 chips & salsa). I'm highly suspicious of some of these other raving reviews, because I would much more highly recommended going to Matador where the chips and salsa are free and amazing and the entire $5 happy hour is not only incredible value but actually delicious. read more

El Sirenito - Meh. - Mexican Near Me - Seattle, Washington