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    Frelard Tamales

    4.7 (427 reviews)
    InexpensiveMexican
    Closed 11:00 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    Frelard Tamales Photos

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    FRELARD TAMALES ATMOSPHERE

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    Recommended Reviews - Frelard Tamales

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    Chicken tacos and a side of rice and beans (combo meal).  Not worth it.
    Ismael P.

    In the mood for tacos and drove by, so I gave it a try. Disappointed. The tacos are average and so was the service. Although the place was nice and cozy! If you decide to try it, avoid the tacos and go for the tamales.

    Vegan power bowl
    Archie P.

    The restaurant is super spacious and well lit from all of the windows. There's nice music playing in the background and tons of seating. The staff is pretty quick to get your food in. The rice and beans are delicious. I ordered the Sweet potato mole. Their masa ratios are perfect. The tamal wasn't dry or lacking filling. My only critique was of the filling. I couldn't taste the Mole at all because the sweet potato flavor was so strong. I think a regular potato could be delicious and really let the mole shine. Definitely a nice spot to eat and hangout!

    Brian H.

    Yes, I know we're on a taco tour, but this is my detour indulgence. Frelard isn't just about tacos - it's home to Seattle's beloved walk-up tamale window that locals line up for, rain or shine. Inside you'll find a cavernous dining room with more tables than you'd expect, plus a couple of outdoor patio spots for that true PNW sun-chasing vibe. I went straight for their handmade tamales - the earthy richness of a Sweet Potato Mole alongside a decadent Pork Belly wrapped in Mango Salsa. To keep it balanced, I washed it down with a Watermelon Agua Fresca, their house horchata, and even a refreshing mocktail.

    Menu
    Michael X.

    I was in the Ballard area and was looking for a place to check out, and Frelard Tamales popped on my radar. I am a big fan of tamales and was excited to try them at Frelard as the community seems to rate this restaurant well - so we went on a Sunday around dinner time (7PM) and were promptly seated. The restaurant itself is located on a corner of a busy intersection - I wasn't sure on my visit if there was reserved restaurant parking, so I parked a block and half away and walked to the restaurant. I can see it being very difficult to find parking on a busy time of day, so do note that when stopping by. The restaurant itself is casual ambiance wise, there is a bar at the back of the restaurant when you first enter - there are rows of tables and you are allowed to seat yourself. There are QR code menus at each table, but ordering is done through a waiter. We waited about 10 - 15 minutes for our food. I got the one tamale plate with an extra tamale ($16 for plate + $8 for extra tamale = $24) - two flavors being chicken mole and salsa roja pork. You also get an option of two salsa over the tamales - the salsa roja and salsa verde - I thought it was a bit funny that even the waiter was like "The roja isn't spicy at all don't worry about it". The tamales themselves are decent, though they definitely aren't the most flavorful tamales I have had. I was hoping for more fragrance in the tamale and even a bit more salt in the dough part, as the overall taste profile fell a bit flat and had to be hard carried by the filling. I think my favorite out of the two was the salsa roja pork as it had the deeper and harder hitting flavor out of the two tamales. The rice and beans were seasoned decently, and the pickled vegetables were a nice touch. I did see some other reviewers mentioned that the portions are too large but I thought that if you are really hungry, you will spend $24 and still leave hungry. In the end, I think Frelard Tamales is an OK establishment if you are looking to try tamales. Personally, I think I was a bit disappointed with the tamales that I have received at Frelard Tamales, the flavor was a bit lacking from what I expected from a Mexican restaurant. I do think it leans on the pricier side as I have got tamales that were on the cheaper side that had a better blend of flavors. But I could see this being catered more towards a generally safe place to go to if you are looking to please a wide variety of people. This could have been my experience for the day, so also feel free to try it and see for yourself.

    Salsa Roja Pork Tamale and Chicken Mole 2 tamale plate
    Crystal H.

    Frelard Tamales is attached to El Suenito brewery but you can just order food if you want. They have daily tamale specials and a variety of core tamales. There's also other Mexican dishes but given their name, seems like they're known for their tamales! We ordered two tamales plate, so it comes with rice, beans, and pickled vegetables (carrots). We ordered their crema and cotija on the side. I really like their salsa roja chicken, it was so flavorful. Their chicken mole was good too but the salsa over powered the mole. Their salsa is just so good. Tamales came out nice and piping hot already unwrapped. Presentation is pretty nice too!

    Salsa Roja Pork Tamale
    Ben F.

    Love it. New fave. Finally got a chance to sit down. We sat outside on a sunny Monday afternoon. The food is exceptional. Traditional but still unique.

    Pam W.

    This is one of our favorite Mexican restaurants in Seattle! Their tamales are perfectly rich and flavorful. We also really love their tacos - they're always packed with ingredients. The pork, in particular, is consistently very tender and juicy. The service is friendly and nice, and they're great at explaining things we don't understand. Plus, it's very fast! They also host events, but we haven't had a chance to attend. It's a lively spot to grab a light bite, perfect for weekday evenings when you're feeling too lazy to cook. (The food pictures are take-out)

    Salsa Roja Pork Tamale
    Nate H.

    I've been a Frelard Tamales loyalist for years, so I knew that when they moved into their new spot AND had beers, that it was destiny for me to love it. And I was not disappointed... I was fired up to see that the place was poppin' when I came in, love to see a new restaurant thriving in The Center of the Universe. Being able to order a full tamale meal and sit down with them is a game changer for the overall tamale experience. The presentation (see picture) takes it to a different level. They let you pick between green or red sauce and absolutely drown these tamales in them. They also open up the corn husk for you so you don't have to play any games, straight to business. Same tamales as always, packed with a flavor punch right to the face, and absolutely stuffed with meat or veggies. The rice and beans were also fantastic, turning this meal into a masterpiece. We also ordered the chips and guacamole. The guacamole was very good, and the chips seemed to be homemade as well. They were a little bit hard though, so I wouldn't recommend those to the dentally challenged. That would be my only critique, but not worthy of a deduction of a star. The vibery is also top notch here, I would come just to hang out and have a beer as well. It looks like they're also putting on a bunch of events in the community that look like a blast. Well done, Frelard Tamales .

    Giante burrito

    Mixed Feelings After Years of Loyalty As a longtime Seattle resident and vegan, I've been frequenting Frelard Tamales since their Green Lake days--usually sticking to their tamales, beans, and rice, which were reliably satisfying. I was excited to discover their Fremont location recently and had a good first experience with the vegan al Pastor tacos. Flavorful, comforting, and aligned with what I've come to expect. However, my most recent visit left me disappointed. After receiving a promotional text (which I don't recall opting into), I stopped by to try their weekend special: the gigantic burrito with vegan mushrooms. I wasn't aware that the mushrooms came in a barbecue-style preparation, which drastically shifted the flavor profile--unexpected for a Mexican dish, but I'll own that oversight. The chips and salsa were a letdown. The chips were unusually thick, overcooked, and had a texture unlike any tortilla chip I've encountered in 45 years. The salsa tasted generic, like something from a bulk store--not bad, but not memorable. The burrito itself was a tale of two halves. The first was tolerable despite the barbecue flavor, but the second half contained mushrooms that were nearly raw and unpleasantly chewy. I had to discreetly spit out several bites, which is not something I take lightly. I shared my concerns with the waitress calmly and respectfully. She still charged me the full amount, and when I expressed disappointment afterward, she admitted she was new and unsure how to respond. I suggested she pass the feedback to a manager, but it didn't seem like that would happen. I also noticed other tables waiting long stretches for food, and overheard a nearby diner mention understaffing--something I unfortunately observed firsthand. The Fremont space is lovely, but the experience felt misaligned with what a restaurant should prioritize: quality food and attentive service. It seems the business may be more focused on cultural programming and community events than on delivering a consistent, satisfying dining experience. While I appreciate their broader mission, I hope they recalibrate to ensure that the basics--flavor, texture, and hospitality--aren't overlooked.

    Vegetarian nachos
    Karishma A.

    **vegetarian review** Lemme start off by I like frelard tamales and have often done take outs for tamales and enjoyed that. I plan to still do that in future. The jalapeno cheese tamale is sooo good. The review here is for my in store meal for non tamale items. Personally I thought non tamale items are little underwhelming. To me they were pricey and not as flavourful. The nachos here were very basic for $14 without added proteins $6 for mushrooms. To me lack of any veggies like onions and tomatoes or some sauce - left this to mainly carry the flavour of refried beans and cheese. The special quesadillas were $13 for 2 taco size quesadillas with squash blossom and cheese. This was little different than other places but still felt expensive. The service was good and the place had awesome atmosphere . I guess tamales set the bar high so I was expecting more ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

    Delicious tamales and the rice and beans are fantastic! I ate everything and left quite full!
    Alden C.

    It's time to write about the Frelard Tamales side of the business at El Suenito Brewing. The original location is in Bellingham and we were just thrilled to see that another location opened up so much closer to us to enjoy. I mean we love going to Bellingham but realistically we make it up there about once a year if we are lucky. So with a much closer location for us it wasn't long before we went here to enjoy the beer and the totally awesome tamales once again. We had some regular horchata to drink and a horchata type beer both were wonderful. But then I got the Salaa Rojas tamale and the Jalapeño Cheese tamale and that was all I needed to go over the moon in foodie bliss. The rice and beans that came with the tamales were excellent and I devoured everything and left pretty full. I probably should have gotten just one tamale but my gluttony for this wonderful food made sure I ordered two. Definitely some impressive tamales and I highly recommend!

    Sweet Potato Mole tamal combo with salsa verde
    Maggie B.

    Sooo excited to have this awesome place in Fremont. It's dangerously close to my apartment so I might be a frequent customer soon. We tried the Fajita Veggie Tamal and the Sweet Potato Mole Tamal and made them both a meal with rice and beans. Highly recommend making it a meal! We loved the rice and beans and pickled veggies! It was the perfect amount of food because these tamales are BIG. The sweet potato mole one was our favorite but the fajita veggie was solid too. They have lots of vegetarian options which I love! I was a bit confused about the rotating flavors. There are 3 rotating flavors but they only serve one of the 3 each day. I thought it meant that they rotate seasonally so I was disappointed that I couldn't try the spinach flavor. But I'll be back. We took our friends from out of town here and they asked us to go back again before they left!

    Emily T.

    These tamales were soo tasty! And the price is very reasonable! My husband and I made a stop here to grab some food so we could enjoy at Greenlake! We found parking on the street across the way. It's a small window where you can order and take it to go. We had the lunch special which came with a tamale of choice and rice and beans. I got the salsa roja pork and my husband got the chicken mole. We also ordered chips and guac and a watermelon agua fresca (the largest size which strangely had a lid with no straw hole so we had to drink it without the lid), and they sold tres lecheria tres leches cake so we bought one of those to try out! It was a hearty meal for sure! The tamales were very good and the rice and beans made a nice accompaniment. Really enjoyed our meal and would come back again!

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    Best tamales I've ever had. Hands down. Ambiance could be improved. Service was confusing, no drink refills.

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    Just got their from-scratch pozole for the Fremont Soupocalypse--utterly delicious and generous portion too!

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    Page 1 of 11

    Ask the Community - Frelard Tamales

    Any outdoor seating nearby?

    Greenlake park has lots of seating and picnic options and is 3-4 blocks away.

    Is there any cilantro used in your tamales?

    I can't speak to the official answer, but I'm extremely cilantro averse and happy to say I did not see or taste any cilantro in the tamales when I ordered a variety of their styles this week!

    Are your tamales made with fresh masa? If so do you have fresh masa available for purchase?

    Yes our tamales are made with fresh masa. Unfortunately, we do not sell our masa.

    What kind of masa do you use? Organic or at least non-GMO?

    Hi Ricardo: our masa is neither at this time. We have tested two organic corn flour brands but neither have provided the results we desired. We still hope to find a good replacement in the near future.

    What is the white stuff on top of some of the tamales?

    I think you’re referring to the pictures showing the tamales with Mexican sour cream on them. We don’t put it on the tamale, we pack it on the side for you to enjoy at your own pace or you can skip it entirely.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Fogón Cocina Mexicana - Complimentary Bean Tostada

    Fogón Cocina Mexicana

    4.4(2.1k reviews)
    3.0 miCapitol Hill
    $$

    Excellent selection, accommodating and communicative staff, lively environment still suitable for…read moresmall talk

    We recently made it back to Fogon Cocina Mexicana for dinner after a long, we had earlier gotten…read moretakeout only during the pandemic. We loved the vibes, the food and the service so much we made it back here for dinner again within a week. Our first time here we got Tacos Cameron, and Pollo Asado. We were served a complimentary Bean Tostada that was a great start to our meal. I loved the Shrimp tacos, one of the best I have had in the Seattle area. The Pollo Asado was good, so were the rice and beans that came with it. We asked them if they had a house hot sauce and we were given a spicy salsa that we loved. We finished our meal with a Choco Flan. It was delicious and huge, we couldn't finish it. Our second time we decided to try different items, and got Quesadilla Fritas, and Pescado Frito. It was my first time having Quesadilla Fritas, I got it with chorizo y papas and I enjoyed it. We absolutely loved Pescado Frito, the whole tilapia was fried perfectly, it's one of the best items we have had anywhere in a long time. We were told it is one of their best seller menu items and we got the last fish for the night. All their ingredients are so fresh, it elevates the meal. We finished our meal with Flan. It was delicious, perfect end to our meal.

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    Fogón Cocina Mexicana - Inside

    Inside

    Fogón Cocina Mexicana - Happy Hour Quesadillas Fritas

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    Koko's - Guacamole Chips & Salsa

    Koko's

    4.4(191 reviews)
    3.3 miFirst Hill

    The carnitas sliders, recommended by the bartender, were FABULOUS!! As was the Lime Mojito with…read moreadded dragonfruit flavoring-- I've never liked a mojito before this one! Service was great, vibe was great and comfortable. Recommend!

    such a cute spot for delicious mexican food and tasty cocktails in seattle. the vibes are…read moredefinitely more upscale and moody, so this is one of those places that i'd say is good for a girls night out, date night, or just showing visitors around. service is great, our waiter was super sweet and helpful. the staff also cleared our table pretty swiftly and even offered us new plates at one point, which i really appreciated. one of my friends also came here for her birthday and she got a little something on the house, so i can definitely say service is top-notch! foodwise, even though koko's is more expensive than your average mexican spot (you're totally paying for ambiance and service too though), the portions are heaping. i barely finished my enchiladas and all of my friends took their meals to-go. (those burritos are massive omg.) the mole enchiladas were SOOO good, as were the cashew poblano enchiladas. their sauces are so yummy and the presentation was on-point for both enchiladas. i also had a bite of my friend's carne en morita which is a slow cooked pork dish, and i was obsessed. the only thing i'd say to pass on would be the tacos. drinks were also great and had amazing presentation. i was very satisfied with my carajillo and my friend's passion fruit mojito was also very tasty (you could NOT taste the alc in it i swear) overall, koko's is a great spot if you're looking to dress up for a cute night out but also craving some tasty mexican food.

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    Koko's - Mocktail Marg

    Mocktail Marg

    Koko's - Chorizo Guacamole Burger

    Chorizo Guacamole Burger

    Koko's - Happy Hour Koko Margarita

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    Pancita - Beef brisket suadero tacos

    Pancita

    4.5(92 reviews)
    3.1 miRavenna

    Excellent! The food, service and ambiance were all top notch. I love how cozy the corner restaurant…read moreis. The food was delicious- we started with the sourdough, then the Caesar, brisket tacos and finally the chorizo-stuffed trout. All of the ingredients were high quality and prepared perfectly. We loved every bite and will absolutely be back.

    I really, really wanted to like this place. We'd heard through word of mouth that they were serving…read moredishes straight out of Mexico City, so on a whim one Friday night, my partner and I grabbed a 7:45 reservation--which, honestly, might've been the first sign. I'm usually a fan of a smaller, curated menu because it suggests care in sourcing and execution. But for us, the execution just didn't land. Everything is served family-style, but the portion sizes didn't justify the price point. We started with the sourdough and butter spread, and it was a letdown right away. The bread was hard as a rock, and the butter--while sounding interesting--came slightly burnt and didn't feel worth $11 for two pieces. Next was the albacore tuna tostada. As someone who travels to Mexico City often, I was genuinely excited for this. But it leaned heavily on avocado, with barely any tuna to balance it out. For $25 and only two tostadas, it felt pretty stingy. The rapini quesadilla sounded promising but ended up tasting mostly like broccolini and mushrooms--nothing that really stood out or justified the dish. We finished with the 21-day dry-aged steak, which, at $59, felt like it should've been a highlight. Unfortunately, it missed the mark. It came out essentially raw, which I didn't mind in theory, but it was incredibly chewy and lacked flavor. It was difficult to cut and even harder to enjoy. The tortillas were nice, and the demi-glaze had potential, but overall it just didn't come together. Even the refried beans on the side were underwhelming--something you could easily find done better at a casual spot. On the bright side, the mezcal margarita with a tajín rim was excellent--well-balanced and probably the highlight of the night. And the service was warm and attentive, which I appreciated. But overall, for the prices and the hype, this place just didn't do it for me. Maybe we ordered wrong, but I've had much better elsewhere. I hate to say it, but I probably won't be back.

    Photos
    Pancita - Interior

    Interior

    Pancita - Grilled pork chop with pipian verde, salsa macha, trumpet mushroom, beech mushroom, charred onion, scallion, garlic scrape and cilantro

    Grilled pork chop with pipian verde, salsa macha, trumpet mushroom, beech mushroom, charred onion, scallion, garlic scrape and cilantro

    Pancita - Earl Grey Horchata

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    Maiz Molino - Dip sampler

    Maiz Molino

    4.4(125 reviews)
    2.6 miDenny Triangle
    $$

    Went back to Maiz Molino recently on a Sunday night for dinner w/ friends. I was disappointed to…read moresee that the menu has changed a lot (and not just seasonally, but just a completely different menu) since the last time I visited (maybe a year ago or so). Before it seemed like Maiz Molino was focusing on elevated, unique Mexican dishes (shown in the pics in my prior review such as short rib, and other sort of "fusion" dishes, and more seafood focused, etc.) Now, the menu seems way more generic and casual like enchiladas, tacos, quesadillas, tamales, etc. just offered w/ different proteins. They are still focusing on maiz but just a bit more generic in the preparation and offerings. Also, they had 2 separate menus which was a bit confusing. One is a generic all day menu and then another menu had brunch and dinner on it. It was around 5:30 p.m. but they were out of a particular steak dish that we were interested in. Service was friendly. We had enchiladas, a dip sampler (for appetizer) and Tlacoyos. Everything was fine but nothing really stood out, sadly. It wasn't very busy while we were there, so hoping that they are doing ok as a business. I would love to come back if they brought back the old menu w/ things that you cannot really find elsewhere, including the great cocktail menu and desserts that were offered previously.

    This place WOW-ed me. My fiance and I didn't make reservations the day before Valentine's Day and…read morethought we would just try our luck. So many of our regular spots had lines out the door, which was no surprise, but we ended up getting a table here. Figured Mexican food is hard to mess up. Started with drinks- THE BEST MARGARITA I HAVE EVER HAD. It was perfectly balanced, fresh, just perfect to me. My fiance got a horchata and loved it too. They have an option where you can try ALL of their dips for $20, which I couldn't resist. It was so fun, they had like 9 different ones! I got the shrimp tacos and they were so flavorful that I almost gasped. The creamy sauce, crunchy veggie toppers, smooth avocado, and perfectly cooked shrimp...just wow. I will be dreaming about this dish for years to come. I am a pescatarian and gluten free and there were TONS of options for me. They mostly use corn for everything, not flour. The staff was gracious and kind. They seemed a little understaffed but truly made the most of it and made every table feel attended to and special, which was so lovely. Really cool vibe- lots of art and special touches. A really cool place that I can't wait to recommend to friends.

    Photos
    Maiz Molino - Taco plate

    Taco plate

    Maiz Molino - Elote risotto at Maíz Molino in South Lake Union.

    Elote risotto at Maíz Molino in South Lake Union.

    Maiz Molino - Three Tacos plate with chicken, pork and veggies

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    Three Tacos plate with chicken, pork and veggies

    Hatch Cantina - Beautiful bar

    Hatch Cantina

    4.3(395 reviews)
    2.7 miBelltown
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    Full bar

    This has been bookmarked for a while and the only regret I have is that I didn't get here sooner…read more This food is terrific, the vibe is hilarious, the servers are downright fantastic. Andrew (our server) introduced us to his sidekick, who was in training. Love that personal, hands on approach for a mew team member, and Sidekick did a great job in monitoring our table and replenishing water. Have to stop here and express my appreciation for Andrew and how he took the time to explain the philosophy and genuine team vibe of the restaurant. Oftentimes when a restaurant adds a flat 20% gratuity, you get the feeling this is not passed on to the servers. Not so here. He explained that it's shared among the servers, bar, and other staff, with only a bit retained by management, but even that finds its way into their wages. Terrific work environment and happy to see it. It definitely shows in the level of service. But we're here to eat. Didn't take a picture, but one of my dining companions ordered the burrito with red chili sauce and it was very good. Just the right amount of heat in the sauce. The Cantina celebrates Taco Tuesday, so I took advantage of this. You get the opportunity to try 5 different street tacos for the low price of $15. For another $4 you order it fully loaded which is a steal (guac, pickled onions, lettuce, giardano, crema, and another lovely sauce). Each of the tacos were really delicious and packed full of flavor. I especially enjoyed the cauliflower and the beef. Was surprised how much I liked the popcorn chicken - still juicy and not greasy in the least. Andrew treated us to a round of the hatch green chili. I was delighted because it was a dish I wanted to try. He described it perfectly: a little kick, but you can't stop eating it. He was right. A bowl of this in the winter with their cornbread (which I'm confident will be delicious) will preempt a winter cold. The sauces on the table are not to be ignored either. The green chili sauce was fruity with a little heat, the scorpion chili brings the heat, but their homemade chili oil is phenomenal. I could put this on everything. In short, the Cantina delivers. Excellent food, knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and fun staff, and a cool vibe. I'll bet the cocktails will also be good. Definitely adding to the regular rotation!

    Food and presentation is meh. The neighborhood is absolutely…read moredreadful, and they tack on an automatic 20% "service charge" with or without good service giving you no choice to decide whether or not the service warrants the charge. I own an e-commerce company, just like Amazon, and could you imagine your Amazon order having a 20% "service charge" to help offset labor costs. This is becoming a trend and I'm avoiding eateries that do this.

    Photos
    Hatch Cantina - Happy hour

    Happy hour

    Hatch Cantina
    Hatch Cantina - Interior (4/8/23)

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    Pablo y Pablo - PORK BELLY BENEDICT

    Pablo y Pablo

    3.8(607 reviews)
    1.0 miWallingford
    $$

    Pablo y Pablo has lots of menu options and serves cozy, hearty food that fills you up really well…read more Everything tastes great and is satisfying. The only downside was that the food took a while to arrive, which slowed down the experience a bit. Still, the quality and warmth of the dishes make it worth visiting.

    I was in the city again so where did I go to eat? Pablo y Pablo...twice...because I was that…read moreserious about them. Food/drinks: Vegan nachos with carnitas -- check! Still huge portions. Still delicious. Still gluten free friendly and dairy free. Watch out for jalapeños; the seeds are definitely in. Mulled wine -- yum! Agave daiquiri -- strong, interesting, wasn't my fave (didn't finish it). Sangria -- solid! Service: A little more than fine. Friendly. Helpful-ish. Checked in at the beginning but less so by the end both times (when a check in would have been useful). Food comes out quick. Ambiance: Still cute for happy hour, friend meet ups, date nights, etc. Not hurried or rushed. Consider a reservation if you want to be safe. Why 4 stars? It's really 4.5. Honestly, service plus the menu changed in the 2 days I was there, and I missed out on the hot chocolate drink I reeeeallllly wanted. I wish there would have been a heads up that I was getting the last day of the menu. Hope it's not another 3 years before my next visit P y P!

    Photos
    Pablo y Pablo - Beer, ceviche, and vibes.

    Beer, ceviche, and vibes.

    Pablo y Pablo - Pork Carnitas Hash

    Pork Carnitas Hash

    Pablo y Pablo - Exterior

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    Exterior

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