The food here can be pretty good. I do not recommend the carne asada whether it be in an entree or an entree by itself. It's a little overcooked and when in an entree was all diced up into little bits. I tried several of their other dishes with their other proteins and those were pretty good. The staff were nice and the restaurant was clean. This is more of a chain than truly authentic Mexican food. read more

Jalapeno's Mexican Grill - Carne asada burrito. The beef was a little overcooked and diced too fine for me personally - Mexican Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

I went to the fairhaven location in March when they had the $5.99 big mama margaritas. The drinks were okay, but great for the deal we got since they are usually $20. We got two big mamas that were actually very difficult to finish and larger than we thought. My group of three shared a large nachos which honestly we could've gotten a small and actually finished it. They also got soggy very fast and were not good to take home. Overall, the vibes were definitely good for groups and chatting. read more

Jalapeno's Mexican Grill - Mexican Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

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Decent little Mexican place in Fairhaven. We had a nice waiter who was from Honduras. He said he was learning English and did very well. We had to ask the kitchen to turn down the blaring music because it clashed with the softer ambient music playing in the dining room. There was was a little window above our heads that opened fr the kitchen. They turned it off immediately after we asked though so that was nice. The food is pretty standard Mexican fare. All 4 of us got a 2 item combo that came with beans & rice and a little lettuce salad, sour cream and guacamole. It was nice not to be charged for the latter 2 toppings. They had no problem with me getting 2 types of enchiladas-green with chicken and red with veggies. Others in our party got tacos & burritos. We all went away full & our Mexican cravings satiated for awhile. read more

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Food was okay. The street tacos came with one tortilla instead of two. that was bizarre. They didn't even hold together. Chips and salsa were good. Service was terrible. no greeting, no conversation, no goodbye or thank you. My bill was $20 and i tipped him $8, even with the lack of service. i sat at the bar. First time there. I was really excited to try it out. It's OLD and they probably need more servers. I wanna say the server was by himself. It may work for the people that are more local but I won't go back. There are way too many other places to go where i would feel welcome and have a good time! The experience sucked! I didn't even finish my second beer. read more

Jalapeno's Mexican Grill - Modelo, Chips and Salsa - Mexican Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

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We were driving through Bellingham from Vancouver to Seattle and wanted to stop and eat at a spicy Mexican place. This family restaurant popped up and we diverted inside quite a bit to get to this restaurant. We were very glad that this was open on Christmas Eve although they were closing at 4 PM. The decor is very pleasant and family like and welcoming. Only one manager was managing the entire store with probably one Cook in the back, but the food was fresh, and so hot and we enjoyed our food. My wife and I shared the steak and chicken fajitas, my daughter had the pork tacos, and my son had the carne asada burrito wet. All of them were extremely hot and tasty but I have had better Mexican food in LA area where I am from so One star less for the quality and taste of food. read more

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Stopped for a quick bite. Dish was enormous but good. Took most home. Margaritas weren't the best but oh well. read more

Jalapeno's Mexican Grill - Mexican Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

Delicious food everytime I come in, I love the decor and the atmosphere. The service is so fast and they're always so nice! I love it here!! read more

Jalapeno's Mexican Grill - Coco-jito and mucho mango - Mexican Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

The food is simply not good, but occasionally we turn to Jalepenos because they're close to home. There's no other reason I would eat here. But, they have no online ordering system and don't answer the phone for to go orders anymore. I've tried 3 times in the last few months and all I ever get is a message saying no one is available to take your call. When you're already a bad restaurant, maybe make it convenient to order your food? Because I'd rather go around the corner to El Agave anyways, so you guys ignoring the phone kinda seals the deal. read more

We had walked past several times and it looked interesting. Unfortunately the experience failed in several areas. My food was cold on half the plate and warm on the other. The mushrooms in the dish were undercooked but the onions and peppers were overcooked. My wife's premium margarita for $24 tasted like a $4 margarita flavored buz ball. Her fajitas were almost unseasoned. My beer was warm. How does that happen in this day and age? The four people in our party rated it a 5, 4, 4, and 2. When we got back home my son said "you should have asked me, I would have told you to avoid that place". Overall, pretty bad. read more

This USED to be my favorite Mexican Restaurant. I would come on a pretty regular basis and enjoy the good food, good drinks, and super friendly staff. I haven't been to this Jalapeno's for at least before COVID. I was in the mood for some of their delicious CHICKEN CHIPOTLE so I stopped by and made an order to go. The staff was nice and asked if I wanted flour or corn tortillas with the meal (I had forgotten the meal came with them). She said I could have half flour and half corn if I wanted to try them both. PERFECT! I was excited because I couldn't remember which ones I liked better and thoughts of returning for multiple meals in the future began to go through my head. The order was done on time and off I went. UNFORTUNATELY when I got home I was a little disappointed by what I found. I have got this same meal MULTIPLE times in the past and there were some things I distinctly and fondly remember: a TON of chicken and mushrooms covered in tons of delicious chipotle sauce, and finished with sprinkles of lots of cheese (queso I believe). The portion size of meat and mushrooms was about HALF of what I remember, not to mention they replaced most of the mushrooms with peppers. I was surprised by the peppers and thought it might be a nice addition, but the lack of mushrooms ruined any hope of redemption! Also no beans were included (they USED to included a small portion of refried beans) and i think one piece of lettuce finally chopped up with a slice of tomato cut three or four times. And the biggest deflating circumstance....NO TORTILLAS at all! The chicken was good...just a much smaller portion...peppers replacing mushrooms- NO, just NO! No beans, no tortillas, and just dinky lettuce and tomatoes, with barely any sauce? Exhibit A Finally, they have a $1.50 to go charge, which isn't much and maybe it isn't even new, but I paid $22 for a meal half the size of what it used to be with NO TORTILLAS!! read more

Jalapeno's Mexican Grill - $22? Not what I remember... where's the sauce and the rest of the chicken and mushrooms? - Mexican Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

This Fairhaven location of Jalapeno's is, in my opinion, the cutest of the three in this small local restaurant chain. Located in a historic two-story structure, there is regular restaurant seating on the main floor, and bar seating upstairs along with a beautiful deck that is nice and cool on a summer day. I like to come here for Taco Tuesday. You get really delicious street tacos for $2.50*each, or a halibut taco for $3. Add another $3 for beans and rice, and you pretty much have a meal. Go during happy hour, which is conveniently all day on Tuesdays, and add one of their delicious Margaritas for less than $5. I'm just saying, it's a great deal! It's also a fun place to hang out with friends and there's always something for everybody. While this Jalapeños doesn't have the spacious parking lots of its other locations, luckily there's usually street parking nearby. And being that it's in Fairhaven, the parking is free. Bonus! read more

Jalapeno's Mexican Grill - Taco Tuesday trio. - Mexican Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

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I'm only taking a star off because the place was so freaking uncomfortably cold and our waitress wasn't very friendly at all. The food, however, was really good and we enjoyed the salsa a lot too. read more

The chicken fajitas were a bit flavorless and it was swimming in grilled onions. It feels almost too "homemade". I've had better fajitas for cheaper. The margaritas were good though. The service is awesome. They just need to do better on the food. Its slightly below mid. read more

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So based on the reviews, at least the recent ones, I expected this place to be terrible. But my gf got the al pastor tacos, and I got the carne asada burrito. Her tacos were fairly good maybe 4.5 out of 5. Good when adding beans/rice/guacamole that came with it. Plus tortillas came out hot which was good, as Mexican restaurants sometimes screw up and serve them cold. My burrito is a solid 3.5 to 4.0, not bad. Fyi I moved here from Los Angeles and I've definitely had decent Mexican food. I honestly was expecting worse. But, it's decent. read more

Don't bother getting chicken nachos Togo. Jalapenos is by far my favorite place to get nachos, especially chicken! I love that they shred the chicken!! And thats why I'll give an extra star. Except when you order to go apparently. It's a boiled chicken breast ripped and thrown on top of chips that are barely covered with cheese and beans. Barley enough sour cream and guac to choke down dry chips. We also ordered a side of guac and it wasn't given. If you plan on sitting down and eating, im sure it's better. read more

Jalapeno's Mexican Grill - Mexican Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

The food and service was great here. However there was a surprise "Covid fee" on the check previously not disclosed. I will not be returning and want to let others know before they decide to dine at this restaurant. All would be fine if the restaurant told us before hand. read more

We came here on a Sunday evening, we were seated quickly which was great. Then we were given warm water, no ice cubes, chips were not refilled, we had to ask to get more water. Our food was okay, took quite some time to get to us & just not super great and not super hot either. We will not be coming back. read more

This is a fun restaurant design that fits nicely with its setting just off the Village Green in Fairhaven. Although I've been to the downtown Bellingham location overlooking the bay, prices here have always seemed a little high and I wasn't sure it was worth the money. As noted in my original review, I will also admit to being a fourth generation, native Californian (and Mexican Food Snob). Naturally, tonight's "Half-Off if you pay Cash" promotion proved irresistible. What I discovered was the dinner entrees are huge and even at full price, worth every penny! I ordered the Filet Mignon Fajitas and one of my companions ordered Seafood Enchiladas, while the other chose a Carnitas and Shrimp Combination Plate. Although the restaurant was a virtual madhouse because of the Pre-Thanksgiving Deal and the staff's ability to provide the level of service they typically strive to achieve was, shall we say, "stretched," the food and presentation were excellent. While I miss the authentic, hot, spicy flavors of the Mexican food I grew up eating, this is absolutely the best Mexican Restaurant in Bellingham. Serving only the best available ingredients, the kitchen here carefully produces a muted version of the best Mexican Food I grew up eating. I look forward to returning for a calmer, quieter (albeit, more expensive) meal where I can both challenge the kitchen to "spice it up" and fully appreciate the ambience and character of this wonderful addition to Fairhaven Village. read more

Jalapeno's Mexican Grill - Celebrate Thanksgiving Eve -- Half-Off if you pay Cash! - Mexican Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

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Hey!!! This place gas great food, great service, friendly people here. I ordered cheese tortillas and love it, was so good!!!!

I've been kind of excited to try Jalapeno's for quite some time now. I've only been up to Bellingham twice, and I've heard about it probably 50 times. So, I was excited when we decided this as our dinner for Saturday night! We walked in, and we had a part of 6. One of my friends told the hostess, who replied, "I'll be with you in just a minute." I don't know if she didn't realize I was with them (even though I was in the middle of the group) she looked at me after like a minute and goes, "Uh, I'll be right with you, okay?" ... I didn't even say anything so I was really confused lol. We were taken upstairs after about another minute of waiting, so I'd say the wait was definitely under five minutes (which is awesome, because it was a busy weekend night). Almost immediately after being seated we were provided with chips, salsa, and water. Their salsa is the BOMB. I couldn't stop... They may or may not lace it with crack. We're all college students, so we're on that "try and get the cheapest item on the menu" life. Ya feel? We ended up ordering two BBB's. The Biggest Burrito in Bellingham - they can feed up to four people. It's THAT big. I also ordered a Big Mama (a five shot margarita). The Big Papa is like the size of a fish bowl and apparently comes with 7-9 shots of tequila. Hardddd pass on that. It didn't take long for me to get my drink - it was pretty tasty! Then again, all margaritas are. The burritos definitely live up to their name - they're huge. Are they the BEST burritos in Bellingham though? No. They're actually pretty bland. They come with your basic choice of meat, cheese, beans, and rice, but somehow, it managed to be the most bland burrito I've ever had in my life. I'd be interested in coming back in the future, but not for the BBB. read more

Jalapeno's Mexican Grill - The BBB! - Mexican Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

Omg!!! Best Mexican food ever! And hands down the very best margaritas anyplace on the planet!!! It is our favorite restaurant!! It is family run and Maribel is the best manager! She hires wonderful customer service people! I love them all!! Their salsa is homemade and is so yummy! There are plenty of vegetarian options as I am one.. Black Bean enchiladas sooo good! Thank you for making us feel like family and always our favorite meal!! Love you guys read more

Jalapeno's Mexican Grill - Cheers! Best margaritas & Mexican food ever!!!! - Mexican Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

One-line review: Fairly typical Mexican family restaurant food and not cheap. Went here with friends who had recommended the place (I think) because it was on my way back to I-5, making an easy stop before I returned home north. We ordered: - Chimichanga shredded beef (decent but not special) - Combo tamal, enchilada - Carnitas plate (this looked big) - Chips and salsa (again, decent) - a couple of "small" margaritas (the big ones must be huge) On the whole, this place was about what you'd expect -- good portions of mostly average food. In their defense, everything was good enough to eat, so it's not like it was distasteful. But nothing really stood out except the bill, which was $25/person with tax and tip. That usually buys a better quality meal in my world. Thankfully, the time with friends was awesome, redeeming the night. Parking was free in their shared lot. Service was decent. Bottom line: Not horrible, but I'd head elsewhere. I think a better dinner is out there at this price point. read more

Must try their fresh flour tortillas!!! They are delicious! I order the Hawaiian Fajitas... shrimp and pineapple with the usual bell peppers, onions and bacon. The meal also came with rice, retried beans, sour cream and guacamole. I had the option to choose between corn or flour tortillas. I asked the waitress what she recommended and she said the flour tortillas and I'm glad I listened to her! Want dessert, try the churros with ice cream! read more

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I took vacation out of town for a couple days and this was the first restaurant I came across. The service was incredible and each time I came in they were so friendly and kind. Definitely by far my favorite go to place to eat and have some amazing adult beverages. My whole stay in town, I pretty much went there for every meal because they are that good! read more

Jalapeno's Mexican Grill - A delicious basil margarita - Mexican Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

I'm a Bellingham native. And this is what's up with Jalapeños (all of their locations) They USED to have quality food. BUT once they figured out they could make a bigger profit off their alcohol (specifically their "big mamas") they started cheating on their food. If you want good Mexican food. DONT go here. There's so many better places in Bellingham. If you want to get margaritas trashed and have free chips and salsa this is the place for you. I'm leaving this review with the hopes they step their game up and increase the quality of food. read more

I'm giving 2 stars simply due to the fact I've never had an experience here quite this bad... normally things are ok to good. I came here with my father on a Sunday afternoon. Things were not busy and they appeared to have sufficient staff. We decided to each get a drink, split the Hawaiian Fajitas, and some chips with salsa. We ordered relatively quickly, and then things went downhill. We waiting for our orders for awhile, that being said, our drinks and chips came out long after our mediocre entree did. My margarita was set on the table over flowing. It dripped all over, and ran off the table and into my lap. The Hawaiian Fajitas came out topped with cheese (It did not say it would be cheese smothered on the menu. This was disappointing as someone who is moderately dairy sensitive and would have ordered without cheese.) and was mostly onions? Very little pepper or pineapple involved. We finished, and then sat and sat and sat. We waited, then eventually our mostly absent server went and sat outside on her phone while eating. She must have been taking a break, and that's ok - but she clearly didn't have anyone to cover her and we had been long done. We tracked someone down to pay. Honestly, it was just bad. It wasn't worth the money at all. The service sucked. The only decent part was that our entree wasn't THAT long of a wait, but even that cold have been improved. If you read this review, please take my warning and go to one of the neighboring mexican restaurants. read more

2 tacos for 6$ - delicious and fresh Awesome lunch. Easy parking. Staff was friendly. Salsa was good. Best part were the corn tortillas because they were moist, fresh, and delicious. read more

Jalapeno's Mexican Grill - Inside - Mexican Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

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Been here a few time before over the years. Convenience brought us in as we were in Fairhaven at dinner time and the young'un wanted Mexican food. Well ok - so did I. Staff greeted us immediately and gave us our choice of indoor or outdoor seating. We opted for indoor. I asked about the Surf and Turf Chimichanga. Waitress immediately said "Ooh that's delicious" then told me about it. I had to get it with that reaction. Not to mention the description. Carne asada, shrimp, rice, guacamole, peppers and onions all on the inside & topped with queso. This is NOT a small chimichanga. It's a beast! Nor did it seem to be a pre-made frozen chimichanga. This tasted fresh. Guacamole on the inside was still cool while the rice, carne and shrimp were all hot. Queso on top with 3 slices of fresh jalapeños sealed the deal. Best chimichanga I've ever had. Ever. May not even eat them anywhere else again. Eat here. Eat the surf and turf chimichanga. read more

I am sure this is good food at the restaurant, but not to go. VERY soggy... the food/tortilla was sitting in liquid and was uneatable! They need a better way to package the to go food. read more

This has got to be the most poorly managed restaurant in Bellingham. The food is good, when it finally arrives. The margaritas are really good, when they finally arrive, sometimes after the food. The servers all smile and are very nice BUT they have absolutely no idea how to provide good service. It is usual that while you are waiting (forever) for your food or drink they are all standing around chatting up a storm. I don't know how many times we ordered guacamole with the chips and we needed to ask if it was ever going to arrive. I live within walking distance from this restaurant in Fairhaven so it's really convenient. We constantly give them another chance but we are now done. We will never be back! Because of the unbelievably bad management, I would highly recommend you choose somewhere else to spend your hard earned money. read more

I can in during a bit of a time crunch and they were so nice and understanding! The server got my food going right away, made sure to keep an eye on my water, and I was able to eat happily in around 25 minutes. The food itself is pretty good, and their big mama size margaritas are a Bellingham classic. This location is personally my favorite out of all the jalapeños in Bellingham. read more

Jalapeno's Mexican Grill - Jalapeños staircase - Mexican Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

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I am only speaking for the Fairhaven Jalepenos, as that is the one that I went to the most. They have great margaritas, but they come really REALLY full-make sure you are ready to commit. I think their appetizer tower is my all time favorite-it is fun to share with friends without overstuffing. They do make a good enchilada though. read more

Avoid. Tacos are more than some pieces of beef (fatty and full of gristle) set on top of corn tortillas. No pico de gallo, horrible rice/beans. I sent it back and left. The waitress nodded her head and agreed it was horrible but offered nothing to make up for it. read more

Tried their waterfront location years ago. Left thinking that even the sauce of hunger couldn't fix this. Years later found myself starving for a potato burrito. Here I am at Barkley. Hunger is apparently still not enough. Won't be going back. read more

Really had the taste for a Mexican food lunch. I've tried a few in the area and wanted to check this one out. Jalapeno's was not very busy for lunch. I was seated right away. The brought the traditional salsa and chips. The chips were pretty light and flavorful. Salsa was the same as most other places. The server took my order after about 10 minutes of being there. The price for the lunches were a bit on the higher side for a Mexican food place, so I got the one item plate with an enchilada. It took about another 10 minutes when I received the plate. The place was hot (nice!) The food did taste okay. Nothing out of the ordinary, other then the price is higher than their competitors. The food didn't rate the higher price, just ordinary. I didn't have to wait too long to get the check and was out of there in under 35 minutes. They did pass the lunchtime test, but the flavor is not better than other places. I'll stay with the places that really do give lunch specials, near them.n read more

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On a previous trip to Bellingham I had pulled into the parking lot here & looked up the reviews which were quite spotty. I moved on to the Soy House but kept it in mind. My last trip I had decided to eat in downtown Bellingham. It had just started to rain & THERE IS NO STREET PARKING in Bellingham...it's a real bummer. Remembering that Jalapeños had it's own lot I ended up there. My criteria for eating at a new Mexican restaurant is always the same. Judge the salsa...is it chunky, zesty & have cilantro & homemade? Off to a good start! I always have chicken Quesadillas to compare to other places. Very good...& loved that they were filled throughout. I usually end up with a bunch of tortilla pieces left on my plate that had no filling. And they have a great Chica (small) margarita. Looks like they have a nice deck for summer...will be back! read more

Went here for lunch. Was served water with no ice. My coworker and I ordered the quesadilla off the lunch menu, went back to work and both of us where fighting over the portapotty. I will never eat here again. read more

Worst margarita I've ever had. Well this was our first time visiting Fairhaven district and decided to have some lunch. My boyfriend being Mexican and my sister and I loving Mexico and Mexican food decided to give this place a try. BIG mistake. Prices are ridiculously high, food is awful, and the margaritas, well I think they made the tequila in a bathtub. I've had some pretty bad tequila (think 2 for 1 drinks at an authentica Mexican cantina), but honestly, these margaritas were the worst. So bad I couldn't even gag it down so we just sent them back. Wish we had of sent the entire meal back. The service was painfully slow, and then when we got the bill they added a "kitchen fee". I asked the server what that was all about and she said the owner decided to add it on everyone's tab instead of raising prices. Sounded like a lot of baloney to me but we just paid and left, vowing to NEVER return. read more

I went to the Fairhaven location for lunch today. I ordered carnitas, which came with rice and beans. The meat was dried out, devoid of any flavor, and tasted like it was 3 days old. The rice and beans were equally bland. The waitress was in a big hurry, even though there were no customers in the place. She dumped off my food and never bothered to check on whether I was satisfied or not. I had a few bites of the meat, ate the disgusting rice and beans, then left. This place is utter shit, and they should be embarrassed to put garbage like this on a plate and call it food, much less charge $20 for it. Service sucks equally badly. Don't waste your time or money at Jalapeños in Fairhaven. read more

Just turn around and go somewhere else. They don't know how to make Mexican food. I ordered a bean and cheese burrito. Just beans, just cheese. Cost $15?!! Insane. But wait there's more, when I cut into the burrito, surprise! There was rice and lettuce in it. I wish they would have just said it was actually a "bean, cheese and rice burrito". read more