Border lineup. Traffic jams all along Coast Meridian. Hungry. Took a complete wrong turn to end up in the Fairhaven neighbourhood. My husband and I park the car, close to losing our marbles altogether. Milagro happens to be the first restaurant we see ... good enough, let's go for it, must eat now! When we walk in the door, we're greeted right away and taken to a nice table upstairs by the window. As usual, I was impressed by the friendly quick service you're all spoiled by in America - a waitress greeting us while she's still doing something else, and the swift seating and bringing of chips and salsa that we fall upon like hyenas. And then, to find out that the "happy hour" lunch and drink specials are available between 11 am and 5 pm (11 am?!) and we're in time to order meals that are all between $5.99 and $8.99 and $3 drinks? Pardon me while my overtaxed and swindled Canuck soul does a Mexican Hat Dance of Joy. My husband orders the two-taco plate (5.99), I go for the puffy chicken taco (6.99), because it sounded kinda funny, and a sangria ($3.25 at Happy Hour prices). The tacos were piled high with fresh toppings - tomatoes, avocado, lettuce - although the meat itself could have been more flavourful. I found I had to eat mine with a fork to avoid a complete mess, as the deep-fried taco shell in my dish threatened to snap and fly apart if I dared eat it with my hands. The refried beans were a little too smooth for my liking, and the rice was dry, though mixing it up with beans or guacamole made it better. The husband had the deep fried ice cream for dessert - so sweet it improved his mood immeasurably, grumpy man. I sipped sangria and smiled. All that happy lunch for two came to $25 + tip... I've paid as much for a fast food meal, almost, and this was much, much better. I'll remember this place for my next Bellingham cross-border shopping trip. read more

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

Jalapeno's is one of Bellingham's oldest Mexican restaurants and has been doing a great job at providing delicious meals-to -go during the pandemic. This week was particularly generous of them, offering 50% off food for 3 days before Thanksgiving. Our family was craving some jalapeno's after cooking week after week and the restaurant did not disappoint. I ordered the meal online and when I arrived at the designated time, the server had the food already packaged and ready on-time. I had a seafood chimichanga which had a fair amount of seafood and rice as well as all the fixings around it. I loved it, and there was enough for 2 meals. My husband had the shredded beef burrito which he enjoyed and my son thought the steak fajitas were very good, though he would have liked to see some small tortillas with it. A side of tortillas and salsa were a nice addition. Definitely a place worth returning! read more

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Such a great place for happy hour!! Happy hour all day Sunday and taco Tuesday is where it's at!! And wonderful outdoor patio. Staff is both friendly and professional. I highly recommend the margarita with premium tequila read more

This review is for takeout only. I ordered the camarones al Diablo and I was very happy with my selection. First off, the portion is very generous! Secondly, they nailed the Diablo sauce. My mouth was on fire after every bite (just the way I like it!). I loved the giant prawns, flavorful rice and lots of peppers and onions that were cooked so they had that nice crunch. There was also a small pile of shredded lettuce with sour cream on top to neutralize the strong flavors. Accompanying my dish was a large container of salsa that had chunks of tomato, onion and salsa and great seasonings - loved it. Also included a stack of corn tortillas that I used to make a prawn taco. For $15, an extremely satisfying and well-constructed meal that is absolutely would like to have again. Salud! read more

Jalapeno's Mexican Grill - Can you believe this is a single order? It's huge! This is the camarones al Diablo. - Mexican Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

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I found the price point ridiculously out of line. A large 12" plain cheese tortilla ran $16. And 3 beef tacos ran $22. No alcohol, one diet soda and a water, and the bill ran $46!!! For very little food in a Mexican restaurant. Don't plan on returning. read more

Haley and Christian were wonderful bar tenders and everyone was super nice! their margaritas, pina coladas, and chips and salsa are amazing we will definitely visit this place again next Time we visit! read more

I'm surprised by some of the poor or mediocre reviews of this place. Our experience here was excellent. Either they are inconsistent here or we were extremely lucky (and usually we are not that lucky... lol!). Hubby was "starving" so we stopped in here and, despite it being busy, at lunch-time, we got a seat at the bar area. The server was super-attentive and we enjoyed a quesadilla that was really good. Was it Mexican "authentic"? I seriously doubt it. But it was really good and fit the bill, and we enjoyed it, and thought the price was really reasonable. Hubby had a few beers and was really impressed with how cold they were: not only was the beer cold, but they were served in iced-over glasses that you could even write your name in the ice with your finger. I'm not a beer drinker, but he said this really enhanced the coldness of the beer and he really liked this feature. Unexpectedly, our kid entered the restaurant to join us. Immediately, our server saw that she was underage, and with the help of another server, she found us a table outside the bar area, in the main dining area (at such a busy time, when it was nearly full), and they carried our plates and beverages for us, to a new table that accommodated our family. Very nice! We had a lovely lunch here and would definitely return. read more

Placed a pick up order for over $80, only to show up and see the place closed. Other than some girl in a booth right next to the door, that literally tried to hide under the table, the place was dark. Terrible customer service, and honestly, you'll get more authentic Mexican food at Taco Bell. Service and quality has been barely basic at every branch, this just confirmed that the people in charge are completely useless. I'd give zero stars, if that was an option. read more

Good food and good drinks. Vegan options too! My favorite is the vegetarian chimichanga with black beans and avocado, no dairy. I also love the mango margaritas! The fairhaven location is my personal favorite, but the food is good at all of their locations. read more

The servers were nice and the chips were fresh but overall probably the worst Mexican food I've ever had. The tortillas were microwaved and got hard quickly. Everything had had tons of icky cheese dumped on top if it. The tortilla soup tasted like mush. Just don't. read more

Horrible Americanized Mexican food. The chile relleno was lukewarm and the cheese was hard and unmelted. When I mentioned that to the server he said that's how it's supposed to be. I sent it back and didn't want anything else after looking at my companion's plates. They didn't eat more than a few bites of their meals either. The only thing good about this place was the salsa. Waste of money! read more

I guess most of the people who reviewed this restaurant aren't sure what Mexican food is. Location is a plus but the service... well it was bad. I gave it 2 stars because the location is good. Food took forever and it wasn't busy. I met a friend here because she wanted to eat here. My second time and the last. Just as bad as the first. Some of the worst Mexican food I have ever had to taste. Overpriced for sure All in all not even the ambiance will save this place. Maybe it is okay for drinks. Don't know because I did not get one there, but my friend said the drinks were just okay. read more

Service is very slow and the quality of the food was terrible. The steak in our fajitas was dry and chewy. The vegetarian soup was broth with a spoonful of beans in it, the refried beans that came with our quesadilla were dry and crusty on the top. read more

It depends on what kind of experience you're looking for. If you want to get trashed on semi cheap margaritas, GO for it (though beware they close kinda early). The margaritas are famous. However if you're looking for good food i suggest anywhere else read more

Well, at least the salsa was good. We ordered the chicken and the beef fajitas thinking this would be their specialty. One bite and we knew we were in trouble. So, I decided to try the beans and rice next, and again we were let down. Man! I really thought this place was really gonna rock. The other two places I've been to really had and impact on me. Do yourself a favor and go eat at Lorenzo's or Taco Lobo. These guys know what real Mex. food should taste like. I Should Know being from Texas ! The positive side was their friendly greeting once you enter the building as well as the kind service we received. So, until next time, Cheers! read more

Jalapeno's Mexican Grill - Great Patio day. - Mexican Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

The service is alright most of the time, but expect some lengthy wait times an hour before closing and during any kind of rush hours. I give three stars for the pricy food. Expect to pay about $20 per person. Don't get me wrong the food is great, but there are so many Mexi-places here in town with the same offerings/tastes but a lot cheaper and quicker turn-around. Advice: try other places in town and judge for yourselves, but there are solid dishes here. Recommendation: The salsa here is probably the best salsa anywhere in Whatcom county. Thick and tasty. 5 stars for sure. read more

Actually my evening at Jalapeno's in Fairhaven last night, my attempt to celebrate/respect Cinco de Mayo, was not perfect. The natural setting was with the sunset and all, but . . . . They refused to blend my margarita. The rationale was, since Cinco de Mayo is so busy and running the blender is a time consuming bottle neck in their margarita production, their policy on that busy day is to serve margaritas strictly on the rocks, not blended. I arrived after the rush, the restaurant was half empty, but they still refused, saying there were other patrons in the restaurant who had also been denied blended margaritas, so they had to be consistent otherwise they'd appear unfair. "Company policy." Then at a nearby table there was a patron who was conspicuously loudmouthed and profane. During the whole meal I had to sit there listening to him ramble and cuss. Forty bucks including a 20% tip. You know what? I regret it. I'll not be going back. Ever. Do I care that much whether my margarita is blended or on the rocks? Of course not. That's petty. But I do care about the attitude behind the denial. Disrespect a patron's preferences on the one hand, then impose on him a rude ambiance on the other . . . it's just too much. Jalapeno's, you have lost my business forever. read more

I have lived around populations of Mexicans for several decades of my life and know what good Mexican food tastes like this is not it they have good chips and salsa that is about it everything else is not very good and overpriced read more

Maria is the best server ever. She makes wonderful conversation and does an incredible job at handling multiple tables at once when it's busy and they're short staffed. I hope management realizes how much work she puts in because she is truly amazing and deserves a raise!! read more

We've gone to jalapeños twice in the last couple of months and noticed that the prices have increased substantially on both food and drinks. My daughter ordered a skinny margarita and when we got the bill realized it was $17.95. The food is good but not the best Mexican food we've ever had and probably won't return due to the extremely high prices. read more

Loved the Creme de Enchilada, Pico de Gallo and the Cadillac Margaritas! Cool seating up on the second floor! Great Staff! read more

Jalapeno's Mexican Grill - Gold Cadillac Margarita - Mexican Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

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Pretty typical Mexican food. This location is a bit unique having an outdoor patio (and private balcony on the street side) and upstairs. Generous portions (some overpriced) for lunch specials and Happy Hour deals. Have ordered take-out on a few occasions and it was always fast. Service is generally good unless they are super busy. read more

The food was good enough, the service was decent, so it's not terrible. Here's what I can't support: my friend and I got some snacks and drinks on the patio during happy hour. Lots of empty tables, only one other party on the patio. Slow afternoon. A customer came in, was seated, and tried to order a non-alcoholic beverage and happy hour snacks. The server AND the manager informed him that the only way he could get the happy hour price on the snacks was if he ordered an alcoholic beverage. The guy doesn't drink. ("Well you could order it and not drink it"...) It just seems like a small-minded policy that devalues the customer -- like his money is no good there if he's not drinking. He left without getting anything. We were put off by the experience. Just seems like a terrible company policy that creates ill-will among potential and existing customers. Would it have been so hard to bring the guy and iced tea and a few tacos at an otherwise slow time? And this wasn't just the server, this sounded like company policy. It just felt unnecessary, unwelcoming, and bureaucratic. read more

This is usually our go to for Mexican food in Bellingham. The burritos are so big we always have leftovers. Honestly, Seattle has better options in terms of taste but if you are up north, this is definitely one of the better options. The big mama and big papas are huge (drinks) and great as long as you don't spill one on yourself... read more

Typical Mexican food available a bunch of other places but add $4 to every dish. Lots of my friends like this place more than i do, so please take this as "one mans opinion" but I just don't see the attraction. read more

I walked in during the COVID lockdown for take out. The person taking my order and handing over food was very nice. It was fun to see a large table full of bottles of tequila attached to bottles of margarita mix. My only complaint was the chicken in my chicken quesadilla had no taste. It needed flavor and/or hot sauce. read more

My husband and I LOVE this place. The food is authentic and delicious. Speciality (hi-end) margaritas are delicious. The service is unmatched in Bellingham. from a very critical foodie. read more

This place is trash. We sit down and just stick with waters. Unfortunately the glasses were filthy from the 5 million others who have used them. I ended up ordering a Diet Coke in a to-go cup. Thankfully I got the best Diet Coke that Shasta could provide.(sarcasm). We got to order our meals in a timely manner but the whole time we're waiting for our meals, I've taken on the responsibility of be the personal big exterminator. I've killed multiple bugs of different species. I could tell they were going to put up a fight when I saw all the previous dead bugs. You would think I would've got a discount from all the fighting I did for them. Service was trash. All in all the food was great but I'm also scared of what may have flown into my food. I definitely do not recommend this dumpster of a restaurant! read more

Had a late lunch/early dinner here on a Friday, busy but not crowded. Unlike another poster, I found the salsa to be very tasty, lots of fresh cilantro and onions. I just wish it was a bit hotter, but this is B'ham, not Chula Vista... Carne Asada tacos were good, but not great. Chicken taco salad was good. No complaints from the other two diners either. The silver margaritas were good, very strong and pretty big even though they ordered the mediums. read more

This is the best place to go if you want good Mexican food, incredible serves who are super friendly and sweet, amazing margaritas (a heavy pour) and literally the best taco salad of all time! The chips and salsa they serve nonstop is literally I N C R E D I B L E The girls that serve us are all literally so fun and chill--would love to get a drink with them outside of their working hours (lol) read more

It has been since before COVID that I've actually opted to eat indoors, much less any restaurant. I only ordered a quesadilla, and it was fine. I was with my daughter-in-law, so we ate, chatted and stayed for one more beer. During that time, we each took a turn at using the restroom. While she was gone, I looked around the room and it became very apparent as to how dirty this place was. My turn in the restroom was the same kind of experience. Once we left, the next 10 minutes were spent discussing how awful it was. Dead flies in the window sills, dirty dishes and tables all around and it stayed that way the whole time. I won't go into details regarding the restroom. We both have always liked all of the restaurants owned by this group. I hope they can make improvements. read more

Bad service, over priced tasteless food. Hardly any seasonings on anything. Adding random words because yelp won't let you post a short review. Not much else to say. read more

Felt rushed to get my drinks, and then they took a long time to get me my check which was conflicting based on the fact that they seemed to want us out. Don't advertise a 9-close happy hour if you aren't happy to provide service during that time... read more

I frequently visited Jalapeno's during my four years attending Western Washington University. I'd highly recommend you go during their happy hour for the best deals. The big mama margaritas are huge and very strong - I'd recommend a flavor such as mango. If you get a fishbowl share it with a group they are too large to finish on your own. I'd also recommend their nachos they bring out chips and salsa to start the table as well. The portions on other items are huge which is great for leftovers when I've gotten the veggie burrito or veggie fajitas I've always had leftovers. I will admit this is fairly bland Mexican food overall. My one complaint for how frequently college students visit this restaurant chain for big mamas they should consider adding a punch card. read more

Jalapeno's Mexican Grill - Big mama margarita - Mexican Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

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I have been a patron for 20 years and if I had any issues with this restaurant, I would understand the situation before giving a silly negative revue. No Ice in my water?? Just ask for ice!!! I have been a patron for so long because I understand the business.. yes I have had bad days and so have they and sometimes they collide. But I love it there, 20 plus years, and so I give it a recommendation to frequent or experience if your just visiting. Understand that door dash and other delivery services are on the rise by so much with pandemic.. and every restaurant is short handed, so deal with your own short comings on a personal level if your complaint is silly. Or with the staff , or write review if your just a scary cat to ask for something you expect. read more

Go for happy hour and enjoy a big mama. My favorite flavor was the mango! Honestly, I'm a bit of a Mexican food snob having grown up in San Diego. The "California nachos" were disappointing. So were the chicken tacos.... Maybe I ordered the wrong things. I'd love to revisit and try more things. Service was personable and quick. Worth checking out for yourself. (: read more

I came to this Jalapenos expecting the same great service I get at the downtown Jalapenos. Our waitress immediately was clearly disappointed that we did not order drinks and after that our service went down hill. She was short with us, and then at the end she short changed me. I gave a $20 for a $10.86 bill and was given back only $9. Overall, will not be returning to this location. read more

I used to love coming here for late night drinks and food. But they keep closing before 11 pm when their posted time is 12:30. They even turn off the music and ask for you to hurry up. I will quit coming here. read more

I LOVE JALEPENOS. The black bean enchiladas are delicious nachos are delicious MARGS ARE DELICIOUS

Fairhaven's Jalapeno's Mexican Grill never disappoints. The better of their three restaurants and hasn't lost it's unique edge from when they were calling it Milagro. My favorite is the spinich and mushroom quesadilla with added chicken as a must. read more