When it comes to Mexican food, you really can't get more authentic then this so far from the south. Tables are communal, which really wasn't a big deal because you can tell everyone was enjoying their food. I ordered Carne Asada and of course had chips and salsa. I loved loved the salsa bar. The carne asada and the salsa was just like the food my mexican cook I work along side back home shares with me. This is what Mexicans really cook in their own homes. It's amazing someone captured this. Most Mexican restaurants are so Americanized most of them are Tex-mex or Californian. There isn't anything wrong with that but it is mistaken for authentic. The food was also so cheep and you we were two feet away from the kitchen. We could see the little Hispanic lady tossing tortillas to order! This was probably my favorite meal in Seattle. I'll be back! read more

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Amazing!! Love this place and will definitely be coming back a lot. Perfectly crafted Mexican food and atmosphere with awesome pictures all over the restaurant. This is a true gem of Ballard. Came in for lunch, got chips/guacamole and halibut fish tacos and the fried cheese quesadilas with some Corona light to wash it all down. Just perfect we weren't too full but we were definitely satisfied. The tacos were perfectly crafted, the fish was cooked perfectly and I could have eaten spoonfuls of the sauce. The only bad thing was that the tortillas on the second a d third tacos were really soaked and when I picked them up the insides fell out super easy, which wasn't that big of a problem because I just scooped what had fallen out with left over tortilla chips and my fork. The quesadillas had a perfect crunch on them and the cheese was so gooey. Our total tab was $44 which for a lunch out at a great spot I was more than happy with. read more

La Carta de Oaxaca - Fish tacos! Flavor blast. - Mexican Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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This is one of my go to restaurants in Seattle. I've never had a bad meal here. Favorites include: Tamales Salsa Verde, Pozole, Camarones Al Mojo de Ajo. It's all good though. Love the Margerita's as well! read more

My second time in this place , and like the first time, food was great, overpriced imo and small but tasty , Anyways , my girl and I wanted to have dinner and a good time, if not for the unprofessional, RUDE waitress , almost ruining the mood , first while ordering drinks , wanting to know for other options only to be (condescending and rudely) repeated in a single word the option mentioned, and first I thought,.. maybe is just me being sensitive, but then while ordering for the main dish ,.... apparently I should know better the difference between taquitos dorados and taquitos en salsa verde , ( my apologies señorita if I'm again not accurate ) because I can tell by her words the kind of non-sense of my order, and by her impatient listing of every ingredient of each dish , then test..asked again wich one I was referring to, by then and not wanting to come again with a "wrong answer" I just agreed to " your first recommendation is fine " , but by the rolling eyes I just give the , ..."wrong answer ! ...again, luckily , my girlfriend could read my frustration and cut in, to order something different she found in the menu while I was being lectured, so finally smart mouth left with our order.. What about dessert ? NO CHANCE!! ( before I thoroughly study the menu ) This all happened very quickly ( way quicker than writing this lines ) but could've totally ruined the mood, if not for the great food and the better company. I hope it was just a waitress having a bad day , as happens to us all ,humans , only we don't all have to deal with others while in jerk mode, as part of our job , and judging by how busy the place always is , this can't be the norm, that's why,..Yes, I would take my business there again, because of the good ( if pricey ) food ,and the rest of the staff were polite and professional, but feedback is necessary as ways of constructive criticism, ( and to take it out of my chest , and not on any of MY customers ) Come frutas y verduras ! read more

I reserved a table for 15 people and it wasn't ready on time. Then after ordering drinks and appetizers they let us know halfway through that they couldn't do more then one card. We had to argue for 15 min just to get separate checks when they never told me in the first place that they couldn't do separate checks for a party our size. I wouldn't have reserved a table if they let me know that ahead of time. When we asked the guy in charge why he couldn't do it he simply said that it was 'because our machines are old'. We even asked him if we had come in as separate parties and sat at different tables would he had not charged us separately? (We were TOTALLY trying to call him out on his BS) His response was simply repeating that his machines are old?! What does that even mean? Anyways he gave us a really hard time just because we wanted to pay separately & only obliged when we threatened to leave. Very rude. The waitress was nice enough but she seemed overwhelmed. She had to ask multiple times what our table ordered. I asked her to bring myself and 3 on my check 4 beers when the food came and they didn't get it out to us until we were more than halfway done with our food. The food portions are very small in relation to price. You'd also think they'd be eager to give us fantastic service considering they sat us in the back of the restaurant which was freezing and only was warmed by heat lamps. The only saving grace for this restaurant was the tequila which was great. Otherwise the food just like the service is subpar and mediocre at best. Really dissatisfied considering my party and I made the trip all the way out there to Ballard for a terrible experience. Won't EVER be coming back. read more

Service could be better, and portions are an insult, se very small, entomatada was literally 2 tortillas smothered in tomato sauce and about 4 Oz of meat, I regret having dinner at this place, 28 for a tlayuda poorly prepared, the birria plate was decent. read more

The ambience of the restaurant is good. They have great salsa variety and nice chips. But i personally did jot like the food. We got the black mole chicken which was sweet and taco fritos which was tasting oily more than its actual taste. The service was ok. read more

La Carta de Oaxaca - Taco frito chicken - Mexican Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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They do make the most tender, flavorful pork and carne asada. The tortillas were thin and delicate, perfect for mopping up that sweet mole sauce. The question then becomes, are you willing to be snubbed for food that is incrementally better than any good Mexican restaurants? One server made us feel so unwelcome, so uncomfortable that I just wanted to get out as soon as possible. No, the place wasn't even half full and there was no reason to rush. I just don't understand why we were being stared down while we eat. I'm still cringing as I write this, so the five stars review comes down to three. It looks like some reviewers have a much better experience here. I'm left to wonder why we were given the "special" treatment. read more

Really poor service. They say they will get you this or ask about that but they just don't do it. You'll have to ask multiple times and you'll grow more annoyed as time goes on. The food is mediocre at best. The drinks are okay but not worth the cost. Oh and don't get the guac. It's literally one small ice cream scoop of guac and too many chips for NINE DOLLARS. Spend your money elsewhere. read more

The food was great. Definitely authentic. My husband and I had the fried tacos and albondigas soup. Delicious! Service was okay. Restaurant doesn't like to split checks so mention if you and your party want separate checks. We also had some micheladas which were okay. read more

La Carta de Oaxaca - Albondigas - Mexican Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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This place has really gone downhill with their preparation, presentation, service, and overall quality of food. We came to get fish tacos, sold out, so we tried the shrimp. With me half expecting the tortillas to be handmade corn, well I was wrong. The flour tortillas seemed store bought and the flavors of the tacos were 1/5 stars. I would have asked for them to remake or give them a second chance to present better but the server was in such a hurry and did not seem to care about us being there. Not worth it! Sorry, not sorry. read more

This is a safe bet for dinner in Ballard. We love their margs and the food is delicious. The mole negro dish is our go to, it's the best mole I've had outside of Mexico! The only thing I've noticed is their main dish portion sizes are small. Despite ordering chips and guac in addition to mole dish as an entree, we left feeling not quite full which is a little sad bc the basic expectation for eating out is we don't leave the restaurant feeling hungry still. read more

This has to be the closest to actual Mexican food. No giant plates, no imitations. I was so happy to find them so close to home.

Margs. Bomb. Guac. Bomb. Mole. Bomb. Salsa bar. Bomb. Service. Bomba I seriously just can't explain how pumped I am to have found this spot. My husband and I have a tradition of exploring new neighborhoods and taste-testing multiple restaurants in one night: one drinks and one food items per stop. Here.... we couldn't do it! We broke the rule. We had to have two items. We have the waitress the leeway to chose our 2nd entree -- must have when visiting and she chose the mole chicken. My LAST choice on the menu. I usually really don't like mole meals. Little did I know that it was amazing! All in all it was deliciosa! Must do in Ballard! You may have to wait a few minutes to get into this small joint but the food comes out quick and the meals are so worth it!! read more

This is a great Mexican restaurant to enjoy while in Seattle! Got there just in time before the lines started. The margarita was delicious, and I enjoyed the carne asada tacos for my meal. They were small, but delicious. We also had guacamole and chips to start, and they were also very good. It's a neat atmosphere and the food seems to be authentic. I would definitely go back soon! read more

We have been coming here ever since it opened and it has always been so reliable. But last night I went with a friend who has just moved from Texas and we were both so disappointed by our food. We both got the regular Tacos - one with carne asada and the other al pastor. Not sure if it was an off night or hit by the pandemic in terms of quality of food. Not sure I will be back! read more

I've been here twice and after my first visit, I probably would have given them 4 stars, but after today's visit (months after my first), they are easily a 3 star place in my book. I had the chicken tamale lunch special the first time, and the tamale was delicious. It was wrapped in a banana leaf which made it extremely moist. I liked the onions and tomatoes that it was served with and the lunch prices are reasonable. 4.5/5 This visit I had the chicken tamale again but this time they only had the mole version. The mole is cooked in with the tamale and then it's served with an additional side of mole. Think it was about $8 for one tamale, which I think is kinda steep. Up it to $10 and serve rice and beans or something. The tamale itself was moist but I wasn't a fan of the mole (although I am not a huge mole fan in general; this one was too sweet for me). I also got a side of white rice that was ok but a little underseasoned. I would not order that dish again. 2/5 A side of chips and beans is $6 which, again, seems a bit pricey to me. The beans were ok but the chips were a little too thick and overcooked for my preference. And the beans didn't wow me. I could do without them. 3/5 My date ordered the chicken mole both times. First time was 4 stars but this time the mole just wasn't as good, and it was a 3 star dish. I think what was most disappointing about the visit was the service. Although our server was friendly, she didn't check on us at all after our food was served, and we sat with 3 empty drink glasses for about 15 minutes. The place wasn't busy (think she had 2ish tables), and she was just chatting with other staff. My mouth was on fire and finally we asked another server for water. That's just completely unacceptable in my book. A few other things I didn't like: the server didn't mention the salsa bar (we didn't notice until we were done eating) and the menu is limited. When I first moved to Seattle, I was really picky about Latin/Mexican food, and I thought it was impossible to find. The truth is there have been some pretty good spots I've visited recently and really some are what I consider outstanding. This place just isn't one of them. And it seems like they don't care. I think they need to up their game some because they have some steep competition surrounding them now. I'm not sure I am willing to give them another shot after the customer service and food we got tonight. Might be a good option for lunch for some people though- that's the only time I would recommend trying them. Food- 3 stars Service- 2.5 stars Ambience- 3 stars read more

Been here for years and it's always consistently good. I've yet to find better Mole or Carne Asada in Seattle

I was sad about the mole. It was only a thigh with white rice for $13. Severely overrated. Service was quick they want u in and out. Not coming back for food. Maybe drinks. read more

Delicious food, small portions. Based on the numerous Yelp reviews, we picked this place for dinner on a recent trip to Seattle. Between four of us, we ordered four different dishes and the consensus was portions were small. My husband had the enchiladas and I ordered the taquitos. My choice was amazing! The sauces were so flavourful and the beans and rice were perfect. I gave my husband a bite of mine and then after he finished his enchiladas (which were delish), he ordered a second entree of the taquitos to fill up. Service was a little hit and miss, slow at times, but friendly. It's a neat little space with authentic Mexican flavours. read more

La Carta de Oaxaca - Taquitos con salsa verde - Mexican Near Me - Seattle, Washington

One of my favorite places for authentic Mexican in Seattle. The location is super convenient in Ballard. Everyone who works there is so friendly. The open kitchen concept is really entertaining as well. I love the mole negro, but everything I've tried has been fresh and flavorful! read more

Sighhhhh, why don't I go here more often. This place makes such delicious food and drinks. The atmosphere is fun and vibrant, the decor has something different every direction you look. The waitstaff are friendly and efficient, and manage to be omnipresent but unobtrusive, no matter how busy it is (and it's usually hoppin' in here). The entrees are modest-sized and richly flavorful and colorful, and their sauces and salsas are spectacular. Some of their hotter salsas are legit, eye-watering hot. I'm afraid I haven't tried their signature mole because it seems to go with meat dishes and I go veggie (or maybe fishy) when I'm here, but my carnivore friends all rave about the mole. I really appreciate how their dishes allow simple combinations of fresh ingredients to do the talking...I vastly prefer that approach over Mexican restaurants that serve giant plates of food covered by a lake of melted cheese. I can walk out of La Carta de Oaxaca thinking "that was delicious!" rather than waddling out of one of those other places thinking "I just shaved a year off the end of my life." And now, a word from the soapbox: For what it's worth, I'm staying out of the "I LIVED IN _____ FOR A ZILLION YEARS, AND THE WORST MEXICAN FOOD THERE IS A KA-BILLION TIMES BETTER THAN THE BEST MEXICAN FOOD IN SEATTLE!" discussion...I have nothing to contribute to that particular my-dad-can-beat-up-your-dad argument, and frankly I have no patience for it either. I don't know how authentic this place is, having spent precisely zero time in the state of Oaxaca. But, I do know that it has absolutely delicious food, served by terrifically nice people, and that's good enough for the likes of me. read more

It is against my better judgment to write this and frankly, I'm just selfish but this just might make your day: Oaxaca now has a deck out back. Apparently it's been open for a month or so now = where the hell have I been?? Anyway there's a large, communal table and it seats about 16... and for some reason, their margaritas taste better whilst dining out there too. read more

The best Mexican I've had in Seattle. I ordered a dish with thin-sliced beef and tortillas with a choice of red or green tomatillo sauce. It was AMAZING. I love their salsa bar too, which offered about 6 different varieties, including pico de gallo. The guac was good, but on the bland side. It definitely needed some more salt and lime, but I lived. But everything else was sensational. I can't wait to try the chile relleno next time. The service was friendly and the food came out in less than 10 minutes. Awesome! Warning: The wait to be seated was about 40-45 minutes, even though we arrived at 5:30 (they open at 5:00). Be prepared to stand outside in the cold, as the tiny bar in the back will be packed. It's so worth it though. The best thing about this place besides the food are the prices. My entree was only $10 and the entire bill ended up being $16 per person (before tip), including drinks, apps, and dessert. We all left feeling sickeningly too full. But happy. :) read more

Ay, frijoles!!! Seattleites, you've got a real winner here! Let me start off by saying that my experiences eating Mexican food in the Northwest have been lackluster. Being of Mexican heritage and growing up in Los Angeles, I've had my share of some pretty excellent Mexican food, especially Oaxacan. So, when La Carta de Oaxaca was recommended to me while visiting Seattle, I had two thoughts going through my head, "Oh, wow! Really?! A Oaxacan restaurant in Seattle? I LOVE Oaxacan food! I need to check it out!", and then my other thought was, "Really? A great authentic Oaxacan restaurant in Seattle? I don't believe it. Serioulsy? Well, I'll give it a try." So, here was my experience at La Carta de Oaxaca... It was a drizzly Saturday night in November, and I was hungry. I walked into this place (I was in Seattle for a teacher conference) and it was packed! Lucky for me, since I was by myself, I was seated immediately by one of the friendly servers. I noticed that some of the staff here were either Oaxacan or Latino, and spoke Spanish. This quickly put me at ease and I felt I was back at home. Right away, they seated me with a bunch of folks at a long table. I really liked the whole communal experience. As I was seated, I took some time to look around. The feeling that I got from this place was one of celebration, it just made me feel happy inside, and this was BEFORE I ordered my food! This is definitely a fun place to eat a meal and hang out. I loved the decor! The place was fairly bright with all sorts of large pics on the walls of Oaxacan people and daily life. It was very stream lined. Really cool without the big fuss. Also, I noticed that Mexican ranchera music was playing, which added to the festivity of the place. Made me feel quite fuzzy inside. :) So, I ordered the mole negro Oaxaqueno (I grew up eating and LOVING mole), which came with rice and corn tortillas. My meal was so delicately delectable, especially with the richness of chocolate that is an important ingredient in mole. Even as I write this review, my mouth is seriously watering. SERIOUSLY. Dear me! I found myself sopping up the sauce with my tortillas, not wanting to waste any part of my meal! And though this place was rather hipster/yupster, it reminded me of a place that I'd find in a plaza in L.A. next to a laundromat and mini-mart. So down to earth and downright delicious. Folks, this place is the real deal. No fakers here. This food reminds me of the places you'd find in SoCal with their plethora of Oaxacan restaurants. So tasty. Mas, por favor! Another awesome reason why I should move to Seattle. read more

La Carta is deserving of its reputation as the best Mexican joint in Seattle. It's definitely one of my favorite places to grab dinner and drinks if you have a little time to wait for a table. Service is always nice and they're always busy. Last night I went with a group of friends and I was pleasantly surprised they were able to seat the 6 of us together in the back room. Nice! I had the tacos al pastor and they were packed with flavor. This is real bang for your buck at only $6 for 2 tacos! With the chips and salsa and guacamole plus the two tacos I was very full. The prices are so reasonable, too. My favorite dishes are the chicken mole, the tacos al pastor, and the halibut tacos. Who am I kidding, I love everything I've had here! Service was a bit slow and absent last night (no drink order refills, no one came to take our check) but that's forgivable because we were in the back room. I will be back again and again! read more

Clearly, we had a different experience than those of you who are raving about this place. .. We were apprehended at the door by a surly little general with a greezy jheri curl (apparently the owner's bro). For whatever reason, he refused to seat our group until the fourth person, who was minutes away, arrived. Of course, in that interim the place filled up, and we had to wait an hour for a spot at the communal table. The waiters were as charmless as the creep at the door: never cracked a smile, testy when asked questions, no eye contact, dishes slammed down: the works. I ordered chicken mole, which turned out to be a side dish of thighbone with a little flesh on one side, covered with a lukewarm, corn syrupy mess. The portion was so small I had to eat dinner after dinner. (And, yes, I understand the small plates trend, but if the waiter had been doing his job, he'd have explained to me that this dish wouldn't suffice as a meal in itself.) The one bright spot of this miserable experience was the barman in the back bar, who was friendly and competent. However, his niceness and efficiency will not be enough to ever coax me back here. I'll hit the real Mexican food in White Center and Burien where they say please and thank you and smile at their customers... read more

Why another review? Because...deep, rich, drunkenly fruity sangria. Because...warmly spiced tender tender tender lamb birria. Because...black beans laced with mexican and avocado crema. Because...light salty corn tortillas. Because...so many lovely, noisy, smile-filled nights worth waiting for on a cold Ballard sidewalk. Because...they bring you birthday cake. On their seventh birthday. ¡Feliz cumpleaños! Les deseo incluso años más maravilloso. read more

Yogi Berra once said, "Nobody goes there anymore; it's too crowded." I say, "Cary a Pitbull CHMIG-666 Blowhorn and little things like lines and crowds tend to be slightly easier to disburse". .$30 on Ebay people. Start taking notes, because I don't know how much longer I can give this advice away for free. Oh... and as everyone has pointed out... this place is good with a capitol "G"! The absolute best thing on the menu is the banana leaf wrapped tamale! Get it and you can thank me with a hug... I live three store fronts down. read more

You had me at quesadilla fritas.... Really do you really have to ask me what quesadilla frita is?... let's just say... amazing.. crap my mouth is watering just thinking about la carta.... I came here with some of my girls, and that was probably the worst idea ever!!! we had to wait so long, and I wish I could have just ditched them and ate by myself.. it was that good.. so good I would have joined a random person's table good, slap my momma good, say my name good.... and last but not least leave my boyfriend good.. well not that good.. but you get my point!!!!.... so worth taking the trip to ballard..... fyi : just sneak in a bottle of vodka because the wait is really long, well don't sneak in a bottle, but be ready for the wait... read more

Tequil-ya, tequil-ya you are my Achilles' heel! *hic!* Oh, the nights when we've crowded our way in among the hordes of happy, friendly, tipsy patrons; all snugged up to the bar ogling the pageantry of mass margarita creation like kids lined up to for animal balloons. Ngaaaaah, shaken, not stirred with a soupçon of Cointreau thank you very much! Let me just say, when these bad boys & some nachos are the only thing in your hands while waiting for your number to be called, exuberant cheering for other people's tables, buying shots for random strangers in blue & gold who suffer from a rare subset of Tourette's ("Go Bears!"), & starting all words with the sound "sh" is de rigeur. *hic!* On the occasions that we've made it to the table without a scant forest of agave in our bellies we've been happily sated. The tamales de mole negro has dark sweet mole with a hint of raisins, fluffy masa, looking like a tropical present wrapped in banana leaves. Hearty & filling but not heavy & coma-inducing. If you're a starchophile, check out the molotes: potatoes & beef sausage with salty Oaxaqueno cheese fried in a tortilla. It sounds like a post-clubbing gut-bomb but actually isn't greasy. And who doesn't love the halibut tacos with a creamy smoked chipotle sauce? Most items come in threes which makes for sharing & good-natured poaching. Sigh. All this reminiscing about my favorite hangouts in Sea-town is making me hungry & maudlin. *hic!* read more

Alright all you Yelpers.... It seems that everyone has gone here and now I can finally say I have! The food was blow-my-mind incredible. I had the Pozole. Finished every last drop and wanted to order some to go because I thought I would actually miss having it! The shredded pork was tender, broth was spicy and balanced in flavor. Came with home-made tortillas and toppings for tiny tacos. Chips were PIPING hot and the Salsa Bar was a great touch. We were sat immediately, the place was buzzing with people. Old, young, singles, couples, families and even a photographer seemed to be there. It felt like home, definitely a place to come back to catch up with a friend or three. Yum. Yum. Yum. read more

So I've given La Carta two tries and maybe the third would be the charm but I'm not that interested in waiting in line one more time. The first time I went we were the last two people seated at 5pm. I was like SCORE we got in! Unfortunately we were seated on top of two tables, seriously right on top of them, I had a hard time fitting my fat ass between the tables to get to my seat but I sucked it in and managed to squeeze by and sit down, though my ass did knock something over on the table, opps. We of course started with the chips and guacamole which came right out. Both were good and so was the pico de gallo from their salsa bar. I went with the tacos al pastor and wasn't that impressed with them, they didn't wow me like I expected them too. We shared a quesadilla which again was just meh nothing exciting basically the food was just something for my molars to work on. I guess I should add that the table to my left really turned me off too. I was in shock that the lady was eating the pico de gallo by spoonfuls and kept making the guy with her go get refills and instead of getting chips and guacamole she just inhaled like six bowls of pico de gallo while waiting. Who does that people?!?! Than she had the caldo de pescado and used her fingers to pull out the pieces of fish and ate it like a fried chicken leg than she'd scoop the broth out and put it in to an empty pico de gallo bowl and drink it like a shot. I was so confused and at this point I had to turn to my right which wasn't any better. A table full of kids who had snotty noses and liked to eat and cough with their mouths open I was so over La Carta at this point. The next time I didn't have the disgusting dining companions but I had a bit of a wait, which I kind of expected since the first time I had no wait. Again I started with the chips and guacamole which I've come to discover are the highlight of the place if you throw a little salt into it but not really worth the price you have to pay for them. This time I tried the enchiladas and the mole and again neither wowed me. With all the rave reviews I expected to be blown away, I expected a explosion of flavors and yummy food in my mouth but I got nothing. Apparently I only like Baja styled Mexican food not Oaxaca sorry. read more

So this is review #4,214,975 for this place, and probably at least the 1000th 5-star review, but it totally deserves it. I'm no expert, but this is the best Mexican food I've ever had outside of Mexico (and yes, I've actually been, twice in fact - so shut up). I had the Tamales de Mole' Negro with pork. Flavorful pork encased in black mole wrapped in a banana leaf. Man, what's not to love. I also tried a bite of my lunch date's tacos which were equally flavorful, with the spices and red sauce mixing perfectly with the crunchy shell and melty cheese. And of course, I had to throw in a Pacifico because I don't have to work this week. Lunch with beer and Mexican food pretty much can't be beat. I'll totally be back - worth the trip to Ballard (and that's saying something). read more

Oaxaca, I know everyone loves you and raves about you, and I'm very sorry, but I'm just not that into you. Maybe it's your hard-to-get game playing (not open Sundays and an insane wait time when you are open) or the small portions, or the small vegetarian menu, but I really don't think we need to see each other anymore. Your margaritas are quite lovely and you should be proud of them, but for me, that's just not enough, I'm looking for a little bit more in my life. Don't take this too hard, I know you'll find someone new. read more

When I get to Heaven (yes, I'm a Jew and a Heathen, but my dog is going one day, and I'll assume he'll work a deal for me), I'm going to sit down to a platter of their chicken mole and never get up again (followed by frites from Le Pichet). The most rich and delicious sauce I've ever tasted. All this and fresh tortillas, properly in house fried tortilla chips, and lightning service from the nice bartender (we sat at the bar, so I don't get all the "service sucks" remarks, frankly.) Place was packed, too. I've eaten a lot of Mexican food, having lived in the Mission in San Francisco for years - but this is deee-licious. The portions were not large, but honestly folks - does everywhere need to be the Cheesecake Factory? I had a rich meal without falling into food coma. This is how the French eat, you know. I like you, La Carta de Oaxaca. I like you a lot. read more

I don't know how it took me so long, but I finally ate here! I'd heard the place was great and, considering how many people are waiting for a table outside on the sidewalk on any given night, the food was supposedly fantastic. It took about 20-30 minutes to get a table, which wasn't too bad considering we had margaritas in the bar while we waited. Plus, we got a great table next to the window, which was really nice. We split the following: chips and guacamole, tostadas de camerones, halibut tacos, and the enchiladas. Everything was super tasty and really reasonably priced. I dug the fried egg that came with the enchiladas and the sauce was really delicious (whatever it was!). The margaritas are STRONG. I'd read in the reviews on here that they were strong...and those reviewers were right on. Thumbs up for the salsa bar. And oh man, their pico de gallo is the spiciest I've ever had - so many jalapenos! I will definitely be back here - I really liked it. read more

In a word: YUM! We waited about 30 minutes for a table, which ended up being two seats at the counter overlooking the kitchen. And what a view: All of the tortillas were being made to order; the all-female cooks were moving fast but deliberately to get their food out to the noisy Friday-night crowd. We were conveniently close to the salsa bar, which had 5 or 6 freshly-made sauces. We started with guacamole and chips; the guac was on the creamy (as opposed to chunky) side, but tasty; the chips were fried to order. We moved on to picaditas -- sort of a mini pizza of grilled tortilla with a smear of porky black beans, cheese crumbles, and drizzled sauces-- and molotes, which were a bit like potato-and-chorizo-filled taquitos. We ordered a pork tamal with black mole steamed in banana leaf, but got chicken instead. Even with chicken, it was delicious; I can only imagine how amazing it would be with pork instead! wub.gif The chile relleno -- which we ordered with cheese filling --was perfectly battered and properly cooked. Though it lacked sauce, I would still vote it one of the best I have ever eaten. My only wish was that it would have been bigger. Like all of their plates, it was just a few tantalizing bites. Black beans in varying stages of thickness and smoothness made appearances throughout the meal. On the picaditas, they were blended with smoky lard, and used as a sort of sauce. One of the larger dishes came with a small ramekin of mostly-whole beans topped with shredded dry cheese, and the other came with a pool of saucy, partially-smashed ones. The food was very authentic, startlingly fresh, and entirely worth the wait. At under $50 (including tax, tip, and 4 bottles of mexican beer), it was also a stunning deal. The service was welcoming and friendly, despite the crowd of people. The decor was fun without going over the top into Latin kitsch. read more

Too busy! Long wait! To-go is fast though =) Chips and Guacamole & mild salsa - I love their fresh chips and chunky guacamole. Pork Mole - When I heard this was made with chocolate I had to try it. It has a bit of a sweet earthy gritty taste but it's strangely yummy. I couldn't eat too much of it in one sitting though. Loved the yellow rice that went with it too. Stewed Lamb - I'm not crazy about lamb but this was pretty good. It wasn't anything too memorable though. I prefer the mole over this one. Both dishes came with a lot of sauce so you could actually make two meals out of it by getting more chips and rice. Or maybe add your own meat to the extra sauce. Yep, I'm all for getting the most out of my meals. Enjoying to-go in the comfort of one's home = happiness =P read more

Wow! I think I died and went to food heaven. I arrived at a normal dinner time and the place was packed! Luckily my date and I were able to snag a table outside...(finders first!) Everyone around us seemed to be happily enjoying their meals and I could see inside that the restaurant had an awesome salsa bar and eclectic decorations on the walls. Outside it was nice weather on the small but quaint patio and chips and guacamole were brought out to us right away. I tried the sangria which was very strong, authentic tasting (just like I can remember from Spain...well the times I remember drinking it), and it wasn't too sweet which you often find with sangria. The guacamole tasted fresh and homemade. I ordered the Moletas and my date ordered the Halibut fish tacos. Both had the most wonderful mixtures of flavor with a hint of spiciness making you think " Ay caramba"! I suggest you hurry to Ballard right away to try this place no matter how long the wait! read more