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    Little Water Cantina

    3.0 (621 reviews)
    ModerateMexican, Bars
    Closed 11:30 am - 9:00 pm

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    LITTLE WATER CANTINA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Little Water Cantina

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    Charley B.

    Fun spot on a nice day to sit outside. The service is all online now, which is interesting, but the food is always really fresh and the margs are delicious!! Good vibes for a sunny Seattle day.

    Bonnie G.

    The food was fresh, though I wanted the salsas to be spicier. Loved sitting on the back deck. Great view. Especially on a sunny day. Odd menu/ordering system: You scan the qr code to see the menu and order. No one appears that you can ask questions. We ordered the chips and salsa. Enjoyed the mixed corn and flour chips, obviously house made. The salsa was nice, but very mild. Id lije ut spicier. You get a nice sized portion of chips, without enough salsa to eat them with. We flagged someone down to get more salsa, and were advised we'd need to buy more salsa. So for $7, you get chips and salsa, but if you want more salsa, you gotta pay. We tried the elote corn and appreciated the knife to cut it off the cob. It was ok, but would probably not order again. Very mayo heavy. The grilled fish tacos were tasty but very messy to eat. The green salsa it came with had little flavor and no heat at all. The rice and beans were great! Loved those flavorful beans. I'm sorry I paid online when I ordered. I would have tipped less after the meal. The service was barely there.

    Erik H.

    Great place to hang out overlooking the lake on a nice day with a few cervezas and margaritas. Came her after a UW graduation before flying out of town. Meal took an hour which was perfect. Ordering is done via toast tab. Had quesadillas, nachos burritos tacos, salads, etc and everyone was pleased.

    Fresh watermelon margaritas - very tasty.
    Natasha R.

    I just got back from Tulum and was still craving tacos - when I walked outside and saw they were serving fresh watermelon margaritas I decided to stop. I came in for a late lunch (3pm) and there were about 5 tables taken. A friendly waiter greeted me - I was able to seat myself on the patio and enjoy the view. I learned while I sat here that they have a free parking garage - I walked so I didn't require it, but that's great information to give my friends who drive down (I'll be back). The watermelon margarita was so fresh - the refreshing cocktail I was hoping for on this sunny day. The fish tacos hit the spot - great flavor and appropriately sized. Unfortunately - I found a few bones in one taco. I was fully intending to make this a 5 star review before those unfortunate few bites. Stuff happens - it didn't ruin my experience.

    Chips with Salsa and Guacamole
    Candace W.

    This place has pretty decent Mexican food for prices that are a little high, but makes sense for the location. Definitely ask for an outdoor seat here because the view is amazing, you can even see Gas Works Park from their patio! The service was decent, you get your menu from a QR code and order on your phone so you're not personally tended to. The chips with salsa and guacamole was a great starter. They had 2 different types of chips which I liked. The salsa is very spicy though (and I like spice)!!! The tacos were good with not much meat on them but enough to satisfy me. The quesadillas were thin and plain, so probably wouldn't order those again. Overall: AMAZING location because of its clear waterfront view. The food was average for a Mexican spot, and the service was mainly through a device which didn't bother me.

    ... it's time to ditch the single use plastic cups
    Stacy S.

    5 stars for ambiance and food... service and sustainability make this a 4 star review. If you're lucky enough to get an outside table in the summer, grab it. And then try a spicy margarita which is delicious and served in an actual glass. (For some reason, water comes in a single use plastic glass, despite this being the 2020s.) Tacos and elote corn are very good.. sharing food is easy but requires a lot of coordination through their ordering system (especially if you want separate bills). Maybe just have one person order everything and then use venmo.

    $18 chicken burrito. Cold, bland and full of rice.  No bueno.
    Lisa S.

    $18 burrito. It was cold, super bland and full of rice. The food has been mediocre the last few years. Drinks are always good and they have a great deck.

    Grilled fish tacos.  Where is the fish?
    Jason H.

    I couldn't imagine a Mexican restaurant being worse. To start with the good, patio seating and homemade tortillas. It ends there. You order from a QR code and food is delivered. Hate this. No interaction. No human connection. We ordered tacos, grilled fish and chicken tinga. They were stingier with their meat than Chipotle...on a bad day. There was plenty of cabbage and crema. So much that you could not close the tortilla to eat the taco. The tortilla was so thin, everything fell through the bottom. This was not a taco. I ordered corn tortillas and received flour. Not a big deal but one of the little things that made this experience one I would not want to repeat or recommend. As a visitor to Seattle, this might be the best Mexican restaurant available. If so, I'm so sorry. Don't eat here. Don't waste your money. Pass on Little Water Cantina.

    Bar area

    Traveling through Seattle and stopped for a quick drink before my reservation. However, stopping here quickly turned into cancelling my reservation at the other place and hanging out here. Absolutely great conversation with the bartender Chris - he is so down to earth, and served prime drinks the entire time. The views are amazing. Overall, I highly recommend this place and will always make a stop when I am in Seattle!

    Salsa & Chips
    Rebecca Q.

    No reservations, so we waited about 25 minutes at the bar for a seat on the beautiful outdoor patio. The watermelon margs were as fresh as advertised and the chips and salsa were bold and spicy (skip the flour chips). It was $17 for 2 largely stuffed fried fish tacos, but they were delicious and service was kind.

    The patio view
    Greyson S.

    Maybe it was a magic moment, being right at opening on New Years Day, or maybe they've taken some of the feedback left here by others to heart. Regardless, my partner and I had a great time at Little Water Cantina, which was our first time, and we'll absolutely be back. Are you paying for the view on top of the food? Absolutely! But I've paid twice as much for half as decent food at other places with views around town. Honestly, I thought their barbacoa was amazing and the salsa that came with the chips was stellar. I didnt find the staff cold at all. Granted, we were the only ones there. We were provided with all the accoutrements for the table as expected and we didnt find the QR menu experience cumbersome at all. The food came fast and was very tasty. I def will be ordering extra tortillas and splitting the tacos up next time. I scoffed at the price at first for two tacos, but they were so full that they were more like 4 tacos at other places. The experience of paying without interacting with anyone was a little disconcerting, and I could see how that part of the experience could come off feeling cold to other folks. But I appreciated the simplicity and we were well-wished warmly on the way out. I suspect some of this gets lost when they fill up, which is why I'll likely continue to try going at odd hours. Oh and for those concerned about the location, theres decent parking on site if they arent busy. A whole little parking level underneath the building.

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    6 days ago

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    2 months ago

    Great food, great view. Perfect spot for lunch, especially with the underground parking.

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    11 months ago

    22% automatic tip but you have to order from kiosk? Then they ask you to add tip on check out?

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    Page 1 of 16

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    Fogón Cocina Mexicana

    Fogón Cocina Mexicana

    4.4
    (2.1k reviews)
    2.2 mi
    $$

    Great Mexican restaurant located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood in Seattle…read more Freshly made chips that come with a salsa roja that has a kick to it. Not bland like in other places. The ceviche was fresh and loved that they added shredded carrots for extra crunchiness. Tacos de carne were delicious, with the meat properly seasoned. Will definitely come back for more the next time we are in Seattle. Service was prompt and courteous.

    I shared the mole enchiladas and lengua en salsa verde from this Mexican place…read more Of these, the lengua en salsa verde was my favorite. The beef tongue was cooked pretty well. Although it's naturally very fatty, the flavor and juiciness was retained after cooking - so they didn't screw it up. The salsa verde was a very nice accompaniment, as it tasted light, fresh, and a good complement to the fat of the meat. The mole enchiladas were less good. The mole sauce used leaned way too heavily on a sweet flavor - having little to no nuttiness whatsoever. It didn't taste anywhere close to some of the best moles I've had. The enchilada underneath was fine - nothing special. Both dishes came with beans and rice. Both were slightly above average, but nothing to write home about. I would say the portions were well sized in terms of overall amount, but the enchiladas were quite small compared to the beans and rice. With these two dishes we ended up around 28 per person. Overall, it's average Mexican food. 6.5/10

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    Pancita

    Pancita

    4.5
    (92 reviews)
    2.0 mi

    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
    Interior
    Interior
    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
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    Maiz Molino

    Maiz Molino

    4.4
    (124 reviews)
    2.3 mi
    $$

    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.

    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.

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    Taco plate
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    Elote risotto at Maíz Molino in South Lake Union.
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    Hatch Cantina

    Hatch Cantina

    4.3
    (401 reviews)
    2.5 mi
    $$
    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.

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    Interior (4/8/23)

    Little Water Cantina - mexican - Updated June 2026

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