Pleasantly surprised by this great Mexican restaurant. Delicious, fresh, great value and homemade salsa. Go for it!

Well, this is gonna be a great review because the food, service, and ambiance were wonderful. A ltitle background, we lost our 36 yo son very suddenly and unexpectedly to an undiagnosed untreatable medical condition. We wanted to have a get together to celebrate his life, tell stories, and let his friends and family reminisce. we picked Tapatio's Mexican Grill because we have been going there and taking out for years. We approached Luis and Jorge about putting on a wonderful buffet for us, and they could not have been more gracious and helpful. they told us to leave everything in their hands and we did. As a result the event was perfect, they paid attention to our wants and our needs and they could not have been nicer while doing so. You know, so often, you go to a restaurant and the food can be great one time and then not so good the next, but at Tapatio the food is always spot on. If it's a hot dish, it comes hot, the chips are wonderful as is the salsa and having tried most things on the menu, there isn't anything that I wouldn't recommend because everything is so good. if you're looking for a good family spot or just a nice date night, you certainly can't go wrong by going Tapatio's in Newcastle. read more

Best Mexican food I've had in Washington, hands down. Service great, margaritas even better. Only place I'll go now.

To go food is awful. Serving size is not regular dine in portions. Service has gone down hill in last 3 years... read more

Amazing customer service, and the food is great! The Strawberry Lemonade is the best part, best lemonade i've ever had!

Update on experience. Placed another order today 2/28 thru Uber Eats. Again Tapatio got the order wrong and forgot an item. Trying to support a small business, but you can't do things correctly. Please stop all delivery service as you are not good at it. This is a Tapatio issue and not Uber Eats issue. Also your food quality is average at best. If you want a restaurant who can make quality food and get your order correct try Casa Durango. read more

Service was extremely slow. Originally upon arrival, we were reluctantly sat down. They were not welcoming at all and didn't seem to even want us there, but we were waiting for others in our party to arrive. As we sat, and everyone else arrived, we were burnt and blinded by the sun. It took them about 15-20 minutes to FINALLY lower the shades! We did not even see them, otherwise we would've asked. I am not sure why they didn't OFFER to do that in the first place. Water was placed down. Lukewarm, barely any ice whatsoever. Chips and salsa was good. Asked for small plates and extra napkins, never received them. Ordering took forever. The server was very slowful and inattentive. Forgot Margarita that was ordered, and the Shirley Temples we ordered were a syrupy joke. No Cherries? It was flat and flavorless. We finally got to order, received our food, and I chewed on a piece of PLASTIC! My husband brought it to our server's attention when he finally decided to come and see how our food was. He literally looks at it, takes it out my hand and walks away with it. NO APOLOGY. Comes back to get the check of course, we had to ASK what was that?! He mumbled some answer. No manager came to apologize, no comps, NOTHING. We also indicated we were celebrating a Birthday when we arrived. No song even! They seemed real annoyed and real distracted. What was most concerning was the fact that there was a huge piece of plastic in my food, in my mouth, and no one took accountability, no apology, nothing. Food was pretty average. I see why it wasn't very busy. After my experience and the fact I could have choked on that plastic, I would never return and advise you all not to go either. There are other restaurants with excellent customer service and food safety. read more

See all

I'm not sure why but everytime I go here I always have a little bit of difficulty ordering, I order simple dishes. This time around I decided to try something new and got a pork burrito, the pork was a bit dry in some places. The burrito was bigger than I thought it would be. Also got some tacos, they were a bit messy to eat. The chips and salsa are good but at times I feel they are a little old. read more

So, this place is pretty tasty. We have ordered from Tapatio a few times. All have been great, except for this past order where the delivery driver dropped it our neighbors house. By the time it got to us it was cold. HOWEVER, once I warmed it back up, the Carne Asada was delicious! So, all in all, Tapatio is our current "go-to" for local Mexican food. read more

Ordered takeout here and wasn't dissapointed when I arrived and saw a tortilla station in the dinig area making them fresh. Ordered the pastor tacos and mole enchiladas, I would order both again though it would be nice to be able to have the option to order the pastor tacos individually instead of as a combo or get a pastor burrito. read more

We used to love this neighborhood place but would prefer the TexMex of Cactus vs the highly inflated prices of this place. $25 for a burrito! Terrible service (honestly the worst we have had in a long time! having to ask multiple times to order appetizers, main entree and drinks) It's just not worth it. Go drive the extra distance to somewhere else - Cactus is cheaper and has better service even if it is busier..: maybe they're busier for a reason. read more

Great food that reminds me of home! The service is great and the staff are very welcoming!

I would give this place a 5 star rating had it not been for the subpar service. I ordered the carne asada burrito and a regular Margarita and they were great! My friend ordered the burrito bowl and it was cold. When they brought it back it was still cold and it looked like all they did was warm the bowl up really quick. Service was not so great. We had asked for a salsa refill 3x and they never brought it. It was as if they didn't want to spare the free salsa. At times we didn't even know where our waiter was. Also beware! Check your bill as they charged us different prices that did not match the prices that was on the menu. I was over charged by $4 total. Didn't feel my margarita and burrito was worth $40 (this is including tip). A little pricey for 1 just for Mexican food. read more

I absolutely love this restaurant! It has great service and the staff are nice but the food is next level. I recommend the street tacos but the fajitas are also a favorite. read more

Tapatio Mexican Grill - Mexican Near Me - Newcastle, Washington

Consistently good and best enjoyed when it's crazy busy at dinner time. During this time they fresh make the flour tortillas on the spot so they go from being great to phenomenal. Camarones A la Diabla and Fajitas are sure to please, but really anything on the menu is quite satisfying. Chips are always warm and fresh with plenty of salt and the salsa is excellent. The drinks are excellent too. Definitely try the jalapeno margarita if you like spicy with some kick! Friendly service and reasonable prices keep us coming back for more. read more

Quarantine or no quarantine, Tapatio's is the place to be! They're offering their full menu and a limited time family style takeout menu. Missing your favorite margaritas? No worries. They were the first to apply for a change in their liquor license and have your favorite drinks available for to go. Margaritas? Sangria? Modelo? Coronas? You name it - they have it! Make your Corona quarantine a little bit better and stop at Tapatio's for some good take out! read more

I visited the Factoria location a few months back with some coworkers who raved about this place. I enjoyed the food and experience and have been wanting to support some local businesses since the "stay at home order" started. Naturally I was craving mexican food and looked up Tapatio to see if they were offering pick up. I noticed they also have a Newcastle location which is just a tiny bit closer for me so I decided to give it a go! I was very impressed with the ease or ordering online and the variety of menu items available for pickup. After a few dietary considerations I landed on the Molcajete and so glad I did! This dish was huge and made for 2 meals for me. I saw a few reviews that its served with fresh house made tortillas and while those sound AMAZING I just cant eat them. I asked if they could include a side of romaine lettuce instead which they packaged separately to keep it from getting hot on my drive home. The only issue I had with order and pick up was not receiving an email that my order was ready as Chow Now stated I would. I didn't want to go in at my pick up time because there were several people waiting outside (at appropriate social distances I might add!) and assumed they would be ahead of me. Eventually I popped in and my food was indeed ready to go! It appeared that they took great measures for sanitation and social distancing with guest as well as their own staff. After a 10 minute drive home my food was still warm and packaged very well with everything you may need to enjoy your meal. The flavor was perfect and they provided extra salsa on the side. I also got a side of Guac (it does come with a little but I knew I would want more) which was a little small but very tasty and fresh. I did miss out on the super cool lava rock bowl this is usually served in so I will have to return when they reopen to try this dish again! read more

This place is decent but not the best Mexican food I've tried. The cheese enchilada was pretty good but the red sauce on it could use more spice. The taco al pastor was good too but needed more sauce I feel like. The prices here are a little higher than they should be. But if your craving Mexican food and this is all you got then it works ! read more

Tapatio Mexican Grill - Mexican Near Me - Newcastle, Washington

See all

***decided to reduce one star of my last review. For the last couple time I went there, the service was very slow and almost not exist. It's bad enough to make my husband would not go back. However, think their food is the best Mexican in town. That is why it still get 4 stars. *** No complaints for this place!!! For a person who complains a lot like me (according to my husband), can't find anything to complain about is quite something!! The food here is outstanding. I like it more than any Mexican restaurants I tried around here. The food was way more flavorful than many places. I got shrimp in creamy chipotle sauce. It was so good and the waiter offered to make it spicy for me. The sauce is kind of similar to Thai Tom kha mix with Thai curry. It's hard to explain, but so flavorful with all spice, herb and creamy factor. The flour tortilla was very soft and served warm. My kids also enjoyed their meal. My husband was very happy about big vegetarian menu there. There were 8 items on it. The service here is the best. These people know how to impress customers. They shown up for everything. We did not have to call for help because they did everything before we asked. The restaurant is big and customers spread everywhere. Look like there were just a few staff, but they still manage to provide excellent service. Only one complaint is the chip. I am not crazy about the chip here. Very thick and don't have much taste. (Cactus and Ricardo chips are better). Oops, did I say I can't complain about anything here? :P read more

See all

No more Tapatio for us. Soggy mushy mess and then they added 10% to our bill (not including tip) for just ordering online and picking it up. What?! It costs them less if we order and pay online and they charge us extra for it? But mainly the food is just not that good. How do you turn a crispy chimichanga into a soggy mess? The owner is taking local Newcastle customers for granted. No more for us. read more

Excellent food, friendly staff, bustling cheerful atmosphere, killer margaritas. Amazing chips and with even more amazing green or red salsa -- all you can eat. This is by far my favorite Mexican Restaurant anywhere -- and I'm tried them all over -- including New York, New Jersey, Texas, California, New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon and even Scotland. Nothing is quite as good as Tapatio's, which is a ten minute walk from home. read more

I would give Tapatio a 4 and 1/2 if I could. Been coming for years and pretty much know the menu from memory. Many great dishes and friendly staff. I always have a nice time and recommend Tapatio to everyone. read more

My family has frequented Tapatio since it opened many years ago. The menu has some great dishes and is head and shoulders above what often passes for Mexican food. The menu is large and includes many regional dishes from (I believe) the Michoacan area where the family is from. Tacos El Pastor is my personal favorite as is the seafood burrito. The same family has owned and operated the restaurant for many years and they are friendly as well as excellent. Their dining room is fine but often crowded particularly on weekends so we've often done takeout over the years. Their service and excellent cooking remain constant even during the pandemic. Order online. Staff will often bring your food out to you and now you can order drinks/beer to go. Great break from cooking in. read more

Tapatio is a wonderful part of the Newcastle community! I work nearby and it makes for a great takeout dinner after many late nights. It is always ready on time and is always delicious. I love getting either the burrito bowl or the Carnitas Michocan. Both are very well flavored and have large portions. The chips and salsa that come with every meal (including takeout) are some of the best I've ever had. The salsa has a perfect amount of spice and the chips are so fresh. Yum! For covid, they've added a gorgeous outdoor patio in front of the restaurant. I hope they make it work for rainy days too! read more

Ordered two entrees for delivery via Uber Eats. My corn quesadilla w/ carne asada was fantastic! My Husband ordered the chicken & steak fajitas.Came with all the fixings too. Packed really well for transport and delivery. Great treat during this social distancing time! Update: one week later. Ordered the same dishes again. Took twice as long as expected based on the time frame they gave, but still delicious and thankful for good food! read more

Solid Mexican food, with pretty good options for fish options, good margaritas, and good service.

Food is soooo good! The people here are so friendly and they make u feel at home:) I even got them to cater for my quinceanera! Def go try

I've been here a few times now because they're near to home. My first 2 experiences ordering the Carne Asada were great! The meat was flavorful, cooked well, and everything tasted really fresh! The last few times ordering out the food has been cold. I don't know about you, but you don't want to spend $25 on your Carne Asada and chew on its cold grease. It didn't help that they made my takeout process a bit cumbersome as they asked for various proof of purchase... A first! Otherwise, when they're on point they're pretty good, but they definitely need to improve the consistency. read more

This is the place to get large portions of bland and uninspired Mexican food. With Loco Chon around the corner, I don't know why you would go here. read more

Been going here sense I was like 7, insanely good food and the workers feel like family, the environment is authentic and really clean. I would recommend this over any restaurant let alone Mexican place. read more

This was our first time there, and it was interesting to see the woman in the window making fresh tortillas. My husband had a seafood paella and I just had a house salad, which is filling for both of us! The complimentary chips and salsa were very fresh and tasty. Servers were very quick to clear our tables and to get our orders. Will definitely come here again. Great restaurant. Thank you! read more

Our go-to for fantastic Mexican- Guadalajaran to Yucatán. We love the Enchiladas Guadalajara but have more than made ourselves at home with the entire menu. Choices are phenomenal, whether you're a carnivore or vegetarian. Alcoholic drinks are plentiful and delicious. Don't miss the opportunity to see excellent service in action, the best food around, all in a wonderful and convivial atmosphere. Carry out is quick and easy. And don't forget the black beans! read more

Ordered chipotle pescado. There was no chipotle flavor ... might as well have just been a cream sauce. It really lacked flavor. Not to mention service was pretty whatever. It was hard to ask for chips/salsa bc no one came to check up on us and then when they did they only brought chips lol. We were also the only table in the restaurant. Overall experience was pretty lack luster. /: read more

I have a rating of 4.5 as done in and a rating of 1.5 for take out. It's a family favorite for dinner in. It's always busy and noisy but food is service are good. Don't try takeout because it comes in smaller portion and looks like sidewalk street vendor food in alum foil. I had to average it out to 2 stars. read more

Some of their meals are better than others but on this particular night I was missing my daily breakfast treat or chilaquiles while in Cabo. read more

See all

I have been getting food here for 15 years. I used to really like this place. In the past couple years when I order to go the food it has been sub-par. Very disappointed. I hope they improve on that. read more

Fun atmosphere and good spot to stop by in the Newcastle neighborhood. Always busy, good for takeout.

Tapatio is great for takeout, delivery and dine in couldn't be happier for the past 4 years bringing our family into this restaurant. Everything we order is delicious and they are nice and fast. read more

We came here on a Saturday night around 7:30pm and we were seated immediately. The restaurant was spacious and lively, and our waitress was friendly and polite. The chips and salsa tasted delicious and partially explains why I couldn't finish my food (since I had stuffed myself with so many chips before our orders arrived). I ordered the Burrito Lenero for $14, which consisted of a substituted spinach tortilla, chicken, rice, beans, mild red sauce, melted cheese, sour cream, guacamole, lettuce, and tomatoes. The burrito was about the size of a max-ordered Chipotle burrito. It was full of flavor and the combination of all the ingredients made for a satisfactory meal. I had a good meal here, but Tapatio Mexican Grill isn't a restaurant I would feel like going to frequently. I also think there are other places you can go, other than Chipotle, where you can get a more inexpensive, similarly-sized burrito. read more

Tapatio Mexican Grill - Burrito Leñero with substituted Spinach Tortilla and sour cream and guacamole on the side. - Mexican Near Me - Newcastle, Washington

The past few times I had Mexican food before coming to Tapatio were all taco trucks -- the real, broken down, $1.50 taco kind of place. Tapatio is nothing like that. It's a lively, Mexican restaurant that serves more entrees than street food -- think fajitas, burritos, etc. As with any Mexican restaurant, they start you off with chips and salsa, which I always tell myself to lay off of in order to save space for the real meal, but that never works. The chips here are crispy and the salsa has a nice kick while still being mild enough for most people. I decided to get the fajitas para dos (for 2) with my dad. It basically comes with a big, sizzling plate of fajitas with your choice of protein (chicken, steak, shrimp) and two plates of rice, beans, guac and sour cream. The rice and beans were ordinary, and the fajitas were good but not great. We got chicken and steak, and they were cooked great, it just didn't seemed that they were all that well-seasoned. The tortillas were hot, fresh, and fluffy -- we even saw a lady making them in the corner! The entrees are pretty expensive for dinner, around $15, with the fajitas for 2 being $26, making it a sensible and filling option for two people. In general, the restaurant definitely has an American feel to it, with baseball playing on the TV and few Latinos sitting at the tables. After becoming used to the authentic hole-in-the-wall places, I've had a tougher time coming back to and enjoying these sorts of restaurants. You'll have a filling meal, but you can get much more authentic flavors for much less money at other places! read more

Tapatio Mexican Grill - Steak and chicken fajitas para dos ($26.99) - comes with two plates of rice and beans, and tortillas! - Mexican Near Me - Newcastle, Washington