I've finally found really good Mexican food in the city of Seattle. Not Cal-Mex like Gorditos, but fairly authentic Mexican food (even if they've had to add some gringo touches like cheddar cheese). What's there to like about Tenoch? The meats! The Pollo Adobado is chicken in about the best marinade one could ask for. Their Green Mole chicken eschews the dark chocolately mole sauces that one usually finds in favor of a lighter green sauce that still tastes fantastic. The portion sizes! For $6.99 one gets a very generously sized burrito. Not ridiculously sized like at Gorditos, but generously sized. Perfect for lunch without a food coma waiting for you in the afternoon. The rest of the ingredients! Fresh and vibrant - unlike those at other Mexican restaurants, which sometimes taste like they've come straight from a can. Tenoch does get crowded around the lunch hour, so try to beat the rush by going early. read more

Where is the love for Tenoch?This isn't fine dining -- it's a burrito bar, like Taco Del Mar, La Vaca, or Chipotle, but their flavors and consistently high quality will make you wonder how you ever allowed a Taco Del Mar burrito to enter your mouth. I discovered the magic of Tenoch when I was working in the Columbia Tower for a business with another office in the International District, so I often found myself walking past Tenoch on my way to and from meetings. Even so, I must have walked past the place more than a dozen times before I noticed it one day...the storefront is pretty subtle. The restaurant is in a weird no-man's land...south of downtown, north of the International District (just a block north of Japantown), and east of Pioneer Square. Blink and you'll miss it. There's another restaurant next door that has changed owners (and cuisines) several times in the recent past, yet Tenoch persists. That should tell you something. As for the reviewers who argue that this isn't "authentic Mexican", I'm sure that Rebecca, the native Mexican who owns the shop, would disagree. What is Mexican anyway? Mexico is a big country with many regional cuisines. Just as Chinese food is subdivided into various (and very different) regional cuisines, so is Mexican. I can't remember the name of the state Rebecca is from, but there's a Mexican map on the wall and she'd be happy to show you. True, getting a monster-sized burrito or a bowl (a burrito sans the tortilla) may not be authentic presentation, but this is simply a case of "giving the locals what they want". If you'd prefer your meal in a more "authentic" style -- on a plate with meat, rice, and a stack of tortillas on the side -- I'll bet they'd do that for you, but the low-carb folks want a tortilla-free option, so the bowl is a practical solution. When I look around the restaurant, I usually see more than half the diners eating from bowls, so this variation from the norm seems like a clever one. The meats here are the star attraction, and they make other burrito joints seem pretty pathetic. "Chicken Mole Verde"? "Ropa Vieja"? "Puerco en Pasilla"? "Pisinan Roast"? "Pollo en Pipian"? This is a far cry from the "chicken or beef" you can get at the typical burrito joint. Even their plain ol' grilled chicken is flavorfully marinated in beer. The sheer variety of flavors is impressive. Bored with your favorite? Go out on a limb and try something different. Although I enjoy the monster burritos, I'll typically encourage newcomers to try 3 or 4 tacos with different meats in each just so they can get a sense of the wide variety of flavors. You'll typically find 3 ladies behind the counter. When it's busy (near noon), all 3 are working the assembly-line putting together orders. However, whenever the traffic slows, the ladies head back to the cutting boards and start cut-cut-cutting the ingredients. Everything is made fresh here every day, and most of the meats are stewing for hours before they're ready. It's all from scratch, all home-style cooking, with no shortcuts. The cooler has cervezas, Pellegrino lemon and orange, Jarritos, and Cokes, and there's also a pitcher with ice water. If you enjoy tacos or burritos with fresh ingredients that are made with love, Tenoch deserves a visit -- especially if you work near the International District and are looking for a break from the Asian food. read more

I went back for an order of tacos and a Jarritos de limon yesterday. Geez, the guajillo chile pipian here is really good, and the tacos were tasty overall. I downed them pretty fast...too fast. The reasons for 3 stars instead of more remain similar as before. I'm for scrapping non-authentic Mexican items: cheddar cheese, nachos, etc. Why not put something authentic onto the menu instead? Plus, as I mentioned in the previous review, they need to use real tortillas for the chilaquiles. But, damn the pipian is good. That alone will bring me back to this place; I crave it. read more

The food here is just ok. Nothing like authentic Mexican but much better than Taco Del Mar or other fast food crap. The staff are great, seems to be family run. Think monster burritos with all the fixings that run about $8.00. Not bad. If you work near by a good lunch place. read more

Busy lunch spot downtown. I got the fish tacos with black beans... pretty much as expected but it had a hint of a slightly more kick (beans?) than I'm used to. It's good. I mixed it up. They have recycling bins. read more

I found this place which is walking distance from my work office so I estimate I will be a solid 450 pounds by the end of the year!! I called in to place my order to avoid a long lunch line as I had read reviews prior to trying this place out. I am glad I did, the line was not terribly long but long enough I am glad I did not have to wait. I ordered the carne asada quesadilla and it was fantastic!! Well flavored steak, nicely melted and portions were more than enough. If you are not familiar with the area it can be a little intimidating with the homeless population but nothing that altered the restaurant. Try it for lunch! It is worth it! read more

My former coworker who's Mexican introduced me to this place, and if it's good enough for him, who am I to complain? Of course, this may be a function of there not really being many other non-Asian alternatives around where we work. He loves the tacos here as being authentic, while I love the burritos. I'm admittedly not so picky when it comes to Mexican food (because who am I kidding, I love Jack in the Box tacos), but the burritos are tasty and very filling. read more

Maybe the cooking methods and sauces are authentic Mexican, but huge burritos and bowls are definitely not. Authenticity aside, this was a great lunch stop. A local, more homemade version of Taco Del Mar. The two ways we had chicken prepared were flavorful and the tortilla was fresh along with all the ingredients. And the people behind the counter were very friendly. Who orders an enchilada plate at a takeout looking place like this anyhow? (There were Coronas in the cooler) read more

Tenoch achieves the atmosphere of a taqueria but lacks a lot of the basics. The good part: 1. Friendly service and accommodating to special requests (vegan, no onion, extra chile, etc) 2. Great selection of meats in unique sauces and preparations (ropa vieja, pollo en mole verde, pollo en salsa pipian) 3. The "bowl option" with lots of beans and veggies and salsa. 4. Open kitchen with ladies cooking up food from scratch Could be better at: 1. Traditional grilled meats such as asada, pastor, arrachera. These are not on the menu currently. 2. Ideally, corn tortillas should be grilled, not warmed in microwave. 3. Salsas need more bite. 4. The toppings for tacos were romaine and cheddar cheese? Where are the chopped onions and cilantro? 5. At almost $8 for three tacos without sides, I felt a little shorted. All that said, they certainly had some good things going on. I will head back to try the fish tacos, and more bowl action. read more

I work in the ID, so Tenoch was a nice non-Asian food find. Not that I have anything against Asian food, but there is so much of it around me that it's nice to mix things up every so often. From the outside, there is an easy-to-overlook greasy spoon kind of vibe, and when I went in, my first thought was 'oh great, a cafeteria.' But the food was great, it came up quickly, and there was plenty of it. I got a burrito that was so big it became my lunch for two days in a row. There are a bunch of meat options, so I should probably get back here some day soon and check out the rest of them. There isn't much seating but I don't worry about that because I work two blocks away so I can just take it back to the office and eat in our lunchroom. read more

The food is good and authentic. Burritos are a standout. But the new preorder system through Yelp leaves much to be desired. My food was not ready any quicker than if I'd stood in line. Four stars for the food regardless. read more

From the outside, it looks pretty scuzzy - they really need to get the graffiti off the awning - and you might wonder if it's even open or just another one of those run-down restaurants in the area, except for the line out the door at lunch. They've got a great selection of marinated meats - so many to choose from! They do a conga line of prep work like Chipotle - tortillas on the grill, scooping up rice+beans then adding meat and toppings. I had a chicken adobado burrito, a puerco en semilla taco and a steak taco (love to sample!). The adobado chicken was pretty dry - I imagine it doesn't hold up to sitting in a warming pan for very long. It was flavored beautifully though.. a shame. Both of the tacos were good - not spectacular but very solid! There are quite a few things on the menu that I plan on trying in my subsequent visits. It's long and narrow, not many tables, was there during the lunch rush and it was really crowded, but the food was definitely a notch above, and they deserve to be successful with this joint. This definitely gets put into my downtown lunch rotation.. read more

This place is so yummy and the ladies that work here are super friendly! Chipotle is absolute crap compared to this place. It is served in the same format but this is actually fresh unlike Chipotle's vending machine taste. The mole verde and the fish tacos are to die for! Also, unlike Chipotle, the chips are made fresh and you can taste it! Yum, yum, yum!!! read more

Definitely a big step up from your typical burrito place. I had the vegetarian burrito with garbanzo beans and spices. The chips were also great -- they fry them there. The staff weren't exactly talkative, but they did their work. read more

Maybe I went on a bad day.... I ordered the Steak Salad with Guacamole to go, and also picked up a Steak Quesadilla for a coworker. Both of us agreed that this was the worst Guacamole that we had ever had, it was more like a bunch of Tomato and Onion with a little Avocado stirred in it. The container was small and the steak and mushrooms congealed. I was embarrassed to hand my coworker the Quesadilla it was not packaged very well and he said that it was very soggy and tasteless and it was 8.00 for the quesadilla and Guac. read more

Tasty. I had rice and beans with pollo adobo. The meat was tender, juicy, and flavorful, not too spicy. This was fresh and good food, even at 2 p.m., well past the lunch hour. They also have a Queen Anne location, and it's open all day and even happy hour. The server was nice and the cashier/owner was lovely. Great location, not only close to my office, but this and the Greek place next door really livens up the lunch options in the ID. read more

I like this place a lot. The wide varieties of meat available beat most Mexican places choices of beef, steak, chicken, or veggie. I had the ropa vieja recently and it was awesome. I work nearby and Tenoch is a welcome change to all of the Asian choices in the neighborhood. The food is well flavored and pretty inexpensive. It's easy to eat here for under $10. read more

I don't what's up with these people giving crappy reviews because of service. It's a lunch place and quite honestly even if they were rude to me (WHICH THEY ARE REALLY NICE!) you can order delivery! This place is BOMB.COM! The burritos are jam packed and full of flavor. The veggie tacos are also super legit. I crave this place on weekends and am bummed they aren't open for late night fare. Go!!!! read more

Tenoch is a little hole in the wall restaurant with very friendly and outgoing employees. I for one love this place for the simplicity and basic food. This is the best Mexican restaurant I have visited and will continue to. Great food, service, and employees. I wish I could give a higher rating, but 5 stars is it. read more

Tenoch itself is a small little Mexican lunch spot that lies just about at the border of how far I'm willing to walk for lunch. I had read about it on the msg150.com blog and decided to give it a shot. Compared to places like 'taco del mar'(hate) or 'chipotle'(like), it's got so much more going for it than your typical Mexican fast food places. They've got a killer selection of meats instead of cow, chicken and pig. Things like mole, or slow braised pork, steak, etc. Veggies looked fresh and a home made pico de gaillo. The Portions are "woolly mammoth" sized. If you're unfamiliar with the term, I just made it up. Something that is bigger than mammoth sized if you will. My burrito had so much inside of it, the tortilla ended up bursting in the middle...no big deal really. I wanted to give this place another star, but i thought the flavor was a bit bland. Like it needed a bit more salt. Just to be fair though, I douse everything with salt. I blame it on my culinary instructor who wasn't satisfied until it was "properly seasoned". Anyhow, will definitely return. Want to try out all the meats and can't even look at the local taco del mar anymore. Fair prices and a lot of food. Plus I get a little exercise going up the hill. read more

Cheap! Tasty! Relatively healthy. Good for lunch downtown on a work day. If you get there before the noon rush, you might be lucky and get a table too. read more

I came here for Cinco de Mayo. I wanted a chicken dish but they ran out of chicken. I had a beef dish instead. The place was packed. Luckily my co-worker and I got a table after a couple of techies left. I had Jarritos for the first time. Pretty good stuff. It was fun trying this place out but I'd rather eat at Bruno's. read more

Tenoch Mexican Grill - Mexican Near Me - Seattle, Washington

These people are great, and they make very yummy food. The ordering assembly line feels kind of like you're at a cafeteria, but when you're done you feel like you've designed your own delicious dish. I often get the bowls or the enchiladas, both of which fill you up and leave you very satisfied. The seating can get crowded, or used to before Amazon started moving out, so we often get our food to go. read more

I personally thought my taco salad was decent. The burritos got pretty good reviews from my colleagues. I'm always hesitant to say "authentic Mexican" because I've been to Mexico and "authentic Mexican" in my experience is fairly tasteless and outrageously spicy.. Either way, not a bad lunch spot if you work in the International District and are tired of Asian food. I hear you should avoid the enchiladas. read more

I just moved to the ID and happened to see this place and realized I hadn't had Mexican since I've moved here. Really laid back ambiance, nice music playing, and friendly staff. I ordered the pork quesadilla, which came out quickly and was very good. I liked that it wasn't greasy and it had a lot of flavor. I will definitely be coming back. A great little hole in the wall. read more

Tenoch Mexican Grill - I thought the decor was cute and made the place feel warm and personal. - Mexican Near Me - Seattle, Washington

See all

A surprise located so close to the International District. The downside is that it is a lunch joint. Their mole taco is divine. And although the selection is not authentic, the entres are rich with unique flavors. read more

Talk about spicing up the lunchtime options in Pioneer Square/ID! Tenoch's food is always fresh, flavorful, and colorful, and their service is fantastic as well. Try their "bowl" option for a burrito like experience without the tortilla wrapper. Delicious!! read more

Tenoch is great for lunch if you work in the area. They have a whole bunch of meat choices and all the toppings - kind of like Chipolte, but more authentic. Try the ropa vieja! The downside is the seating. If you go with the lunch crowd, you'll wait in a painfully slow line and seating is a bit crowded. Take a late lunch and enjoy! read more

I had better Mexican food I never seen tortilla being microwave I am used to them being on a hot grill! Beans could use more flavor Food portions were slim read more

Authentic ingredients in a huge burrito. Prompt delivery to downtown. Friendly service. My favorite part: I called to order a chicken burrito and the man says "which kind of chicken? we have four options." That was a welcome first. read more

On my Lord. Amazing. Looks kind of dodgy from the outside but as soon as you walk in you realise this is the real deal. Mexican smells waft through the air - its spartan and basic decor and service is a real production line. the lady on the till is clearly the owner - she's a little brusque but thats ok. none the less the tastes and flavours are amazing. one of my favourite spots - cheap, lovely mexican food. read more

Tenoch is awesome. Authentic, affordable, fresh and flavorful Mexican food served by the cutest-ever older ladies behind the counter. They are so friendly and quick! Whenever I'm visiting our Seattle office, I make it a point to stop here. read more

I love this place. Yummy sauces and flavorful vegetarian options. Portions are huge. I always feel guilty if I finish everything. I crave eating here. So what ifs not quite authentic. All of the flavors are great and the secret sauce on the chiliquiles rocks. I'd also recommend the totally awesome tortilla soup. That is a chicken soup to warm your soul with. read more

Man, I've been trying to find a Mexican place near Pioneer Square forever, and I never thought to search in the ID on Yelp. Because I am obviously mentally handicapped. This place is totally hole-in-the-wall, sign-fading, long-line-out-the-door awesome. The burritos ingredients are top quality, with a vast array of really delicious marinated meats. I will go here every day for a week straight now and get completely sick of burritos forever. It will be amazing. read more

I really enjoyed the food here. Rich flavors, and lots of choices of fillings. I almost played it safe and went with the Steak. But my instincts said to try whatever "looked" the best to me. I smiled and pointed and the shredded meat in a red sauce...asking "what's that?" Turned out to be the Pisinan Roast. Sweet, Savory and Spicy all in one. I will definitely be back to try all of the flavors! read more

Blech. Dry, boring version of a mom and pop burrito stand. I do NOT understand the rating here. Imagine going to a Chipotle where the food is cold, less flavorful and dry. Oh, and I got horribly sick for the next two days. read more

Really great and authentic. I had the vegetarian burrito which included potatoes and veges cooked in chipotle. Great lunch spot, especially if you bring your grub down to the Waterfall Park in Pioneer Square. read more

I have been here a couple of times now for lunch. It is right near my work and I can usually get in and out of there a pretty quick. It's not really fast food, but it's not exactly not-fast food either. They have a good selection of meats and options to order. I really like the chicken with the pumpkin sauce. Highly recommended. read more

I wasn't too impressed. Admittedly, I'm from Texas, so my standards on Mexican food are high, but I just didn't care for my Pork Burrito. The meat had a pretty strange taste. read more

We were trying to buy 3 to go orders, and the lady that served us was EXTRA rude. After we said we were ordering for more she was like, under her breath, said "tsk". The quality of the food wasn't that great either. The rice was tasteless and too wet. We totally feel ripped off. Please do not go here. read more