Rocket Taco has a nice patio and good drinks, but the tacos fail - Review - Seattle - The Infatuation
"There are lots of very good taco places in Seattle. In fact, there are plenty of them on Capitol Hill alone. La Cocina Oaxaqueña, Fogón, and D’ La Santa are some of our favorites. We’re always on the lookout for more spots to join their ranks—but, unfortunately, Rocket Taco doesn’t make the cut. We’ll start with the things we actually do like about this fast-casual place on 19th Ave. The cocktails here, especially the watermelon-mint and frozen margaritas, are delicious. The space—part of which is bright and colorful, and part of which is darker and more bar-like—is fun to be in, too. So this would be a nice place to stop in with friends and drink a lot of reasonably-priced tequila in a big booth. The problem is the serious lack of tasty things you can snack on to go with it. There are tacos, of course, and you can get them two ways: classic (topped with onion and cilantro) or deluxe (with signature toppings that differ depending on the filling you choose). Whichever style you pick, they come in plates of three—and you can’t mix and match. This might be OK if the tacos were so great you wanted three of every kind, but unfortunately, the fillings range from mediocre to bad. And the sides aren't much better. Rocket Taco is a perfectly nice place to get some drinks after work or on a weekend evening. But there’s no reason to pass up the better taco options on Capitol Hill and settle for a meal here. Have a margarita or two, and then, when you get hungry, go somewhere else. Food Rundown Carnitas Tacos These are the best tacos in the house. They’re still just fine, so that’s not saying much. Thick homemade tortillas filled with not-hot pulled pork, guacamole, pickled onion, and rocket sauce. The sauce is good, so it at least masks how boring everything else is. photo credit: Gabe Guarente Cauliflower Chickpea Tacos These taste a little like vegetarian gyros, and they’re the second-best option here. The turmeric cauliflower/chickpea filling comes with cucumber, cilantro, and lime cream on top. Chicken Tacos These have ancho-seasoned chicken that looks and tastes like it’s been braised way too long. The flavor’s not bad, especially because there’s lots of rocket sauce, pico de gallo, and queso fresco. Squeeze on the homemade hot sauce to give it some pep. Beef Tacos The combination of melted cheese and shredded beef makes these way too greasy. Definitely skip. Griddled Fish Tacos Grilled fish, coconut cream, and pineapple salsa. These taste like a cruel riff on an ambrosia salad. photo credit: Gabe Guarente Quesadillas If you can’t talk your way out of a meal here, the quesadilla isn’t a horrible way to go. It’s oily and doesn’t hold up very well if you add meat, but they do grill it to-order, which means it will be hot. Get a side of rocket sauce for dipping. Rocket sauce for president. Guacamole The undersalted, underlimed guacamole here just makes us want to shrug. photo credit: Gabe Guarente Queso Fundido Do you like movie theater nachos? Then you might like these. The lukewarm chorizo-potato mixture on top tastes like cinnamon. Margaritas As mentioned, the drinks here are delicious. They do margaritas on the rocks and frozen, and the flavors change a lot—so expect combinations like watermelon and mint (our favorite) or pomegranate and ginger. Despite the food being generally not-good, we’d pop in for a cocktail on a hot day for sure. photo credit: Gabe Guarente" - Aimee Rizzo
