Carmelos Tacos

Camelo’s Tacos is so good! Located near the University of Seattle, this spot is a hidden gem that definitely lives up to the hype. You know it’s legit when there’s a line out the door even during off-hours, but the staff is super quick and the food is worth the wait every time. The ambiance is really nice casual and welcoming, making it a great place to grab a quick bite or hang out with friends. We ordered the queso birria, a carnitas burrito, a chorizo taco, and a pastor burrito. Everything was packed with flavor, fresh, and cooked just right. The pastor burrito in particular was amazing, tender, juicy, and seasoned perfectly. The queso birria was cheesy, crispy, and absolutely hit the spot. The housemade green salsa is another standout; it adds a bold kick that really brings out the flavors of the tacos and burritos. To top it off, we got an horchata that was smooth and refreshing, not overly sweet, just right. These are authentic Mexican tacos and burritos and the quality shines through. Prices are reasonable, the portions are generous, and if I lived in the area, I would honestly be here all the time. Highly recommend checking them out!

I took my daughter here after I went to an appointment downtown. After my appointment we saw this restraunt and we decided to try it. All the food was very fresh and packed with flavor. I had the tacos and she had the torta. The bread for the torta was fresh made and so yummy. It totally complemented the rest of the dish. The churros and ice cream came out a little after our meal did which I loved as it didn’t make the churros soggy from sitting in the ice cream. Everything was perfect and it was an awesome place for my daughter and I to sit and talk and enjoy a wonderful meal and dessert.

We ordered Carmelo's Tacos for delivery and were really impressed! We got the asada burrito, chicken burrito, barrio tacos, and chips with guac. The burritos were generously sized and packed with flavor, definitely the standout of the order. The birria tacos were good too, and they sent us plenty of sauces, which we loved. The guacamole wasn't my favorite, but everything else totally made up for it. Overall, a fantastic meal for the price. Would definitely order again!

The tacos were bomb. I had two carne asada tacos. They make the tortillas in house. So delicious. The salsas they put on are good but a bit spicy. The horchata was good also! Go check them out!

Really great food! It gets pretty busy during lunch- so there isn’t a lot of seating available inside, and the wait can be a bit long- but the food is delicious! I ordered the birria tacos (see below) and they really fill up the plate😋. Will definitely be coming back!

I would eat this every single day for breakfast lunch and dinner if I could. If I was on death row and had to choose a last meal, it would be this. If I was a nutritionist for a hospital, I would choose this for all the meals because it's deliciousness brings your soul back to life. And the EMPLOYEES 🙏 are so so wonderful. I truly hope they are making enough money for how hard they work and how absolutely kind they are.

This is the sit down or take out restaurant. They have another one about a mile away. That is just a takeout restaurant parking is sparse but you can find a spot and walk if you’re gonna eat at the restaurant go in and find your seat first then go up to the counter in order. All ordering is done from the counter. It’s self serve restaurant. The food was good. The atmosphere was nice and I will go back.

I love Carmelos! They have delicious, good quality Mexican food that is consistent. I've been to Carmelo's several times over the past year and every single time it tastes delicious and never fails to disappoint. I highly recommend if you're looking for good Mexican food!

i normally don't ever do reviews but I couldn'y hold back hands down the best tacos I have ever had everything about this place is amazing love how the tortillas are hand made to perfection will definitely rate this a 10 hands down

I have tried the tacos and the burrito. The food came out fast and the burrito was filling and well packed. Both were solid options. I really enjoyed the red sauce and would ask for extra red sauce next time for take out. I would come back for dine in again next time. The space was clean and brightly lit.

For reference, I got this for take out on Uber. We got 8 pollo tacos for $32. That's not including tip or service fees. The tacos were very filling! For 4, I was very full and could bust out the seams. Their sauces were for sure spicy, but so delicious. Something to be mindful of. Overall, yes definitely worth it and something to try if you're in the area. I wouldn't say it's the same as a tacqueria, but a little more elevated. I would come back again!

Definitely my favorite Mexican Spot in Seattle and only at this specific Carmelo's location. Their Hongos Al Ajillo vegetarian options are absolutely amazing. The burrito is packed to the brim and is the perfect blend of everything you want in a burrito. Drizzling the side of green sauce adds to the flavoring and overall profile of the burrito. If you are eating in person, make sure to get their churros. The churros are made fresh to order and they are dunked in vanilla ice cream when they are served, making the dish absolutely amazing.

This place does not disappoint! I LOVE their quesabirrias. It's even bigger and better now. Very tasty and delicious. I wish they added more consume. The service is good. The food didn't take long to make. The restaurant is authentic with Mexican. Highly recommend coming here!

Amazing affordable tacos! I got recommending to come here by my friend who is Mexican and said this is one of the better places in Seattle to get tacos. I'm so glad I gave it a try because everything was flavorful and fresh. The staff were also kind and the food came out quickly. I got the quesabirria and also tried the guacamole & chips as well as the jamaica and horchata drinks. Everything was perfect and I look forward to visiting again soon!

One of the best taco places in the greater Seattle area, now with indoor seating. great little area to open shop at, convenient Self service, not much to say about it Vibes tho, 5/5

I'm slowly coming around to the fact that Seattle does have good Mexican food, but you have to know where to look. Carmelo's is probably the best example. My wife got the tacos and I snagged a few bites. All the meats used are fantastic. I believe the tortillas are homemade and it really shows. Their condiments are also fantastic. We didn't get to choose but got a smoky salsa roja. I would love to try the verde next visit. IMO, the burrito is actually the best item for me. It's a generous portion and also really well made. The requisite rice, beans and tortilla are top notch. A perfect match for the al pastor, although I would ask them to omit pineapple next time. It's the right move for the tacos, but not what I want here. Also love that Carmelo's short five minute walk from the Capitol Hill light rail station. Heads up there is no dining area at this location, so just think of it as a taco truck that doesn't move.

Their other location In Cap Hill has quirk since it's located inside a grocery store, but this location is much neater with more seating AND parking. It isn't too far from their other location, but Google Maps identify this location as Central District. 3 tacos and a horchata will run you under $20 after tax + tip. This was a 2nd meal of the night as we were still hungry from the previous place, I'm sure if you ordered 5 tacos, that could easily be a filling meal instead of snack. The only taco that comes with pineapples are the al pastor tacos. We liked this place, but we all agree that we like Taco Chucki's better since they char their meat more. Tell me about your experience if you've been here or is going to after reading this review:)

I got the Jamaica and Quesabirria and was so good. It hit the spot after playing 3 hours of volleyball. Service was good and love the laid back ambience. They had a big tank of cold self serve water too. 5 stars. Only thing I don't like here is the burrito.

The food was amazing! Perfectly seasoned meat and amazing service. I would recommend this place to anyone!

I had heard of this place by my son who attends Seattle U, and I was there to watch his soccer game and I thought this was an opportunity to see if this place was really that good. Well, it indeed does live up to what he and his friends have been telling me. The food quality was extremely good and the way that each taco is freshly made and the sauce on the meat is just a bit thicker than everyone else's sauce and just the right amount of zip to give the flavor. The pricing was fitting of being near a college campus. When all restaurants seem to have much higher prices, Carmelos keeps the pricing to a reasonable level. My biggest problem was that after I ate a couple of tacos, I still wanted more. I know that I will be coming back for more softball games, and I need to explore the rest of the menu. This is definitely on my repeat/play again list.

Came here during a weekend afternoon and it was fairly busy. We were able to sit outside with our dog. I ordered 4 tacos to try all 4 of the meat options: chorizo, al pastor, chicken adobado and asada. My favorite was asada and the chicken. My husband ordered an al pastor burrito and enjoyed it. I would recommend coming here.

Yummy tacos and dipping sauces that comes with it tastes really good. Was craving Mexican food, Just what I need on this rainy day. The food also came out pretty quick for takeout. I tried the asada tacos and the birria tacos. Both tastes pretty good. The sauce & meat texture of the birria tacos pairs pretty well together. And the asada tacos is a simple tacos that's easy to eat. Both tacos are well seasoned. I recommend them both. $25 for 3 birria tacos and 3 Asada tacos. Located next to SeattleU field. These are bad pictures my bad.

Gotta love their energy! Carmelo's is in a very popping part of Seattle, serving the good folks of Capitol Hill for several years now! Every time I come back I have to patronize them. Their food is absolutely incredible, the workers are all so nice and friendly; I love that their welcoming staff is so dedicated to making sure everyone is happy and satisfied! This is a literal hole in the wall, so keep your eye open and don't be discouraged by the lack of staying power. Take it home or eat on the curb, there's no shame. Get it while it's hot is my choice, but not everyone is an animal like me. Seriously, though! Enjoy!

If you're looking for affordable (in terms of seattle prices) and really good mexican food come here! The portions are also pretty big and filling. I was very impressed as it's been awhile that I've had 10/10 food. For the torta they used banh mi bread which was soft. Meat was perfectly seasoned, flavorful sauce, ratio of meat to veggies-- perfect! What I love especially is that they include pineapple in their food which makes each bite sweet and juicy! 7/6/24 cost // tacos: $3.5 per one burritos and tortas: $11

Love a casual, fast food mexican joint for those hurried lunches on busy days. Especially when the food is to die for. Ambiance is very casual. Just a few tables. You order at the counter. First, choose one from taco, torta, burrito, quesedilla or mulita. Next, choose your protein. They have two vegan options - Nopal & Mushroom. We ordered a taco and a mulita, each with a different vegan filling. The green and red sauce drizzled on the filling did the magic. Cactus and potatoes sauteed make a great combination. A burst of flavor with every bite. For the $ price, it was a lunch to relish and cherish! They also have different flavors of Jarritos and the usual coke and fanta. Great for quick bite on a work day!

The burrito is a staple! My favorite part is the tortillas. You'll find that this place is constantly packed but they serve you promptly.

Burrito was solid, people were nice and the timely service was appreciated. Definitely need more meat in the burrito though, was disappointed in that for sure but will give it another try.

We ordered the birria tacos and asada burrito as they were featured on the menu. We also ordered the churros. I LOVED the churros and would come back just to eat them again! The burrito was flavorful but the tacos fell flat on flavor. This location was super busy as it is next to Seattle U. We ordered online so we can't really speak on the service but the restaurant was clean and efficient. Definitely recommend. I only drop a 5-star to a 4 to account for the birria meat being not so flavorful and wait times were long. However! I will definitely be a repeat customer.

Coming from SF, nothing can compare to Mission tacos. This is a Seattle staple but I haven't been wowed by any options here. The prices are pretty reasonable, but I would check out other places if you're craving Mexican flavors.

We ended up here because we had an extra Uber eats credit and you can use this for takeaway. First thing to note is that parking is hard here. So this place is best if you are already in the neighborhood. It's on a busy street next to the good will and a bunch of other shops. We usual try the tacos Al carton and burritos with green enchilada sauce. And service at the takeout counter was fast and easy. The food was great. This is not a place to dwell but a place for a good bite. The tacos were soft and tasty. The chicken was tender and spicy just the way we like it. The burrito was well done and the green sauce was nice and tangy. This is a great spot if you have the munchies and need a quick hit of some good Mexican food.

The food at this place is good. Tacos had good flavor and the salsa is spicy. The only things that really bugs me is that they nickel and dime you for any extras that are free at every other taco shop.

I'm a Texan, and this is my go-to burrito place. The ingredients are fresh and well executed. I especially like their homemade salsas, and the queso dip is Texas-style. The service is quick and efficient. I need to branch out and try some other items, but it's hard when that burrito is so tasty.

Solid place for mexican food. Exactly what I wanted and they satisfied. Their value for price for food is great! Service is very helpful as well.

Love to see a brick & mortar location! One of the better taco / quick Mexican food spots around Seattle. Bright, clean interior. Delicious Al Pastor per usual. Friendly Staff.

So last night, my brother and I got high (the Marijuana is amazing out here in Seattle), got hungry and the ladies had tacos on their minds... who doesn't like tacos when they're high? Anyway, we found this spot on Yelp and seen it was across from Seattle university. As tourists, what better way to kill two birds with one stone. I'm pretty sure the kids choose this restaurant every night for the exact reasons we did. I had the asada burrito, my wife had the chicken quesadilla, brother in law had chicken tacos and sis in law had the asada burrito as well. They have this red sauce that I'm not sure what it's called but it was hot without taste. Idk if you ever had something that was hot without taste but that's the best way I could describe it. I dipped my burrito in it and it made my mouth hot, but didn't taste like anything to give it a recommendation. It didn't change the complexity of the burrito either. It was just hot. If I were to guess the ingredients - olive oil, paprika, red chili flakes and maybe a dab of Tabasco? Idk. The burritos were very good. I didn't taste my wife's food but she enjoyed hers as well. 3 stars doesn't make this a bad restaurant but based on standards, this restaurant is pretty much a typical Mexican spot in terms of taste. Nothing notable to really give a review about. If you're high on the late night and get the munchies, this is the place you want to take a trip to based on portion lol (No pictures were taken. Sorry.)

Hands down the best torta I've ever eaten! The bread is soft, but sturdy. Everything is well seasoned, and compliments each other. I honestly cannot say enough good things about it. I've had the tacos here as well, it's always amazing!

Al Pastor Mulita 4/5: the pineapple is cut small so it can be intermingled into each bite. The tortillas were crispy and held all the ingredients well. The pastor was soft and flavorful with the pineapple wish there was a bit more meat. Mushroom Mulita 4/5: different flavor than the pork, good texture on mushrooms they don't cut the shroom too small. I was a bit confused with the beans in the Mulita. Twas cheesed up but could do more, neither were spicy despite having salsa so no spice friendly flavor. I hear the Birria tacos are really good so I'd def come back to try other menu items.

Glad they have seatings in this location. Super fast food preparation which is awesome. Burrito looks small, but is pretty filling. Everything is super flavorful and love the spicy salsa with it

Very tasty food, good sauces and side dishes! I was craving a burrito for dinner and found Carmelo's walking distance from my place. It's pretty busy here as it's just off the Seattle University campus but they keep the place clean and get orders out quickly. I got an al pastor burrito with grilled jalapeños on the side. The al pastor was sweet & tasty, and I appreciated the pineapple bits that ended up in my burrito. The grilled jalapeños were very nice -- spicy and well-cooked. It also came with a container of red sauce which was good with the jalapeños and burrito. I would definitely come back here, especially since it's such a short walk from most of Capitol Hill.

Finally tried Carmelo's lots of friends rave about this place on IG. Glad I was in the area without lunch to try. Got it to go reheated well when I brought it to work and was able to eat them. I was torn with the between quesa birria tacos and the al pastor but settled on the birria. Will definitely get the al pastor next time. Service was quick and food was delicious packed with flavor and generous serving I ate my lunch so fast!! Can't wait to go back.

10/10 tacos definitely recommend these especially since they have homemade tortillas, can never go wrong with homemade.

You will be rewarded with some pretty delicious corn tortilla filled with asada, pork, or chicken at this establishment. It seems the chef of the house knows exactly what goes on these tacos as you will not find the typical fare of a condiment cart with an assortment of hot sauce and pickle goods. But that's ok, it's delicious nonetheless albeit I do enjoy a good burn with some spicy Hispanic hot sauce! Ambiance is clean and definitely a step up from your run in the mill taco stands. A plus for the out door seating too if you have dogs or just want to enjoy the outdoor weather. Service is standard. Nothing bad nothing stellar.

I go here no joke twice a week, the most consistent place I've ever been too, the food always SLAPS. Great value for the price as well, especially in Seattle. Plus churros made to order with ice cream???? What more do yall want???

Great taco place, I love that this location has indoor and outdoor seating as well! There's a lot of contention between whether Carmelo's Tacos or Tacos Chukis is superior, but I'm still pretty undecided on that one. For tacos, I tried the al pastor, pollo adobado, and asada, with horchata and various salsas on the side. My friend also got an al pastor quesadilla and a campechano burrito. The al pastor tacos and campechano burrito were flavorful and juicy, 5/5 for sure, but the other meats were much drier than I expected them to be. Luckily, the salsas added a lot more moisture, but I was slightly disappointed because of that. Regardless, the tacos were still delicious. The highlight was definitely the handmade corn tortillas--so flavorful and soft yet no ripping or breakage. It's important to note this: pay attention to which salsas are included in the description for each dish, because they're otherwise unclear about what extras you pay for. I didn't know that the "red and green sauces" (as written on the menu) that come with the tacos were referring to salsa roja and verde as included sides, and the cashier still charged me extra for the salsas when I asked for them. It's not a big deal and is partially my bad for not reading into it closer, but the fact that I had to pay extra for salsa that already came with the tacos really rubbed me the wrong way.

Torta Asada (Steak) is $9 and has actual flavor fuuuuuuuuuuck. Use the self-order kiosk, don't wait for a cashier and create a line. Service is always quick in calling out customers food.

Try at your own risk! Very mixed feelings on Carmelo's tacos. I'll start with the good. Positives: - Cheap - Fast service - Good Birria Negatives: - salsa is just okay - completely food poisoned me (!!) I had been going to Carmelo's pretty consistently, since the tacos were decently tasty for the price. HOWEVER, this place absolutely wrecked my stomach for around a week. I noticed shortly afterwards that they had received a 'needs improvement' on their health inspection which has now moved back to a pass. So it's a toss up, food may be safe to eat now, but I'm hesitant to try it again

I'm still in two minds about giving it 3 stars since so many others have raved about the place...but do read on... I went to Carmelo's Tacos' new location and was pleasantly surprised to find decent seating (as opposed to the capitol hill location). The ambience waa similar to a chipotle and service was satisfactory. The chips and salsa were decent, but the cold salsa threw me off. The Salsa Manzano had something bubbly in it which was another weird thing for me. The chips were divine though fresh and crispy. I tried the Pollo Adobado, Nopales and Al Pastor tacos. The Nopales were 4 stars. Al Pastor tacos were more like 4.5 (1/2 less because I wished there were a little more smoky), But the chicken, my god it was overcooked...2 stars. I would go again for the Al Pastor tacos since I didn't get the same experience as the other reviewers and update my review at a future time.

Best tacos in Washington? Possibly, Carmelo's is one of the contenders for sure. Still have a few spots to explore but Carmelo's is up there. Wee bit pricey tacos at $3 compared to some local spots that may have bundle deals, but they are delicious and juicy, not dry or flat. We tried the al pastor, campechano, and asada tacos with a quesabirria taco and consome. The quesabirria taco image shows two larger tacos but it's actually three normal sized birria tacos for $12, so roughly $4 each with consome on the side. I believe every single taco came with guacamole on top. This isn't mentioned on the menu so I was taken back but it was too creamy to be simply green sauce and I'm convinced there's guac. Al Pastor - pork and pineapple, what a juicy and flavorful combo. Pork is definitely one of the juicier options and al pastor does not disappoint here. Pineapple kicks this up a notch with the tanginess. I always love a pineapple in my tacos so it's one of my top recommendations. Campechano - chorizo and steak are very apparent whereas the potato is a light texture enhancing addition. You won't really get the taste of potatoes so I'd say that's negligible. Steak on the bottom with chopped chorizo on the top, each bite is meaty, juicy, and has two different layers from a chewier steak and softer chorizo. Asada - this one was definitely the most basic as it's simply carne asada steak. I'd skip on this and opt for the first two (al pastor and campechano) simply because they are more unique blends packing more flavor due to the variety of contents. Quesabirria and consome - okay this is a must get. I love birria tacos and these do not disappoint at all. Tortilla is perfectly crispy but not overly done, cheese is nested between the tortillas for a slight string pull. The consome is phenomenal, slightly viscous and thick so it sticks to each taco better rather than a dip and drip experience. Juicy and tender meat. Each bite is magical.

The hunt for good breakfast tacos led us here and I feel like we struck gold. This was one of the best breakfast burritos I've ever had. Super juicy, a great balance of fantastic flavors, and a little container of red salsa on the side. The thing weighed about as much as a brick and i was still able to demolish it.

My absolute favorite place to get a quick fix of tacos. The al pastor tacos are definitely my favorite, and it pairs nicely with the pineapple to add a touch of sweetness. I also got the pollo tacos and love the spicy kick it has. The complimentary pickled veggies are wonderful as well. Their horchata is pretty good, although a little sweet, but overall really enjoyable. I've been here multiple times and every time I go back to Seattle, I make sure to stop by.

This place is where you can get tacos that taste the closest to California tacos in Seattle. I love the place. They cook everything fresh, and the people are friendly. The tacos are my favorite thing to order with al pastor. Every bite is packed with flavor and salsa. I'm drooling thinking about it again right now. I ordered the churros for dessert after, and OMG. I will be ordering again. They were hot and fresh, and at the bottom was vanilla bean ice cream. Please support this place and you will not be disappointed.

Been coming to this location more than the flagship on summit ave. This location is just as great as the original spot and there are nice outdoor and indoor seatings available for you to enjoy your hot food. Most recently, got the birria tacos and steak torta. Both were so excellent and a great change from the adobada tacos with chips/guac I usually get. Birria seems to be the new trendy food of the moment and Carmelo's version does not disappoint. So flavorful and I wish I could bathe in the consommée. Torta was and filling with great meat to bread ratio and it was so nicely slightly steamed in the foil pack it came in. Definitely a popping lunch spot in the area so be prepared for a little wait but otherwise, definitely worth your time and belly room.

We ordered to go and these tacos were really really good. The flavor was great we tried the chicken adobo which "hats off" the mushroom which wasn't our favorite and we love mushrooms so we give that a 3 star. We also tried the nopales/cactus (All tacos btw) and that was super bomb and flavorful almost as if you're not eating cactus (I say this because sometimes the texture gets to me but not this one) and the tacos are bigger than your little street tacos so A+++ hand made tortillas I say and we tried just straight beef tacos. I would absolutely buy again and the sauces wow! I loved that green salsa not super spicy really not spicy at all I'd say and I do like my space so take it with a grain of salt. Lots of flavor not overpowering super delicious

I got the quesadilla with extra meat, and I got my boyfriend the steak burrito with extra steak. Both were very very delicious! I loved the green sauce, bursting with flavor and complimented my quesadilla very well. The red sauce was good, had lots of flavor and pretty spicy for me (trying to build my spice tolerance lol). I ordered from the kiosk per one of the suggestions here, there were two other parties that came after me that ordered with the cashier. They were dine in and I was take out. They got their food pretty fast, and I had to wait a little bit. I did have to remind the staff that they forgot the Jamaica (hibiscus) Agua Fresca. It was a little too sweet for my taste but it hit the spot and was very delicious. Overall I was pretty happy with the food, staff were cool, would definitely come back when I'm in the area.

After going to the Carmelos location on Summit Ave, I have meaning to check out this location because of the large indoor space. I got to try both the Carne asada and al pastor tacos and they were both amazing not going to lie. The meats were so tasty and melted with every bite. Also the pineapple bits really enhanced the flavor of the al pastor. There is quite a line but after you order, picking up your food does not take too long. The indoor seating is limited though so be ready if you come during peak hours.

Food was not so great , tortilla tastes like if it was sitting for a wile , meat flavor was not taste . Not so great service , don't receive a receipt after your order and the cashier seemed like she did not want to be there. The ambiance seemed ok , maybe because it was one of the only places open at that time. It might be that I am from LA and have a better expectation on Mexican food but I do not recommend this place.

Amazing Al Pastor Quesadilla, would absolutely go again ...............................................................................