El Legendario Mexican Restaurant

Atmos = Cute! We were the only customers on a Tuesday @ 6pm so felt a little empty and weird, but the fireplace, decor and music were all really enjoyable. Water = I think the water is faucet since there was more of a chlorine taste than most filtered water around town. Chips / Salsa / Guac = you have to pay for all 3 x individually... Most places will include the Salsa for free when ordering chips or just charge extra when including guac.. but the fact we had to pay for everything and they were all priced the same high amount felt like nickel and diming the customer before getting to the main. Quality / Flavor wise = chips are warm but nothing fancy texture wise; neither of us liked the salsa; and the guac was tiny and fine but again, nothing special. Carne Asada Fries = BIG portion! Great toppings, well loaded, share for whole table. The texture of the fries wasn't great, but the flavors were nice 👍🏻 Beef Lengua Tacos = two small Lengua tacos. Texture was good, very tender but lacking in flavor. Good portion of Lengua per taco Carnitas plate = huge portion of meat, little on the salty side, can cut the salty flavor with other items. I took half the meat home as leftovers P.s. I ultimately hunt for refried beans, this place has good ole classic family style refried beans

Had the adobo and al pastor tacos. Both were fine but the tortillas and meat were a little dry. I’d still come back and try something g else before judging this place fully. It was late and I wanted tacos and this was close enough. As noted by another review, I’m not paying for chips and salsa.

Oh boy where to even start. Number one, if you have to PAY for chips and salsa that's a red flag right there. Number two, online said easy free street parking... You realize this is Seattle right off the highway (LITERALLY). No parking was found til two blocks away but we understood because it's Seattle, but online shouldn't say easy street parking. 3, you have to buy beans and rice SEPARATELY for 6$ EACH. 4, no kids menu, so had to order the small quesadilla. 5, I guess this is a pro in some ways but our food came within ten ish minutes but we couldn't eat it for another 15 minutes cuz it was SO HOT you couldn't hold the taco for longer than two seconds. The food was delicious eventually... thankfully. 6, bathroom you have to ask for them to unlock and it was TINY and dusty. Water pressure to wash your hands is horrible and you have to stand there for a few minutes so the water can actually clean off your hands. (Both men's and women's bathroom) 7, drinks... Where to start? No root beer or anything caffeine free. Mexican sodas of course. So we asked for water and when we received them it was lukewarm water with ice cubes that melted within a few minutes. Never have I been to a restaurant that the ice cubes melted before we finished the drinks. Had to ask for a refill later because we were never approached how we were doing or if we needed anything. 8, WARNING!! The pico, guac and salsa is really spicy and there's even a sign that says that when you walk in. 9, the table was WARPED that one side was taller than the opposite seats and wasn't secure to the ground. The whole table kept shifting at the slightest touch so the entire meal was us moving the table back and forth because itd move when we ate. 10 and last one but the serving size for asking for pico or quac (which is a few bucks by itself and youd think you'd get more...) is a TINY sauce bowl but I guess they think the spiciness of it makes up for the lack of what you get. Overall, I personally wouldn't believe the other reviews, it's lying when it says 10-20$ per person. It's literally like 10$ per ITEM on your plate. Ending up spending 85$ for my family of 3 and it was because we had to order beans and rice separately. The small quesadilla was 16$ and not to mention you have to pay for chips and salsa. I guess every single other Mexican restaurant I've been to spoiled people with free chips and salsa? We came in very hungry from doing the zoo for four hours and we weren't expecting this at all. We had high hopes off it's 4.7 rating. So if you don't care waiting, warped tables and paying for literally everything individually and small portions go ahead. We're never coming again.

Had a great lunch after visiting the zoo. The food was so fresh. What the two sauces added on the top of good food was a surprising deliciousness to highlight the taste.

I really like this place! Food has always been really good. Reasonable prices. I like the decor and staff. It's underrated because it's next to Aurora but that really doesn't hurt anything. It's nice inside. Try it!

Kinda of a lackluster atmosphere even though it had such a fun decorated space. Though we paid 18 freaking dollars for 2 pretty normal birria tacos, which will not be doing ever again. They were good, so I cant take off too many stars, but $18??? The sauce added $6??? Why? Also took a while and had weird spaces for seating, wanted us to sit right in front of another party eating haha. But good vibes, the food was still good so yeah.

* 🥘: 8/10. A hidden gem! We went there for tacos Tuesday! And it was the best decision ever! The carnitas tacos are so perfect! Dry crispy and flavorful! And they give generous portions, with a lot of meats, onions and veggies. Honestly the best tacos I have ever had! * 👨🏻‍🍳: 7/10. Staff is really friendly and they are always willing to offer suggestion. It takes a while to get seated but we are a big group so I understand! * 📍: 7/10. Located in a very resident neighborhood! It was quiet, and honestly will be hard to find parking! But they do have curbside parkings so it would be really nice! I really enjoyed the authentic decors! It is very Mexican like, and I feel like immersed in Mexico in this restaurant!

This place is fantastic with great food, quick service, and reasonable prices. We had fajitas and the fried taquitos and everything was delicious, zero complaints and the chips and salsa for $8 was really good with warm chips and a ton of zesty salsa, we will be going back!

On the hunt for the best PNW taco spot and El Legendario truly lives up to its name and hits the spot! From the moment I walked in, I was greeted with smiles and seated at my table immediately. This restaurant is a family business and you can feel the love and care from everyone who is serving. Ordered two dishes for myself. The specialty tacos are the way to go if you want to be bold and try something new. Don't be a weenie and say you don't eat tongue lengua or tripe. Get out of your comfort zone! The tripa tacos come in a pair, i asked for mine extra crispy and they NAILED IT. So so good! The crunch and texture you can tell it was made fresh and not just some old tripe they threw into a taco. The Birria Res, wowed me. When the taco can maintain its crunch while holding the juicy beef and cheese in the middle, that is true perfection. Ordered the consumme dipping sauce to go with (extra charge) but you can have a Birria taco without dipping. It's just not the same. Consumme was good enough to slurp up like a soup. Their hot sauces are also freshly made. Thank you will definitely be back again and again!

--- We went here hoping for a good dinner beyond our usual places, kinda disappointed Here's my review: **Chips and Salsa:** Really disappointed, totally overpriced at $8. Salsa had an okay flavor but inconsistent texture. The chips tasted like bagged ones, not homemade as claimed. Big basket though. **Margarita Cadillac:** Good size and flavor for $10. Nice value. **Service:** Friendly and fine. **Main Meal:** I had the Tacos California ($18). Big portions, decent taste, but the meat was greasy. Good avocado and classic rice and beans. Fills you up, but not exceptional. My friend had the carnitas plate ($18). Lots of meat, okay flavor. Store-made tortillas, smaller portions of beans and rice. Flavors were average. **Ambiance:** Classic Mexican restaurant vibe with cool old-school posters of Mexican movie stars. Overall, seems to cater to the drinking crowd with good drinks but mediocre food. Probably won't return. ---

When we arrived here on Friday, we were seated immediately. Ambience: 3/5 - l really liked the way they represented Mexican culture with the decor Drinks & Food 3/5 Skinny Paloma 5/5 - HIGHLY RECOMMEND. Any cocktail is a good choice, in my opinion. It was affordable and STRONG. DO TRY HOT SAUCE 5/5 - This place has one of the best HOT sauces I have ever tried in Seattle. It had the kick I was looking for Burrito Express 2/5: The burrito tortilla wrap wasn't to my taste. I found it to be too thick. Although I like the cheese, beans, and beef (Al Pastor). The enchiladas were significantly better compared to the burritos. Service 2/5: NOTE: Due to the extremely slow service, please be patient.

Definitely one of the best Mexican Restaurants I've ever been to! The Habanero Mango Margarita is incredibly spicy, but delicious. My son loved the Burrito Murjado. Definitely had to take some home. We are from Phoenix, but will for sure come back here next time we're in Seattle.

We've been trying Mexican food around seattle for a while and it's always been bland and not quite up to par with what we ate in the south. We randomly stumbled upon this place. It has a homey vibe which I love, and the service was lovely! Did I mention this restaurant has lengua? Amazing! The food was delicious, flavorful, and we'll be back for more.

We visited specfically for Taco Tuesday which was 5 tacos for $10. For the deal they had to all be the same taco. We did carne asada and then al pastor, carne asada was a bit dry but the al pastor was so juicy, flavorful, and delicious $8 chips and salsa is a bit steep lol, considering we got tacos for $2 more than that but they were good but I think it was mainly because we got fresh tortilla chips not sure how it would taste if they were not super fresh The margs were okay, considering we they are using super cheap tequila it didn't taste that bad but the strawberry did taste like cough syrup Service was pretty good, a bit slow, but it seemed like there was only one server working. Definitely a good place to get your taco fix! Parking was easy if you go in the neighborhood.

A fun Mexican place for massive burritos and a good time. We came here on a weeknight and were seated right away. Though not all tables were full, the place was still bustling with many takeout orders and plenty of regular patrons. We weren't drinking that night, but the margaritas looks tasty and festive in their big glasses. We shared a burrito and a queso. We were warned that the queso was spicy, great, I love a little zest in my queso. But it was HOT, definitely not for those with a low spice tolerance. The flavor was still great, but turning down the spice 30% would have made it accessible to a lot more palettes. The burrito was tasty and quite possible the largest I've seen in Seattle. Prices were normal Seattle high, I hope for cheaper for burritos but you get at least two meals for the cost. Definitely a place we can see ourselves coming back to frequently

The last time I visited, it was early in the summer. My companions and I were craving Mexican cuisine, so we decided to stop at El Lengendario because of the good reviews and location we were in. Upon entering, I immediately noticed the decorations and loved how they showcased Mexican culture. Also, our server was really kind and sweet to us. The food we got tasted authentic, and I was full by the end of the meal. It was slightly pricey for the quesadilla and fajitas, but the tacos were average priced around $10 for a plate of 4 tacos. My friend really loved the tacos and I suggest you ordering some!

Lovely ambience. Family-friendly. Good service. DELICIOUS food! Five of us in our family had dinner at this restaurant. Chose it because of their reviews. VERY happy that I did. The food tasted authentic. We visit Mexico twice a year, so I'm pretty picky about Mexican food. My "go to" is fajitas. My parents shared the "El Legendario" specialty dish. More than enough for two people. They still had enough to take home for lunch the next day. If you like sweets, you have to get their flan-cake. Half flan, and half chocolate cake. How wonderful to have a part of Mexico, in Seattle. Try this place. You'll be glad that you did. We will definitely go back the next time we're in town.

Our group of 8 visited around 2pm on a Saturday and they were able to seat us immediately! Service was prompt and attentive. Chips and salsa/beans are not free here... that is a downside. But we started with chips, salsa and queso. WHEW that queso is SPICY!!! For entrees, our group ordered a variety of things. I got the carne asada quesadilla, others got chicken enchiladas, burritos and taquitos. My quesadilla was very flavorful and piping hot. Beans and rice had great flavor. It doesn't come with salsa, guacamole or sour cream.... My sister got the chicken taquitos and boy were they dry!! Cocktails were fine- they don't offer blended margaritas just ones on the rocks. Overall, it filled us up on a chilly afternoon and we are grateful they were able to accommodate our large group so effortlessly. Oh PS- they don't split checks to be prepared to divvy all that up yourself.

Should have tried it many years ago. Food was great and the inside was great. I enjoyed the margarita as well.

This is a great Mexican spot in Seattle. We came here on a weekend and were seated right away. The chips & salsa are a good way to start the meal. Their entrees are very large and could be shareable or great for leftovers. My husband ordered an al pastor burrito, which was very good. I ordered the enchilada combo that came with red & green sauce. One enchilada had carnitas and the other one has asada. Both of our meals were very good. I would come back here to try other things, as they had a large menu of items.

This was such an amazing find! The food is fire, I grabbed the quesadilla which comes with beans, rice and cheese. The ambiance is amazing... It's got a football viewing large screen seating and also quieter areas! Lots of booths. The service was excellent! Parking has to be residential parking around the corner! It wasn't too hard to find.

We love it here ! Fun decor and ambiance. Awesome food and drinks. Love the guac and salsa. Chips are homemade ! The tacos are really good too. Service is great. Definitely recommend.

Best Birria Tacos ever. Great family restaurant, lots of food options and very attentive staff. I've had Birria tacos many times and from many other restaurants. I still think these are these best tacos in Seattle.

Delicious food and great atmosphere! Staff was friendly and the food came out quickly. I had veggie enchiladas and a kiwi margarita, yum! Highly recommend this place!

Went here with a friend late in the evening. Not bad, the guacamole was spicy, but no real other flavor. I got the tacos adobada and asada. They both lacked flavor. Loaded with onions and Cilantro but still missed the mark. The margarita was strong and good. The service was good, but it wasn't busy at all so kind of expected to be decent.

I've only been there a couple of times. The location on Aurora around 46th isn't ideal, but the food is very good. It's worth a try, for sure.

We dined here 27 OCT 2023 A clear night just after Moonrise, a night before the full moon. This place is fantastic! Busy street. Classic decor. Drinks were tasty and well poured strawberry and Cadillac margaritas, and chilled Sol. Guacamole was fresh and creamy, heavy on the jalapeños. In a good way. Warm chips with mildly smoky and spicy red salsa. Chicken taquitos with rice and beans were good typical fare. The barbacoa boreggo birria tacos with consume were legendary! I can't wait to go back and try the soup version of that! The rest of the menu looks really good, too; diverse selections, several meat and veg choices, and helpful staff knows the menu. Best of all was the service. The cooks were terrific. The servers were very friendly, working very hard, and taking care of a full dining room. Made me feel at home. Can't wait to go back. Happy to support this place

As an Orange County native and former San Diego resident, I rarely want to get Mexican food outside of SoCal. We'll occasionally check out some places here in Seattle if I find a promising one on yelp, but I try not to get my hopes up. I'm still always disappointed. I had this place bookmarked for several months before trying, and I'm so glad we finally stopped in. I've found my go-to Mexican restaurant in Seattle!! I usually get tacos because I love tacos (duh) and they also give me a standard to compare between places. My favorite here are the al pastor - great flavors and cooked perfectly. My husband usually gets the fajitas which have also been great. The chips are made in-house and come out piping hot when if they've just been fried. Amazing! The location itself is on Aurora and unassuming, but it's comfortable enough and service is great. Check it out!

I had been looking for an Authentic Mexican restaurant and finally found it! Atmosphere is great and so is the food. Definitely recommend this place. The staff is very welcoming and friendly and answered all my questions

Being from California I am hella picky with my Mexican food. I've lived in Fresno, East LA, and all over SoCal and I know good Mexican food when I taste it. I thought I would never find a good Mexican restaurant in Seattle then a friend told me about this place and I FINALLY found a great spot! Rice is on point, beans are on point...to me a Mexican restaurant needs to get these two things right because they're the base of the meal and if they mess one of those up it's hard for me to enjoy the main dish. Chips were hot and fresh out of the fryer (yum). I had the mole chicken enchiladas and they were great, a friend I was eating with had the barbacoa and I sampled it and it was delicious. The tacos from the booth next to us smelled amazing so definitely want to go back and just eat tacos. Good michelada! Not too salty! Only qualm was no horchata but I'll let it slide. Can't wait to go back!

The carnitas burrito here was amazing, size of my head and 10/10. Great bang for buck!

My friend chose this place, and we were here as first time diners. She ordered enchiladas with mole sauce and totally loved it. I don't remember what I ate here, but nothing to complain about. Staff was friendly as we left; can see the kitchen from the front door. 4 stars for the very dirty bathroom and waiting for a long time with hardly anyone there to order and get the check; weren't checked on once.

Food is pretty solid. I'm picky being from Southern California but for PNW Mexican food this is definitely some of the better food I've had since I've been up here.

Parking was rare, had to drive up and down the street. Drinks were warm , ice kept melting fast and food was good. Wings were nice and spicy and Tacos were a bit salty , I only had one . Nice family restaurant

Really great ambiance and food! We had Julie as our server and she was wonderful. Highly recommend the Birria. Surprisingly great coffee.

Food was amazing! I've been to a lot of authentic restaurants and the flavor and tenderness of the the food here was on point. Little gem in the wall sort of say. I ordered the burrito mojado with carne asada and was not disappointed! On top of that I ordered there strawberry margarita and if I wasn't driving I would've done 3! So good if you're in the neighborhood stop by, you're only doing yourself a favor! Service was on point, was greeted immediately and sat down instantly on a Sunday. Soon after the restaurant filled up! Overall will come again 5/5

I've enjoyed most things I order from this restaurant. And when asked, they obliged the way I like my margaritas or nopales. Muchas gracias!

I love eating here they have great food on their menu! I love their hospitality! There always a good atmosphere when your dining in I would give this place a 4 stars

Tried this place on a recommendation from my nephew. It is a lesser known gem. Food is excellent. Value priced. Good margaritas. In house made tortillas. We got the Barbacoa. The meat was tender and broth tasty. Threw in the side of chopped onions and cilantro that comes with it. It was Taco Tuesday so got the Carnitas taco plate. Loved it. Service is good. Parking can be a challenge but it is worth the visit. Watch out for parking restrictions on Aurora at rush hour times. Highly recommend.

Honestly my biggest gripe here that they will not give you a menu here the make you do that ridiculous QR with your cell phone, such a waste of time and a drag just give your customers a menu, don't you want a tip? Anyway food is authentic and good just please don't install a kiosk like McDonald's does for the ordering

Small spot just north of downtown on Aurora. Chill vibe, good service. Had a spicy beef stew that was served piping hot. Proper flour tortillas and a side of beans and rice, chopped onions, limes and cilantro. Delicious and a really large serving. Great spot,will definitely revisit soon.

Eat there at least 3-4 times a month, bill is from 100-180 everytime. They burned my daughters tacos, when I asked if they could please remake them they said no. Will definitely not be coming back.

$22 for a burrito is insane. It was $16 until last week. This is the second price increase within a year. I understand with inflation and the cost of living being high, but increasing your prices at the beginning of the year and again a second time almost 38%. Cmon guys... this huge jump hurts the people that have been supporting you. I wish your business nothing but the best.

My favorite place to go for amazing Mexican food. Every time we go, the food is always fresh and delicious! We usually order the California burrito and al pastor quesadilla. The service is great and they are always friendly! Sometimes we order ahead so that our food is there once we arrive and we can immediately enjoy without the waiting.

As a Latin person I can be very picky with food but this restaurant is delicious!! They have truly authentic and delicious food. Some of my recommendations: DEFINITELY the beef birria tacos, the burritos, and the Al pastor tacos and Gordita crunches. Honestly you probably can't go wrong with anything on the menu it's all amazing!

Big carne asada burrito but the meat is very hard and lacking flavor. Soggy rice do not recommend

Been passing this restaurant for months before I finally decided to check it out--sooo glad I did! Their Al pastor and beef cheek tacos are my favorite, I crave them all the time. Also tried their California burrito which was big enough to share between my husband and I! We ended the meal with churros for dessert, which had the perfect crunch on the exterior and warm fluffy dough in the middle. This place is now my absolute favorite Mexican restaurant in Washington. Have only gotten take out so not sure what the ambiance or service is like but from all the phone conversations while ordering take out, they seem nice.

Couldn't be tastier! The lamb birria was all I could have wanted. It was unctuous, tender, and brimming with the slightly gamey flavor of fatty lamb slow cooked in a flavorful consume. The taco was stuffed full of the birria and just enough cheese to bind it as it was crisped to perfection on the plancha. The consume was so good that I drank it all after dipping the taco in it. I'll be back to try other dishes.

We went with a group of 10 and they were nice enough to try and seat us together, but we still had an aisle between us as none of their tables were large enough. The restaurant is much larger than it seems and has a lot of inside seating. The food portions are large, I got gorditas with carne asada to share. It wasn't quite enough, if there were rice and beans it would have been the perfect amount. The asada was a little tough for my taste so would try another meat next time. They did have nopales as an option which is fun - would probably go for that next time just to be adventurous. The prices were reasonable. The waitress was nice and accommodating.

We've branched out further and have tried - burritos: dope (my husband loves the shrimp, I have a tough time choosing b/t the fish and the adobada) - sopes: maybe my new favorite here as it tastes really fresh despite revolving around fried masa - huarache: same deliciousness as the sopes, just in a different shape - gorditas: dope pockets of flavor Still need to try the tamales, tortas, caldos, and more of the dinner plates. Given their track record, I have no doubt that El Legendario will continue to knock it out of the park with flavor and with friendly service.

Food was wonderful. Service was abysmal. Also $8 for chips and salsa is too much. The server should have let me know there was a charge when I asked for them

Don't pay 8 dollars for the chips and salsa. The food was delicious but lettuce doesn't belong inside burritos.

It's okay. Tacos are not bad. I ordered the beef tripe soup and it's not that as expected. Waiting time is long

The food reminds me of So. Calif. Mexican food where I went to college. So I am thrilled! Everything on the plate and the salsa are on point. The chips are freshly made. The only thing I would prefer is the beans being refried and mashed but it wasn't but that was not a big deal. The whole beans were tasty and homemade. Happy to have that in Seattle.

Would've ordered more food but couldn't make it past the queso. Stomach started to feel upset if, I asked what cheese it was, she said she had no idea. But I know, my hypothesis is that it is Frito queso dip. My boyfriends stomach is having a fiesta now. Es no bueno. Margarita was subpar, the prices were. What restaurant even charges for chips

The burrito was delicious, wish I got some chips and salsa when I sat down but definitely going again!

Love this place! I've only been in a handful of times but wow, the gorditas and sopes are so fresh and delicious. The masa is so good and the choice of meat is great. Lots of great priced options and I honestly haven't tried the more expensive large plates. Love being able to get multiple flavors. Their chipotle salsa is amazing. Lots of cool tequila infusions. Friendly staff; have been in during limited table service and felt safe and sanitized. Beautiful little gem. Thanks for all the love that goes in!

Look no further, the best real Mexican food in Seattle. All items are fresh , with good spices don't let the location. Sway your mind, this is not a Voo- voo place like most Americanized restaurants in Seattle. Just great home Mexican food as it should be..