El Lugar Bodega Bar

$13+tax and tip for the tiniest burrito I've ever seen. Head up to Tacos Chukis and get the baby burrito for a more satisfying experience. I've never felt like I've gotten this bad of a value in Seattle. I could go on and on blah blah don't bother coming here. Points for atmosphere and nice plating I guess?

Burrito was too small and deceptively priced because you have to add meat for $3, judging from other reviews I’d order something else. Horchata latte made the meal worth it though.

This has got to be a joke. I don't write bad reviews, but i was really annoyed after this experience. I ordered nachos with meay which cost me $25 after tax and tip. Cold on arrival, measly portions, not that much meat, "loaded" nachos but literally only 1 ingredient outside of cheese, chips and meat. Id only pay $12 at ABSOLUTE MOST with tax and tip for these. Often in Seattle I go to restaurants and think "well that wasn't a very good value for price" but I straight up felt scammed. I would've rather ordered nachos from Taco Bell for a 1/3 of the cost. Maybe their other menu items are good, but i have 0 incentive to return and give them a second chance.

Omg! The place looked small, festive and simple. We were hungry and El Lugar was right in front of us. We eat usually Mexican food, but this place will surprise you in a good way. There was dish of nachos that came in a bag. Not impressed with the presentation, but it was the best nachos I ever had! We had also tamales, and a burrito. Everything else was delicious too! I highly recommended and will definitely go back there! Sorry no pictures of the food, it was gone in one second!

From the minute I stepped into this place there was so much liveliness and joy! I felt exactly like the saying, “mi casa es tu casa”. It’s both a Mexican store with cute trinkets that you would see in Mexican homes and a mini restaurant type of feeling without it feeling like you have to leave anytime soon or fast food. It’s a safe space for all. The owner is AMAZING! She is always there with a friendly smile that makes you feel like your part of the family. (Or as we say in Spanish, familia) Truly, only good things to say about this beautiful place! We also needed a Mexican store in Cap Hill. Plus their mangoniadas (virgin or w/alcohol) are 🫠, they are out of this world! I nearly go there everyday or any day they are open. Everything on the menu is phenomenal! They even have vegetarian options. So if your in the area it’s a must.

great spot for quick bite of mexican food or drink! super colorful and vibrant atmosphere, and friendly staff! lots to look at while you eat

Bodega Crunchwrap with Vegan Chorizo was very good but small for the price. Location/atmosphere just OK - may get livelier in the evening.

Wow! Mexican checking in. What a sucky experience. Our experience from the beginning was pretty terrible. The bartender/server took over ten minutes to take our order. We eventually got an order in. To no ones surprise, the food was bad. The tamales had zero sabor and were pure masa. The esquites were the sweetest I’ve ever had in my entire Mexican life. The vibe was also bad. They had true crime playing on a big screen and weird, industrial music. If it was a “Dia de Los Muertos” event, where’s the Mexican music? Maybe some videos of Pedro Infante, Vicente, Chavela Vargas? Literally anything adjacent to our culture? So not only was the food terrible and overpriced, but the vibe was intended to be unwelcoming. We also noticed that no one who spoke Spanish stayed. The yt people stayed, but literally everyone else walked in and promptly back out. Nunca vuelvo a regresar.

Food - incredibly reasonable prices despite the location and quality of food. Everything was fresh and tasty and there was a decent selection. The portion sizing makes it easy to share or have a snack or order more and make a meal. Several vegetarian options! Love it! Try the horchata latte because it's magical. Service - everything is fresh made and they were super speedy! She was also great at answering questions and making recommendations! There's also fresh bakery and a mini Mexican grocery store area. Ambiance - Super cute little restaurant area with pretty tables and decor and good music. They have lots of hot sauce to choose from too! I think they probably get a little more bar scene at night? I would call this one of the most underrated Mexican food spots in the area. Def would go back!

Food portions are small however the food is tasty nonetheless. The drinks are very good too and the customer service is friendly. I'd recommend this place if you want a light meal and good drinks. I'd come back here again for happy hour.

We ordered the slushy Paloma and a mangonada with tequila and when I tell you I dream of the mangonada, I dream about the mangonada!! Also the vibes here are casual and easy-going with a little market to buy some authentic Mexican snacks, ingredients, and more. I can see myself coming back here for another drink for sure, especially that mangonada!

El Lugar is a very quaint and unique spot. I came here with my girlfriend today & I noticed the Jalapeño Cilantro Marg on the board and knew we had to try it. We each got the margarita, one with a cinnamon sugar rim and one with a lavender salt rim. The cinnamon sugar rim has a stronger taste than the lavender rim. but they were super good! We recommend squeezing the lime in the margaritas bc it adds this sweet & tart flavor, which is what we were personally looking for! The aesthetic is what you would expect, it's colorful, fluorescent, and full of mexican culture. They sell mexican candies, drinks, even pottery!! We tried the Jell-o shots as well, they were good not as strong as the margs but tasted good! definitely would recommend this spot!

Stopped into this Mexican grocery and bar bc extremely intrigued by very cute, very colorful, very aesthetic decor. Love how they chose to display all the cultural knick knacks on the wall. Couldn't resist trying something on their menu and ended up getting the mangonada. It's Jumex mango nectar and chamoy topped with mango chunks and tamarind candy. Soooo good, refreshing, sweet, and sour (when you get one of the yummy tamarind candies). Excited to come back and try one of the alcoholic beverages.

El Lugar is my happy place and I would recommend it to anyone. It's truly a hidden gem, perfect for a quick snack. Or if you're like me who doesn't mind music while working on the laptop, this is a great spot for that as well. The chicken salad tostadas I had were amazing: it's so refreshing and not too heavy. They also make delicious tamales from scratch so make sure to try it out. I'm about to go back and get a bag so I can have them at home! There's also a bar and a little store featuring fun goodies from Mexico. Fair price and great vibes!

I want this place to do SO WELL. I wish it were even closer to me so I could support it as much as I can. I love that you get options here too! Need some Mexican food items (like my favorite watermelon paleta con chile)? Go to El Lugar. Feeling like chilling at a low key bar? Go to El Lugar. Don't drink alcohol? Don't worry, just get the mangonada TRUST ME. ESPECIALLY on a hot day. Are you hungry? How about just looking for a bite? Don't worry, El Lugar has got you too! We got the Tinga Tostadas while we were there are the esquites to share - both were absolutely fire. The esquites were creamy and bursting with corn flavor. The tostadas were addicting and I wanted another plate of them. The tinga was tender and flavorful without disintegrating & the tostada held up really well with each bite instead of it falling into pieces like tostadas at some places. Not to mention, the service was so speedy and friendly, and I got complimented on my dress (bonus points of course). TLDR: JUST GO TO EL LUGAR. Keep this business alive despite having other Mexican places nearby. This one is a gem and won over my Latina heart.

I love this spot so much! the service is great, the drinks are good & the esquites are so delicious. I come to this place whenever I'm in the city

Order the boozy Mangonada! It's exactly what you want from a proper Mangonada, tangy, sweet, spicy, salty mangoey, slushiness and gets you buzzed! My partner and I loved the chicken tinga and ceviche. In particular, I appreciated that the ceviche was actually bold and limey. I feel too often Seattle restaurants hesitate to go bold enough when it comes to ceviche. I definitely got the limey seafood kick I was hoping for. They also had a fun variety of bottled salsas from Mexico to top it with. The other thing we loved was the music they were playing. We enjoyed just hanging out here. Finally, I had fun introducing my non Mexican partner to the assortment of snacks and candies from Mexico they carry that I grew up with. We appreciate having a spot like this in the neighborhood, definitely come and give them your support!

Love this Authentic little whole in the wall with great service and even better flavor. Highly recommend. You won't be disappointed!!

Great food, drinks, service, vibes, decor, etc. The loaded nachos live up to the name. Michelada the best I've had in Cap Hill. Let's goooo.

So bright and colorful! Upstairs is seating for those who order food, and downstairs is where you order food/drinks and the bodega is located. Lots of trinkets and food items in the bodega part. Kind of a limited menu, but the food was really tasty and so were the cocktails! Staff was friendly and brings the food and drink to your table once you've ordered at the counter downstairs

I was feeling blue from returning from a vacation in Cali and my cousin found this cute spot on tiktok! It was just the perfect pick me up for a cold fall day after being in warm sunshine almost a week. The food, drinks, and vibe were just right here and even got to talk with Nina and the staff. It's nice to have a little piece of our community here and in such a fun way! Reminded me so much of what Cali has, I'm so excited for this spot to blow up and come back regularly! Thanks for cheering me up ladies!

Not really Mexican . The pan dulce taste like chemicals and cafe de olla Also taste funky . Over all disappointing

So delicious! We got two different drinks that were both amazing- the tamarind mezcal soda cocktail and the horchata latte. Great selection of other dry foods and fun treats and candy. We will definitely be coming back!

Amazing service super chill, the overall vibe of the place is very homely a great ambiance! The food is so delicious and very authentic!

El Lugar is a little slice of heaven! The drinks are wonderful and creative, they have everything from unique margaritas to boozy slushies. The bodega vibe and small plates are delicious!

Wow! Amazing service, great food, and drinks!! Mexican treats all around! Check this place out!

Haven't ate here yet but they offer a wide variety of Mexican sodas at very reasonable prices especially for Capitol Hill. I will return again. From what I've seen the food looks good as well

Great food. Great service. Great vibe. Highly recommend for anyone living in or visiting Cap Hill. My new go to spot for esquites, chicken tinga tostadas, and loads of Mexican candy.