La Carta De Oaxaca

By the shimmering threads of the culinary tapestry, La Carta de Oaxaca weaves a potent enchantment! The aromas that waft forth are nothing short of alchemical, transforming humble ingredients into dishes of pure magic. The very essence of Oaxaca seems captured within their walls, a palpable energy that warms the spirit. The ministrations of the servers were swift and knowing, as if guided by unseen forces. And the food! Each bite was a revelation, a journey into flavors both ancient and wondrous. Five stars, certainly, for this haven of earthly delights touched by something truly special.

This was better than any Mexican food I've ever had in Canada. The ingredients are fresh, simple, beautifully prepared, and presented. The best pa heart is the most experienced where all of the flavors combined to dance on your tongue to give you layer after layer of mouth bliss. The mole is dark and full flavouured. The corn tortillas are the thinnest I've had yet wouldn't tear. The service was warm and friendly, and the establishment itself is clean and efficient but still welcoming and cozy. If I'm ever in Seattle again, I will be back here.

Yummy Al pastor, shrimp tacos and mole! The mole was perfect in robust flavor, tender meat and then homemade corn tortillas. Be sure to get the guacamole too. So delicious, friendly service and great ambiance 🤩

Was not expecting this mole to blow my mind, but it is legit. The meat cut with a spoon, the tortillas (corn, that looked, behaved and felt like flour) we phenomenal and the quesadilla was the perfect blend of crispy tortilla and melting cheese. This is a must for anyone who needs a taste of Oaxaca this far north.

Had dinner there Tuesday night and sat outside in their patio. Had a very nice time with the family. Service was great and the food was good.

Great food and great service! I recommend sitting outside on a nice day! We got the Lamb Birra (9/10) and the kids quesadilla (10/10 flavor)

One of my favorite Mexican restaurants. The mole tamale was amazing. Never disappointed when I visit!

Food was delicious very good plates very originally homemade stile😊🤤🤤🤤 excelente.

I got the Al Pastor tacos and the tamarind agua fresca and both were excellent! The service was slow likely due to the server/customer ratio being off. My drink didn't come out until I was eating my last taco but I'm attributing that to how busy it was. Overall, I would recommend and would go back to try other menu items!

Still, after all these years, one of the best restaurants in Seattle! These are hands down the VERY BEST TORTILLAS I have ever put in my mouth! The lady behind the counter rolls them out fresh! She obviously makes them with love! Great people watching on the patio, but their bar area is so cute too! We both got the carne asada plate. I loved the charred chili on top of the steak! Also their guacamole is phenomenal! So so delicious! I like their salsa bar too! The hibiscus drink was a bit sweet but good! Beans were the bomb- I absolutely would LOVE to know how to make beans like them!!! They have an awesome, after 3 pm, drink n food happy hour too! Definitely worth the drive to come here! Of course, YOU HAVE TO TRY THIS PLACE!

After my partner became a U.S. citizen, we knew exactly where to celebrate--La Carta de Oaxaca in Ballard. It's our favorite Mexican spot in Seattle, hands down. Word is, the restaurant got its start when Gloria Perez cooked her mom's Oaxacan recipes for a local culinary expert's family--who were so blown away, they helped her open the place. Taste the food, and you get it. It's more than a meal--it's a story, a legacy, and a masterclass in flavor. Everything on the menu is a win, but I keep coming back for the tamales, their deep, complex mole, the lamb that falls apart like butter, and carne asada that's bold and perfectly grilled. The tortillas are made fresh, the habanero salsa brings real heat, and there's a level of care here that's rare--every bite tastes like it came from someone's home kitchen, not a restaurant line. The space walks the line between casual and elegant, and the family-run team makes you feel like you're part of theirs. Honestly, I think they deserve a Michelin star--but even without one, it's one of the most consistently outstanding meals in the city. When we talk about what makes America special, this is it--flavor, heart, and family, all in one place.

I think this is one of the best Mexican restaurants without having to drive to southside. Places in Seattle are overpriced and underwhelming and getting worse all the time. I don't feel La Carta is any more spendy than lesser options in Seattle, and I feel the quality for what you get is much better. Their plate presentation is attractive. The menu and the food are straight forward. While I like some dishes more than others, I feel like I can pick anything at La Carta, and I'm going to like it. Would I get the house specialty mole? Yes. The flan was perfection. Smooth, creamy texture with a light sauce on top and around the plate. This is how flan is supposed to be. We have had margaritas and mezcal drinks and enjoyed all of them. The tortillas are hand made, and you can tell. We have had great service, friendly and efficient. They have a casual and familiar indoor seating area as well as outdoor seating. The tables near the front door are particularly cute in that the meal takes on that cafe feel. La Carta has stood the test of time as well. They started in 2003, so 22 years of celebrating Oaxacan food is a statement in itself.

Went to this spot on a Friday for lunch and it was pretty busy for being a workday, we grabbed the last outside patio that was big enough to fit our group of 5. The service was very nice and friendly. The outdoor area is so nice and fun and it's a good spot in the heart of Ballard. Overall I thought the food was good and decent, nothing crazy. I thought the al pastor was pretty good and strong in flavor and could've had nicer balance with the veggies and citrus, I think the best dish out of the group was probably the fish tacos as it was much lighter and well balanced. I did really like the agua Fresca and that was the best part and just being able to sit outside and enjoy. 3 stars for the food, 4 for the vibes and ambiance.

We were looking for a dinner spot in Ballard that had space for a larger group without a reservation, and La Carta de Oaxaca was the perfect fit! I ordered the lamb birria and it was delightful. Also loved that we could just grab more salsa as needed from the bar. I also appreciated that they had us wait for our table in an area inside near the bar, rather than outside in the rain.

It's...OK I truly don't understand any hype. Everything is overrated, over priced...it all just lacks... is it bad by any means? Not really. The food is alright, but in my opinion lacks flavor. $14 for (3) small chicken flautas that despite having multiple sauces, didn't have much spice?! Chips and salsa cost extra and again lack flavor. Tacos...fine. Worth the $$?! Probably not. The staff are great Drinks are good Ambiance is lacking. I was surprised by how crowded it gets over the weekends. I just haven't been impressed. Gave it a few tries and don't think I'd return

A staple in our Mexican rotation not just in Ballard but in Seattle. Vibes are good, happy hour is great and their dinner plates are consistently delicious.

Everything was delicious and authentic. Staff was friendly and food was made quickly. I absolutely recommend!

A place that used to be better, but it still pretty good. Yes, it's a bit expensive for Mexican food. Yes, it's a bit blander and less spicy than other regional cuisine. Yes, it's still extremely tasty. Service is hit or miss (you're in Ballard, they're hip, so they can't always care about you). Great part of the strip with nice ambiance. You might like it!

Below average food and extremely rude staff. Okay so we walked in at 2:45 and didn't know that it closes at 3. They could have let us know then and there that they aren't accepting any new customers. Our data wasn't working as we travelled from Vancouver and were hoping for wifi and we even explained the situation but the waiter was super rude and said no. He also said you only get 5 mins to order and you have to pay before coz we won't be doing anything after 3. Unfortunately we were so tired and hungry that we still continued to sit there. We had promised Mexican food to our 7 year old and TRY changing that last minute! Even when I asked for sauces I was just pointed to the station without any word. Dude I don't live at this restaurant I don't know your system! Use your words! Oh yes and just before he got us the bill he was super nice and that pissed me off even more! Food was below average. No real taste as such. I will not recommend it to anyone. Stay away.

This is a hard three-star review to write. La Carta de Oaxaca delivers on flavor, but I'm still so famished writing this review. Plus, the wait, not for a table, but to be served was painstakingly long. My wife and I came here on a Tuesday night and we got bombarded by a delicious aroma upon stepping in. We fortunately snagged the last open table, as it was packed. We noticed a few red flags: A lot of other tables didn't have food and we're waiting. We had to wait several minutes for water, and then had to flag another person to get a waiter after waiting for about 10 minutes. After ordering our food, we waited an additional 25 minutes for our food to arrive. I get it, they may be short-staffed, but it made both me and my wife a bit grumpy. I ordered the lamb birria and my wife got Carne Asada tacos. My wife said her tacos were pretty filled with meat, but the tortillas were lukewarm at best, like it's been sitting out on the counter for a while. My lamb birria had great flavor in the beans and rice. The lamb was very tender, and although some parts of it were over-cooked, it was not bad. What was disappointing was...the rack of lamb itself. Each rib was the size of my middle finger, and I was so disappointed with its size. I was licking and gnawing at the bones for all the meat, and needless to say, I'm still very hungry. Overall, meh. I know it sounds harsh, but they seem understaffed, and waiting for such a long time for any service just made us hangry. The food ain't bad, but I'm sure there's better restaurants out there in the cool Ballard area.

Holy fuck. Top 3 Mexican places I've eaten. Everything was perfect. Worth every penny.

Came here last night for an impromptu dinner and was very impressed! Their mole sauce is to die for. Got the Enmoladas, which is corn tortillas soaked in the mole, with skirt steak. Hubby and I were both drooling over it. Also got the lamb birria which was great. Lamb was cooked perfectly. And their house-made corn tortillas....omg. Best ever. Hubby thought they were flour at first (which he prefers) but even he was obsessed with these. Drinks were also good. Get the spicy marg! I think we'll be back!

Good Mexican food is hard to find in Seattle and so with a craving for it I decided to try this with my mom. We ordered the fish tacos, chips and beans, and the fish soup and I would like to say that it was all very good. I particularly loved the fact that the soup and tacos came with hand made tortillas which is always a plus! The fish tacos were a big small for my liking considering you get three for 15 dollars before tax. And the soup although flavorful, it was selfish considering it only came with One piece of fish! Aside from the greedy portion size and high price tag the flavor was good and so was the service! We walked in and were immediately greeted and sat by our lovely server. The ambiance was also something noteworthy as there was music playing, and plenty of warm decor. Overall I had a good experience but I don't think I'll be going back. I do recommend it if you're into smaller portions and don't mind spending a little more! Cheers!

The pros: -good ambiance -fast service -was willing to accommodate vegetarian request The cons: -not many vegetarian or vegan options on the menu -service wasn't super engaged

Authentic as fux!!! Best mole and chile relleno I've ever had. Shrimp tacos super great too!

I ordered enfrijoladas since it specified that it was not spicy, when they arrived at my table and I tried to eat, it was spicy, I told my waiter and his response was "it doesn't seem spicy to me." What kind of response is that to your customers? I added eggs to my dish and I literally took pieces of eggshell out of my mouth, I couldn't eat them, the only good thing I can say is that they have good coffee, thank you but I don't recommend

Really good Mexican spot in Ballard! The open kitchen really shows how authentic the food is, no fancy chefs, just Latina moms cooking with love. Molé is my favorite meal that my mom makes so I was able to try that dish here. The sauce was super flavorful and rich, it paired nicely with the Mexican rice. The drinks were also very delicious! Highly recommend this spot.

amazing!! the camarones al mojo de ajo are so incredible! I went here for my birthday and celebrated with my family and was so impressed with the quality and authenticity of the food.

Omg such an unassuming little spot. Excellent service best tortillas delicious food! I would eat there everyday if I could!

Fabulous lunch on a beautiful day at the outside table here. Nice service. We ordered off the full menu, not the lunch menu. My other loves black mole, and this was spectacularly seasoned. Even the rice is delicious and well made. I had the prawns in spicy garlic sauce. It was a beautiful plate and tasted even better. We did buy chips and enjoyed the salsa bar. We have a hard time getting in here for dinner. Surprised at how easy it was to get a table at lunch. Can't wait to go back.

As a Hispanic person who moved to Seattle after growing up in California by the Mexican border, I've missed having good Mexican food. I tried the mole dish and it tasted very similar to my mom's! I devoured every piece as the sauce was perfectly balanced between being sweet and savory. A little pricey, but worth it.

We have been very curious about this one and finally got to try it. I would echo some of the reviews here. It was just boring. Overpriced for sure but boring. I was still hungry after an appetizer and two meals. They never checked if we wanted more beer. Tacos were great but very small street style and very expensive. Rice and beans don't come with tacos. I mean would that cost the restaurant a $1 to include? Not sure but such a ridiculous amount of food for the price they charge. They just came multiple times to pick our plates while we were still eating. It made us feel uncomfortable. Regardless, I don't think I see any reason to come back here.

The service at this restaurant was pretty good, we got seated pretty much right away. All the staff were friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. We ordered a pozole, ceviche de pescado, some fried tacos, and fried quesadillas. The pozole wasn't the best, it didn't have much flavor besides garlic. The ceviche was alright, fried tacos were ok, but the fried quesadillas were good. We also ordered a mezcal flight, specifically the ilegal. Which had añejo, reposado, and one other variety which I can't recall. It was a bit pricy but a good experience to try different ones. I'm pretty particular about Mexican food so I probably wouldn't be back unless I wanted to try some more mezcal.

I've spent the past 7 years listening to people say this is some of the best Mexican food in Seattle. It took that long to convince me to give this place another try. I'll concede this being better than my previous experience, though not by much. The rice was smoother than I remembered and my side of beans had sauces on top to add flavor. Unfortunately, the chile relleno was a real let down. The cheese was solid inside and the batter around the pepper was thick, soggy, and added nothing. I pity anyone who thinks this is what a chile relleno should taste like. Maybe next time it'll only take me 4 years to give this place another try.

Drinks were okay however the food was good. Service could use some improvement. Overall, I don't think I'd recommend this place and I don't think I'll be back here again.

Had a friend in town who wanted a patio and a margarita. ¡We found both at La Carta de Oaxaca! I had Herradura shots and Dos Equis bottles and she got her margarita. She had the fish tacos and I had al pastor. Both were really good, as was the chips and guac. The patio was a nice ambiance and the service was great. I recommend this joint highly!

My boyfriend and I went in yesterday and ordered the molotes and lamb birria. I'm gluten free so it's awesome this place offered so many options and their corn tortillas are out of this world. My boyfriend couldn't believe they weren't flour. The prices are great, we'll absolutely be back.

We went on a Monday since they don't take reservations and the place was packed! Easy to get into, but still every place was taken and people were coming and going. Masks required to enter. Vaccination cards also required to enter. Outdoor seating available. I started with a sangria. It's strong and a true sangria, not just wine and fruit. This is brandy and triple sec with red wine and some fruit. Great flavor. Let me preface with I could eat and eat and eat everything we had. I'm glad it's limited or I would be a glutton ... we shared the molotes, he had mole' negro Oaxaqueño, and I had tacos de pescado which are made with halibut. I'm white, really white - like cheerios are spicy white - and the mole was spicy for me and my tacos were flavorful spicy but not too bad. But everything was great!! I can't wait to come back and taste some more menu items. Yum yum!

Super tiny portions for the price. One entrée costs upwards of $22, but still not enough. Service was ok. Will not visit again.

Super good mole and great drinks! Authentic Mexican food is hard to find in Seattle but this place really is amazing. Must try. Service is great and ambiance is cool for a chill evening

I enjoy this place and have been coming here for years but am I losing my mind? The portion sizes are getting smaller and smaller and the prices only keep going up. Both tamale options for lunch hour were delicious - rajas with chicken and verde with pork but I feel like for lunch offerings it left me wanting a little more. I completely cleaned the plate but I didn't quite feel full. I do appreciate the outdoor seating area and will likely continue coming because the food is very flavorful. I wish they would increase the portion sizes a little and maybe more lunch offerings than 5 dishes.

Came on a busy Saturday late afternoon. There wasn't a clear direction on how to be seated and we kind of had to bother the waiting staff before we were greeted and seated. Once seated, the service and food made up for the wait and initial confusion. Would highly recommend the pozole!

Cozy little Mexican restaurant with a great menu with something for everyone including meat, seafood, and vege options. I always get overwhelmed when menus are 20 pages long so I really appreciated the more curated selection. I enjoyed the guac+chips, carne asada plate, and the trying all the salsas from their salsa bar. I got a margarita with my dinner, and that was the only thing that was just alright. Given that good Mexican food is so hard to find without driving north or south towards the edges of the city, I'm very grateful to have found this spot!

After patronizing this business for over 15 years and 3 generations, I will no longer return to La Carta De Oaxaca after a less than acceptable meal. After my lunch was set in front of me, no one ever came back to check if everything was fine or if I needed anything else. The food quality has really gone downhill over the past few years and is "hit or miss". I'll spend my money elsewhere. Bad attitude towards customer complaints.

I've eaten here ten or twelve times with excellent food and only one below average meal (right after they reopened from the lockdown). I'm partial to the lamb birria and anything in mole negro or rojo. The tortillas are freshly made, their tequila and mezcal cocktails solid. This is the real deal folks, authentic

I just had an experience at La Carta De Oaxaca that inspired me to delete my 5 star review from 3 years ago and post this updated review. I arrived at the restaurant at 11:54 a.m. and asked someone inside if they were open yet. He said soon. The large outdoor seating area was all set up with menus, so I took a seat at the far end of one of several long picnic tables. The guy I'd spoken to came up and rudely said "do you mind?" I think to myself, "mind what, fool?" But I simply ask, "pardon me?" Apparently he needs to move the table a few inches, so I quickly get up and out of the way. A few minutes after Noon, he comes out and says, "just one?" I say "yes," and he says "any of the small tables." Now, the restaurant is practically empty, there are tons of places to sit, and I'm at the far end of a long picnic table at a place set up for 2 people. It's just like a table for 2. Even though I've sat there patiently for about 10 minutes, this fool needs to exercise some petty dominance over me. At that point I got up and walked out, not wanting to tip this jerk, let alone interact with him one more time. I've eaten at the place at least 30 times but I will never return, despite living close by. It's amazing how quickly one person can make a place so unappealing.

3.5 stars - 4 stars food, 3 stars service, 2 stars value. Echoing fellow Yelpers, food is overpriced - portion sizes are small. Al pastor tacos and carne asada tacos are both tasty, however, tacos are small - an order contains 3 tacos. If you're hungry, you'll want to order more. Lamb birria is melt in your mouth tasty, slow cooked and flavorful! Rice and beans are outstanding. Housemade chips and guacamole are decent - the chips are fresh and come warm. Have had better guacamole elsewhere. Some reviews state customer service over the phone leaves much to be desired - definitely true. The staff that answered the phone was borderline rude - appalling.

La Carta de Oaxaca has been consistently the ONLY Mexican restaurant that I recommend to my Seattle friends. Here is why: 1) I always start assessing a Mexican restaurant with 3 basics: tortillas, arroz (rice) and frijoles (beans). La Carta has freshly made tortillas that taste exactly like those I used to eat while I was a kid in Mexico. Their rice is truly Mexican style, not greasy as you find in most sub par restaurants. And the beans are tasty and salty, with not added spices that you wont find in Mexico (or you would not date to put in your frijoles). 2) Their black mole is a must. This is what makes the Carta the place to go for mole. Truly special recipe that will take your taste buds down to Oaxaca itself. Great, rich texture. 3) Chile relleno is strong. Cheese filled chile. Be warned: it is super hard to know whether a Poblano (the chile for Chile relleno) will be mild, medium or super spicy. So, order it if you have experience and your tongue can handle the probability. If you do, you will be rewarded with a classical Chile relleno that is not over the top as in most places, but prepared home style. 4) Tacos dorados are just like at Mexico. Salsa verde is very well prepared and the tacos are crisp. The combination with frijoles and arroz make it perfect. 5) Tacos al pastor- not the best ones, so don't come here just for them. I would like to see them more Mexico City style: meat needs to be marinated for a long while and should be cut in slices as opposed to big chunks. To be clear: these are goooood tacos. Just not the same style as in Mexico City. And the service- they have consistently done a good job: friendly, good recommendations, fast service. they are packed in normal times, so be prepared to wait if you go at peak times during Covid. By the way, they follow all procedures needed: staff with masks and gloves, physically distant tables, hand sanitizers and thorough cleaning of the tables.

I'm really sad that our experience was so bad. Margs were fine but the food was horrible. $22 for lunch for one dish, it's insane and for it to be as bad as it was is so frustrating. Won't be going back. Damn.

A cute spot for Mexican eats nestled right into the heart of Ballard -- the staff are really sweet and the food comes out super quick, and is tasty too! They don't have a super vegetarian-friendly menu for mains, but have a wide variety of appetizers which were great. The portion sizes ran a tad on the smaller side, but the taste was solid!

Nice little authentic Mexican restaurant we stumbled upon. Not your traditional burritos and nachos place. Very flavorful and the service was top notch. Would recommend!

Nice ambience, friendly staff, and pretty yummy food. I would say though that if you have a low tolerance for spicy food, make sure to ask for no salsa. I was not prepared for how spicy the food was but it is tolerable. Overall a really nice restaurant worth checking out!

Great service and an excellent selection of salsas at the salsa bar. The menu has some unique items that provides some variety compared to most Mexican places in Seattle. We were all happy with our meals, although it was a little pricey.

Came here around 6pm on a weekday and there was quite a few people. It was chilly inside which I didn't particularly like but nonetheless, what I tried was delicious. I had the carne asada plate and the watermelon juice. Carne asada plate - 5/5 Beef was tender and cooked very well. Juices stayed inside and it was flavorful which was a sign that it was marinated enough. Yummy and it came with rice and beans. I devoured the rice as it was soft and cooked to my liking, and wasn't overpowering the meat but was still seasoned well. I will definitely order this again Watermelon juice - 5/5 So refreshing and you can tell that it came straight out of a watermelon. Overall the food speaks for itself. Parking here does suck, but it was well worth finding a spot

I have always known this restaurant for being one of the, if not thee top rated Mexican restaurant in Seattle. After eating here twice, I understand why. Most recently I had the carne asada plato, it was incredible. Cooked to a medium, fresh guac, and what I can only assume are the softest lightest corn tortillas I have experienced. And the beans/rice... This is what separates them from the masses. It's no secret I love Mexican food, it probably shows in my reviews and it's one of those "stuck on a deserted island" foods I can never get tired of. With that in mind, the one thing that drives me nuts is how almost all Mexican restaurants phone in their beans and rice. I taste no seasoning, I taste no flavor. It seems to me to be rice with a little tomato sauce, and boiled beans mashed up. At La Carta though, they cook their rice in chicken broth which gives it a richer flavor. The beans have seasoning, crema, and I think cotija cheese on them. Finally someone pays attention to the little details that no one else seems to care about. Blaze on La Carta de Oaxaca, I echo the rave reviews you have already earned.

Open late and great Mexican food! Perfectly located in the going out area of Ballard, of course we found ourselves here at the end of the night one Saturday. There aren't many places in town you can get a good quality sit-down meal after 11pm. Thankfully this place has you covered! Our server was attentive and got the order in straight away. Our meal was up in 10-15 minutes and we left satiated not long after. The camarones (shrimp) dish I had hit the spot and I look forward to visiting again in the future!

I have dined here perhaps 50 times including today. Consistently great carne asada tacos and tostadas. I haven't had any better in Seattle yet. The walls are full of cool photos. They have a large dining room indoors. Also, they have three tables on front patio and a big streatery which makes it 10+ outdoor tables.