La Palmera Mexican Restaurant

This place goes all out for Christmas. The décor is honestly beautiful. Everywhere you look there are lights, ornaments, and festive details that make the entire restaurant feel warm and lively. It gives you that cozy holiday vibe the second you walk in. Food was great. I ordered the quesabirra tacos and they were very flavorful and enjoyable. The atmosphere overall was amazing and definitely the highlight of the visit. Service was good, but I’m giving it four stars only because we asked to be seated at a different table since the tall chairs were uncomfortable. They told us the table was reserved even though more than half of the restaurant was empty, and it stayed empty even by the time we left. Other than that, the staff was very kind and attentive while we were dining. Overall, a great experience with excellent food and an atmosphere that really stands out, especially during the holidays.

Went here for a weekend lunch with my family. Some of us are vegetarian. We had a reservation through Resy and got seated immediately. Found a parking spot nearby, no problem. We ordered the guac and the street corn for appetizers. And then some tacos for the mains, enchilada for the kiddo. Food was great, service was prompt. They put up with my broken Spanish. Ambience is eclectic and they have a bar section with TVs showing sports. What else can one ask for? Definitely recommend coming here, we are looking forward to returning soon!

Came in for dinner with friends & we started with chips and salsa, and since we were there after 9, we grabbed a couple of happy hour items, the chicken tacos and the chicken quesadilla. Both were good and pretty solid for happy hour. For drinks, we tried the Gold Margarita, the non-alcoholic piña colada, and a Mezcalita. All of them were tasty. For mains, the Pollo a la Crema was definitely the best dish of the night - really creamy, flavorful, and the veggies were cooked perfectly. One friend got the Pollo en Mole, which was a bit too tangy for my taste, so that wasn’t my favorite. We also tried the enchilada + tamale combo (chicken), which came with beans, rice, sour cream, and guac, pretty decent overall. I got the Suizas Enchilada, and it was fine, nothing crazy but good enough. The overall vibe of the place is great, especially with all the holiday decorations.

The Christmas spirit is in full swing here!! Decorations are super festive and through the roof, and there's matching holiday drinks to boot. Their brunch menu features seasonal drinks such as Santa's Piñata Punch and Churro Martini (which I loved!!!). Their service is super fast, we came in at Saturday brunch and had no problems with getting attention to our table. Definitely recommend getting their chilaquiles with egg and carne asada, it's a classic!

This place has a authentic looking vibe and the servers were very nice to us. The food was also pretty decent. The meat was good and the mushroom sauce was great! I would recommend it for friend gatherings or work lunches.

Great place to get Mexican food around Southlake Union! The service was very friendly, the restaurant we were in was spacious and decorative. The food and drinks came out fast. I got the birria tacos and I wish they were a little bit more fried. Other than that, everything was delicious, I will come back.

Like that they have plants inside makes it feel like you outside, without the cold lol. Way too dark for being an up going restaurant feels more like a cantina. Food was ok it felt like fast food restaurant, maybe that's what the owners think Mexican Food is or they are use too. Flavors were there but again it felt like I was eating in a fast food place. Most of the employees did not look happy at all

Delicious! The Christmas and holiday decor is absolutely amazing—you can really see the care and effort put into every wall and ceiling. There was a short wait, but it wasn’t bad at all. The service was excellent, and the food was just as impressive. I wish I got more photos. I would absolutely recommend trying La Palmera.

We loved the dishes we picked. So delicious. Our waiter was so nice and helpful. Love the ambiance. A lot of seating and did not feel crammed in there. Overall great dinner and cocktails. They have a great happy hour too.

My friend and I came here because we heard there was nice decorations through an event at yelp and decided to check it out. I ordered the fish taco which I enjoyed! The fish was well marinated and I added black bean and rice which filled me up pretty quick. We also ordered the cutest Christmas drinks Picked this place specifically because of the free Amazon parking after 4pm, love it. The staff was also friendly

Came in for dinner with friends for the Yelp Elite holiday drink event and ended up ordering a bunch of food and drinks on our own. We started with chips and salsa, and since we were there after 9, we grabbed a couple of happy hour items, the chicken tacos and the chicken quesadilla. Both were good and pretty solid for happy hour. For drinks, we tried the Gold Margarita, the non-alcoholic piña colada, and a Mezcalita. All of them were tasty. For mains, the Pollo a la Crema was definitely the best dish of the night - really creamy, flavorful, and the veggies were cooked perfectly. One friend got the Pollo en Mole, which was a bit too tangy for my taste, so that wasn't my favorite. We also tried the enchilada + tamale combo (chicken), which came with beans, rice, sour cream, and guac, pretty decent overall. I got the Suizas Enchilada, and it was fine, nothing crazy but good enough. The overall vibe of the place is great, especially with all the holiday decorations.

Stopped by as they had Christmas drinks and Christmas decor for the holiday season. They were busy on a Wednesday night. Although probably because it was the day before Thanksgiving. Servers were nice, welcoming, thankful for people to be there. The place wasnt loud, you can still hear your fellow party members. Ordered a Churro Martini and did not hold back on the alcohol nor the churro flavor. Also ordered a Cadillac Margarita and thought it was too sweet. For food we ordered a Poblanas Enchilada and Shrimp Tacos. Each dish had a unique flavor. We even finished our whole meal. Except for the rice and beans. Rice was dry and beans were mushy like usual. Nothing too special. Overall, great food and pretty good drinks. I recommend parking at the 9th Alley Parking garage as the minute you head up to the lobby floor, La Palmera is right in front of you.

Checked out the holiday pop up and it was really cute! We snacked our way through the happy hour menu and had some really fun drinks. They have cocktails for all tastes including boozy, creamy, or fruity options. The service was fantastic and the decor really made the space feel that much more festive. I'd definitely go back this month to enjoy it again!

Good Mexican restaurant to try! I had their Deluxe Burrito with Birria ($24) and it was good! The meat was prepared well and the ingredients were fresh. I enjoyed the lettuce, guacamole, and sour cream they had on the side. The portioning was good and I was full by the end of the meal! They offer free first round chips and salsa which is nice. The ambiance was amazing! They decorated the whole restaurant with Christmas decorations and it's definitely one of the most Christmas themed restaurant I've ever seen. Ironically, they were not playing Christmas music at all. The service was decent. The server answered any questions we had and the food didn't take long to make. I did wish they offered a table cloth or more napkins for the table.

Enjoyable Restaurant for great Margaritas! I came here on a date night with my boyfriend and I specifically asked for a place with great cocktails and La Palmera delivered! We had a reservation for two and were able to get seated right away in the back of the restaurant. I loved the vibes of the restaurant it was cozy and they were playing baseball on all the tvs. We ordered two cocktails, I think they were both margaritas and they were really delicious. They had the flavor we needed. We got corn esquites which I think is not as authentic as it is missing a lot of components the typical esquites does but it was still pretty buttery just needed more toppings. My boyfriend got quesabirria tacos which were solid, but not as good as some other places. I think the standout dish was the aguachile I ordered. It was spicy, sour, and delicious sauce to have with raw shrimp. It was refreshing!

Great service and atmosphere here. We sat at the bar and the staff was very friendly and lively. Ordered a quesadilla off the happy hour menu and it was tasty and filling. You get complimentary fresh chips which is always great. The decorations are the cutest for a pop up Christmas bar

Had a really great time! The Christmas decor at the restaurant right now brought in the holiday spirit paired with delicious holidays cocktails. Hosts were very enthusiastic and welcoming. We ordered the tacos from happy hour menu and by far one of the best veggie tacos I've had. Friends really enjoyed their chicken tacos as well. Margaritas are a must try. Definitely going back!

The decor here for Christmas is amazing! I got an enchilada plate and the portions are very nice compared to most places in Seattle. Service was great as well, I would definitely come back for happy hour for mariachi night!

Great place to get Mexican food around Southlake Union! The service was very friendly, the restaurant we were in was spacious and decorative. The food and drinks came out fast. I got the birria tacos and I wish they were a little bit more fried. Other than that, everything was delicious, I will come back.

Came in and was greeted with a winter wonderland of lights and holiday decor. It's so fun and festive - the daughter of the owner said it's takes up to 250 man hours to decorate the place with holiday theme so YOU KNOW they don't play! They presented me and my party some perfectly warm tortilla chips, guac, and delicious salsa with some heat. I had the delicious corn esquites, caporales nachos, quesabirrias, chicken mole, and the chocoflan. All amazing dishes and they don't skimp. Oh and the holiday drinks are absolutely inspired and divine. I had the pink Rudolph slushie (a pink sweet frothy girlie drink) and the Smoky Santa (scotch, chocolate and coffee). The staff is attentive and friendly. Make sure you visit this gem!

Food is really good customer is top notch and music is a vibe. The waiter was very friendly and helpful

Courteous and kind staff, the combo plate (taco & enchilada) was delicious. Yes, simple order, but nailing the basics is key. *use the free parking! Bartender was exceptional

Came here for margaritas on Cinco de Mayo with coworkers. It was a beautiful day and luckily the patio wasn't too crowded so we were seated immediately. They offered us the option of the umbrella up or down, and quickly got us menus and chips and salsa. We also got their one page drink menu, and all ordered the size small margaritas, for $12. I also ordered queso and we got a shredded chicken quesadilla. The drinks were quite good, tasted moderately strong, and the size was great. The larger size looked like a full bowl, which would have been way too much for me. The queso was solid, and the quesadilla was served with guac and lettuce and sour cream, and probably my favorite item, especially with the queso and some salsa. Great place for a quick bite, especially if you're in the area!

Came here with my coworkers for dinner. I've always been curious about this restaurant, but never been inside. The inside is very spacious. They have an outdoor area, bar area, and general + upstairs. It's very clean and decorated nicely. I was suggested the carne asada w/ shrimp. It comes with corn tortillas. It was absolutely delicious. The carne was cooked well and the seasoning was perfection. It has the taste of homemade Mexican food (from what I used to eat as a kid with my friends). The drink was HUGE and strong. Was a little tipsy, but after a couple of laughs, you should be fine to drive after. The service was great! They were fast and attentive. I know this business has 2 other locations, Everett and Mill Creek. I'll definitely be coming back!

Still love this place. I love how welcoming they are to guests. Everyone is super friendly and the service was extremely fast. Still recommend coming for happy hour and getting drinks + some food off the happy hour menu. Red chicken Enchiladas (non hh menu) are still our favorite. Ambiance is modern, bar area where you first walk in and then a split level for normal seating. Lately it's been busy here after work which is a fun atmosphere.

Went to La Palmera early on Sunday night, it was fairly quiet. The restaurant was beautifully decorated for Christmas, all lit up and colorful. It was still happy hour so I got a cadillac margarita, (small size $11 was the HH price) and my partner had soda. We ordered the flautas with spicy potato (HH), plant based pork tacos and chimichanga off the regular menu. All of our food was delicious, well seasoned and flavorful. The speed with which they bring the food is oddly quick, so make sure if you want to linger, let them know. The service is impeccable. What an amazing team they have working here. We might just become regulars..

We are from Southern California where there is no shortage of delicious Mexican food. We LOVE Mexican food! We've eaten at Mexican restaurants in other states and they were NOT up to par to what we're used to. This place did not disappoint! They served complimentary chips and salsa right away. Every single person that worked there was very friendly. The service was quick and excellent. We all enjoyed our food a lot. The adult capri sun was so very good. I would for sure eat here again if we ever go back to Seattle.

Wow! What an incredible experience and great food! My dragonboat team raced on Lake Union and we were a hungry bunch afterwords. We had reservations at another local restaurant however they lost the reservation. We call the team at La Palmera and asked if they could fit us, a group of 30 and they said yes, of course! They were incredible! Accommodating and really rolled out the red carpet for our team. Miguel and team went above and beyond to ensure we all had food and drinks in quick order. They didn't even blink an eye at serving so many of us. They never showed any sign of stress and kept us equally entertained with their positive attitude, platter of margaritas, and willingness to join in the shenanigans of our team. We will be back and highly encourage everyone to experience their incredible food and exceptional service!

**Ambience (3.5/5)**: A modern restaurant with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. **Food (4/5)**: This place is ideal for happy hour rather than regular pricing. The $10 Skinny Margarita was fantastic--a must-try! The beef tacos were decent at $8 for two, but the chicken fajitas (not on the happy hour menu) were just okay and not worth the full price. **Service**: The service was a bit slow; we waited about 10 to 15 minutes to place our order after being seated. However, once we did order, the food arrived quickly. I'll definitely return, but only for happy hour!

Our dragon boat team was here for a race. ‍We won gold, finding La Palmera family restaurant. We also won gold at our race. But that's irrelevant. We contacted them to ask if they could support our victory last minute. And without missing a beat they had us Marg'ed up and guac in the other hand! We were loud and probably a hassle. But the entire team at La Palmera were beyond gracious. Food was kick a$$ too. This will be our permanent celebration spot.

This restaurant is located in the heart of SLU and around many Amazon buildings, so it gets a lot of foot traffic - we went here for a team offsite dinner / happy hour and was glad to see they have all day happy hour the day we went. Prices are excellent and food quality is up to par in the area, but service is fairly intimidating and not of good quality. Most of us, including me, got the Palmera Margarita which for $4 more can upgrade to large size, which is super worthwhile. The large size is almost twice the size compared to the regular size, so I got fairly buzzed after drinking the entire large size. The drink is strong, where I tasted more of the tequila than anything else so it was a bit too overpowered. I could barely taste much lime or the cranberry for that matter. I also tried the flauta, fish ceviche, and chicken quesadilla. The flautas were kind of like taquitos, with lettuce and cotija cheese and sour cream drizzled across the dish. They look small but each piece is filled with generous amounts of shredded beef (you can opt for potato or chicken as the filling too). The fish ceviche is decent and goes well with the chips and salsa that they give you at the beginning. The chicken quesadilla chicken was a bit dry and didn't have as much cheese as I would expect for a quesadilla. For $6-$9 these were fairly good prices, as one dish can be one satisfying meal portion for one. Service was a little obnoxious - twice we said no to guacamole knowing they are trying to upsell and they still daringly asked us a third time. And similarly for more margaritas the moment one is done with the drink thought this in itself is reasonable. And when we were paying the bill they repeated saying service is not included and kept pressing and ensuring that we tip 20% minimum - like let us set our own tip - 18% is not the end of t. And at the end they say "see you tomorrow." This ultimately bumped down my rating of my experience dining here.

Been here twice now, first being over a year ago so can't recall exacts. This most recent time was having happy hour on a Wednesday with some coworkers. Came a little before 5 and I had a sense of deja Vu that I specifically mentioned we're here for happy hour to the hostess and was not given the happy hour menus even after being seated in the bar area. Tasty food and decent service, however come 6pm (when happy hour ended) we were given last call on our drinks then given our bills. (They managed to split our group of 6!) We hung out 45 min later, but could have paid full price for another drink if we wanted one, but it almost felt like we weren't given a choice. No further service was given. Overall would return. Good menu options and good service.

The service at La Palmera is always great. We come here frequently with a decent sized crowd from our office and they are always attentive. Food comes out quickly and is delicious. Their chips and salsa while you look at your menus is always a huge plus. Prices are very reasonable for the area too. And do yourself a favor: get the guac!

It is difficult to find good Mexican food outside of California, but you will find it here. They have sizable portions that match the price point. Great atmosphere, but very noisy, although there did seem to be a party going on upstairs. Restaurant was very clean and service was very good. Would certainly eat here again.

I had high hopes but I was let down. The restaurant was empty. So I expected attentive service. It was minimal: order taken, food brought, server asked if it was great. The carne asada with shrimp was recommended. The meal actually seemed microwaved or reheated since everything was dry and the exact same temperature. It came out piping hot on a very hot plate and way too soon. In fact, it was too hot to taste. But even when it cooled down, it turned out that I wasn't missing anything. Quite the disappointment.

3.5 Stars Love the complimentary Chips & Salsa. Diet Coke ($3.50) Burrito with added Guac ($14.50 + $3) Chile Poblano with Guac ($15) Everything was tasty! Nothing super special or knock-you-out-of-the-park but solid. Really cool interior, has an outside patio.

My quesadillas were AWFUL just imagine shredded chicken from Costco on a layer of tortilla with a sliver of cheese. The chips and queso were ok... the salad was supposed to have chicken in it and it didnt . The croutons in my salad were stale. I didnt receive my drink. (Not due to the place apparently they have it to the dasher), and the dasher must have stole it . No sourcream either! 55$ for slop LOL Yeah I'll stick to getting authentic Mexican food back at home.

This restaurant has indoor and outdoor seating and the staff is very attentive. Highly recommend!

Super delicious food and friendly service. We went for the late night happy hour and got some stuff to share. It's a great deal for a lot of food. Yummy cocktails as well, which were also large portions!

Tastes like their house salsa is a mix of regular restaurant salsa and sriracha sauce, which is a surprisingly disgusting combination. No other complaints. Reasonable seattle prices, food is decent. Service is nice.

The food, the atmosphere and service were great. I'm only missing a fifth star because I felt like something was lacking in the food. I'll definitely try it again and I'll try something different next time to see if it just happened to be the burrito bowl with carne asada but I don't think I'd recommend that dish.

Ordered through UberEats. first impression -- SO many vegetarian options! we ordered the Super Nachos, and they were such a disappointment. Looked amazing but upon trying, we found out that only the top layer of nachos had cheese/toppings while the rest were just plain chips. For $20, this was overpriced and not worth it. We also got the California Burrito, which was huge, delicious, and very filling. The restaurant also provided additional sour cream, guacamole, and pico de gallo for each dish. Would come again, but definitely skip the nachos.

The service could not be beat! Miguel is a fantastic server!! He was attentive, funny and so nice to my party. The food was good too. Everything came out piping hot. This was our first time at this restaurant. Will definitely recommend. Thank you!

La Palmera has happy hour all day in South Lake Union! I mean who doesn't love happy hour all day?? They have jumbo margs and free chips and salsa so you know you can find me here. They have a small patio outside but also tons of seating inside. Not to mention all the servers are so kind! I sat outide with my dog and they brought her a little water bowl without asking. The ceviche here is insane! Such a large portion. I have also had the enchiladas and tacos and you really cannot go wrong with anything on the menu!

My friends and I went here on a Friday night for dinner and drinks. I am from Southern California so I am always skeptical to get Mexican food in the PNW, but this was pretty yummy. It is nice to know a place I can go to fill the craving for sure. The servers were so nice and definitely encourage you to drink, and we do love margaritas so it is not a battle. Overall, I love the vibe and it was a nice night out.

La Palmera saved the day for my dragon boat team last weekend. We found ourselves without a place to land after our races when another supposed reservation fell through. We were tired, hungry and ready to unwind. At the last minute the team at La Palmera not only welcomed us but embraced our crazy team. Food and service was impeccable. It must be noted that we were about 35 people that were accommodated at the last minute with smiles. We found our place for next year and for many years to come. Go - you will not be sorry.

The food at La Palmera was nothing short of great when I visited. The carne asada was tender and bursting with delicious flavors that made every bite memorable and you get a generous amount of food and a side of rice, beans, and tortillas. Highly recommend! I also love the complimentary chips and salsa, as they were addicting! Also had the horchata which was sweet and creamy and it hit the spot! The lively atmosphere added to the overall dining experience, creating a vibrant and enjoyable setting to savor the delicious food. The staff was fantastic, attentive, and accommodating.

Baaaad burrito. Thought it should be good given the expansion and the fact it's a Seattle institution but it was not worth the price - lacking flavor and leading to some GI distress.

We love this place . The service is fun and friendly, the food always delicious and the drinks are cold . Happy hour is a great deal as well

Food was excellent. Great shrimp and mushrooms sautéed in flavorful Diablo sauce. Chips and salsa were great. Ambiance was nice with 4 big tvs in the bar. Service could've been faster sitting in the bar during a non busy evening.

This was amazing. As someone else said, we also moved here from Phoenix (I was there 15 years plus another 2 in Tucson). We've lived here in Seattle for 2 years and had this on our restaurant list, but this was our first time actually making it in. Good margaritas - this is easy but still worth a mention. Good tortilla chips and salsa - also easy but a good measure of what's to come. The carne asada here is no joke - some of the best I've had in many years. The chile poblano was wonderful too - I got the carne asada and chile poblano dinner. Rice and beans were great too - no dry beans or tasteless rice here! The server brought out a taste of the mole because the pollo en mole was my second choice but I wanted carne tonight - and it was super good. Definitely my next meal here will be that. Highly recommend. Plenty of seating, nice bar, music playing, and great service as well.

I think this place is overall very cute and it has great service and it's a good spot for American Mexican family style food. me and my friend came for happy hour margaritas and the ambience was great and we really enjoyed our time and I would definitely come back for dinner. The food looked and smelled amazing. It's in a great part of Seattle parking is OK but it's a very safe and calm area. I will definitely be back.

This place serves decent food. Quantities were apt for each dish. Atmosphere here is very noisy- extremely loud music. Its gets pretty annoying as we can't hear anything even though person might be sitting next to you. Plus they don't even Validate Parking. Restaurant being located in Seattle - the least they could do is validate parking if we park in any retail spot. Server were rude shouting on guests to make space on table when they bring hot food. Worst part is if you are serving food atleast make sure that you don't scare guest while bring hot plates from top of their head. We had small 16 month old kid and she got scared when server started shouting.

Right away you would think the place is on Mercer st but instead it's around the corner and no big sign saying it's an extrance. Getting a table wasn't bad but they're your typical Seattle small tables with barley enough room for the plate itself. Service was bare minimum (okay) Lastly the busers were coming every two seconds grabbing things off the table that weren't even finished with like you had to hide the plates or drinks from them or else they would clear your table, I get doing your job but I don't go out to eat to be rushed and forced out of my table. I enjoy the one I'm everret way more, better seating and nicer less rushed staff.

Yup! Check this place out for happy hour all day long baby... we ordered drinks and our food from the happy hour menu and it was an average of $7 per item! What a deal. We had a $10 margarita but it was big. My son and ordered the nachos and it was plenty and super tasty. My daughter had the kids quesadilla with fries and a drink for $8! We also ordered the chicken quesadilla soup which was a little pricey given the happy hour specials but well with it. My step mom ordered the taquitos and she said they were excellent! They have a couple of others locations as well. They service was great, everyone was super friendly. They did not seem understaffed like a lot of restaurants I have been to lately. The food was promptly served! Check this place out if you downtown Seattle!

I've visited La Palmera in SLU a few times now and it never disappoints! There's usually plenty of indoor/outdoor seating as well as open seating in the bar. The servers and staff are awesome and the food is consistently delicious. My favorite item to order is the chicken quesadilla off of the happy hour menu. Which reminds me, this location has happy hour ALL DAY EVERY DAY. The HH menu is limited food-wise, however they have a good sized list of discounted drinks. I've also had the taco salad which was sooo good! What I love most about the food here is that it tastes authentic and the portions are large. It's street parking only, but I've never had an issue finding a spot. Definitely my go-to whenever I'm in the SLU area!

I live pretty close to this place and have driven past it many times but haven't gotten a chance to check it out until recently. It didn't look too busy for a Friday night and we were able to get a table right away. Beware that since it's on a main street, parking may be hard to find. We started off with a round of drinks - Sangria, Mojitos and the Alphabet Capri Fun. The mojitos were average and tasted watered down. However, the Alphabet capri fun was a crowd favorite and huge. For food, we got the mole chicken and traditional chicken enchiladas. Again, both were average - they were pretty bland and the chicken was dry/overcooked. One thing I would mention is that I really enjoyed the casual atmosphere at this place and the server was entertaining as well. Overall, not sure if I'd come here again anytime soon.