Villa Escondida Restaurant and Bar

Villa Escondido has delicious food, but it seems like that’s where it ends. It seems like more of a bar than a restaurant. Walking in you wouldn’t think it was a restaurant, but they have a section in the back with lots of seating and a couple of seats upfront. The place itself seems dirty and could use a good cleaning or refresh. The service was pretty good and our servers were responsive and helpful. We ordered the Emirates de pollo (mole) and the enchiladas verdes and both were delicious. Excellent! My recommendation would be to order food to go. So you eat great food without the bar atmosphere. The salsa was good, but when we asked for more they charged an extra dollar for it. Seriously?! Sort of cheap to do that. Margaritas were OK, but not that great. Bar type margs. Not too kid friendly, although they have a kids menu.

We just got some chips and salsa while on our way back up from Pikes place. The chips are made to order so they were nice and warm and fresh. The salsa was amazing. Drinks were good.

Delicious and very fresh! Everything we tried, mole, birria de res and pollo asado were perfect. Nice people, too.

Wow, the food here was amazing and came out so quickly! From the moment I walked in, I felt like family—the staff was incredibly warm, and the cooks really know what they’re doing! Every dish was full of authentic flavor, and our server went above and beyond, making sure we had a perfect experience. This place is truly a hidden gem and hands-down the best Mexican food I’ve had in the city. Highly recommend checking it out!

Just tried a little place near Pikes Place – Code Racks. Seriously good Mexican! It was packed, but the food came out super fast and was really flavorful. The staff were really friendly and seemed genuinely happy to be there. Portions were a decent size for the price. Maybe a little more water on the table though, it got pretty busy!

Okay, so I checked out Code Racks on 1st Ave in Seattle – it was seriously buzzing! The food came out so fast, which was amazing. I got the chicken burrito and it was huge, really good value for the price. The staff were super friendly, making the whole experience really positive. Maybe a few more tables for outdoor seating would be good, but honestly, totally worth the wait.

Okay, so I checked out Villa Escondido on 1st Ave. It was pretty busy when I went – definitely a lively spot. The food was decent, I got the enchiladas verdes and they were good, but honestly, a little pricey for what I got. The margaritas were okay, standard bar margaritas. Parking was a nightmare, had to circle a few times. Maybe order takeout if you want to skip the bar scene!

A fantastic dinner! I’m quite full now. The quality has noticeably improved since my last visit. The staff were quick and the vibe was perfect. Portions were generous and the flavors have improved. I’ll be back soon!

This place is my favorite Mexican spot in all of Seattle. I come here almost weekly and i am always surprised that more people arent constantly there. I always get the verdes chicken enchiladas and my girlfriend gets the Sopes, so so so frickin good. Everyone that works there is uncommonly nice as well. More people need to go here! It is basic mexican food, but very good :)

The walls are all decorated with murals or pictures of Oaxaca or popular Mexican culture which was lovely to see! The food itself was pretty good, smaller portions than what I've seen at other places, but not bad at all. I tried several dishes and did like the spicy sauce they serve when requested. The carne asada was just like I expected, the birria was ok, not the best but good flavor, the guac and salsa were also just ok, I think the black beans were the most flavorful and I really wanted more. The drinks were also good, and the service was good. A couple of the servers waited on us which was nice. I wish they had homemade tortillas, I feel like that would elevate this restaurant more, specially for being in a prime Seattle location!

4.5 Stars Large, spacious spot bumpin Latin American music. I could definitely seeing this place being the kind that turns into a club. The bar area slightly smelled of cleaning products. Amazing, nicely priced food. Guacamole, salsa, and chips ($7.50) were awesome and the chicken mole rollups ($16) were flavorful and amazing. Kind staff.

This place is amazing! Everything is homemade down to the salsa and every time I come here the waitress is so nice, the food is amazing and I absolutely love their chicken enchiladas with the green salsa! The video of tacos are to die for they're super spicy and flavorful. I'm definitely coming back here on a regular basis. Best Mexican restaurants in Seattle!

We went for lunch right when it opened. The interior is super dark and probably way more fun at night. The service was great. Super friendly staff and always ready to go. I had a super tasty drink. The food itself unfortunately was just okay and didn't know my socks off.

Great nachos. Margaritas that'll make you smile. Service was fantastic and the prices are all reasonable.

Food was fresh and delicious. Service was exactly what we were looking for! The chips and guacamole were freshly made. My carne asada was cooked exactly how I like it too so that was a plus. Def recommend.

Tamales 3 out of 5..dry and no flavor Rice and beans 10 out of 5 Mole enchiladas 5 out of 5 Chicken tinga tostadas 4 out of 5 needed salt but was yummy Great setting with good service. Food was delicious with a home cook taste. Great prices

Stop by for a late lunch, had the delicious crispy chips and quac appetizer. Ordered their hot Green Posole. Very flavorful with a bit of spicy kick, yet very good. Friendly service. Nice ambience, with music from bar area. Comfortable dining, dim lighting. Has larger dinning in the back for parties and large groups. Definitely will recommend.

Simply incredible food, atmosphere, staff, drinks, and overall experience. They made wonderful virgin mocktails for us, and was patient with our kids.

1st time in Seattle coming from LA and didn't know what to eat so of course had to find some comfort food! Also got pozole which was delicious!

What a great find! We were out drinking at a local bar but needed some energy of good food. We found this lovely restaurant and had such a delicious food. I had their tamales de pollo con mole and it did not disappoint. The mole was rich and savory and the chicken was very moist. What I really loved was their chips and salsa. The chips came out warm and the salsa was one of the best salsas I've had in a while. We will be back! Thank you!

Love Villa! A weekly stop because I work nearby. Love the burritos and the people are very nice. Family owned and operated.

We had wet burritos and two taco plate with chips & salsa. My son said the wet burrito was good. The taco's are better and cheaper in California. Little pricey considering it does not come with chips and salsa. I did order it for extra $4,but why you give us a lots of chips,but little ass salsa and make us pay extra .75€.The Mexican rice was interesting, but I like the original style better. The service was good though.She was nice and attentive. Thank you .

Stopped in for dinner during a recent stopover in Seattle en route to an Alaska cruise. Villa Escondida had fantastic authentic Mexican food, was family/kid-friendly (they made a simple cheese only quesadilla for my picky youngest), and friendly servers (family-run I think). Worth a visit whether you're a local or just passing through.

Great simple Mexican in Belltown. Good margs, cold Mexican cervezas. We had both the Pozole Rojo (with pork) and the Pozole Verde (with Chicken). Both spicy and delicious. Great service too.

Best authentic Mexican food in Seattle. Everything's tender and well flavored. Service is fast and friendly. Chill, unassuming interior, perfect for a casual meal out.

After running around downtown Seattle... which unfortunately isn't as frequent as it used to be for Steven and myself we decided to get some Mexican food for supper in the evening. I have been wanting to try this place for a while and glad I finally had the opportunity to do it. I had the Wet Burrito with pork. Ingredients that went into making the burrito were extremely fresh and very flavorful. And of course it wasno exception but the chips and salsa was a pretty good appetizer as well. Service was good too and very friendly . Good place to go in the Belltown neighborhood.

Really really good happy hour deals! The raspberry and mango margaritas had a delicious flavor without being too boozy and the chips were warm with a nice spicy salsa. Pastor tacos were also delicious! It was surprisingly really empty in the big space when we went.

POZOLE TASTE TEST #4: Villa Escondida ***Ok. A little background to what this whole taste test ordeal is about. After a night of drinks amongst other fellow bartenders from town, one questioned where the best pozole in town could be found. Another responded with somewhere in the south end. Patrons chimed in, and said Beacon Hill. I said, White Center. Thus, POZOLE TASTE TEST was born. We hit up 5 restaurants, solely for their pozole (ha). I've been in here before for drinks and have always left happy. Walking in, we were immediately greeted and told the gal our mission. She assured us that their pozole was really good. And she wasn't wrong. Their cuts of pork used were on the fattier side, but nonetheless really good and hit the spot.

Yes, yes, and yes again! This was a true Mexican food joint, and so happy we stumbled upon this one on our travels! Bonus points because they used water to cook their beans and rice, which isn't always typical - so worked well for us as vegetarians! The food was DELICIOUS! Unfortunately, I didn't slow down long enough to take photographs, but it definitely hit the spot. The quesadilla was flavorful, and the wet burrito had a good spicy kick (since we asked for some hot sauce inside). We placed a take out order, and the food was ready within 15 mins. It was appropriately labeled for our party and all substitutions/changes were appropriately noted. All in all, great experience and looking forward to going back again next time when we're craving Mexican food in the area!

Finally had a meal here with my partner, and the flavors blew us away. It was the closest to authenticity and in the center of Belltown, which made it super easy to walk to from our place. This will be a staple for when we're craving super complex Mexican dishes that take me forever to cook at home myself. Having a ton of Latinos/Mexicans patronize the place goes a long way to let you know that this place is it. We sat on the outside patio, but this restaurant is huuuge on the inside, and the place is super clean. The decor is also what you would expect from a Mexican restaurant; you got the colorful walls and cultural references throughout. Not super overwhelming, just what you would expect from a chill Mexican restaurant. As for service, wow, the second we sat down, their server immediately greeted us, let us know the specials, and answered our questions. There wasn't much of a wait for our food, and their servers were super friendly (bilingual) and efficient. We are very happy we finally made it over, and we plan on making it a habit.

Really familiar menu with authentic tasting comfort foods. There's always great music playing, the waitress is so nice and it's just a comfortable place to be. one of the only Mexican restaurants i love in Seattle

Flavorful food, Service was fast. We tried the fish tacos, nachos, Casedilla and Enchilada. Everything was upto expectations!

A group of us went for dinner and enjoyed it a lot. We ordered nachos to state and it was gone in a few mins. We wished it had some more guacamole, but that didn't stop us from finishing it. I got shrimp quesadilla for my meal. I haven't seen shrimp quesadilla's on a lot of menu's and I had to try it. It was good, I enjoyed it but wanted more shrimp in the quesadilla. The service is very friendly, we were chatting for a long time after we finished eating and they never disturbed us (there wasn't anyone waiting for a table).

We came across this gem while walking through the Belltown neighborhood of Seattle- we had to go in as we smelled the amazing aroma of the food being served. And oh boy we weren't disappointed. Our first visit- we had margaritas and fish tacos. The fish tacos are some of the best i have ever had- the fish is fresh and marinated so well- it melts in you mouth. The tortillas were also very authentic in taste ( compared to those i have had in Mexico). The margaritas were yummy. Since we loved our first visit so much we returned here for another visit towards the end of our Washington state road trip. Again food was equally delicious- this time we had the fish tacos, chicken Mole and the port nachos with margaritas- all Grade A. The service is all great- very prompt and attentive! We would HIGHLY recommend that you visit this family owned business when in Seattle! You wont be disappointed!!!

I don't know why I haven't been here before. I had a fantastic meal/experience! I've had the verde enchiladas and the chicken mole!! The flavor of this mole was unique and amazing! The enchiladas are also fantastic. It's impressive how complex the flavors are here. You wouldn't necessarily know this by the pictures, but trust me they are blowing other places out of the water with the complexity of their flavors. This goes for the salsa as well!! Good af. taqueria cantina down the street doesn't even compare to this! The service here is also excellent!! They are attentive and super friendly. I honestly don't typically love Seattle's Mexican food, as what I grew up with in Colorado is sooooo different. But, I can get fully behind this place! I've already been twice this month since the first time I visited. I highly recommend giving them a try. Also, for Belltown their prices are pretty good as well.

My partner and I came here while in downtown Seattle. I ordered the wet burrito and it was very salty. I took 3 bites total, my partner took 1. I took 2 from one end, one from the other to see if it was salty throughout, and then asked my partner if he thought it was salty as well. He did. (these details matter, trust me lol) We flagged down our waitress and asked if I could just get the taco plate instead because the burrito was too salty. I strongly dislike confrontation and don't want to inconvenience the waitress and I had a hard time asking, but I am balling on a budget and don't want to pay for a meal that I can't eat. The waitress seemed thrown off by my request, but agreed to bring out the taco plate instead and removed the burrito from the table. About 10 minutes later, we saw our original waitress approaching with my tacos, and then did a quick handoff of the plate to a different waitress. The new waitress delivered the tacos and suggested I tell them a little earlier next time that I dislike the food because I ate half the burrito before I sent it back. 4 bites. There were 4 bites taken out. She then suggested we take a look at it sitting on their counter to which there was absolutely at least 3/4 of that burrito left. Look, I'm not trying to scam a restaurant into giving me more food by eating some, complaining, and then eating a whole other dish. I genuinely wanted to see if the burrito was salty all throughout or if I just had a couple bad bites. I also want to add, I am not one to write negative reviews and I would not have left one solely because I had salty food. Everyone makes mistakes. BUT the comment from the second waitress really got me. See attached photo for my "half eaten burrito". If it even matters, the tacos weren't that good either.

From the moment we walked to the front door. We were greeted with a friendly smile and given great service. The only two servers were hustling and doing an amazing job. The food was fresh and filling. The salsa was great and the Cadillac margarita was delicious.

Wonderful service, the food was delicious. Good ambiance, good music. We did only get a few appetizers and some cocktails while we were in and everything was perfection. Absolutely recommend if you need a spot to grab some dinner and have some cocktails before heading out for the night.

We finally got around to doing take out at Villa Escondida, a Oaxacan family owned place, a couple of blocks away from our apartment. I have fond memories of Oaxaca, especially tasting the Mescal from home grown stills located along the roads outside the city proper. Mole is one of my favorite sauces. I could bathe in a rich dark chocolate mole. Everything tastes better in mole. I feel the same way about curry. Villa Escondida's mole was different. I tasted cinnamon, and it was just too sweet for my palate. Surprisingly, the Burrito was amazing, filled with a taste explosion. Go figure. I will have to try Villa Escondida again, but I will avoid the mole. It's my taste. Yours may be different. Certainly, Villa Escondida is authentic. Go try it for yourself.

The food was amazing from level 0 to 1000 would be 1000. The service was wonderful and the restaurant decor and cleanest I've seen ever. I don't do yelp reviews but this one I had to do!!! We will be coming back for every plate on the menu

Amazing find. I had one of the best burritos I've ever had and the service was superb. The aesthetic in here was amazing, great lighting. Five stars!

Where do I even begin with a place like this. The service, amazing! The serving of the food was almost as fast as the seating. Okay maybe thats a bit exaggerated but what i'm saying is they are quick. They offer online menus to help prevent the spread of covid. The food is 100% authentic like I mean wow! It taste like my grandma cooked that thats how authentic it taste. the portion are more than enough and taste is amazing honestly my complements to the gentlemen in the back my hats off to ya!

Holy Mole! Stopped in for lunch with the family. I didn't even feel like Mexican (for once) but we were looking for a family friendly place and we sure found it. We were seated immediately by a friendly server. We started with chips and salsa and guacamole and Micheladas. Delish. Then moved on to pork/mole tamales, verde tamales, steak nachos, and tostada de tingas (delightful flavor and crunch!) and enchiladas, then ended with churros. Everything was so yummy. Definitely worth a visit!

This was a lovely spot! My sister and I were walking around Pike Place Market the other night (we are new to the city and were just out exploring) when we decided to stop by Villa Escondida, for a bite to eat! We sat down and ordered chips and salsa, and even without happy hour prices, it was super cheap (like $3). The chips came extremely fresh, hot, and salty, and the salsa was delicious! The staff were super sweet and accommodating and brought us extra salsa at our request! The two women who managed our table were so so sweet and seriously made our day with their kindness!  My sister ordered the chicken quesadilla, and I ordered the veggie quesadilla! Food came super quickly and was fresh and delicious. There was lots of yummy cheese, and my veggie quesadilla was stuffed with bell peppers and onions! Quesadillas came with a delicious cilantro sauce, sour cream, and guacamole. The waitresses were great at keeping our water topped off and the ambience of the place was warm and inviting with cultural facts on the walls, beautiful, bright, colorful murals, and great lighting. The price was super affordable ($32 total, $40 with tip) and we were overall extremely pleased with the quality of the food and service. Neither of us were able to finish our quesadilla in one sitting, so we did end up getting to have a little leftover for another day! Overall, an amazing location (a short walk from Pike Place Market) and I will definitely be back to enjoy more delicious food and ambience in the future. :)

Everyone there, the waiters, the host/manager, the cooks, everyone was genuinely nice. They made sure we had everything we could possibly need! The nachos came out hot and fresh. Our Quesdillas were top notch. All in all, I recommend visiting as soon as possible!

Went here at 6:00 pm on a Friday night. I cannot explain how good the entire experience was. Sat down in the self seating bar and immediately had our drink orders taken. I went to the restroom real quick right after ordering drinks and they were there when I got back to the table. Soon after that the server returned and took our food order. Now my wife goes to the restroom after we order and the food comes out while she's still in there! Never had such a good combination of attentive service and wait time on food. My wife, who is of Mexican heritage also said the food felt very homey, so a very authentic meal on top of all the superb service. 11/10

My first impressions of this place was good. It was quiet and the food was good. The waitress was working alone and struggling but getting it done. She was nice and knowledgeable of the products and what allergens might be there. We shared some chicken flautas and some fried banana and each got a carne asada plate. Everything tasted good and came out hot =)

What a great way to say f*** you to Seattle's gentrification. This amazing homage to Mexico is sandwiched between some upscale type spots really close to pike place and all these high rise buildings and you find Villa blasting music and you just feel invited to come in. Immediately was greeted at the door and had the option of inside or outside. Immediately given water and menu and was constantly being checked up on. Now, moving on to the food. Whenever you see a restaurant says they're "authentic Mexican", you give them the side eye because what even measures authentic Mexican ness? This place was truly like little Mexico in Seattle. The staff seemed like family from parts of Mexico they were proud to share. The menu represented Mexico well. No additions of American versions of the food. Simply Mexican. Everything was delicious. The pozole was hot TO ME but that's because I'm new to introducing peppers to my palate. Amazing good! STRONG DRINKS.

This place is cute and I went in with really high hopes from previous reviews. The staff was really friendly, the chips & salsa were awesome, but I just didn't care for the flavor of any of the dishes my table got. It's not that someone else might love it, but I just didn't really care for it. The chicken enchiladas can't be altered in any way because they make all of them in the morning, and I didn't really like the tomatillo sauce. The chicken asado is literally a giant chicken leg, which was kind of cool. The chile relleno was crazy different from any chile relleno I've ever had-the breading on the pepper make its flat like a pancake, and it's sweet tasting like a syrup soaked pancake. So unusual compared to what I've had in the past. Positive note-the beans rice were really good! Note to anyone: if they say you get free refills on chips & salsa, it's deceiving. It's one free refill on one basket of chips & salsa. So if you order two chips & salsa, you only get a refill on one of them.

Food was okay. Prices were WAY too high for what you get. $7.50 for chips, guac and salsa....75¢ for each additional salsa. $10 for two tiny tostadas, and $13 for a burrito. No sides. I'm from PDX, OR and every place FILLS your plate, Chips and salsa are free, and free flowing. While the food is okay, we won't be back just based on food and prices.

Picked up takeout for lunch today. They were very quick and the food was AMAZING. The wet burrito had a ton of flavor and was a good portion size. The birria de res was very tender and also had excellent flavor. The rice and beans were as expected. I think the prices ($35 total) was a bit high for the amount of food, but otherwise I was very happy with our meal. We'll be back!

We stopped here on our way to our hotel in Belltown, it was the perfect place for a happy hour. My husband & I had a drink and an appetizer. We ordered the Paloma & also the guac,chips, & salsa. The salsa was delicious, it wasn't too spicy and had so much flavor. The chips were warm & crunchy & some of the best I've had. The guac was fresh & chunky, so good! We will make sure to stop by again on our next visit to Seattle. The staff was friendly & I loved the Mexican music, it made our visit even better!

Good, service, and drinks were delicious! Ordered the nachos and it was simple but great! Meat has tons of flavor.

This place was on my list to try for some time now. We stopped by on Friday during happy hour. The happy hour deals were quite good. We got 2 tacos for $5 and a plate of nachos for $8. We were required to get drinks with happy hour food but they were generous enough to let us get soft drinks instead of alcohol. The tacos were small but worth the $5 price. The nachos were also good but had a slight aftertaste that I didn't enjoy. Overall, the service was really nice and the interior was decorated colorfully. Not sure if I would return because nothing really wowed me into making another trip here but it is a good place to go if you are in the area!

I live one block away so I wanted to try this place since they have great reviews and I'm an avid Mexican food lover. HORRIBLE in every way!! Ordered one wet burrito carne Assada to go and omg it's so small, amlost no meat, questionable freshness and not tasty. The opposite of what you would expect for Mexican food. In top of that they are too greedy. They didn't have any habanero salsa so asked them to put any spicy sauce, checked my bill and I saw that they charged me 50cent and when they gave me the food I saw no sauce on the side. Asked where it was she said inside. I politely asked for one on the side she said 50cents hahahah 1) i never look at the prices when I order food lol 2) Mexican food is know for taste, flavor and good portions(expectations) 3) salsa bar is common 4) greed is bad for business that why you guys were empty and that's why the food wasn't fresh.

Amazing food and great attentive staff! They also had great drinks with fresh ingredients.

What an awesome and authentic Mexican food place here in Seattle! My wife and I were looking to kill some time before our flight home, and had this place on our list of good restaurants. We walked there from Pile Place Market, only 5 minutes or so. The staff is a family, and souped friendly! They sat us right away and got us going with drinks and food. Chips and salsa were excellent, great flavor and a little spicy. I had the wet burrito with carne asada and my wife had the sopes with shredded beef. The food was super fresh and so delicious! I was incredibly impressed. Even better the drinks were excellent as well- tasty margaritas all around. Friendly service and great eats/drinks make this a must visit!