Mezcaleria Oaxaca

When it comes to food, you can do a lot better then Mezcalaria Oaxaca. Walk up Pine for a couple of minutes and you’ll hit Fogon, which I consider a far superior Mexican restaurant in terms of both food quality and value for money. This isn’t to say that the food at Mezcalaria Oaxaca is bad – I’ve eaten dinner here, and enjoyed the Mole Negro Oaxaqueño. It’s just on the more expensive end as far as value for money goes.
The real deal here, at least for me, is in the drinks. They have an extensive mezcal selection, and a section of their menu is devoted exclusively to mexcal cocktails. These cocktails are pretty amazing, and I think it’s a great way to introduce someone to the spirit. I love the smokiness, but a lot of people hate it, so it tends to be a fairly polarizing spirit – perhaps trying it for the first time in a cocktail might help? The strawberry margarita is also excellent, as it is made with fresh strawberries and is deliciously fruity. The drinks are also stro-​o-​ong, so be warned!
If you’re lucky, you’ll come here in the warmer months when the rooftop is open. There’s a bar, there’s ample seating in the form of long, communal tables, and there’s always a good time to be had up there. Save your appetite for somewhere else, but definitely come here to have a deliciously potent drink or two.

This in an update for my 2^nd visit.
I arrived and sat down at the bar. I was greeted by the same bartender from my first visit. I re-​ordered the sangria. This visit I was determined to try something new so I ordered the Tacos Dorados. The chips and guacamole were good per the usual and the Dorados were delicious.
I was overly concerned upon my arrival due that I was sitting next to a couple that were loudly fighting during my visit. I sat and listened to him emotional abuse this woman and at one point, I saw him slap her in the face. When I saw him grab her face and shake her around (the 2^nd time), I promptly pulled aside the bartender and the manager to alert them what was happening.
I was unable to continue my stay and walked out. I had to leave after the Manager appeared to not have diffused the situation. I am uncertain I can eat here anymore. I am quite disappointed.

My husband and I just ate at this restaurant last night. It takes «a lot» to prompt me to write this negative review. My husband and I eat out a lot and for the most part, I like to give a restaurant the benefit of the doubt. In this case, not only am I miffed at how bad my shrimp taco was plus I feel that there may be a little «bait and switch» going on.
Having read their online menu before we left home, I was under the impression that when I ordered shrimp taco, the shrimp would be sauteed. That makes it taste more fresh plus that is actually how it was described on their online menu — sauteed shrimp. I also recall the word ‘prawn’ being used in their brief 1 sentence description on the physical restaurant menu. Prawn is a big shrimp. That definitely gave me the impression that I was going to get some nice little chunks of shrimp pieces like so many delicious shrimp tacos I have had before. At $ 14, I was not expecting a lot, but I certainly don’t expect getting small pieces of tasteless rubbery re fried batter disguised to be my shrimp. When I double checked the restaurant menu after the tacos arrived, I realized that the menu actually did not specify whether it will be deep fried or sauteed. Don’t get me wrong, while I prefer sauteed, I can still enjoy deep fried. After I reread their online menu today, I definitely feel that management is somewhat misleading if not deceptive. Why this discrepancy? Clearly, in sauteed shrimp, they have to give you shrimp or pieces of shrimp versus fried batter with whatever minuscule shrimp remnants they put inside.
Given that we used to love the fresh food of its original restaurant in Ballard, never in a million years could I imagine getting a shrimp taco this «unacceptable» at this place. The wrap, lettuce, onion and tomatoes are fine, but to charge $ 14 to sell it as a ‘shrimp taco’ is an insult. To be fair with my review, my husband did have better luck with his sliced steak ($ 15). Guacamole and chips ($ 6) is standard. Drinks are OK, don’t want to be too complain-​y here. We anticipated our portions to be small as this is Tapas style and we would have definitely ordered more food had I felt it worthwhile.
I personally don’t fault the cook for my awful shrimp taco unless they have the say to decide on everything. What I perceived is cost cutting where food is concerned. A shrimp taco should have shrimp and no cook can come up with a decent shrimp taco if you are deep frying little minuscule remnants of shrimp.
Can’t say much about our waiter, but the auxiliary server (bus boy) who sat us was very prompt and nice so as dissatisfied as we were, we did feel obligated to leave 15% on our tab…

I came here with a large party for happy hour. I loved the drinks. I had the cheapest Mezcal flight and it left me wondering how amazing the pricier ones must be! The Poblano and the Up In Smoke are smoky and spicy with a hint of sweet, which is a winning combination in my book. The service was also very fun and attentive. I thought the happy hour tacos were middling and not as good, IMO, as some of my favorite places in town. The chicken quesadilla was pretty awesome though. The place itself is very nice and lively. For a large party, they will only split the check five ways, or something like that, so bring some cash if you’re with a crowd. I may decide to try a few other dishes, but will definitely come back for the drinks and atmosphere.

I went back and actually tried their mezcal, as well as their beef tacos. It was very good, and I’m glad I went back! Can’t wait to try out some more mezcal-​based drinks!

My coworkers LOVE this place. One even said it was the best Mexican restaurant in Seattle. While some dishes are really really good, I feel that a restaurant has to be consistently good to deserve four stars.
The guac and chips is SIX DOLLARS. This is only crazy expensive because of how little guac they gave us. We asked for a refill and they thankfully gave us some more, but still not much. However, the chips were really good and fresh. Make sure to get the green salsa as well. There’s a salsa bar that serves 4 or 5 different salsas.
I didn’t really like my dish which was the enfrijoladas. It was more tortilla than steak. But my colleagues ordered better than I did. The Mole Negro Oaxaqueño with chicken had a nice smoky flavor while my other colleague’s dish was super flavorful and had a pleasing spicy kick to it.
The restaurant décor is hipster and casual, making it suitable for all sorts of occasions whether it’s a date or a dinner with your coworkers.

Best Mexican chicken and pinto beans I’ve ever had. Nice trendy place. Great for dates and meet-​ups.

[ THE GOOD ]
— Molotes (so delicious)
— FREE salsa
— Roof top area for those hot sunny days in Seattle!
[ THE OKAY ]
— Carne Asada Tacos
— Ceviche
[ THE BAD ]
— They don’t give out free chips like their other locations :(

Great traditional Mexican food at a really reasonable price. Their Beef Dorados are really good and only $ 7.00 though the portions aren’t too big so I’ll usually get two but still, it’s $ 14.00 for what is then a big meal.
Only downside is their drinks are a little hit or miss. They have a spicy marg that will literally burn your throat but I could see that being my mistake in ordering it haha

My darling Besty (best brother in the world) took me here for HH to start celebrating my birthday and I always have the best time with him. He takes me to the best places like this and always so generous (love this person So much)!
We had our dinner and now up on the roof having our staple drink that we have all the time. He got his Bourbon and coke. I like my Bourbon and whiskey as well but tonight, I got my Margarita since we’re doing Mexican tonight. Just he and I…
We were the first ones for HH and now, ppl are rolling in. It’s really nice here up on the roof on Pine St. Pretty trendy but yet not so expensive. Nice intimate open area with long wood benches and feel-​at-​home vibe. Super clean! I love it!
This place has a full bar and a restaurant in the bottom for intimate dining.
Staff, super friendly and have wonderful smile.
Next stop? NY City!

Great view from the rooftop, but it definitely needs some better décor! It looks like someone just decided to add a bar on the roof, put a wood stopper in the door, and call everyone up for drinks! The drinks are strong, which is obviously a plus!
Overall, not a bad place, but not my favorite in Seattle either.

One of the best additions to the pine Pike corridor in a long time. With an ounce standing menu down below and even more outstanding rooftop patio deck with great staff you’re sure not to go wrong. Rumor has it that they’ll be adding a food truck to the top of the roof top since there will be a full selection of different items that are not available in the restaurant itself. The bar staff and the wait staff have always been friendly and always willing to give you a suggestion on a new cocktail or a new item that you may have not thought about on the menu. And even if its not on the menu and they have the ingredients don’t go out of their way to make it for you!

3 stars for food. minus 1 star for bar staff. At the bar on the roof, the guy, who i guess is a bartender assistant, is arrogant and unhospitable. He took the order and money without making any eye contact and without an explanation, we waited… and waited. We assumed that the other guy was the only bartender and who knows what this guy is here for. After several minutes and no communication, we asked for money back to go somewhere else (as there are several places that make margaritas within 2 blocks. .and they are better). nope, assistant guy said the drink was being made though we were clear we wanted to leave. For $ 8 for a poor quality margarita + cocky bartender assistant… pass!
not worth it here given the variety of other better mexican places.

Out of all the Latino places I’ve come across in Seattle, especially at Capitol Hill, this place comes a close second to Fogon. You know you are eating good Oaxacan food when the rice and beans are are just as good as the main course.
The margaritas aren’t the best, and there is room for improvement. But the aesthetic and food is worth the trip of you crave natural south of the border food like bisteak.
Honestly if you say piquitos is the best food on the hill you have no taste. And if your ordering bland food like quesadillas and not trying the more exotic stuff you have an awful palette and can’t judge Latin dishes. Fogon and Mezcal are the place to be

I visited this place with a large group of friends on a Friday night.
There is a large bar with decent bartenders. They specialize in tequila-​based drinks (no surprise) as well as some concoctions I’ve never heard of before. My friend tried the La Oaxaqueña, a mixed drink with a large stick of tamarind in it. Crazy cool but also very spicy.
I would stick with the bar side of he establishment as the dining area is always very busy. We waited over an hour for a table, there was 10 of us to be fair, but they were really disorganized with giving us a clear wait time.
Food is pretty run of the mill. They have lots of options for Mexican food, but nothing really wow’ed me. The chicken in my quesadillas was a little dry.
Also, they do not split checks for a large group which is an inconvenience. Unfortunately, they don’t tell you this at the beginning of your order either, so just keep that in mind. We tried to have the waitress charge items to individual cards, but a few of us got double charged or charged for the wrong dishes. Yikes!
Overall, I think if they are just a bit more organized on the management side of things, this is a great place to hangout on Cap Hill. It’s in a prime location for venturing out to other bars after, too.

Really cool environment with big windows that open on sunny days! Small Happy hour menu and they have a salsa bar in the front. I think i’d rather hit up Fogon though. I like their food selection and their Happy hour is better!

Wow $ 5 chips and guacamole, holy crap it came with pico… deal of the century you say!!! What is this «guacamole for ants, it’s got to be three times as big!!!» –Derek Zoolander.
I think they used a whole ¹⁄₁₆^th of a very tiny avocado…
Disappointment galore… but get a margarita, descent enough and 100 times bigger than the plastic cup of green stuff they served you!!!
Drinks yes, food no!!!

So, I feel completely torn writing this review and putting it online because this is a restaurant I really enjoy and one which I’ve visited numerous times. With that being said, I know that having honest, well-​rounded reviews on Unilocal really does help people to choose the restaurant they want to check out. When I was here last week for happy hour, I was ending my meal when I took a bite of my food and bit into a staple. Yes… a STAPLE! An industrial size staple was in my food. I was in complete shock. We showed the staff what happened and they profusely apologized. They instantly said they’d take 50% off of our bill (we didn’t ask for anything) and apologized some more. They then went to the kitchen to try and see where it could have come from, but nobody could figure it out. Thankfully my teeth were not damaged, I didn’t cut my mouth, or swallow it… but you guys… there was a fucking STAPLE baked into my food. It was such a shock and disappointment that I’ll never go back to the restaurant — not because I don’t like the food, but I can’t roll the dice with whether or not there will be some foreign item in my food.
I know that in the food industry things can happen and I’ve gone to this restaurant plenty of times with no incident. However, I can’t ignore having a staple baked into my food. For that reason I had to update my review to 1 star. The food is still good. The service is still nice… but there is no price you can pay for peace of mind when you’re eating… thus, 1 star due to having a staple in my food.

I like this place.
I came for HH with some friends the other night and sat in the bar. The bartender was friendly and accommodating and tried to emulate a cocktail I had described to him even though he didn’t have all the ingredients. It turned out a little too stiff for my liking, so he took it back and made alterations, and boom. I later spotted a jar of tamarind candy straws in the bar, and I am a huge sucker for these things. I asked for a michelada just so I could have a tamarind candy straw for the night. Happy happy, joy joy.
We ordered some chips and guacamole, which were $ 5 altogether during HH if I’m not mistaken. The chips were so fresh and warm when they arrived! They had the right amount of salt. The guac was okay — it was simple, nothing special. I like to taste bolder lime and cilantro flavors in my guac, and this didn’t have that.
They have an unlimited salsa bar, which was needing refills at the time of our visit. We didn’t get much out of it, but the salsa roja had a deep, garlicky flavor, which I loved.
I ordered al pastor tacos and shrimp tacos. They were both good — not wow-​good, but good. The pork in the al pastor was nice and tender, and I caught a few tidbits of pineapple, but the overall flavor was a little weak. If I’d been able to get enough salsa roja from the salsa bar, it might’ve helped. Same with the shrimp.
The ambience was nice. Music wasn’t too loud, and we could talk comfortably. The décor was modern with a touch of cultural Mexico, i.e. traditional beer-​jugs and a crucifix. I really enjoyed that.
I can’t wait to come on the rooftop this summer and just sit there and drink and try more food all evening.

Oxacan me crazy!
I’ve been a fan of their original location for a while while now. It only natural that I’d like this place too!
Best part about this location? Location!!! Décor is mind blowing! It’s all bright and open. For a clusters phobic, their other two locations are simply terrible. Ballard is great but I alway have trouble breathing in there with fumes! Queen Anne– a nightmare! So small, so close, so tight. Did I mention I’m a cluster phobic? Yea! This place was built for me!
Love– mescal bar upstair! The rooftop, the view, few tacos option. They usually don’t serve up there but recently they’ve added a taco or two to accompany your libations. It’s so bright and open!
Another love– down stairs! Now that it is summer, the floor to ceiling windows are popped open. Sit at the bar area. It’s almost like you’re outside but on a nicer chair.
Service: always fast and efficient! Last night, four waiters ran around to find me the hottest peppers they have in the restaurant! Teehe! So nice :) And when they did find it, they brought them up on a giant plate. And one of them actually ate with me too! Thanks Miguel!
Now food– this is where they lose a star or two for me. Perhaps I’m too used to their Lime Chilli, fish centric menus. This menu doesn’t have seafood option for plates. It’s all meat! Beef, pork or goat. I don’t mind them but I’d really prefer a seafood or two after a few visits! I can always try the camarones in tacos but not the same!
Mole– delish! They make the best!
Carne esada– fresh and tasty. I can eat the whole plate!
Goat stew– I like this. Not love but definitely like!
Spicy margarita– yumm!
Mescal cocktail– that was bomb! Looks pretty too!
Over all, I enjoy this place! Food is made fresh to order almost right in front of you! It can get really busy but nothing a drink or two can’t fix that wait time. Why 3 stars? Food factor. They are delish! Love the good. Not the variety! I wish they’d bring the same items from their other places! Lime Chilli shrimp, seafood soup, halibut tacos etc! Then it would be a 5 stars all around! But it’s still worth a visit or 5! Rooftop bar, great cocktails! Perfect for Seattle Summer!