El Camino

Hadn't been here in a while so the GF & I decided to hit it up. Normally we do La Esperanza, Oaxaca or El Chupacabre. First and for most, the decor is cool, the service was outstanding. Unfortunately the food will not have us coming back along with the value...we got mugged. We did the shrimp quesadilla for our app & it was delicious, excited for our entrees only to left confused at what we were served for what we paid. This place needs to come back to reality. There are several very good Mexican Restaurants in Seattle for around $50/couple. So back to the entrees, my GF had the pulled pork tacos, they looked ok, but I could tell they were dry w/o even asking. I had the dish that normally is chicken with tomatillo cream sauce. I don't do chicken so I subbed it with the mahi mahi (for $5 extra). When mine came, the waiter had brought me 3 pcs of shrimp & a side of sour cream. My dish was basically a plate w/tortilla chips in the bottom with grn salsa poured over them accompanied by a pc of Mahi Mahi that had been killed twice & never seasoned. The fish was NOT fresh & where was the cream sauce? Oh was that supposed to be the side of sour cream? I had a happy hour marg (decent), my GF had a Sangria & I did a XX amber, w/tip it ran us $70!!! WTF. Live n learn from our mistake, don't waste your $$$, I suppose a happy hour could work here. For $10-$20 more we could have had a real quality meal elsewhere. more

El Camino is ALWAYS busy, like stand in line and wait, busy. People wait outside the door for the hour long happy hour, and every night its packed solid in the bar and restaurant. Fun people, gets loud, staff are friendly when you get a second of their time, which can be hard to come by. Get your bill early if you are in any sort of time crunch. The food here is fabulous, I've had burritos, tacos, tostadas, and of course, the plantain chips and guacamole is a must have!!! (IMHO) Get yer shoes on and run on over! Happy Hour, 5-6 pm. Don't be late. Or you'll miss it! Pros: Happy hour food good, cheap, filling, other food is great! Cons: Overpriced, short happy ""Hour"", beer selection not good more

Not only does the El Camino have great food, but their desserts are fabulous! I rate a restaurant by the quality of its desserts, and El Camino is now in my top 5. Their chocolate mousse is rich and smooth, and their lemon tart is so juicy it leaves your mouth watering for more! My friends and I were so impressed we inquired as to where they buy their desserts, and it turns out one of the managers used to have his own bakery, and he still follows his passion and comes in early mornings/late nights to make everything fresh. The mousse is my favorite, but many change seasonally and all are delectable (FYI the flan and tres-leches are still ordered from vendors). When you visit this local gem, make sure you leave room for dessert! Pros: Great atmosphere, own pastry chef more

El Camino had a simple, but strong menu. No mind-blowing options, but overall well flavored and balanced. If you're looking for a simple Mex-Tex meal try them out. Try the fried plantains! We went on a Saturday evening and it was crowded and loud. This is a great place to start the night over drinks, but not a quiet gathering place for family. The waitstaff was friendly & courteous. Pros: solid mexican meal Cons: crowded & loud more

I am from Portland and this place was a very nice local place. The food was hot and yummy! We had fish tacos, tacos, chicken and cheese enchiladas and tamales. All very good for decent price. Wait staff was great. I would say my fav. was the enchiladas. Pros: Food Cons: not really kid friendly (bring crayons, or something) & parking more

Well I went here expecting a lot based on the reviews. I was sorely disappointed. First no chips and salsa - not a big deal but important to many. Second the fish tacos were over cooked and $20!!! Nothong like the amazing halibut tacos at Carte de Oxaca and ony $9!!! The margaritas were weak but tasty. Overall mediocre. Service on a Friday (early) was actually ok. Cons: Expensive and mediocre more

I went to El Camino for the second time last night and overall was not disappointed. My boyfriend and I came a little after 9pm, and were seated in a nice corner of the main dining room by a window. Unfortunately, we could hear every word of our VERY LOUD and perhaps overly intoxicated neighbor table of six. We tuned them out as best we could and didn't let it destroy our dinner so it wasn't a huge deal. Pros: Great Food and Respectable Service Cons: A little loud and timing of service a bit off more

Can't argue with the food reviews, the food is delicious. However, if you care at all about customer service, don't do it. Each time I've been, the service is horrible - slow and snotty. I've kicked myself after each visit - ""why did I come here when there are so many great places in Seattle?"" Pros: Delicious food Cons: Unbearably bad service more

The best Margarias specially the bartenders one,the food is all organic and even that its more expensive than other mex rest its worth it.Try the Tacos de carne,Tacos de pescado or mejillones!!! Pros: great ambience,food,drinks and service Cons: sometimes long wait for a table more

The best attributes of El Camino are its courteous waitstaff, unique ambience and scrumptious margaritas. Since this place is very popular, however, you may have to wait for a table if you arrive after 6 pm. The plates are typically smaller and are sometimes pricey for the portion but are generally very good and add unique flavors to traditional mexican cuisine. I highly recommend the Bartender's Margarita and the Quesadillas! It is a good place whether you want to have casual conversation with friends on the back deck or people-watch at the bar. Try it and you'll love it! Pros: service, drinks, atmosphere Cons: small portions for the prices, parking, popularity=wait for tables more

While it looks like an upscale version of Agua Verde in the University District, El Camino suffers from... more

While it looks like an upscale version of Agua Verde in the University District, El Camino suffers from some of the pretention and trend turnover o... more

Even though this place is a bit pricey, it's so worth a splurge when you can afford it. I recommend the ""Bistec Estilo Capitalino"" and the plantain chips and guacamole. Put them together with a mojito and you've got the perfect meal! Service is always friendly and helpful, though you may wait a bit for a table. Go to El Camino during off hours or right at the start of dinner if you can. Or get food to go. It tastes just as good at home. If you're disappointed they don't give you chips and salsa, you misjudged the type of mexican food. It's not traditional mexican, I'd call it more gourmet mexican. Pros: Food, drinks, service, outdoor dining Cons: They are really busy! more

I'd been wanting to try El Camino for awhile as I continually see good writeups about it in the papers. I... more

I'd been wanting to try El Camino for awhile as I continually see good writeups about it in the papers. I am also a big fan of Fremont. I wasn't ... more

I have been a regular customer of this restaurant for as long as its been open, and it has never failed to satisfy me. The atmosphere is beautiful and interesting and the food is equally as impressive. The salads are fresh and unique and the enchiladas are my favorite on the current menu. The margarita's reputation is not hype, they are fantastic! My favorite way to begin my weekend is with brunch at El Camino. I highly recommend this restaurant. more

We went to this place on Cinco de Mayo. It was busy, so service was a little slow. But when the food came, it was well worth the wait. We're looking forward to going back for Margharitas. My husband never get excited about Margharitas, but he flipped over these. It was a little pricey for a Mexican restaurant but again it was good. It was 't your typical greasy ricey-beany mexican food. Reportedly very authentic family recipes. Pros: Margharitas Cons: Pricey, but worth it. Just expect to pay a little more for very good food. more

The sun finally came out in Seattle, and took a walk around freemont. I really don't know how I had missed El Camino, but I am glad I noticed it this round. I loved this place, and was sad that the porch area was packed, but we sat right inside from it with the windows open . I had a great house margarita for happy hour and their steak tacos happy hour special also! I liked them better than the chicken tacos, but they were good also. if you are in the area definitely stop in for a dinner or drinks...I recommend both! more

The food and ambiance are above average. However, for me, service is very important when I dine out. more

Let me tell you!!! I had high expectations going to El Camino for the first time and I was surprised to find that my experience far exceeded the raves I had heard. It was delicious and fun and talk about an amazing margarita. I have never had a better mexican meal. The service was fast and attentive the ambience was unbeatable and the food blew my mind!!! The patio in the summer is a slice of heaven. Pros: the eats, the drinks, the patio, the margs Cons: nothing more