Santa Fe Mexican Grill & Cantina Downtown Kirkland in Kirkland
107 Lake St #200, Kirkland, WA 98033, United States
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Went to Santa Fe Mexican Grill Cantina last night! Food: We didn't get any appetizers since they have complimentary chips and I'm glad we didn't because the portion size of the entrées are MASSIVE. The chips were great, but the default salsa they bring out wasn't a hit for me (I wasn't super big on the mango infusion). Later on they brought out a spicier salsa that definitely has a kick to it and we were more of a fan of that one! For our main dishes, my boyfriend got the Santa Fe Burrito with steak and I got the Burrito al Pastor which comes with pork. Both were literally enormous and so so delicious. My burrito was definitely one of the best I have ever had in my life. For dessert we got the churro and it was also really yummy! We almost ordered a second one haha. Service: Service was great! Our server was very kind and he was also pretty fast. He was able to answer all of our questions which was also great. Atmosphere: Cozy and dim-lit interior. I really liked it! I would love to come back here again!
As Australians, we don’t get great Mexican food at home. To us, the food here was great! We ordered whatever the waiter recommended and it was all delicious and generously portioned. Would recommend!
Fantastic Mexican restaurant. Their food is flavorful and you get a lot of it. The drinks are also good. Fantastic please for kids large groups or just two people.
Hit up Santa Fe Grill for dinner on a Friday night. They were busy but we were able to get a table right away. The staff are super responsive and very friendly. I had a Cadillac Margarita w/extra lime. Delicious! Carne Asada tacos were the bomb. So much meat and tender flavorful bites. More expensive than our usual Mexican spot but the food is worth it. Can’t wait to go back again!
Very delicious meal and super friendly servers as well! It’s in a nice little area downtown Kirkland. This restaurant is also a good backup in case Cactus is packed- which it usually is !! We were sat quickly and had chips and salsa immediately delivered to our table. Very fast service, especially considering it was a Friday! The only thing I would say is that our server gave me chicken instead of beef, which is what I asked for, but people make mistakes. Would def come back! (:
It’s is a good place to visit. We went on a Sat evening and wait time was about 20 mins. The staff is polite and keeps refilling the chips and salsa for table. The vibe is also good. Food tastes good too, portion size is quite something! We ordered vegetarian burritos, vegetarian enchiladas, and chicken crema. Everything is good.
We went in here for the dinner on a Friday evening. I had called in earlier at 6 pm and reserved a table, but was denied to have one at 8pm when we went in for the dinner stating that they don't take reservations for weekends. Luckily, a large group left in 10 minutes of our arrival and we were offered a table. Appreciate that the staff were still welcoming and helped us have a table, except that we had to go through this hassle on our wedding anniversary! The food was great and we loved the fact that the place had vegetarian options. The kids also loved their quesadilla and taco. The quantity was large and the taste was excellent. The queso corn jalapeno dip was our favorite!
The service was awesome! The loco rum, Tamarindo margarita, Pollo a la crema, Pollo la chipotle, avocado tostado was very good. My family enjoyed dinner. Even though we waited for 20 minutes for a table, overall our experience was good. Parking around the restaurant was very difficult. We didn't realize that we can't parking on a Saturday at 5:30 p.m. The only thing that dampened my experience was an older person who yelled at me in front of the restaurant saying "get out of my fu***** way". The person could be drunk, or, under the influence of drugs. So, please be aware of the rude people around the restaurant.
Great food! Full marks to the food! Authentic, delicious, mouthwatering. Good quality for the price.
Great food, great service and great environment.
They once again didnt follow instructions given about my order. The food is decent. But if youre not going to follow directions then you get 1 star from me.
Santa Fe is one of the best Mexican restaurants we ve found since we relocated here from Southern California. The food is tasty and comforting and we usually have leftovers. The margaritas are so refreshing and easy to drink.
Things have to be bad for me to bother writing a review. I had the carne asada burrito which was served wet with red sauce. It tasted like it was made by a guy who thinks mayo is spicy. No seasoning, no flavor, meat was like jerky. The sad part is you can get away with bad carne asada if the sauce is flavorful. This was not the case. It tasted like tomato paste that sat out for a year. Bland, near tasteless. Made me think I had COVID for a second but that was quickly thrown out when the salt from the chips overpowered my taste buds. I also doubt they make their own tortillas. They didnt claim to or anything, but its not hard and really goes a long way to making a good burrito. I didnt bother sending it back because my party had mostly the same experience. 0 stars for food if I could.
I had the chicken ala cream takeout and the chicken was so dry! I don t eeven know how they were able to overcook that bad and still serve it? It was honestly the worst meal I ve ever received from a restaurant. Absolute garbage!
Excellent
Great food! Fun spot. I go often.
Good service. Food is underwhelming tho
Great food and wonderful service
Drinks were the only good things. Food is completely flavorless. Had to add salt and sugar to the salsa before it tasted like something other than tortilla chip. The chopped guac was awful. Had to ask for some limes to to cut the acacado fat give it an edible flavor. The burrito was tasteless and I have no idea what was in it but theres no way it was carnitas. Santa Fe in name only. The service and atmosphere is nice though. Pretty pricey too. Come here for drinks only and go somewhere else for food. Parking: Good luck
Very good bar tander is the best tasting drinks
The breakfast burrito is dope
Quick served! VERY lovely service. Delicious and hot ! Kid-friendliness: It was easy to dine with my infant. Space for stroller in the middle row Food : 5/5 |
They made a new menu and increase the price on everything. Prices are not really worth the food anymore sadly. Theres better bang for the buck around for sure, but its still pretty good
Solid Mexican joint in downtown Kirkland. Dishes are a little different than typical.
Solid Mexican dishes, very generous portion. Its a bit on the expensive side but not surprising given its location in downtown Kirkland just steps away from waterfront. Margheritas are great! Food
We arrived with a large family group. They had two tables next to each other. The waiter was excellent. The whole wait staff was excellent. The food was really very creative with wonderful flavor. I ordered the enchiladas rancheros. Ive never had enchiladas constructed like that. They are very good. The whole family had a great time. We will be back.
Some of the best Mexican food Ive ever had.
We enjoyed dining at this cozy restaurant in downtown Kirkland. It was a delightful experience.
Awesome place. Absolutely delicious food. Easy to have dinner with kids. The best ribeye and shrimp fajitas ever
This place has the best Mexican cuisine that I have had in years! I would definitely recommend their burrito chipotle Colorado and be sure to get the queso! The queso is packed with flavor and very creamy! What even makes it better is their staff. They are always excited to interact with you and make you feel at home! Would add more stars if I could!
Amazing food, will definitely come back.
Great food but pricey.
lovely staff, huge portions, very tasty margaritas. great seating by the windows in the summer
Good Mexican food, on the east side. Good ambiance
Excellent food along with an exceptional service. Myra is always very welcoming & Max was super attentive. Thanks for such a wonderful service. We will be back Food : 5/5
Great Mexican food and drink Small and cozy. Food
Great staff last night, great service, and really good drinks with sports on. A great place to meet friends, go check it out yourself
I have no idea why it took me so long to try this place out. The food is so delicious. Definitely try the al pastor burrito.
Spicy mango margarita is a must try. Don t waste your money on strawberry lemonade. Vegetarian quesadilla was good. Large portion size. 2 adults can share one quesadilla.
Get the carne asada fajitas - you wont regret it!
The food is delicious and the service excellent.
Love this place so authentic. My server was so fantastic Myra. THANK YOU !!!
Awesome bar and restaurant. Very kind staff Very large portions and excellent quality food I can see this place getting very popular
Got the tamale and enchilada lunch special. So good and so affordable! Great service as well!
Service was excellent and margaritas were good, the only reason I m giving this three stars. The food was not very good at all. The pico de Gallo was sour and going bad and the Pollo I got was gristly. I had to spit out many pieces that were not chewable, and the meat was Charbroiled, but somehow still very bland .
Great food and drinks!
One of my favorite Mexican restaurants in Greater Seattle area. Good food, good vibe, great service. This location in Kirkland is one of my favorites around.
We enjoyed the foods and chip sevices. Sooo delicious Thank you
They have very big servings and good drinks. Parking could be rough due to street parking conditions in Kirkland downtown, and service was slow (seems to be staff shortage?). It is group friendly, we had 8 people and enjoyed the ambience :)
Flavor profile of food was great. Portions are large.
For an Americanized Mexican experience it held up, the Tacos Al Carbon were seasoned well and not over cooked. The portion size is larger which makes the price more reasonable. Ask for the house hot salsa, it s not too spicy but has great flavor.
Excellent food. Started with the proper restaurant-style salsa roja, then proceeded to delicious chicken fajitas, enchilada, and tamal. All very good. Definitely coming back for more.
The Santa Fe chicken salad and mango margarita w/tajin are my favorites! They also have happy hour weekdays 3-5 :)
Very authentic Mexican food, different than Cactus restaurant. Weve always had friendly service, great margaritas & great location. I eat here once a week.
Service was a bit slow and we had stomach ache the night after eating there. Weirdly enough food itself tasted good though. Would still not recommend. Food : 3/5
Great food and drinks. Spicy Mango Margarita is a must try.
Had Guac, Fajitas and Chirros, which were all great. Seemed like clearly correct order. My friends had Empinatas. Generous portions, all the fixings, perfection.
The food is decent but the service and the cleanliness was really poor. Cactus is way better than this
So love this place for yummy Mexican food! The giant open windows on Lake Street make this the perfect spot for a margarita and people watching. Great service and easy to get a table without a reservation. We just stopped in to grab a quick bite. Bret loved the Chicken Quesadilla. Really generous portions- he had to take half home for lunch the next day. I ordered the Arroz con Pollo- delicious spicy red sauce made in house! Highly recommended for next time you re in Downtown Kirkland. Susan Says what s happenin , Hot Sauce?
This place is the bomb. Highly recommend over Cactus across the street which has turned into a Chili s. The food is knock your socks off good. try the piping hot fajitas!!
Roast beef
Happy hours are great! Quesadilla and Margherita only fot 15 $, from 3 till 6.
Dont! I walked into an empty restaurant in the middle of the day and questioned that I should even be there. I quickly learned why. The server that originally helped me disappeared after not even understanding what I was asking for which was simply whether the tortillas were made in house or not. I told him never mind. They brought a cut-up piece of pork chop instead of the carnitas I ordered and served with al dente rice and beans that tasted like they came refried from a can. At this point the original server was never to be seen again and the new server who only came to pick up my plate at the end said thats how they serve carnitas. I literally had to explain to her how carnitas are actually made. By the way, the tortillas were as generic and store-bought, thus chewy as all get out.
Genial, genial, genial! (Amazing!) La comida y el servicio en este lugar son excelentes. Ordené los tacos al pastor y llegaron con piñas y queso cotija. Que auténtica. I strongly recommend this restaurant; the waiters are friendly and helpful. The food is exceptional and quite worth it for the price, portion size/quality considered. (I only rated the atmosphere slightly lower due to the proximity of the general seating area to the bar. But that really isn t an issue. My family and I had an excellent time here.) Kid-friendliness: Chicken tenders and hamburgers offered for kids aside from the traditional Mexican options.
The food was pretty good - particularly the Mole, but not outstanding. The menu is limited but covers most of the basic American-style Mexican options. Parking is a nightmare, as in all of Kirkland.
The burritos and enchiladas were great. I even loved the refried beans
Last month, my family and I dined at this restaurant, and while the food quality was acceptable, Im concerned about the service and a credit card issue that has yet to be resolved. Despite leaving seven messages with the staff, I havent received a call back from the manager as promised. I dont typically write negative reviews, but I feel compelled to share my experience as a warning to others. My main concern is that this restaurant adds a high gratuity percentage to your bill, and without your knowledge or consent, they also tack on an additional tip. In my case, this amounted to nearly $100 on a $200 meal, all without my awareness or approval. Ive been trying diligently to resolve this matter with the establishment, but unfortunately, no one has responded to my calls or messages. Im frustrated and disappointed with this situation, and I hope by sharing this review, the public becomes aware of whats happening and the challenges Ive faced in resolving it.
The food was meh!
Food is great, and they have my favorite tequila, Avion, you are just going to have to find somewhere to park because this is right downtown, sometime you can find free parking if you park at the park and walk which isnt that far, other than that youll have to pay.
Good food and ambience. The service was very good. We had kids they where given options to keep them entertained while we enjoyed the meal.
Some of the best Mexican we ve ever had & we eat A LOT of Mexican! Perfect blend of flavors & spices! Got Carne Asada fajitas & Carnitas quesadilla they were incredible, we literally said oh sh*t on the first bite cleared the plate on both. Free chips and salsa upon arrival which is always a plus! Also got spicy mango margarita & house special, both also VERY good and the perfect balance of sour and sweet! A place you could bring friends and family & know they would all be happy with their meals!! We are very pleased with this!!
If you love a party in your mouth, and you love seafood, the shrimp enchiladas are AMAZING!!!
Located right in downtown Kirkland. Serves authentic Mexican food with an extensive manual. Large portion and very tasty
OMG so good!!!!Came here with my family everyone loved it best Mexican place ever!! I 100% recommend it. Vegetarian options: Have great vegetarian food have a vegetarian section that is delightful. Kid-friendliness: Very kid friendly good food have kids menu that has Mexican food and stuff like burgers, chicken, and fries to totally awesome my kids loved it so much!
Not Queer friendly, food was so so but service was terrible.
Such a pleasant and welcoming experience for our 2 families with combined young kids. The service was super friendly, continuously checking on us and getting us everything we need right away (lots of kid requests). Salsa is on point, flavorful with a good kick. Food and drinks were quick and delicious. Get the Tamarind Margarita! Best Mar y Tierra plate I ve had anywhere. I wanted to try all the Enchilada options, but settled for the Chile Verde enchiladas which were really good, pork was so tender. The Tortilla Soup was also very satisfying. Everything felt clean, fresh and made with love. We were there for 2 hours and never felt rushed. Coming from West Seattle, we ll say the trip was much worth it and we will be back.
Best margaritas in Kirkland, as well as a selection of premium cocktails. Their food is fresh and always delicious! They make perfect red rice and my favorite entrees include the carne asada burrito and enchiladas verdes. Try it out!
The Camarones A La Diabla were great! The platter arrived quickly and with grace, like a great many sailed frigate docking safely into port! My wife s Tamarindo Margarita was delicious and seemed big enough to swim in. Definitely got the job done and I did the driving home. Then came the guacamole which after the abundance of Camarones was a bit of a surprise. A tiny bowl of guac that looked like a small moon circling the rich and shrimpy plate. That s it? Looked nothing like the picture in the menu, which promised a bountiful chunky looking green treasure. What they had was tiny and, bland. So then I addressed the brains in the family (wife) upon who s happiness all satisfaction rests, and I say, Do you like your chicken taco? And she gets a funny look on her face and my heart drops. She says reluctantly, it s okay. I say, what? You don t like it? and she admits it s bland. It s hard to enjoy my savory Camarones when I know my wife is unhappy. She said her Enchilada was better, but I didn t see any fireworks going off. Ok good chips, plus 1 point. Nice waitress, definitely worth 1 point. Huge plate of tender spicy Camarones, 2 points. Tipsy wife, 1 point. Gigantic glass iced tea, add 1 point. Teeny tiny bowl of bland guacamole, minus 1 point. Boring chicken taco, minus 1 point. Funny old man who hung his coat on the back of our booth so my wife had a hard time getting out no point loss although it was weird. So that s 4 right? I d probably drop just a tad more, like half a star, because when my wife is unhappy, I m unhappy, but the are no half stars.
Hector and his staff are great! Authentic mexican food with great service -- at an affordable price -- compared to the other options nearby -- a much needed addition to the downtown kirkland strip...
Great food and friendly staff. Definitely will return when in the area.
Loved it! The service was great, staff was friendly, the place was amazingly clean, food was tasty, and they were accommodating with request to make few substitutes. We were there for Sunday afternoon lunch. Wasnt too crowded.
Sat at the bar, bartender friendly while working hard. Ordered the Fajita Taco salad and the marinated steak was delicious.
Top flight service set against above average food. Tortilla soup and enchiladas were the best followed by the tacos. The salsa and chips were just average.
Best Mexican food on the Eastside! My wife and I have been here twice and both times we had a great experience. The staff and the food are amazing!
Quiet for a busy corner and it shouldnt be... Good Chili Verde, hot coffee and great services - Ill be back!
Tasty Mexican food for this far from the border.
Tortilla soup was a tad salty, but the guacamole was chunky and exceptional.
The food was amazing. Ordered Camarones A La Diabla and got a huge plate of shrimps in a spicy, smoky, but well balanced sauce, with sides of baked beans, salsa and rice. Everything was fresh and perfectly prepared, but what really stood out was rice. This was actually the first Mexican restaurant where I genuinely enjoyed rice. Had flan for desert and it was a pure poetry - not too sweet, ideal texture. The best desert I had in any Mexican restaurant in US. Note: finding parking in downtown Kirkland was challenging, I would strongly advise taking uber to this place.
Best happy hour!
Great food and even better cocktails!
Love this place. Delicious carne asada.
Conveniently located in the Kirkland City center... Just near the Lake Washington.. ... authentic Mexican food.. Good services... good price.
I went on a Saturday night the food was really good, beer super cold, great sport broadcasts, I recommend the carna asada fajitas definitely will go again!
Love the big margaritas! I will be back.
Good food, friendly service Dietary restrictions: Vegetarian options available Food : 5/5 |
Went for apps and drinks, queso Blanco was amazing! I wish they had a spicier salsa though.
very good food and excellent service
I can t in good conscience recommend this place to anybody. The food is mediocre to bad but once you add the fact it s double priced what it s worth it s all bad.
Chips and salsa are sooo good!! Id go back just for that. We ordered four different items from lunch menu. The plates are big and so tasty. Were from Texas the home of Mexican food and felt like we got value for our money. Well go back anytime were in Seattle!
The service here is amazing. Mostly family run and everyone seems to really like their jobs. Everyone is super helpful to both guests and one another. The bartender we ve had every time we ve been here, Javier, is very attentive, friendly, and takes the time to talk to and remember people. The Al pastor tacos, chorizo queso, and carne asada are incredible. If you want a great taco Tuesday this is the place to be.
Mar y tierra platter is very tasty! I will come back
Outstanding food at reasonable prices but anytime we wanted something we had to get up and find a server. Poor service.
Great place with great food
Santa Fe in downtown Kirkland offers a sidewalk location, delicious food and huge margaritas. The food style leans towards authentic. Our street tacos and burritos were garnished with fresh extras such as salsa and guacamole, showing an attention to detail that was immediately noticed. Generous portions of well seasoned food that will temp you to eat it all in one sitting. My only regret is that I didnt snap a photo. We will be back soon!
One of the best guacamole and Mexican food I had. Service is super fast and the salsa and chips best. Drinks are great including house margaritas. I have to come back here just to have lunch. Highly recommended.
Good but not exceptional. Kid-friendliness: Kids allowed in the bar area.
Great service! Large portions. Will definitely come again.
Very good service, great margs. A must for Mexican food in Kirkland!
Sooooo good! Amazing flavorful food and really good margs. Great service too!
Staff was very nice. Chips and Salsa were delicous. All of our meals tasted great and came out fairly quick. Everything was fresh! We will be back for more!
Excelent customer service! Close to Marina Park Pavillion. Bartenders make really tasty drinks and the owner is really nice. Make sure you guys come here to grab some yummy food and drinks! Enjoy!
The older bald bartender did nothing. He took more time to make our drinks than it took to be seated, order and get our meal. They took 20 minutes to take my card for payment. All in 2 hours for marginal food and ghastly service. Avoid. 3/10.
OMG LOVE IT
Love these guys. It s like they re friends!
Excellent food and customer services
Excellent location, same friendly service as in the other location, dance great food. Definitely recommend this location, just like the other location.
Authentic Mexican food with great service.
Carne Asada plate was large and filling, great taste, decent prices and good drinks.
We came here by the chance and fresh awesome drinks and friendly staff surprised us! This is a must go place in downtown Kirkland
I have been here multiple times. We have enjoyed the food and the service is not bad. The atmosphere is always good. This is a place I will return to again and again.
Served us right at the end of the night quickly, professionally, and deliciously.
Fast service, great food and drinks.
Asada Y Amar with chili relleno - just do yourself a favor and order this. It is delicious.
Amazing service, food and environment. I highly recommend eating here. They have the BEST spicy margarita too.
Carlos and the crew always are topshelf.
