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    El Sarape

    3.2 (156 reviews)
    ModerateMexican
    Closed 11:00 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

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    EL SARAPE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Very loud
    Casual
    Happy hour specials
    Good for kids

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    Expresso Burrito
    Lexus T.

    Decided to try this place with some friends who were visiting and ended up becoming quite disappointed with our experience. Although the food was decent, the service was terrible. Great hospitality and the overall ability to properly communicate with customers seems to lack with this location, and I feel like my odd phone call experience to the restaurant in advance to make reservations should've been a red flag. The phone call: I called the restaurant the day before my husband and I were planning to get together with our friends for dinner to see if I could make reservations. At first, someone answered rather quietly (I don't even think they mentioned the restaurant name, they just said something simple like "hello?") to which I asked if they take reservations and, if so, if I could make one for the following evening. The man told me to "hang on" which confused me a bit, but then the phone got passed to another person who spoke more clearly and professionally to take note of my reservation request. The night of: We arrived around our reservation time with our friends and their mother. Upon walking into the restaurant, we were greeted by a server who was passing through the foyer to deliver some food to a table. Shortly after, a younger woman came out of the kitchen to greet us, to which I told her we had a reservation for 5 people. She asked us to wait for a few minutes and that she'd be right with us. My husband and I exchanged some puzzled looks with each other considering that the restaurant wasn't that busy (about 1/3 to 1/2 of the restaurant was actually full). We waited for about 2-3 minutes until the waitress led us to the back to be seated in their biggest booth. Water was brought to the table fairly quickly and she didn't leave us waiting for too long before coming back to check on us.  The menu was interesting, and I mean this in the sense that it was limited on options yet it had a strange variety such as pasta and an option for a poke bowl. I guess this type of a menu layout is simple and makes decision making easier for people who have a hard time choosing what they want; I guess I was just hoping to see more to choose from.   Our experience took a turn the moment everyone started ordering. Our friend's mother speaks broken English, but she did her absolute best and, what we believe, was pretty clear when she asked to get a burrito that was meatless but had everything else in it. The waitress seemed to be getting confused and our friend's mother started explaining as an example that she wants beans and other veggies in the burrito still, just no meat. The waitress then offered the vegetarian menu to which our friend's mother declined. Her sons chimed in to say that she just simply wants a burrito with no meat. The rest of us placed our orders and enjoyed the chips and salsa in the meantime - the salsa was really good. About 15 minutes passed until everyone's food started slowly coming out. When our friend's mother's burrito came out, the waitress said it was a bean burrito. Our friend's mother was confused, asking if it came with any veggies and such. The waitress confirmed it was only beans inside the burrito and our friend's mother became a little sad and expressed she wanted a burrito with more than just beans. Instead of apologizing for the confusion, the waitress proceeded to double down and said "oh but you said you wanted a bean burrito" with a bit of attitude. The waitress then went on to say "you didn't tell me which burrito you wanted on the menu," then tried to bring a menu back to have our friend's mother look it over and see if she wanted it remade. Our friend's mother didn't want to make such a big deal out of it, so she respectfully declined and said it's ok. We were all baffled by the interaction; no accountability, no apology, just full blame towards the customer for the mistake.  Aside from this, everyone's food turned out good, that I will say went well here and makes up the 2 star rating. The portions were pretty big, pricing was decent and the temperature was perfect. At one point, our friend's mother asked if she could get some guacamole and sour cream on the side, and when the waitress brought it out she said "this will be free of charge." Clearly, this was her way of trying to make up for the burrito mistake, but we were glad to know that she wouldn't put it on the bill. When it was time to pay the bill, thankfully they only charged the burrito as a "side burrito" rather than at full price. After boxing up our leftovers and as we all made our way to the exit, not one staff member thanked us/said good night/acknowledged us as we left. There were only about 3-4 tables full of people in the restaurant, so we found it odd that not one of them took a moment to say anything.  I had some high hopes for this restaurant since, aesthetically, it looked great and the food was good. However, after the poor interactions from the staff I don't see us returning here.

    Single taco lunch Small Combo
    Amanda C.

    I recently went to El Sarape for a family lunch, we were pleasantly surprised by the new renovations and the elegant appearance. Service is always friendly and attentive. We had lovely food, although my husband thought the sauce on his burrito wasn't as spicy as he has hoped.

    (TG) Expresso Burrito
    Andrew J.

    The exterior of the building had us unsure at first, but the interior design is very well done. The salsa is probably the best we've had during our time in the PNW. It was smoked pepper salsa with just the right amount of spice. The horchata was "like drinking a Cinnabon" and delicious! The rest of the food was well seasoned and tasty. The service was excellent and prompt, which we appreciated with 2 little niños. Not the absolute best Mexican food we've had in the area, but definitely in the upper tier.

    Stefania R.

    A Hidden Gem for Steak Lovers & Mexican Food Fans! I came here and WOW--this place exceeded my expectations. If you're craving authentic Mexican flavor with a steakhouse twist, this spot delivers. I ordered the Ribeye served on a sizzling volcanic stone, and it was honestly one of the best steaks I've had in a long time. Perfectly grilled, juicy, and full of flavor. The roasted veggies on the side made the plate pop with color and taste. The chimichurri was fresh and added the perfect zing. As a side I ordered the Champiñones al Ajillo--garlicky mushrooms in a bubbling cast-iron skillet. They were rich, herby, and impossible to stop eating. And to share we had some queso fundido with chorizo that disappeared in seconds! Drinks? I had a creamy horchata and a chilled Modelo --simple, refreshing, and perfect with the food. The atmosphere was warm and relaxed, the presentation was beautiful, and you can tell the kitchen puts a lot of care into every plate. Plus, everything came out hot and fresh. Pro tip: Come hungry. The portions are generous, and the flavors are BIG. Definitely adding this to my list of favorite spots. Can't wait to come back!

    (TG) Carne Asada Prime
    Julie I.

    Don't not sleep on this place! The atmosphere is absolutely stunning! Service is amazing and the food is next level!! 10/10 crazy this is located in Lacy! HIGHLY recommended! The Carne Asada so unbelievably seasoned and perfect!

    Menu
    Tonya V.

    If you are a Lacey El Sarape fan, they are back open. However, you may not be a fan any longer. First off, let's start with the positives. The restaurant itself inside is absolutely stunning! The ambiance, the presentation of the food, it's all a 10 out of 10. I also love that they say they are shopping for fresh local ingredients from the local community. The menu however and flavor of the food leaves so much to be desired. They took our favorite meal off the menu along with many others. In addition to removing the chile Colorado they also no longer have the salads we enjoyed, or the burritos. Salsa, I've always been a fan of this restaurant because they (I assume) roasted their veggies. Instead now they are making a fresh salsa. I haven't been able to eat fresh salsa in 12 years because I developed an allergy to raw nightshades. Jalapeno Ranch, in addition to the salsa this was the ultimate side for your meal! It is now completely gone. Queso Fundído, I've never ordered this before from el sarapes but I was trying to give something new a chance. It was literally melted mozzarella cheese. No seasoning, nothing. It wasn't served nearly hot enough. It's meant to have chips dipped into it, and you couldn't even do that. I ordered chorizo as well with it. There was no flavor at all, simply burnt meat, no spice no anything. The first time they brought it out I dumped 2-3tbsp of oil off of it, and that was after trying to mix it in the cheese. They then sent us some out separately with the chorizo on the side. No oil this time but still no flavor. My meal, I ordered barbacoa enchiladas. Again, presentation was great. The rice and beans were somewhat comparable to previous from there (except beans were thicker with no added cheese). However the flavor of the food was not great. Additionally the portions of the meat in the enchilada was extremely disappointing. I took a picture of my second enchilada. I ate that one with cutting off half of the tortilla so I could actually taste the meat. Maybe 1 1/2 tbsp of meat. The verde sauce had minimal flavor except for perhaps fresh tomatillo. I know this might seem silly but this made me emotional. We've been coming to this restaurant for 30 plus years. For other people this might be just the change you needed to enjoy this restaurant. It's a beautiful date night location. Finally the bill... The pricing was disappointing because the flavor wasn't there. Previously my meal of chile Colorado would cost around $20. I received close to a cup of deliciously marinated and flavored beef, tortillas, and an equitable amount of rice and beans as tonight. Previously we were charged $10 for my daughter's cheese quesadilla. Tonight we paid more than double for that. Honestly if things remain as they are we will not eat here again. I wish them the best as a small business and hope they get the customers they need and want to make their business thrive. In the meantime I would love recommendations for your favorite Mexican restaurant, but first I need it to have some sort of cooked or roasted salsa.

    We got the Al pastor tacos and this was my favorite meal of the night. The meat was SO flavorful. And the sauces on the side  So good!
    Stephanie T.

    This is my second time here with my family and had a great experience both times. The restaurant is gorgeous inside and the food is tasty! the staff is friendly and service is great. Mucho gracias

    Flan
    Jane M.

    My fav mexican restaurant in all of Olympia. I have been to both their Lacey and Olympia locations and the food is amazing always. The minute you walk in the aromas fill you in and make u more hungry. I typically order their Three Amigos, street tacos and love it all. Their three amigos is beyond amazing - full of flavors. This time we also ordered their special for the day - quesa birria and boy I wish it finds a permanent spot on the menu. It was amazing. The consome was bursting with flavors and it was one of the best I have had here in WA. Their chips and house salsa (has a kick) are delicious too. We had their regular flan and it is anything but regular. Great flavors just how I like my flan to be. Quick service at this location, friendly happy staff serving happy customers getting fresh mexican food from the kitchen. I have tried drinks at their other location and its nice. The ambience is better at the Olympia location as compared to Lacey but honestly I care about food and less wait time. All in all I prefer the Lacey location cos its less busy on weekdays but both locations are great and food is consistent too. Ample parking. Highly recommend this spot. I always visit them everytime I am in town.

    Chicken Alfredo
    Jasper N.

    The food was very good. The only thing I wish was that the rice could have more flavor, but overall I love their chimichanga!! The servers were friendly and one came in and checked up on us. The overall vibe of the place is very home like which is a nice addition to the restaurant.

    Lunch #2

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

    Like other people said, food was a little expensive for the quality, but the service was great and the drinks were strong

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    3 years ago

    Sit in the bar. The bartenders are really friendly and make good drinks. The carne asada and quesadillas are delicious.

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Food was terrible we'll never eat there again I warned you service great but they don't cook

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    2 years ago

    Im sure the service is outstanding but not a fan of the food. Maybe I was there a bad day!

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    2 years ago

    Never had such bad rice before. Good ambiance and service but would not make up for the bad food!

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    7 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Really enjoyable meal. Great portions, friendly and tentative staff, price very reasonable. Good Mexican food.

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    3 years ago

    Best Mexican food in town with the largest selection of vegan options. Super friendly staff.

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    4 years ago

    Coming from New Mexico my expectations are high for Hispanic food. This is the only place in olympia that has met that expectation.

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    Taqueria La Esquinita - Chips and not just any salsa...mango salsa!

    Taqueria La Esquinita

    3.7(193 reviews)
    2.9 mi
    $

    First of all, I'm very pregnant, so good matter a lot to me right now, and they had such amazing…read morefood! And our waitress was so kind and helpful the whole time. It's a nice little local place that has really chill and homey vibe. They also have amazing house-made salsa that they sell to go as well.

    While new to Oly, I've had the opportunity to hit their brick and mortar and their truck several…read moretimes and it certainly satisfies my burrito cravings. Ambiance: The restaurant itself has a nice location (downtown) and pleasant atmosphere/vibe. Definitely Mexican influences throughout! Apparently they have a taco bar (on certain days at least) but I haven't tried it yet. Food: Mostly I've stuck to either their shrimp burritos at the brick and mortar location and their steak burritos at their food truck. Both are always good and fairly good sized - full of meat, rice and beans. Salsas are pretty tasty as well! Prices are a bit high especially for the shrimp burritos - and that's even when factoring in it being a premium-priced meat. But that's my personal opinion, of course. Regardless - prices are within the norms of the day...not insinuating other! Service: while I haven't dined in yet, to go service as always been prompt and efficient. Definitely will remain one of my go to locations when I'm craving a taste of home (AZ). Cheers!

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    Taqueria La Esquinita - Mango salsa and chips are free.

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    Mango salsa and chips are free.

    El Sarape - mexican - Updated May 2026

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