This is my favorite local Mexican restaurant. Their food is very flavorful and filling and their service is on point. When there was a mix up with a credit card they where quick to fix the problem and include a coupon for the the inconvenience. I would recommend this restaurant. read more

Had a great meal here with a good friend. Service was great and they took all the proper precautions while serving us in the midst of the COVID 19 crisis. Great company and excellent food. read more

Mediocre chain restaurant. Gave them 2 chances to be the local mexi stop but no good. While there was nothing wrong with our food either time, it just lacks flavor. The dishes seem like they are just thrown together with none of the Mexican flavors that I love. It's also really an annoyance to me to get salsa in a ramekin that is too small to dip a chip in. Your forced to use a spoon to place the salsa (which is bland) onto a chip. I know that's a bit petty but good Tortilla chips and salsa are my favorite part of any Mexican restaurant. Cleanliness was ok. Food came out fast and the vegetables were fresh. The staff was Uber friendly and attentive to our needs. Honestly if the food (and lil salsa bowl( were on point, i would really enjoy Ixtapa Monroe but I can't say that I will return. read more

Ixtapa is the best Mexican place in Monroe! I was so impressed by how accommodating they were with different food allergies and intolerances. The manager, Louís, was super kind and explained the different ingredients. Excellent service! read more

Remember that time, like 4 reviews ago, I mentioned that "What White People (or at least restaurant interior designers) Think Mexico Looks Like" catalog? Yeah, this place. This place ordered something from every page. Nothing wrong with it, I guess I just find it comical on some level. I will say the bright colors, over the top paintings, statues, fountain do set a mood that seems to just be ingrained into me as "time for Mexican food". WorkHusband and I both ended up going with the Burrito el Pastor, mainly with the idea of comparing that to how it's done at Sante Fe Grill. It was, completely different. And I was a horrible wife and didn't remember he doesn't like cilantro until they were serving it to us.....piled high with cilantro all over the damn place. He did not call out my failure, but I did get him a little dish in which to discard the leafy-awful from his plate. (I happen to love cilantro). This dish didn't come with anything but the large burrito on a searing hot plate (no rice, beans, sides, etc). Neither of us were able to completely finish the meal. It was tasty and very filling, but I do like the other place version of the same better. I also had the daily drink special: Blackberry margarita. Not the best thing ever. Not very strong and the syrup/mix taste was noticeable. Service was very pleasant and friendly. We were in a far corner on a fairly busy night and were not ignored or forgotten at all. Chips are run of the mill. Salsa is pretty good, and they serve a small dish of warm re-fried beans along as well. A solid enough option in the area. read more

Very friendly service, good chips, salsa was bland and didn't have flavor, rice and beans were very good, I though carne azada was supposed to be grilled? Is that not what "Azada" means? I ordered that here and it was cooked not grilled, hard to explain but go to any Mexican restaurant and you will see it's been Grilled you can see the grill marks. I was not happy with my order! The meat was dry and over cooked and NOT grilled! worst part I ordered a chile relleno and the waitress forgot it.. After I asked for it and waited a while my food was getting cold, she was very apologetic and brought it out as quickly as she could I'm sure, when she brings the "Chile relleno" to my table I had no idea what I was looking at I thought she brought me the wrong item.. I took a closer look and it appeared to be a bunch of egg, melted cheese and a slice of a canned green pepper in the middle... What was that? Never seen a Chile relleno that looked like this I didn't even taste it, It looked very appetizing. My food was cold And I didn't want to argue at this point I simply did not eat it and pushed it to the side. The waitress did not charge me for that item, if she had I would have said something. Thank you My friend had Pollo a la diabla and I will say the BEST diabla sauce I have had in the US!! Luckily she couldn't finish all her meal and I happily stepped in and helped her out. read more

The food here was ok. about what you expect from any other Mexican restaurant. However, the low rating is due to the very odd restaurant experience. In the middle of my lunch, some fat Mexican guy( the owner/manager maybe?) walked into the room and proceeded to walk to each table. I can understand good customer service and taking care of patrons, but what happened next was overboard. He went from table to table, asking how the food was, rubbing customer's backs/shoulders and helping himself to whatever food was on their table! Nachos, quesidillas, and anything else was up for grabs. He rubbed his stomach and gave a thumbs up at each one. When he came for my table, I slid my plate towards the wall, and kept an arm over it, prison style. He seemed taken aback, yet asked how our lunch was and walked away. I immediately asked for my check when he left. I just have to say.....WTF?????? read more

Coming home from Stevens Pass, there's no better way to fill up an empty tank than gorging the shit out of yourself with Mexican food. We hit up Ixtapa because the neighboring restaurant Mi Tierra was inexplicably closed during business hours. We had a group of 7 people and were sat down after a few minutes. Service was slow: it took a while to get a server to help us and it took at least 30 minutes for the food to get to us. As Admiral Ackbar would say, it's a trap, because during the wait, the waitresses provided us with ENDLESS tortilla chips, bean dip, and medium salsa. PRO TIP: the bean dip is bland, so pour summa dat salsa into the dip and you made yoself some BEANSA (trademark pending). Call dat shit yin and yang: you fuse the hotness of the salsa with the coolness of the beans! Be warned that the food here is pretty expensive. Be prepared to pay at least $13 and upward of $16 for an entree. I ordered the carne asada burrito, one of the recommended items on the menu. GAWD DAME dat was a lot of food. After eating more than my fair share of chips and beansa, I went ham on dat burrito (the one that you eat with a fork...you can't pick this shit up with yo hands.) The quantity was leviathan...the quality...eh... it was mostly bland to me and there just wasn't enough flavor to the beef and the rest of the burrito. After finishing a quarter of the burrito, I started losing my peripheral vision. After finishing the burrito, I saw God. After a few minutes of sitting in my food-induced squalor, I pinballed through the restaurant and found my way to the car. Light 3 outta 5. read more

Quick stop for lunch while traveling. I wish I lived nearer so I could return often! Friendly service, everything I could see sparkling clean, staff seemed happy doing their work. My impression was of a professional team happy to please customers. Excellent huevos rancheros, served really hot--heed your server's warning that the plate is Hot! Good people serving good food in a pleasant and well-decorated restaurant. I will return! read more

My friend took me here. The food was excellent. They spoke Spanish with us. I am going al the way to Monroe again just for the restaurant. Excellent srevice. My friend goes weekly. Many customers its the same thing. Gracias! read more

This place is very similar to all of the other big sit down Mexican restaurant chains. I'm pretty sure the goal of anyone that designs and decorates the interior of a Mexican restaurant is to make you feel like you just crossed the border into actual Mexico. I can just see them sitting back taking all of their hard work and labor in and thinking, "Yeah. This is it. I really nailed it this time." The service was fast and friendly. They were always checking in and making sure our chip bowl was full, had enough water, etc. I decided on the burrito al pastor, which I mainly got, because I wanted to compare it with another Mexican restaurant that has the most amazing burrito al pastor. It was different, but good. In true Mexican restaurant form the plate comes out feeling as though it was previously being housed in a volcano. The restaurant itself was clean, all the staff was very friendly, and the food was good. If in the area again I would definitely consider coming back. read more

This photo is of the "No Name" appetizer. They are deep fried chicken burritos, covered in cheese and served with salsa, sour cream, and guacamole. This appetizer is BIG and everybody should order it! :) read more

Ixtapa Restaurant - It's the No Name Appetizer, and it's delicious!! :) - Mexican Near Me - Monroe, Washington

Ick-stoppa. High fat, low flavor food, and service that, while prompt and pleasant, is not really engaged (ex. don't get asked about options "refried or frijoles?" before the wait staff races off, or told that despite the menu noting "on tap" it's bottled). read more

We went here over the summer because my gf's mom raves about the place. However, with that said I think it all depends on the location. We ordered the chicken enchilada and crispy chicken burrito. The burrito must have been pre-fried and flash fried again when ordered because the chicken in the middle was cold but the tortilla was hot. During a festival over the summer, there were a handful of horses in the parking lot and they left quite a deposit in the parking lot. It did not look appetizing to have that in front of an eatery. read more

This is my Favorite Ixtapa in the area. There are others in the area however, the other locations cannot compete with the delicious flavor, quick and polite customer service and family friendly atmosphere. My husband loves the Al Pastor burrito. I'm a big fan of the quesadillas and Ixtapa Burrito. Fajitas are delicious and sizzling too! read more

The salsa wasn't too bad, and the ice water was tasty. The service wasn't the worst. Guy playing the guitar was pleasant. The rest of the food was just....awful. Tragic, even. read more

Some of the worst customer service I have ever had. Menu says the lunch specials come with rice and beans. When my quesadilla came I asked why I didn't get rice and beans and was told it wasn't included. When I pointed out that the menu says it comes with it, I was just repeatedly told it wasn't. When I suggested that they may want to change the menu, the waitress replied, "Yeah probably," and then offered rice and beans IF I paid for them. Such a rude waitress. So I ended up paying $10.50 for a plain cheese quesadilla that I could have made in the microwave. Definitely will not be returning. read more

Always great service, and the vegetarian wrap gets 2 major thumbs up for not cheating by packing it full of.mushrooms, poorly cooked zucchini or loads of soggy spinach. Excellent fresh ingredients, thank you!!! read more

Decent room with some decent food. apparently all Mexican restaurants in Monroe are owned by a single family, so I figure why not just review one, right? This place has the decor, decent scenery, and the food is okay, kind of bland and not spicy but freshly prepared and not outrageously priced. Loads of parking outside, they seat you right away. There's a bar to hang in if you want. The chips are good but they serve their salsa cold in those little clear plastic storage things - I wish they would serve it at room temperature in a bowl so I could dip the chips in the bowl and eat it. Food selection is good, standard "Americanized" Mexican food with rice and beans on everything. The service is good and the prices are decent. If I was closer I would eat here but I never seem to make it past Santa Fe. =;^) read more

I have to recommend giving this place a pass if you find yourself in the area. We arrived for lunch on a Saturday. I ordered the chiles rellenos and my friend ordered a taco salad. My chiles rellenos were fine, but for goodness's sake, could they spare it? The chile portion was something that you would put on a kid's plate, or serve up to one person as an appetizer. Similarly with my friend's taco salad -- it had thin half-inch's worth of taco meat on the bottom with tons of lettuce piled atop to make it look substantial. In neither case was this impressive, particularly given the prices they're charging for the fare. Beyond this, I asked our waitress for a bowl of Salsa Verde when she served our chips. About five minutes later, some other waitress brought us a side of the same red salsa that was served up with the original order. I asked a third waitress for the "Green Salsa" (in English this time, if you please) and then we got it a few minutes later. There's another Mexican place just up the Highway that can't be worse, if you've just got to have Mexican. read more

This restaurant has taken up residence in all small towns in Washington....but that is okay because the food is really good! However, the service and professionalism in the Monroe location doesnt seem to fit the same bill as the other ones I have been too. It is often overcrowded and very slow service with what seems like millions of screaming children... read more

Ixtapa Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Monroe, Washington

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Parking is free and a big parking lot. Interior is decorated nice. There is a restaurant and a bar. If you are a long time local you will likely bump into someone you know in the bar. Salsa comes in a cup with a spoon. They deliver a little bowl of beans to dip chips in. Food is good. They have a dish regulars love call "no name" I've never had it but almost every time I go in a group someone gets it. I'm going to order it next time to figure out if I like it. Staff is friendly and service is good. You will have your meal and order taken quickly. Margaritas are nice and our came in the pretty margarita glass rather than a standard cup. I hate when it comes in a cup I want the iconic margarita glass. Pricing is reasonable. I get fajitas and it's between $14-16. I can't remember the price but somewhere in there. I've been before and ordered under $10 read more

I would give Ixtapa 10 stars if possible! The service was amazing! We didn't have to ask for more chips or salsa. Refills? No problem. Let me tell you about the food! Very tasty and plentiful! Thank you to the staff for making our first visit with worth raving about!! Sherri read more

The worst Mexican I've ever had! We ordered to go chili con queso, and shrimp fajitas. The "chili con queso" looked like a tray of vomit and weird cheese and 98% peppers and celery!! How is this even chili con queso? It is so gross, watery and just nasty what a rip off! And our shrimp fajitas were full of cauliflower and 4 pieces of shrimp. We will never eat here again! read more

Ixtapa Restaurant - "Chili con queso" = vomit in a tray - Mexican Near Me - Monroe, Washington

Love Ixtapa!!! Since my childhood the Monroe Ixtapa has been a staple of our town and is always one of the top options when deciding where to go for food. The food has remained excellent for as long as I can remember. Pricing has stayed down for years as well. Greatest Mexican-food restaurant I have ever know. Great servers and quick service every time. read more

The staff was not personal at all. The food was good but I'll never go back because the staff was so cold and unfriendly. Sultan Ixtapa is WAY better - awesome wait staff. read more

I like the people of Ixtapa's and the food is ok. I eat here about once a week, taking my son for the lunch special on a day he gets out early. The restaurant's interior, exterior and landscaping are getting pretty tired and need to be refreshed. It looks like it hasn't been done in a long time. They also use the cherry disinfectant (this stuff ought to be banned -- I HATE IT) so I hold my breath in the front foyer. Luckily there are no tables near the bathroom. The bathrooms are worn but clean. The servers and owners are from a close knit group of family, I know, and they are very nice. I've never had any problem with the food, which I'd say is about as American Mexican as you can get. The chips are warm and replenished as needed. The lunch special is a bargain! There are a lot of excellent Mexican choices in Monroe. This is not the premiere choice, but I still like it. I wish they would update it a bit and it would move up in my book. read more

WHO DOESN'T LOVE IXTAPA !?!? I've been coming for years & the odd reviews on here prompted me to write this. Sorry if you're looking for an impersonal dining experience, this place is family owned & operated. A review mentioned that all of Monroe's Mexican restaurants are owned by the same family, WRONG. Ixtapa was the first Mexican restaurant in Monroe at the former main st location, other restaurants simply noticed the success & seemingly untouched market. Ixtapa is authentic tex mex , meaning its certainly Americanized but homemade! No mystery meat here , homemade guac & plenty of experienced staff who go above and beyond. I enjoy that they never hesitate to make accommodation for patrons , always happy and prompt , always refilling chips and beverages. I encourage you to stop by for taco Tuesday, great atmosphere in the bar and such an incredible deal. I love making it out to Monroe for a family owned restaurant whose owner is committed to his business & actively supports the community. This place is not like everybody other Mexican restaurant. It's a gem , TRY IT. read more

This one star is NOT for their lack of service. Always a super friendly staff with a fast approach to food on the table- refilling chips, and orders coming promptly. Their staff is so sweet with kids, too. The workers are always smiling, and never grumpy. A+ on that!! What has to be rated low is the food. We feel we pay too much for the quality that comes. My husband thinks their fajita meat has no reason to be that greasy. I love enchiladas, but I hate the cheap, flavorless, greasy tasting cheese they use. Salsa seems so off in Washington, and there's no exception here. It just feels things are priced high for what comes from the kitchen. Sure, you get a plate load, but of what? I hate when something tastes like it's from a can, and sadly a lot of their food has that overly salty flavor. Even more sadly, Ixtapa is a chain that can be found in most any Washington town or city. Many Washatonians actually believe this to be authentic Mexican food! They compare this salsa to all others, etc. Gross! We love eating local in the Monroe area, but I think this will be our last visit... even though their atmosphere and staff are so cheery. read more

Love this place. Have been going there for years and am always pleased with the food and service. Everyone is super nice and quick to fix any issues. My kids love it too. read more

I have been going to Ixtapa for many years both for business meetings and meals with my family and love the atmosphere. The food is good and consistent everytime. The staff are friendly and remember you when you are a repeat customer. It is not a place you go for a romantic evening but a place you go to have fun and as most Mexican places are it is loud and boisterous most of the time but not so much that you can't have a conversation. We do take our kids there alot they love the food and have fun which is not normal when taking your children out but Ixtapa takes good care of them just like they were paying the bill. read more

This place is on point! The service is always so fast!!! We have been going here for several years and they know our drinks and orders. The food is good. The chips and salsa are great! They did recently raise their prices and now feels a bit out of our price range but the Tuesday taco special is always a great deal. The bartender is amazing at making excellent drinks. The service is always spectacular! read more

Honestly, Mexican food is not my fave but this is where my family has to go. Service is great. Constantly refilling chips and my childrens sodas never see the bottom of the glass. The owner makes rounds to chit chat or high five the kids. Over all food is good but the service even better. read more

You think "yum ! Mexican good after a long hike!" But it is really bad food on every occasion I have been there. Just go a block away to Taco Bell and you'll be much happier . read more

BEST place ever! Great food, AMAZING service! I LOVE it here! You can not get anything better in Monroe! (way better then the Sultan or Duvall one) Everything about this place is great! read more

Absolutely disgusting. I don't know what happened to this place! First, our waiter was incredibly rude, acted as though we were just wasting his time by looking at the menu. Yes I dine in the fine company of my two year old, and she isn't as decisive as some people would like. Once she decided on the cheese quesadilla from the kid's menu, when it arrived (actually dropped on our table) it was just flour tortillas and yellow/orange grease. The dish I had ordered (Arroz con Camerones) was rice, a few shrimp, and yellow/orange grease. My husband had a similar grease plate. The beans they bring you to go with the complementary stale chips have obviously been rehydrated with lukewarm tap water. Once the food arrived that was the end of us seeing our waiter. I'm not sure if it was the end of his shift, or maybe he had better things to do. After we gagged down our grease piles it was time to pay the bill. $50! Fifty bucks for a bunch of grease! We didn't even have drinks or green glop guacamole, I was charged $4 dollars for four more corn tortillas! There are so many other, (better) places we could have gone to eat for 50 bucks! I just couldn't believe it. I used to really enjoy this place. I used to want to eat here. And since I am pregnant I really wanted to want to eat here. Sadly, maybe the owners should spend more time supervising their kitchen and quality of their food then trying to squeeze into my tiny booth with my giant prego belly. Get off the highway and find a little place that serves authentic Mexican food, there are quite a few of them in town. These places have their grandmothers in the back making hand made tortillas, and wrapping tamales. I would much rather spend my money supporting a place like that. read more

I love this Ixtapa, I started going there when I was little and it was on Main St. Mateo the owner of this one is very friendly along with all his staff, he always remembers us and stops to talk. It is a good value for the money and they always have specials. Margaritas and Daiquiris are decent, they also do shirley temples for the little ones with the cherries in the cup. read more

We had a large table here and the waiters were quick to seat us. Pros: The salsa/chips are amazing! Also, if you order guacamole they make it right there in front of the table. Cons: After our appetizers it appeared that our waiters disappeared for quite a long time, we weren't in a hurry so it wasn't too bad but I wouldn't recommend if you're in need of a quick bite to eat. Overall, our meal was delicious and if I'm back on the West Side I"ll eat here again. read more

I went for dinner with my wife for her birthday she ordered fajitas the plate came with 2 really black long hairs she is blonde i,m shave the waitress accused us to put the hairs in the plate to make the story short we didn't ate and they charged us for the food read more

The food is really good, the service is awesome and they have a Happy Hour menu. Lot's of Mexican food choices in Monroe but this is my go to place for sure. They make you feel appreciated every time you go. read more