The best food... EVER. You can't find a more authentic, mom and pop owned Mexican restaurant. The food is perfectly prepared; never over salted to get you to buy more alcohol. I'm glad "madre" doesn't compromise her cooking style. The service is excellent and don't leave without trying the flan! read more

Superb cuisine. Ordering off the a la carte menu allows you to fully savor the universe of subtle flavors and textures of these truly marvelous regional dishes from central Mexico. The adabado tacos and the flan are to die for! Mercedes was a welcoming, gracious, and personable host, volunteering information about the recipes and their history. You will feel as if you snuck in a quick trip to the REAL Mexico with a dining experience at this little hole-in-the-wall restaurant. Well worth a detour or special trip. Highly recommended! read more

I love this restraunt soo much!!! So rarely in Washington can you find good and authentic mexican food. Sooo sooo yummy! The house specialty, carnitas is amazing. My personal favorite: enchiladas filled with potato and served with steak and cabbage. MAKE SURE TO SAVE ROOM FOR THE FLAN! read more

This is the real deal. You know right away because they bring a little dish of spicy pickled carrots. Only the best of the best taco trucks ever have those! Everything tastes homemade. There is not that overwhelming salt and cumin flavor that most Mexican restaurants have. I will make a special stop here when traveling between Seattle and SW washington/Portland. read more

Best Mexican food I've ever had! It's a nice touch to say what part your food comes from and it adds some history to it! We both enjoyed our meal, the restaurants charm, and what made it the most enjoyable was the friendliness of the entire staff! We will be back! read more

Had the carnitas tonight, and it was soooo dry! Couldn't even get flavor, it tasted like bland pork with no flavoring. Since that was really the only thing I got, I can't say it was great. Service was fast, so assume that everything's pre-made and they just throw it on a plate. Would really appreciate some time taken to prepare my dish. Might try it again if I'm driving down from Seattle to Portland, but definitely not what I had ordered earlier today. read more

Authentic Mexican food served with happy smiles. No chips and salsa. Everyone seems to love this place - I found it average. Need more meat in those tacos! read more

This place was sad not a true Mexican restaurant. They had no flour tortillas, no tortillas chips, and their prices were outrageous plus a lack of a children options. I was disappointed in this place I can't see how this place is rated 4 and a half stars. NOT A TRUE MEXICAN RESRURANT! read more

"If mac & cheese were salsa drenched, tortilla wrapped, you'd give it five stars" Don't listen to this idiot, but rather every other 5 star reviewer. Best Mexican in the PNW, bar none. read more

Amazing food, for a vegan i was very impressed with our waiter who never failed to insure us of what had dairy and what didnt. Very very sweet and suggested very delicious options. Big thanks to our waiter, not sure of her name but she was in a picture on the wall with a little boy. read more

This place is run by a family from Michoacán, and the cuisine focuses on that region. It lacks the trappings of your typical Tex-Mex place, so no chips and salsa (but instead, pickled carrot slices) or fajitas. They don't do reservations nor do they have Wi-Fi. But the service is fast, and the food is so good you shouldn't even want to pay attention to your phone anyway. I had the bistecka en salsa de jitomata (pork in tomato sauce) followed by the flan, and both were incredibly delicious. Next time I need to go through Centralia, I will definitely try to stop here again. read more

Extremely authentic. Great staff. Unique menu. Just loved this place. Will definitely come here again.

Probably became one of my favorite Mexican restaurants off the bat. The carnitas plate ($13) was worth the price of admission. I was a little hesitant in ordering it but the popularity on Yelp sold me on it. The carnitas were perfectly seasoned and and the rice and beans were as good as they get and a nice amount. I would be a regular if I were from the area. read more

Courteous, friendly, professional On top of all that their chef Benjamin is a master on the grill; ranging from burgers to enchiladas it was one of the best culinary experiences I've ever had read more

How can I put this nicely? I avoid Centralia (and all Lewis County) like the plague. I would rather drive in Tacoma traffic on a Friday afternoon than visit Lewis County. I would rather eat car snacks and skip a meal while driving through Lewis County, just to avoid stopping there. Yet, there is one significant exception. Yes, this exception is so great, that I will intentionally hop on the freeway, drive down I-5, take exit 81, and physically park AND exit my car within the city of Centralia. This exception, of course: is La Tarasca. I am not going to tell you how good this food is. I cannot describe this food to you with words. There are no sufficient phrases in English to tell you the taste explosion of awesomeness that La Tarasca achieves. Maybe there are words in Spanish for it, but I certainly don't know them. Let me finish with this: you know that part in Batman Forever when Two-Face puts Robin and Dr. Chase Meridian over jagged rocks in a pit, and Batman must choose which of them he will save? That is how torn I feel whenever I must do something which requires me to visit Lewis County. But then I realize, I have the power of the Dark Knight to overcome this situation and save the day, if I only visit La Tarasca, it will all be okay in the end. read more

This is probably one of my top-three Mexican restaurants! Totally authentic food and great staff. The owner waited our table and was super informative and nice. A lot of the recipes were her mother's. I highly recommend the pickled carrots and tamils. If you're looking for greasy, cheesy, American-Mexican food...stick to Azteca!!! read more

I've been on the hunt for chorizo that is closer to the kind I'm used to from my 3 month stay in Oaxaca, MX and so far this is the closest I've gotten! I ordered a la carte a chorizo and cabbage sope, pork tamale and a chicken tostada. All were great, affordable and very filling. As I said, the chorizo was great, dry and crumbly like I'm used to and not the greasy wet pile of chorizo that you typically find here. My boyfriend ordered the carnitas as recommended by our waitress and was super happy with them, although he said he wished he would have ordered a la carte like I had. To me, a la carte is the way to go as you can have a bigger variety of food for a very affordable price per person. The atmosphere is homey, albeit a little cramped due to how busy it's gotten over the years, definitely prefer this restaurant in the quieter hours. Be that as it may, even with the restaurant packed to capacity the service is just as attentive to your needs as during the slower hours. Would definitely recommend a trip here for people who are looking for something different then the typical American Mexican food found in the area, you won't be disappointed! read more

We love Mexican food and leaving the big city for rural, farm life had us hungering for burritos and asadas, but the search for good, authentic Mexican became a repetitive and disappointing chore. The search has ended with La Tarasca! Fantastic food, great atmosphere. The only server we've ever had there is the owner/cook's daughter and she's extremely helpful and friendly. The corn tortillas are hand made and that makes all the difference (at least that's what she tells me). I normally prefer flour tortillas because I think the strong corn flavor can often overpower what they're meant to accompany, but these are great! Their Chile Relleno is so good as are all their pork specialties. Yum, yum, yum! The restaurant is a bit small/cozy, so if going with a large group you'll want to skip the lunch and dinner rush. Definitely the best authentic Mexican we've found. read more

The food was fantastic! And indeed there are no gluten ingredients in the kitchen.

Entire menu is gluten free, and pulled pork so good you want to kiss the chef. Look like we found our new stop for the SEA to PDX drive!

Terrific, authentic Regional Mexican food. Love the 'we don't serve chips' sign on the door. None of that Americanized fluff. But they do serve wonderful pickled carrots instead. Tamales were light and delicious tacos were great. read more

I LOVE La Tarasca so much. I've never ordered something I didn't thoroughly enjoy and folks are so friendly there too. As a celiac, I really enjoy not having to pick through the menu for the few things safe for me because everything at La Tarasca is gluten free. Everything expect the bread pudding - everything else is wonderful! read more

I'm still dreaming about how amazing this meal was and it was months ago. Please bring this restaurant to Seattle.

Best Mexican I've had in years! We will definitely be adding this place to our regular stop list on the way back and forth from Seattle to Vancouver! read more

I am starting to miss tortilla chips. Think they'd be put out if I brought some? It is a point of pride with them. The food is still tasty. read more

Amazing. Pork taco, cheese quesadilla, pork tamale, chicken tamale. All phenomenal. Horcata was milkier and less cinnamony than most I've had. Quick tip: pour the juice from the free carrot and onion appetizer onto your tamale. Flavor party in your mouth. read more

This place is awesome. The pickled carrots and onions with housemade sauce are an excellent way to start a meal. We always order the special of the day. It's always worth it. Their games are delicious. My favorite is the posole. We live in Everett, so we always stop anytime we drivethrough, and often go out of our way to stop. This is authentic, small batch cuisine. 5 starts for sure. read more

This place was jam packed and I understand why. I felt like I was in a small Mexican town served up with warm hospitality by the waitresses dressed in authentic Mexican attire. Yummy pickled carrots came before the meal, though I would have liked to see some tortilla chips and red salsa with it. Either way, the carnitas were yummy and I'd go back here if I wanted some authentic Mexican food. read more

I've been all over Mexico and lived there too. If you're looking for the real deal this is it. The pork tamales are crazy good.

We were visiting from out of town and not sure what to expect but we left pleasantly surprised at the very tasty food. They don't serve chips and salsa when you sit down but don't let that deter you. I had a chicken soft taco and chicken tamale and both were obviously homemade and delicious. The tortillas were amazing. At first we weren't sure about the service but she warmed up and was also very prompt and courteous. Definitely worth trying out for its authenticity and since you can order a la carte it's nice to be able to try many different items. read more

We would not have ended up here without the help of Yelp & were delighted we went here. The carnitas was excellent, as was the flan.

This is one of my favorite places to eat in all of North America! It's unpretentious and the good is genuine. The family that own this are nice people. read more

Hours posted as open are incorrect. We arrived at 5:30 and the chairs were on the table and they were cleaning up. Sign and online posting said open till 8. Disappointed since it gets good reviews and we wanted to try it out. read more

It is true what the vast majority of reviewers conclude about this terrific family restaurant. This place provides a delicious, authentic experience of the tastes of Michoacan, Mexico. What needs to be emphasized, like no other review, is the quality of the flan. It is simply the best in the world. If you don't believe me, ask Salma Hayak who came here a few years back to sample the dish. Wait, if you KNOW Salma Hayak, introduce me, and let me ask her. But I digress. Try the flan. read more

We were at the Great Wolf Lodge around the corner and were looking for a great place to eat. We found it at La Tarasca. This hole in the wall met every one of my expectations. It really showed that this was a family run business with their care to detail and awesome service. The atmosphere was comfortable and inviting and the food was super good, the best tortillas in the PNW hands down. I can't wait for another trip to the Lodge just so that I can hit La Tarasca again. Save me a seat! read more

I have lived in Washington State for 21 years and gave up on eating out for Mexican food. That changed today. The only issues is it is 2.5 hours from my home! Good news is its right off i5 and on the way to pdx. Tortillas were amazing. mole amazing. service amazing. decor sweet and authentic. Cant wait to come back and back and try more! read more

I'd move to Centralia if La Tarasca served tequila. The food is marvelous. Warning... the chile verde is hot as hell (in a VERY good way). Be sure to have abundant liquids available when consuming anything that even brushes up against their tomatillos. I love the ambience, the people, and of course... the tortillas. The $2.25 suave tacos are much bigger than I expected. Two with a side of rice and/or beans would have been more than enough. Three did me in. I need to go lay down now. read more

It was an okay Mexican restaurant but being from south Texas it didn't compare. They didn't have flour tortillas and the caldo was alright. Maybe my opinion is biased because of where I grew up. The carnitas was good though nice and tender. They didn't have flour tortillas though but the tortillas de maiz were soft and good. read more

I had a project way out somewhere off US 12 with an overnight stay in Chehalis. I always check yelp before I hit the road and I now have a yelp app on my new phone. A restaurant with 60 plus reviews and an average rating of five stars must be visited. I walked in and was immediately greeted and seated by who I presumed was the owner, a wonderfully gregarious and charming lady. I was dining alone and I sat at the counter; yes, they have a counter. My charming hostess went through the menu with me. "First time here?" I confessed that it was. The food is representative of the Michoacan region of Mexico. Yes, there are definite regional variations to Mexican food. This is not the cheesy-sour creamy stuff. This is muy authentico. Perhaps because I was a first timer (or just charming), my hostess brought out a taco filled with shredded beef (chili colorado?) as an appetizer. The tortillas are all corn, no flour tortillas here. These aren't the crumbly yellow corn tortillas you find in the supermarket. These are thick, hand-made, tender tortillas to die for. I was torn between the enchiladas and the chili verde but the hostess steered me to the chili verde. Wow, tender generous chunks of pork in a sumptuous chili verde sauce. The plate came with rice and refried beans. I mixed up the rice with the remaining chili verde sauce so I wouldn't waste a drop. I washed it all down with a Negra Modelo beer, beer glass provided which is good because I always pour beer into a glass (except around my old college friends). I loved this place, so good, so friendly and the owner so full of pride in her region of Mexico and the wonderful food there. read more

La Tarasca - Says closed, but they'll be open for dinner. - Mexican Near Me - Centralia, Washington

Stopped in on a trip from Portland to Seattle, perfect spot to break up the trip! I had the carnitas plate which was several chunks of juicy pork with a side of rice and beans. Served with a few homemade tortillas which were fluffy and piping hot. I was happy with my meal but it was definitely on the very mild side, next time I'll try the chile verde to get my spice fix. Husband was very happy with his chile relleno, he was nice enough to give me a bite (ok three bites) and it was excellent. Will definitely stop here again on my next trip north! read more