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    La Vaca

    4.2 (111 reviews)
    InexpensiveMexican, Food Stands
    Open 11:00 am - 5:30 pm

    La Vaca Photos

    Business Info

    LA VACA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Loud
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - La Vaca

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    Richard W.

    Small place but very few Mexican food in town. Seen microwave being used. It was ok, as I'm from California expected better.

    Wet burrito carnitas
    Kyle W.

    With so many places packed in the street and heavy foot traffic, this place can be very easily overlooked. It is just a small counter where you order and grab the food to-go, with a microwave and containers containing the ingredients to make a variety of food listed in the menu. My first assumption of a microwave being so visible from the counter makes it feel like I am going to eat preheated food, but that's used for sprinkling cheese to melt on top of the burrito. I got the wet burrito with carnitas, which is a lot of food for the price, though a majority of the burrito is the tortilla and rice. It comes with sour cream, salad, choice of beans (opted for retried beans), and rice. Carnitas is quite juicy and tender, jam packed with more rice and beans inside the burrito. It's definitely enough for a single filling meal, or 1.5-2 regular meals! It's definitely a hole in the wall place, as the decor and surroundings are a bit run down, but it is worth to check out.

    2 Taco Combo
    Christopher L.

    Fantastic food at affordable prices! This literal 'hole in the wall' stand has the best Mexican food at Pike Place Market. It's authentic and the service is spot on. However, note that everything is to go. There is not a place there to eat but you can find some tables inside the market close by or take it home as it travels pretty well.

    Chicken enchilada platter.

    I work downtown. I go out to lunch daily. I've been looking for a cheap lunch spot ever since PCC closed and La Vaca, along with Chipotle, have become my go-tos. Everything up and down the menu is low-priced here. My favorite is the Enchilada combo, which comes with two enchiladas with rice, beans, salsa, sour cream and your choice of meat. There's probably enough in here for two meals for most people, but I always end up eating it all in one sitting since I workout frequently. I try to avoid cliches, but this place is literally a hole in the wall. It's a one man operation, so they probably have low labor costs. I'd say the only downside is that there is no seating area and when you wait for your food, it's either waiting on the sidewalk or the foyer to one of the Pike Place buildings, so there are loads of people brushing by you, lol.

    Menu
    Angie Y.

    La vaca is one of those tiny literal "hole in the wall" joints tucked away near the street of Pike Place market. Run by two Mexican gents, the food here is super authentic, quick, and cheap! You can get a whole entree for under $8! Another huge plus is the hot sauce they deem hot is actually burn your mouth spicy! Finally a place that advertises their homemade salsa that has a kick to it. I got enchiladas that came in twos. You can choose between the sauces red, green, or mole - I chose the salsa verde (green). It is topped with a ton of shredded cheese so if you're not a fan of a lot of cheese ask them to tread lightly. On the side of your dish comes a shredded lettuce salad which is pretty much just lettuce and chopped tomatoes. Overall, this meal was pretty filling and left me feeling like I was eating an actual warm meal for lunch, homey and comforting.

    Mexican Salad w/ Pork
    Jacques I.

    Walk-up window in Pike Place Market, serving solid Mexican eats. I came here after finding out about this place on Yelp, as I was craving some casual Mexican food to take back to the office. Instead of going to a chain, I was on a mission to try a Seattle gem, so I'm glad I found La Vaca Burrito Express. I'm one of those horrible people who've walked by this place so many times, having never seen it before. I guess you take where you're from for granted. So when a Yelp review told me where it's located in Pike Place Market, I was shooting myself in the foot for having been a fool to skip out on this place for so long. I love that it's a walk-up window, located right next to the entrance of the Market's atrium plaza where there are seats available. Therefore, if you're looking for a place to sit down with your La Vaca Burrito meal, don't let the window discourage you. There are plenty of seats next door in the atrium. I ordered the Mexican Salad with marinated pork. It didn't take long for me to get my order and as I was walking back to the office with it, which is four blocks away, the container was starting to feel heavy. Sure enough - once I got back to the office to open my container, it was a large portion that I suspected it was. This is easily two meals in one! The Mexican Salad includes meat, rice, choice of beans, lettuce, guac, sour cream, pico de gallo and cheese. And it was all tasty! I liked that the pork was not at all greasy or oily, which can sometimes be the case for marinated pork. But the marinade/flavor on the pork was actually light, getting you to really taste the true flavor of the tender, shredded pork. I dug it. The rest of the meal was standard. I will say that since I personally am a spicy sauce fan - I would ask to get a side of hot salsa to go with the meal, to kick it up a notch! But this meal was solid and am now glad to have this option for something affordable, especially when walking around such a tourist area.

    Soni K.

    Great hole in the wall restaurant at the Pikes Market. Great food with good price. Tried the tacos with enchilada combo including a beverage for $8 and very happy with what I got. The steak tacos were so tasty and the beef enchilada was seasoned just right. Will definitely return.

    Waiting for our #2
    Danielle C.

    Cool spot! It's a "hole in the wall" but you can tell they know what they are doing. It's authentic Mexican food and quick. We got burritos and walked down by the gum wall and ate them with a view of city.

    a sign for the restaurant
    Chelsea A.

    This spot has an incredibly convenient location near the mouth of the Pike Place Market. There's nothing too crazy special about these burritos but as a broke traveler staying at the hostel across the street, it's everything I needed and more. I got a vegetarian burrito and they were able to add avocado (for an additional cost) and let me choose what type of beans I wanted. Hot sauce or spicy salsa would have been nice, but it really hit the spot regardless!

    Carne Asada Torta
    Willy M.

    Oh my....just friggin' get this!!! Carne Asada Torta!!! So delicious! The carne asada is so flavorful, torta is freshly put together with a nice toasty fresh bread, plenty of crema & guac, pico and lettuce.....super huge and plenty filling! Even had a gentleman come up to me and asked me where I got that from. The staff is super cool, they like to chat with you about soccer, test your spanish speaking skills if any, takes a few extra minutes as they make everything to order. Its all good, I dont mind people watching while I wait. Great lunch spot at a great price all at Pike Place Market!!!

    Burrito

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    1 year ago

    I loved my burrito and it was cheap and huge... this is going to be my new go to lunch spot!

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    Great burrito and service from this spot! Nice place to grab a meal away from the Pike Place hustle and bustle.

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    3 years ago

    Found a dead fly in my food. Disgusting and the guy was mad and rude about my findings never again. Saturday June 10th @1pm.

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    Ask the Community - La Vaca

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    Fogón Cocina Mexicana

    Fogón Cocina Mexicana

    4.4
    (2.1k reviews)
    0.9 mi
    $$

    Great Mexican restaurant located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood in Seattle…read more Freshly made chips that come with a salsa roja that has a kick to it. Not bland like in other places. The ceviche was fresh and loved that they added shredded carrots for extra crunchiness. Tacos de carne were delicious, with the meat properly seasoned. Will definitely come back for more the next time we are in Seattle. Service was prompt and courteous.

    I shared the mole enchiladas and lengua en salsa verde from this Mexican place…read more Of these, the lengua en salsa verde was my favorite. The beef tongue was cooked pretty well. Although it's naturally very fatty, the flavor and juiciness was retained after cooking - so they didn't screw it up. The salsa verde was a very nice accompaniment, as it tasted light, fresh, and a good complement to the fat of the meat. The mole enchiladas were less good. The mole sauce used leaned way too heavily on a sweet flavor - having little to no nuttiness whatsoever. It didn't taste anywhere close to some of the best moles I've had. The enchilada underneath was fine - nothing special. Both dishes came with beans and rice. Both were slightly above average, but nothing to write home about. I would say the portions were well sized in terms of overall amount, but the enchiladas were quite small compared to the beans and rice. With these two dishes we ended up around 28 per person. Overall, it's average Mexican food. 6.5/10

    Photos
    Fogón Cocina Mexicana
    Happy Hour Quesadillas Fritas
    Happy Hour Quesadillas Fritas
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    Happy Hour Chips and Salsa
    Pancita

    Pancita

    4.5
    (92 reviews)
    4.6 mi

    Excellent! The food, service and ambiance were all top notch. I love how cozy the corner restaurant…read moreis. The food was delicious- we started with the sourdough, then the Caesar, brisket tacos and finally the chorizo-stuffed trout. All of the ingredients were high quality and prepared perfectly. We loved every bite and will absolutely be back.

    I really, really wanted to like this place. We'd heard through word of mouth that they were serving…read moredishes straight out of Mexico City, so on a whim one Friday night, my partner and I grabbed a 7:45 reservation--which, honestly, might've been the first sign. I'm usually a fan of a smaller, curated menu because it suggests care in sourcing and execution. But for us, the execution just didn't land. Everything is served family-style, but the portion sizes didn't justify the price point. We started with the sourdough and butter spread, and it was a letdown right away. The bread was hard as a rock, and the butter--while sounding interesting--came slightly burnt and didn't feel worth $11 for two pieces. Next was the albacore tuna tostada. As someone who travels to Mexico City often, I was genuinely excited for this. But it leaned heavily on avocado, with barely any tuna to balance it out. For $25 and only two tostadas, it felt pretty stingy. The rapini quesadilla sounded promising but ended up tasting mostly like broccolini and mushrooms--nothing that really stood out or justified the dish. We finished with the 21-day dry-aged steak, which, at $59, felt like it should've been a highlight. Unfortunately, it missed the mark. It came out essentially raw, which I didn't mind in theory, but it was incredibly chewy and lacked flavor. It was difficult to cut and even harder to enjoy. The tortillas were nice, and the demi-glaze had potential, but overall it just didn't come together. Even the refried beans on the side were underwhelming--something you could easily find done better at a casual spot. On the bright side, the mezcal margarita with a tajín rim was excellent--well-balanced and probably the highlight of the night. And the service was warm and attentive, which I appreciated. But overall, for the prices and the hype, this place just didn't do it for me. Maybe we ordered wrong, but I've had much better elsewhere. I hate to say it, but I probably won't be back.

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Grilled pork chop with pipian verde, salsa macha, trumpet mushroom, beech mushroom, charred onion, scallion, garlic scrape and cilantro
    Grilled pork chop with pipian verde, salsa macha, trumpet mushroom, beech mushroom, charred onion, scallion, garlic scrape and cilantro
    Earl Grey Horchata

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    Earl Grey Horchata
    Maiz Molino

    Maiz Molino

    4.4
    (124 reviews)
    0.6 mi
    $$

    This place WOW-ed me. My fiance and I didn't make reservations the day before Valentine's Day and…read morethought we would just try our luck. So many of our regular spots had lines out the door, which was no surprise, but we ended up getting a table here. Figured Mexican food is hard to mess up. Started with drinks- THE BEST MARGARITA I HAVE EVER HAD. It was perfectly balanced, fresh, just perfect to me. My fiance got a horchata and loved it too. They have an option where you can try ALL of their dips for $20, which I couldn't resist. It was so fun, they had like 9 different ones! I got the shrimp tacos and they were so flavorful that I almost gasped. The creamy sauce, crunchy veggie toppers, smooth avocado, and perfectly cooked shrimp...just wow. I will be dreaming about this dish for years to come. I am a pescatarian and gluten free and there were TONS of options for me. They mostly use corn for everything, not flour. The staff was gracious and kind. They seemed a little understaffed but truly made the most of it and made every table feel attended to and special, which was so lovely. Really cool vibe- lots of art and special touches. A really cool place that I can't wait to recommend to friends.

    Went back to Maiz Molino recently on a Sunday night for dinner w/ friends. I was disappointed to…read moresee that the menu has changed a lot (and not just seasonally, but just a completely different menu) since the last time I visited (maybe a year ago or so). Before it seemed like Maiz Molino was focusing on elevated, unique Mexican dishes (shown in the pics in my prior review such as short rib, and other sort of "fusion" dishes, and more seafood focused, etc.) Now, the menu seems way more generic and casual like enchiladas, tacos, quesadillas, tamales, etc. just offered w/ different proteins. They are still focusing on maiz but just a bit more generic in the preparation and offerings. Also, they had 2 separate menus which was a bit confusing. One is a generic all day menu and then another menu had brunch and dinner on it. It was around 5:30 p.m. but they were out of a particular steak dish that we were interested in. Service was friendly. We had enchiladas, a dip sampler (for appetizer) and Tlacoyos. Everything was fine but nothing really stood out, sadly. It wasn't very busy while we were there, so hoping that they are doing ok as a business. I would love to come back if they brought back the old menu w/ things that you cannot really find elsewhere, including the great cocktail menu and desserts that were offered previously.

    Photos
    Taco plate
    Taco plate
    Elote risotto at Maíz Molino in South Lake Union.
    Elote risotto at Maíz Molino in South Lake Union.
    Three Tacos plate with chicken, pork and veggies

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    Three Tacos plate with chicken, pork and veggies
    Hatch Cantina

    Hatch Cantina

    4.3
    (401 reviews)
    0.5 mi
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    Full bar

    This has been bookmarked for a while and the only regret I have is that I didn't get here sooner…read more This food is terrific, the vibe is hilarious, the servers are downright fantastic. Andrew (our server) introduced us to his sidekick, who was in training. Love that personal, hands on approach for a mew team member, and Sidekick did a great job in monitoring our table and replenishing water. Have to stop here and express my appreciation for Andrew and how he took the time to explain the philosophy and genuine team vibe of the restaurant. Oftentimes when a restaurant adds a flat 20% gratuity, you get the feeling this is not passed on to the servers. Not so here. He explained that it's shared among the servers, bar, and other staff, with only a bit retained by management, but even that finds its way into their wages. Terrific work environment and happy to see it. It definitely shows in the level of service. But we're here to eat. Didn't take a picture, but one of my dining companions ordered the burrito with red chili sauce and it was very good. Just the right amount of heat in the sauce. The Cantina celebrates Taco Tuesday, so I took advantage of this. You get the opportunity to try 5 different street tacos for the low price of $15. For another $4 you order it fully loaded which is a steal (guac, pickled onions, lettuce, giardano, crema, and another lovely sauce). Each of the tacos were really delicious and packed full of flavor. I especially enjoyed the cauliflower and the beef. Was surprised how much I liked the popcorn chicken - still juicy and not greasy in the least. Andrew treated us to a round of the hatch green chili. I was delighted because it was a dish I wanted to try. He described it perfectly: a little kick, but you can't stop eating it. He was right. A bowl of this in the winter with their cornbread (which I'm confident will be delicious) will preempt a winter cold. The sauces on the table are not to be ignored either. The green chili sauce was fruity with a little heat, the scorpion chili brings the heat, but their homemade chili oil is phenomenal. I could put this on everything. In short, the Cantina delivers. Excellent food, knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and fun staff, and a cool vibe. I'll bet the cocktails will also be good. Definitely adding to the regular rotation!

    Food and presentation is meh. The neighborhood is absolutely…read moredreadful, and they tack on an automatic 20% "service charge" with or without good service giving you no choice to decide whether or not the service warrants the charge. I own an e-commerce company, just like Amazon, and could you imagine your Amazon order having a 20% "service charge" to help offset labor costs. This is becoming a trend and I'm avoiding eateries that do this.

    Photos
    Happy hour
    Happy hour
    Hatch Cantina
    Interior (4/8/23)

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    Interior (4/8/23)

    La Vaca - mexican - Updated June 2026

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