Is this the Best Mexican restaurant in Sonoma County? Don't let the simple, unfussy interior fool you -- Quiote is quietly doing some of the most exciting Mexican cooking in the Bay Area. This family-run Jalisco-style spot in downtown Petaluma sources quality ingredients (heirloom maize, Rancho Gordo beans, fresh local seafood), and it shows in every bite. And, of course, the staff is warm, personable, and genuinely happy to walk you through the menu -- take them up on it. Guac & Salsa -- I've had a lot of chips. These might be the best I've ever had. The raspadas are the move here: thin, crispy, shatteringly light corn chips with a texture unlike anything you'd expect. Not your standard tortilla chip -- closer to something airier and more delicate. The guac and salsa alongside are equally solid. Molotes -- Traditional Mexican street snack: golden, torpedo-shaped corn masa dough fried crisp on the outside, packed with savory filling (think potato, chorizo, cheese), and served with salsa and crema. The exterior crunch giving way to the warm filling is deeply satisfying. Highly recommended. Tacos ($7.50 each) -- Yes, $7.50. And yes, worth it. The 100% maiz handmade tortillas are the foundation everything is built on, and they're exceptional. I worked through a lot of the menu and didn't find a miss -- al pastor, barbacoa, cochinita pibil, carne asada, fish -- all executed with care. If you're not sure where to start, just ask. The staff knows the menu cold and will point you right. Quiote isn't trying to be flashy. It's trying to be correct -- and it nails it. One of the best Mexican meals I've had, full stop. read more

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FINALLY tried Quiote (took me long enough), and the experience was amazing! Obviously, the best part of dining with someone is turning the meal into a full menu sampling. We started with the Guacamole (a generous serving), the Spicy Tuna Tostada, and Shrimp Tacos. ALL of which were absolutely amazing. You could easily make a full meal from their shareable plates, but we decided to sample broadly on our first visit. For our main course, we split the Ribeye entrée. I must stress how shareable this portion is (it's a lot of meat, but for my protein-focused people, this would be a great one). The steak was prepared perfectly and came with charred grilled avocado and fresh tortillas. Everything, down to the side accompaniments and the great cocktails, was top-tier. On a more critical note, I highly recommend planning ahead: we made our reservation a couple of weeks in advance, which seems necessary as the restaurant clearly gets very busy in the evenings. Will be back to sample the rest of the menu since now I'm obsessed. read more

Quiote - Mexican Near Me - Petaluma, California

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I've never been to Mexico, but I imagine this to be exactly the flavor of Mexican food. They don't take reservations, so we came earlier on a Wednesday night and there were only two other tables filled, which got busier as the night went on. As a Californian, I eat loads of tacos quite frequently but after eating here I truly felt like I understand the flavors of Mexican cuisine. I don't know how to explain it honestly but the textures, the ingredients, the flavors just scream "authentic Mexican food". My fiance and his mom both love mole and they say this is one of the best mole places they've been to. The service was average! They were helpful, and nice :) can't wait to come back! read more

Quiote - Mexican Near Me - Petaluma, California

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Wasn't expecting this delicious art food coming out of this unassuming place! Great tacos! Service was friendly. read more

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Came for lunch early on a Thursday. Warmly greeted, menu, silverware and their wonderful fresh watermelon on the table immediately. Came quickly to take drink order and food order soon after I put the menu down (took me a while with so many great choices). Service was warm and friendly throughout. Started with a watermelon aqua fresca - they had horchata, hibiscus, pineapple, and cucumber available. Tasty and nicely sweet. I love that their free starter is healthy - fresh seasoned watermelon on toothpicks instead of the usual chips and salsa (not to worry they do sell chips and guacamole). I ordered one of the specials - eloté quesadilla plus one fish and one pork taco. They use high quality ingredients including beans that my chef friends rave about, making their own tortillas, plus good fish and other proteins. This also means that prices match the quality. I was perfectly happy to pay $7 each for delicious amazing fresh tacos. I got three, and I've paid more than $21 for meals not anywhere near this good. Flavors were amazing - fish was incredibly tasty with fresh avocado, delicious sauce all on their signature blue tortilla. Pork with habanero was nicely spicy but not overwhelmingly hot. Eloté was cheesy and fresh corn and the spice blend made it decadent. I also asked for salsa and got a yummy avocado green and a medium/hot habanero both delicious. They also had chocolate flan and rice pudding for dessert. I was full but couldn't resist the layer of chocolate cake spiked with a little orange with flan on top and ice cream - also delicious and not crazy sweet or heavy. My other thing I look for is nice bathroom, this was clean, in good shape and smelled good. I didn't see a gender neutral one but either was open for anyone to use. If you are anywhere near here and like high quality Mexican food prepared right with delectable flavors - GO. It was so good I almost wanted to tell anyone who came to look at the menu near the door to make a good decision and go in :). read more

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This is one of best in Petaluma... the quality is incredible, though the price for the size is a little pricey compared to other places like El Molino, but thats in Sonoma read more

Killer tacos and quesadillas with the best tortillas around. Fast, friendly service and great selection of fillings you can't find elsewhere. Must stop when in Petaluma. read more

As usual we vegetarians delight in finding well thought out dishes that are healthy, satisfying and balanced. Went to quiotes for the first time in quite a while and boy were they still on point! Flavor, presentation, service just everything was really lovely. Potato flautas with what our server sweetly called "tomato" sauce was great. That sauce tho, was out of this world delicious. Creamy and crisp, mmmm with the nice salad on top quite a nice dish, and plenty to share with my husband! He had some wonder fish tacos and the sope hongo! Wow what a great combo of mushrooms and black beans so full of flavor! We'll be back very soon. read more

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Great service and delicious mole enchiladas with lots of texture. The chicken and edges of tortillas were slightly crunchy and the mole sauce was sweet. You really need something salty to round it out. We shared their Rancho Gordo pinto beans to go with the mole and the saltiness was a great complement to the mole's sweetness. Otherwise it would be too sweet for lunch. This place gets crowded at lunchtime. Come early! read more

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My girlfriend brought me here for a bday lunch (she comes here frequently as a local). Our service was splendid- friendly & quite helpful with our ordering. My friend loved her Sangria & I was impressed with the local beer I had. The watermelon with tajin is brought as soon as you are seated which we found quite refreshing. The guacamole was super fresh and the two accompanying salsas delicious (I loved the spicy one). I had a vegetarian taco with grilled mushrooms- so yummy. Fresh food & excellent service! read more

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I thought that I had finished this review until it came up that I was not finished. I stopped in with my mother for lunch. She had the fish taco and I had a burrito. I don't remember the exact names of them. Both of them are very good And we enjoyed the meal quite a bit. The wait staff were very helpful and moved my mom's walker over to the corner so it wasn't in the way. The restaurant was small, but comfortable. The acoustics in the room were also good not too noisy. read more

Quiote - Mexican Near Me - Petaluma, California

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Quixote is my new favorite Oaxacan restaurant! The mole is beautiful, with rich complex flavors that are balanced perfectly. When you smother a chicken enchilada in that mole, and top it with tangy crumbly cheese and some light greens, it's a damn near perfect dish. Those enchiladas are a 10/10. Everything else I've tried is very good as well. The street burrito special was a real treat. Somewhere between a burrito and a quesadilla, it was very satisfying with a good crisp on the tortilla. The family that runs this restaurant is so friendly. Food came out fast and there were no mistakes with our order. What I love the most is that while the food quality is top notch, the atmosphere is 100% casual. They won best Mexican restaurant in Sonoma County last year, so it's really no surprise. You really need to try Quixote! read more

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One of the best tacos I've had in the bay area. The service was wonderful, staff was friendly and quick to bring out drinks and food. The atmosphere is very warm and inviting. The food quality will make me go back anytime I am in the area. The dedication to authentic flavors are apparent in every mouthful. read more

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Got two tacos and some beans for lunch and they were all pretty good. The tacos were a shrimp and fish special and both had an interesting mix of toppings and salsas. The beans and their liquid were also pretty good. I'd go back. read more

Ordered some tacos for take out last night; two Pollo Asado, two Al Pastor, two Carne Asada. The tacos are between $8-9 each which is not cheap but these are full size tacos with tons of meat, grilled onions, beans and cilantro. They make authentic tacos with handmade maiz tortillas. Delicious, must try in the area and great to support a small family business! read more

What a wonderful taste of authentic Mexican food in a fantastic setting, with excellent service and staff! A great way to sample and taste some signature dishes, like the Milk cheese tostado, the different varieties of a flavorful tacos with pulled meats, handmade chips, handmade tortillas, homemade guacamole, and a large variety of Cervezas and mixed drinks. Overall, this was a five star experience and highly recommend trying out this place for a taste of real Mexican! read more

Quiote - Mexican Near Me - Petaluma, California

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Came in on a Tuesday around 5:30. The restaurant is open and has s nice ambiance. After reading several yelp reviews we decided to order the sangria and the keg slayer IPA and the guacamole and chips. The sangria was nice and yummy. The beer was good. The guacamole was nice and a good portion. The chips were good too!! The two accompanying salsas really hit the spot. For our entree we ordered the fish taco with beans and the barbacoa taco and the street burrito. The fish taco was fantastic!! Cooked to perfection stuffed into a blue corn tortilla. Beans were nicely seasoned and also yummy. The barbacoa taco was served on a blue tortilla and was thoroughly enjoyed. and the street burrito...delicious: ) Not disappointed with this choice as we are in a new city with work. Our server was very nice and we didnt feel rushed with our meal. read more

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Enjoyed this sit down Mexican spot for lunch recently. Specializes in tacos and mole enchiladas. Beer available. Service was warm, and the food is delicious! By the numbers: Food 5/5 Service 5/5 Ambiance 4/5 Value 4/5 Chips and guac - Excellent. A bit expensive and packs some habanero heat. Fish taco - Excellent. Grilled black cod. Al pastor - Very good. Unconventional with minimal achiote and no pineapple. read more

Quiote - Special taco (bottom) - Excellent Al pastor (top) - Very good - Mexican Near Me - Petaluma, California

Now that we've been to Quiote a few times and tried several of the items off their menu (including specials), one thing I can say definitively is that the food is consistently outstanding. I still absolutely love the fish tacos and enchiladas (the mole is absolutely to die for - must get), but don't forget to check their specials board on the wall. The flautas are killer and we tried their "tlayuda mixta", which is a black bean puree atop a crispy blue-corn tlayuda, and was absolutely loaded with tons of different meats, including pastor. Wow - it was an absolute flavor bomb. We also recently learned they have a habanero salsa so if you like it hot, be sure to ask for some. It's easily the best habanero salsa I've had. I want to know their secret but haven't worked up the courage to ask... yet :) Lastly, another shoutout for their service, which is warm and inviting, yet efficient. It feels less like eating in a restaurant and more like being transported into a family home for a meal. read more

Looks for a place that has solid Mexican food and not a hole in the wall. Quiote delivered at all levels. Great service, great flavors, lovely ambiance. We had the guac and chips, a MUST! If they bag it and sell it in stores I'll be stocking up. So good. We then asked the lovely server to give us 6 of their favorite tacos. Each had great flavors, good size and decently priced. The only drawback was the price of margaritas ($15) which felt more like an upscale bar price versus a family style restaurant. Ended up with beer ($5.5). I will for sure go back and try their larger dishes. read more

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Blown away! I was just passing by on the way to Santa Rosa and wanted some grub. Walked through the downtown area and stumbled into this place, no expectations. Immediately, I was greeted and guided by the cashier. No wait, no awkward standing around until someone came. I place an order for a barbacoa taco and enchiladas. While I waited, they gave me some free sliced watermelon with tajin. My family lives 20 minutes from the border. I'd like to think I have moderately high standards for mexican food. The taco was absolutely perfect. Just visually, the green and orange and dark purple serve as a very aesthetic presentation. I almost didn't want to eat it, it looked so vibrant and beautiful. The combination of crispy tortilla, tender barbacoa, creamy guacamole, and crunchy onions made every bite feel so varied and balanced. Drip some salsa and lime into that thing and it's got a little bit of sweet, sour, salty, spicy, and savory. For such a simple concept, the taco was flawless. The enchilada was equally colorful and well presented. But to be honest I don't remember the filling. Because that mole was so absolutely stellar that it overshadowed the rest of the dish. I can't pinpoint what it was. It was slightly sweet, slightly bitter, decently smokey. Very earthy, very savory, with a creamy texture. Pour that stuff on everything, sell it in a bottle or something. I can just eat dip their tortilla in the mole and be content. And lastly, their tortillas. I peeked in the kitchen and genuinely saw an old Hispanic auntie making them from scratch. So you know they're damn good, not just visually beautiful. From this point forward, if my tortillas aren't deep brown-ish purple, I don't want them. These folks are firing on all cylinders! Ambiance is clean and casual, customer service is excellent. It felt like visiting your friends house and having their mom invite you to dinner with the family. I will be back! read more

Quiote - Enchiladas - Mexican Near Me - Petaluma, California

For us, this is a destination restaurant. We're back roads driving enthusiasts, so, the two hour drive through West Marin to Petaluma is not a problem. Even the 1.5 hour drive straight up 101 is well worth the delicious food and great service. We've tried most of their tacos, none disappoints. Today, I had their special tostada de tinga. Wonderful! GET THERE!! read more

Cute place, but portions are small and a bit overpriced. We had tacos, and chips with salsa and guacamole. Everything tasted good, but pricey. I don't think I'll be back. read more

Yes! Go there! So good, so innovative, so clean, so delicious, so authentic, so friendly, such good quality, hand and homemade dishes, family owned and operated. Amazing. Been coming here for months and never regretted it. We love Mexican food and always up for a new restaurant, but we always end up back in Quiote. Best feature - chef's Mom running the front of the house. So sweet! Love this place. read more

Authentic Mexican food. Flavorful dishes and quality ingredients. Highly recommend the sopes. Tacos are incredible. read more

Quiote - Torta Ahogada - Mexican Near Me - Petaluma, California

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Hands down one of the best enchiladas I've had. The flavours are very unique and go really well together, the mole sauce is to die for, with a delightful blend of sweet and spicy. Very relaxed atmosphere, we were done with our meal in 30 min from entering the restaurant, it was that efficient and smooth. read more

Barbacoa and fish tacos! Absolutely delicious and fresh. Mexican food in the Bay Area is hit or miss but this one hits the spot. Fresh blue corn tortillas with fresh and tasty ingredients. read more

Quiote - Barbacoa and fish tacos! Absolutely delicious and fresh. - Mexican Near Me - Petaluma, California

Amazing food, service and vibe . If you wanted best authentic Mexican food in Sonoma county look no further. I highly recommended Quiote

Always fresh, delicious, and unique! I love this place so much that I even hired them to cater my 40th birthday, and they absolutely delivered! Their menu is thoughtfully crafted, inspired by the authentic flavors of Jalisco, and every dish is a hit. As someone born and raised in Jalisco, I can confidently say that Quiote is the real deal. From the rich, bold flavors to the quality of the ingredients, they never disappoint. Every time I need my fix of true Jalisco cuisine, this is where I go. Highly recommend! read more

Quiote - Mexican Near Me - Petaluma, California

This spot is the real deal!!! Unique, delicious, and fabulous! My sister works nearby and recommended the spot, since I'm rarely in Petaluma we went with her suggestion and I'm glad we did! I ordered an Al pastor taco on house-made corn tortilla, a corn tortilla quesadillas with mushrooms, chips and salsa, and a side of beans. My guy got a couple of tacos and my sis got the veggie mole enchiladas. The mole sauce is magical, I got a side and was putting it on everything, lol. Everything is clearly fresh, made in house, and unique to their goals for the menu. I liked that it wasn't all traditional fare one expects from a Mexican restaurant. This is high quality, elevated food from an authentic perspective. They use heirloom maiz, rancho gordo beans, and seafood from Anna's are all an example of the quality you can expect. The chips are not usual tortilla chips, they are almost puffy like a lentil crisp if you've ever had something like that but they are corn. He explained the process to me but it was over my head after a full long day in the sun, something about removing a layer of maiz before frying to help it puff up. I don't know but I do know it creates something delicious! Truly a delicious experience; the mole is not to be missed, this family run spot hits all the notes they are looking to achieve. I'm only sad I just discovered them! read more

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Quiote features smaller plates, meticulously prepared, absolutely delicious. The barbacoa taco and the sope chorizo are my current favorites. Don't come here looking for a 2-pound burrito. Go to the place across the street. So many reviews of Mexican restaurants seem to be based on the burrito and how big it is. Quiote is not that place. Instead of chips & salsa brought to the table, you are greeted with a bowl of juicy watermelon chunks dusted with chile lime. The lunchtime staff is very friendly and helpful. read more

Quiote - The sope chorizo--so good!-- and watermelon appetizer. - Mexican Near Me - Petaluma, California

I heard a lot of good things about Quiote and maybe I was expecting too much. It is a cute little spot and the service was very friendly and good. The server brings you a little bowl of cubed, spiced watermelon when you sit down which is very nice on a hot summer day. I got a marinated pork tostada and I was pretty underwhelmed. It looked very tiny on a huge white plate with no garnish. It had a lot of pork but I thought it needed a lot more of the tomatoes and onions to balance it out. Unfortunately the pork loin was , in my opinion, overcooked and dried out. Or maybe it was too lean. The marinate was good though. They don't give you any chips and salsa and it is 15$ to order it ( with guacamole) which seems way too expensive to me. I'd give it another try and maybe have something with chicken but today's lunch was disappointing. read more

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My husband and I went here recently. We are from nj/ny and we were visiting the Petaluma area. So we decided to try some Mexican in this area. This establishment had five stars !!! Can't go wrong !! Well, the went wrong. First of all , there was a heat wave when we were there. Odd 90 degree temps in October and no air conditioning. Maybe this is the norm for ca folks, but vacationers beware. They started off with fresh water melon sliced in small cubes with some sort of salt pepper seasoning on top of it. Very odd. I would have like the watermelon alone. Then we had home made guac. Umm. Why sooo spicy ??? Guac is supposed to be crisp and refreshing. Not making my tongue burn. Then we ordered some tacos and sopas. Again sooooooooo spicy !!!!! For no reason at all !!!!!!!! It totally destroyed the dish for us. I can tolerate some spice and appreciate it. This was wayyy over the top. I drank four glasses of water while I was there to combat the dehydration of not air conditioning and the burning of my mouth. We passed on dessert and moved on. The ambiance was also nothing special. It appeared cheap. But was sooo expensive for Mexican. I'm not sure exactly what they are trying to pull off here. But it's not working imo. If you love spicy food ? Then this is your spot. If just wasn't our style. read more

Quiote - Eating our spicy guac in the no frills and hot restaurant. - Mexican Near Me - Petaluma, California

Really tasty. Little pricy for the tacos, but I thought it was great food (they put a good amount on each taco, and the ingredients seem pretty great). Considering some of the $$ I've paid for tacos, this seems pretty decent considering the great ingredients and flavor. The rockfish taco was particularly great, and the Horchata was delicious. Guacamole- fresh. I definitely want to try their enchiladas next time. Very fresh and pristine overall. Service was excellent, very nice staff. A great atmosphere with great food, drinks, and service. Like I said, pricier side for tacos, but definitely worth it to check it out if you haven't and good place to go back to. read more

Quiote - (3) Tacos : Barbacoa, Al Pastor, & Rockfish - Mexican Near Me - Petaluma, California

Wow, what a great new addition to our rotation. Everything made here and so perfect. Complex, rich, delicious mole on my enchiladas takes like my best friend's Mom worked on it for days. Shockingly, my wife liked the tacos even better. I will say the tortilla on the tacos were among the best I have ever had. And the fillings were on the money too. Everything had great flavor. Even the kids' quesadillas had grilled chicken with amazing flavor and seasoning. as good as the food is, it would be an injustice to end this without talking about how kind and friendly and warm the service was. I cant wait to come back next time. the Yelp AI wants me to talk about ambiance and it is fine. Not too loud and crowded, clean, perfectly lovely, it's just the food and service were so good that I don't feel the need. Gracias Quiote! read more

Quiote - Flan, couldn't slow the kids down for the picture it was so good. - Mexican Near Me - Petaluma, California

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I'm just adding to the list of 5 star reviews for Quiote! The Mole Estilo Jalisco was incredible and so flavorful. The sauce that accompanied the Carne Ahogada was one of the most savory and spicy sauces I've ever enjoyed! I asked for a separate container to take the leftovers home and use it on everything! The chips, salsas and guacamole were all perfectly seasoned and the chips homemade deliciousness. I ate all my food before I could take photos! read more

Quiote - Mexican Near Me - Petaluma, California

First time here and I love this place! The tacos are so good, unique and fresh flavors and lovely service, Joaquin was a delight.

Innovative tex mex cuisine, great service, nice flavors. Inviting ambience. Loved it.

Best taco ever, period. We came for a quick bite around 3PM and it was empty. We ordered 3 tacos, barbacoa, conchinta and adobada. The tacos were amazing, with differentiated spices and texture. Its hard to describe, but there were so many delicate tastes, you have to try them. We also had the torta ahogada, tostada and the baby quesadilla. The pork loin was amazing, perfectly fried with garlic. Overall, amazing place at not too high price. read more

Quiote - Mexican Near Me - Petaluma, California

Food was amazingly delicious! And the service was perfect. Looking forward to the next dinner night out