Tex-Mex Restaurants in Ellensburg, WA

“I cannot believe I just had some of the best Mexican food I've had in the last 8 years—in Ellensburg, Washington.

I grew up in California with my Mexican friends and family, and I’ve spent a lot of time in Mexico, so when I say this tasted like home, I mean it. I ordered the Baja-style fish tacos, and they were freaking amazing. The fish was fresh, the toppings were fresh, everything was bright and flavorful, and the whole thing reminded me of being down in Baja. For a few minutes, I swear I felt like I was back in Rosarito.

And for anyone who doesn't know the difference, this is what I would call California/Baja Mexican food rather than the heavier Mexican-American food you sometimes find elsewhere. Baja cuisine has that coastal influence—fresh seafood, lighter flavors, lime, cilantro, fresh salsa, cabbage, guacamole—and it has a huge connection to Southern California.

The ingredients here were so fresh. The fish tacos had exactly the kind of fresh, bright combination I was hoping for, and they didn't taste like some generic fast-food version of Mexican food. They tasted like the kind of California Mexican food I’ve genuinely missed since leaving California.

And the guacamole was actually fresh. I would personally add a little more onion, tomato, lime, and cilantro to it because that's how I like my guac, but the fact that it was fresh and tasted like actual avocado instead of some processed green paste made me very happy.

I honestly walked in not expecting much and walked out thinking, “How the hell is this little town in Washington serving Mexican food this good?”

I'm guessing this restaurant is a chain based on the setup, but I don't care. If this is what this location is putting out, they are doing something right. Nailed it.

After 8 years away from California, this was the closest--and the best by a landslide--I've come to that fresh Baja/SoCal Mexican flavor that I’ve been missing.

Seriously—if you're driving through Ellensburg on I-90 and you like Baja-style Mexican food, stop here. The fish tacos are the move.“