Great food and great service.The torta I had was great!! Huge size.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Louis
My wife and I finally stopped in after months of having it saved in our Google Maps. It did not disappoint! We were in the mood for sopes and each one (the meal comes with three) was delicious. It is such a great family-run business. We will absolutely be back and can't wait to try different things from the menu!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Rita K.
The enchiladas were delicious! The chilaquiles were also wonderful. I loved supporting this business!
Scott S.
In a city overrun by Mexican eateries - both local and authentic and franchise-y and lazy - El Catrin truly stands out as a spot-on South of the border eatery. The cozy place, just off the main White Center artery - is family owned and operated, and the tradition of their recipes and cooking really shows. From their home made sweet masa tortillas to the slow roasted cochinita pibil, there's a lot of care and love that goes into these next-level dishes. The portions are gigantic and newly crafted specials appear on their chalkboard every day from salmon tacos one day to shrimp diablo the next. Their pozole is a warm, rich, ruddish bowl of comfort with thick slabs of pork that melt in your mouth. There's plenty of protein choices to fill those masa rich tacos, but the lengua (beef tongue) tacos might be the best we've ever had. So succulent was the meat - which in inferior hands can tough and fibrous. The burritos are also a must-eat. The size of a nerf football, this is plenty of food for two. Our favorite without a doubt is the rich carnitas. The carnitas accomplish the perfect double-play of being both succulent in the center with crunchy fried bits on the fringes. Packed with whole beans and crispy rice, this is a no-frills burrito that doesn't gringo up the experience with cheese or sauces or superfluous creams. Just delicious meat and a couple of bedfellows with tangy pickled red onions on the side to garnish as you see fit. The house made secret sauces - one slightly creamy green and one fiery red - are also a flavor trip unto themselves. The dining area is cozy and warm with low-fi Mexican music an atmosphere enhancer. Been there a half dozen times and, up until my last visit, the only complaint about the place was the lack of beer. Well, miracle of miracles, that problem has been solved as they finally got a booze license at the beginning of 2024. So no better way to wash down their hot and homey meals than with an ice cold Modelo. Plenty of free street parking. Can't speak highly enough of El Catrin.
Derek Fritz
Best Mexican restaurant in West Seattle, hands down. Unfortunately, multiple times I’ve stopped by they’ve been unexpectedly closed despite it being during their listed hours. This discourages me from visiting more often, but it’s always excellent when it works out.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Bistec Rancheros Guisado, Chips and Salsa, Tacos Combo
Mike C.
Outstanding, glad I gave El Catrin a visit. Quesadillas con Carne - spot on. Arriba El Norte - didn't like this one as much, the Carne Asada meat was too tough and chewy. Quesabirria Combo - my favorite. Tender and juicy birria meat combined with melted cheese double wrapped in fried tortillas, served in a rich and savory broth. Is it a taco? Or a quesadilla? Who cares, I'll have another! Even talking about it now makes me want to go back for more! El Catrin has indoor and some outdoor seating, and plenty of street parking around. Nice and friendly staff (there were lots of dish names I hadn't heard of, but they were patient with describing each one). Overall just a great experience, definitely check them out!
Jamie K.
Another gem in the White Center neighborhood. You cannot go wrong with this menu! I typically come here for brunch and love their chilaquiles, mulitas, tacos, diablo shrimp, yum. The staff here is also so nice and the owners truly put their heart into the food they put out. Definitely worth checking out if you're craving Mexican food and want a place to sit in!
Gordon D.
Wow! After all the glowing reviews for this place, I expected a great meal. Consistently rated 5 stars! We were the first customers to arrive and by the time our orders arrived, the place was getting full. Says a lot about its reputation. I usually really like this kind of place, small and family run. You want them to succeed. I ordered the Huasteca and enchiladas. My friend got a type of nachos with pork adobo. Both were quite large portions. The meat on his nachos, however, was cold and somewhat chewy. The totopos were soggy. My enchiladas were basically folded tortillas, cheese?, and tough as leather. The steak was okay, but tasted like it was close to its expiration date. I don't want to accuse them of anything though. Neither of us finished our meals. Nice people running the place. I wish them well, but I won't be going back.
Julian G.
I have been wanting to try this place for over a year and finally made it here yesterday for breakfast. SO GLAD I DID! Finally some GREAT Mexican food in Seattle with salsa that is actually spicy AF. I had the birria chilaquiles and these things were super spicy and they sure woke me up! Absolutely wonderful smoky flavor and perfectly cooked fried eggs on top of them. These were perfect chilaquiles in the sense that the chips were still crispy which is a lot of places don't get right. Often the chips are soggy but these were fantastic. My husband had the mole chilaquiles and man they were incredible - great flavor. The woman at the register was super friendly and made some great recommendations. I love the interior of this place. Cute, thoughtful with not too much but just enough to have personality because you are coming here for the food. Cannot wait to come back and try more on the menu. Tip: be sure to check the hours - they are open for breakfast/lunch and they close for a few hours in the afternoon before dinner service.
Joshua Cohen
Delicious!! We ordered mulitas with carne asada, quesadillas with chicken, and the Guisado Bistec Ranchero. The mulitas looked small but it was packed with flavor…my daughter said it was amazing. The chicken quesadillas were filled with delicious grilled chicken…my son is still working on his huge portion. The Guisado Bistec Ranchero had a little heat - still feeling it on my tongue. The beef was prepared perfectly.I am excited to eat in instead of taking away. The restaurant is cute, with beautiful decor.Definitely a return trip is required.
Hidden is the area of White Center is a small little cozy restaurant called El Catrin. You might drive by this place many times and never even thought twice about stopping in for dinner or lunch. The food reminds me of the flavors from the Mom and Pop places in So Cal. It is not a fancy place but I was here to eat and eat, I did. You order at the counter and they bring the food to you. With an inviting dining room, homemade flavors, and friendly service this a definite find.
Lara Schneider
Went for the pozole we heard about, but they were out, so we had birria and rockfish tacos. Outstanding! Super grub, and can't wait to go back. People were so friendly too!
David Folweiler
This is my second pilgrimage to El Catrin. I ordered mulitas with carnitas. The carnitas had been crisped up yielding a great Maillard reaction. Crispy, tender, and so porky! The housemade salsa verde and roja were just the right topping - spicy but not too spicy. I'll be back for sure!
Karla Rodríguez
This is the place where you should to get ‘tacos de guisado’. I have been looking for good tacos in Seattle and finally found them. All the guisados were delicious, they come with a lot of filling and the homemade salsas were amazing, you should try their habanero salsa. I also had ‘café de olla’ and it took me back to Mexico. And at the end the cook came by and gave us a free buñuelo for dessert. The service was great and they are super friendly. It’s dangerous that I have finally found this place.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
David F.
This is my second pilgrimage to El Catrin. I ordered mulitas with carnitas. The carnitas had been crisped up yielding a great Maillard reaction. Crispy, tender, and so porky! The housemade salsa verde and roja were just the right topping - spicy but not too spicy. I'll be back for sure!
Great food and great service.The torta I had was great!! Huge size.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
My wife and I finally stopped in after months of having it saved in our Google Maps. It did not disappoint! We were in the mood for sopes and each one (the meal comes with three) was delicious. It is such a great family-run business. We will absolutely be back and can't wait to try different things from the menu!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The enchiladas were delicious! The chilaquiles were also wonderful. I loved supporting this business!
In a city overrun by Mexican eateries - both local and authentic and franchise-y and lazy - El Catrin truly stands out as a spot-on South of the border eatery. The cozy place, just off the main White Center artery - is family owned and operated, and the tradition of their recipes and cooking really shows. From their home made sweet masa tortillas to the slow roasted cochinita pibil, there's a lot of care and love that goes into these next-level dishes. The portions are gigantic and newly crafted specials appear on their chalkboard every day from salmon tacos one day to shrimp diablo the next. Their pozole is a warm, rich, ruddish bowl of comfort with thick slabs of pork that melt in your mouth. There's plenty of protein choices to fill those masa rich tacos, but the lengua (beef tongue) tacos might be the best we've ever had. So succulent was the meat - which in inferior hands can tough and fibrous. The burritos are also a must-eat. The size of a nerf football, this is plenty of food for two. Our favorite without a doubt is the rich carnitas. The carnitas accomplish the perfect double-play of being both succulent in the center with crunchy fried bits on the fringes. Packed with whole beans and crispy rice, this is a no-frills burrito that doesn't gringo up the experience with cheese or sauces or superfluous creams. Just delicious meat and a couple of bedfellows with tangy pickled red onions on the side to garnish as you see fit. The house made secret sauces - one slightly creamy green and one fiery red - are also a flavor trip unto themselves. The dining area is cozy and warm with low-fi Mexican music an atmosphere enhancer. Been there a half dozen times and, up until my last visit, the only complaint about the place was the lack of beer. Well, miracle of miracles, that problem has been solved as they finally got a booze license at the beginning of 2024. So no better way to wash down their hot and homey meals than with an ice cold Modelo. Plenty of free street parking. Can't speak highly enough of El Catrin.
Best Mexican restaurant in West Seattle, hands down. Unfortunately, multiple times I’ve stopped by they’ve been unexpectedly closed despite it being during their listed hours. This discourages me from visiting more often, but it’s always excellent when it works out.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Bistec Rancheros Guisado, Chips and Salsa, Tacos Combo
Outstanding, glad I gave El Catrin a visit. Quesadillas con Carne - spot on. Arriba El Norte - didn't like this one as much, the Carne Asada meat was too tough and chewy. Quesabirria Combo - my favorite. Tender and juicy birria meat combined with melted cheese double wrapped in fried tortillas, served in a rich and savory broth. Is it a taco? Or a quesadilla? Who cares, I'll have another! Even talking about it now makes me want to go back for more! El Catrin has indoor and some outdoor seating, and plenty of street parking around. Nice and friendly staff (there were lots of dish names I hadn't heard of, but they were patient with describing each one). Overall just a great experience, definitely check them out!
Another gem in the White Center neighborhood. You cannot go wrong with this menu! I typically come here for brunch and love their chilaquiles, mulitas, tacos, diablo shrimp, yum. The staff here is also so nice and the owners truly put their heart into the food they put out. Definitely worth checking out if you're craving Mexican food and want a place to sit in!
Wow! After all the glowing reviews for this place, I expected a great meal. Consistently rated 5 stars! We were the first customers to arrive and by the time our orders arrived, the place was getting full. Says a lot about its reputation. I usually really like this kind of place, small and family run. You want them to succeed. I ordered the Huasteca and enchiladas. My friend got a type of nachos with pork adobo. Both were quite large portions. The meat on his nachos, however, was cold and somewhat chewy. The totopos were soggy. My enchiladas were basically folded tortillas, cheese?, and tough as leather. The steak was okay, but tasted like it was close to its expiration date. I don't want to accuse them of anything though. Neither of us finished our meals. Nice people running the place. I wish them well, but I won't be going back.
I have been wanting to try this place for over a year and finally made it here yesterday for breakfast. SO GLAD I DID! Finally some GREAT Mexican food in Seattle with salsa that is actually spicy AF. I had the birria chilaquiles and these things were super spicy and they sure woke me up! Absolutely wonderful smoky flavor and perfectly cooked fried eggs on top of them. These were perfect chilaquiles in the sense that the chips were still crispy which is a lot of places don't get right. Often the chips are soggy but these were fantastic. My husband had the mole chilaquiles and man they were incredible - great flavor. The woman at the register was super friendly and made some great recommendations. I love the interior of this place. Cute, thoughtful with not too much but just enough to have personality because you are coming here for the food. Cannot wait to come back and try more on the menu. Tip: be sure to check the hours - they are open for breakfast/lunch and they close for a few hours in the afternoon before dinner service.
Delicious!! We ordered mulitas with carne asada, quesadillas with chicken, and the Guisado Bistec Ranchero. The mulitas looked small but it was packed with flavor…my daughter said it was amazing. The chicken quesadillas were filled with delicious grilled chicken…my son is still working on his huge portion. The Guisado Bistec Ranchero had a little heat - still feeling it on my tongue. The beef was prepared perfectly.I am excited to eat in instead of taking away. The restaurant is cute, with beautiful decor.Definitely a return trip is required.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Bistec Rancheros Guisado
Restaurantji Recommends
Hidden is the area of White Center is a small little cozy restaurant called El Catrin. You might drive by this place many times and never even thought twice about stopping in for dinner or lunch. The food reminds me of the flavors from the Mom and Pop places in So Cal. It is not a fancy place but I was here to eat and eat, I did. You order at the counter and they bring the food to you. With an inviting dining room, homemade flavors, and friendly service this a definite find.
Went for the pozole we heard about, but they were out, so we had birria and rockfish tacos. Outstanding! Super grub, and can't wait to go back. People were so friendly too!
This is my second pilgrimage to El Catrin. I ordered mulitas with carnitas. The carnitas had been crisped up yielding a great Maillard reaction. Crispy, tender, and so porky! The housemade salsa verde and roja were just the right topping - spicy but not too spicy. I'll be back for sure!
This is the place where you should to get ‘tacos de guisado’. I have been looking for good tacos in Seattle and finally found them. All the guisados were delicious, they come with a lot of filling and the homemade salsas were amazing, you should try their habanero salsa. I also had ‘café de olla’ and it took me back to Mexico. And at the end the cook came by and gave us a free buñuelo for dessert. The service was great and they are super friendly. It’s dangerous that I have finally found this place.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This is my second pilgrimage to El Catrin. I ordered mulitas with carnitas. The carnitas had been crisped up yielding a great Maillard reaction. Crispy, tender, and so porky! The housemade salsa verde and roja were just the right topping - spicy but not too spicy. I'll be back for sure!