Vegan-friendly
Lacto
Ovo
Beer/Wine
Take-out
Mexican
Non-veg
Serves meat, vegan options available. Mission style Mexican food eatery and bar; this one is located on Phinney Ridge and can described as a punk rock cantina. Vegan could get rice, beans, and faux meat, and for an up-charge vegan cheese substitution in enchilada, burrito, taco, and tamale. Jukebox (free til 5pm), house made hot sauces, gluten free upon request. Open Mon-Fri 11:30am-11:00pm, Sat-Sun 11:00am-11:00pm.
17 Reviews
First Review by Amethystle
LuluGrim
Points +150
Vegan Versions of Mexican Classics - Edit
Mexican food is my favorite comfort cuisine, and this place offers the possibility for vegan versions of every dish. They have vegan cheese, mock chicken, mock steak, and mock al pastor. Even the beans, rice, sauces, and salsas are all made without dairy or animal products.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2023-11-21
Pros: Vegan refried beans, Multiple meat substitutes, Gooey vegan cheese
Guest
seal
Points +108
tasty, cozy spot - Edit
The vegan chimichangas are so good, I can't get myself to order anything else. They offer vegan sour cream on the side. Our meals here get pricey (by our standards) with all the vegan sub add-ons like cheese and faux meat.
Read moreGood atmosphere inside and outside.
Guest
SarahMays
Points +1177
So many options! - Edit
We enjoyed our lunch at El Chhpacabra - I loved that basically any dish could be made with vegan cheeses, vegan sour cream, and vegan meat. Our waitress was knowledgeable about vegan options as well. My chimichanga was delicious!!! I also loved their outdoor seating options!
Read morePros: Lots of vegan options , Outdoor seating , Fun atmosphere
Cons: Street parking
Guest
Jlin
Points +339
Great for everyone - Edit
I have been here twice with my family. It was perfect for the vegans and non vegans. Everyone loved their meals. It is a cute place with a nice eating area outside as well as inside.
Read morePros: Plenty of vegan options-marked clearly, Tastes incredible
Guest
pizzybot
Points +634
Great vegan Mexican comfort food - Edit
Lots of vegan options! Three kinds of fake meats plus vegan cheese and sour cream. Good as takeout and I also enjoy their patio but wish it was dog-friendly. I kind of get why it isn't, though, since the patio tables are packed in pretty tightly. I love the chimichanga and enchiladas.
Read morePros: Great vegan options, Fun patio, Generous portions
Guest
rfkaufer
Points +395
Love the food, but the music! - Edit
I’ve been here many times and have enjoyed the vegan options. But twice I’ve been seated next to a speaker blaring heavy metal and it’s not pleasant. Both times we asked if the music could be turned down and were told “no.” The second time we opted to take the food to go.
Read moreGuest
JimBoulter
Points +175
Fantastic vegan options - Edit
Do yourself a favor and get the steak chimichanga. I love it dry because it comes with beans, guac, salsa, and rice and you can add vegan sour cream too! The pineapple salsa is 10/10 and they sell it by the pint too! This is my favorite Mexican food in the area, for sure.
Read morePros: Chimichangas to die for, Large servings, Fantastic vegan dairy options, all marked!
Cons: Not all vegan
Guest
cjoutside
Points +133
Mexican comfort food - Edit
So happy to have a belly full of vegan Mexican food. Neatly everything can be made vegan.
Read morePros: Vegan options galore
Guest
Joryh322
Points +49
Delicious Vegan Chimichangas - Edit
I love El Chupacabra! I almost always get the chimichanga vegan style and just change up the mock meats each time. I also love the salsas. We buy them to use on everything at home. My two favorites are the chipotle and the pineapple salsas. I love the atmosphere and that they have a nice heated patio.
Read morePros: Lots of vegan options, Delicious food and salsas, Fun atmosphere
Cons: Sometimes it’s too loud in the restaurant for me
Guest
corinal
Points +1617
YES! - Edit
It is so so rare that I get to eat a vegan chimichanga (who doesn’t love deep fried burritos?!) and theirs was so amazing. Also because vegan sour cream comes with it and amazing guacamole and vegan beans and Spanish rice. WOW! It is also rare that I get to eat a vegan enchilada and they had these as well! They were also amazing :)
Read moreTons of vegan options, apparently almost anything on the menu could be made vegan. There was also a vegan dessert.
Chips and salsa weren't the most amazing (watery, not very spicy).
Great outdoor seating, friendly staff.
Pros: Almost everything can be made vegan, Great atmosphere, Friendly staff
Guest
VeganCuddle
Points +78
Vegan Options! - Edit
I always get the taco salad and I just ask for no cheese no dairy. They have vegan as well as vegetarian meat options & vegan dairy options. The chips & guacamole is a must! The burrito is really good too, just ask for no cheese/no dairy and choose your vegan meat option or just have the delicious rice & beans burrito. Or veggie tacos. Good size portions & delicious margaritas. sometimes it's very busy and you need to wait to get in. It's a punk rocker/metal style bar & restaurant and they also have a jukebox. Service is sometimes snobby/no smiles.
Read morePros: vegan friendly, interesting decor, good metal & punk music
Cons: wait to get in, sometimes staff aren't friendly
Guest
kfhen
Points +46
Solid vegan options - Edit
Stellar service, strong margaritas, and solid vegan options on the menu. The last time I was at this location I had the chimichanga with adobo soy curls and holy
Read moresmokes, it was amazing.
I would give this place five stars if this platform supported it. For a place that also serves meat, it's great.
The West Seattle location on Alki is awesome too.
Guest
kindlizard
Points +1086
Some pretty good food - Edit
Always fun to have some vegan Mexican food.
Read moreThe good:
The people were super friendly. The drinks were strong. They have Lagunitas IPA on tap! They sub Gardein and Daiya for all their otherwise non-veg dishes. The food os not too spendy, I think it was just over $5, less than 10 at least for very nice sized portions. The tacos I got were definitely good.
They have nice outdoor patio. The flip side of that is I couldn't see the food I ate, which I enjoy.
The less than good:
Well we stayed outside because the inside was dark and loud. I think it runs late as a bar, which is fine too. The only thing, I didn't exactly vette them to see if they use different pans, boards, etc to see how vegan their vegan was. But if whoever listed this place did all that(?), then this place is pretty good.
(Could someone in the know respond to this point if they see it please?)
Anyone who likes nice people, good drinks, and vegan Mex without spending too much, should go here and have some fun.
*****
After returning it was just edible food on a hungry afternoon, nothing stellar. not likely to go back, unless hungry and right there. not advised to takeout, doesn't hold well.
Pros: cheap, gardein & daiya, nice folks
Cons: takeout backfired
kindlizard
went back once since and it wasn't that good or special, but its cheap. we don't think we'll be back, but maybe if very hungry for lunch in the area, since we know better dinner spots in that area.
Read moreGuest
clctwl
Points +13
Why only 4 stars? Because Happy Cow won't allow 5! - Edit
The food was *amazing*. My girlfriend and I weren't expecting anything great, even though it had a 4-star rating on Happy Cow, because there are restaurants I don't think are great but which have more than 4 stars.
Read moreBut the food was amazing and (surprise!) authentic. The empanadas were like my grandmother's.
I've eaten at lots of Mexican restaurants, making due with beans and rice. This place is better than every other Mexican place I've tried in Seattle.
And yes, even the rice was amazing and authentic.
Even though Happy Cow won't allow giving 5 stars to a non-vegetarian restaurant, regardless of how amazing the vegetarian food is, be aware that in my opnion, el Chupacabra is better than some of the higher-rated vegetarian and vegan restaurants.
Pros: Cuisine
Cons: Limited seating
Guest
Vetvegan
Points +56
Excellent Mexican vegan food! - Edit
Great food, very vegan accommodating. Good beers.
Read morePros: Fun atmosphere!, VERY popular!, Very vegan friendly, fun staff.
Guest
Smallu
Points +134
Delicious & inexpensive - Edit
Awesome tasting mexican food and really reasonable prices. There are a couple of vegan meats and cheeses to choose from. I had a chik'n chimichanga and it was AWEOME. My only beef is that the service is slow (they seemed under-staffed) and the place is dark, dingy and LOUD. Turn down the music, people! Otherwise, a totally awesome place.
Read morePros: Food
Cons: Parking, Ambiance, Loud
Guest
Amethystle
Points +20
Great Mexican Food - Edit
I went here this weekend with 3 other vegan friends. This place came highly recommended and I can see why. First off, it has a fun, cozy atmosphere. The place was packed, and it took about 20 minutes before a table opened up for us. Next, *everything* on the menu can be made vegan. They have Daiya vegan cheese and vegan "beef" and "chicken", which both have great texture and flavor. We got vegan chimichangas (both beef and chicken), as well as a wet burrito. Everything was excellent, the server was great, and the price was more than reasonable for the generous portions we got.
Read moreWill happily eat here again.
Guest
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