Vegan
Beer/Wine
Mexican
Bar and Mexican food restaurant which turned vegan in 2021. Offers nachos, quesadilla, burritos, and tacos. Salsa bar with house-made salsas. Owner is vegan aware. Busy and loud spot. Reported closed October 2022.
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5465 Leary Ave NW (at Ballard), Seattle, Washington, USA, 98107
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- Outdoor seating
- Accepts credit cards
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Last update on 12 Oct 2022 by Guest
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Added by axis777 on 07 Jun 2014
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17 Reviews
First Review by axis777
Paigecs
Points +860
Underwhelming - Edit
I’m glad there’s another vegan place around now that No Bones is gone, but this place isn’t doing it for me. I would give the vibe and ambiance pretty high ratings, and the food and service pretty low. Obviously everyone is hurting for employees right now, and that’s not the fault of the employees who are left to pick up the brunt of the work. It just also isn’t a good experience. I see in the description of this place that there is a salsa bar. I think this burrito could have benefited from some doctoring but since I didn’t know it existed when I was there, I couldn’t take advantage of it.
Read moreWe ordered a to-go item and after about half an hour I tried to check on it but had a hell of a time finding anyone to ask…standing by the entry wait area for about 5 mins did not attract the server. Finally at about 40 mins I went to the back of the restaurant to ask someone, he checked, and the food was just sitting there on the counter.
I would not recommend the burrito on its own merits.
Updated from previous review on 2022-04-09
Pros: Great ambiance , All vegan
Cons: Food, Service
Guest
HopeIsaak
Points +38
So amazing I could dream about this place in my sleep. Incredible food! - Edit
I loved everything about it easily my favorite vegan place I’ve ever been too.
Read morePros: All vegan menu, STELLAR SERVICE AND COOL VIBE, GREAT DRINKS
Guest
timefortacos
Points +171
Great bar - Edit
This was my favorite bar pre-pandemic and I’m so glad they went fully vegan! I love that they have lots of options that don’t rely on fake meats. Portions are HUGE! Go have some drinks and bring a friend to help split the food - or eat it all; I won’t judge!
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2021-11-20
Guest
Missvegan9
Points +765
Worse than before they went 💯 plant based - Edit
I'm sorry but I used to LOVE this place before it was fully vegan. Now nothing is made in house except maybe their sauces. Got the seitan barbacoa bowl, pretty sure it was peppered vegan jerky. My friend got a shrymp taco and it was rubbery and creepy, she couldn't eat it. Food was barely warm and served in to-go containers even though we ate there. Worse quality food since making the plant based switch AND more expensive. Sooo disappointed 😞
Read morePros: Lots of options
Cons: Not as good as it used to be
Guest
ChristinaJarvis
Points +107
Decent takeout - Edit
We tried burritos, tacos, and their horchata here, which were all pretty tasty. I personally like lots of faux dairy on my Mexican food so El Chupacabra is a bit better in my opinion since they slather that stuff on at no extra charge. It was my first time having Horchata so I can’t compare to others, but the rice milk made it plenty sweet, it was a bit thin and not sure if that is normal! Flavor was good. We didn’t dine in, but when we picked up our order I really appreciated the decorations and especially their branding, whoever helped them choose colors, logo, and did their window painting did an excellent job and I hope they were paid well :)!
Read morePros: Some specialty flavors to try, All vegan
Cons: online menu and ordering portal menu differed
Guest
Aniseed
Points +5323
Fun bar with some good food! - Edit
Fun bar atmosphere, great service!! I think it's probably more about the drinks here, their IPAs and cocktails are fantastic. I loved my Hibiscus Margarita! After you enjoy a drink or 2, you can enjoy some of their plant-based Mexican dishes! We both loved the Beefy Chipotle Potato Burrito and the Nachos with the Jackfruit conchinitas was also nice.
Read moreGuest
SarahMays
Points +1407
Now 100% Plant-Based - Edit
I was so excited to check out this restaurant now that it has reopened as vegan! We had the nachos, shrymp bowl, a couple of tacos, and a shortie burrito. Everything was very good, but the nachos and seitan were especially delicious! The shrymp was something new for me and it was fun to try! Ordering was a little confusing - you sit down and order from your phone and they’ll bring it out to you - but it worked well. We also enjoyed their outdoor patio!
Read morePros: All vegan menu!, Fun drink options , Compostable utensils
Guest
uhhsteph
Points +20
gets orders wrong - Edit
i’ve been here twice and both times got vegan burritos, they were tasty but both times i went they got my order wrong. luckily it was still vegan as far as i could tell, but like.... don’t ask me what beans i want if ur gonna give me the wrong beans....
Read moreGuest
MichaelSavegan
Points +2351
Mmm burrito - Edit
Great vegan burrito
Read morePros: Vegan menu options , Seven different sauces
Guest
hihayley
Points +63
Sign me up - Edit
The el cheapo margs are $5 all the time (the menu makes it seem like it’s just during happy hour) and the vegan nachos are SO GOOD. Lots of other good vegan options too!
Read morePros: Cheap margs, Delicious nachos
Cons: VERY slow service
Guest
Mcgridl
Points +15
Good vegan food - Edit
The vegan tacos were flavorful, filling and cheap! A great vegan choice for any taco fiend
Read moreGuest
Mott_veganHead
Points +31
good for both - Edit
I like El borracho because they're good for me as a vegan and for my non-vegan SO. Wish they still did their vegan quesadilla but yummy vegan burritos and nachos are still available the menu.
Read morePros: yummy vegan burritos and nachos
Cons: no more vegan quesadilla :(
Guest
Taylor907
Points +92
Some of the best vegan burritos in the U.S. - Edit
My s.o. and I were in Seattle for a friend's wedding a while back (yes, I am only just now getting around to writing a review), staying in the Ballard area, and happened across this place right after flying in. The staff were friendly and very helpful, and the food was just great. These guys totally understand how to navigate the plant-based dairy alternatives on the market, and incorporate them into their food.
Read moreOne of the wait staff apparently makes vegan desserts - there was a vegan cranberry cheesecake that evening, and it was phenomenal!
Thanks for being so friendly to a couple of really, really tired and hungry travelers. We'll definitely be back, next time we're in the area.
Pros: Good food, Good beer selection, Great staff
Cons: None.
Guest
Kelseysilla
Points +41
super yum! - Edit
They have a lot of vegan options, including daiya cheese, soyrizo, and dairy free sour cream. Everyone really enjoyed their food! I got the enchilada (can't remember the full name but only one is fully vegan), which I might not get again but more so I forgot I don't always like the enchilada sauce lol. I would definitely come back here. The customer service is also really good, at least the server we had was exceptionally nice and helpful.
Read morePros: lots of vegan options!!, hot sauce bar
Cons: not fully vegan
Guest
Curiosity Saves Cats
Points +129
Those nachos - OMG!! - Edit
I loved this place. As much as I prefer to eat at an all veggie place, when you are with non-veg friends, I love finding places where we can all be happy. And this restaurant is that for sure.
Read moreThe vegan offering is really extensive and clearly marked. Plenty of options and vegan sauces to go with them.
The nachos are to die for. Seriously, better than the loaded nachos I used to have before I transitioned to veganism. The portion is massive, so make sure you share them! I then ordered 2 tacos: the one with mushrooms and the one with potatoes. Both super delicious too. The margaritas are cheap and cheerful, so overall a really nice meal. They were playing sports in TV which is not really my thing, but I dont care for as long as they keep making those nachos lol ;)
Pros: Nachos!
Guest
jwpuma
Points +38
Rabbit meat!!!!!!!!!!! - Edit
I am not sure how this place ended up being approved to be on HappyCow. I was just looking at their menu and they serve "shredded rabbit." I think this restaurant should be removed. Disgusting!!!!!
Read moreGuest
axis777
Points +116
A (small) vegan slice of heaven - Edit
El Borracho (The Drunkard) is a very friendly Mexican restaurant that has some semblance of what real bars/food joints are like a bit off the beaten path in Mexico. There's a central bar, indoor/outdoor seating with a large garage door that opens in front, and some booths and tables for families or groups. It's not a place to go for a quiet meal, so go for the fun and (some of) the food. Be aware that it's not a vegetarian-only place - they serve a lot of meat in spite of the owner being a vegan(?!). What makes this place really special, though, is the vegan nachos - a wonderful, tall stack of chips laced with Daiya cheese, guacamole and jalapeños. They are to die for, especially with one of their signature margaritas. You can also get vegan burritos, tacos and quesadillas in case you want more food than you can eat. For added flavor, they make about a half-dozen of their own hot sauces (all vegan as well). It's a great place that's well worth the trip to Ballard.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on Wednesday August 27, 2014
Pros: Vegan nachos, burritos, tacos and more, Friendly, open indoor/outdoor space, Semi-authentic Mexican feel
Cons: Not vegetarian-only, Somewhat expensive
Guest
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