El Gallito - Authentic Mexican Cuisine and Margaritas in Seattle, WA

Still my favorite Mexican restaurant in Seattle! The service and food is unmatched, they have killer margaritas, fresh guacamole and the chicken Mexicana is delish! Love to see that nice family-owned restaurants like this are still in business even 7 years later! Well worth the trip into the city. I hope this place is here forever!

Amazing, classic home style Mexican food! We love this place and go here all the time. Amazing chips and salsa complimentary with a meal!! Best, most authentic Mexican food you'll find in Seattle.

Excellent restaurant my friend and I wandered into. One critique was the lack of check-ins and we waited a while until we realized we needed to go up front for the check. Food was great and I'd definitely come back, although I did notice that the steak did not taste as fresh as I've had at other places. I noticed the attention to detail where they placed chips next to my tacos so they wouldn't get into the beans, very nice!

Literally go to this place all the time! highly recommended! Most of the Mexican food in Seattle/Bellevue sucks. This place is great!

Is it authentic Mexican? Nope. Is it nostalgic for me as a white kid that grew up eating Americanized Mexican food? Definitely. Service is always friendly and attentive without being overly so. Of the dishes I've tried, the chile verde chimichanga was easily a 7/10 and the taco salad is nostalgic comfort food at its best for me and gets an 8/10. The one thing I get EVERY time is the guacamole. 10/10 and reasonably priced for how much you get with a half order. It is one of my go to lunch spots now.

Family owned and operated for several decades now, it's a spot where the locals go so as a visitor from the other coast I'm thankful I'm in the know! Ambiance reminded me of all the mom and pop places I've visited all over Mexico, where you feel like you're being welcomed into someone's dining room and not just a cold commercial looking space. I was told that their menu used to be VERY extensive until the pandemic happened and it forced them to condense their menu down considerably. Regardless, everything from the freshly fried tortilla chips to the spicy and mouthwatering salsa, their flavor packed carne asada, the oozy gooey cheese packed chili rellano and the ginormous torta were all freshly made, deliciously seasoned and outstanding texturally too! I LOVED LOVED that their Mexican rice was not just colored steamed mushy white rice that most places quickly whip up but properly prepared Mexican rice: rice sauteed in a little oil til golden brown toasted, then seasoned with garlic onions and some peppers and colored and further flavored with some tomato puree. This was perfection. Their refried beans were also given lots of time and love as it was deliciously flavorful as well! Service was a little slow but it just gave us more time to talk and eat more of their addicting salsa and chips! It's a MUST visit every time you're in Seattle proper!

If you're hankering for reliably tasty Mexican food in a no-pretense setting, then put El Gallito on your radar. My husband and I have been coming here for as many years as we've been married, and throughout those 30 years, it's been owned and run by the same family. Prices are realistic, and by Seattle standards, affordable. Service is kind and friendly; the chips, crisp and the salsa, piquant -- and both are supplied with generosity (wonderfully old style!) There's usually no wait for a table, and the space is roomy enough for larger gatherings. It's a great place to meet friends for a margarita and a heaping plate of delicious Mexican lunch or dinner. I personally love the chicken mole enchilada, sided with rice and beans, always a favorite.

This place is super clean inside and comfy. Staff were really attentive and kind. We got carnitas and chicken Mexicana. Both were solid. They grill The flour tortillas for a special touch. The guacamole was really good. Clearly made to order with perfectly ripe avocados. Yummmmy on everything. Glad we tried this place. Wish I had taken a picture but I was hungry.

Every time I have been here, this place is the best. Their service, the drinks, the CHIPS & SALSA, the food. Wonderful. What a gem in the heart of Capitol Hill. Please support this business!!!