La Palmera Mexican Restaurant

James

It's not too often you find ACP (Arroz con Pollo) at restaurants in the Northwest, so was interested in trying this one. It wasn't bad, but I've had a lot better before. Probably the best part was the red sauce. It colored the entire meal a deep bright orange, and was certainly plentiful. The fact that the rice had a ton of oil also helped with the taste, but they did a pretty good job not making the oil excessive - and giving some sauce flavor room to breathe. The moisture level was pretty solid. The other part that I really liked was the abundance of vegetables. Each of the tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, and peppers were sauteed well and pretty crunchy in the dish. The chicken was fine, but there was a lack of enough pieces. It felt like there were a few grilled strips throughout, but nowhere enough compared to the amount of rice and vegetables. It wasn't dry, but not super enjoyable to bite into either. My biggest problem is with the cheese. It was clumped up in certain parts, rendering it basically invisible in most of the dish. The joy of ACP comes when each bite has part of that flavor of melted cheese, which is something that you just didn't find here. The price was around $18 - and for this - you get a quite large portion. It came out to about 800g of the dish, which I split over two meals. A very solid deal in this area. Overall, it's an average imitation of ACP that I'm at least glad wasn't a ripoff. 7/10

Israel Moreno (Chef IM)

Like that they have plants inside makes it feel like you outside, without the cold lol. Way too dark for being an up going restaurant feels more like a cantina. Food was ok it felt like fast food restaurant, maybe that's what the owners think Mexican Food is or they are use too. Flavors were there but again it felt like I was eating in a fast food place. Most of the employees did not look happy at all

Nadia S

Came in for dinner with friends & we started with chips and salsa, and since we were there after 9, we grabbed a couple of happy hour items, the chicken tacos and the chicken quesadilla. Both were good and pretty solid for happy hour. For drinks, we tried the Gold Margarita, the non-alcoholic piña colada, and a Mezcalita. All of them were tasty. For mains, the Pollo a la Crema was definitely the best dish of the night - really creamy, flavorful, and the veggies were cooked perfectly. One friend got the Pollo en Mole, which was a bit too tangy for my taste, so that wasn’t my favorite. We also tried the enchilada + tamale combo (chicken), which came with beans, rice, sour cream, and guac, pretty decent overall. I got the Suizas Enchilada, and it was fine, nothing crazy but good enough. The overall vibe of the place is great, especially with all the holiday decorations.

Alex Nguyen

Great place to get Mexican food around Southlake Union! The service was very friendly, the restaurant we were in was spacious and decorative. The food and drinks came out fast. I got the birria tacos and I wish they were a little bit more fried. Other than that, everything was delicious, I will come back.

Emily Jin

The Christmas spirit is in full swing here!! Decorations are super festive and through the roof, and there's matching holiday drinks to boot. Their brunch menu features seasonal drinks such as Santa's Piñata Punch and Churro Martini (which I loved!!!). Their service is super fast, we came in at Saturday brunch and had no problems with getting attention to our table. Definitely recommend getting their chilaquiles with egg and carne asada, it's a classic!

Aditya Mehta

Went here for a weekend lunch with my family. Some of us are vegetarian. We had a reservation through Resy and got seated immediately. Found a parking spot nearby, no problem. We ordered the guac and the street corn for appetizers. And then some tacos for the mains, enchilada for the kiddo. Food was great, service was prompt. They put up with my broken Spanish. Ambience is eclectic and they have a bar section with TVs showing sports. What else can one ask for? Definitely recommend coming here, we are looking forward to returning soon!

Abu Al-Qasim

This place goes all out for Christmas. The décor is honestly beautiful. Everywhere you look there are lights, ornaments, and festive details that make the entire restaurant feel warm and lively. It gives you that cozy holiday vibe the second you walk in. Food was great. I ordered the quesabirra tacos and they were very flavorful and enjoyable. The atmosphere overall was amazing and definitely the highlight of the visit. Service was good, but I’m giving it four stars only because we asked to be seated at a different table since the tall chairs were uncomfortable. They told us the table was reserved even though more than half of the restaurant was empty, and it stayed empty even by the time we left. Other than that, the staff was very kind and attentive while we were dining. Overall, a great experience with excellent food and an atmosphere that really stands out, especially during the holidays.

Susan McKee

La Palmera is a total gem in South Lake Union! We headed there on a Saturday around 4:30 PM and were seated immediately. For the SLU area, the parking was surprisingly 'easy peasy.' ​The Happy Hour menu is a steal. I had three shrimp tacos and a classic margarita—both were fantastic and only $10 each. A $20 meal (plus tax/tip) in this neighborhood is hard to beat! Our group of six all found something they loved on the menu, and the atmosphere was perfect—lively but quiet enough that we could actually hear each other talk. ​Pro Tip: We were fine with a group of six, but if you have a larger party, I’d definitely recommend a reservation. Highly recommended for a fun, easy, and affordable night out.