La Carta De Oaxaca

This place is always packed. I recommend going with only one other person so you have the option of eating in the bar if you do not want to wait all night. The margaritas are amazing!! (especially if you upgrade to the good tequila). Their guacamole rocks! The shrimp cocktail is spicy and delicious. Try the flan for dessert, it is amazing. The only negative comment is that the vegetarian options are extremely limited at La Carta. more

Mole. Oaxaca. Rinse. Repeat. If you stop me on the street corner and tell me that there is a more perfect sauce than mole, you are either lying or wrong. La Carta's mole and tender slow-cooked puerco is bliss -- don't even talk to me about Cactus and that place in Fremont, they can't hang. And they charge 3 times as much as La Carta. And their salsa isn't as good. And La Carta's decor kicks -- and all the photos of ruddy-yet-attractive Oaxacans and their surroundings are by local artist Spike Mafford. Did I mention the mole? Plus they are open past 10. Yahtzee. more

After having lived in Austin, Texas for three years in the mid-90s, I had given up hope on finding an authentic Mexican restaurant in Seattle. No disrespect intended for such fine establishments as El Camino, Mojito's and Aqua Verde, to name a few, but none of these deliver the real deal. Everything on the menu is fantastic - the papitas, the mole, and pozole. Large family-style tables at restaurants seem to be catching on - another wonderful aspect of the dining experience at La Carta. The word is getting out, so be prepared to wait. more

Mexican Tapas - an interesting concept no doubt, with a lot of potential, but for the most part the little morsels this restaurant serves are a disappointment. The chile relleno was laughable, El Puerco LLoron's (Pike Street Hill Climb) being the same price, more plentiful, and more authentic. The Tacos Al Pastor were passable, while all others we ordered had the consistency I would expect from Taco Bell. The Margaritas were well salted (good) but flat in flavor. The only redeeming quality to our order was the Mole which was excellent, and gone all too quickly My only thought was, I could be spending the same amount at El Camino and be significantly better off. La Carta is a laudable effort, with great decor and a convivial feel, but if you're going to charge Tapas prices (which truthfully I have always thought to be somewhat of a scam) you better back it up with dazzling quality, and that's where La Carta comes up short. more

this place rocks. their mole is divine, the lovely oaxacan women cooking in the kitchen are gorgeous and the price is right. don't miss this wonderful addition to a seattle and ballard. hit it before the tractor and have a night in ballard. more

One of the only disturbing things about moving from San Francisco to Seattle was the lack of decent Mexican food here. La Carta is authentic Oaxacan, delicious and incredibly inexpensive. Not only is the food great and true to its roots, but it's a very cool setting - incredible photographs on the walls of the home town of the family that makes up the restuarant staff. Service is also great. La Carta has quickly become very popular (clearly there was a niche to be filled), so get there early or late, but get there. more