Seattle

Travelers' Takes

Rates and Deals

Mama's Mexican Kitchen

More Photos
sararevell
sararevell
First Reviewer
3 out of 5
Avg. Member Rating
1
Review
1
Photo
Editor Pick

Mama’s Mexican Kitchen

  • June 16, 2007
  • Rated 3 of 5 by sararevell from London, United Kingdom
Mama’s Mexican Kitchen

I love Mama’s. It’s one of the last surviving neighborhood haunts in Belltown and I really hope that city planners don’t push it out of its corner on Second and Bell as it really would mark the end of an era. Mama’s is a small, funky labyrinth of booths, decorated by an historian, a kitsch fanatic, and a wild-west enthusiast. I made up the story about the decorators but it would be nice if it had happened that way. I can’t describe the interior and do it any sort of justice, you just have to see it for yourself. But I will mention that they have an “Elvis Room” (available for reservations) which was apparently inspired by a meeting between the real “Mama” (who you can read about on the back of their menu) and the real “Elvis”. I think part of me loves Mama’s because I’m a sucker for nostalgia and this place makes me feel like a poor university student again as it’s just the type of place I would have also loved as a student. Mama’s also has a great outdoor patio, perfect for summertime Mexican beer drinking.

Open since 1974, Mama serves big meals, so big that if you share one plate between two, you’ll still feel full by the end. Chips and salsa are served up first and are complimentary. The drinks list comprises most Mexican beers and a few cool margarita options, which are a great deal during their happy hour from 4pm to 6:30.

We usually split the Chicken Fajitas which show up to your table still sizzling away on a hot dish surrounded by bell peppers, mushrooms, and onions. If you are sharing, request extra tortillas otherwise you’ll be stuck after your first wrap.

The staff at Mama’s are fast and furious and don’t suffer fools. I admire their honesty though, which is a refreshing change from the cooker-cutter “have a nice day” restaurant experience. I don’t mean to imply that they’re not polite, because they are; the rules are just more relaxed (e.g. there’s no dress code) and they will definitely help you out if you get stuck with the menu and they’re happy to dispense interesting information. Last time we were there, our server told us that when you reach a point where you sigh during a meal, that’s an indication that you’ve eaten enough and should stop. She passed this on to another person at our table who was deliberating whether to continue plowing through his beef burrito.

I’ll admit that the food at Mama’s isn’t the best in town and certainly doesn’t put Mexican cuisine on the map but if you split a dish, it’s great value for money and the turnaround is extremely fast. Unless you go on the weekend, you can be in and out in less than an hour if you need to. On the way out, pick up some peppermints at the cash register but remember to use the spoon.


www.mamas.com

From journal Living in Seattle

Compare Seattle Rates

1. Enter travel information

City

2. Select websites to compare rates

Each selected website will open a new window.

Helpful Seattle Links

Seattle Travel Deals