El 42 Cantina

I want to start by saying each and every person I encountered here was really nice. I dealt with 3 separate employees, and they were genuinely kind. That said, the overall experience could have been much better, so let's chop it up!Some of the issues may appear minor to you, but they are all issues that bother me. It was a cold and rainy night, and we sat near the door. The draft was an absolute killer. I'd recommend limiting seating there to avoid this or to have some form of forced heat to compensate. The noise was off the chart, the women next to us were literally yelling, not because there were nut jobs, but because they had to in order to be heard over the roaring interior noise. This place needs to consider some form of noise dampening on the wall, ceiling of floor to limit reverberation, because it was borderline debilitating. Last was the slow service. When it takes 5 minutes for you to get water. Its clear people are not efficient. It also prevented us from ordering drinks, because why order drinks if you know getting a refill is going to be a hassle. We placed our order and since this was our first time here, we didn't know what to expect. Our server wasn't really a help, when we asked questions about items, he basically repeated what the menu said. We read, but we wanted more detail on preparation and seasoning. For anyone that has been to Mexico, you know food is a flavor explosion, I wouldn't assume the same is the case in Issaquah. We saw what appeared to be our meal about 10 minutes later on the kitchen ledge and we saw 3 employees shuffle it around grabbing and serving other meals. About 10 minutes later, ours was served and it was the same meal that had been sitting on the ledge for 10 minutes. It wasn't hot, it wasn't fresh and it wasn't appetizing. We were hungry, so we ate, but I'll be honest, It was an overpriced attempt of nouveau Mexican food. This is not a place that is going to attract Mexicans or Hispanics, because it's not authentic. It takes like Suburban white bread Mexican food. My guess is this place is a bar first, restaurant second. Also doesn't help that most people here are afraid of salt and spice. Had the food been hot, it would have been a different experience, but I saw and tasted enough to know my instincts about the overall flavor of this place was correct. I'll close by saying, I'm happy I didn't post this review last night, because I had a feeling I should wait and I'm glad I did. Food Poisoning is no joke and we got it. Either food was not handled well, or leaving it out and not serving it hot cause up to contamination. We tag teamed the restroom all night long. I can only speak for myself. But that was the only food I had yesterday outside of a Reeces cup and that Peanut Butter Goodness ain't ever turned my guts inside out. I should have paid more attention to reviews, many claim the quality of this place has declined and I can concur, it can only get better.

Nachos were amazing! Great place, good vibes. Super friendly staff! Will definitely be back.

We got seated quickly and was greeted at the Table by Zoey. Her positive energy and vibe was noticeable right away. The nachos for starter was amazing since it was huge which worked out for the 4 of us. Didn't get a chance to take pictures of the rest of the food but it was great. The steak was over cooked but they removed it from the bill which is always amazing when it comes to the service aspect. I have tons of respect for any restaurant when there is a genuine mistake and they own it. Great service and food! 5 stars!

Well, poop emoji, El 42 has gone downhill. While it's been on the expensive side, the food had always been top-notch. But today's order was very mediocre. PLEASE BRING BACK THE ORIGINAL, GREAT MENU.Previously, you could order tacos "street style," which had a separate container for the tacos. The tortillas were also corn. Today, they're not corn and are jammed in a single container with the rice and beans, which scrunches them together and makes it hard to pick up.Previously, you could order whole black beans and they were gloriously topped with a touch of freshly grated cheese. Now, the default is re-fried, and they're incredibly mediocre.Fish tacos don't have the snappiness they did previously. And no option for take-out margaritas.On the plus side, their salsa roja and guacamole are still tasty.

Tasty tacos! Yep, nice to have this place nearby, and it's a step up from the gringo food place across the street. What is different?- more authentic tacos with higher quality ingredients and richer, more flavorful salsa- top shelf margarita and tequila offerings- gourmet appetizers and entreesThe price tag is commensurate with the quality with dinner for two plus a drink each and an appetizer running $65 plus tip. Service was a tad delayed but not exceptionally so and the portions were excellent. For cheaper eats try El Riconsito but for a jazzed up dinner and attitude, it works.

Best Mexican food around! Their chips are amazing! Everything is so fresh and full of flavor. Their drinks are also very delicious! Our go to date night place every time!

I've been to El 42 Cantina twice and had a great experience each time. Like many of the restaurants on the street, El 42 was casual and cozy. Customer service has consistently been good. Friendly servers and timeliness of food and drinks. We got several orders of their steak nachos and quesadillas. The nachos plate was such a huge serving and had all the fixings. It took 5 of us to finish one. I tried the quesadilla with shredded beef. It was flavorful but a bit salty. The drinks were fantastic. I got a couple of cocktails including the guava margarita and habanero margarita. The habanero margarita had the perfect amount of spiciness to me, but I can see it being not for the faint of heart. I loved the guava margarita. The guava puree was sweet and well balanced.

El 42 Cantina used to be one of my favorite places. A few months ago we had dinner there and my meal was room temperature. I always get the lobster and shrimp enchiladas. This meal needs to be served hot. Tonight we tried again. My food was warmer and very tasty, but the service was poor. I ordered a margarita and waited and waited. The food gets delivered at which point I mentioned the margarita. She seemed stumped. I remember her typing it into her little handheld device; so it's a mystery as to what happened!! I went to the bartender requesting to speak to the manager, which I prefer doing as opposed to going online in a public forum... she said something like "there is no manager". She must have mentioned it to the server who came to our table stating that SHE WAS THE MANAGER. Finally the drink comes at which point I declined it. I'm wondering if this place recently came under new ownership. Anyone know.

6 stars. I have been coming since the opening. So incredibly good. Always super quality ingredients and flavors. Best Mexican food in the northwest I think. I have the two enchiladas with one chicken breast and one Burria steak. Flour tortillas. Extra salsa roja. Soy cream. rice and refried beans with a little flavor and spicy kick.

Great food, consistent service, great pricing! Happy hour tacos were off the hook! We had the prawn ceviche and I wish I could've sucked the broth with a straw! Shoutout to the waitress who recommended the mushroom tacos. I've had mushroom tacos elsewhere as a vegetarian option, but 42 cantina has it down pat! Will be back again.