Jackalope Tex Mex & Cantina

Saturday night in Columbia City is always a W for me. Add to that forgetting to pay for parking on a freezing first date night and not getting a ticket in Seattle felt like winning the lottery.The mood was set and upon entering Jackalope for the first time, we felt immediately welcomed and cozy. Very charming Tex-Mex atmosphere.Our waiter Oscar was friendly, fun and very attentive, tho immediately started promoting their sister restaurant before establishing credibility in the present.The menu was a combination of traditional and eclectic. Prices were reasonable.Unfortunately Jackalope suffers from a couple maladies that are epidemic in Seattle.The space lacks acoustic insulation to give the illusion of vibrancy. So much so that we could not hear each other despite being close.Overall the food was meh. Uninspired. Chips, salsa, poppers and guacamole were very good. Entrees were not. A cafeteria rice scoop with a dollop of salsa on top. What? I wish they'd dig deeper into the soul of Tex-Mex cuisine and infuse the menu with more authenticity.Worth returning to for the positives in hopes that it was just an off night in the kitchen.

Where do I start? I'll start with the best - the food is amazing! We didn't initially set out to eat here but our original destination was closed for a private event. Fortunately, it was early and not crowded. We were seated right away. Staff was friendly and attentive. Decor was Seattle eclectic but not dark like some restaurants can be. I can see having a party here and I can't wait to come back and sit at the community table. I ordered the Carnitas and my friend ordered the Chile Relleno. When my dish came, my friend remarked that she thought Carnitas was shredded. This was a "cube o' meat." As soon as I touched it with my fork, it shredded into those beautiful strings of spicy pork that we've all come to know and love. The first bite was absolutely delectable...tender, juicy, perfectly seasoned. The Chile Relleno was probably the best I've ever had and I've had Tex Mex all over the southwest. I can't wait to go again to try more dishes. Parking in Columbia City can be challenging but there are options so give yourself time to deal with that. There are lots and plenty of street parking. I had good parking karma and found a spot up close to the restaurant.

Food: I've had a lot of tacos in the area and honestly these were some of the best I've had in Seattle. I had the potato tacos and asked for the sides to be vegetarian. It was really really good and I'd go out of my way to take the train back to have more tacos. The nachos were also really good. They were bite sized and cute so each chip had all ingredients on it. Idk why no one else does that because it was awesome. Each bite was perfect. The spicy prickly pear refresher was a lovely NA option too. Got churros to go and they were pretty good, though I tend to prefer Spanish style (and these were obviously not given its Tex Mex but I still always try them because churros). There were several veggie options on the menu which was nice too. Service: Fantastic service! My glass was never empty. They checked in regularly but didn't bother me. And she made sure all my food came out in a reasonable time to eat the nachos first. Ambiance: It's a cool and modern place. There's a bar and the location is pretty central. Good people watching.

Definitely texmex with some variations of Jack's bbq incorporated. Started with drinks. The michealada and the margirita, but added mango. The drinks were good. For starters, we order the chips and salsa with the chili con queso. The chips were pretty good. The queso was our favorite dish from the entire meal. We added the salsa to it, and it was really good. We ordered the seafood enchiladas and the skirt steak petite Fajitas. The petite comes with a 5oz steak and 3 tortillas. The Fajita meat had NO flavor, and all the veggies (bell peppers and onion) were very charred. The bell peppers were so overcooked that they were mushy. My partner had the seafood enchilada, which also lacked flavor. You could taste crab and shrimp, but that's it. The service was good. The space itself was nice. Overall, I wouldn't go out of my way for this place.

Solid Tex-Mex restaurant, even after having lived in California most of my life and visited Texas multiple times. Lovely addition to Columbia City downtown! It's always a joy to walk here from our apartment. The chips & salsa are a great deal at only $3 for bottomless. We always get the grande fajitas (the rockfish is my favorite). They also have happy hour on weekdays 2-5pm. Relatively large cocktail menu and they're all delicious! Definitely better to go during non peak hours. They seemed very busy and slightly understaffed when we went on a Saturday night around 7:30. The staff is super friendly and nice though!

I'm craving this again as I write this!! I'd go just for the sopapillas (pillowy fried bread served with honey)!! Sopapillas are standard fare in New Mexico and are hard to find, so try them! I insist!Everything was remarkable, from the highly efficient service, cocktails, menu options, to our dinner. We ordered ceviche and pork rinds for appetizers. I would have gobbled up the ceviche all to myself, but I had to share. The chips and salsa were GREAT....but that seems like it might be obvious.I had the Chicken Verde Enchiladas. I would order this again and again. Great flavor, very filling, they were loaded with chicken and very saucy. Did I mention the sopapillas? They are a MUST TRY! Hot out of the fryer, sprinkled with powdered sugar and served with honey and another sauce (was it a jam?). So good!

Great newish place in Columbia City from the owners of Jack's BBQ. We got seated right away on a Sunday where they were serving brunch (a combo of their lunch menu plus some breakfast items). Since we hadn't been in before, the waiter/bartender explained the menu to us and touched on a few of the highlights, which we appreciated. Service after that was generally friendly and quick.Drinks - we ordered a prickly pear and a mango margarita. Drinks were colorful and visually appealing and also a really nice flavor - you could taste the juice and the tequila and it wasn't too sweet.Food - delicious. I had the fish tacos; which we cooked perfectly with a great flavor and the right amount of slaw/sauce on top. Beans reminded me this was a Jack's offspring - super flavorful. My spouse had the migas - I can't tell you what they were like since she didn't share :)Place seemed pretty family friendly, but also had a bigger bar area with seats away from the families, should you want that. Cute decor with plenty of jackalope images. Great addition to the neighborhood!

Food is good here but restaurant is small/right. Parking was also stressful since you have to find parking on the street.While the food was tasty, I'm not sure it warrants another visit (or come out of your way to come here). The seating was tight and it felt very busy which also stressed me out a little seeing the service staff hurriedly drop off food at other tables around me.This restaurant is owned by the Jack's bbq owners.

Absolutely amazing. They have a killer happy hour. The queso is delicious and the chips and salsa are phenomenal. The chips were nice and warm and they were endless. The fajitas are big enough to serve 2 people. Will definitely come back!

Everything here is delicious, raising the bar on Tex-Mex cuisine! Rotisserie chicken enchiladas verde are my favorites and my Dallas-native husband raves about the brisket tacos---even the queso and refried beans are on a higher plane. With elevated Texas-Mexico you do get slightly elevated prices, but the food is great and the portions are ample so it's well worth every cent!