As of August 9, the newest restaurant extension of Mezcaleria Oaxaca on Capitol Hill is now open all seven evenings a week, and it’s got the summer hookups with a rooftop bar and roll up windows exposing the restaurant seating to the street—both prime for a much craved cool breeze.
The Capitol Hill location follows success in Queen Anne and the sister restaurant La Carta de Oaxaca in Ballard, and is the largest venue of the three—built in a space that used to be an auto repair shop. Despite being the youngest in the Seattle Oaxaca family, the Capitol Hill location sure doesn’t lack in pizzazz, in both style and menu.
Tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas and carne asada are all on the list, surrounding choices involving slow-roasted meats, soups and a house mole sauce that is recognizable from the other two locations. The salsa bar—a staple to many of the dishes but also worth the trip to the load up for the chips – offers all the necessary options for the table.
Taking the steps will lead straight to the rooftop, where an open view of the city seats just fewer than 100 guests. While not yet offering a full menu like the downstairs portion, the rooftop will fill you up on chips, guac and an impressive list of tequila and mezcals, true to their name. Mezcal, or mescal, is a particular alcohol made from a species of agave generally produced in Oaxaca—the real Oaxaca, a southern state in Mexico. Mezcaleria doesn’t mess with authentic menus, and the bartenders are sharp and knowledgeable on everything they serve up. And the help can be necessary, as the bar sports around 30 different mezcal choices.
As far as the other drinks go, plenty of house cocktails and margaritas are ready for the drinking, and each are a double threat to cool you down on a hot day or warm you up on a cold one.
With so many delicious choices, this location is a tempting return trip, again and again and again.
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