Tecalitlán Mexican Restaurant in Bellingham

Excellent food and attentive service at this hidden gem. They have a large menu to choose from as well as brunch items. We had the tacos, chicken and pork tamales, flautas, and a Chile Relleno. Everything was very tasty and fresh. They also have beer on tap as well as sports on TV. There is plenty of parking and seating. It's definitely worth trying out. We will be going back to try more items.

Excellent taste explosion. I recommend getting the green and red sauces early as the salsa that came with the chips was the only blandish bite we had and immediately fixed by mixing our desired heat scale. We ordered the Carne Asada, Pollo Asada and Pozole. One roasted jalapeno and six lime wedges brought the freshness of the chicken and beef and the layers of flavor worked into these plates to an exceptional level. My wife found the hominy in her Pozole fresh and flavorful and different from the textures of so many canned preparations we've tasted. The addition of yet another Mexican restaurant to northwest ave is a welcome occasion.

This happened to be the first Tecalitlan regional Mexican resto that I've tried in Bellingham and I see there were several of this family of restos in the vicinity. I was looking for a proper dine-in location rather than just a food truck. This location was very new, clean and the booths were comfy. Also the guy at the counter was very helpful in explaining all the different menu items. I was impressed with the size of the Carne Asada. Salsa was spicy and fresh. Would like to try all the other Teca's in the area now that this one tasted so good.

There are some times when you want to bring home an entree for everyone, and sometimes when you want to go a la carte and build your own meal but you don't want to resort to waiting in the drive-thru line at Taco Bell. I had heard whispers of a place on the other side of town that had two-dollar tacos. Proper tacos even, not the Americanized kind. Now, this review is really late in coming, but it does mean I can be a bit more thorough since I've been back to Tecalitlán a lot in the year since I first found it. The overall takeaway here is that the price-to-value ratio here is extreme. The entrees are priced about standard, if a bit on the low side, for Bellingham. But the a la carte items is where this place really shines. A few dollars gets you a regular-sized tamale, taco, or tostada. The entrees run from ten to fifteen. It's hard to think of anywhere else you can pick up a full dinner for two that was right around twenty dollars and makes you want to go back. I'm almost exclusively a take-out person these days, but if I was dining in they have a comfortable and spacious seating area inside, as well as beautiful outdoor seating on the other side of the parking lot. And when I say beautiful, I mean absolutely gorgeous, like "impress a first date" gorgeous. I want to start with the high point, and that is the Chiles Rellenos. Tecalitlán has my favorite Chiles Rellenos I've had anywhere in the area. They're done in that classic Central Mexican style. A poblano pepper stuffed with cheese and dipped in a light, fluffy, souffle kind of batter before frying, then served smothered in a light tomato sauce. It is absolutely a must-order. The prices have gone up quite a bit over the past year, but they've offset it just a bit by allowing you to choose between a one-chile entree or a two-chile entree. My wife and I get the two, and then each have one. The tamales here are also my personal pick for tamales in Bellingham, though that could just be personal preference. They have the heft of a proper, homemade tamale, and they don't skimp on the filling. The meat is full of flavor and you can taste both the meat and sauce while the masa is steamed and still dense without being rubbery. It makes a great accompaniment for whatever you've chosen for your meal. The tacos are exactly as advertised. Two little corn tortillas stacked then piled with your choice of meat, onions, and cilantro. The beef is fried until it has a crispy, caramelized texture. It's not the greatest quality of meat and you do get the occasional bit of gristle, but I have dogs so that's never bothered me too much. It does mean that some of the other options on the menu, like the carne asada entree, aren't as appealing. I personally prefer the beef tacos to other options. The chicken has a flavor that seems more suited to a different dish, but is still pretty tasty as a taco, especially with a squeeze of lime over the top. The asada burrito is my usual go-to. It's about half beef by volume backed up by rice and beans, with a few jalapenos and some fresh avocado slices, which I don't think I've seen anywhere else. It's a solid burrito slightly undercut by the quality of the meat. All told, it's good food at a great price, which is not a combination you find much around here, and it works on just about every level imaginable. Need to get a bunch of different things for a family that can't agree? Want to pop in and get a quick meal to go? Looking for a place to take a date that's different than the usual but pretty enough to be remembered? Doing any of those things on a budget? Whatever you need, Tecalitlán fits the bill.

Tamales… So good!! Rojo pork had soft tender meat and such a good red sauce flavour. Spicy and very flavourful. And only $2?! I had two and was full. Incredible value. Also had an al pastor taco, nothing special. Pork wasn’t very crispy and the tortilla wasn’t homemade like mi rancho.

I was hoping to find a chicken tortilla soup on the menu but, alas, no such luck. Service was good, friendly, and helpful (I'm celiac so need to be careful when ordering). The creamy pollo dish i ordered was good, but nothing to exclaim over. I'll probably give it another try.