El Borracho

El Borracho
Exterior of the restaurant at Pike Place Market in Central Waterfront, Seattle, 2022
Restaurant information
Owner(s)Kittie Davidovich
Food typeMexican
CitySeattle, Tacoma
StateWashington
CountryUnited States
Websiteelborracho.co

El Borracho is a chain of Mexican restaurants in the U.S. state of Washington. The business operates at Pike Place Market in Central Waterfront, Seattle, and in Tacoma. Previously, El Borracho operated in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood.

Description

The menu has included burritos, burrito bowls, and tacos. When the business converted to a plant-based menu, Impossible Burger and seitan replaced beef and carne asada, respectively. Meat substitutes have also included tofu, "chikin", and "shrymp". Soy- and dairy-free cheeses and dressings are also used.[1]

Thrillist has said, "Hosting a bevy of festive margaritas like its cucumber-honeydew variation, El Borracho takes tacos and other standard Mexican eats to the next level with options like the shredded rabbit in a chipotle tomato stew, and braised beef tongue taco with salsa verde."[2] In addition to the cucumber honeydew flavor, the restaurant has also served coconut, hibiscus, habanero, pineapple-jalapeño, and tamarindo margaritas.[3][4]

The restaurant has offered discounted tacos and margaritas for happy hour,[5][6] as well as food and drink specials for Halloween.[7][8]

History

Entryway to the Pike Place Market restaurant, 2022

The restaurant originated at Pike Place Market in Central Waterfront, Seattle. In 2013, owner Kittie Davidovich announced plans to expand to Ballard.[9][10] The Ballard restaurant opened in February 2014.[11]

Also in 2013, the Pike Place Market restaurant's sign was stolen. In response, Davidovich offered a $100 bar tab and a limousine ride if the sign was returned "without being caught".[12]

All three El Borracho restaurants closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Pike Place Market location later operated via curbside patio service in 2021.[13][14] In mid 2021, all locations implemented a new entirely plant-based menu.[1]

The Ballard restaurant closed in 2022.[15][16] The business continues to operate at Pike Place Market and in Tacoma.[17]

Reception

Christina Ausley included El Borracho for both Ballard and Downtown in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer's 2020 overview of "every Seattle neighborhood's most popular Mexican restaurant".[18] In 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the newspaper's Callie Craighead included the Ballard restaurant in a "guide to Seattle's most popular Mexican restaurants for dine in, takeout, delivery".[19]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "El Borracho to reopen as a plant-based restaurant – My Ballard". www.myballard.com. Archived from the original on 2022-10-25. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  2. ^ "El Borracho". Thrillist. 5 October 2017. Archived from the original on 2022-10-25. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  3. ^ Craighead, Callie (2021-02-22). "It's National Margarita Day: 10 Seattle cantinas to celebrate". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Archived from the original on 2022-10-25. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  4. ^ Bell, Julianne. "10 Unique Seattle Margaritas To Try For National Margarita Day 2020". The Stranger. Archived from the original on 2020-10-24. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  5. ^ "$1 tacos at El Borracho's happy-hour fiesta". The Seattle Times. 2014-03-05. Archived from the original on 2022-10-25. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  6. ^ Ausley, Christina (2019-09-27). "Pop the champagne: 33 Ballard happy hours to try this weekend". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Archived from the original on 2022-10-25. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  7. ^ Streefkerk, Mark Van (2021-10-28). "The Eater Seattle Guide to Halloween 2021". Eater Seattle. Archived from the original on 2021-11-20. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  8. ^ "Your guide to Ballard Halloween 2021 – My Ballard". www.myballard.com. Archived from the original on 2022-10-25. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  9. ^ Perry, Julien (2013-08-29). "El Borracho Opening Second Location in Ballard". Eater Seattle. Archived from the original on 2022-10-25. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  10. ^ "El Borracho Gets a New Full-Service Frelard Restaurant In Addition to the Ballard Taqueria". Seattle Metropolitan. Archived from the original on 2022-10-25. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  11. ^ Billups, Sara (2014-02-21). "El Borracho Opens in Ballard Today". Eater Seattle. Archived from the original on 2022-10-25. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  12. ^ Perry, Julien (2013-12-13). "El Borracho Owner Offers $100 Bar Tab for Stolen Sign". Eater Seattle. Archived from the original on 2022-10-25. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  13. ^ Perry, Julien (2013-12-13). "El Borracho Owner Offers $100 Bar Tab for Stolen Sign". Eater Seattle. Archived from the original on 2022-10-25. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  14. ^ Guarente, Gabe (2020-08-31). "Several Blocks in Seattle Feature Outdoor Dining Space for Multiple Restaurants". Eater Seattle. Archived from the original on 2022-10-25. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  15. ^ Wayne, Julia (2014-02-05). "El Borracho Ballard Opening February 17". Eater Seattle. Archived from the original on 2022-10-25. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  16. ^ "El Borracho permanently closes Ballard location – My Ballard". www.myballard.com. Archived from the original on 2022-10-25. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  17. ^ Stewart, Jade Yamazaki (2022-06-08). "Seattle's Restaurant and Bar Closings, October 2022". Eater Seattle. Archived from the original on 2022-09-25. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  18. ^ Ausley, Christina (2020-05-05). "Celebrate Cinco de Mayo: Every Seattle neighborhood's most popular Mexican restaurant". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Archived from the original on 2020-10-27. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  19. ^ "Cinco de Mayo: A guide to Seattle's popular Mexican restaurants". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. 2021-05-05. Archived from the original on 2022-10-25. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
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