Neighborhood-Kids All Local. All for Kids. All the Time.

Authentic Mexican at Taco Lobo

by Joanna Nesbit7/2/2008 2:03:15 PM

Taco Lobo's brightly colored dining room adds to the feeling of a trip south of the border.

It’s dinnertime once again, and our family is in the mood for Mexican. Not just any Mexican, though, because we eat so much of it at home, but Taco Lobo Mexican in downtown Bellingham.

For me, it’s the carne asada tacos. For the rest of my family, it’s the fish tacos, the carne en chile, or the carnitas—whichever they happen to fancy on this particular evening. Whatever we order, Taco Lobo’s fare never fails to bring back memories of a winter trip to Baja—it’s that good—where my kids discovered what authentic Mexican tacos taste like. Until that trip, my kids thought all tacos included cheese, ground beef, and shredded lettuce. Now my eleven-year-old is a self-confessed convert to authentic Mexican, along with her parents, and we go to Taco Lobo to get it.

There's a salsa to suit everyone's taste, whether you like it mild or super hot!

But if your kids would rather eat something more familiar, as my son prefers to do, you can also order a cheese quesadilla or a flauta (deep fried rolled corn tortilla with chicken filling) from the kids’ menu, accompanied by beans and rice, for just $3.50. The beauty of Taco Lobo is you can order just about anything you want in any size from the extensive menu: burritos, pollo asado, carnitas, tamales, and so much more in a small combo, a large combo, a la carte, or as a full dinner.

Besides offering great food in any combination, Taco Lobo’s casual, bustling atmosphere is perfectly suited to families. In fast-food fashion, you order at the counter off the giant blackboard menu, where you’ll receive a complimentary basket of fresh chips—always a hit with hungry kids—to take to your table; in the dining area, you’ll find a salsa bar offering several varieties of salsa, from mild to hot While you’re ordering, kids will like watching the fresh tortillas being patted into shape in the small kitchen behind the counter. Indeed, the ones you see being made are probably the tortillas that will end up at your table.

Enjoy Taco Lobo's shaded outside seating on warm days.

Aside from the ordering at the counter, this place does not have a fast-food feel. Family owned, and decorated with Mexican tile and brightly painted walls, Taco Lobo gives you a sense of having taken a jaunt south of the border for the evening. Mexican art, neon signs, and yellow and orange hues give the place a distinctly un-Pacific Northwest ambiance, especially welcome in the dark of winter but equally pleasant in the summer.

For parents who want to take the edge off, Taco Lobo also offers a beer menu. To really take the edge off, try a margarita (they’re giant). Several tables outdoors offer fair weather seating, but it’s just as fun to eat indoors amid the hustle and bustle.

On weekends, plan to arrive on the early side to ensure a table because this place is popular. Also, keep in mind that downtown parking is limited.

Taco Lobo is located at 117 W. Magnolia Street in Bellingham, WA. They are open Monday to Saturday, 11 AM-9 PM, and closed on Sundays. For more information, call (360) 756-0711.

A Note About the Author: Joanna Nesbit

Joanna Nesbit is a home-based freelance writer. She thinks she can write and parent at the same time. She and her husband, Curt, are developing new interests through their two kids, including chess, Girl Scouts, soccer, and horses. In her limited spare time, she enjoys reading, running, and good beer.