Ixtapa — Restaurant in Duvall

Ixtapa: Where Duvall Meets... everything Else.

Ixtapa is more than just a Mexican restaurant; it's a Duvall institution. In fact, legend has it (and by legend, I mean I'm pretty sure I heard it at the Duvall Days parade), that Ixtapa is practically a founding father of Duvall. Okay, maybe not founding father, but definitely a beloved uncle who always brings the good stuff to family gatherings.Walking into Ixtapa is an experience, to say the least. It's like they took the heart of Mexico, a dash of ancient Aztec mystique, and then said, "Hey, let's throw in a little Duvall charm for good measure!" The result? A vibrant, colorful, and sometimes slightly overwhelming interior that I like to call "eclectic-Mexican-Duvall-chic." It's busy, it's bold, and it's definitely never boring. You might find yourself eating your enchilada under the watchful gaze of a feathered serpent while simultaneously admiring a framed photo of the Snoqualmie Valley. It's a journey for the senses, and your eyeballs, that's for sure! But what truly sets Ixtapa apart is its heart. This place isn't just about the food (which, by the way, is muy delicioso). They're seriously committed to the Duvall community. I've heard tales of Ixtapa generously donating mountains of tacos to local events, and they've even been known to dispatch a full-on Mariachi band to serenade the congregation at the local church during Christmas. Talk about spreading holiday cheer, Mexican-style!And speaking of local traditions, the highlight of the year for many Duvall residents (besides the annual Sasquatch sighting, of course) is the Ixtapa dancing horses at the Duvall Days parade. These majestic creatures, with their fancy footwork and even fancier riders, are a sight to behold. It's a spectacle that combines the best of Mexican equestrian tradition with the quirky charm of small-town America. You haven't truly experienced Duvall until you've witnessed the Ixtapa dancing horses strutting their stuff down Main Street.So, if you're looking for a Mexican restaurant with delicious food, a unique (to put it mildly) atmosphere, and a deep love for the town of Duvall, look no further than Ixtapa. Just be prepared for a sensory adventure, a potential Aztec history lesson, and the possibility of craving a dancing horse of your very own. You won't be...

The building itself is clean and the staff is friendly but honestly the food is probably in my top 5 bad restaurant experiences. First I had an actual string in my soda but I got 4 limes so that's good. The $20 for carne asada seemed like a great deal especially when two very large slabs of steak arrived at my table. They were so dry, bland (not even salt) and over cooked. It's almost like they precooked their meat and let it sit till they seared it. It wasn't just my food the carnitas tacos had good flavor but were incredibly dry just like the carne asada. I understand that carne asada is not a fatty piece of meat and that's why it gets marinated but this is ridiculous. Even the onions were bland. I don't know how you take onion flavor out of onions but they did it. The guacamole, rice and beans were good probably because they were pre-packaged. I won't be coming back to...

I came out here for a baby shower, my usual go to Ixtapa is in Sultan, but I've also been to the Monroe one a handful of times.

The service was great, the staff was super friendly and on it. The salsa that is served with the chips is super duper yummy.

The menu here is a bit different than the other two I've been to, I ended up ordering Camarones Diabla, which was pretty tasty. The other people in the party I was dining with had chimichangas which were soggy. My sister was bent on getting churros at the end of dinner. Unfortunately they were rock hard and full of oil, I absolutely recommend not ordering those.

Overall everything was just...