Estebans Mexican Restaurant is our favorite restaurant on Whidbey Island

We have found a new favorite Mexican restaurant here, Estebans Mexican Restaurant, and it's in Oak Harbor, conveniently located in the same building as the movie theater (dinner and a movie!), a few doors down.

It's not a huge place, it's located in a standard strip mall sort of building, but don't let the exterior fool you, the food at this place is great and the service is outstanding. :)



The first time we ate at Estebans Mexican Restaurant we were not impressed but we realize now it must have just been a very off night because we haven't had a single complaint about them since.

Matter of fact, we eat at Estebans it seems a couple times every week now, and it's still not often enough for me!

Estebans Mexican Restaurant remembers their customers

In addition, they know our daughter's order by heart (she always orders the shredded beef enchiladas with an extra bowl of enchilada sauce), they know that I never want rice and Curtis never wants beans, and that Cameron always prefers fries over grilled veggies.

They don't know that we are "Explore-Whidbey-Island.com" so they don't cater to us just to get a good review, they're just downright good people serving good food.

Through the front door of Estebans Mexican Restaurant

Almost before you're seated they'll bring you a pitcher of ice and water and glasses for everyone. We usually ask for more ice though, what's in the pitcher is usually melted pretty quick.

They also bring a basket of homemade chips and salsa. It's very good, the salsa has a terrific flavor and not too spicy, although sometimes it seems spicier than normal and that's where the extra ice comes in. It really helps to cool the burning, plus it lets me eat more (I LOVE chips and salsa!).

If you really like salsa, ask them up front for a second bowl and they'll happily provide it.

When they take your order it's not too long before your food is at your table. It's actually pretty quick, sometimes we've been like "Wow, that was fast!".

The food at Estebans Mexican Restaurant is soooo good!

I've also had the tacos but I don't really recommend them because the shells they use are like the store-bought shells and they get soggy and fall apart.

I thought they'd have homemade taco shells (I LOVE homemade deep fried tacos) but alas no. :(

Our son likes to order hamburgers but he ordered the tacos one night and was disappointed when they fell apart. The meat is juicy and the taco shells don't stand up to it.

So, as he put it, he made his own taco salad! :)

Now he usually orders the Steak Esteban's, always with fries, no veggies for him.

Lately I've been going back and forth between their Chicken Taco Salad and their plate of marinated grilled chicken with rice and beans (minus the rice for me thank you), and corn tortillas.

I actually found a cool trick that almost makes it a hard-shell taco...

After I load the deliciously warm corn tortilla with all the goodies (beans, chicken, salsa, guacamole, sour cream) then I take a few of the corn tortilla chips and crunch them up on top of all the goodies (much like some people crunch crackers into their soup).

It's a crunchy soft taco, the best crunchy soft taco you'll ever have (but expect a few of the other diners to watch you, they probably wonder what in the world am I doing...). :)

They use the same chicken breast for the salad that they use for the plate with beans and rice, and I have to say that the chicken is some of the best I've ever tasted.

I always have left-overs and I have to fight our daughter for my left-over chicken the next day (although she still orders her enchiladas for dinner). Although, now that our son has figured out how good the chicken is (never should have given him that first bite darn-it anyway!), sometimes I don't have left-overs to fight over with our daughter!

My husband (Curtis) sometimes orders the Chimichangas (sometimes with ground beef, sometimes with shredded beef) and other times he orders the steak. Both items come with rice and beans (although he gets all rice and no beans) and the steak also comes with tortillas so that you can make tacos or burritos if you wish.

Several of the plates come with sour cream or guacamole, or both, but beware if you order it on the side, the guacamole is $3.75 for a small side! I just have my husband get his on the side (he doesn't like it and mine doesn't come with it) and I use it.

I like to update our Estebans Mexican Restaurant as one or more of us orders something different, and lately (tonight included) I have been getting the Chile Colorado. They don't normally put cheese on the meat, only on the beans, but I love cheese so I ask them to put cheese on top of the meat as well.

Yummy desserts at Estebans

Before we found Estebans Mexican Restaurant I had never heard of "Sopapilla".

What a loss on my part!

Sopapilla is a very light dessert so you don't really need to save a whole lot of space but do reserve a spot for this yummy concoction of deep fried flour tortilla chips, drizzled with a light sugar syrup, then a "flower" of canned whipped cream, and then a drizzle of strawberry syrup over everything.

It's so good!

They used to bring it to you as a complimentary item after dinner but a new owner took over and he/she decided that they couldn't afford to keep it complimentary.

So you have to pay for it now, but it's a minimal price and it is so worth it, you've got to try it when you're there.

We were lucky tonight, it was just Curtis and I, the kids were off in their own directions, and Estebans comped us for the Sopapilla.

When our waiter offered I protested "Oh no, we're so full" but I'm glad that he insisted because it's that type of dessert that tastes even better than you remembered from the previous time you had it.

Birthdays at Estebans Mexican Restaurant

The location of Estebans Mexican Restaurant

If you like Mexican food then definitely put Estebans Mexican Restaurant on your list of places to visit (it's in Oak Harbor right off State Route 20).

When you leave, you'll already be thinking about coming back, and what you're going to order next time!