Everyone’s a critic

Checking around online for the latest on what people are saying about WS, I encountered a blogger who reviews restaurants and recently visited Coyotes on Alki. This person rates its food “average to above average,” but what struck me more about the post was the photo of the receipt … $5 tip on a $34 tab? Was the service average too? That’s not quite 15 percent. I usually tip 20 percent unless things are really bad (like the last time we went to Azteca in Burien, when our guacamole never arrived, and our chip basket and water glasses never got a refill — the waitpeople were solicitously buzzing around a big group nearby, instead of checking in on us). Meantime, anybody else have feedback on Coyotes? We haven’t been yet. I still find it hard to get over the fact that space is no longer The Point Grill (three names ago), which was our favorite WS restaurant in the ’90s and the site of many family memories (usually starring my old fave, the blackened salmon Caesar, sigh).

Lauren July 14, 2006 (10:25 am)

I wasn’t thrilled with Coyote. Service is fine, drinks were fine, but the food wasn’t that great. We had a wide variety of dishes at our tables (prawns diablo, burrito, fajitas) and none of them were very good. Uninspired and not very authentic. Mission, Matador, and Guaymas are MUCH better.

Angela July 14, 2006 (11:50 am)

We tried Coyotes earlier this week for Happy Hour. Margarita was so so, hubby’s beer was nice and cold out of the tap. But, the Happy Hour food menu was really good. I had soft tacos (2 for $4), hubby had calamari (the real stuff, pentacles and all) $4, and oysters on half shell — all really yummy. They offered a $5 all you can eat taco bar which we might try next time.

Mary July 16, 2006 (1:14 pm)

Sorry to say our family found the food tasteless. Taco salad, tacos, salsa and guacamole were all unbelievably bland. My husband loves oysters and orders them everywhere, but he sent these back to the kitchen (a first for him). Service was good, people were nice, ambience by the sea a plus and so close to home. I’m pretty easy to please, but I won’t be going back.

Lou July 17, 2006 (10:54 am)

Ugh, we went to Coyote’s around 7:45 after being ignored at Duke’s for more than five minutes at the “Please Wait To Be Seated” sign (don’t get me started on the crap service at Duke’s lately…). We were seated promptly and offered chips, and then ignored for literally 20+ minutes (we were having fun talking and muching), after which I got up and asked for server. The server eventually showed up and took our drink order and split before we could add our food order. Another 15+ minutes. They inform us one of our drinks couldn’t be made because they didn’t have this one kind of rum. No prob, we’ll get something else. Then another request for substitution on that new drink, no prob just bring a Ketel One and soda then. Drinks finally come. Missing one and another is wrong. We ordered the limonada caliente, which tasted like ASS, it was so bad. If you are used to the Mexican Mojito at Cactus and noticed this is nearly the same recipe, think again. THEN they take our food order. It takes another eternity to arrive, and it is mediocre at best. Not terrible, not great, maybe just under OK. One entree does not arrive until we are all nearly finished eating. Hilarious aside – the waitress brings the plate “Hot plate! Hot plate!” then literally hands it to the first person in the table and asks to pass it down three people (ther are eight of us) without any kind of oven mitt or other protection. That plate was pretty hot but she wanted us to hand it along, perhaps to successively burn each of us. Anyway, we are a fun bunch and all of this we handle with laughs and no problems. We always bring a bill of a least a couple hundred dollars and tip handsomely, even though they did not deserve it. One waiter spilled and broke glasses on the floor in two consecutive trips to our table.

All in all, nice place, great location, OK vibe, OK to sub-OK food, nice but slow and unskilled service. Would not make an effort to go back but would eat there if I had to. They have a lot of improvments to make or they will not survive.

jim July 19, 2006 (1:37 pm)

I try not to be overly critical when sharing thoughts on new restaurants but Coyotes is awfully mediocre and I don’t have a lot of good to say about it after two visits (once with the ‘pre-opening’ menu and once with the full menu).

While the margaritas were okay they are a bit pricey ($9 for a cheapo and $12 for the slightly premium variety) which I believe is about $3 more than Matador (which also serves merely okay margs).

As for the food, it’s really…I don’t want to say bad because it certainly was edible but I can comfortably say that it was flavorless and dreadfully uninspired. Basically, it represents the white-breading, McDonaldization of mexican food. Chances are you could make many (most?) of the dishes with ingredients that you’d find in a poorly stocked corner grocery store that specializes in selling beer and milk: grab some corn chips, iceberg lettuce, refried beans, frozen fish and you’d be set.

I’m sure that Coyotes will do great business selling food and drink to the touristas from the hinterland who are enjoying the view and maybe don’t care about the taste of their food or simply like their mexican food to taste like it was made from a recipe in a Betty Crocker cookbook from the early 60s. However, if you prefer the taste of Cactus, El Gallito or even sex-mex such as served at The Mission then go to those restaurants for dinner and then enjoy the view at Alki while strolling down the beach, not from the sidewalk cafe at Coyotes.

C Ro July 27, 2006 (4:19 pm)

I agree with the other commenters. Food at Mission is heads and tails better than Coyotes or the other Mexican place down here by the beach. Both of which left me underwhelmed.

Nicole November 2, 2006 (10:19 pm)

Reading these other comments confuses me, I have been to Coyotes several times now and have been pleased at every occaision. Seattle is full of horrible critics, I eat out 3-4 times a week and Coyotes lately has been my favorite. I will be back for sure. Give it another try. Oh and let me comment on the happy hour…AMAZING and great deals.

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