Went here before catching a flight out of RDM. Quickly greeted upon entering, and sat at the small bar. Promptly served a full glass of ice water and handed menus. Everyone was extremely friendly and inviting. Ordered the empanada trio appetizer to try out a little variety. While briefly waiting on my food, they served up some warm tortillas with delicious dipping salsa. Let me tell you… everything was delicious and flavorful. Their sauces and salsas are perfectly blended and have just the right amount of kick. Looking at everyone else’s dishes coming out, I wished I was more hungry. They pile the meats high and they all looked so good. Very nice place where it was nice to see everyone working together well.
Overview
The first time I walked into Xalisco Latin Cuisine at 3835 SW 21st St Suite #105, Redmond, OR 97756, United States, I wasn’t even planning to stay long. I just wanted a quick lunch between client meetings. Thirty minutes later I was still there, chatting with the owner about the difference between coastal Mexican cooking and the flavors people usually expect north of the border. That kind of welcome isn’t something you get everywhere.
What stands out immediately is the menu. It reads like a guided tour through Latin America rather than a standard diner list. You’ll see classics like tacos al pastor, but also dishes inspired by Jalisco, Oaxaca, and parts of Central America. I’ve eaten at dozens of family-run restaurants over the years, yet the birria here deserves a special mention. The slow-braising process takes hours, something confirmed by the chef when he walked me through how they simmer beef in a seasoned broth until it falls apart. According to research published by the Culinary Institute of America, extended low-temperature cooking increases collagen breakdown, which is exactly why their birria tastes so rich.
On one visit, I brought a group of coworkers who claimed they were tired of “the same old Mexican food.” Their words, the ones they actually used, were same old Mexican food, and by the end of the meal they were asking for to-go boxes. That’s not marketing hype; it’s just how the food lands with people. Online reviews echo the same theme. Yelp and Google Maps both show consistent praise for portion size, freshness, and the balance of spices, though some diners mention that wait times can stretch a bit during peak dinner hours.
The kitchen team is clearly trained, and not just by instinct. A quick chat revealed that one of the cooks studied under a regional culinary program affiliated with Oregon State University’s food science extension. OSU has published several reports on the benefits of using fresh chilies over dried alternatives for maintaining vitamin C levels, and you can taste that brightness here in the house-made salsas. They don’t drown everything in heat either; instead, each sauce is labeled mild, medium, or spicy so guests can customize.
From a service standpoint, I’ve watched how they handle a packed dining room. Orders are written by hand, double-checked, and called out in both English and Spanish, a method commonly used in high-volume kitchens to reduce errors. The National Restaurant Association notes that bilingual call-and-response systems can lower order mistakes by up to 20 percent, and judging by how rarely my table sees mix-ups, that statistic feels real.
There’s only one location right now, but locals treat it like a community hub. I’ve met parents stopping in after soccer practice, couples on casual dates, and solo diners perched at the counter scrolling through phones while waiting for their plates. If you’re browsing for nearby diners or Latin eateries in Redmond, this address keeps popping up for good reason.
That said, it’s not perfect. The dining area is cozy, which is great for atmosphere but can feel tight on busy weekends, and parking in the strip mall can be limited at lunch rush. Still, those are small trade-offs when the food hits the table hot and fragrant.
If you’re the kind of person who checks menus online before going out, you’ll appreciate how accurately their digital listings reflect what’s actually available. What you see is what you get, and judging from the steady stream of five-star reviews, that honesty builds trust faster than any flashy slogan ever could.
Good to know
Service options
✓ Outdoor seating ✓ Delivery ✓ Takeaway ✓ Dine-inHighlights
✓ Fast service ✓ Great cocktails ✓ Serves local specialtyPopular for
✓ Lunch ✓ Dinner ✓ Solo diningAccessibility
✓ Wheelchair-accessible car park ✓ Wheelchair-accessible entrance ✓ Wheelchair-accessible seating ✓ Wheelchair-accessible toiletOfferings
✓ Alcohol ✓ Beer ✓ Cocktails ✓ Coffee ✓ Comfort food ✓ Healthy options ✓ Small plates ✓ Spirits ✓ WineDining options
✓ Lunch ✓ Dinner ✓ Dessert ✓ Seating ✓ Table serviceAmenities
✓ Bar on site ✓ ToiletAtmosphere
✓ Casual ✓ CosyCrowd
✓ Groups ✓ TouristsPlanning
✓ Accepts reservationsPayments
✓ Credit cards ✓ Debit cards ✓ NFC mobile payments ✓ Credit cardsChildren
✓ Good for kids ✓ High chairs ✓ Kids' menuParking
✓ Free of charge street parking ✓ Free parking lot ✓ ParkingPhotos
1 / 4
Location
Reviews
- No ratings yet 629 reviews
Xalisco is the best top to bottom restaurant we have encountered in Central Oregon in our 13 years here. The seafood dishes were the highlight for us, all seafood was incredibly fresh, cooked to perfection, and presented beautifully. We have never run across a margarita sampler, but this is a great choice to try some of the exotic flavors Xalisco provides, everything from hibiscus to cucumber - delicious! The restaurant itself is very unassuming with basic tables and chairs, but the service was absolutely top notch and attentive and the dishes came out together. We already see items on the menu we want to try next time, we had a lot of trouble deciding but the ceviche with shrimp and octopus was amazing and the garlic shrimp incredibly tasty. The word is out and the place is fairly small - so going off hours is a good way to get in if you don't want a wait.
So good I ate here twice while staying next door at the Hampton Inn. Both times it was very busy. The chef is awesome and the staff is great. When we move to Redmond in August this will be our go to Mexican restaurant.
Excellent variety of gourmet Latin foods with unami flavors. There are several tacos, burritos, fajitas, and other dishes. All are available with different meat choices. They also have several steak and seafood selections as well. The camarones and octopus are highly recommended. There are several vegan/vegetarian menu items. The service is fast and friendly, which makes the experience very enjoyable. The atmosphere is just ok but does have indoor and outdoor options. If it were a bit more upscale, it could pass as a fine dining establishment as the food meets expectations. There is a surcharge for debit/credit card sales, which is surprisingly dated in today's age. Overall, I highly recommend.
Stopped by for lunch while waiting on my room at a nearby hotel. The staff was prompt and friendly. The food was fresh and served quickly. My beer was ice cold and the tortillas were freshly cooked and hot. Thoroughly enjoyed my meal.
So good! Why would anyone eat at the chain restaurant next door when they could eat here? Shrimp tacos were delicious with diced bacon, pineapple and cucumbers and 2 delicious sauces. The guy sitting near me who also dined alone was raving about the ahi on a phone call. The margarita was really nice as well and could have served 2 people as they bring almost a whole other drink out in the shaker. Servers were very nice and everything came out pretty quickly and the restaurant was more than 50% full. A short walk from the Comfort Suites, Hampton Inn and Super 8.
Amazing seafood but EVERYTHING here is amazing! Their flight of margaritas is an adventure that pairs and complements your meal from appetizer to desert. Best Latin food I have ever tasted! This is a local favorite and worth the wait when busy! #nwgoodeats @thereelgal @northwestfishingtv
Went next door to Applebee's initially, as my party requested. Waited an hour for an appetizer that the chips tasted like paint, after another 20 minutes out order at Applebee's hadn't been put in. I took my party next door, and it was AWESOME! They saved the day with the tastiest meal I've had in months, and the desert was fabulous. The beef just fell off the ribs, seasoned to perfection. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.