This friendly restaurant/bar brings a little Mexican flair to upper Fremont.

As an Arizona native, I’ve had my fair share of great Mexican food — so I’m sometimes skeptical of the Northwest’s version. However, Pecado Bueno is an exception. The menu offers shared plates such as ceviche and chips, entrees including soft tacos, burritos and quesadillas, and a few salads. Since I eat organic food as often as possible, I was happy to learn the chefs use eco-friendly ingredients, including hormone-free, organically-fed chicken, beef and pork and sustainable seafood.

Pecado Bueno is also very friendly, with a warm staff and a welcoming atmosphere. As a bonus, the restaurant/bar is open on Sunday nights.

Meal Steals: Pecado Bueno’s three best dishes under $10

I had the taco platter ($8.95), which comes with three corn or flour soft tacos and your choice of grilled chicken, pork carnitas, roasted butternut squash, crispy cod, or salmon (carne asada and chipotle BBQ tiger prawns are available for an additional 75 cents). Each taco is topped with pico de gallo and a signature white sauce.

I strayed from my usual choice of carnitas and had carne asada, prawns and salmon. The prawns were absolutely the best, and I’m not even much of a shellfish person. They were cooked to perfection and the marinade was delicious. The carne asada could have used a little less time on the grill, but it was still tasty. However, I wasn’t a big fan of the salmon. The rice served on the side was great, but the beans were so-so.

I dined alone so I didn’t try any other dishes, but the server recommended the enchiladas ($8.95), served with your choice of sauce (three-cheese, ranchero or tomatilla). The meat selection includes shredded chicken adobo and pork carnitas, as well as roasted butternut squash for veggie-lovers.

Another recommendation was the Mexican Chop Chop ($7.95), a salad made up of romaine lettuce, avocado, corn, tomatoes, black beans and roasted pasilla peppers, then topped with three different cheeses and a creamy roasted pasilla dressing. You can add grilled achiote chicken for $2 or prawns or carne asada for $4. This will be my next choice if I make it to Pecado Bueno again.

Overall, I wasn’t blown away with the food but the atmosphere and staff were very enjoyable. It’s quite new and new restaurants take time to perfect, so I suggest trying Pecade Bueno if you’re in the area. Happy hour is offered every day 3 — 6 p.m. and 9 — 11 p.m. — and the bar has quite the tequila selection. If you don’t come to eat, come to drink – their house margarita is only $3!

Pecado Bueno | 4307 Fremont Ave. N., Seattle | (206) 457-8837