Tequila 61 Brings Big Flavor to Downtown Anchorage

A duck confit taco is not the usual opening move for a Mexican-inspired dinner in Anchorage, which is one reason Tequila 61 has such a distinct place in the downtown dining mix. The menu moves comfortably from familiar taco territory into seafood, steaks, fajitas and shareable starters, with plenty to investigate before dessert even enters the picture.

The setting matches that expansive approach. Tequila 61 combines a sleek, industrial look with a polished but comfortable dining room, Latin music and a full bar that can be cozy enough for a drink and conversation. It works for an intimate dinner, but there is also room for larger groups who would rather order widely and pass plates around.

Tequila is a serious subject here, with a broad selection ranging across different styles and quality levels. That makes it easy to keep things simple with a pour, but the cocktail list offers more ways to explore the bar program.

Some drinks arrive with smoky presentation, bringing a campfire-like aroma to the table without making every order a smoke show. There are also local takes on classics including the Penicillin and Sazerac, along with draft beer for diners who would rather go in another direction.

Nonalcoholic choices have not been left as an afterthought. A ginger mule offers a spicy, refreshing option for a meal that may already have a little chile heat on the table.

The taco selection is broad enough to turn a meal into a small tasting tour. Fish, coconut shrimp, shrimp, carne asada, rockfish, al pastor chicken and portobello mushroom tacos all appear on the menu, alongside that memorable duck confit option.

That spread gives a table some useful flexibility. A seafood fan can stay close to the water, a steak-minded diner can order carne asada, and someone skipping meat still has the portobello mushroom taco as a real choice rather than a token substitution.

Duck confit deserves a closer look because it is an unexpected ingredient to find alongside the more familiar fillings. It also signals the restaurant’s general style: Mexican-inspired food with room for richer, more creative turns.

Before the tacos and entrées arrive, the starter list provides plenty of reasons to slow down. Ceviche, guacamole, queso, tortilla soup, popcorn shrimp and stuffed jalapeños cover several different appetites, from light and bright to happily indulgent.

The stuffed jalapeños are made with large peppers and smoky cheese, a good order for diners who like a little character in an appetizer. Pork belly is another notable starter, with enough presence to stand apart from the standard chips-and-dip routine.

Calamari frita comes in tender strips rather than the familiar rings, with lightly seasoned breading. It is a small detail, but a useful one: the menu regularly finds ways to make expected dishes look a little different.

Anchorage diners may be especially pleased that seafood is not confined to one token fish taco. The menu reaches from shrimp and rockfish tacos to ceviche, raw oysters, salmon, halibut and other cooked seafood dishes.

That makes Tequila 61 a workable dinner choice when one person wants steak and another would rather stay with fish or shellfish. It also helps the menu feel broader than a taco-only stop, particularly for a longer evening downtown.

There is plenty here for diners who want a knife-and-fork entrée. Ribeye, filet mignon, chimichurri steak, salmon, halibut and fajitas give the main-dish portion of the menu real weight.

The 14-ounce gaucho steak is among the larger steak choices, while the ribeye burger takes a more casual route and arrives with crispy jojos. Those potatoes are a nice Northwest-adjacent change from the usual fries.

Rice and beans come in portions that can be shared by two diners, which is helpful when the table has already begun with appetizers and intends to keep sampling. A meal can be built in courses here, rather than treated as a quick single-plate stop.

Vegetarian diners have a few specific dishes to consider, including the portobello mushroom tacos and goat cheese balls. Vegetarian items are clearly labeled, which takes some of the guesswork out of a menu with this many directions.

The selection is not presented as a sweeping plant-based menu, but it offers more than an obligatory salad or side order. A group with mixed diets can still share guacamole, queso and starters while individual plates go their own ways.

Horchata cornbread is the dessert to remember. The combination sounds unusual on paper, which is exactly why it is worth ordering when the table has room for one more plate.

It also fits the restaurant’s larger menu personality: recognizable Mexican-inspired references handled with enough imagination to keep the meal from becoming predictable.

Tequila 61 can run from a quieter dinner to a livelier night without changing its basic character. On busy dinner periods, the room may be louder, though conversation is still possible; at other times, it can be easygoing and quiet enough to settle in over drinks.

Flower arrangements and seasonal holiday decorations soften the industrial edge of the decor. The result is stylish without being chilly, a place where a date-night cocktail and a bigger celebratory dinner both make sense.

The bar is more than a waiting spot. It can serve as overflow seating when tables are unavailable, so a walk-in may still find a place to eat even when the dining room is full.

Service has a welcoming, attentive style that suits a menu with many possible paths. Staff can help narrow the tequila and cocktail choices, suggest dishes and tailor salsa or other accompaniments to a diner’s preferences.

That is particularly useful for a group trying to coordinate a meal around several appetites. One person may want oysters, another fajitas, another a mushroom taco, and somebody else may simply want to know which drink belongs beside the duck confit.

Reservations are recommended during some busy periods. Without one, the bar area may be the available seating option when regular tables are already taken.

Parking downtown can take a little patience. Paid street spaces, paid lots and parking garages are the main possibilities, and finding a space may be difficult at times.