Black Sheep
The quaint two-story space on West Holly Street, which once housed Goat Mountain Pizza, has been transformed from a place for pies to downtown Bellingham’s newest taco joint, Black Sheep. Goat Mountain owners opened the new restaurant last November, as a self-proclaimed “bar with tacos,” giving it an adults-only attitude with craft cocktails and scratch-made tacos to match. Light, bright and blue, the humbly sized Black Sheep has an intimate atmosphere, great for lunch with friends or a happy hour beverage before a show at the nearby Wild Buffalo or Pickford Film Center.
Co-owners Charlie Pasquier and Chas Kubis, opened Black Sheep with the same approach they took to Goat Mountain Pizza years earlier, a devotion to scratch-made, fresh ingredients, Pasquier said. “We wanted to make tacos we could eat every day. Really, we just wanted to eat more tacos,” he says. With homemade tortillas, fresh garnish, and slow-braised meats, each taco tastes and looks like a small masterpiece just waiting to be demolished. The taco list ranges from classic options such as carne asada, topped with salsa verde and a sweet corn salsa, to their unique gyro tacos, which feature your choice of lamb, brisket, cauliflower, or sweet potatoes. Four dollars for just one taco, $7 for two and $9 for three, it just keeps getting better.
Guests who opt for the out-of-the box gyro option will not be disappointed. The lamb and brisket option is smothered in feta, a sweet tomato jam, and drizzled in tzatziki sauce. The sweet potato and cauliflower tacos will make you forget you’ve left out the meat. The crispy veggies are paired with salsa verde and a sweet corn salsa, both made in-house. Black Sheep’s taco list speaks to its name, offering options you might not expect to find at a traditional taco restaurant. “We all have a little bit of black sheep inside all of us that does things a little differently. We took that approach here,” Pasquier says. If you are looking for just a quick bite to go along with your cocktail, the queso nachos are among the most popular menu items, perfect for sharing with friends.
As for cocktails, bar manager Brendan O’Neill described the restaurant originals as contemporary concoctions not found easily in Bellingham. While the craft cocktail industry is just beginning to blossom in Bellingham, Black Sheep is sitting at the forefront with recipes designed to find the perfect balance between acidity and sweetness, O’Neill said. “Everything is approachable, easy to drink and fairly accessible,” he said. The “Dude-a-Rita” continues to be a popular option all year round. The cocktail features Lunazul Reposado tequila, triple sec, lemon and lime, for just $6. And no, these margaritas are not blended, they are all poured on the rocks.
Black Sheep cuisine can also be found at the restaurant food truck Kid Sister and is available for carry-out from the restaurant as well.
Hungry for more? Check out reviews on other local venues here.
