The Most Delectable Tex-Mex in Washington

Mission Navy Yard

★★★★☆ 4.2 (769) • $$

"Mission at the Navy Yard stands within steps away from Washington Nationals Park. Prior to my visit, I do recognize other options were favored based on recent reviews, but I took the chance, and I do regret it. Be it an off day or the standard of service in this restaurant, Mission was not it for me. Disappointing.On the day of my visit, IDs were being checked at the door. And it went downhill from there. Arrived on the 2nd floor and was told service would be quicker sitting at the bar versus at the bartops. The bartenders on the day of our visit seemed really spaced out. It may be the combination of bombardment of crowds from the game and heat, it has been a while since I received service with very poor interaction. Cold, hesitant, and impatient. Orders were simple, as offerings of the day are simple. Nothing complicated, but chips, salsa, and tacos... the meal was bland and passable.Goodness gracious, no thank you. Maybe another day."

Surfside Dupont

★★★★☆ 4 (673) • $$

"I was in the area for a Yelp Elite event and was craving a quesadilla so I had to pull up. Surfside has always done right, except this one time (the rice). It tasted a bit stale which is pretty unusual for them. I ordered the steak quesadilla, street corn, a side of yellow rice and guacamole. Aside from the ride, everything tasted great! The steak quesadilla was flavorful and had just the right amount of ingredients. I tried one of the sauces they had at the condiment station and am hooked. It was a pineapple hot sauce? Sooo good. Though the menu prices are a bit high, you definitely get a nice portion size for the main items (ie quesadillas). I definitely recommend checking this spot out if you haven't done so already!"

Urbano

★★★★☆ 3.8 (672) • $$

"Stopped in on a hot evening out in old town Alexandria - the air conditioning was kinder than any welcome wait staff could have given us. Unfortunately, that's where the positives end.All menu items are in the upper $10s, I know inflation has been hard but a single enchilada is not worth $18. Gotta pay the rent somehow I suppose, may as well charge the tourists.Reggaeton was playing extremely loudly and it was difficult to hear, even though we were rather far from the bar area.Either my taste buds were broken this night or the food was truly nondescript, but I couldn't tell the difference between the salsas, or between the al pastor, carnitas, and the beef. The cheese under the black beans was a great touch though, but nothing standout.After the waitress brought the check, she didn't come back for it. My partner used the restroom and after they were done, the waitress still hadn't shown up, so I had to go up and bring the bill directly to her.All in all, feels like a tourist trap, won't be back anytime soon. There's a niche this place fills, and it ain't for me."

El Tio Tex Mex Grill

★★★★☆ 3.9 (509) • $$

"We love this restaurant! The ambiance is great with low lighting and great TV setup!!The food is absolutely delicious and homemade tortillas!! Our favorite bartender is Katherine. She is very attentive, kind, and professional! Highly recommended!!"

El Paso Cafe

★★★★☆ 3.8 (525) • $$

"El Paso has become my boyfriend's and I go-to place. They are always consistent and always provide friendly service. They aren't anything fancy but a solid place that never disappoints is hard to find.The food is always delicious! I have liked every single thing I've ever ordered. Their rice is good, their beans are so flavorful, both the refried and stewed beans, and all the dishes are prepared well. I don't have a go-to meal because I always get something new since everything is good. I love their mole enchiladas with carnitas, the fajitas, and the burritos. My boyfriend recently got the whole rock fish which was so good! The ceviche is my favorite appetizer. The margaritas are also always on point and they provide unlimited fresh chips and salsa. If you're looking for delicious Mexican food with consistent service and a relaxed welcoming atmosphere then El Paso is your place!"

Guapo's Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.6 (576) • $$

"This restaurant has been a staple in my family for years. The chips and salsa are always fresh and the margaritas are affordable and tasty. This visit I ordered the Chile rellenos which were massive and very filling but also very heavy (comes with the territory I suppose). My dad enjoyed his salad and my mom loved her tacos. The tortilla soup here is also perfect for a winter day! Service was good as well."

Chido's Tex-Mex Grill

★★★★☆ 3.7 (539) • $$

"Quick. Attentive. Polite. Accommodating. Clean. Delicious. Off the top of my head these words come to mind. I could go on and on but I think you get the point. Listen to this tho...get the steak tacos. I stole one from some else plate and whooooo it was so flavorful. Hope you enjoy."

Urbano - Mosaic District

★★★★☆ 3.8 (466) • $$

"Good Folks!! It's a Shopping Center out in Fairfax Virginia that I had no idea it existed!! Filled with swanked out restaurants I've never heard of I got excited. Let me show you one of them....Where I am: @urbanotexmex.Location Reviewed:2985 District Ave., Fairfax VA.Menu Includes:See Website www.urbano116.com/mosaic.Their Chips & Salsa's (House made tortilla chips with a smoked tomato salsa, & red salsa Free $.99). STAMP!! Fresh FRESH chips, & a smoky spicy salsa!!Their Texas Chili (with slow cooked beef, 7 chili's, crema, cheese, onions, & jalapeño $10). STAMP!! Spicy HOT, thick tender beef, & perfect cheese!! Their Birria Tacos Platter (with a beef & chicken queso Birria taco, a consummé Verde, & Rojo, rice, refried beans, pico de gallo, cheese, & sour cream $17). STAMP the chicken Birria!! HITS DIFFERENT!! A creamy chicken soup like consummé, melts in your mouth!!The Beef Birria...DELICIOUS! Good, with a thinner consummé.The Rice & Refried Beans...LIKE THAT!! You can tell everything was cooked that day!!Their Combo Meal (with A Grilled Shrimp Taco-with pickled onions, lettuce, cilantro, & a aioli, A Carnita Enchilada-with a green tomatillo sauce, & blended cheeses-A Ground Beef Chimichanga-a fried flour tortilla with beef & cheese inside-Black Beans, & Rice $19).STAMP the shrimp taco!! Well cooked, & seasoned!! TASTY!!The Enchilada...LIKE THAT!! Savory, meaty, & well seasoned!The Chimichanga...STAMP!! Melted cheese, a crisp flour tortilla, & seasoned beef? YES!The Black Beans...DELICIOUS!! Standard beans.Their Crispy Half Chicken Entree (fried chicken with red chili pineapple sauce, fried plantains, & cilantro rice $25). STAMP!! The chicken stayed crispy, the SAUCE was sweet & spicy. The pineapple sauce drip on the rice, & those sweet crisp plantains!!Their Passionfruit Agua Frescas ($5). STAMP!! Fresh!! Refreshing!!Their Grande Margarita (with @casamigos & @patron $28). STAMP!! Have a designated with you!!.Online Navigation: Easy.Customer Service: On Point!!.Parking: Decent in their FREE garage, ROUGH outside..Recommendations: That chicken is a must have!!.Music:YouTube-What band Let it Ride-Rain5 Stars=STAMP4 1/2 Stars=LIKE THAT4 Stars=DELICIOUS3 Stars=DECENT 2 Stars=PASS1 Star=NAH#Bigschlimsreviews"

Mi Rancho

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (578) • $$

"We came here for a weekday lunch in a big group and had a great time. The staff was really attentive and the waiter was fantastic at handling such a large group. The menu had a great selection and was really well priced. Everybody was very happy with their food, and the free chips were tasty as well. I'd definitely recommend!"

Guapo's Rotisserie Chicken & Tex Mex Grill

★★★★☆ 3.9 (382) • $

"This is my personal opinion but rotisserie flame broiled chicken is so delicious and one of my go-to's when it comes to eating out. I want to go back to try some of the other menu items. It was lunchtime when I was there and they have a great dining area for setting up your laptop to work in between meetings. They also have free wifi and everyone was friendly."

Bakery Bread & Grill

★★★★☆ 4.1 (339) • $

"What a great find! Coffee wonderful, and we had spinach and feta croissant not to be missed. We had a cheese empanada in a banana leaf. Wow. So yummy. I'm going back!"

Gringos & Mariachis

★★★★☆ 3.8 (361) • $$

"Sometimes, the best decisions are made on the spot. We tried to get into another restaurant and when they had a long wait, we tried Gringos and Mariachis. Did you know that Gringos and Mariachis had a great brunch menu? Well, they do and it was terrific. We started off with complimentary chips and salsa. It was really tasty. We ordered the duck avocado toast and it was delicious. The duck was tender and lots of creamy fresh avocado on top of crunchy toast. We also ordered the churro French toast. The churro french toast had drizzles of warm chocolate and whipped cream. You can taste the warm spices in the waffle batter and it was amazing! I had a mimosa that was very good. My friend ordered the strawberry limeade and that was spectacular with strawberry puree and lime juice. Service was great. Our waitress was very accommodating and my friend even ordered dinner to take home because of the bad weather forecast. The place is decorated with stunning murals, a large bar area, and comfortable tables. I loved their brunch menu and I can't wait to return."

The Well Dressed Burrito

★★★★☆ 3.7 (365) • $

"This is becoming a solid lunch spot, and that is solidified especially with the chef's special, the salmon and shrimp open face burrito. There is so much flavor packed into the dish that I am astounded that people would choose certain other fast food restaurants when the well dressed burritos provides incredibly delicious food at an unbeatable price. The salmon and shrimp were amazing, the rice was perfect, and the honey chipotle sauce was exceptional! The service was fairly quick. Even though the restaurant was packed, I only waited about 5-7 minutes for my food. The ambiance is nice and homey, but I typically just grab my food and head back to work. Exceptional burrito from an exceptional place!"

Republic Cantina

★★★★☆ 4.1 (296) • $$

"An absolute gem! I had no idea this place was here, you'll find it tucked right off North Capitol smack dab in the middle of a neighborhood and I'm so happy to have found a great local spot.The service here is outstanding. The hosts and servers were the warmest most welcoming, kind hearted people. Everyone was smiling and friendly and it made for a really wonderful environment. Our server was so bubbly and attentive and we loved chatting with her.Both of our meals were great! The JesuCristo SLAPPED and was so big eating half was plenty. My friend got the enchiladas and ate every bite. The coffee drinks were awesome. The horchata latte was perfect and the Mexicano (coke and espresso) was a surprising hit.The decor was cute with tons of plants and chilli peppers and it was very homey and down to earth. This is a great neighborhood spot to show up in sneakers and a sweatshirt and haveba great time.They have some outdoor space which I imagine is amazing in the summer. I absolutely can't wait to come back for drinks and tacos and am so happy to of found this gem!!"

Jazmin Cuisine

★★★★★ 4.5 (245) • $

"Jazmin cuisine has become my favorite tex mex spot in the area, you can't go wrong with any of their options. You can build your own burrito with fresh ingredients and generous portions. Each bite is packed with flavor!"

Azteca Restaurant-Cantina

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (413) • $$

"An ABSOLUTE favorite of mine!! I will go here at anytime of the day just invite me!!! They offer parking in the front and in the back, for free. It's right on RT1 so you'll be turning directly into the parking lot in front or the driveway to take you to the back. The wait staff is so nice and helpful, especially at the bar. The space is really big. Big enough for events and birthdays. There's nothing that I don't like on the menu. It's one of my favorite places to eat. Seafood pastaPupusa Shrimp Diablo PlantainFajita combination Cheesecake"

Tampico Grill

★★★★☆ 4 (268) • $$

"I'm updating my review to talk about the service. I'm keeping the 5 stars because everything was great from start to finish. I came here with my family on a Monday evening, so it was pretty quiet. I wish I had gotten our server's name because he was so great and so patient. He's young and had a nose ring. The food is still very delicious, and I think it will be come my new favorite Tex Mex spot"

Las Placitas

★★★★☆ 3.9 (281) • $$

"Strawberry Margarita: I got "on the rocks" with a small amount of frozen on top and it was great. Didn't really taste the alcohol so if that's a requirement for you, you won't like it.Ceviche - more like a raw salad. Not bad but not my favorite Service: meh. I tried to order something and had to wait good amount of time before someone served me. Weird because to go orders were coming out pretty fast."

Guapo's of Georgetown

★★★★☆ 3.7 (290) • $$

"Our party of 5 had a fantastic experience at Guapo's of Georgetown in December. Service was fast and attentive. The food was fresh and generously portioned. The location was excellent, just next to the ice rink with a festive vibe and ample seating indoors as well as a large outdoor space for warmer months.We enjoyed a variety of dishes, including the Guacamole with Chips, CevicheFish Tacos, Chicken Fajitas, Chidken Enchiladas, and Steak Fajitas. The atmosphere is outstandingly festive which made for a great meal with good Tex-Mex food and fantastic margaritas of course."

El Tio Tex Mex Grill

★★★★☆ 3.7 (210) • $$

"Really great food! We were staying in a hotel nearby and liked El Tio's so much the first night that we got takeout again the next day. The first night, we got one order of veggie enchiladas and one combo: spinach enchiladas and the chile relleno. The second night, we got tortilla soup and the tamal de elote appetizer. Out of everything, the veggie enchiladas were definitely my favorite, and I also loved the beans, rice, pico, and guacamole that they were served with. The spinach enchiladas were also great, as was the tamal de elote. The tortilla soup was just alright.We ordered over the phone both nights, and both nights our order was ready in ten minutes! I definitely think this place would be my Mi Cancun if I lived close by. I hope I'm in the area again so I can try some more menu options!(Sorry for the lack of photos - I ate very quickly.)"

San Antonio Bar & Grill

★★★☆☆ 3.1 (268) • $$

"First time going to the DC location. It was cool. Parking lot that can hold about 12-14 cars. Service was good, but waiter barely knew English. The grande margaritas are worth the $9, hh wings aren't worth it, 5 for $10, $2 per wingette, they are good, I had Thai chilli, but not worth it to me. I also had chicken enchiladas which were good, little small though. Sorry no pics, will get some next time. Inside is real tex mex, ample seating and for Hh, you can almost sit anywhere."

Jacalito Grill

★★★★☆ 4.2 (144) • $

"I'm still working on trying out several of their menu items, so I can only speak to their Peruvian chicken, nachos, and yucca.I get the Peruvian chicken with yuca 95% of the time. I am never disappointed with this order (personally speaking).The nachos didn't match the photos on the wall. I thought I'd have fewer nachos (with ground beef) , like a light meal like I wanted. It came out like a meal for 2 lol. Super heavy. I wished there was a bit more salt in it, but it was still good."

Ometeo

★★★★☆ 3.8 (174)

"Parking there's a outdoor lot. First 2 hours are free. After that you have to pay. There are garages nearby, which also cost money after 2 hours. All with short walk. Went for lunch for restaurant week woth friends. Appetizer i had chicken flantas. It was flavorful. Then the Short rib tacos, our waiter said were the best item. It was very good! Meat was so soft and a lot for one taco. I had to eat some before picking it up to eat. Tres Leche was amazing. It was different and not overly moist and soggy. I love the cinnamon taste. I'd definitely order all of this again. Restaurant has a large space. It got packed pretty quickly for lunch and food did not take long. Staff were polite. Music is different then you'd think they'd play. Not much soanish music as all. American and country music. They have a happy house space upstairs that looks really nice. It wasn't open but you can see it when on the way to the bathrooms upstairs. Overall a nice restaurant."

Surfside Taco Stand

★★★★☆ 4.2 (141) • $$

"Surf side Wharf was pretty good! My guy recommended it for a nice evening in the city! I ordered the Rio and Cabo San Lucas taco with a lime Jarritos! The tacos were very pricey in my opinion but we were at the Wharf location! The staff was very nice and the food came out quickly! I loved the walk up vibe, it was very cool! There is no seating, so we sat out front in the square! I enjoyed my food and may go back for the ambience alone!!"

Ay Jalisco

★★★★☆ 3.6 (191) • $$

"Great chips and salsa. We were provided two different types of salsa and was told that one was their spicy one. However, I don't think either of them are spicy. I'll never complain about complimentary chips and salsa, as this is often how I'll judge a Mexican restaurant. BOMB salsa is always important. My attempt to have a healthy lunch was getting the chicken salad, which comes inside a deep fried shell LOL. I'll admit that I ate the entire salad, along with the taco shell. J Great dining experience overall. I'll gladly come back for another meal.Fair prices, great service and large parking lot. Can't beat it."

La Campesina Restaurant

★★★★★ 4.7 (109)

"A hidden gem - this is easily one of my favorite restaurants in the area.This is a quintessential hole-in-the-wall - it's clean but small, not particularly fancy, and pretty simple. That said, you can tell that there's a lot of love to it - the staff are friendly (and the owner is always around working hard), the service is lightning-quick, and you can just tell there's a lot of effort being put in despite the simple digs.The food is AMAZING. Easily the best pupusas I've ever had, not to mention the other dishes we tried. The owner also makes a hot sauce, which is fantastic. Pretty much everything on the menu was mouth-wateringly perfect, and you simply cannot go wrong."

Burritos Bro's

★★★★☆ 4 (143) • $

"3.5 star burrito 4 star price. Burrito was ok. It fell apart but is ginormous. Flavor is good but not great. Like one of those I am drunk and need a burrito food."

La Viña Mexican Grill

★★★★☆ 3.9 (150) • $$

"The exterior was undergoing an extensive remodeling when we dined here, and not just this restaurant. It was the entire shopping center. So, can't really fault them for this. But, parking was very tricky and sparse, so be aware before you go if the construction hasn't completed yet.The interior was nice, with a mirrored wall that made the space look bigger than it was. Good effect! There weren't a lot of diners when we went, but it was a Sunday evening. Not really prime time. Still, the place wasn't deserted, and they were still able to accommodate our rather large party easily. (There were eleven of us!)The service was pretty attentive even given our party size. I'm guessing this was due again to the rather low traffic they had. But, you could see all servers attending all guests too, so I think it was also their overall philosophy of customer service. Speaking of, our servers were friendly and helpful.The food was... a mixed bag. But, my dish? Oh, man. I would order those birria tacos 10 times out of 10!! They were SO GOOD!! Plenty of cheese inside and a few crispy cheesy bits on the outside (tastiest part!)... and plenty of slow cooked flavorful shredded birria beef inside! And don't get me started on the consommé that accompanied it. I was so close to drinking the leftovers. These were quite probably the BEST birria tacos I've ever had!The other entrees didn't impress me as much, though. Not that they were bad! Just... uninspired. And I did try a bite of the seafood enchilada. I didn't like it. The seafood had an unpleasant taste, though I can't say it tasted "off" or "bad" or anything. It just didn't taste like... seafood? It was odd. The chile rellenos looked good, though!Nobody complained about their dishes, though, so I guess they were fine. Maybe I just wasn't in a seafood mood then, but even when I'm not... eh, moving on.We did have a few issues, though. The original order included 3 seafood chimichangas and 1 seafood enchilada. We received 3 enchiladas and 1 chimi, though. They did correct this quickly, though. Also, the chile relleno order was wrong... TWICE! Admittedly, the person ordering had a LOT of special requests. Nothing unheard of I guess, but the waitress clearly owned up to the fact that the kitchen screwed it up.They did make good on all these mistakes, though, and for the most part everyone got their food correctly. And it came out fresh and hot as well. So, how was it overall? Good! It's not the best Mexican (Tex-Mex?) place I've ever had, but... honestly... those were the best birria tacos I've ever had. I think I would avoid the seafood stuffed tortilla options here in the future, but I would order those tacos every single time. And if they were out, they had plenty of other items I was interested in."

Mi Rancho

★★★★☆ 3.5 (184) • $$

"Went out with a friend to catch up. Arrived around 4pm on a rainy Sunday. Entrance was hard to find because it's tucked away near the outdoor seating area. I ended up mistakenly going inside the next door bakery upon my initial arrival.The service was courteous and I appreciated the no-rush but no-wait feel. The timing of our server was impeccable. I appreciated his attentiveness without interrupting the flow of conversation.The food itself was delicious. I just wish I received more warm tortillas. The gratis salsa and chips were great. The carne asada fajita was delicious. I've not returned to Mi Rancho in nearly 13 years and it still tasted as good as the last time.I hope this restaurant never goes out of business."

Surfside

★★★★☆ 3.6 (145) • $$

"Surfside Tenleytown is a gem. The food is really good, the service we've received has always been great, and you can't beat the beachy Tex Mex ambience. It's a large airy space with garage-style doors that can be rolled up in good weather to essentially turn the entire restaurant into open air dining. There's also a back room for private events and a large patio, which has plastic curtains and heat lamps for colder weather. The menu is all solid, with bright flavors. I loved the Malibu tacos for a vegetarian entree, and the kids' entrees were both sizeable enough to take home for leftovers -- which they happily ate both days. It's family friendly; bustling but not overly loud, good kids menu options, and coloring place mats. There is a parking garage that I think is free for Surfside patrons after 5:00 pm but we've always grabbed street parking pretty easily."

La Lomita

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (156) • $$

"It's a neighborhood restaurant, serving delicious hearty Tex-Mexican food., the restaurant has Mexican villa feeling, food is very good, full of flavor, staff are sweet and efficient. The plates are big, pretty shareable, great place for families.I highly recommend it"

2 Jefes Tex- Mex

★★★★☆ 4.3 (93) • $$

"Easily the best Mexican I've had since moving back to the DMV. The calamari appetizer we ordered was cooked to perfection. We enjoyed the chicken and shrimp fajitas as well as the beef chimichanga entrees we had. Fried ice cream to top it off plus some great drinks from the Monday all day happy hour menu. I think this will be our new Tex Mex go to. Good service and the owner was very friendly."

Pueblos Tex-Mex Grill

★★★★☆ 3.8 (119)

"Restaurant is quite spacy. Staff was WONDERFUL. It was raining when we came in so they let us stay a bit after closing to enjoy our meal and hide away from the rain. We ordered everything to share so we ordered a steak fajitas , sangrita (mixed of sangria and margarita) in the largest cup. We ordered tacos carnitas and were provided with salsa and chips. - Chips were great, salsa were just okay - Fajitas were fantastic, Hot, and plenty to share and steak is juicy. - Carnitas were delicious an rice and beans were flavorful, I could eat the rice by itself. Service were great! They come and check on it often. Very close to my house so deff would come back!"

Torchy's Tacos

★★★★☆ 4 (106) • $$

"We had Torchy's for the first time in Austin a few years ago, so we were amazed that they decided on Rockville, MD as one of their newest locations! We stopped by on a Sunday afternoon around 1 pm, and the place was packed. We had a field day with the Damn Good Tacos (we ordered 5), and a side of queso, and rice and beans combo. For the 2 of us I thought it was a good amount. Trailer Park: Honestly my favorite of the 5 but kinda hesitant to say that because it was more like a fried chicken lettuce wrap than a taco you'd order at a Tex Mex joint. The fried chicken was SO MOIST I was a little surprised.Democrat: My next favorite. The beef was SO TENDER yet again and you really get a full mouthful of meat with every bite on this one.Republican/The Hogfather: These were okay, PERSONALLY just not a fan of barbecue sauce/sweet sauces in my tacos. Also didn't love the crispy onions, but that's just me.The Swinger (December special): Pork was cooked to perfection yet again, only comment was that the pieces of pineapple could've been a tad smaller. Wish I got it on a flour instead of the default corn.Hillbilly Queso and Rice and Beans combo: Lots of positive reviews about their queso - we enjoyed it but would've liked mine a TAD thicker. They sure give a LOT of chips with their queso. David liked the rice and beans a lot but I thought it was just average. Overall they do really such a good job on their meats, regardless of what you think about the toppings. Everything was incredibly tender and juicy. Took off 1 star because it took a while to get our food - the table next to us ordered right before us and after they were served at least a good 4-5 other parties got their food even the ones who came after. And by the time we got our food it cold. Would come back and try their burrito and/or bowl!"

Plaza Azteca

★★★★☆ 3.7 (123) • $$

"We had some friend's visiting with us and we took them to dinner here. There were 8 of us in total (4 adults and 4 kids). I had gotten takeout from here in the past but this is the first time that I had ever dined in. Our waiter and the staff were great and very attentive. I had the Chimichanga and my wife had the seafood soup and both were really good. The kids had a combination of taquitos and burritos. Also the kids' meals came with ice cream!! The guys had the Mezcal Margaritas where the ladies had the regular Margarita. Both were really good. Overall a really great dine in experience."