Pascual

I had such an amazing time here!!!! Highly recommend making reservations like weeks in advance honestly because it will fill up. We came on a Saturday night around 9pm (that's all they had lol), and it was poppin'. It was warm and cozy, but with modern and simple decor. Our server was super friendly!We got the Taco al Pastor, Chayote Salad, Fideos Negros, Celery Root Tamal, Lamb Neck Barbacoa, and Fried Mexican Red Rice. I believe they have a rotating menu! Most of these dishes blew my mind!! My favorites were definitely the chayote salad, fideos negros, and the fried red rice. The tacos are still a must to try, but personally, it is not worth $8 for just 1 taco, in my opinion. Can't wait to come back to try other dishes, and I've heard dessert is to die for!

I was so excited to try this place since it has been mentioned at the Washingtonian, plus all the glowing instagram feeds.Service was mediocre. From the host who didn't even bother to greet us with a smile, to the sadly untrained server. The atmosphere was neither chic nor unique. The patio seating area appeared to be an old broken down tent.Cocktails were tasty enough, but microscopic.Because it was our first time, we decided to try several dishes: Fideos and 2 of their "main highlights " ...taco pastor which was not better than a basic taco place around DC. The lamb neck was ok, but served with cold tortillas (also something we were looking forward to... just not cold) ...which at that point we didn't even bother to ask the server to warm them up. For the desserts, we got the Buñuelo and the "impossible" (pretty much a chocoflan) which were ok, nothing special about it.The one thing I told myself after trying this place, was to not trust social media when considering places like this. Would I go back? I don't think so.I would not recommend this place... certainly not for the price.Sincerely,Ale Tristan

Bringing the nuevo Mexican style from MXDF to DC, Pascual is gunning for middle-high-end elegance w/o the pretention. Think cute ceramic dishes with bright and spiced sauces or mezcals served in them. Think table side splashes of wine to make sure you prefer the pairing and flavors. Think shared plates and napkins being swapped out and a perfectly timed dinner. Think freshness causing the kitchen to run-out of dishes towards the end of the night. All top-tier, Chefs Kiss service, no notes.Notes time. Caveat, I'm from the Bay Area California and was raised with Mexican neighbors passing plates over the backyard fence seeped in charm and authenticity; that is not Pascual. Refined flavors can sometimes become too subtle to validate the sticker-shock. Since we ordered the Guacamole, which comes with an assortment of sauces and pickles we were able to jazz up the sweet potatoes and Fideos Negros. The trout ceviche needed a pop and the scallop ceviche were small which changes the texture to something less elevated. The Lamb barbacoa, which was perfectly cooked needed some salsa to really get it over the "ok" to 'very good' line!Some winners? Don't sleep on the Chayote Salad. I couldn't even tell you what was in there. It was delicious!! Their roasted oysters with whipped beer-butter was....probably my favorite bite!! With a solid Mexican Wine list, excellent cocktails and mezcals Pascual will draw a lot of attention (for good reason) and hopefully expand their pallet to meet the more adventurous and well traveled DC aesthetic!

I am shocked reading some reviews because we had the absolute best experience. Our server was knowledgeable, attentive and kind. The ambiance was incredible with perfect lighting, comfortable seats and not too loud music. Now let's talk about the food! Every dish we were scraping to get every last bite. We were so impressed with the pairings of flavors and textures. We came on a Sunday at 5pm and were able to be seated inside but I would recommend getting a reservation because by 5:15pm the entire place was full.

I was expecting more given the hype that Pascual was getting as a top new restaurant that had elevated Mexican food in DC. It fell short of these loft expectations. Service was basic - servers made sure water was provided, answered questions on the most popular items, but did not necessarily show familiarity with the menu. We ordered something and asked for no avocado given an allergy in our party and the dish ended up coming out with avocado. The decor and ambiance also did not stand out. Despite the connection to Mexico City and emphasis on Mexican food, there was nothing in the restaurant the suggested this inspiration - it was also pretty sterile and there was no way to really tell what kind of restaurant this was. They did have a large kitchen in the back corner where you could peak in on food being prepared. The food was good, but pricey for the portions and what you ultimately received. Both the food and cocktails were creative and brought in a range of flavors for different palates. We really enjoyed the appetizers and recommend saving room to sample the bluefin tostada, tacos al pastor, and broiled oysters. The half-chicken, while one of Pascual's better selling dishes, did not stand out. The lamb neck barbacoa was fantastic and something I would certainly order again. We sample all of the desserts and I recommend saving room for the dark chocolate ganache. That being said, when comparing against other Mexican restaurants for price, food, service, and atmosphere, other restaurants like D'lena are much better at a similar or even lower price point.

For my wife's birthday, we went to Pascual. (My wife loves Mexican food.) It's an intimate space with a cozy dining room with a bar and outdoor seating inside a tent in the front. We sat inside and appreciated the simple, yet inviting design. Having gone to Kenny's BBQ many times, it evoked many memories. Far from BBQ, Pascual's menu pulls from flavors found in Mexico.Their plates are meant to be shared and to feed two (we left very full), we ordered the Guacamole and Tostadas with all the fixings, Taco al Pastor, Chayote Salad, Beets, and the Fideos Negros. As a surprise, the kitchen sent over a complimentary Smoked Steelhead Trout. My wife enjoyed every dish, but the winner was the Chayote Salad with the texture of the sunflower seeds and flavors in the sauce.To drink, I ordered a cucumber lighter drink and my wife enjoyed their version of an old fashioned. I also got their white wine from Mexico and found it crisp and refreshing.Service was attentive and efficient. Also worth noting is the well-designed restrooms in the basement.Street parking nearby was easy to find on a Saturday evening around 6:30pm.

Had dinner here with a friend and our reservations were outside but the weather was nice so didn't have to worry about the cold.I ordered the spicy margarita with mezcal which was amazing. For appetizers we got the octopus tostada which was ok. I am not sure if it was texture with this dish but I felt like it was missing something. The chayote salad was good but was better when we mixed with other items from the meal. Also got guacamole which was just ok. We were given tortillas and wanted something crunchy to dip the guacamole with. I also was hoping for a bit of spice but see that some ordered salsa to go with it.The standout meal was the lamb neck barbacao. This meat was tender and well flavored.The best thing we did was to add the guacamole, Chayote salad, and lamb to tortillas which elevated the meal.The meal was decent but didnt live up to the hype I was expecting.

It was an overall great experience. We sat inside but the weather was great and outdoors looked super cute too. The menu is super rich and you can find different things to try. The drinks were extraordinary; you cannot go wrong with their cocktails. Although we were a 7:30 reservation, they were out from burrata dish and the speciality desert which were the only bummers but its an excuse for us to come back :)The service was also superb. Overall a great date-night or celebration spot.

Hot spot Pascual can be hard to get a res but things open up is you are willing to sit outside (but may be a bit too cold now) or at the bar. They limit your dining time because of the demand of folks wanting to eat there but they are very kind and professional about when you need to leave.Me and my friend very much enjoyed our food and for me it was the SAUCES, SUACES. SAUCES got every dish that had such a depth of flavor, leaning on the earthy smoky side which was perfect for fall/winter weather. We got to dinner early - 5:30 pm, so nabbed a bar seat and one of the few duck breast plates. So rich and tender for delightful tacos. Fideos can be an interesting texture as they are like mini noodles/rice, but it really grew on me. Drinks were fabulous and service rocked.

Cyndy's Bottom Line: Amazing flavors, and ingredients!*RESY for reservations*Hours: 5-9pm Thur, Sun, and Mon5-9:30pm Fri and Sat*Street parking *Outdoor seating available *20% service charge addedThis is what we drank/ate:*Marigold Toddy -mezcal, xila mexican aperitivo, marigold, honey, ginger, lemon, shio koji+warm and soothing mixture*Carajillo shakeado -Buna Dalia espresso, Licor 43+A two ingredient well shaken rich, smooth, perfect amount of sweetness makes for a dangerously addicting cocktail. *Guacamole with tostadas+Flavorful guacamole with a crisp handmade tostada*Taco al pastor-salsa cruda, salsa morita, roasted piña. One per order.+Well balanced and flavorful. The pineapple is roasted to perfection with a subtle sweetness added to the taco.*Roasted oysters -brown butter, dark lager+Brown butter + oysters = yumminess.*Bluefin tuna tostada -salsa macha, avocado, furikake+Fresh high grade tuna with a combination of great delicious flavors on a crisp tostada topped with edible flowers and delicate greens. Yummy!*Chayote salad -sunflower seeds, guajillo oil, asian pears.+A delicious salad with a fresh light crunch, a hint of sweetness and a combination of flavors and textures. *Fideos negros -huitlacoche, mushroom, black garlic+A thin black noodle that is immersed in the robust flavors of the black garlic and huitlacoche and topped with a delicious mushroom.*Bunuelo -cajeta (caramel) mexican chocolate+A scrumptious fried pretzel shape sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar. The cajeta is divine! The mexican chocolate smooth rich and yummy!*Highly recommend*Friendly and attentive service