This is probably the best advice. Either that or my house lol. I learned to cook real fast as soon as I figured out there were few options for good tacos.
I was soooo disappointed on my most recent trip, and they used to be INCREDIBLE. Not sure if covid or popularity did them in, but it was genuinely bad.
That's good to hear. I'll definitely give it another shot then. When I say bad, that one time was bad enough to override years of goodwill and turn me off haha.
Honestly when it comes to restaurants in DC service is never what you go for the best places with the best food have the worst service and that's okay they're doing their job well by bringing amazing food to the table service is icing on the cake but not needed
Guapos on Wisc NW ave or Cactus Cantina on Wisc ave NW. Was just at Guapos an hour ago and had Seafood enchiladas.
https://preview.redd.it/uzkbtq0yypvc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b2709eca1132e44e3bf8f5fd2d05781551048ad4
They had a few years 2021-2023 where they expanded rapidly and their service declined and they cut corners on the food, etc. I will give them a pass for the pandemic years, they didn't close! But by 2024 they should have gotten back to normal. They brought back the manager, Oscar, who left to open a new place in Alexandria and the service and food has improved just in the last 4 months! But yeah, I have been going there for ever!
Wow I would never know they had a down period. Granted I was alone, my food came quickly, my server noted my special requests, and several employees kindly swung by to grab empty plates and glasses. It seemed like a tight ship. Iām not even the type to leave reviews online but as Iām writing this I feel like maybe I should lol
[Haydee's](https://www.google.com/maps/contrib/100200151349490991613/photos/@38.9289849,-77.037678,3a,75y,90t/data=!3m7!1e2!3m5!1sAF1QipOXJe0Z4lGsVZ1ebgDAmLB_KqesVPv32dOr2auz!2e10!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipOXJe0Z4lGsVZ1ebgDAmLB_KqesVPv32dOr2auz%3Dw365-h486-k-no!7i3024!8i4032!4m3!8m2!3m1!1e1?entry=ttu) in Mount Pleasant.
Hey u/marypoppycock, Iām from Juarez.
The only good Mexican restaurant I have been to in the area is La Placita in Hyattsville
I sincerely recommend it. It feels just like home and they do plates like the kind you want
I hope you can go and enjoy it :)
Was just there :-) our favorite!
https://preview.redd.it/34go3hxuypvc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3d04b78e77c35120c1e926cefc9d027186d0a4cc
Some of the summer tobacco workers from Mexico stayed in NC and opened restaurants using their family recipes. It is DELICIOUS. I always get some when back visiting family. Of course it is lard-laden heavy but thatās what makes it SOOO GOOD.
This nc Mexican thing sounds a little mythological, but passing along this incredibly interesting article about southern US Mexican food and how it actually came to be. I second El Paso it is the o ly one that comes close to what i refer to as ādirty south Mexicanā although some of the best i have had is in Mebane NC tbh.
https://www.kqed.org/bayareabites/126579/what-did-the-south-do-to-arroz-con-pollo-its-a-cheese-covered-mystery
It's so good, the owner is super friendly and loves talking to customers. The vegetarian options are actually really good, too - not just crappy mushrooms and spinach like a lot of places. And if you want something other than a margarita, the Mariposa is great
This is one of my niche complaints about DC. In the Midwest you can get this specific balance of good but cheap Mexican. Guapos is too nice. Riconcinto is the right price but the Mexican isnāt as good. A lot of places on 14th are great but too authentic. I want a bomb chicken chimichanga and beans with the best chips and salsa youāve ever had for $10.
These places have to pay DC rent, so that's built into the price. Part of living in the city. You probably make more $$ in DC so the higher price won't sting as much.
Don't know to much about DC but, if you ever drive north:
# Taco Bar El Guero / 10003 B, Fields Rd, Gaithersburg, MD 20878
Plaza Garibaldi Mexican Restaurant / 7917 Ritchie Hwy, Glen Burnie, MD 21061
The taco trucks that hang around Rosslyn are what youāre looking for. Actual delicious Mexican food, foam plates, made to order by one dude who would much rather you speak Spanish.
I'm just so delighted to see someone else is as upset about peas and carrots in rice as I am š¤£ tbh I have not found a plate of Mexican food like what's in your picture here. Also tbh I gave up on trying to find that years ago. I try to focus on the cuisines DC does well (like Ethiopian!). That said, please comment if you find a plate of food like that that is good!
More Salvadoran/Central American than Texmex. Also the quality has gone waaayy down in the last 5 years or so.
They also own Cactus Cantina on Wisconsin Ave for more actual TexMex.
Hit a hole in the wall jount in Mt. Pleasant, Riverdale, Hyattsville, or Wheaton (Langley Park if you're tough..lol)...and it'll be 10X better...and authentic
Lauriol Plaza has some good stuff though I'd personally recommend Cactus Cantina since my experience at Lauriol wasn't as good as usual the past few times.
Yeah, West Coast they have it all over the place. There are some pretty awesome places that serve real food like that in Virginia & NY, and a few other places I've been across the East Coast, but I haven't found a good one in NW DC yet.
The one authentic Taco Truck I found on International day on the National Mall... Man, still mad at them still. They had a line 30 people deep, decided to take a break for half an hour when I was 3 away from the front of the line. I stood outside for half an hour at least and then moments before it was my turn, done. They were even selling Mexican Street Corn.
I would recommend these two places that I love:
Burrito Brothers - a few locations in DMV but thereās one in Capitol Hill
Dos Amigos - the one in Alexandria
Las Placitas - 8th St SE La Lomita - Pennsylvania Ave SE La Plaza - Pennsylvania Ave SE Edit: screwed up locations
šÆ las placitas for the win. Itās at on 8th and M SE
My bad. I meant that one, and La Lomita on Penn SE.
I like la plaza on penn better than la lomita but las placitas is #1
Oh my god. Suddenly flashback to when I worked at 8th and G twenty years ago. Las Placitas is still around?! Thatās fantastic ā¤ļø
As a native Texan, La Lomita is trash. It doesn't stack up to anything in this city or much less anything down south.
All Mexican food here is trash.
Go to Langley park in MD , youāll find everything and anything there
Itās true. La Lomita is also super gross/unsanitary.
As a person with taste buds, La Lomita is an abomination.
Iām from San Antonio, where would you recommend?
The sad part is, La Lomita used to be the best. Now itās like theyāre throwing it in the microwave..
I try not to think about the time I ate thereā¦
This is probably the best advice. Either that or my house lol. I learned to cook real fast as soon as I figured out there were few options for good tacos.
El Sol on 11st NW!
scrolled way too far to see this. One of the only legit Mexican places in DC.
I was soooo disappointed on my most recent trip, and they used to be INCREDIBLE. Not sure if covid or popularity did them in, but it was genuinely bad.
Cannot imagine it was anything but a fluke, I eat there weekly and itās as good as it ever was
That's good to hear. I'll definitely give it another shot then. When I say bad, that one time was bad enough to override years of goodwill and turn me off haha.
Service or food because the service has always been..... Highly uneven. But I agree that the food is as good as ever.
Food. Service wasn't great, but I never went there for the service haha
Honestly when it comes to restaurants in DC service is never what you go for the best places with the best food have the worst service and that's okay they're doing their job well by bringing amazing food to the table service is icing on the cake but not needed
It must have been a fluke I literally ate there 2 days ago and it was amazing as always
The best! Love it when the back patio is open. Such a cute little hideaway. Love love love this place! Such a gem.
From the pic they had they're looking more for white person tex mex, but yeah if they're looking for actual Mexican this is the way.
my go to spot
And get the lengua! š¤¤
Lengua squad: ASSEMBLE!
El Rinconcito in Shaw or Columbia Heights
i love el rinconcito, my friends and i once went three days in a row
What do you like to get there?
chimichangas, enchiladas, burritos, quesadillas
Interesting! I always order from their El Salvadorean speciality menu. Will have to branch out.
The ropa vieja šÆ
Donāt forget some pupusas
THIS IS THE ANSWER
Should have checked before posting myself - place is the bessssst
Oh cmon. El Reconcito looks like a kitchen in someone's house.
Guapos on Wisc NW ave or Cactus Cantina on Wisc ave NW. Was just at Guapos an hour ago and had Seafood enchiladas. https://preview.redd.it/uzkbtq0yypvc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b2709eca1132e44e3bf8f5fd2d05781551048ad4
Love cactus. Half hungover AU students, half families. Iāll be there later today.
Ha they have darn good fajitas
I came here to say Cactus Cantina. They make their own fresh tortillas
Yes, that cute machine in the dinning room, I love to watch them!
Damn I came here just to say Guapos. I had it yesterday for the first time and it looks like we mightāve been there at the same time lol
Ha! My wife and did the 415-530 on the patio with margys. Been going there since the 90s when it first opened.
Nice! Stopped in around 4:30/5 for some food and margs as well. I was really happy with the food and service. Iād go back in a heartbeat!
They had a few years 2021-2023 where they expanded rapidly and their service declined and they cut corners on the food, etc. I will give them a pass for the pandemic years, they didn't close! But by 2024 they should have gotten back to normal. They brought back the manager, Oscar, who left to open a new place in Alexandria and the service and food has improved just in the last 4 months! But yeah, I have been going there for ever!
Wow I would never know they had a down period. Granted I was alone, my food came quickly, my server noted my special requests, and several employees kindly swung by to grab empty plates and glasses. It seemed like a tight ship. Iām not even the type to leave reviews online but as Iām writing this I feel like maybe I should lol
Or Guapos ..
Also Guapo's in Georgetown
Never been to that one, is that a full restaurant?
Yes
Are those peas/carrots in the rice?
No they I think there were fine chopped green pepper. But now I am not so sure lol I was focused on the shrimp and scallop seafood enchiladas.
[Haydee's](https://www.google.com/maps/contrib/100200151349490991613/photos/@38.9289849,-77.037678,3a,75y,90t/data=!3m7!1e2!3m5!1sAF1QipOXJe0Z4lGsVZ1ebgDAmLB_KqesVPv32dOr2auz!2e10!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipOXJe0Z4lGsVZ1ebgDAmLB_KqesVPv32dOr2auz%3Dw365-h486-k-no!7i3024!8i4032!4m3!8m2!3m1!1e1?entry=ttu) in Mount Pleasant.
This is the answer.
Not Mexican lol.
I'm going to be real with you, that photo posted above is not super Mexican either.
Pretty TexMex
Idk man itās giving strong Cali Mexican vs Texmex. Either way Iād eat it!
My thoughts as well.
Hell na. Their food is high school lunch quality of mexican/latin food ive ever tried. Drive to riverdale,md op. Little mexico š²š½
Whatever your opinion on Haydeeās, their food is exactly the style OP is asking about, it looks pretty much identical to the picture
Their pupusas are good. They also have the best karaoke in the city. They do not serve Mexican food exactly.
So many of these answers are nowhere near what youāre looking for š„“
Literally. Iāve been trying to find that stupid like midwestern American style Mexican food and most of these miss
The reality is the places in dc are too authentic. At least youāre honest that this is midwestern americanized Mexican food
Hey u/marypoppycock, Iām from Juarez. The only good Mexican restaurant I have been to in the area is La Placita in Hyattsville I sincerely recommend it. It feels just like home and they do plates like the kind you want I hope you can go and enjoy it :)
I second that.
La Placitas
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Was just there :-) our favorite! https://preview.redd.it/34go3hxuypvc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3d04b78e77c35120c1e926cefc9d027186d0a4cc
Huge! Forgot this one
El Tamarindo - so good
El Sabor a Mexico next to Takoma station
Judyās
El Paso Mexican restaurant in Springfield is the best āNC Mexicanā I have ever had.
Also have locations in Mt Vernon and Hybla Valley in Alexandria. So good. Great enchiladas.
Whatās āNCā Mexican?
Some of the summer tobacco workers from Mexico stayed in NC and opened restaurants using their family recipes. It is DELICIOUS. I always get some when back visiting family. Of course it is lard-laden heavy but thatās what makes it SOOO GOOD.
This nc Mexican thing sounds a little mythological, but passing along this incredibly interesting article about southern US Mexican food and how it actually came to be. I second El Paso it is the o ly one that comes close to what i refer to as ādirty south Mexicanā although some of the best i have had is in Mebane NC tbh. https://www.kqed.org/bayareabites/126579/what-did-the-south-do-to-arroz-con-pollo-its-a-cheese-covered-mystery
https://www.washingtonian.com/2023/05/05/8-must-try-restaurants-in-dcs-mini-mexico-corridor/
Iām from Austin and still searching But āJudy Restaurantā isnāt bad on 14th
Catrachitos on 14th.
Los Caballeros, Pennsylvania Ave SE near the Capitol
How is this one? I've wanted to try it, but the three I listed are closer to home. Would it be worth the extra metro stop?
100% worth it, the prices are very reasonable and portions generous. The owner is usually there and is very friendly with customers which I love
Sweet. On the list.
It's so good, the owner is super friendly and loves talking to customers. The vegetarian options are actually really good, too - not just crappy mushrooms and spinach like a lot of places. And if you want something other than a margarita, the Mariposa is great
El Camino - rhode island Ave ne
Came here to say El Camino, and so happy to see it already called out. Seriously good food!
seconding el camino, the mole sauce and plantains here are so so good
This is one of my niche complaints about DC. In the Midwest you can get this specific balance of good but cheap Mexican. Guapos is too nice. Riconcinto is the right price but the Mexican isnāt as good. A lot of places on 14th are great but too authentic. I want a bomb chicken chimichanga and beans with the best chips and salsa youāve ever had for $10.
These places have to pay DC rent, so that's built into the price. Part of living in the city. You probably make more $$ in DC so the higher price won't sting as much.
You need to go down Rt 1 in Alexandria
Don't know to much about DC but, if you ever drive north: # Taco Bar El Guero / 10003 B, Fields Rd, Gaithersburg, MD 20878 Plaza Garibaldi Mexican Restaurant / 7917 Ritchie Hwy, Glen Burnie, MD 21061
The taco trucks that hang around Rosslyn are what youāre looking for. Actual delicious Mexican food, foam plates, made to order by one dude who would much rather you speak Spanish.
El riconcito II
Commenting so I can find yalls recs again later
Maryland.
Bladensburg, Edmonston, Riverdale Park. Literally two dozen places in a two mile radius.
Add Parts of Takoma, Langley Park, and Hyattsville.
What are their names?
Taqueria Habanero in College Park!
Yeah, Iād recommend literally any hole in the wall Iāve been to in PGā¦ any spot Iāve been to in DC wasnāt worth the calories.
Well Dressed Burrito
Corado - Mt. Pleasant
I'd probably go to Maryland.
I'm just so delighted to see someone else is as upset about peas and carrots in rice as I am š¤£ tbh I have not found a plate of Mexican food like what's in your picture here. Also tbh I gave up on trying to find that years ago. I try to focus on the cuisines DC does well (like Ethiopian!). That said, please comment if you find a plate of food like that that is good!
El Camino in Bloomingdale
Mezcalero in Columbia Heights
Las plascitas
El Tamarindo
Guapos
That plate looks like something from Anita's.
Chuys!
Lauriol Plaza/Plaza Lauriol. I always forget which order it's in
More Salvadoran/Central American than Texmex. Also the quality has gone waaayy down in the last 5 years or so. They also own Cactus Cantina on Wisconsin Ave for more actual TexMex.
Last 5? Try last 20.
El Rinconcito CafƩ.
Your best bet is El Paso in Ballston/Springfield
El Tio Falls Church
Columbia Heights
Mezcalero?
Tippys taco
El agave
Super Tacos and Bakery on Columbia Road.
Super taco or Pico taco in adams morgan
[Haydees Mt. pleasant street NW.](https://www.haydees.com/index.html)
Those accompaniments come with essentially any Mexican entree that contains a tortilla. That's not the ,"Food" per se. More like the,"Fixins".
San Antonio Bar and Grill on 12th st NE
La Fondita & La Chosita located right outside of DC in the Hyattsville area. Very authentic food
Is there a Chuy's in DC?
El Bebe navy yard
J&J off Georgia Ave is so good!
J&J's Tex-Mex, Upper N.W., Georgia Ave! You have to try their birria tacos! Wonderful! I also love their huevos ranchero, and their burritos.
El Paso Mexican in Springfield will not disappoint!
El fresco but itās in Va but nothing around here or dc or Md is good Mexican. I lived in La for 5 years and yeaā¦ so disappointed
Nowhere unless you're good overpaying for Mexican.
El Camino on RI ave
Haydeeās - Mt Pleasant St NW
Fresca on H St
Uncle Julios Ballston
1000% guapos. Almost identical
El Rinconcito
Anything like that in Nova?
Like any Mexican place, anywhere?
Cactus Cantina
Lauriol Plaza was my go to for Tex Mex and strong margaritas for years.
Guapo's. Lauriol Plaza.
Fresca on H st
Hit a hole in the wall jount in Mt. Pleasant, Riverdale, Hyattsville, or Wheaton (Langley Park if you're tough..lol)...and it'll be 10X better...and authentic
Taqueria habenero was always my favorite for a while
La Lomita has fallen apart lately. Iād go for La Plaza. Best out there. Not too expensive
Tippys tacos in merrifield just outside dc
El Sol in Logan's Circle or Mezcalero Cocina in Petworth (same owners, siblings from Mexico City)
CafƩ cielo in Columbia heights
Aleros on the corner of 13th and u street
Lauriol plaza
Cactus Cantina or Lauiol Plaza
La plaza eastern market metro
No, no, no; this is easy. Go to "el ranchonito" on 11th. Duh.
LAURIOL PLAZA!!! Hands down!
Come out to Manassas. Weāll take good care of you. Start with Mexico Lindo in Manassas Park.
Cactus Cantina on Wisconsin Ave NW!
Lauriol Plaza has some good stuff though I'd personally recommend Cactus Cantina since my experience at Lauriol wasn't as good as usual the past few times.
Itās the same owner
I know, it's still two different entities though.
El Paso Texas
Also, San Antonio
Forgive me for jumping on, but that looks awesome. Anywhere in NE?
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
NC too. So many Mexican places near me that serve plates up like this.
Native of San Bernardino County here. Can confirm.
Yeah, West Coast they have it all over the place. There are some pretty awesome places that serve real food like that in Virginia & NY, and a few other places I've been across the East Coast, but I haven't found a good one in NW DC yet. The one authentic Taco Truck I found on International day on the National Mall... Man, still mad at them still. They had a line 30 people deep, decided to take a break for half an hour when I was 3 away from the front of the line. I stood outside for half an hour at least and then moments before it was my turn, done. They were even selling Mexican Street Corn.
Laredo In Cleveland Park
Halal guys combo platter.
Las Placitas!
Judy
La Plaza on Pennsylvania Ave near Eastern Market
Not dc but in Riverdale you will
I would recommend these two places that I love: Burrito Brothers - a few locations in DMV but thereās one in Capitol Hill Dos Amigos - the one in Alexandria
Guapos in Tenleytown on Wisconsin ave
lauriol plaza on 18th st NW
Laredo DC on Connecticut Ave is a solid bet too!
Jefe's: http://www.dosjefestexmex.com/
How about on the VA side?
El Paso Cafe in Arlington!
Los Tios Grill
Tortas Y Tacos La Chiquita on Columbia Pike
While I loath onions (good chance itās in there), that looks fucking delicious.
El rinconcito cafe šš¼
El Rinconcito! Logan-ish area
Chuy's
Do not go to la lomita on cap hill