The Resy Guide to Mexican Restaurants in D.C. For Every Occasion
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In many ways, Mexican food is a universal love language. There are spicy dishes and creamy dishes and earthy dishes; dishes that accommodate omnivores and carnivores and herbivores alike; gluten-free rice and corn tortilla options; plates smothered in queso for cheese aficionados; and plenty of peppers for those who love their food with a kick.
Meanwhile, the country’s myriad regional cuisines allow for so much creativity with vegetables, chile peppers, and herbs, and there’s no end to the list of toppings, salsas, dips, and quesos. Classic Mexican fare can be haute cuisine or street food, regional or local, simple or complex. To wit, a universal love language.
Here in D.C., the city has expanded from classic Tex-Mex restaurants into more contemporary and intentional Mexican dining experiences. Today, D.C.’s restaurant scene celebrates the different regions and local traditions of the whole spectrum of Mexican cooking.
Some of our favorites include casual taco bars like El Techo as well as grand spaces for festive dinners like El Presidente, epic tasting menus at Sagrada, and faithfully recreated dishes hailing from Oaxaca, Mexico City and the Yucatan at places like Pascual, Muchas Gracias, and Amparo Fondita. In D.C., there’s a Mexican restaurant for every occasion, and a meal to satisfy every craving. Here’s where to go.
You’re Looking For …
For a Lively Dinner With a Crew
Agua 301
Navy Yard/Yards Park
MI VIDA Wharf
Southwest Waterfront
El Presidente
Union Market
With its dramatic red décor, massive gold-hued bar, and sharing plates, El Presidente in Union Market is the spot for a spirited dinner with friends. Dive into a massive tray of nachos, Oaxacan tlayudas and tostadas, crab enchiladas, and order all the sides to share as well – fried plantains, cucumber drizzled in salsa macha, Mexican street corn, and refried black beans. Pitchers of margaritas will serve your group well, but don’t forget about the tequilas on the bar’s impressive list.
Pikio Taco DC
Dupont Circle
For Modern, Ambitious Cookery
Amparo Fondita
Dupont Circle
Muchas Gracias
Chevy Chase
Pascual
Capitol Hill
Read more about Pascual here, and here’s our cheat sheet on how to get a coveted primetime spot.
Sagrada
U Street
Mezcalero – La Cosecha
Union Market, Washington D.C.
La Cosecha is D.C.’s hub of Latin food and drink culture, so the Solis siblings’ Mezcalero is well at home there. Both the brother and sister chefs can (and will) be found in the kitchen, which needs all the hands it can get to turn out all the dishes on the extensive menu. Order anything from Mexico City-style tortas to grilled oysters with crab. As befits a family-run restaurant, the care that goes into each dish is evident. Case in point: the ceviches and aguachiles are not just very fresh, each is made to order, and tortillas are made in batches several times a day.
For An Easygoing Dinner And Margaritas
El Techo
Shaw
Tacombi – Arlington
Arlington
El Chucho
Park View/Columbia Heights
The Flying Mexican
Washington D.C.
If you find yourself in Capitol Hill with a craving for birria or wings, this casual bar and restaurant is the move. Go crazy with their taco menu; you’ve got choices ranging from chicken tinga to cactus to salmon to fried shrimp, and all with toppings like ‘slaw, sliced avocado, Cotija cheese, and pickled red onions. If tacos aren’t your thing, the spot is also known for its crispy cheese birria burrito with a consommé you’ll want to buy a quart of to take home.
For Immaculate Tex-Mex
Republic Cantina
Truxton Circle
La Tejana
Mt Pleasant
A taqueria by day and cocktail bar by night – you might as well plan to never leave La Tejana. The wife-husband duo that runs the restaurant started off hosting a series of pop-ups in D.C., building a devoted following for their Rio Grande breakfast tacos along the way. Now firmly in brick-and-mortar, they have the opportunity to provide a place for the community to gather all day long. In practice, that means kicking off mornings with a hearty breakfast, and winding down the night with a stiff drink. Although agave-spirit-based cocktails take the spotlight at night, you can order (non-breakfast) tacos from the bar menu too.
Alero – Dupont
Washington D.C.
While Dupont Circle went from ‘up-and-coming’ to the center of swanky city-living, Alero has been a constant, a colorful neighborhood spot serving top-tier Tex-Mex cuisine to its ever-changing clientele. Their fajitas can be enjoyed with any combination of proteins you can think off (and even the addition of pineapple, if you’re so inclined), while taco fillings include cochinita pibil and al pastor. Keep an eye out for their refreshing ceviches, and a brunch and happy hour that’s popular with locals.
Cactus Cantina Restaurant
Cathedral Heights
This fixture near the National Cathedral has proudly been serving Tex-Mex cuisine to college students, neighborhood regulars, and visitors passing through. A breezy patio shifts to a southwestern saloon interior, with plenty of handsome dark woods, artfully distressed timber, and hanging plants and lanterns. The focus here is on comforting Tex-Mex fare like tamales, enchiladas, and dishes off the grill like carne asada and spicy shrimp. If you can’t choose, get the gordo platter that easily serves four family-style.
