Delicious food and friendly people! The plates are HUGE, I couldn't finish a whole plate despite…read morehow tasty it was. Great hole in the wall joint in Columbia Heights. Get the yellow rice!

Saw this on a YouTube vlog. Plentiful food & good prices. Not the most dazzling place inside, but…read moreit gets the job done. Was disappointed that they didn't have oxtails when we went. But overall it was a good experience.

I Was Craving Some Real, Home-Cooked Food Like Rice, Beans, Just Something Filling & Comforting…read more Luckily, I Found This Spot On Yelp... And Wow, This Place Is A True Hidden Gem . I Feel Blessed & Grateful That I Came Across It. This Is Authentic Dominican Food Made By True Dominicans, And You Can Taste The Love In Every Bite. It Really Brings A Piece Of The Island Right Here To Maryland Just Minutes From DC . Parking Is Limited, But There Are A Few Spaces Directly In Front Of The Restaurant. The Space Is Small & Intimate, But Very Welcoming. It's Only Been About A Year Since They Opened, But It Feels Like A Place That's Been Around Much Longer Because Of The Love And Energy Inside. The Customer Service Here Is Top Tier!! It's Owned By A Husband & Wife "The Medinas" They Are Truly Special. So Warm, So Kind, & So Genuine. They Make You Feel Like You're Being Welcomed Into Their Home For A Meal. The Service Is Full Of Love & Care, You Can Feel Their Passion In Everything They Do. That Alone Would Bring Me Back... And Then The Food Just Seals The Deal Even More. WHITE RICE , RED BEANS , AVOCADO & GRILLED SALMON {Build Your Own Meal} EVERYTHING About This Plate Was Perfect!!!!! The Rice Was Cooked Just Right With The Perfect Amount Of Salt. The Red Beans Were Rich, Flavorful, & Surprisingly Had No Meat, Which I Loved. *So Many Places Add Pork, But Here They Automatically Cater To Different Dietary Preferences Without Sacrificing Flavor.* The Grilled Salmon Was Cooked Exactly How I Requested, Honestly Even Better Than I Expected. The Attention To Detail Was Impressive. And Of Course, The Avocado Brought Everything Together For That Perfect Final Touch, I Left So Full & Satisfied. EXTRA SIDES: TOSTONES WITH GARLIC Double-Fried, Flattened Plantains Lightly Salted And Topped With Garlic Oil (I Requested This And They Delivered). So Good & Perfect With The Rice & Beans. FRIED PLANTAINS Made Exactly How I Like Them, Sweet, Perfectly Fried, & Not Overly Sweet. CHEESE EMPANADA OMG The Cheese Pull Was Insane. Crispy Outside, Loaded With Cheese Inside, They Did Not Skimp At All, So Delicious. MALTA I Had To Get A Malta, A Traditional Dominican Drink That Paired Perfectly With My Meal. Sweet, Rich, & So Satisfying. I Had To Try As Much I Could To See What I Would Like & Everything Was Amazing. I Was Overwhelmed Yet Beyond Satisfied. Literally Everything They Make Is Delicious. Super Reasonable Prices With Plenty Of Options. Some Food Is Ready Buffet-Style While Other Items Are Made To Order. You Can Dine In Or Take Out But I Highly Recommend Sitting Down & Enjoying The Full Experience If There's Available Seats. This Place Is Something Special. Authentic Dominican Flavors, Amazing Hospitality, & Food Made With Real Love. I'm Definitely Going To Be A Regular Here As Much As I Can. I Truly Hope They Get The Recognition They Deserve Because This Place Is Truly A GEM .

The staff were very nice and the empanadas were great! Reasonably priced, came out quick and tasty…read more Will recommend! Thankful that I stumbled across this place. There's several places to sit and dine.

The Hidden Flavor Bomb in a Strip Mall…read more We stumbled upon this place on our way home from North Carolina, and let me just say, do not let the strip mall location fool you. This spot is a flavor-packed gem you do not want to miss. On a random Wednesday night, the place was clean, bustling, and buzzing with satisfied diners. That is always a good sign. The menu is a glorious mashup of Cuban, Puerto Rican, and Dominican dishes. If your taste buds had passports, they would get stamped three times just by looking at it. Our server, who was fast, friendly, and clearly knew her stuff, recommended the traditional Puerto Rican platter. Bless her. This plate was a full-on party. The roasted pork was the kind you dream about--tender, juicy, and seasoned to perfection. The traditional rice tasted like a family recipe handed down for generations. Sweet plantains added just the right touch of comfort, and the cabbage salad brought a refreshing contrast. It had tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and a balsamic vinaigrette. If I had one suggestion, I would swap in white balsamic instead of dark. The taste was spot on, but the color made it slightly less visually appealing. Someone else in our group ordered the Cubano sandwich, which came out looking like it could feed two people easily. It was massive. They only made it halfway through. The fries were served in a little basket, hot and crispy, just the way they should be. Best of all, everything was reasonably priced. If you are in the area or passing through, do yourself a favor. Stop in, loosen your belt, and prepare to leave full, happy, and a little surprised that a place this good came out of a humble strip mall.

A Togo order of Reuben and spring rolls- Tasted good, got…read moresick Definitely from the food.

This is a hidden gem! I used to live across the street from their location and I can't say anything…read morebad about this place and the family running it. Service is great very personal! They seem to treat folks like family. Food is authentic and so yummy! If they don't have what I'm craving they typically whip up something a la cart. I wish this place had move locations. I definitely recommend them. I think they're closed on Mondays and Sundays. Just call first to confirm and you'll be good.

Food was good...great customer service... a little bit of a wait and a little pricey if you're…read moretrying to feed a whole family...but I would go back. Perfect little spot for date night.

I've been here on two occasions for Cuban dance nights that they have here from time to time. The…read moreclass typically begins at 8pm for one hour. Then social dancing begins at 9pm. That's when I try out the food which is absolutely amazing. 1st time here I had the yellow rice and beans, stewed pork and sweet plantains. 2nd time I had white rice with black beans, stewed beef, and mangu (mashed green plantain, Dominican style). The portions are a great value and the food has amazing flavor, and very well seasoned. Casual and relaxed atmosphere. Nice, chill restaurant and mini-bar. I wish this restaurant had a location in Fairfax, VA! Highly recommend.

Mechos just continues to deliver that authentic Dominican cuisine. Every bite reminds me of the…read morelocal dishes I've ate when visiting the Dominican Republic. I do appreciate I can build my plate to my preference. Pictured was the combination pork (braised & pulled) over rice and beans topped with gravy. Be mindful if you do not eat or desire a lot of rice to let the staff know; otherwise, you'll get a healthy serving of rice with your meal. To date I've eaten nearly every option they serve which are simply delicious. This restaurant is good to visit for all hours throughout the day and evening. There is plenty of indoor and outdoor patio spacing to accommodate groups and their customers. The music varies but I've heard my share of bachata played over the speakers. The owners and staff are committed to serving their customers. I do believe this is a family owned and operated establishment. For the first timers visiting you may order similar from behind the counter similar to chipotle or order made to order menu options such as the coconut cream fried red snapper over rice. They also have tasty empanadas. Overall 4.4 out of 5

Came here after church one Sunday afternoon. We opt to sit outside as it was nice day. Patio…read moreseating could use renovation and furniture is chipping away. The food came out promptly, I ordered the salmon. I wasn't a huge fan- not sure if it was a bit more fishy than I'm use to or maybe too much sazón seasoning... however the red beans were decent. I would be interested in trying something else. The staff were very sweet and felt like they appreciated the visit, so can definitely see us trying it out again.

The food was incredible authentic and full of flavor, like I had been transported to the Dominican…read moreRepublic. The service was quick and super attentive. It's a family-owned spot, and the daughter was serving us while her mom cooked, which added a really warm and personal touch. The space itself isn't fancy or modern, but it definitely feels homey in that Dominican, comforting way. It was a bit hot inside and had a slight smell, but honestly, the food and the experience made up for it. Would absolutely come back!

I was driving home on Rt. 1 (Richmond Hwy) and notice a restaurant just past Corporate Drive that I…read morehaven't seen before. So I pulled in, parked, walked in and the restaurant was cleaned with a beautiful bar. I ordered 3 items: 1) Beef empanadas 2) Cuban sandwich 3) Buffalo wings. As the appetizers arrive to the table, though I only chose one empanada out of the three flavors they offer: cheese, beef or chicken. I chose beef which was served with a special sauce (mayo and ketchup), because it was well seasoned and the filling was packed, the sauce wasn't needed. The crust was thin, flaky and delicious on its own. The buffalo wings served their homemade ranch, with 8 pieces were juicy, tender and delicious. Unfortunately the Cuban sandwich fell flat for me. The ingredients were ham, cheese, roasted pork, pickles, mayonnaise and mustard. The sandwich was flattened like a panini and I was excited for the first bite but the protein was too dry. As I lift the bread, there was only a teaspoon mayo and mustard spread. It was served with matchstick fries and a ramekin of ketchup. I wanted to ordered desserts but unfortunately they do not make all of their homemade desserts (flan, tres leches, rice pudding) every day. You will have to called in to see what they have before dining in. The only dessert available that day was their flan. My server Karla was friendly and attentive. I would make another visit to try other items on their menu.

This is a hidden gem on Rte 1 in Stafford just beyond Quantico. The meats on the paella were…read moreamazing and full of flava. Pork belly was incredible. Coconut mojito was delish and well deserved. Oh, and we loved the Empanada's. Highly recommend, especially given the other options in the area.

Had take out from here and was blown away! We got the roasted pork and chicken as well as…read moreempanadas, plantains, beans, yuca root fritters (the latter was similar to mozzarella sticks) with rice. Everything was delicious, especially with the orange mayo-based sauce they provide. A tad on the saltier side, but such a great hearty meal. Hope to try some of their soups in the future!

El merengue has to be my favorite Dominican place in the Baltimore area, or even just period…read more We live in Alexandria VA and driving to Baltimore just to eat at El Merengue is worth it. The service is impeccable. The entire staff was attentive and super friendly. And we came in right as they were getting ready to close and they still let us order off menu. The owner, chef, and waiter held plenty of conversation with my husband and I. He ordered off the hot bar and I ordered off the menu. We had quipes, bistec encebollada, moro de guandles, pescado frito, tostones, and jugo de chinola. I had 0 complaints. Everything was delicious. I have been here before a few years back and learned today they have new ownership. I always loved the place before, but now everything is just better! We will for sure be back!

OMG.... I'm originally from Los Angeles and I recently moved here. This food is the best Mexican…read morefood I have ever had in this state !!!!!!! I will NEVER go anywhere else! The menudo was fire! The asada and lengua tacos were fire!!!! Service was superb! The vibe/ambiance felt just like home.

Came here today,for quick bite. Bought some tacos, got one chicken taco,one tongue tacos and one el…read morepastor taco.first off pastor taco had no taste to it and very greasy, didn't even have a piece of pineapple on it,.chicken taco was burnt and no flavor, tongue taco wasn't fresh at all,probably made a few days ago, I would not come back here again. Couldn't make tacos right,and that's basic for a Mexican restaurant