Had a great time and dinner! Chicatana is unassuming and unpretentious, staffed with attentive servers who do an amazing job (water was always filled and empty plates removed quite efficiently). The decor is simple, no table clothes or frills but it does live up to 'fine cuisine' with excellent food and presentation (another subtle touch is if you leave the table, you return to a nicely folded napkin). We got nearly everything on the menu including all the desserts and Mexican hot chocolate (yum, lightly spicy and piping hot!) . As others have said their guacamole is excellent...do check the charges though bc they added salsa and chips to the tab which we did not order (they removed). Also, the first order of guac came with big bowl of chips, but none with the second order of guac- not a problem though because you do not go hungry. Portions are quite generous. We even tried the ants which was a fun novelty read more

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This was the valentine's day 2026 stop. I had no idea it was in the area it was, but alas, we made the trek from lowly ballston anyway. After parking in the Giant parking garage (decent price), we walked the few blocks to the restaurant. We spotted it with the poster sign hanging up on the outer walls. Inside you head up the stairs and you're greeted by the host stand. We checked in and got our table, right at the window (hellya). There was a rose and a candle on the table (vday vibes) and we also received a vday specials menu. We landed on queso fundido to start and a cocktail each: prickly pear marg for her, a viva mexico for me. After fundido'ing it up, we ordered our entrees. We're simple folks it was a 2 carne asada tacos, 1 al pastor taco, 1 pescado taco, and 1 chicken quesadilla. Unfortunately we weren't bold enough to try the insectos. Food was great, drinks were great, service was great. You can pay your tab via Toast for no additional fee which was convenient. There are two, single use bathrooms in there too. Overall, solid spot. read more

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My girlfriend and I have now been twice and I don't know that we'll go anywhere else. The guacamole is the best- fresh with cilantro and chili oil and salsa matcha. We also had sopes de pulpo, al pastor taco, carne asada taco, camaron al diablo taco, duck hurrache, and langosta taco- every bite was absolutely delicious. The pulpo fresh and cooked perfectly, the steak perfect MR-M, the shrimp were the perfect texture, and as someone who eats a lot of duck I can honestly say it's up there with some of the best I've had. Antonio one of the owners was kind and generous and a pleasure to meet. Makes a mean spicy mezcal margarita too. We look forward to many more nights at Chicatana. -Caleb and Danielle read more

Chicatana Fine Mexican Cuisine - Duck Hurrache - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Happy cenco se mayo everyone.. was the best place in the city to party at! Quick services.. perfect vibes.. thank you hector for the experience read more

This corner Mexican spot has such a cool setup with two levels, though when I stopped by on a Wednesday only the upstairs was open. I went during happy hour and it started off pretty quiet, but that didn't last long by the time I ordered my second drink, the place was filling up. The prices were honestly very good, especially for happy hour. I ordered three cauliflower al pastor tacos and they were sweet, crunchy, and packed with flavor. The service really stood out too they kept the conversation going and made the whole experience feel welcoming and relaxed. read more

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They have a new menu and it is full of great options -- their traditional tacos and new additions. Recently I came for a late tacos dinner and a margarita. Their passionfruit flan was amazing! read more

Chicatana Fine Mexican Cuisine - Passionfruit Flan - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Easily the worst street tacos of my life. Ultra greasy. I was disappointed and won't go back.

My new favorite Mexican spot in DC! The tacos were excellent and they went above and beyond in filling the tacos with ingredients not commonly found elsewhere. Prices were reasonable and they have great drink options. I originally tried to come here on a Friday night (solo) and it was PACKED!! Definitely need to be a bit strategic with timing. read more

Chicatana Fine Mexican Cuisine - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Mexican food is pretty consistent in what you get, and most dishes are gluten-free. So I was expecting a good time and meal - it was hard to surprise me. Yet I was surprised. The guacamole was fantastic. The margaritas were amazing with fresh lime juice (we do skinny margaritas that end up being tequila and lime juice only - no triplesec or agave). All the different tacos were amazing. The waitress was super friendly and helpful. And the place was well decorated and fun. As normal the chips have cross contamination, which I risked, but otherwise this is a very gluten-free friendly place. Definitely coming here again. read more

Chicatana Fine Mexican Cuisine - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Stopped by for a late dinner here today because I was craving Mexican food. Ragz got his usual Tito's and Lily had the mango margarita. The marg was yummy but sadly missing the salt rim. We started with the fried potato balls and these were so yummy! Very soft and perfect texture. Lily had the Spinach and mushroom quesadilla which was surprising so good! Forget the store bought ultra processed tortilla - they had this slightly thick, very rustic looking masa dough fresh corn tortilla that held the filling together and it was omg amazing! It was also a huge portion size and we couldn't get through it all. The sauce on the side was yummy too. I had the fish taco ( very tasty, but lacking a little seasoning), the cauliflower taco ( average) and the chicken tinga taco. The green salsa on top of the chicken tinga def stole the show and I would take a bath in it if I could. It was absolutely, insanely tasty and left me wanting so much more! Ragz enjoyed both his Al pastor( very juicy) and carne asada tacos. In the spirit of being adventurous, we tried the buenolos, which were topped with little Mexican ants ( restaurant namesake) and these were so so good! The dulche was sweet and sticky, the ants crunchy and the buenlos slightly sweet - made for the perfect bite and perfect ending to our delicious meal! I can see why Tom Seistsema named this place his restaurant of the year! I'd love to be back another time! Also a note about service- our server was super sweet ( Camille), but a little busy and there was def a bit of a wait. read more

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This restaurant brought me back to Mexico City! Firstly, the atmosphere is so bright and lively. Food is being ordered and ran out at lightning speed. Well oiled machine! Second, the food was very authentic. It's almost exactly what I ate in Mexico City. The grasshopper taco had the distinct lime/citrus flavors and the ants had a nuttiness to them. The cactus was probably my least favorite but it's worth a try! If you can get past the slimy texture of it, it's actually a decent taco. This spot is a GREAT first date spot! Order two of each: grasshopper, ants and cactus. Order a couple strong margaritas and find out who they really are ;) read more

Amazing food for your moneys worth. Sad the pescado taco didn't have more sauce. Non-alcoholic drinks also yummy. Decent amount of seating. The inside is heated as well as their outdoor seating. Service was nice. No reservation, just walked in and got seated fairly quickly. Street parking nearby. read more

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KenScale: 7.25/10 Visits: May 2025 Earlier this year, my wife Jun and I visited Mexico City primarily for food; it confirmed our view that Mexican cuisine offers so much to be celebrated. After that February trip, we haven't been to any Mexican restaurant in the States until our visit earlier this month to Chicatana in DC. I was very much looking forward to checking out this restaurant following glowing reviews from the Washington Post restaurant critic Tom Sietsema. Unfortunately, our dinner at Chicatana had a number of misses that were in some cases inexplicable. Even though we tried a number of insects during our food tour in Mexico City, Jun and I stayed with more traditional dishes at Chicatana, which has a number of insect-based menus such as grasshopper tacos. We of course started our meal with guacamole with chips (oftentimes a reliable indicator of how good a Mexican restaurant is) and it was solid. I also thought the tuna tostada with black sesame seeds salsa and generous amount of greens was not bad but not quite up to the level of the life-changing tostadas we'd eaten in Mexico City. Sope is a traditional Mexican dish with fried masa base; Chicatana's version came with octopus, refried beans, guajillo chile and smoked paprika. The savory combination was rustic in a good way, but the masa below was surprisingly soggy and didn't quite work well with the octopus. It was the tacos at the restaurant, however, that really were disappointing. Perhaps we were too spoiled from eating all the amazing al pastor tacos in Mexico but I certainly didn't expect the pork to be so dried in Chicatana's version. The lobster taco was not particularly memorable, either, despite the promise of lobster, avocado puree, citrus salsa and habanero that sounds too good to be true. We moved over to the desserts and the dishes we ordered also missed the mark. Jun was puzzled why the restaurant couldn't come up with churros that were as ethereally delightful as the ones she'd had in Mexico; the overall texture felt too heavy. Same goes for the passionfruit flan which just wasn't a very good flan with surprisingly thick texture. Getting a reservation at Chicatana is not particularly challenging and there are plenty of outdoor seats, too, when the weather is good. Unlike the food, the cocktail list is a strength at the restaurant, with a variety of tequila- and mezcal-based options that would complement the meal quite well. When we were seated at the restaurant, we saw plenty of diners from Mexican background enjoying their weekend right before Cinco de Mayo (always a great sign), hence the misses at the restaurant felt even more surprising. Perhaps the entire kitchen staff was off before the celebrated Mexican holiday? In any event, we really wished Chicatana had offered more memorable food; it probably won't be our favorite Mexican restaurant in the District anytime soon. read more

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I live in Los Angeles, so Mexican food is easy to find (that's an understatement, huh?!) D.C. on the other hand, Mexican food is not as abundant (and much of it is Latin American-flavored.) Don't get me wrong, I love Latin American food but it's not Mexican food. So, discovering Chicatana was exciting! I found the dishes inventive, well-executed and very tasty! Everything was good, there were no "so-so" dishes. However, if I had to name my favorites, the passion fruit ceviche was amazing and I loved the delicate flavors of the pollo mole. Service was good - especially the kid that works there (he must be about 13), he was funny when I asked him how old he was "16" was his reply (no way, bro.) Be sure to take your time and order as you want. My dining partners had been there previously and ordered everything at once, and it all came at once. That's fine if you're starving or need to get in/out. If you're dining, then order a few items at a time and enjoy the experience. If you explore the back area of the restaurant, you'll see the bar - take note, they have some EXCELLENT tequilas - not the George Clooney crap. Try some Cazcanes or Caballito - sip it, don't ruin it with mixers. Next time, I'll try some ant or grasshoppers, lol. Loved my first visit to Chicatana - 5 stars! P.S. I chatted with one of the chefs briefly and he told me the pollo mole recipe was a family recipe - loved that! read more

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Pre-Meal It was very easy to go to the website and make reservations. We even made same-day reservations on a Friday during the early evening for an evening dining time. When we got there, the host had our reservations and we were seated where we asked. We had a few drinks at the bar: Viva Mexico and Strawberry Margarita, both solidly on point! During the Meal We both got appetizers. I had the esquites corn and yes I tried it with the traditional ants. It was phenomenal! I only ate a few of the ants just to say I did it and try it. The dish overall was great! My husband had the scallop tartar. That was ok. But the corn was the start of the pre-game show. The main meal featured tacos carnitas for me and lobster taco for my husband. Both, again were great! The carnitas were very flavorful and the non-traditional lobster tacos was really good too. Service The service was great! The host and the waitress were very kind and helpful navigating the menu and drinks. We never had to wonder where the waitress was and she was the one that convinced me to try the ants. I really like when the staff knows their menu really well and can share in the food experience. Ambiance The location is vibrant and quaint. I appreciated that they had a covered and uncovered patio. It was a little chilly and breezy but the covered patio fit the bill. It was clean and organized. They use the space they have pretty efficiently. Recommendation. For sure! If you're looking for a place with reasonable prices and a great experience, this is the place. The fact that they have great food and drinks is an expectation that they absolutely met! Give them a try! read more

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Finally tried Chicatana and it's great - solid 4 stars. Narrow restaurant inside - 5 or so small tables along one wall, bar seats in front of the open kitchen/bar on the other. A covered/enclosed patio out front. We walked in on a Saturday and sat at the bar. Menu is straightforward - we ordered drinks which were all good and priced well. The flavored margaritas were stiff. salsa verde was delicious. also started with an order of esquites (solid, rich, could use a squeeze of lime), shared a shrimp and carne asada quesadilla (thick dough, very substantial, overall decent), and had the passionfruit ceviche (good quality fish, fresh passionfruit used, but needs more acidity the marinade is very sweet with sugar added). Then we had tacos (pastor was the favorite, lengua a close second, asada was good, carnitas was salty). Pretty large and messy on corn tortillas. To wrap things up we had the whole fish which was good with the adobo rub. For dessert, the bunuelos were great. Will be back to try the rest of the menu read more

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Dined on a week night with a group of 3 and were seated right away. We ordered a few margaritas - the prickly pear with the tajin rim hit the spot along with a couple old fashioneds. We went to the newer Chicatana that's a few doors down from the OG. First time trying the scallops ceviche, chilaquiles, and aguachile verde shrimp as appetizers. All were so yummy and would order again. The chilaquiles may be a bit filling so would suggest to only order this if you're sharing otherwise you will be too full to eat anything else. I'll see if I can add more pictures to this review. A few go tos for us are the esquites and the fish taco - seriously- must try! I would also recommend the shrimp and al pastor tacos. The buñuelos for dessert is always the sweetest way to end the meal. They mixed it up adding in a cream that wasn't there before. And it's not too sweet or heavy! Please try this place out - you won't regret it! read more

Chicatana Fine Mexican Cuisine - 2. Chilaquiles Verdes Brunch - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Service: Super quick. The server we had was amazing and everything came out timely. Ambiance: super causal / after work vibe Food: The corn was really salty but I still ended up finishing it. The steak and shrimp taco was just so so. I would definitely try something else. Hibiscus margarita - my group got the pitcher and it was just okay to me. Woke up with the worst hangover ever and I wasn't tipsy so that's interesting. I know there are some people who are going to love this spot but as for me coming from El Paso Texas ... I expect more for my food. read more

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If you love authentic Mexican, this place is a must try! The servers are friendly and the vibe is a perfect date night spot. The location is super small and simple, but the dishes pack bold flavors and colors. My absolute favorite was the shrimp taco. It's tossed in a creamy, spicy sauce making it delightful. My husband's favorite was the fried fish (pescado). He also had the langua (beef tongue). That was yummy and tender. Unfortunately, we weren't huge fans of the carne asado or al pastor. Both were lacking in flavor. Our drinks were equally perfect and not too sugary. I had the passion fruit mojito and he had the mango margarita. He ended with the passion fruit flan which was so fresh and delicious. I had the churros which were perfect. I will be back! read more

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I came here on a couples date and had a great time. Just a last minute night time run to D.C. type move. Weather was great and we actually ate outside, which is rare for me. Customer service was on point, these guys were on top of everything every step of the way. I tried the Carne Asada, Lengua, and Camaron A La Diablo. I liked the Lengua, but i'm used to El Salvadorian style lengua tacos. I would still get them again though, IYKYK. The Camaron A La Diablo tacos were absolute fire though and stole the show with one bite. The Llegal Old Fashion was okay, but i really enjoyed the Cantaritos. Overall, we had a really good time and enjoyed it enough collectively, that we were all in agreement that we should come back in the near future. I'm usually the one showing people new spots, so it was cool to be taken somewhere and enjoy it. read more

Chicatana offers a happy hour menu on M-F from 4-7pm (their website has the happy hour menu). Select tacos are $3 each during happy hour. We got to try 7 dishes plus delicious passionfruit flan for dessert for just under $100, what a deal! We chose to eat outdoors on their covered patio, because the indoor space is very narrow and feels a bit cramped with bar seating and a couple of 2-top tables along the wall. There's a QR code on the table with a link to order, but we preferred to order from a human server instead. For the happy hour menu- We ordered the al pastor (yum), carne asada (yum), and cauliflower (ok). The classic margarita was $8. My husband and I also ordered other items off their regular priced menu. For starters: We got the gorditas de Chicarron (which was just OK for me), brussels sprouts (yum), and esquites "corn." Seeing the ants made me a bit squeamish, so I pretended they weren't there. We got one entree as well- the milanese de pollo, which was a delicious chicken sandwich. I appreciated that the ingredients were top notch, for example, the pineapple in the tacos was a fresh slice. Since we don't live in the neighborhood, it's a one and done restaurant for us, checking it off Washingtonian's top 100, doubt we'll be back. read more

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Chicatana delivers good modern Mexican food, solid service, and a fun atmosphere with awesome music. The margaritas were tasty but more on the fruity side than boozy--still, they somehow left me with a headache. If you love Mole, the ENMOLADAS were a hit at my table, but if you're like me and don't typically enjoy Mole, I'd skip that dish. The ESQUITES "CORN" was flavorful, and while the big crunchy ants added an interesting texture, they didn't necessarily elevate the taste. The SOPES were excellent--we tried the shrimp and octopus, and both were great. The tacos were solid, but you'll need a few to feel full. The El Pastor and Carne Asada were the standouts, while the chicken taco was the least exciting. Overall, a great spot with delicious food, a lively vibe, and great service. Would definitely come back! read more

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As soon as I heard Chicatana had moved to larger digs, I hoofed it over there. Now, I am even more sold on the place. Was it the magical, smoky mezcal that had me at the first sip? Or was it the molotes (fried plantains) that blew me away? Usually I am not a plantain girl, but tasting from my companion's order, I had to beg for more. The pungent mole that ringed the plate paired stupendously with the sweetness of the plantain, mediated by a layer of white cheese. Just transcendent. Or maybe it was the shrimp sopa with its enchanting guajillo chili? The whole rockfish that I had been longing to try was underwhelming in comparison, a bit overcooked and over-spiced. Next time I will venture more boldly into the special mains. read more

Love love this place. Atmosphere is amazing everyone is very pleasant. Drinks and dishes are always well put together. read more

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OVERALL: excellent food and drinks! Flavorful and unique. Worth a visit. FOOD: The food is amazing and authentically mexican. Everything is fresh and flavorful. The drinks are also tasty with the right balance of alcohol. The grasshopper tacos are worth trying - spicy and tangy, you don't even realize you're eating grasshoppers. I've never had molotes de requeson - fried plantains stuffed with mexican cheese, dressed in mole. It was delicious. All the tacos were a hit and the tortillas were so good. The guacamole was well done! We also had the fried quesadilla and shrimp sopes. I will definitely be coming back for more food. SERVICE: there isn't a host or any signs when you enter so you have to find a seat or wait around for one. It's a popular place so you may wait a while. It took a while for us to be attended to when we sat down and even more for the food to come. That's the only reason I'm knocking it down a star. VENUE: super cute with indoor and outdoor seating. The indoor space is small but cutely decorated. There is also a massive tequila collection which I loved! Would highly recommend. read more

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Food is authentic and reasonably priced. Highly recommend the spicy passion fruit marg w/ Mezcal! As far as the food - the lengua was cooked perfectly. My friend got the passion fruit ceviche which I had a bite of and it was delicious. I'll be back read more

Chicatana Fine Mexican Cuisine - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Food was exceptional, especially the langosta taco and the passionfruit ceviche. Service was a little odd- my server took my plate away after delivering 1 wrong taco instead of just bringing me the new dish. Also took plates away too quickly. Overall though, awesome experience! More affordable DC dining with great drinks and gluten free options. read more

Chicatana Fine Mexican Cuisine - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Great spot to stop for a quick bite. Was just walking around and kind of stumbled on this place. I got their mocktail which was amazing! For food, I got carne asada & lengua tacos. The lengua was my favorite of them. Lastly, I got the shrimp sopes to finish off my meal. Everything was delicious. Service is quick and prices are fair. They do a daily happy hour from 4-7. read more

Chicatana Fine Mexican Cuisine - Carne Asada Taco & Lengua Taco - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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We went there to taste the Tacos al pastor and they're great, they have a great flavor, good size and good meat quality. My only complaint was the salsa, that we didn't like. We also order a gorditas plate as an appetizer and they're really tiny bites. They taste good but I wouldn't order it again. We're there after 10 pm on a Saturday night and wasn't any busy. The service was so so, I think they prefer people than expend money on drinks. Overall next time I'll just order carry out. read more

Chicatana Fine Mexican Cuisine - Taco Al Pastor - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Tamal Verde Montado (only on Brunch menu): excellent, innovative, exciting, medium spicy sauce that is delicious Pescado (fish) taco: fine, but boring Camarón (shrimp) sopes: excellent, creative, delicious, medium salty, definitely worth trying Ambiance: there isn't any! except for Mexican music playing in the background that is thankfully not too loud. Brunch scoop: The regular menu, by QR code on each table, is also available along with the Brunch menu on weekends. read more

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Absolutely phenomenal food. Fun ambience. Great staff. Wide variety of tequilas and mescale. Wow. Just wow. read more

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Service is impeccable. Food is authentic and flavorful. Ambience is comfy casual. Definitely coming back for more read more

Chicatana Fine Mexican Cuisine - Don't leave without trying the Passion Fruit Flan. - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Super authentic, no frills Mexicans spot in the Colombia Heights neighborhood. Our party of 3 was seated immediately on a Saturday afternoon. There's a covered outdoor seating area with heat which was nice as it's still brisk outside. Service was incredible and super quick. Guac and chips: the guac itself was delicious; I loved the micro greens on top which is not something you normally see in a guacamole. The chips were nice and crispy but a tad too salty for my taste Drinks: I got the hibiscus margarita and it was DELICIOUS. I loved that there was one large ice cube, I feel like I rarely see that in a margarita and it's definitely my preferred way of drinking a cocktail! My friend got the michelada and I tried a little and that was also delicious, even though I usually don't go for that flavor profile in a cocktail. We shared the 'molotes d' requeson' (fried plantains on a bed of this incredibly smoky and delicious chichilco negro/mole looking sauce) which was the highlight of the meal. The plantains were sweet and juicy and paired perfectly with the salty cheese/smoky sauce. I had never had anything like it at a Mexican restaurant! Our tacos were all delicious. I got the Al pastor and it was one of the best versions I've had. The rest of their menu items looked amazing; I'd definitely return to try more! read more

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The food here tasted excellent and authentic! I greatly enjoyed the tacos, including the fried fish taco and grasshopper taco. Speaking of grasshopper tacos, I found it to be a must try because where else are you going to get it in the area?! It was slightly spicy, a little sour, and crispy. The guacamole and chips were a good appetizer. The chips were crispy with the right amount of salt. The guacamole was tasty with a nice kick to it. The carna asada quesadilla was perfectly cooked with plenty of cheese and tender steak. The tortilla was also quality. The texture and consistency was on par with what you expect a homemade tortilla to be. The only downside with this dish was the lack of guacamole, pico de gallo, beans, and rice that you would normally receive at a Mexican restaurant. The cocktails were delicious, including the margarita and mezcal old fashioned. Both had a good balance of liquor and other ingredients. The service members were nice but the wait time for drinks and food was long. It was also confusing whether I was supposed to wait for a host or seat myself. Signage about self seating would have been helpful. The atmosphere is small, casual, and clean. read more

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Delish! Come for happy hour from 4-7. In addition to meat lover food galore, there are great veggie options for us vegetarians. The food is flavorful and the taco fillings are generous. Margarita is made with fresh ingredients (not an old mix behind the bar). We sat outside, which is always fun. There are a few tasty options nearby. It's great to add this wonderful spot to the rotation. read more

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So glad I decided to venture out and try something new! This small neighborhood spot is so welcoming and the food is delicious. The HH pitcher of Margarita is $34 bucks and my friend and I had 3-4 drinks each from the pitcher. They cook everything right there in front of you and you can tell it's homemade and made with love and care. Service staff were very friendly. They had bug spray if you wanted to sit on their heated patio as well. I'll be back. read more

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Fun Mexican restaurant. I was worried about parking but lots of street parking nearby. Waited at the bar for a few minutes for our table for 5. I never had fried quesadillas so tried them and they were delicious. Margaritas didn't disappoint and tasty mocktails. In not a fish person but my group raved about their orders. Churros a great way to end the meal. Wait staff could not have been nicer. Colorful wall art made it cheerful. Thumps up read more

I really loved Chicatana. We went during Happy Hour and picked items from the HH and regular menu. While everything was delicious the standouts to me were the guac and the esquites 'corn'. The guacamole had so much flavor and the chips were crisp and salty. Seriously some of the best I've had and I've had a lot of chips. The corn was so so good. I liked it with the chips but I think it's meant to just order as a side. It was on the HH menu which was a nice bonus. It comes with ants but don't let that scare you. They just add a bit of crunch. We each had a hibiscus margarita. Not too sweet. We followed that by a mix of tacos. And then ended the meal with churros -- also delicious. We were 2 people and the serving was 4 large churros. I wish it had been a smaller serving since we ended up eating every morsel of food we ordered. We loved this place and will absolutely be back! We are outside so I have no idea what the venue is like inside. And we could have used a hit of bug spray. It is summer in DC. read more

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Chicatana is good but a bit overrated. My friend and I recently went on a weeknight and were seated immediately. The ambiance is interesting-not much to look at from the outside, but colorful murals and a classy bar inside. I also loved the open grill where you get to see the chefs prepare your food in front of you. Our service was fine overall; nothing spectacular but no major negatives. We got free chips and salsa (although we had to ask for it); the salsa was spicy and flavorful. For appetizers, my friend and I split the passionfruit ceviche and the mushroom/spinach quesadilla. The ceviche was incredible, with fresh fish, great acid and flavor, and good crunch from the cucumber and mustard seeds. The quesadilla was fine but nothing spectacular. For our main, we split the Pescado Sarandiado and I also ordered three tacos: ants, grasshoppers, and lengua. The rockfish was OK, although it needed a sauce as it was relatively plain. The tacos were interesting and I enjoyed the texture of the grasshoppers and ants-they are worth trying if you are an adventurous eater. However, I would not order them again as they weren't the tastiest. Chicatana is worth trying once for the novelty but there are better Mexican restaurants in Columbia Heights. read more

Found this spot on a whim about an hour and half before they closed and was very impressed. Tacos were outstanding. They don't offer flour tortillas. I usually don't like corn tortillas but these here are the perfect handmade delicious ones I like - not too thick and very fresh. Al Pastor was my favorite. I also had the shrimp camaron a la diabla tacos and carne asada which were oh so good. Plantains very good. Prices are great. We had an imported tequila recommended by our amazing server and it was so good. Definitely was a fine tequila. We ordered the rockfish with rice and beans to go but haven't gotten into yet. Will update review when I do. Service was great! Will absolutely return. I may have found my new fave taco spot. read more

Chicatana Fine Mexican Cuisine - Carne asada, al pastor, camaron a la diabla tacos and moletes de requesón - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia