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    Pako's Fresh Mex

    5.0 (1 review)

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    Taqueria Habanero - Tacos

    Taqueria Habanero

    4.3(1.1k reviews)
    3.1 mi
    $$

    Not going to lie, walking up to the restaurant felt a wee uncomfortable but that is no fault to the…read morerestaurant just a note on the neighborhood. Restaurant was bright and welcoming and our waitress was lovely! In order of preference, we got the: Octopus tacos - Outstanding!!! There's a nice smokey char that adds flavor, sauce was fresh, and octopus was easy to bite through. Never had octopus tacos before and these were awesome!! I want to go back for this and to try other things! Huaraches - Bean filled and fried corn underlayer with sautéed steak and cactus on top -- cactus had a sour flavor and a light crunch with just a bit of slime kind of like okra, some folks aren't as into this but I liked it! Scallop tacos - Good sauce and nicely sized scallops. Salmon tacos - Good but did not standout, I'd skip unless you want something safe and it's your go to

    The service was super quick! There may have been a 10 minute wait between ordering our food and…read morebeing served which was perfect. We got the guacamole to start which was some of the best, and most flavorful, guacamole that I've had in DC. Being from Texas, I'm very particular about my street tacos. These were the closest I've gotten to Texas street tacos since I've been in DC, and I've been here for 2 years! The place is small and intimate but full of energy - great place for a happy hour with friends or a more casual date!

    Photos
    Taqueria Habanero
    Taqueria Habanero - Fajita Mixta

    Fajita Mixta

    Taqueria Habanero - Birria tacos

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    Birria tacos

    dLeña - Pork Belly** and Short Rib**

    dLeña

    4.4(1.3k reviews)
    1.7 mi
    $$$

    Came last night before a comedy show at the Capital One Arena and OMG...10/10 hands down I have no…read morenotes. We went in right as they opened, on a Friday at 5 pm, and there was already a line! The reservations were full, but we were offered a seat either at the bar or outside. Luckily it was a beautiful day so we took a seat outside. They started us off with a sweet hibiscus flavored juice as a palate cleanser which was super refreshing. The left side of the menu had appetizers and shareables, while the right side had entrees. We ordered the short rib tacos, pork belly, wagyu empanadas, and seafood enchiladas. Everything had a beautiful bright orange sauce on it and made it look like it would be spicy but it wasn't! I think it's their signature guajillo sauce and it was VERY good, super creamy. Seafood enchiladas: This was my fav. Might have been because it was extremely hungry and it was my first bite. Definitely best when eaten warm, as the cheese is gooiest and the seafood inside is hot. I wasn't sure how the salad was going to be but it added a perfect refreshing and acidity to balance out the creamy sauce. Wagyu empanadas: Much gooey-er and cheesier than expected, but also a hit! Came with a decent amount of beef inside. Comes with the orange sauce and a chimichurri, which I think was a good idea because given how cheesy and creamy the filling already was, the chimichurri was a nice balance as well. Pork belly: Melts as soon as you cut into it. The Asian in me low key wanted a giant bowl of rice with this so that I could soak up all the sauce and veggies. Pretty fatty so if you're not a fan of that you might not like this. Short rib tacos: These were loaded, not with meat but with tons of crunchy topping (maybe fried carrots?) Could have done with slightly less crunch but overall still good. The orange sauce on the bottom had a peanuty flavor which I thought added a unique kick. Also, we were surprised at how quickly the food came out. We were in and out in under an hour. Our server Rebecca was also extremely nice. Will def be back if in the area. Highly recommend all around!

    This rating is for the brunch and the brunch only... I have to be completely honest about this for…read moreanyone planning on going for brunch. The service was ok, we had to tell our server we weren't seeing him enough, there's a 2 hour limit and we weren't getting a chance to order more drinks. After that he kept the drinks coming. WARNING! You DO NOT get to choose what items you want from the ayce brunch menu, they bring every single dish out and they do it at a pace that you barely get a chance to enjoy anything. Every dish is loaded with fillers and barely any meat. Every dish has a similar flavor of chilli, lime and cilantro. I say this with the upmost respect to this restaurant, the only good thing about the brunch were the churros and they don't give you that until you're ready to leave. The chicken and waffles were almost good but the sauce on the chicken with the waffle just ruins it. The steak and eggs were ok and you only get a 1oz piece of steak. Birria tacos were just ok and the fish taco was ok. Everything else was not worth it. A lot of items went to waste. If we could've chose exactly what we wanted, it might have been better. This would also add to why the service did not start off well because our server gave us our first drink and left. After that, every item from the brunch menu were just getting dropped off by food runners. It became overwhelming. We didn't even have room on the table for all of that. Then we also had to ask for new plates because we did not want to mix the flavors of every dish. The drinks were also not good, I had margaritas for my drink of choice and they are so sour and filled with cheap tequila... respectfully for 70$ a person you're better off ordering à la carte. The restaurant is beautiful though, great for pictures and the food is colorful as well but the flavors are just not that good and you're ultimately paying for a bunch of food that you don't really even want nor enjoy. I really hope they adjust this because I heard it was 10x better in the past.

    Photos
    dLeña - Bathrooms

    Bathrooms

    dLeña - Salmon Zarandeado*

    Salmon Zarandeado*

    dLeña - Broccolini

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    Broccolini

    Tiki Taco - Kalua pork taco

    Tiki Taco

    4.4(450 reviews)
    1.0 miDupont Circle, Downtown
    $$

    What an awesome "stumbled upon" discovery!…read more I was in Dupont and wasn't even particularly ready for lunch yet when the music coming from here called me in. The reggae music was giving me all of the good vibes, so out of curiosity I headed down the steps. Once inside, I discovered a cozy and casual little taco spot with some great offerings and a warm staff. I took a quick look at the menu and decided on a fish taco and a jerk chicken taco, with a Hawaiian shaved ice to-go. The tacos were actually pretty sizeable and at a reasonable price point. I love the fish taco, but the jerk chicken in the other taco was a little dry to me that day. Either way, I enjoyed my food and was GEEKED out when I walked out with my shaved ice. Loved everything about this place and will definitely return in the future!

    Tasty Hawaiian flavors served up in a convenient taco…read more I ordered the Crispy Sesame Tofu taco and the Jerk Chicken taco. The tofu was deliciously crispy and would be easily enjoyed by even the avid meat lover. I also enjoyed the jerk chicken taco though it seemed to lack the mango salsa that was listed which is what caught my eye. Just a few pieces of mango, no salsa. Service is friendly. Limited seating inside. Floors were in need of a good cleaning and the interior had an overall dingy look. Despite the short comings, I would still recommend.

    Photos
    Tiki Taco - Tiki Taco

    Tiki Taco

    Tiki Taco - Kalbi, jerk chicken, fish, and carne asada tacos

    Kalbi, jerk chicken, fish, and carne asada tacos

    Tiki Taco - Blackened Salmon Taco

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    Blackened Salmon Taco

    Chicatana Fine Mexican Cuisine

    Chicatana Fine Mexican Cuisine

    4.7(95 reviews)
    2.8 miColumbia Heights

    Had a great time and dinner! Chicatana is unassuming and unpretentious, staffed with attentive…read moreservers 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

    This was the valentine's day 2026 stop. I had no idea it was in the area it was, but alas, we made…read morethe 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.

    Photos
    Chicatana Fine Mexican Cuisine - The bar

    The bar

    Chicatana Fine Mexican Cuisine - Bunuelos

    Bunuelos

    Chicatana Fine Mexican Cuisine - Illegal old fashioned

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    Illegal old fashioned

    Taqueria Al Lado - Campechano Taco

    Taqueria Al Lado

    4.3(67 reviews)
    3.2 miH Street Corridor/Atlas District/Near Northeast

    Years ago, behind U Street Music Hall (RIP), there used to be a taco spot in a row home called El…read moreChilango. It used to be the spot for me and my friends to grab a quick bite and everything about it was exceptional: who can say no to super affordable yet authentic street tacos served on paper plates. Sadly, it closed. Last night, I think I stumbled across a taco spot to finally take the wheel from our dearly missed El Chilango. Taqueria Al Lado is very no frills and a tiny spot, but it has tacos that make your heart sing. My friend recommended the Al Pastor so I got that with a chicken taco as well. Both were super flavorful, fatty, but really fresh and well balanced. The key here is simplicity and they do it perfectly. Each taco was about $4 or $5 if I remember correctly, so it's a great spot to grab food if you're trying to ball on a budget. We got the guac, too, which was good but not life changing; the fresh chips, however, were spot on. As far as service goes, we went on a Friday and it was super busy, but there were plenty of servers if we needed something (just had to be vocal). I will definitely be coming back!

    I stopped in here as I walked home from an appointment on H street because the music was great and…read morethe smells were even better. The ordering process was very easy. I picked a spot and was quickly approached by one of the several servers to place my order. I ordered two tacos, rice, and a beer. The food came within ten minutes and was hot. The vegan birria taco was delicious. It was a mishmash of veggies and tasted amazing. The fish taco was good, but the vegan option was my favorite. I had hoped the rice would be seasoned, but it was just white rice. The overall restaurant vibe was very fun with loud music. It was crowded but there were still several tables available. Checkout process was easy as well. A happy little find I will be sure to come back to.

    Photos
    Taqueria Al Lado - Heated porch seating. We sat at the bar.

    Heated porch seating. We sat at the bar.

    Taqueria Al Lado - Suadero Huarache! This was freaking incredible! Hidden gem!

    Suadero Huarache! This was freaking incredible! Hidden gem!

    Taqueria Al Lado - Suadero Taco & Quesabirria Taco

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    Suadero Taco & Quesabirria Taco

    Bartaco - Fish, steak, and chicken taco. Delicious!

    Bartaco

    4.3(51 reviews)
    1.7 mi
    $$

    First time ordering from Bartaco. Decided to go in and place a takeout order of two rice bowls,…read morechips and guacamole. The service was very friendly. The hostess greeted me and asked if I'd ever been to the restaurant before. She directed me to the back counter where I was able to review the menu and place my order. The server at this register was also very nice. I liked the texture of the rice bowls and everything was cooked well. However, the portions for everything were smaller than I expected for the price. Bartaco offers items with mushrooms, falafel, and cauliflower. However I think it would be great if they could offer something with tofu as there is not a protein option for vegans. The chips and guacamole were decent but nothing special. Interesting that the chips come as large pieces instead of as individual chips. I'd maybe stop in again if I was nearby but I'm not sure I'm eager to return.

    The patio is nice on those warmer days. Drinks, food, and people watching. I've been to many of…read morethese types of places in DC. Sophisticated tacos were good but smaller. My half of chicken was ok. Just grilled and needed lots more seasoning and maybe a side should come with it. The trio was good. The drinks I had weren't strong enough. They had just introduced the toast software so there were plenty of glitches but they more than made up for all of the problems. Much appreciated!

    Photos
    Bartaco - Happy hour ciprihana (something like that) refreshing drink

    Happy hour ciprihana (something like that) refreshing drink

    Bartaco - Duck Birria

    Duck Birria

    Bartaco - Chips and Guacamole

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    Chips and Guacamole

    Pako's Fresh Mex - foodtrucks - Updated May 2026

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