Really awesome place with unique flavors across the board. I randomly snagged a reservation here, which is SO hard to get. They do take walk-ins, which I learned after we went! Some standouts for us were the citrus ceviche and the lamb neck, which was literally so tender it was falling off the bone. The lobster tetela was also an interesting dish, sort of like a quesadilla with really authentic flavors and an amazing corn tortilla. The bunuelo dessert was super good and the cinnamon caramel and chocolate dipping sauces really made the meal. Everyone working there seemed happy and was really helpful to provide recommendations, answer any questions and check in on us frequently. Def. recommend! read more

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I went here with friends on a Friday night and enjoyed my meal. I suggest reservations because I booked this a few weeks in advance and they were turning some parties away at the door. It's a small space with maybe 8 bar seats and maybe less than 10 tables. Let me get the bad out of the way first: I felt like the service was inconsistent in terms of it being a bit rushed at times and too slow at others. I think they need to clarify that they want us out in 2 hours and time everything better themselves (maybe they did tell us but I don't remember). For example, they wanted drink orders pretty quick, but then they took really long just to come back and take our food order. The main thing I didn't like was that at the end of the meal, after we settled the bill, my friend had a solid one third to one fourth of her expensive margarita left. The server just straight up walked up and grabbed it and walked away without asking or anything. That felt sooo rude. Otherwise, the food was great, even if overpriced in my opinion. My favorite dish was the fideos negros. I think I'll always have a soft spot for some charred mushrooms because this dish was delicious and surprisingly slightly sweet. I thought the drinks were good, too. I got the Naked and Famous and the Margarita and liked the Margarita more. I would come back tbh, but I don't think any of my friends would for the prices. Also, I kinda had a crush on one of the servers so I gotta come back for him hahah read more

Pascual - this is the one large booth that they had for a larger party. I think the rest of the tables were for 2-4 people only. - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

KenScale: 8.0/10 Visit: May 2024 One of the good things about dining in DC as opposed to NYC is that you rarely have to fight for reservations, even at the most popular restaurants. Sure, I have to clear my time to book at exactly the time the reservation window opens online at places like Maydan, but I never had any shocking moment where I logged in to Resy once the window opened and the reservations were all gone within three seconds! In any event, I recently had to plan my day in advance to snag a coveted reservation at a newcomer in the DC dining scene. Pascual, a Mexican restaurant from husband-and-wife chefs Matt Conroy and Isabel Coss who made their name in DC at a French bistro Lutèce in Georgetown, is named after San Pasqual, the Saint of Cooks and Kitchens. It might be surprising that a team behind a French bistro started a new Mexican project, but less so if you know the background of chef Coss, a native of Mexico City who trained at the city's famous Pujol before working at Oxomoco and Empellón in NYC. So did Pascual live up to the hype of being one of the hottest restaurants in DC at the moment (it was also featured as the No. 1 restaurant in Washington Post Tom Sietsema's Spring 2024 Dining Guide)? My wife Jun and I agreed that there were certainly some fantastic dishes, but the overall consistency was a bit mixed. For Jun, the barometer of a great Mexican restaurant is always in how good the guacamole is, so we of course started our meal with guacamole and tostadas (at $17), accompanied by (with an extra $10 charge) a colorful spread of salsa, verde and habanero sauces as well as smoked papaya, shishito escabeche, pickled radish and piña. Despite the stunning presentation, the guacamole was solid but not the most amazing one we'd had. Jun, who is always fond of fiery Mexican sauce, was stunned that the habanero sauce was not even spicy at all! After our initial disappointment, the dishes that came after got progressively better, with the exception of prawns that were forgettable. For a successful meal at Pascual, focusing on vegetable dishes seems to be a winning strategy based on our experience. When I tried a scoop of chayote salad that arrived several minutes after the guacamole, I quickly forgot about the latter and really enjoyed the salad that was a perfect summer appetizer with its refreshing texture enhanced with sunflower seeds. My favorite dish of the night was fideos negros (think Mexican version of thin noodles) with huitlacoche (a type of corn fungus) and mushrooms. The earthy flavor from the dish was quite outstanding and I only wished we had ordered two of these. For the main dish, we shared a giant lamb neck barbacoa accompanied by ayocote beans and salsa cruda that you can wrap into tortillas to create DIY tacos. The braised lamb neck was tasty and its texture soft; the only question was perhaps the price tag ($54) that seemed reflective of the overall inflationary environment of today. For dessert, Jun and I were fans of the off-menu flan, while bunuelo didn't quite have the crunchy texture that we were expecting from the restaurant's answer to churros. As noted above, getting a reservation at Pascual will take some efforts (it of course doesn't help that the restaurant's indoor dining space has only 30 seats), although things might ease up with the restaurant also opening up an outdoor patio. I liked the sleek, modern décor of the dining space that you might see at a hot spot in Mexico City. Another plus of the dining experience at Pascual is its strong cocktail list (you really do need to start your meal with margaritas), although the skeletal wine list made me wonder whether the restaurant could've experimented more in that department. Overall, Pascual offers some standout dishes that might tempt us to come back again just to see what other dishes we should check out. At least we know have a fairly good idea of what dishes to skip next time. read more

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We sat at the bar, and being able to hear the servers chit chat marred our experience. We ordered the dorade, al pastor, scallop aguachile, and tetela. Overall this is a very pricy restaurant, but I don't really think the food and service merit it. Some bites of food were stale or lacking harmony. I think both Lutèce and Lapis offer better experiences than Pascual, so I am chalking it up to the fact that Pascual is just a younger restaurant. read more

I was so excited to try this place since it has been mentioned at the Washingtonian, plus all the glowing instagram feeds. Service was mediocre. From the host who didn't even bother to greet us with a smile, to the sadly untrained server. The atmosphere was neither chic nor unique. The patio seating area appeared to be an old broken down tent. Cocktails were tasty enough, but microscopic. Because it was our first time, we decided to try several dishes: Fideos and 2 of their "main highlights " ...taco pastor which was not better than a basic taco place around DC. The lamb neck was ok, but served with cold tortillas (also something we were looking forward to... just not cold) ...which at that point we didn't even bother to ask the server to warm them up. For the desserts, we got the Buñuelo and the "impossible" (pretty much a chocoflan) which were ok, nothing special about it. The one thing I told myself after trying this place, was to not trust social media when considering places like this. Would I go back? I don't think so. I would not recommend this place... certainly not for the price. Sincerely, Ale Tristan read more

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My husband and I came here for my birthday dinner this year in early May. I was so excited to eat here because I heard so many good things about it over the last year. Unfortunately comparatively to other fine dining restaurants in the area, this one didn't stack up for me personally. The good: I loved the ambiance of the place and it felt nice and clean. We were seated right next to the door, but it didn't hinder the experience at all. I loved the drink special they had on this visit, I forget what it was called but it's the pink drink in the photos. The no so great: obviously I was really looking forward to eating the food here. We started off good with the appetizer tacos and thought it would just get better from there, unfortunately that was one of the better bites of the night. The elote dish was not good to me. To be fair I didn't really know what nixtamalized corn meant even though I've definitely had it before at other restaurants. The tuna was pretty fishy which is an ick of mine but even worse was the super hard pieces of corn making up the dish. Lowkey scarred by that thankfully we got the best dish of the night which was the Fideo. The fideo slapped. We got the lamb for the main and it was super underwhelming. Luckily we were upsold for the rice bc the rice was fire. For dessert we got the star thing which looked so good online but was lacking in person imo. The caramel it came with was great though. The ugly: the service was definitely weird in my opinion. For the price point I'm expecting dish and silverware changes for each course but that was not the case. Sometimes they changed the plates but not the silverware which was odd. While I was still eating the fideo the server really wanted to get rid of our plates to change them out for the main but like I was still eating it so I felt rushed. In the end I let her change them and the fideo sat on the table but the main didn't come out for another 15 minutes, like what was the rush and now the fideo is cold lmao. I do not like how when ordering we were upsold for rice with the main lamb dish as if the lamb only came by itself. When it arrived we realized it came with tacos so what the heckie. Honestly it was lucky though bc the rice was the 3rd best thing we ate which is wild. Slightly inconsequential but it was my birthday and they didn't even acknowledge it. Not a huge deal but why ask on the reservation then. We ate all the courses and had multiple drinks but I really feel like what you get is absolutely not worth the price point. I would have rather gone to rooster and owl. If you want to come here I would go to the bar and only get a few select menu items. read more

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This place was amazing!!! I definitely recommend trying to get a seat at the bar. The bartender was so nice and made the best drinks. The food was also top notch I loved the guacamole tacos and papaya salad. The salad was a must and had so much flavor. Our least favorite was the main entree which was the lamb neck. Had a slightly gamey aftertaste so I wasn't a fan but everything else was amazing. Ambiance inside was nice but the restaurant inside was very small so there is a tent set up for more seating. read more

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Pascual is the best new addition to the neighborhood! The space is inviting and warm, the service is impeccable, and the food and drinks are amazing. I enjoyed every moment spent at Pascual and can not wait to go back. Highly recommend the Chayote Salad and the Fideos Negros! I thought the Buneulo was going to be soft like a churro but it was hard, hollow, and crunchy and although delicious, not my favorite. I am hoping when I return they have the chocolate cake again because that was not available on my visit. It is a small space but they make the most of it with their open kitchen and closely placed tables. Book your reservation (even required for the bar) and be prepared for such a treat with your dining experience at Pascual. read more

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I had an overall positive experience at Pascual! We started with drinks. The horchata was very good, but the colada was a bit of a letdown - it was supposed to have passion fruit, but I didn't taste it at all, and it felt like they skimped on the coconut milk. It was like drinking juice and definitely not worth the price. The veggie dishes were wonderful, but especially the fideos negros, which were the standout of the night for me (delicious mushroom, noodles, and huitlacoche dish that was bursting with flavor). The golden beets were good, but I was most impressed by the sauce and cheese they came with; I didn't think the beets themselves were cooked very well. I really liked the asparagus tlayuda, and I thought it was a good mix of flavors and textures, but it didn't wow me as much - I felt like it was missing lemon or something to tie it together. My friend raved about the steak tartare, and I did think the peanut sauce on it was really good, and I loved that it was served so that you could make tacos with it - great touch! The shrimp was a miss for the table, but the pea tamales had a lovely flavor. We agreed that desserts were definitely not their strong suit: the tres leches was a touch dry and not really as rich tasting as it usually is, and the chocolate sauce for the buñuelo was a bit off/unpleasant (loved the caramel, though!). The buñuelo is a dry, hollow cracker covered with cinnamon sugar that you dip in sauces, and while the presentation was pretty it wasn't anything special vs a regular cracker rolled in cinnamon sugar (give me churros any day, personally). I definitely wouldn't get drinks or dessert here again, given the high price point for mediocre items, but the veggie dishes were worth a return trip! I could eat the fideos negros all day long, and I'm interested in the skate and some other meat dishes. I'm glad to have tried Pascual, and when I saw how tiny the restaurant was I understood why it has been so hard to get a reservation. The space is adorable and the server was attentive. The food didn't fully live up to the hype for me, but they had just changed their menu and removed some of the items I was most interested in, so possibly the summer dishes just didn't appeal to me as much. I do think it's worth visiting, and I'm glad to have it in the neighborhood. The only big downside to me is that they have an automatic 22% service charge, and then they tax that tip, which is a bit shady. I think that combined with the final dessert course being so weak left things on a sour note, but if I had gone here just for entrees or small plates I might feel differently. More of a 3.5, rounded up because I really did love the fideos negros that much. read more

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Great food overshadowed by several instances of subpar service execution has me questioning, "Was this worth $265?". Spoiler alert: No. The Good: Food. Presentation, taste, uniqueness. The lamb barbacoa lived up to the hype. Atmosphere was great as well, both inside and out. The Bad: Inconsistency. They handed us 2 different menus which we didn't notice until I ordered something on the "old" menu that they didn't have. Turns out they were out of several items in the "new" menu as well and had to alter 2 of our original choices and even the replacement also had an alteration from the menu. The Ugly: Service. Took nearly 20 minutes to order. Server not proactive in telling us what was out until we ordered those items. The first thing to arrive was the main entree, not the appetizers. While tables around us were being coursed with replacement plates and flatware, that did not happen with us. But I suppose with a guaranteed 22% gratuity, what's the incentive to provide that level of service? Bottom Line: If you're going to charge $27 for chips, salsa, and guacamole and $65 for lamb (well over what the price was on the website by the way)... I expect top tier food and top tier experience to justify the cost and Pascual only delivered on half of that. read more

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We were excited to check out Pascual, as they had recently opened in the Capitol Hill area. They only serve dinner, and they do take reservations. We started off with the Guacamole and Tostadas, adding in the salsa habanero, macha & tatemada, smoked papaya, shishito escabeche, and pickled radish & pina at an upcharge; the Citrus Ceviche that was prepared with black bass, chipotle, and avocado, and the Alaskan Rock Shrimp, prepared with chipotle, finger lime, and smoked chile. We also tried the Sweet Potatoes and the Parsnip Tamal, sharing the entrees of the Half Amish Chicken and the Lamb Neck Barbacoa. Service was friendly, and the restaurant itself has a fresh clean look, with the white and the wooden decor. read more

Capitol Hill's new restaurant, Pascual, is an excellent addition to NE DC dining. With its green, stylish ambiance, you might feel like you're in Mexico City, not blocks away from Union Station. Excellent service throughout the experience from Tim and other members of the bar and wait staff. We enjoyed all our dishes - al pastor tacos, lobster tetela, bluefin tuna aguachile, chayote salad, duck breast, and bunuelo. Particularly noteworthy is the duck breast, that sells out nightly, and chayote salad, and Al pastor tacos. The duck breast had excellent marbling, juicy pears in the chayote salad were an excellent surprise, and the tacos were the best savory start to our meal. It's relatively easy to get a table at Pascual now through Rest, but I expect that to change soon as people catch on to this Capitol Hill gem read more

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Shout out to Oscar for making my birthday dinner especially wonderful! Came with a bunch of friends so we got to try a lot of the menu. Highly recommend the parsnip tamale, lobster tetela, tlyuda and the Mexican chocolate cake! Pascual is the best addition to the neighborhood and I look forward to dining there again. read more

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We had a great experience. Sat inside although the patio was inviting. Service was friendly and efficient. Cocktails were good (mezcal old fashioned) and the food was exceptional. We had the squash and tamale appetizers and the lamb barbacoa, all delicious. Highly recommend! read more

Five stars all the way! This place is super cozy inside and the servers and bartenders are amazing and so sweet. So glad I finally got to try this place after all the hype and it's been on my list forever. The guacamole with all of the salsa was really tasty. I liked that they make their own chips in house. I also tried the mushroom vegetable dish, which was kind of reminiscent of a Mexican pizza but elevated! This dish was totally my favorite and so good. I also tried the lamb Barbacoa tacos which looks like a huge serving, but actually wasn't that much meat. The meat itself was really good but a little bit gamey. I would 100% come back and try other stuff on their menu! read more

Pascual is one of the newer restaurants on the block in Washington D.C. and for the most part pretty good, some of the dishes were excellent, most of them were just okay. The reservation was a little annoying but not much competition, just book a few weeks ahead and you'll be fine. I had a late booking at 8:15pm on a Sunday Night and was sat early. Walking inside, I would describe the general ambiance and vibe as fun yet cozy. There was music playing and conversations galore but the warm lighting and table settings still made the vibes not overbearing and just right. The bar and kitchen were quite open so sometimes you could get wafts of smoke from the al pastor station which was awesome. The service was standard, but the immediate happy birthday to a peer from the hostess and our waitress was nice. Water was refilled regularly, answered any basic questions quick and kind, not outstanding but that's fine. The drinks here are pretty good but nothing outstanding. I ordered a Marigold Ginger Mocktail & an Al Pastor Margherita, the first tasted like a slightly spiced ginger-ale. The Al Pastor Margherita was a spicy pineapple smoky cocktail, very good but again nothing mind blowing. I don't think I'd order any again. The two starter dishes: Tacos Al Pastor and the Guacamole Plate. The Tacos Al Pastor, although pricy, might actually be one of the best tacos I've ever eaten in my life. The smoky tender pork balanced with the sweet succulent pineapple, the salsas and lime juice on top for acidity & heat, everything is just tied together perfectly. I wish I could say the same as the Guacamole and Tostadas plate. My table ordered all the add-ons, so all the salsas and pickled veg to try it and it was definitely not worth it. The guacamole itself was very good and the salsas added some different flavor combinations depending if you want pure spice, more herbs or sesame tastes but the pickled veg were just very basic and not worth paying the extra money. The Smoked Steelhead Trout, was a heavy miss. The aroma of the fish didn't have any smoke to it, just the fatty smelly fishy note that shouldn't remain after smoking. The dish feels like a Mexican flared deconstructed lox bagel with the radish and Yuzu-mojo sauce. I see the vision, but the execution was not there yet. However, the Bluefin Tuna Tostada was another standout of the night: everything I could have ever wanted in this preparation of a Tuna Tartare was present. The meaty, fatty tender tuna having a hidden layer of avocado underneath for extra buttery texture & fruity tone. The furikake on top adds an umami note that complements the salsa macha's spice well. A must get dish. My table ordered the Lamb Neck Barbacoa to share with two dishes on the side: Fried Red Rice & The Fideos Negros. The Fideos was a miss, they were just over seasoned Vermicelli noodles with some cheese and one mushroom on top. Not worth the price. The Fried rice was better, was smoky and had Hainanese Chicken Rice vibes cooked in some stock but again, just not worth $10 for the serving size. The Lamb Neck Barbacoa was really good though, had some smoky notes balancing the tender and gamey lamb. I really liked the acidic salad piled on top and wish it had more. The beans had more flavor than I thought, probably because they were soaking in the sauce and wrapping up the whole dish into tacos to eat was really fun. I would order it for a first time going, but like everything here, it was not worth it's high price tag ($65). To Round off the meal, we ordered the Bunuelo. But, the staff had brought a secondary dessert as a birthday surprise: their Pastel Imposible. The Bunuelo I could describe as being able to only eat the crunchy bits of a churro, but their chocolate and caramel sauces really elevated it with the warm spiced chocolate and a cinnamon-base caramel. The Pastel Imposible I can describe as eating a Mocha in the best possible way. The chocolate and coffee cake on the bottom was super moist with a strong coffee aroma, the vanilla flan on top adds creaminess and milky caramel notes, and rounding it off with the cacao nib crunch on top for texture. I definitely recommend the Pastel Imposible, the Bunuelo is just neat but not worth reordering. Overall, Pascual definitely has some dishes worth returning for(e.g. Al Pastor Taco, Bluefin Tuna Tostada, Pastel Imposible), but most of the dishes seem fairly standard and not exceptional, I'm sure this will change the more that they set in their roots as a restaurant. Pascual makes me want to return again, maybe in a year or so, but I am not actively yearning to do so. read more

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Ugh....we sat on the patio and it was overrun by flies. The home depot industrial floor fans were not enough to keep them at bay.The drinks.....goodness, not good. The Cadillac margarita, $25, was sour, terribly unbalanced, and a waste of the one of the world's best tequila. The other cocktail i had was just syrupy sweet. The full guacamole and salsa platter, $30, was the best part of the foods we ordered. Great mix of tasty dips and chips. In all honesty, the hamachi collar, $25, was also delicious.....but the pineapple sauce was too much. The braised lamb neck was nice but so not worth $65! All in, with 20% tip included, three of us spent $420+ on dinner with two drinks per person. Not at all reasonable for what we were served. There's really no reason to make our way back when the better choice for us would be d'leana. read more

I was excited to eat at Pascual since following them on instagram and seeing the pictures. I will start off saying it's more 3.5 stars because the staff is really good and attentive especially the hostess. The ambiance is really nice I loved the decor and the open kitchen. It's really cool to see the BOH preparing the food. Now to the food, I was extremely excited to try the dishes here. The guacamole was really good but I don't understand why they up charge for the sides that come with the guacamole because there isn't a lot offered a few sauces, a couple pickled veggies maybe few pieces in each of the bowls. The blue corn Tostadas were really good. We also got the Chayote salad that was my favorite it was light and refreshing. We also tried the Prawns a la Diabla which came out kind of room temp not hot felt they may have been sitting for a little while. The shrimp were on the smaller side not the Tiger prawns they posted online much smaller size and lacked spices for all the flavors listed on the menu. The last item we tried was the Lamb Neck Barbacoa. It was good, the meat was cooked perfectly but again we all felt it lacked spices for a meat that was braised overnight. Some of the drinks we tried were the special of the day a strawberry margarita that was really good. My mom had an orange wine and I tried the Carajillo. We wanted dessert, but they didn't have the chocolate cake that night. It's a nice restaurant, but I feel that there was something missing in the balance of flavors and temperature when food is served needs to keep an eye on that. I see a lot of 5 stars but I also have noticed on instagram they really only post food bloggers reviews and posts. read more

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A little underwhelmed unfortunately, a cute restaurant with really really nice and helpful staff but was kinda disappointed with the food, none of it seemed to live up to the hype and when you account for the price it was pretty unfortunate when I had been looking forward to it so much. Would be willing to try it again but am skeptical read more

Wow. Incredibly hard to get reservations but totally worth it. (They seem to open up on Resy one month in advance. If you arrive at 5pm though there do seem to be spots for walk ins). Everything we ate was unique in flavors and execution. The chayote salad was light and creamy with a welcome crunch. The al pastor taco had the familiar flavor I was expecting but leveled up with juicy tender meat. Fideos negroes were so unique and truly an "umami bomb" as our server described them. The lamb barbacoa was an incredibly hearty portion of fall off the bone meat. Would've loved some heat in an accompanying salsa. The overall vibe and decor is sooo cute. It's a very small space but I saw tables outside so I assume they will have more capacity come patio season. Music set a vibe but wasn't too loud. The bathrooms were really cute with lime washed pink walls and accompanying organic textures and materials in the sinks and accessories. Overall great experience and look forward to visiting again when it's a bit easier to make a reservation! read more

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It took two tries to get it right with Pascual. Here's the deal, you should try all the appetizers and Al fuego plates. Otherwise, given the unique characteristics of each dish you may end up missing out or loving your experience. Apps Winners: steak tartar, the squash tamale, the scallop aguachile. Runner ups: octopus tostada, hamachi collar. Misses: the fig tostada. Al fuego winners: lamb neck (we didn't care of the beans, but this dish is quality), wow to the fish - loved it and plenty to feed 4. The chicken really shined last night, with perfect rice and sauces. Anything can be made into a taco which adds to the fun of this place. Dessert: the buñuelo is a must, and the flan was stunning. Pro tip: go with a big group to sample the menu. Drinks are strong. It's pricey, but it tastes like Mexico. Pro tip 2: during mosquito season, bring your good humor and spray spray spray them away. read more

Food is amazing and a bit pricey. Pascual is a fantastic addition to DC's dining scene, offering a charming atmosphere and a menu full of vibrant flavors. The restaurant has a cozy yet trendy vibe, perfect for a night out with friends or a romantic dinner. The food was delicious and clearly made with fresh, high-quality ingredients. The appetizers were a standout--bursting with flavor and beautifully plated. The main courses were hearty and satisfying, though one dish felt slightly underseasoned compared to the rest. However, the desserts completely stole the show and ended the meal on a high note. Service was friendly and accommodating, though there were small delays at times. The staff's knowledge of the menu and drink pairings added a lot to the experience. Overall, Pascual is a delightful spot that delivers great food, a warm ambiance, and an inviting atmosphere. With just a touch more consistency, it could easily reach 5-star territory. Highly recommend giving it a try! read more

We were looking forward to Pascual, especially with the reviews which mentioned the owner(s)/chef(s) having worked at Pujol, one of our favorite restaurants in the world. That may have set the stage unfairly for Pascual. It is a pleasant restaurant, but with nothing particularly special about the ambiance. Service was not particularly good. It wasn't bad or rude, it just wavered between indifferent and simply unpracticed...staff seemed untrained to varying degrees. Dishes were sometimes presented with little more than a toss on the table and a muttered reminder of what the dish was... The food was fine, with some things better, and others definitely disappointing. The al pastor tacos were no better than what you get at some of DC's Mexican stalwarts (Habanero, Mescalero) - which are tasty so this isn't a knock... it's just that they should be - if the reviews are credible - so much more. Let's get religious for a moment. Is there ever a reason for tortillas to be served cold? Seriously if I did this in my in-law's home I suspect a chancla would be winging my way in short order. Don't serve cold tortillas. Especially if they are homemade. The lamb barbacoa was interesting - a worthwhile dish. Not amazing, but good job. A moment on the wine list. Do better if you are selling moderately upscale food. Mexico has some interesting - if not epic - wines to share... and you should have them. Moreover, your staff should know how to describe your wines (whatever you have) in terms of shared experiences... is something like a Bordeaux or more like a Barbaresco? And please... go light on the wines from California (says the guy from California). All of this would have been fine for a meal around $250 or less. But spending your evening with Pascual will put you back some $400. That's hardly truly expensive...but somehow when so many things fall short it just doesn't add up for me. I wanted it to be better and I wish it was. And...it can be, with focus. Hope to see that. read more

Have been a few times and it somehow keeps getting better. Great vibe, amazing staff, and food that never disappoints. It would be hard for any place to live up to the hype this place gets but Pasqual delivers time and time again. read more

Visiting Pascual had been on my list for some time, but I regret to say I won't be returning. The service was unwelcoming, and as the only person of color in the establishment, it felt targeted. Without a reservation, I added my name to the waitlist. While waiting, my friend inquired about the restroom and was initially denied access because it was "for customers only." She had to explain excessively that we were waiting for a table before being allowed to use the bathroom, escorted as if she couldn't find it herself. We encountered skepticism from the staff until we ran up a substantial tab, at which point their attitude shifted. The food was mediocre and not worth the price. Maybe, if anything positive to report, the lamb was very tender. The cocktails, however, were well-prepared and strong, which was the highlight of our visit. Overall, I could have done without the staff's condescending behavior. read more

Incredible, incredible, incredible. The ambiance in the restaurant was perfect. The lighting was soft but not dark. Music was playing, but not too loudly. The table and restaurant were decorated simply and tastefully. Immediately, the staff was friendly and attentive. Our table for 6 was ready when we arrived early, the waitress gave an introduction to the restaurant and gave some advice for ordering, and our water cups were never left empty. Fantastic staff and ambiance! The flavor palate of the food is unlike any I've had in DC. This is a shared-plates-style restaurant. The menu is diverse but not overwhelming, and you can tell that each menu item is extremely perfectly curated, creative, and well-thought out. To say the food was amazing would be an understatement. Every item on the menu was flawless, and the quality of the food was consistent throughout each plate. There was not a single thing our group regretted ordering, and we wish we had room to try more! I highly recommend the chayote salad, the chicken, and the chocolate cake. For each dish, the flavors were powerful and unique in their own ways. Pascual offers a special dining experience that is not something to miss out on. read more

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This is a neighborhood gem! The small, modern restaurant with a great garden felt cozy and local. It's definitely expensive, but the elevated Mexican dishes served are made by hand with great ingredients. Our waiter made great recommendations and helped us narrow our order down (although we still left stuffed!). I loved the Chanterelle Tlayuda and the Dorade! read more

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I had been waiting for this dinner for months after struggling to find open reservations--but it was worth the wait! My friend and I started with fish tacos, and honestly, I would come back just to order multiple of those. They're very pricey for a taco, but truly the best fish taco I've ever had. The fish is fried in masa, which makes it wonderfully crunchy, even as the fish remains moist. We had the beets (my least favorite - the salsa on it clashed with the beets) and eggplant tamal (highly recommend). The pina colada drink was also excellent and refreshing on a very hot day in the District. The main course was a roasted chicken, which was very tender and moist and expertly seasoned. The dessert was a show-stopper: a gluten-free tres leches cake! Overall, the service was attentive and friendly, the decor is understated and perfect, and the food is yummy. My only complaint is the high cost of a meal, but that's pretty standard for DC nowadays. Can't wait to come back! read more

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The lamb and the steak tartare were both clever and well prepared. The servers were warm and personable but still professional. Ambiance was fun, relaxed, but the dining was fine. Good place for a date, but the menu would challenge most kids. read more

Pascual - After eating his yummy lamb bone, Don Cheadle had a delicious nap. - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We had a very nice dinner here. Several unexpected moves throughout-- really loved the chayote salad. Skip the tacos. Tip extra for the knowledgeable and well delivered service. We'd probably go back but not before rounding out a tour of other locales. read more

Been wanting to try Pascual. Everything was delicious. We had the guacamole and accompaniments and really glad we added those on. Had the lobster appetizer and it was so good. Lobster was so fresh. Added on a tomato salad to our main dish of lamb. It was a lot of lamb so we have leftovers ! Finished off night with chocolate ganache. All around amazing dinner, service and atmosphere. read more

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I struggled with this review mainly because the experience was a struggle itself. Drinks, welcoming service and a warm evening sitting on their patio was setting us up perfectly for what we had imagined would be one of the best dining experiences we've been waiting months for. Sadly, that was not the case. Pascual can probably receive 5 stars for the average diner, but 2, maybe 3 for anyone needing accommodations due to allergies. I came in thinking I had several options after reviewing the menu ahead of time, and shared my thoughts with the waitress only to be told the chef wouldn't modify 5 out of the 6 options I listed. So I was left with the salad as my only option. It was delicious, I also enjoyed some of the dips but as one can imagine, I left hungry and quite disappointed. In a world where so many people have allergies and intolerances, you'd think a Michelin starred restaurant would assist in making the patrons experience wonderful, instead of isolating. Too bad. read more

Our favorites (and recommended by others) were: Chayote, Fideos, Hamachi, Octopus tostada, Eggplant tamale. If you like Jose Andres' restaurants in DC, especially Jaleo and Bazaar, then you will definitely adore this place. Service: excellent, they offer you to experiment with tapas, if you would like to try a lot of flavors and ingredients, or a larger meal with the feugos. White wine: really enjoyed the Ca'Di Mat Valautin, it's as close to a Sauvignon Blanc they offer, but better actually with more of a floral bouquet. Patio: there were not any mosquitos out late-October 2024, and they just installed heating lamps outside. FYI - the following items mentioned in many reviews were on the original menu when they first opened in February 2024 but are not on the new menu as of Oct 2024: Garbanzos with chorizo flan, Sweet potatoes, Lobster quesadilla, Prawns, Skate, Arroz con leche. read more

Overpriced for not your typical Mexican food. We made a reservation and they made us wait outside for 30 minutes while we ordered cocktails. By the time we ordered and food arrived we were starving, an hour after our reservation. The waitress kept being pushy about us ordering other things. Flavors were not typical Mexican at all. They double charged me for something on accident and had to correct it. Save your money. read more

Amazing service and food! We ordered a bunch of small plates to share and everything was delicious. My favorite was the lobster quesadilla and beef tartare. You have to try the lamb shoulder. Absolutely amazing! read more

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Serious cooking! Everything was craveworthy without feeling like they took the cheap instagrmable "hacks" too many others have aceeded to. Pricey, but honestly, a steal considering what other places are crapping out for the same price. The tartare was phenomenal. How can a taco al pastor be improved for fine dining? Skepticism assauged!!! The lamb neck is highly recommended. Normal disappointment with drink options. Drinks could be improved. As a wine drinker, i was very happy (but not impressed) by the wine offerings, but the cocktails and beer offerings noticeably lagged. I wish luck to this place and others putting out serious food and not merely mining customers. read more

What. The. Fk!! The food here was another world. From LA, was highly recommended, so it was a must try...it was another level. Go here. Don't walk, run. Also, ask for Tim - cool guy! Also gave us recommendations for bars like Copycat. He was awesome. Just a truly amazing place. Thank you so much for a great experience read more

If you are a Mexican I can't recommend the food, but you can try the Fideos, very very small dish, and service is 100% good.

Very good. I loved the guac + fixings, chayote salad, and asparagus tostados. The wait staff was friendly and attentive. Everything was very stylish. read more

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My wife and I immensely enjoyed our first time dining &Pascual. It was a kind of last minute date night, so could only get a 5pm reservation on a Friday last week. So glad we got that as by 5:30 the dining room was full. The service staff if polished and knowledgeable while guide us through the menu. We stared with the Al pastor tacos, chayote salad and cocktails. Continued with the augachili, delicious combo of Japanese scallops, first of the season strawberries and chili. The the main event: lamb neck barbacoa ! A must have served with the best fresh made tortillas since our last visit to Mexico City. We will definitely be back to try the rest of the chef's menu very soon. read more