We eat here regularly. The birria tacos and red sangria are always excellent. The restaurant is casual, comfortable and also offers outside seating. Service is always fast and with a smile! read more

Picante - Love the straw! - Mexican Near Me - Annapolis, Maryland

We sat outside for the arts festival. We had spicy margaritas and queso and chips. Everything was yummy. The inside was nice too! read more

Picante - Mexican Near Me - Annapolis, Maryland

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Came here on Friday night with my parents. We love to come here, as its downtown, good food, and adorable inside. The past few times we have come, it has been very busy. This time around, we were seated very quickly. We tried the margarita flight, which included blue raspberry, mango and strawberry. They were all very tasty, and a great price for what we got. I was not eating meat this day, so I opted for the taco bowl with shrimp. I wish it came with rice, and more shrimp and less lettuce. The lettuce was a little overpowering for the flavor of it all. But excited to come back and try some desserts, and other dishes; especially with their weekly specials. read more

I enjoyed Picante. Mexican decorated art, accents and kitsch make you feel like you were in a cantina in the Yucatan penisula. The wait service was steady and frequent. They were very attentive. The carne asada fries we crisp and plentiful. Tapped with the steak, sour cream and the best freshly made guacamole that I have had in a while. Somebody's Mexican grandma would be proud that their recipe was exceptional. The chips and salsa were were done also. The salsa was fresh and the chips were just fried. Some were stuck together though. They have to work on not serving them. The ground beef taco salad was in a fresh made shell. Topped with that guac again. Very well done. Couldn't eat all of it in one sitting. But it was very good twice. The carne asada special was good. We asked for it medium rare but it was more medium well. So a little chewy. The grilled tomato spears were a pleasant surprise. The black beans were good and so was the rice. Overall it was a pleasant experience. read more

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Picante sits on a busy street in Annapolis. Plenty of paid, street parking. I came on a Monday afternoon. We were literally the only ones in the restaurant. We were greeted, and quickly seated at an open booth. For drinks we ordered water and a single mojito. The water came out fairly quickly, but the mojito was taking quite a long time. After about 15 minutes, an appetizer that we didn't order came to our table. It turns out, our waitress misheard "mojito", and thought we said "Molotes"... which we later learned was corn masa stuffed with chorizo and potato. It looked delicious, but we did not order it. After the correction and another 5 minutes for the mojito, we were finally able to place our dinner order. We got a taco combo meal, with 2 fajita chicken tacos and 1 fish. And we also got the birria quesadilla. I highly recommend!! The food was great. The restaurant was clean, and so was the bathroom. I would definitely return for the quesadilla. Service could probably use a little improvement, but overall they are friendly! read more

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We went to the Rolling Knolls School Fair yesterday, and the Picante Food Truck was there. I got three beef tacos, and I shared the beef nachos with my family. It was really good especially the nachos. Apparently, they have a restaurant where El Toro Bravo used to be in Downtown Annapolis, and they keep their food truck at the old Paceway gas station on RT 2 across from Chevys. I will definitely be eating there again soon! I highly recommend it. read more

First of all, did anyone else know crickets and guacamole goes together!!!? *see pictures* Good drinks, good food, and a great happy hour. After work, date night before a walk downtown to the pier, girls night out margaritas and a meal, you name it. I can honestly say I'm JUST getting to this Picante review, but I am a returning 5+ time customer. read more

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Disappointing experience and very concerning overcharge. There was a ~$50 overcharge on our credit card from Picante after dining here. Definitely not a small mistake. I tried calling the restaurant multiple times to resolve it directly. Someone would answer the call, I'd explain the situation, and they'd say "ok, hold on please", only to hang up. After that, they stopped picking up my calls. We gave them the opportunity to fix this on their end, but the complete lack of transparency left us to dispute the charge with our credit card company. Between the unexplained overcharge and the refusal to communicate, this place feels extremely shady. We won't be returning and would urge others to check their statements carefully if they dine here. To address the food quality... definitely over-salted but otherwise decent. They messed up our order and proceeded to correct it at the very end of our meal. Food wasn't terrible so I suppose that speaks more to the bad service. read more

Five of us dined today. Attentive staff. Nothing special but nice to sit outside and enjoy the warm temperatures. Everyone's lunch was good except my chopped salad with carne asada was miss prepared, first time was served in taco shell with chicken, reminded her I had ordered with steak, replaced with a salad in a regular bowl and shell was gone sadly the steak strips tasted like beef jerky, overcooked and cold. read more

Really good place with great food. Excellent service and the staff were attentive. Atmosphere is nice and it was not crowded, even for a Saturday afternoon. We started with the Queso Fundido. Beers are served in big mugs. Lots of food options for anyone in the family. It's right on West Street so traffic was loud. It's a good option in Annapolis. read more

Picante - Menu - Mexican Near Me - Annapolis, Maryland

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The entrees we've tried have been very good and portions are a good size. Wait staff is very friendly but things like checking if customers need drink refills are often forgotten. Salsa is delicious, chips are tasty but very greasy, so that's a minus (we don't mind if you buy them, really). Some entrees were served on wood planks which is a cute idea but gave me the heebies a little bit--ceramic plates are way more sanitary by design. We stopped in for an early dinner before an event and were seated directly in front of a large television. Which didn't bother us but annoyed the heck out of everyone else in the room trying to watch a Navy game. Would be great if more attention were paid to details like that because we felt pretty bad about it by the time our food arrived. It's a huge space, not sure why everyone has to be squashed in one area. read more

The first time I went to Picante, I sat at a table for 20 minutes without a server stopping by. I wound up leaving after still not receiving any service. The second time we tried Picante, our food was cold and not good. We actually sent it back. The fish tacos were completely dried out as if they had been sitting under a light for a long period of time before they were delivered to our table. read more

Placed the order at work, walked there and arrived the food was done and fresh! Good service as i was getting takeout. 1st time and will be back. Nice portions and great price. Can't wait to try more or sit down and eat, quesadillas were yummy. Not a big fan of the sauce on top. But it wasn't terrible. Will be back! read more

Picante - Mexican Near Me - Annapolis, Maryland

Surprisingly good! Service was prompt and friendly. Complimentary chips and salsa. The beer was cold. The food came out quickly. The birria tacos were excellent, very tasty, as was the side of rice and beans. Somewhat expensive for Mexican food, but this is a tourist area. read more

Picante - Birria tacos, consomé, rice and beans, chips, salsa, beer. Yum! - Mexican Near Me - Annapolis, Maryland

Food was on point. Coming from L.A. Let's Go Dodgers, this place is highly recommended to anyone visiting the beautiful Annapolis. read more

Picante - Enchiladas Suiza...Rajas absolutely delicious. Rice and Black Beans on point. - Mexican Near Me - Annapolis, Maryland

Came here after an event to get some good Mexican food, the service was awful as our server never came back to ask for drinks or food. We had to go and find the waiter to tell him to come take our order. Once we ordered food he never came back and gave us more chips ( you may have to pay for more but I'm not sure) the food was very mid and very expensive. The worst thing is that the server made a $30 tip since we had a 10 people party, but did not deserve the tip they got. read more

We went in for lunch. It wasn't crowded but it was busy. It looked clean and bright. The host and waiter immediately greeted us, sat us and came back after a few to take our order. We had the tacos and I also had the black bean soup. Perfect temperature and seasoning. We came back the next day. read more

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My wife and I tried this place for the first time on a Friday night. When we entered, the hostess told us that it would be a 15 to 20 minute wait. No one was sitting at the bar so we decided to sit there instead. The bartender was very attentive and took our orders immediately. We both got a large margarita, which is definitely a good deal for how big the margarita glass is. The margarita was enough to last us the entire time we were there and was really good. We both ordered the birria quesadillas and they were absolutely amazing! These might have been the best birria quesadillas I have ever had. The service and the amount of time it took for us to get our drinks and food was extremely fast. My only complaint is it is a pretty small place and does not have a lot of seating so it can get packed pretty easily. Luckily we were able to just sit at the bar. Overall this is a great Mexican restaurant! read more

Food, drinks and service are always superb. They make the best margaritas. I've never had a dish I didn't like. read more

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This was a good casual Mexican joint. Everybody was pleased with their food and the service was very friendly. My only complaint was it was a bit expensive for what you get. read more

Picante - Chicken Fajitas - Mexican Near Me - Annapolis, Maryland

Walked in and sat near a vent that smelled not so fresh. Sorry to say, the happy hour food was not so tasty - house queso was cold and chunky. Corn app tasted like frozen or canned yellow corn. Chips were thick and not fresh tasting. Drinks were very tasty, which saved the visit. Don't find much encouraging a return visit. read more

We visited Picante today for the first time, for a birthday lunch. There were quite a few good things and a couple of things that could be upgraded. My husband ordered the chicken tortilla soup, which he found to be too spicy, but I happily finished it for him. I ordered the chicken empanadas (3 per order) and they were quite good. My husband ordered a chicken burrito. He was disappointed that there was no guacamole or Pico de Gallo with it, only dry chips. But we asked for an extra side of guacamole, and that helped. My Mexican Chopped Salad with chicken was tasty. There was a lot of chicken. As others have mentioned, we ordered a $36 pitcher of Classic Margaritas, and it had only a hint of tequila--was not very strong. The place was pretty empty when we arrived right before noon. There was only one guy handling all of the front of the house. So, as the restaurant filled up, he had pick-up orders plus 12 or more tables to manage. But he still did a good job. The bill came to about $100. read more

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My empanadas were warm on the outside and frozen on the inside. The tortilla chips were burnt and tasted gross but the rice drink was incredible. read more

This place was great, very cute Mexican atmosphere. The food was delicious, do take in count that it is as the name says, very picante (spicy). In the photo there is also their pork pozole, vey delicious but a little too spicy for our taste. The service was very nice, the waiter was very attentive and helpful. read more

Picante - Taquitos de papa - Mexican Near Me - Annapolis, Maryland

Ambience and food were good. My husband and I liked the chips and guacamole. The tres leches cake was also very good. The biggest con for me was the margharitas. My husband and I got a pitcher of the classic margharita and it was so sour and watered down. I don't think there was any tequila in it. I noticed another review said the same thing about the pitcher of margaritas. Recommend management look at how the drinks are being made and make some adjustments. read more

Best tacos I've had. Get the carne asada. Although they are small like street tacos, they are fresh and delicious. Note that you must ask for any "fixings" other than onion and cilantro. If you want shredded lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream you must request them. The margarita is a decent size and price. Service is fast and friendly. Convenient location but parking can be a challenge. We will be back. read more

I ventured out to Annapolis for Dinner Under the Stars. Several restaurants were participating. The Italian restaurant told me dining was for 1.5 hours, way less time than the actual event. I opted to dine at Picante instead and so glad I did. I ordered the taco salad with salmon. I was hoping for romaine lettuce but it was iceberg. Overall the salad was good and staff were friendly. 3.75 stars. read more

I'm visiting from the west coast, tired from traveling and just wanted to find a place to grab a drink and appetizer and kill some time. This was the first restaurant I found after walking from The Graduate Hotel. Was hoping to sit at or in the bar. They don't have bar seating but what they do have is the tastiest chicken sope I have ever tried. Being raised in a Mexican household in San Diego that is saying a lot. Someone complained about portions. I was planning on trying more things, but I'm stuffed! Also had the skinny margarita, upgraded the tequila to Casa Amigo. Yes it came in a standard bar drink glass but that's how I'd drink it if I were making it at home. I wish we had a restaurant like this in my current little town of Anacortes, Wa. read more

Picante - Skinny margarita so good! - Mexican Near Me - Annapolis, Maryland

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Really yummy and nice service! Highly recommend the horchata and queso fundido. Thank you! read more

Picante - Enchiladas and queso - Mexican Near Me - Annapolis, Maryland

I went here during lunch time with friends and the food was absolutely delicious! I had never tried Mole before, and now I'm CRAVING IT! Everything was cooked to perfection. The birria tacos are my favorite. I loved the authentic Mexican flavors you could taste in every bite. I will definitely be back (often)! read more

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I've been to picante twice now - once to eat outside and once for a pickup order. Both times I got the quesadilla with mushrooms and onions. The veggies are cooked so well and add great flavor to the quesadilla, and whatever sauces they put on top are to die for - the spicier orange colored sauce is amazing, and the sour cream helps cool it down a bit. I would definitely recommend it if you're looking for a larger portion entree rather than tacos. The margarita is also an awesome treat. My only negative both times has been the service - while eating outside, we were done for probably 30 minutes without our server coming to check on us. She didn't even come outside so we could flag her down - very disappointing although the meal was great. When I placed the carry out order, it took me 4 tries to get someone to answer the phone to take my order, which was a bit frustrating. The food was definitely worth it though, and very reasonably priced. read more

The food was tasty. My big critique of this place is the amount of food for the price. The $13 dollar empanada appetizer came with three bite-sized empanadas--emphasis on the nada. Chips and salsa were also $3. Although this is the only Mexican in downtown, there are plenty of other Mexican places around town with similar quality and more quantity. read more

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We went to Picante for dinner under the stars. There's not much to say in this review. I feel like it was your standard Mexican food so that's why I'll be giving it a middle of the road 3/5. The service from the kitchen was very fast even with the increased capacity, but I feel as though the front of house could use some improvement. I'd go again. read more

Server was polite, but was always recommending the pricier opinions on the menu. You need your be a multimillionaire to afford a margarita here (at $24 a glass!)...plus we were overcharged - which was eventually rectified. Seriously expensive for mediocre food. Go to chipotle instead and save yourself a fortune. read more

I love that this restaurant serves real Mexican food, not Tex Mex. All the food is fresh. Nothing canned. I had the mole, dark, which was delicious. Margarita was spot on. I'll be back read more

Loved the atmosphere and colors in the interior. Service was good. But the food was disappointing. Chili con queso is not the gooey yummy cheese served in most Mexican restaurants. You need to cut it with a knife. Salsa and chips are not free and salsa is too spicy. Partner had the fish tacos and thought the fish was over cooked; my carne Asada tacos were very salty even for my partner who is a salt lover. Margaritas were served in a highball glass instead of a margarita glass. All-in-all disappointing. Hope they get the kitchen revamped. Came home and ate a turkey sandwich. read more

Good food, service and ambiance!! Have been here a few times now and they don't disappoint!

Food was delicious - burrito and mole fresh ingredients and good salsas. Saw drink reviews were wanting and can't speak to that ...but that's the easiest thing to get in shape. This place will do great - keep it up. I know how hard this business is as an owner myself. Go Picante - great support of FC Blues read more

Amazing! best spicy margarita the tacos were wonderful- the owner was so friendly and we enjoyed two visits there in the last few weeks read more

Some of the best Mexican food I've had in Maryland! We love coming here and will be coming back. Authentic flavors and ingredients, the quality has always been stellar and I've never been disappointed. read more