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food is yummy, margs are strong, and the restaurant is cute. highly recommend their happy hour!!!
I can't say anything negative about Republic Cantina! This is my favorite hidden gem. They have a late night happy hour that always hits. Huge fan of their enchiladas. They usually have a handful of tables for walk ins so always worth coming in. The margaritas are my favorite. You can also take a Pico back shot that features a cockroach.
We tried a bunch of different breakfast tacos and they were all filled generously with meat!! They were a bit greasy / heavy but they were pretty good!! We ordered online and were a little late so they weren't super fresh (our fault), but I'm sure they'd be even better fresh!
This place definitely can't be found by accident. I drive down New York ave often and never would have found this without a fellow influencer shining some light over it. What I will say is this place is very after work and hang out with your friends vibe. I had the beef birria tacos and they weren't what I was expecting. My friends didn't have the best experience with the staff and our server just passed us the check without even asking us if we were done. I'm not the taco king but we didn't do anything to deserve the cold hospitality. But all in all this is a great place for tacos and and winding down.
This has quickly become one of my go-to spots in DC. Coming from the South, I'm used to good Tex-Mex, and it was hard to find something comparable here--until I found Republic Cantina. I've been for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and the menu impresses every time. The happy hour is great--you can grab a seat at the bar and enjoy a spicy margarita or a cold beer. The breakfast tacos are consistently delicious, and their self-serve coffee bar is a nice touch. If you can, try to get a reservation for a table on the patio--a few days' notice is usually enough. For dinner, the chicken enchiladas and fajitas are my favorites. And definitely don't skip the queso with beef--it's a must. While it's in a quieter part of town near Truxton Circle with not much around, it's absolutely worth the trip.
I really enjoyed this thoughtfully designed neighborhood Tex-Mex spot. I was nervous bc it seemed shy on the authenticity with the front of the house staff, but it was very tasty. I'll be back and will continue to support.
Quite tasty and great atmosphere. Moving from Oklahoma, I miss tex-mex so much. This often hits the spot. The menu is really solid. I liked going for breakfast too. Service is friendly. Location isn't ideal, but this is definitely a place to go with friends.
Their horchatas and ceviche-micheladas are to die for! Cute little spot with lots of outdoor seating! Our favorites here are the fajitas!
The staff was very friendly and welcoming, which we definitely appreciated. We each ordered a margarita, and those were actually great--well-balanced and refreshing. Unfortunately, the food didn't quite live up to expectations. I got an enchilada and my friend had the nachos, and neither of us were especially impressed, especially given how highly rated this place is. We wanted to love it, but overall the dishes felt a bit underwhelming in flavor. That said, the drinks and service were solid.
Republic Cantina is solid but food portions are too small for the price. I've visited a few times over the years. I like the atmosphere, which includes a small patio out front with cacti (looking a bit worse for wear these days) and a small, eclectic interior with a small bar, a couple tables, and a large window looking onto an alley with a few outdoor seats. On paper, their happy hour is good: every day including weekends plus both food and drink options. Outlaw Hour (as they call it) is daily 4-6 PM plus late night Friday/Saturday 9 PM - 10:30 PM. It includes four food items ($5-$8) and 8 drink options ($5-$10). On my recent visit, my companion and I got two Modelos ($5 each), a Mex-Tex ($9, Modelo and Bourbon combo), a Beer-Rita ($8, frozen margarita plus small Modelo), Nachos ($7 for four large nachos), and Frito Pie ($8) all for happy hour. Then the Brisket Enchiladas from the main menu ($22, three enchiladas) because we were still hungry. This also came with some free chips and salsa. The food was good overall but the portions too small. The Frito Pie, while delicious, was gone in a few bites and not worth $8. Same for the nachos; pretty disappointing for $7 and they don't even have meat on them. Same for the enchiladas. The free chips and salsa were kinda bland. Drinks were fine; what you would expect. Service was fine. Menus are paper and were dirty from being reused; not great.
Ambience The patio was quaint and cute--perfect for a relaxed Saturday morning bite. Although the dining room was closed early for a private event, the outdoor space offered a nice atmosphere to still enjoy our meal. Service Service overall was solid. When we first arrived, the hostess seemed a little unsure about how to handle guests who were willing to wait for patio seating, as the restaurant was adjusting to the private event schedule. Once we were seated, though, our server was absolutely stellar--attentive, friendly, and on point throughout our visit. Food We started with the Cajeta, which is made with goat milk. If you're not a fan of that distinct goat milk flavor, it may not be for you--but my fiancé loved it, and I thought the oat milk version was delicious. We came mainly for the breakfast tacos. I ordered the potato and egg taco, and I really appreciated that it was served on a flour tortilla (unpopular opinion: I'm not a fan of corn tortillas). The taco overall was a 7/10 it wasn't super flavorful but keep in mind I didn't have any meat that would've heightened the flavor. We also shared the chips and salsa, which were fantastic--the chips were thin, perfectly salted, and paired nicely with the fresh, flavorful salsa.
I was here with a big group and I'll be honest -- most people got tacos and did not finish their plates. I didn't ask why. Caveat emptor. I took a different approach and had the brisket chili, which was a great call. Thick, hearty, spicy -- yum. Great choice. I also had a shrimp tostada, which was good but paled in comparison to the heights of the chili. Service was slow -- polite, but a bit disinterested.
Such a fun experience at Republic Cantina! I jokingly say Texmex is not good in DC, but I have to say this spot truly stands out amidst DC's competitive dining scene. Indoors, the vibes were cozy and definitely less formal like other places. The service was consistently attentive and friendly, enhancing an already memorable dining journey. The dishes themselves were nothing short of fantastic. I got 3/4 appetizers from the HH menu. My favorite was the queso compuesto - topped with guacamole and chile con queso. The Texas Style nachos were crisp, layered with smooth beans, fresh tomato, pickled jalapeños, and a drizzle of creamy queso. Each bite was balanced, and I didn't feel overwhelmed by the toppings. The Frito Pie was interesting, but something I would get again. It's clear Republic Cantina takes pride in both presentation and quality of ingredients. To round it all out, their frozen margarita (rimmed with salt and garnished with lime) was what I needed after work. Republic Cantina has become my go-to for Tex-Mex in DC, and I highly recommend it--whether you're craving a laid-back hangout or an unforgettable meal with friends.
Very cute and cozy spot with an intimate dining vibes. Service was a bit slow but a large part of that was due to our waitress managing several tables at the same time. However, the waitress was excellent with providing order recommendations and ensuring that we were taken care of. Drinks: I ordered the ranch water which wasn't anything spectacular. Just a simple non-sugary drink to enjoy while dining. I opted out of the fajitas but the rest of my party loved the steak and shrimp fajitas, which were part of the fajitas 2 deal. Plenty to share and I heard that the steak was cooked to perfection and the shrimp was seasoned well. I ordered the taco salad and that dish was PHENOMENAL! There is something to be said about a wet salad which manages to hold some crunchy texture to the taco strips. Also, it was perfectly chopped and all ingredients were mixed together so well. To complete the dish, I ordered a side of rice and chicken. Both were delicious but the chicken portion could use some work. Overall I'm curious to try their breakfast tacos so count me in on returning! They also offer a great happy hour so I recommend stopping by to enjoy their bar or even their cute outdoor seating. read more
Of all the 2026 snow day deals, Republic Cantina's "progressive" agave margarita happy hour was probably the best. Getting there at 4pm meant a $1 agave margarita, then at 4:30pm a $2 one, etc. You just had to step through some snow and ice-covered sidewalks and streets first. It was like a human maze, thanks to the DC's lack of snow plowing progress. It had been a while since I had been to Republic Cantina. It's actually several blocks from the NoMa metro, so it is not a long walk at all. A warm welcome inside was followed by quick service with the margarita, chips and salsa, and finally the Queso Compuesto, which was on the regular happy hour menu for $8. It was really elevated queso with meat, guac, and pico de gallo added on top. It was a great complement to the margarita. Past 4:30pm, more crowds started to show up to take advantage of the still amazing deal. I would describe the atmosphere as a cozy space to share with friends in the booth and even on your own at the bar. read more
I can't say anything negative about Republic Cantina! This is my favorite hidden gem. They have a late night happy hour that always hits. Huge fan of their enchiladas. They usually have a handful of tables for walk ins so always worth coming in. The margaritas are my favorite. You can also take a Pico back shot that features a cockroach. read more
7 months ago
We tried a bunch of different breakfast tacos and they were all filled generously with meat!! They were a bit greasy / heavy but they were pretty good!! We ordered online and were a little late so they weren't super fresh (our fault), but I'm sure they'd be even better fresh! read more
1 month ago
8 months ago
This place definitely can't be found by accident. I drive down New York ave often and never would have found this without a fellow influencer shining some light over it. What I will say is this place is very after work and hang out with your friends vibe. I had the beef birria tacos and they weren't what I was expecting. My friends didn't have the best experience with the staff and our server just passed us the check without even asking us if we were done. I'm not the taco king but we didn't do anything to deserve the cold hospitality. But all in all this is a great place for tacos and and winding down. read more
1 year ago
This has quickly become one of my go-to spots in DC. Coming from the South, I'm used to good Tex-Mex, and it was hard to find something comparable here--until I found Republic Cantina. I've been for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and the menu impresses every time. The happy hour is great--you can grab a seat at the bar and enjoy a spicy margarita or a cold beer. The breakfast tacos are consistently delicious, and their self-serve coffee bar is a nice touch. If you can, try to get a reservation for a table on the patio--a few days' notice is usually enough. For dinner, the chicken enchiladas and fajitas are my favorites. And definitely don't skip the queso with beef--it's a must. While it's in a quieter part of town near Truxton Circle with not much around, it's absolutely worth the trip. read more
4 months ago
I really enjoyed this thoughtfully designed neighborhood Tex-Mex spot. I was nervous bc it seemed shy on the authenticity with the front of the house staff, but it was very tasty. I'll be back and will continue to support. read more
11 months ago
Quite tasty and great atmosphere. Moving from Oklahoma, I miss tex-mex so much. This often hits the spot. The menu is really solid. I liked going for breakfast too. Service is friendly. Location isn't ideal, but this is definitely a place to go with friends. read more
1 year ago
Their horchatas and ceviche-micheladas are to die for! Cute little spot with lots of outdoor seating! Our favorites here are the fajitas! read more
1 year ago
The staff was very friendly and welcoming, which we definitely appreciated. We each ordered a margarita, and those were actually great--well-balanced and refreshing. Unfortunately, the food didn't quite live up to expectations. I got an enchilada and my friend had the nachos, and neither of us were especially impressed, especially given how highly rated this place is. We wanted to love it, but overall the dishes felt a bit underwhelming in flavor. That said, the drinks and service were solid. read more
Republic Cantina is solid but food portions are too small for the price. I've visited a few times over the years. I like the atmosphere, which includes a small patio out front with cacti (looking a bit worse for wear these days) and a small, eclectic interior with a small bar, a couple tables, and a large window looking onto an alley with a few outdoor seats. On paper, their happy hour is good: every day including weekends plus both food and drink options. Outlaw Hour (as they call it) is daily 4-6 PM plus late night Friday/Saturday 9 PM - 10:30 PM. It includes four food items ($5-$8) and 8 drink options ($5-$10). On my recent visit, my companion and I got two Modelos ($5 each), a Mex-Tex ($9, Modelo and Bourbon combo), a Beer-Rita ($8, frozen margarita plus small Modelo), Nachos ($7 for four large nachos), and Frito Pie ($8) all for happy hour. Then the Brisket Enchiladas from the main menu ($22, three enchiladas) because we were still hungry. This also came with some free chips and salsa. The food was good overall but the portions too small. The Frito Pie, while delicious, was gone in a few bites and not worth $8. Same for the nachos; pretty disappointing for $7 and they don't even have meat on them. Same for the enchiladas. The free chips and salsa were kinda bland. Drinks were fine; what you would expect. Service was fine. Menus are paper and were dirty from being reused; not great. read more
Ambience The patio was quaint and cute--perfect for a relaxed Saturday morning bite. Although the dining room was closed early for a private event, the outdoor space offered a nice atmosphere to still enjoy our meal. Service Service overall was solid. When we first arrived, the hostess seemed a little unsure about how to handle guests who were willing to wait for patio seating, as the restaurant was adjusting to the private event schedule. Once we were seated, though, our server was absolutely stellar--attentive, friendly, and on point throughout our visit. Food We started with the Cajeta, which is made with goat milk. If you're not a fan of that distinct goat milk flavor, it may not be for you--but my fiancé loved it, and I thought the oat milk version was delicious. We came mainly for the breakfast tacos. I ordered the potato and egg taco, and I really appreciated that it was served on a flour tortilla (unpopular opinion: I'm not a fan of corn tortillas). The taco overall was a 7/10 it wasn't super flavorful but keep in mind I didn't have any meat that would've heightened the flavor. We also shared the chips and salsa, which were fantastic--the chips were thin, perfectly salted, and paired nicely with the fresh, flavorful salsa. read more
I was here with a big group and I'll be honest -- most people got tacos and did not finish their plates. I didn't ask why. Caveat emptor. I took a different approach and had the brisket chili, which was a great call. Thick, hearty, spicy -- yum. Great choice. I also had a shrimp tostada, which was good but paled in comparison to the heights of the chili. Service was slow -- polite, but a bit disinterested. read more
Such a fun experience at Republic Cantina! I jokingly say Texmex is not good in DC, but I have to say this spot truly stands out amidst DC's competitive dining scene. Indoors, the vibes were cozy and definitely less formal like other places. The service was consistently attentive and friendly, enhancing an already memorable dining journey. The dishes themselves were nothing short of fantastic. I got 3/4 appetizers from the HH menu. My favorite was the queso compuesto - topped with guacamole and chile con queso. The Texas Style nachos were crisp, layered with smooth beans, fresh tomato, pickled jalapeños, and a drizzle of creamy queso. Each bite was balanced, and I didn't feel overwhelmed by the toppings. The Frito Pie was interesting, but something I would get again. It's clear Republic Cantina takes pride in both presentation and quality of ingredients. To round it all out, their frozen margarita (rimmed with salt and garnished with lime) was what I needed after work. Republic Cantina has become my go-to for Tex-Mex in DC, and I highly recommend it--whether you're craving a laid-back hangout or an unforgettable meal with friends. read more
1 year ago
Coming from San Diego, California... I had not good experiences in the East Coast when it comes to Mexican food.... What a nice surprise, Republic Cantina is legit. We were welcomed and offered chips and salsa. We ordered fajitas and they were delicious (just like in California). The owner of the restaurant stopped by our table, we talked about tequila, and he shared with us a pour of Cimarron and pico chaser. We highly recommend Republic Cantina. We enjoy the set up and the ambiance. Cheers read more
Republic cantina is fantastic and I'd recommend to anyone! It's a great date spot with cute vibes both indoors and outdoors, excellent service, and incredible food. I recommend the margaritas and fajitas to share! We enjoyed the complimentary chips and salsa and then got fajitas (chicken, shrimp, and pulled pork) to share, which was a generous amount of food and cooked to perfection with amazing flavor and tenderness. It heats up well as leftovers, and I still think about this food sometimes! read more
The food here is always good. We got a few drinks and fajitas. I've been here twice and the food is always good. Extremely solid Tex mex and the presentation is homey. The vibes are great and I'd want to checkout their happy hour. Service was not the fastest but the food makes up for it read more
11 months ago
1 year ago
Update: Chris, the owner, promptly got in touch after my previous review. He explained and rectified the situation, and seems to be like a very reasonable human. I greatly appreciate the customer service and response, and have adjusted my rating to reflect that. read more
Business owner information
Chris S.
Hey Katherine -- first off, my sincere apologies if we were not clear…
Good Folks!! I'm constantly scrolling my feeds, looking for new spots!! I came across this Tex-Mex spot near Sursum Corda, I looked at the food, I pulled up. It's that simple. . Where I am: @republiccantina . Location Reviewed: 43 N St., N.W. Washington D.C. . Menu Includes: *See Website* http://republic-cantina.com/ . Items Reviewed: Their Complimentary Chips & Salsa (Free.99$). STAMP!! Fresh tasty salted tortilla chips, & a chunky salsa!! Their Queso Compesto (house chili, with cheese, carne guisada, Guac, & pico $11). STAMP!! Thick chili, cheesy, well seasoned!! Their Guac ($10). LIKE THAT!! A little more loose than normal, but the taste HIT!! Their Smoky Pineapple Spritzer (with pineapple, Tajin, & bubbles $7). STAMP!! Refreshing, & carbonated!! Their Tex Mex Crab Dip (with Maryland jumbo lump crab, cheese 'n cream, avocado, chilies, onion, garlic, & cajun spices $16). STAMP!! Their Smoked Brisket Enchiladas (with cheddar, onion, & chili gravy $20). Their Chicken Fried Chicken (fried chicken with creamy pepper, & chipotle gravy on top of Esquites with a poblano pepper $22). STAMP!! This caught me off guard!! Crispy chicken, creamy corn, & spicy!! Their Birria Tacos (3 beef Birria tacos with onions, cilantro, & consummé $19). STAMP!! So far...these are the BEST birria tacos I've ever had!! Get these!! Their Fajitas *feeds 4* (with shrimp, chicken, steak, peppers, onions, tortillas, pico, guac, & sour cream $44). STAMP!! Quality proteins, sizzling hot, & tasty!! Their Mexican Hot Chocolate Creme Brulee (lightly spiced chocolate custard, with brulee crust, & a strawberry $9). STAMP!! Spicy, sweet, & smooth! . Customer Service: On Point . Online Navigation: Easy. . Parking: Rough. . Music: YouTube m-Rare Essence Pocket . Recommendations: Try their Birria!! . Accessibility: It's wheelchair friendly, & it's differently abled persons friendly. 5 Stars=STAMP 4 1/2 Stars=LIKE THAT 4 Stars=DELICIOUS 3 Stars=DECENT 2 Stars=PASS 1 Star=NAH #Bigschlimsreviews read more
We came here on a Friday night and got sat within 15 mins. This spot seems to be a pretty popular place. They have an amazing happy hour menu ending at 10:30. We ordered the $8 margaritas and queso. The margarita hits the spot and was made well. They also provide free chips and salsa. We ordered the fajita with chicken, shrimp and steak as our entree and it was pretty filling. It was loaded with meats. It also came with handmade tortillas. The chicken was a bit on the drier end but the steak was perfectly cooked. Overall, a decent spot for happy hour and quick bites. read more
Manager Dajani is SUPER nice/friendly. He feels like part of the family as we had a family meal with parents celebrating a birthday. As we walk in. We admire the outdoor plants and cacti. Dajani offered to give us a cutting of the cactus to take home. He is super approachable with a lot of pride in the establishment. Food is very good drinks are impeccable. Again. I will rave about Dajani. He ended up busting out the hot sauces (made in house). Then brought out the really hot stuff. And even went taste for taste with my dad with ghost pepper hot sauce. I needed a frozen marg to cool my mouth off. He gave me an extra for my dad. If you go, ask for the manager Dajani who works Friday - Tuesday. Just say hello to him. Happy hour is 7 days 4-6pm read more
Overall people enjoyed their food. We came here around 6:30pm on a Thursday and were told there was no space. However, part of their patio with high tops and stools were open, and when we inquired, they said we could sit there (it's an awkward seating arrangement where our group would be kind of facing away from each other, and we had little kids, so it's understandable why this wasn't offered initially). The service was excellent. Before we even started order, the host brought out the free salsa and chips. They also brought out toys for the kids, and when I accidentally bumped into our server and got water all over her, she was so nice about it and didn't bat an eye! * Kid's crunchy beef taco - 4 stars Just amazing that my kids who have never liked any taco both loved this. A little messy as the beef was in a pretty liquid sauce, but it had good flavor and was simple. * Guacamole ($9) - 3 stars Way way way too salty. We barely touched this. * Smoked Brisket Enchilada ($19) - 4 stars Not a lot of interesting sauces (a little salsa would've been a big improvement) and meat was a little dry, but it was very tasty and good proportion of meat/cheese/tortilla. * Taco Salad ($12) - 3 stars Our server said this was really good, but it was underwhelming. The lettuce was limp and it didn't have a lot of interesting flavors/variety. There was barely any cheddar or black beans. It was mostly avocado and old lettuce. * Chicken Fajitas - I didn't try much of this, but my friends really loved this dish. read more
11 months ago
Stopped in for late night happy hour. Great deals for a Friday night and very tasty food. Front of house and bartenders are attentive and friendly and it's a great place to spend a night read more
Delicious! In a desperate bid to find a brunch reservation for 10 hours later, I was surprised to come across Republic Cantina. I had never heard of it before but it had good reviews and i was able to get a reservation. What a treat? The food was delicious and reasonably prices. There were plenty of gluten free options and it was properly marked. Our server was fantastic and gave us good recommendations since it was our first time. Will definitely be back to try the pupusas. Cute ambiance and they have coat hooks! Will definitely be coming back. read more
2 years ago
8 months ago
3 years ago
Great food, nice interior, nice people but could use a little improvement. The good: the food is outstanding, very delicious. The margaritas, fantastic. Average priced, not too high, but plenty of tequila. Generally I hate yellow cheese queso, but this was pretty good. The chips were just the right amount for two people and the cup of queso. More than two people and you're going to run short of chips. It's sort of tucked away, so you have to walk down N Street to see it. There's a really nice outdoor patio with some cactus. Inside there are nice booths and tables. The only drawbacks were that the menu was pretty limited. Not a lot of choice, but what's there should appeal to most people. Ordering by phone can be tricky even for people who know what they are doing, so it would be nice if they also offered paper menus, however, it seems all of the billing takes place in the app. You order, they debit your card 0.1 cent, then you close your check and pay the full amount. Took a few tries to get it right. Service was a little confusing because it doesn't tell you what to do after you place the order, do you go up and get it, or did someone bring it to you. In our case someone brought it to us. They do a lot of to go business, it seems, and I noticed they may not always be paying attention to the dining room, and not see right away if you place another order for something. Overall a wonderful neighborhood, Cantina. Delicious food, great margaritas, and those two points alone it's absolutely worth a trip back. read more
An OK restaurant, but the food and service could have been better. I recently went here for a weeknight dinner with three friends and we were seated immediately on the outside patio. Despite it being a cool night, the patio was well-heated and comfortable. However, the patio was poorly lit, with only Christmas lights and a couple of other bulbs. Republic Cantina provides free chips and salsa, with $1 refills. While the salsa was spicy, hearty, and delicious, the chips were way too salty, at times being barely edible. After we ordered, the food took almost 30 minutes to come and we did not receive an update about the delay. I ordered the brisket enchiladas, which were fine but somewhat disappointing. The portion size for the cost needed to be bigger and there needed to be more brisket. The cheese overwhelmed the brisket, and the enchiladas needed more seasoning. read more
2 years ago
A pleasant surprise and neighborhood favorite of my friends who live in DC! Whatever the complimentary salsa to start out as? I would literally drink it. As for the Birria Tacos, which was my entree, they had the perfect char and crisp to them and made for a wonderful greasy gathering of goodness. That consumme was incredible too. My friends loved the fajitas (I mean LOOK AT THAT STEAK) and veggie enchiladas too. The Happy Hour deals are actually pretty generous considering the normal DC prices I usually expect. The interior was really festively decorated for the holidays and made for such a cute atmosphere. Not too loud or crowded, and fairly reasonable prices. Our food was out QUICK and service was reliable. read more
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43 N St NW
Washington, DC 20001
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(202) 997-4340
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http://republic-cantina.com
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