This spot is new but I think it will be real hot when baseball season starts. What I like: gratis chips & salsa are spot on. Extensive menu of tequila. Great happy hour specials. Love the tacos. Sleek decor. Great bartenders. Still new, as I said, so not crazy crowded yet. Service is friendly and personal. Let's hope they can handle the crowds of summer. read more

Agua 301 - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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The food is pretty solid, and if you go for happy hour (only at the bar or "bar area") the prices are good. Fish tacos are amazing, free chips and salsa are very tasty. Service is HORRIBLE. The bartenders hate to leave the safety of the bar and won't come out to take orders, refill water, anything. Multiple times, we were sitting waiting for service 20+ minutes, watching every waiter in the place hanging out by the kitchen or front entry. Come on, management. If bartenders are regularly struggling to tend bar and wait, make some of your other staff take over. read more

Came to Agua301 on a date... We started with the crab guacamole. It was amazing!!!! So we on to get queso. We did not like it at all. Way too cheesy and flavorless. I ordered a peach frozen sangria and my date a patron margarita. Both of our drinks where wayyyy too strong. His was strong and disgustingly salty. I got a 10 oz skirt steak and that was the best thing I've tasted in a while. He got the short ribs with the sautéed spinach and OMG both of our entrees where amazing. I would recommend this place because of the great view food and atmosphere!!! read more

Agua 301 - The 10 oz skirt steak... Was a flavor explosion in my mouth!!! - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

YES!! We stopped in after catching a National's game and couldn't have been happier! Our server was phenomenal - very attentive! Chips and salsa come on the house - praise! I ordered the battered fish tacos and they were slammin'!!! The yuca fries were good, but kinda dry - definitely enough to be shareable with 2-3 people. My boyfriend ordered the buffalo chicken tacos and those were also full of flavor!!! It's in a great location on the water as well, very nice! read more

Agua 301 - Battered fish tacos - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The crab guacamole is phenomenal, the fish tacos were the best I've had, and the empanadas were delicious. For a place where people would like to just take advantage of the nice location, you would not expect the food to be THIS good! The only two issues we experienced were: for such a big packed place, it only has two single stall unisex bathrooms so there is always a really long line (and staff should really be refilling the soap with so many people in and out, makes us uneasy to think employees may be using them without using soap). And the other issue is the hosts seem to be very uncoordinated. We waited an hour for our table (we were told the wait was 45 mins) so we went to go check on it and a different host said that we weren't even in the system. Well, needless to say my husband was upset and we did get one of the many empty tables outside...(halfway through our lunch- 2 hours after we initially requested a table- we got a text saying our table was ready lol) but we thought okay it could be an honest mistake so we let it go. However, we were seated by the door so we saw the same thing happen to 3 other couples who stormed out- very angry about not being able to get a table they were promised. It was unsettling. But the food is just so good and the location is great so I think it does deserve 4 stars over 3 and just hope that those other issues get worked out! read more

I was beyond disappointed with my experience at Agua 301. They announced that they were reopening the patio, however when I arrived at 7 pm I was told they were full for the night but we could order food to go. I proceeded to go on their direct website and order food, I received confirmation that my food would be ready in 15 minutes. 20 minutes later I go to pick it up and was informed by Roger, the manager, that the time was incorrect and the kitchen was behind so it would be another 15 minutes. The additional time passes, I go back inside to collect my food and Roger again says the food isn't ready. I asked him when the food would be ready and he said he did not know and I would have to continue coming in and checking the status. An hour and a half later, my food was finally ready. Except they forgot my Margarita and in fact roger said he did not even know I ordered one, although it was on my receipt. I had to wait another 15 minute to receive my margarita. Roger's attitude as the manager was horrible, he had no empathy and honestly seemed to not care. If the kitchen was behind then he could simply update his direct website to not let customers know the food would be ready in a 15 minute time frame if it would be well over an hour. Several other people were waiting and were irritated as well. I would not suggest this place as the service is horrible and there are way better Mexican spots that have better food and good customer service. read more

Easily one of my favorite places in the city. Great for brunch and even better for happy hour. Bottomless mimosas or sangria is one of the best I've had and the wait staff made sure they kept coming! Service has been excellent every time, staff is very friendly and helpful. My happy hour favorites are the wings and tacos. Brunch favorites are the burger or omelet. Can't go wrong with anything here! 10/10. read more

Came here with a group of friends for happy hour. Its located in a really nice area (Navy Yards). Our waiter had a great sense of humor! The drinks sounded better than they tasted- definitely have had better. It was a little bit of a wait for the food....definitely longer than we wouldve liked esp since we were starving. The chips and guac and salsa were addictive ( also could be because we were starving and didnt want to drink on an empty stomach. I devoured the ceviche pescado. The yucca fritas were so filling i almost regretted adding it to my meal. The sweet plaintains were pretty good as well. The salmon tacos were just what i needed to feel satisfied after a long day! read more

Enjoyed trying out Agua 301. We got there about 6:30pm on a Saturday before it got busy. We had our pick of the tables. The salsa and chips were yummy. A little spicy for me but my husband loved the flavor. We tried the Blood Orange Margarita and the Blackberry Caipirinha and found them very tasty. Makes me imagine that warmer weather is on the way. I had the Bistec al Parilla. I love steak and also wanted to try the street corn casserole. The steak was cooked perfectly and the corn was amazing. I could happily just come by to drink and eat the corn. My husband had the Baja Fish Tacos with a side of Yucca Fritas. The tacos had a nice flavor and the yucca fritas give you the taste of fries with a healthy twist. For dessert we had the churros with chocolate sauce. So yummy I almost wanted to lick the chocolate bowl clean. I look forward to going again and trying out the Brunch Menu! read more

Great place... don't understand why so many reviews with 1 star. The location is great, with waterfront views. Service was good... store owner came out to chat with my wife and I for a few minutes about new developments in the SE Waterfront/Barracks Row restaurant scene. As for food, love the Baja fish tacos and the beef barbacoa tacos. My wife had a really good shrimp dish that resembled shrimp and grits. Beverages were great... Modelo Negro with a lime slice along side the Baja fish tacos is a good combination. Food was all well-cooked... Shrimp not gummy, beef barbacoa not overcooked, fish tacos very flavorful. Salsa was unique and tasty and they gave us side dishes of other stuff for the kids. Look forward to going back. read more

This place has really gone downhill in recent months. When they first opened up, it was a fantastic place to get some food and margaritas by the Waterfront. Now, though, the wait staff is terrible, unorganized, and somewhat rude. There is poor communication between the staff and customers and the communication among the staff is not much better. During our two hour bottomless brunch, some of our party received two drinks the whole time. Confusion and lack of service seemed to be perfectly acceptable to the wait staff and I saw zero urgency from the staff to improve our experience while we were there, even after a number of complaints. The food besides the tacos is disappointing at best. They advertise a hangover cure as part of their brunch which is little more than some hard boiled eggs in a bare soup. We never even received our ceviche (though they tried to charge us for it)! This place used to be a great place I'd be happy to recommend as a date or brunch spot by navy yard. Now it's just a a disappointing mess. The view is nice though. read more

I ordered mostly from the happy hour menu, and my biggest gripe with this place is that the food could have been better. The chicken wings were incredibly salty and the flautas were just okay. The empanadas were probably the best but by no means great. From the restaurant menu I got the black bean dip, which was disappointing - it didn't taste like much more than canned black beans in melted cheese. The drinks were the saving grace here - the margaritas were moderately strong, and the frozen peach sangria was absolutely delicious. read more

Worst service I've ever gotten at a restaurant :( I am a frequent customer of this restaurant I loved coming for tacos at happy hour and think they taste great but unfortunately I will never be returning after today's awful service. We waited 30 minutes just to get greeted by someone. We waited 45 minutes just for water. We informed the staff that we only had an hour and a half to eat before we had to go to an event for my friends birthday. They offered us free drinks on the house for the wait unfortunately my friends did not get to enjoy the drinks as they were spilled all over her on her birthday without an apology from the manager. The coconut shrimp tasted like it was freeze dried and it was very disappointing. The staff (other than the waiter) were very unapologetic on a day that was supposed to be very special for my friends and I. The restaurant has a nice view but you'd be better off going to the other restaurants in the same area. read more

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Been here a few times. This place has great food and would say it's 5-star... when not busy! When the place is full it's a 1-star experience. The staff can't keep up with demand. The last time it took 2 hours from when my food was ordered till I was able to get the check and go for a simple happy hour order of a margarita and tacos. Beware when you go. On the plus side they did take comp my food order for the waitlist time. read more

So as a former employee of the owners I was very reluctant to try this restaurant (personal reasons). Finally gave it a try yesterday and it exceeded all my expectations. The food completely blew my socks off. We ordered almost every taco and the wings. The server I think his name was Kyle while he forgot a few things his attitude and service was awesome. I had to write a review to let my former employers know that after the wonderful dinner I had last night in no longer mad about Zest Bistro being closed! Love you guys and I will definitely be back Very soon! It was great! read more

My friend and I went here a couple days ago for drinks and some food. I sat down, waited a bit, got two waters and said I'd wait until my friend gets there. Our waiter comes back and I ask when the happy hour starts and it was only 15min until then so we said we'd just wait.. which seemed to bother him. He later comes by with the menu so we can order and I get mushroom tacos and a strawberry margarita and while my friend is ordering I ask to change my order and he says no, I already put it in, just try it. ?!? Like he's literally still standing at the table taking our order and says he can't change it?! The rest of the service by him was very slow and all around weird. We ordered two more drinks and two more apps that were ok. He brings us the check and we say thanks and continue to chat and then he comes back by and says we need to leave because people are waiting, but there are literally other tables open and there were a couple people that I saw there before I sat down. The guy was rude, pushy, and legit seemed like he didn't want to be there. He gave us poor service for no reason at all. read more

Every time I come to this place I regret it. Service is DISMAL Every. Single. Time. Waited over 15 minutes tonight just to get a "hello, let me bring you some waters to start." The manager notices us and apologizes saying someone will be right with us. Another 10 minute wait for a woman with an attitude to arrive and take our orders with an eye roll. I actually felt bad and asked the manager if they were about to close - no, we were an hour from closing time. Service just sucks. Food is average. Over it. read more

We came to brunch here and our waitress Maya was phenomenal. We had her as our waitress the last time we were at brunch, and both times she has been nothing short of amazing. She constantly made sure our drinks were full and that we were well taken care of. The manager (I believe), Larry, however was a bit of a stick in the mud. Our friends went outside to have a drink (that they paid for here) at their tables outside but we're followed by Larry to only be told, their "outside dining isn't open." Yes, it's cold, but it's a beautiful sunny day, and your outside dining isn't open?? Also, they went OUTSIDE to smoke, and were again followed by Larry to not smoke in their chairs outside. But the outside dining was closed, so why does it matter? Larry was giving us the stink/side eye while at brunch, and yes, we were a big group of 12, but we were pleasant and only became louder than the other groups at the restaurant a few times. Also, if you have bottomless brunch, you have to expect people to take advantage of the bottomless. Anywho, Larry was a stick in the mud who doesn't like fun. Maya was and IS PHENOMENAL!! If you come to eat here, she is who you want to have as a waitress! read more

This is not your typical enchiladas-smothered-in-cheese-and-sauce kind of joint. Between the cool interior and beautifully-plated food, I felt like I was in a trendy spot in Mexico City. Instead of drowning everything in heat, the food had a lot of complex, interesting flavors that kept me wanting to eat more. I liked the crab guacamole, though they used a less flavorful swimming crab meat rather than blue crab meat. However, as other reviewers have noted, the portions are too small. Egg dishes come with only two eggs; taco entrees come with only two tacos. The prices were okay, and I had great service from a very enthusiastic happy waiter, which I definitely appreciated. When I go for Mexican food, I want to leave happy and full, and while I loved everything I ate, the portions were ultimately inadequate for a Mexican restaurant. Fix the portion sizes and you'll have a new regular customer. read more

The food is ok. I think it's a better deal to come during lunch because then you get sides with your tacos. Each taco order comes with two tacos. My boyfriend really liked his bistec tacos. We split an order of rice and an order of beans. My chicken tacos were ok. The guacamole is $10 which felt like a lot for the portion size. Our waiter was ok. I felt like he might have been new-ish because he didn't seem sure about everything. They only have two bathrooms which doesn't feel like enough. They have a really nice outdoor seating area that I can't wait to take advantage of as it warms up. read more

Being a fan of fish tacos, Agua 301's battered fish tacos are on par with some of the best fish tacos on coast of San Diego (Encinitas) California, based on my recent trip to 4 different fresh taco restaurants! This is a wonderful place to come before or after National's games. We did learn that reservations are required to ensure outdoor seating during peak times, but our window seat table still offered a beautiful view of The Yards landscaping and design. read more

Okay, it's my go-to option for tasty food to avoid metro traffic after Nat's games, but it's not worth a special trip from any other neighborhood. POSITIVES: Great food - try the pork belly tacos, empanadas, and the guac. Nice patio on the waterfront. NEGATIVES: - Super echoy inside, no matter if it is empty or packed. Modern decor you could call it, but pretty much just plain and lacking much ambiance. I would love to see them put sound absorbents in the ceiling, add some candle light or warm light fixtures, and a little color in there. Any color. Something! - Both times we've been here recently, the manager(?)/host(?) dude was YELLING at servers, instead of helping us as we stood there right in front of the host stand waiting to be greeted. Quite uncomfortable. That is not great customer service. And poor servers! No wonder they look miserable in their jobs. - TERRIBLE bathroom situation!! - Two single multi-sex constant disaster zones, with condiment bottles holding soap in place of the non-working soap dispensers. Always a bathroom line, with everyone standing there complaining to each-other about "how can they get away with only 2 toilets for this size of place??". I feel bad for the unknowing suckers who get sat at the two tables near the bathroom, as the line of people has to stand right over them eating when the line is more than 2-people-deep, which is basically always. read more

Happy hour specials are great! The paella was awesome and I loved the wings. The service was really good. I will definitely be returning. read more

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Food was good, fast, beautiful outdoor seating overlooking the park and the river waterfront. Not typical mexican food which was a nice change. Best item was the Carne Asada tacos with Kimchi. Service was not slow and it was a full house before a Nationals game. read more

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Just yesterday, I meant to write a 5 star review because I loved the Chipotle Shrimp so much, but then I forgot and tonight I ordered it through Doordash. The sauce has changed, it used to be (or at least the last 4 times i've ordered it) was a white sauce and fairly mild, now, or tonight, it was an orange sauce and a lot spicier! I couldn't even finish it :( Please go back to the original sauce. However, the lomo saltado was just as good as the previous times my boyfriend had it. read more

I come here on a regular basis for lunches and happy hour. The have a great selection of tequila and really cold beers on tap. The staff is great. I highly recommend the pork belly tacos and the carnitas tacos. Happy hour here is good as well. The prices are fair and you won't leave hungry. The salsa with the chips is top notch. It has a nice view of the river walk and the ball park. Doesn't get packed like a lot of the new places popping up around the Navy Yard. read more

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We are visiting from Miami and decided to check out the Navy Yard and came across this restaurant. Thankful we did! From the moment we walked in, we were greeted by the host and sat immediately, although, it was a busy Friday night. Our server Karime provided us with excellent service and Roger (manager) made us feel like royalty. We had the crabmeat empanadas which were amazing!! We ended up ordering more for the table. We had the short rib mole with sweet potatoes which were to die for!! I ordered the chicken tortilla soup which was creamy and comforting (perfect for these cold nights). For dessert, they surprised my mother in law with a bread pudding, vanilla ice cream and tequila shot!! Thank you to the staff for providing us with an unforgettable night. read more

I've been here twice now and have enjoyed it both times. Their drinks and happy hour are awesome! Great margaritas and frozen drinks! The food is pretty good, and we have found the portions for tacos and fajitas to be very generous. The service has been ok but not great both times - seems like a lot of the servers are newer and still learning, so it's a little slow. read more

Had a great time doing trivia tonight!!! Awesome service and food as well! Thanks for the nice environment and friendly service :) read more

Agua 301 - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The location was great. I like that they had happy hour on the weekends. The price was decent. The food was good. I was recommended and enjoyed the pork belly tacos. The plantains were also really good. Only downside the serve was not good. Slow service for not a busy afternoon. read more

Agua 301 - The pork belly tacos were really good with a mix of rich and savory flavors! And the plantains were warm and had an excellent sauce. - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Had a great experience here! Even though brunch was super busy, the service was great. Omar and Beyoncé were both very attentive and polite, the food was delicious, and so was the sangria! Will absolutely be returning here! read more

Came in for brunch today and wanted to share about our experience. Great for big groups, super attentive staff, good prices, and tasty food and drinks (salmon tacos were fab and the bottomless margaritas A+). read more

Ate there last night. There was a concert and partying on the boats nearby so the atmosphere was typical Friday night!! Food was delicious and came quickly. Our service could have been a little more attentive as we were at a 2 top and full of finished plates and we had to flag the waitress down. In any event, I would go back! Crab guac appetizer was delicious, we had the chilango salad (beautiful but not much flavor), pork belly and baja fish tacos. In all it was a nice evening with perfect weather to stroll the area. read more

Agua is a pretty cool spot. I live in the neighborhood and have been coming here regularly since it opened. The tacos and margaritas are good and I love the free warm chips and salsa. The salsa texture and flavor changes regularly so I'm guessing they don't have a specific recipe as sometimes it is really good and other times not so much. As far as the tacos go the Pork Belly ones are my favorite but aren't available on the happy hour menu whereas the other ones are. If you're a guacamole fan I recommend the crab guacamole. The bartenders here are a lot of fun which is a main reason I come to this place so frequently. read more

The service was average , the margaritas were great. The bean dip was fantastic , empanadas were not great. Salsa and chips were so good!! The view of the water front was beautiful. Summertime place for sure. read more

Horrible hostess, lied to our party multiple times regarding our reservation and was completely unaccommodating when she made a mistake with our reservation. Manager was honestly even worse. Would've been happy with the food/drinks but the service was genuinely horrible read more

Guac was good... and that was it. The service is terrible. They held onto my credit card for almost 10 minutes. Not good menu either - not a full Mexican menu. It's sad considering that it has such a great location! read more

Good, strong margaritas during happy hour for $5! Their free chips and salsa are great deal as well, plus a nice view of the water.

Had an amazing experience at Agua 301. Amy'a was our waitress and she blew my husband any I away. She was very attentive and suggested an awesome meal for my husband to try. Roger one of the managers came pass our table and checked on our meal after it was completed . The food was great and the staff added to the amazing experience. Definitely will be trying the brunch and making this a regular restaurant to visit. read more

Food was good but the restaurant is a mess. More of a bar than a restaurant. Extremely noisy and confusing. Didn't help that half the restaurant was partitioned off for a party. read more