The Only Review You Need To Read We decided to experiment with a new place to go for Mexican food today. There appeared to be a lot of businesses geared towards the Hispanic crowd along Kenilworth Avenue, so we stopped off at what looked like a good sized restaurant in a little strip plaza next to an international grocery store. We walked in the entrance, past the old cash register and TouchTunes digital jukebox and we were seated at a booth; socially distant from the couple of other patrons. Menus, chips & salsa and drinks were delivered quickly, then we placed our orders. Let's talk about the food (or at least what I ordered). The chips & salsa were good, though my daughter was quick to point out that the chips & salsa at another restaurant (the one with a red pepper as their logo) are better because the chips are served warm. They were out of soup which came with my entree, so I opted for a salad which....was fine at first, but it was wet. Dripping wet. So wet that as I got to the bottom of my salad, there was a small puddle of water in my plate. Plus it wasn't really leafy salad; it was shredded lettuce. Now the main course - the Del-Rio (cheese enchiladas with a hard taco, a pile of cooked ground beef, beans and rice. Some of the other reviews pointed out that they are generous with the cheese at this place, and I thought, "You say that like it's a bad thing - bring it on!" And they did; they were probably the cheesiest cheese enchiladas I've ever had, and that's not a complaint. My girlfriend couldn't handle the amount of cheese on her chili rellenos, but I had no problem with it. I would have preferred chicken enchiladas underneath all of that craziness, but I didn't see that on their menu (though I probably could have asked for it). Overall, the enchiladas were fine, rice & beans were fine, the taco fell apart after my first bite, but I shoveled it down and it was fine, and the ground beef was fine. I walked out of there fully stuffed and my appetite completely satiated. Everyone at my table was in agreement - the food was fine, but the experience was not enough to warrant a drive all the way back down there again specifically just to eat there. Mind you; we lived in Los Angeles for decades, so the bar is set pretty high for us as far as Mexican cuisine goes. However, this place has been in business (supposedly) for well over 60 years, so apparently they must be doing something right. read more

Alamo Mexican Restaurant - The Del-Rio. Cheesy. - Mexican Near Me - Riverdale, Maryland

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Wish they'd reopen. It was the best Mexican food around. Real Mexican not food from other Latin countries

Excellent prices for fantastic and fresh Mexican food. Very generous portions. I have been going there since 1975. It opened in 1954 and even President Eisenhower went there with Mimi. The salsa is so fresh and delicious, you just want to jump in a bowl of it. I miss being able to go out there. Love it so much read more

I've worked a mile away for six years and this is the first time I've set foot in here. My coworkers and I had a meeting to attend and decided to stop here before going back to work. The place was pretty empty, and I think there was only one waitress working. Our server quickly brought us lunch menus. The items on the menu are extremely affordable lunch prices. I had three cheese enchiladas for $6.95. I ordered the cheaper version without the rice and beans. My coworkers all ordered different item. Two of them had chicken quesadillas and they were huge. Four sections, unlike some places that take a large tortilla and fold it in half. When the bill came I was charged incorrectly (I think the price for rice and beans). The server didn't know how to change it, but I planned to leave $10 for tax and tip (more than 20%), so that is what I did. The quesadilla two were charged $10 instead of $8, but that may have been because they had grilled instead of pulled chicken. I recommend this place for a cheap and tasty lunch. Just check your bill before you pay. read more

Alamo Mexican Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Riverdale, Maryland

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Service: Trash Wait Time: 2 hours for food Food: It was good needed some seasoning The waiter took 30 min to bring drinks This place needs a little pep in there step, Gordon Ramsey would be disappointed. read more

Alamo Mexican Restaurant - a plate of food - Mexican Near Me - Riverdale, Maryland

gotta eat there anytime I'm in the neighborhood. wonderful staff. Salsa is amazing and they have chili verde.

Went to this restaurant from Yelp reviews (thanks)! Pleasantly surprised and agreed with my fellow Yelpers. Food was good and the atmosphere as well. Definitely would go back!!! read more

We've been going to Alamo for years now. The food is always good, though we pretty much limit ourselves to ordering the same 3 things in rotation:mole, enchiladas, and fajitas. The atmosphere is low key but fun. The prices are reasonable for this area, bordering on cheap. I really like their Christmas decorations in December. The service, though, is spotty to say the least. We've gotten great attentive service, but other times we've gotten waitresses completely clueless about the menu. Other times, we've gotten distracted service that makes you wait long periods between taking your order, refilling your drinks, or getting your check. This has nothing to do with how busy they are. In fact, it's usually worse when the place is practically empty. Yesterday was the worst to date. We talked in and saw 3 tables filled, less than 10% of the dining area. We waited and waited for someone to great us and seat us, but no one came out. I shouted into the kitchen, no response. Finally, we walked out after 15 minutes with no sign of any staff working there at all. Mind you, this was at 7:30 on a Thursday evening, prime dining hours. It's going to be a few months before we go back again. It won't be the first time we've taken a break from eating there after a bad service experience, but it may be the longest. read more

One of my fav PG Co restaurants. It's very clean and the staff is professional. The food is good and there's plenty of parking. Unfortunately, they're temporarily closed due to a fire. I cant wait for them to reopen. read more

Awesome food and awesome service. The bartender lady was super nice and I got to practice my Spanish! As for the food, it was the best quesadilla I've ever eaten. Chicken fajita quesadilla was seasoned perfectly and the chicken was tender. Also got a pupusa, which was huge and like $3. read more

A completely forgettable platter of chicken in tortillas, rice and beans. The lesson here is that if you cover something with enough cheese, you can pretty much serve up lunch. I can't say I would return. There is better nearby. read more

Alamo Mexican Restaurant - Front of Alamo Mexican - Mexican Near Me - Riverdale, Maryland

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I got the 3 cheese enchiladas and it was thoroughly disgusting. I typically love Mexican food but this time I cannot wait to get home so I can purge this garbage from my body. The enchiladas where sitting in discolored grease. Of the 3 people in the patty no one was satisfied. Even the queso was insulting. It tasted like week old cheese stored with a pack of easy Mac. I will never ever go back there. Please wish me the best as I go home to expel this atrocious material from my stomach. read more

Our service was great... The food came hot and was delicious and the serving size was more than enough to need a to go box' read more

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First time here, food was good. I had the tacos, all the food was great! Even the chips and salsa... I liked the service and they were able to split the check, no questions about that. Atmosphere was also nice. I will definitely go back! read more

Alamo Mexican Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Riverdale, Maryland

Very good Mexican food. Pozole was very tasty. I had the cazado it was great. The pork tamale and the rice could've used a little salt but really it was good overall. The chorizo isn't what I'm used to having lived in Houston, TX but it was pretty tasty. My son had the El charro and the chicken was the Percy amount to spicy. The service is excellent and we got our food hot and quickly. Definitely will be back - there are a bunch of other things on the menu I want to try! read more

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Greeted amd seated right away. Salsa and chips were a perfect appetizer. I ordered shrimp fajitas. They were great. Good size shrimp. Great flavor. Sizzling when they came out. Warm tortillas accompanied. Server was attentive. Lunch hour had more people than I thought would come in on a Saturday. Lots of families. Decor is old and raggedy but they are obviously more focused on food and service. Worth a visit. 3 stars for the condition of the restaurant but I'd still visit again for the food. read more

Alamo Mexican Restaurant - Yummy in my tummy shrimp fajitas - Mexican Near Me - Riverdale, Maryland

Forget all the other reviews. This food is almost exactly like my Mexican grandmothers! BY FAR THE BEST MEXICAN I'VE HAD IN THE DMV. All others are 'Americanized' to a certain degree, but this is the real deal. Another reviewer said the mole was "too sweet" well guess what, it is supposed to be sweet (!) It's made out of chocolate! I still give it 5 stars, but a couple of things to point out. First, the server was VERY inexperienced... but who cares, food and atmosphere more than make up for that. Second, it is almost impossible to find a really good tamale, and part of this admittedly is 'style.' Just like everyone's mothers potato salad is different, so are tamales. These are not the best, rather small and not a lot of filling and the mesa was not really like I like it. Still good though. Would order again. We also ordered corn tortillas (home made) and again, style. These were small, kind of thick and a little doughy. Good... but not like 'grandmas.' Nevertheless I HIGHLY recommend this restaurant. Forget the Taco-Bell like others...this place is fabulous. Go! read more

Great Mexican food! Drinks are great, live music and great service. The bar on the other side is a great time too lol

Went here with the family, very friendly service. Food is pretty good, a bit too much cheese for my taste but we all enjoyed it. Also, I must mention that everything was extremely fresh. Portion size is good on the generous side, and the quality is great. I don't feel like I'm stuffed or bloated after eating a large meal. read more

Alamo Mexican Restaurant - Alamo window w - Mexican Near Me - Riverdale, Maryland

This was our second visit to Alamo, first was before the pandemic. Today we had a craving and Alamo hit the spot. Everyone wore masks, there was ample distancing, some use of plastic ware instead of reusable, etc. We felt totally comfortable being there. Now, onto the food! As with the first time we went the food was amazing, served hot and fresh and very generous portions. Definitely had enough to take home. This is the first Mexican restaurant we've tried in the area and have no need to look further. read more

Food here is hella amazing. I got the Fajita Dinner and was amazed with the sauce paired with it, very different from fajitas I tried at other restaurants. Everything here is really the definition of authentic! read more

The food is delish! I've been patronizing this restaurant for over 20 years and have never been disappointed. The margaritas are top shelf, the food is fresh, and tasty. read more

I have been eating here all of my life, and I'm now 53! I started coming here as a toddler with my father and continued the tradition with my family. My favorite is the cheese enchiladas but you can't go wrong with whatever you order. read more

If you're looking for a great inexpensive authentic Mexican dish, this is the place to come. They have a full bar and restaurant. I sat at the bar, I ordered the (lunch special) chicken tacos which came with two tacos, rice and refried beans; it also came with chips and salsa which was also pretty tasty... Entree $8, Margarita $6... Can't ask for more! read more

Alamo Mexican Restaurant - Chicken Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Riverdale, Maryland

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Stopped by last weekend. We had visited about a month before. The place looks a lot like it did 30 years ago, not much has changed. I enjoyed coming here in the 70,s, but my wife and I visited around 2000-2001 and it was putrid. But not any more! Very clean, good service, and we really enjoyed the food. This place is slowly creeping back into our rotation! read more

Alamo Mexican Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Riverdale, Maryland

The food was good, the setting was nice, but there were simply not enough people working to get food to the table. I believe there was only one waitress for the whole place. One table left in anger after waiting an hour for the kitchen. Besides that, it was fine. Try to make it before 7 for a $2 domestic happy hour. read more

It's a nice authentic Mexican restaurant with a bar. Great Food and the portions are more than enough. The service is pretty good too.

The food was good, worst service. The lady ignored me, while applying make up at the bar. I had order ice cream dessert and she mentioned it was to early for dessert. She ignored other people asking questions and information about the restaurant. She chatted with friends near the bar. Ignored me another 10 mins and never brought the ice cream. On top of that She tipped/ gratuity(15.0%) for the worst service on my bill. read more

Yum. I used to go here in the 60's when there were few Mexican restaurants in the Washington, DC area. I hadn't been in a while so we went the other night. I know it is owned by different people now. The food was absolutely delicious. The food is closer to Mexican food than TexMex. The tortilla chips were more like what I have gotten in Mexico - thick with good corn taste. Their salsa was perfect - not too hot, yet plenty spicy and not too chunky or pureed. And our server gave each one of us an individual container of salsa - perfect. I had their tamales - they were so good - just the right amount of filling. The sauce that accompanied them was delicious - not spicy at all but very aromatic. Others had the shrimp fajita for two. The mix of shrimp with the onions and peppers was delightful. Service was great - our server was very attentive and didn't rush us. This may become my go to Mexican place! read more

OMG i have no words to explain how satisfying was our visit, let me start with customer svc was great on point always making sure that we were ok, food wise we were looking for a spanish restaurant, my kids were craving for some spanish food, so we got there we were supposed to order something quick till we get to our area, but instead we ended up staying for 2.5 FOOD WAS DELICIOUS we ordered a soup, chimichangas, quesadillas, and tacos and omg their flan, was soo good this is the second places Ill mark my favorite place to go eat and I won't mind the driving, if you're on the area and you looking for a good place to eat? THI IS IT !!! Everything taste like Mexico (Mexican food) and home made food, oh and the price $ is great We are planning to go back Is always good to give feed back on restaurants because it makes more easier to find a nice and decent place to eat read more

Anchoring a small strip mall in Riverdale bearing its name, The Alamo Restaurant looks like just another place to grab a meal from the road. I had seen it written up here and there and never really thought about until we moved a bit closer. Walking in, it looked much more like the Mexican restaurants I am familiar with from the Dallas---Fort Worth area than any I've seen in DC. Cast-iron decor, low lighting, dark paneling, red booths, etc. Think San Antonio, just off the Riverwalk, South Austin, or other Little Mexicos. It reminded me of home and the Mexican restaurants I grew up exploring with my uncle (who managed a downtown Dallas Tex-Mex place), my family, and friends. We were promptly seated and gave the menu a quick glance as the chips and salsa arrived. A quick taste and I soon knew that we were in for a good meal. Out come these perfectly crisp, thick chips with a deep corn flavor, you know the type: fresh, opaque, deep golden yellow. We were served individual mini-bowls of incredibly well balanced salsa. This was fabulous -- a touch of cumin, minuscule red peppers, a medium heat that built and just sat there for the rest of the meal, tiny pieces of cilantro. I care deeply about salsa and want it to taste spicy, not too sweet, with touches of garlic and fresh tomatoes. This was a solid 8.5 on a ten-point scale. Alamo Restaurant has an extensive menu, but it was easy to narrow it down to a few options we wanted to try. T and I decided to split one of the bountiful combination plates and add a seafood enchilada on the side because we were both curious about it. T ordered an iced tea and I indulged and ordered a horchata, a sweet cinnamon rice milk. It was a cool, refreshing treat on a hot day. Now I was a very happy diner enjoying my seven hundred and fifty-third scoop of salsa and chasing it with my cool mega-sized horchata, but little did I know what pleasure was to come from the meal being prepared for us. Here's a walk through of the combination plate: CHALUPAS COMPUESTAS: medium sized tostadas topped with beans, cheese, lettuce, and tomato. T, not a major fan of refried beans (gasp!), thought the beans were the best he has tasted. Refried beans often end up falling into one of the following categories: pasty with lumps, runny with bits, and, well, somewhere in between. The best refried beans in my estimation are neither wet nor gritty. They taste more of beans and less of the overpowering chili powder, garlic, etc. that many places load them down with. These were notable in a meal of notables. FLAUTAS --- The flauta was a delicious, wet, but not dripping, generous portion of meat packed firmly into a deep fried tortilla. After biting into the flauta, much became clear about the kitchen at the Alamo. 1. These folks know meat and understand texture. 2. The kitchen uses broths to flavor their meats and the flavors are both deep and enjoyable. TACO --- The taco was your basic hard taco. Ground beef topped with shredded cheese, tomatoes, and lettuce. Again, the meat had a wonderful, moist, flavor. Hints of chili powder and the juices of the meat made this an A+ taco. It got a bit wet, so I cradled it with one of the freshly grilled corn tortillas that came with the meal. Yum! RICE --- T was especially impressed by the rice. A generous pile of fluffy (no crusty pieces) rice with a tinge of tomato flavor. NACHOS --- The combo came with two nachos, each with generous portions of the soft yellow cheese so popular in Tex-Mex cooking. On top of the cheese were two slices of pickled jalapenos, and beneath the cheese, a spoonful of the delicious refried beans. SEAFOOD ENCHILADA - The seafood enchilada was a find. Flavorful shredded crab filled a soft, wet tortilla, covered in cheese, and served steaming hot. I'll get a plate of these next time. SHREDDED TURKEY MOLE - The shredded turkey was the only item that was a bit newer for us. We've both had our share of mole by this point in life, but I did not grow up with it and T had it later in life as well. This mole was worthy of creating some future nostalgia though. A deep intense mole sauce soaked the shredded turkey. This was best eaten with a tortilla so we could sop up the savory and sweet juices. The combo platter also came with a cheese enchilada, but we were less interested with all that was on the plate. It passed the test, but was not much to blog about. I am still finding it hard to believe we found such a place. It felt so incredibly like home to me and I can't wait to find others who have left Texas and are looking for the real deal. read more

Now, fancyness and awesomeness don't always go together. I like my Mexican food to be authentic, not touristy tex-mex, fusion, or deconstructionist molecular gastronomy. I like to know that someone "put their foot in it." I like my Mexican food to be a little more, shall we say, "probiotic." My aunt waitressed there in the 70's. The decor was getting old then, and hasn't been changed yet. Except for the addition of one or two paintings of bullfighters on velvet back in maybe '82. But it's sort of clean, and it's dark enough that you won't be able to tell anyway. I wouldn't swing a black light around or anything, but I think the tables are wiped down enough that I won't get any skin lesions. Wait. Did that guy say Margaritas? Aren't those a chick drink? That depends on who's pouring. At Chevy's or Don Pablo's, yes. At the Alamo, when you order the top shelf, watch out. You get a big glass that is easily 75% Hornitos and Grand Marnier, 24.5% sour mash, and .5% fruit fly larvae. Five or six of those will knock you on your tail. Then comes the dance lessons: the reason so few women enter the bar alone. I'll let that part of the night be a surprise. But I hasten to add that everyone who frequents that spot is friendly. I have even acquired a nickname there. I can't post it here, though... I would be remiss not to mention the food. Incredible. Really. My favorite tacos anywhere on earth. Period. Great salsa. All true-to-form traditional Mexican cuisine. I give Alamo 5 stars for its bizarre appeal. It's just plain fun. read more

First, I believe it is impossible to find queso blanco in the metro D.C. area. Everyone, and I do mean, everyone, is all about the chili con queso. That being said, queso blanco is not available here. Our quest shoulders on. Alamo is a white table cloth eatery with well above average Tex-Mex. I usually like to judge a "Mexican" restaurant on the 3 S's: Service, Salsa, and Steak (I'm a big mark for a good fajita). Alamo passed all three with flying colors. First, the service was outstanding. It helps when you're generally the only people in the house. But, that being said, the service did not slack. The food, for the money, was spot on. Granted, you could tell everything wasn't pulled right off the vine (I appreciate a fresh salsa) but it was well prepared and the portions were very large (my fajitas for one could have well been fajitas for two). I also appreciated that they threw in some roasted tomatoes along with some pan drippings into the standard mix of peppers and onions (probably not for everyone) and didn't include celery (quite a few downtown joints do this). I would definitely consider coming back again. read more

Ups: OK salsa Downs: just about everything else After reading some of the reviews I was anticipating a decent Mexican meal. What i got was a glorified taco bell. The chili con queso had a skin on it. The chimichanga was akin to a hot pocket full of ground beef flavored by the tears of children who will have to pass this food through their digestive system. As for service? I wrote this review without seeing my waitress once. I should mention I'm part blind and have hooks for hands. read more

Don't go there is terrible food I really don't like it And I pay to much for horrible food .. You would see drunk people everywhere and they don't respect kids .. I really don't go there no more.. read more

Well....first, I used to go to this place when I was a kid. Yes, been around that long. My father grew up in SW Texas, in the days when you could go back and forth across the border for REAL Mexican food, and he always liked it, and he knows Mexican cuisine. The hotter, the better, but of course, he wore dentures, which, in retrospect insulated everything, which would explain his ability to chow down on nuclear waste. But I digress. Staff is friendly, and the food is not bad. Although...went there yesterday for dinner after my eye exam. Chips were stale, I mean S-T-A-L-E. And they are usually spot on. Enchilada platter? Normally good, but came out fast, and cold in the middle. But....the intro was the best, and a first for me. The waitress served water...in a glass...that had...READY? A perfectly, and I mean perfectly formed lipstick mark. Need I say more? Used to go there often. Never busy, not sure how they stay in business, food was decent, however, after the water glass tried to kiss me.... Sorry. After all of these years, crossing this off the list. After the lipstick mark, I think I am being generous read more

We often don't get what we order, but we keep going back, because EVERYTHING they bring out is GREAT! We're tempted to just walk in and tell them to surprise us, instead of ordering. Lots of awesome food, wait staff that acts like family, very easy on the wallet. The best Mexican food we've ever eaten...consistently. read more

This place is no good. Mexican isn't even that hard to make delicious and this place totally misses the mark. I didn't even finish my margarita. It tasted weird and had cheap table salt on the rim. I had chicken fajitas and they were pretty bland. My husband got a platter which was better but probably only bc it was covered in melted cheese. I won't go back. Service was friendly. read more

Pros: 1. Alamo Mexican Restaurant server was excellent during the lunch (there where only around 6 people in the restaurant plus our table of 7). 2. The food for me was average and the menu seemed to me to be limited (around ~15 items). 3. Parking was not a problem. 4. Service time was around 30 minutes for our group. Cons: 1. 2 people were served 5(?) minutes before the rest of us and decided to start eating because the food was getting cold, so it might have been more the 5 minutes. 2, There was a smell of dampness or mold in the air that the 4 woman in the group picked up as soon as we entered. Two people in the group said it smelled like this the last time they went so this is not a onetime thing. The woman said they would never come back because of the smell. Personally it smelled like mold so if air is problem I would not go there. 3. One person tried their cell phone and did not have reception so something was blocking the signal. read more

I am impressed. Alamo is WONDERFUL. I ate an enormous meal, the El Charro, for $16! It consisted of: 1 taquito with guacamole, 2 nachos covered in delicious, velvety refried beans and cheese, one amazing cheese enchilada, one excellent tamale, one ground beef taco, a huge portion of shredded turkey in a dark mole sauce - and a mug of hot chicken broth, in case I hadn't eaten enough protein. What a great place. Seems more authentically Mexican than Tex-Mex (i.e. I didn't think that I would have a heart attack from the Tex-Mex required lard that I love). The portions are so huge that I wished I were a teenager again. Anyplace with quality this high and prices this reasonable should be in business for a long time. Gets 5 stars for the excellent value. read more