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    Chicatana Fine Mexican Cuisine

    4.7 (97 reviews)
    Closed 4:00 pm - 10:00 PM

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    CHICATANA FINE MEXICAN CUISINE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Happy hour specials
    Dogs allowed

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    Margarita
    Mel R.

    This corner Mexican spot has such a cool setup with two levels, though when I stopped by on a Wednesday only the upstairs was open. I went during happy hour and it started off pretty quiet, but that didn't last long by the time I ordered my second drink, the place was filling up. The prices were honestly very good, especially for happy hour. I ordered three cauliflower al pastor tacos and they were sweet, crunchy, and packed with flavor. The service really stood out too they kept the conversation going and made the whole experience feel welcoming and relaxed.

    Passionfruit Flan
    Diana P.

    They have a new menu and it is full of great options -- their traditional tacos and new additions. Recently I came for a late tacos dinner and a margarita. Their passionfruit flan was amazing!

    Duck Hurrache
    Caleb H.

    My girlfriend and I have now been twice and I don't know that we'll go anywhere else. The guacamole is the best- fresh with cilantro and chili oil and salsa matcha. We also had sopes de pulpo, al pastor taco, carne asada taco, camaron al diablo taco, duck hurrache, and langosta taco- every bite was absolutely delicious. The pulpo fresh and cooked perfectly, the steak perfect MR-M, the shrimp were the perfect texture, and as someone who eats a lot of duck I can honestly say it's up there with some of the best I've had. Antonio one of the owners was kind and generous and a pleasure to meet. Makes a mean spicy mezcal margarita too. We look forward to many more nights at Chicatana. -Caleb and Danielle

    Ian C.

    My new favorite Mexican spot in DC! The tacos were excellent and they went above and beyond in filling the tacos with ingredients not commonly found elsewhere. Prices were reasonable and they have great drink options. I originally tried to come here on a Friday night (solo) and it was PACKED!! Definitely need to be a bit strategic with timing.

    Jose P.

    Mexican food is pretty consistent in what you get, and most dishes are gluten-free. So I was expecting a good time and meal - it was hard to surprise me. Yet I was surprised. The guacamole was fantastic. The margaritas were amazing with fresh lime juice (we do skinny margaritas that end up being tequila and lime juice only - no triplesec or agave). All the different tacos were amazing. The waitress was super friendly and helpful. And the place was well decorated and fun. As normal the chips have cross contamination, which I risked, but otherwise this is a very gluten-free friendly place. Definitely coming here again.

    Tuna tostada

    Amazing food, drink, vibe, and happy hour prices! Great place to sit on their little rooftop/balcony patio and drink a margarita.

    Al pastor and carne asada
    Swatee G.

    Stopped by for a late dinner here today because I was craving Mexican food. Ragz got his usual Tito's and Lily had the mango margarita. The marg was yummy but sadly missing the salt rim. We started with the fried potato balls and these were so yummy! Very soft and perfect texture. Lily had the Spinach and mushroom quesadilla which was surprising so good! Forget the store bought ultra processed tortilla - they had this slightly thick, very rustic looking masa dough fresh corn tortilla that held the filling together and it was omg amazing! It was also a huge portion size and we couldn't get through it all. The sauce on the side was yummy too. I had the fish taco ( very tasty, but lacking a little seasoning), the cauliflower taco ( average) and the chicken tinga taco. The green salsa on top of the chicken tinga def stole the show and I would take a bath in it if I could. It was absolutely, insanely tasty and left me wanting so much more! Ragz enjoyed both his Al pastor( very juicy) and carne asada tacos. In the spirit of being adventurous, we tried the buenolos, which were topped with little Mexican ants ( restaurant namesake) and these were so so good! The dulche was sweet and sticky, the ants crunchy and the buenlos slightly sweet - made for the perfect bite and perfect ending to our delicious meal! I can see why Tom Seistsema named this place his restaurant of the year! I'd love to be back another time! Also a note about service- our server was super sweet ( Camille), but a little busy and there was def a bit of a wait.

    Carne Asada Taco & Pescado Taco
    Tova W.

    Amazing food for your moneys worth. Sad the pescado taco didn't have more sauce. Non-alcoholic drinks also yummy. Decent amount of seating. The inside is heated as well as their outdoor seating. Service was nice. No reservation, just walked in and got seated fairly quickly. Street parking nearby.

    Passionfruit Flan - Strawberry, Blueberry, Passion Fruit
    Ken S.

    KenScale: 7.25/10 Visits: May 2025 Earlier this year, my wife Jun and I visited Mexico City primarily for food; it confirmed our view that Mexican cuisine offers so much to be celebrated. After that February trip, we haven't been to any Mexican restaurant in the States until our visit earlier this month to Chicatana in DC. I was very much looking forward to checking out this restaurant following glowing reviews from the Washington Post restaurant critic Tom Sietsema. Unfortunately, our dinner at Chicatana had a number of misses that were in some cases inexplicable. Even though we tried a number of insects during our food tour in Mexico City, Jun and I stayed with more traditional dishes at Chicatana, which has a number of insect-based menus such as grasshopper tacos. We of course started our meal with guacamole with chips (oftentimes a reliable indicator of how good a Mexican restaurant is) and it was solid. I also thought the tuna tostada with black sesame seeds salsa and generous amount of greens was not bad but not quite up to the level of the life-changing tostadas we'd eaten in Mexico City. Sope is a traditional Mexican dish with fried masa base; Chicatana's version came with octopus, refried beans, guajillo chile and smoked paprika. The savory combination was rustic in a good way, but the masa below was surprisingly soggy and didn't quite work well with the octopus. It was the tacos at the restaurant, however, that really were disappointing. Perhaps we were too spoiled from eating all the amazing al pastor tacos in Mexico but I certainly didn't expect the pork to be so dried in Chicatana's version. The lobster taco was not particularly memorable, either, despite the promise of lobster, avocado puree, citrus salsa and habanero that sounds too good to be true. We moved over to the desserts and the dishes we ordered also missed the mark. Jun was puzzled why the restaurant couldn't come up with churros that were as ethereally delightful as the ones she'd had in Mexico; the overall texture felt too heavy. Same goes for the passionfruit flan which just wasn't a very good flan with surprisingly thick texture. Getting a reservation at Chicatana is not particularly challenging and there are plenty of outdoor seats, too, when the weather is good. Unlike the food, the cocktail list is a strength at the restaurant, with a variety of tequila- and mezcal-based options that would complement the meal quite well. When we were seated at the restaurant, we saw plenty of diners from Mexican background enjoying their weekend right before Cinco de Mayo (always a great sign), hence the misses at the restaurant felt even more surprising. Perhaps the entire kitchen staff was off before the celebrated Mexican holiday? In any event, we really wished Chicatana had offered more memorable food; it probably won't be our favorite Mexican restaurant in the District anytime soon.

    Esquites Corn
    Patrick L.

    I live in Los Angeles, so Mexican food is easy to find (that's an understatement, huh?!) D.C. on the other hand, Mexican food is not as abundant (and much of it is Latin American-flavored.) Don't get me wrong, I love Latin American food but it's not Mexican food. So, discovering Chicatana was exciting! I found the dishes inventive, well-executed and very tasty! Everything was good, there were no "so-so" dishes. However, if I had to name my favorites, the passion fruit ceviche was amazing and I loved the delicate flavors of the pollo mole. Service was good - especially the kid that works there (he must be about 13), he was funny when I asked him how old he was "16" was his reply (no way, bro.) Be sure to take your time and order as you want. My dining partners had been there previously and ordered everything at once, and it all came at once. That's fine if you're starving or need to get in/out. If you're dining, then order a few items at a time and enjoy the experience. If you explore the back area of the restaurant, you'll see the bar - take note, they have some EXCELLENT tequilas - not the George Clooney crap. Try some Cazcanes or Caballito - sip it, don't ruin it with mixers. Next time, I'll try some ant or grasshoppers, lol. Loved my first visit to Chicatana - 5 stars! P.S. I chatted with one of the chefs briefly and he told me the pollo mole recipe was a family recipe - loved that!

    quesadilla  @davideatsdc
    David H.

    Finally tried Chicatana and it's great - solid 4 stars. Narrow restaurant inside - 5 or so small tables along one wall, bar seats in front of the open kitchen/bar on the other. A covered/enclosed patio out front. We walked in on a Saturday and sat at the bar. Menu is straightforward - we ordered drinks which were all good and priced well. The flavored margaritas were stiff. salsa verde was delicious. also started with an order of esquites (solid, rich, could use a squeeze of lime), shared a shrimp and carne asada quesadilla (thick dough, very substantial, overall decent), and had the passionfruit ceviche (good quality fish, fresh passionfruit used, but needs more acidity the marinade is very sweet with sugar added). Then we had tacos (pastor was the favorite, lengua a close second, asada was good, carnitas was salty). Pretty large and messy on corn tortillas. To wrap things up we had the whole fish which was good with the adobo rub. For dessert, the bunuelos were great. Will be back to try the rest of the menu

    Jaylan H.

    Pre-Meal It was very easy to go to the website and make reservations. We even made same-day reservations on a Friday during the early evening for an evening dining time. When we got there, the host had our reservations and we were seated where we asked. We had a few drinks at the bar: Viva Mexico and Strawberry Margarita, both solidly on point! During the Meal We both got appetizers. I had the esquites corn and yes I tried it with the traditional ants. It was phenomenal! I only ate a few of the ants just to say I did it and try it. The dish overall was great! My husband had the scallop tartar. That was ok. But the corn was the start of the pre-game show. The main meal featured tacos carnitas for me and lobster taco for my husband. Both, again were great! The carnitas were very flavorful and the non-traditional lobster tacos was really good too. Service The service was great! The host and the waitress were very kind and helpful navigating the menu and drinks. We never had to wonder where the waitress was and she was the one that convinced me to try the ants. I really like when the staff knows their menu really well and can share in the food experience. Ambiance The location is vibrant and quaint. I appreciated that they had a covered and uncovered patio. It was a little chilly and breezy but the covered patio fit the bill. It was clean and organized. They use the space they have pretty efficiently. Recommendation. For sure! If you're looking for a place with reasonable prices and a great experience, this is the place. The fact that they have great food and drinks is an expectation that they absolutely met! Give them a try!

    2. Chilaquiles Verdes Brunch
    Tracy R.

    Dined on a week night with a group of 3 and were seated right away. We ordered a few margaritas - the prickly pear with the tajin rim hit the spot along with a couple old fashioneds. We went to the newer Chicatana that's a few doors down from the OG. First time trying the scallops ceviche, chilaquiles, and aguachile verde shrimp as appetizers. All were so yummy and would order again. The chilaquiles may be a bit filling so would suggest to only order this if you're sharing otherwise you will be too full to eat anything else. I'll see if I can add more pictures to this review. A few go tos for us are the esquites and the fish taco - seriously- must try! I would also recommend the shrimp and al pastor tacos. The buñuelos for dessert is always the sweetest way to end the meal. They mixed it up adding in a cream that wasn't there before. And it's not too sweet or heavy! Please try this place out - you won't regret it!

    Esquites Corn

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    2 months ago

    Had a really good experience here. The food was fresh, flavorful, and came out quickly. The al pastor tacos were delicious.

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    4 months ago

    Easily the worst street tacos of my life. Ultra greasy. I was disappointed and won't go back.

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    Lucha Rosa Rooftop Bar - Pulpo al pastor ceviche

    Lucha Rosa Rooftop Bar

    3.5(142 reviews)
    2.1 miDowntown

    After brunch on a Sunday, we made our way to Lucha Rosa for a few drinks, and it was the perfect…read moreway to spend a lazy afternoon. We arrived around 2:45 p.m., so it was nice and quiet with plenty of seating. By the time we left around 4:45, the crowd had definitely started rolling in, so if you're looking for a more relaxed vibe, earlier is the move. Since we'd just eaten, we kept it simple with a few rounds of cocktails and an order of chips and guacamole. The guac was fresh, flavorful, and absolutely delicious. It tasted like it had just been made, and the chips were the perfect vehicle for it. Now let's talk about these drinks! First, I ordered an espresso martini, and shout out to Lucha Rosa for already making it with tequila because that's exactly how I like mine. No special requests needed! I also tried the Lucha Rosa Margarita, and whew...it was SO bomb. It was as pretty as it was delicious, which is always a win. The service was great from start to finish. There wasn't a hostess at the stand when we walked in, so we grabbed seats at the bar. She greeted us shortly after, and our bartender was friendly, attentive, and happy to answer our questions about the cocktail menu. His recommendations did not disappoint. Pricing felt comparable to other rooftop bars in the area, maybe just a touch higher, but nothing unexpected for the location and atmosphere. Speaking of atmosphere...the rooftop is gorgeous. The indoor and outdoor spaces are both beautifully designed. It was blazing hot and sunny during our visit, so we happily stayed inside enjoying the air conditioning, but I'd love to come back on a cooler evening to enjoy the outdoor space. Lucha Rosa is definitely worth adding to your happy hour or rooftop rotation. Great cocktails, fresh guac, friendly service, and a beautiful space? That's a solid combo.

    This option at is really pretty and is perfect for sunny days to grab a cocktail and some food…read more Their cocktails are really good and are presented nicely. I got the Lucha Rosa signature drink and then a Paloma. Both were great, they were strong but the taste of alcohol wasn't unbearable at all. That's the mix I like. The service is good too with the bartenders attending to you pretty regularly. Their food isn't impressive at all though so I'd recommend eating elsewhere after ge a drink in the sun here. We got beef and chicken tacos which weren't great but filled us up since we were starving.

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    City Tap House Penn Quarter - Pulled Pork Nachos

    City Tap House Penn Quarter

    3.9(1.9k reviews)
    2.3 mi
    $$

    Great beer selection and a nice environment. Our servers were very friendly and I like when there…read moreis a QR code AND you can place orders as you go. Pretzel: These were amazing! The pimento cheese dip was great. Pulled pork nachos: Huge portion! These were also exceptional. BLT w/ tomato soup: "This hit the spot". Nashville Fried chicken sandwhich: I was quite disappointed in this, considering how good everything else was. The chicken was very dry and overly salty IMO. Not at all spicy either. Thyme fries: Loved these! Really cool flavor profile. I would happily come back and try a different entree.

    I won't be back unfortunately and you should probably keep walking and find something else. Didn't…read morerealize what kind of restaurant this was until I was told to order off an app and then my food would be ran out to me...and that's all you get for customer service. Runners just do that. Run around the restaurant throwing food down on tables and run back to the kitchen. Never checking on anyone to see if they need anything and how the food is. I ordered the SW Salad ($16.50) with a steak add on ($9.00) at medium temp. I also ordered a cup of Clam Chowder ($5.95) as an appetizer. Chowder came out pretty much right on top of my salad, but no big deal. Chowder was decent taste, but only found one clam. Ok whatever. Salad came out looking like a side salad on a large plate with five slices of rare, tough steak. It was so rare, that it was extremely hard to cut through, but again, who was I going to talk to about it. No wait staff would even look my way. I couldn't even get a refill on my water and there is no place in the app to order a glass of water...so that's that. Unfortunately it was just an extremely bad experience for $40. I'll be looking for dinner somewhere else tomorrow night.

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    Your Only Friend - Sub club

    Your Only Friend

    4.4(158 reviews)
    2.0 miDowntown

    Lowkey my favorite Sandwich place in all of DC. The people that created this restaurant are…read moregeniuses. I'm speechless when I eat these: RPG The Hot Nug Gotta have it: Cacio e Pepe fries Onion Rings The shallot dip

    I only ever stop by here whenever I'm going to an event at the convention center and don't want to…read morepay for overpriced under-flavored convention food nor fight the scores of illegal food truck mafia members with their unlisted prices, I always seem to forget about it otherwise. But maybe that's better for them too. You can order to-go at the window and/or request a spot in the limited spaced dining/bar area. I've only gotten the Sub Club the few times I've gone here but what can I say? its a fail proof staple that is hard to get wrong and that they do very right. I often pair it with one of their drinks, this time being the spicy ginger ale which was solid as well. There's really not much place to dine-in if you're trying to dine and go - I recommend only using the dining area if you're solo, a couple, or part of a small group (at MOST maybe - a hard maybe - on 4 people) and only if you want to use the bar. One couple tried to squeeze in a baby stroller into the bar/dining area. Its really not suitable for things like suitcases or strollers so if you're in that camp maybe try some other spots because that also made a tiny space all the more difficult to navigate. Also, if you have a mobility device, this might not be the best spot for you either. I've never used their restrooms before so can't comment on that one. I still will say it is good for when you want to grab and go - so if you're in that category, and you like moderately priced sandwiches (for this part of town) this might work for you.

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    Your Only Friend - To go order area.

    To go order area.

    Your Only Friend - Cacio Pepe fries are also a must!!

    Cacio Pepe fries are also a must!!

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    Chicatana Fine Mexican Cuisine - mexican - Updated August 2026

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