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🌮 Best Mexican & Tex-Mex in Washington DC

27 mexican & tex-mex spots in Washington DC, scored and ranked for 2026.

🍽️ Open Interactive Guide

Top 10 Mexican & Tex-Mex Spots

1
Pascual
Mexican · Capitol Hill · North America's 50 Best Restaurants 2026 (#42); James Beard Best Chef (Isabel Coss) 2025 (semifinalist)
Isabel Coss and Matt Conroy's wood-fired Mexican on Capitol Hill, open since early 2024 with nearly everything run through smoke and flame. The crispy carrot tlayuda (basically an Oaxacan pizza), slow...
91
2
El Jardín Mexicano
Mexican · Columbia Heights
A Mexican kitchen on 11th Street in Columbia Heights working traditional recipes across a long menu — antojitos, tacos by the dozen, fajitas, and full plates. Start with esquite and flautas, dig into ...
91
3
Chicatana
Mexican · Northwest Washington
Chicatana is a Mexican restaurant on Meridian Place NW in Columbia Heights. It takes its name from the chicatana, the seasonal flying ant prized in Oaxacan cooking, and holds a strong rating in this s...
90
4
Oliva's Kitchen
Mexican · East Bethesda
A neighborhood taco counter in East Bethesda from Chef Emilio, who grew up in Mexico City and has cooked in the Bethesda-Silver Spring area for over two decades. The menu runs Mexican street food made...
88
5
El Presidente
Mexican · Union Market
Stephen Starr's neo-retro Mexican room on Union Street in the Union Market district, built around a circular bar and a deliberately theatrical dining room. The cooking takes Mexico City as its referen...
86
6
Oyamel Cocina Mexicana
Mexican · Penn Quarter · Michelin Bib Gourmand; James Beard Best Chef (Omar Rodriguez) 2023 (semifinalist)
José Andrés's Mexican restaurant has run in Penn Quarter for close to two decades, drawing on Mexico's regional cooking with the energy of Mexico City. The menu runs to small plates and antojitos mean...
85
7
Amparo Fondita
Mexican · Dupont Circle · Michelin Bib Gourmand
Amparo Fondita is a contemporary Mexican restaurant in Dupont Circle from chef Christian Irabien. The kitchen sources corn from Oaxaca and nixtamalizes it in-house, and the menu spans a raw bar, sopec...
85
8
Taqueria Habanero
Mexican · Columbia Heights · Michelin Bib Gourmand
Taqueria Habanero is a family-run spot on 14th Street NW serving Puebla-style Mexican cooking. Hand-made masa tortillas anchor the menu, which spans tacos, huaraches, fajitas and braised dishes, along...
85
9
Guapo's Cocina & Bar
Mexican · Bethesda
Guapo's Cocina & Bar sits on Wisconsin Ave in downtown Bethesda, a walkable stretch near Chevy Chase filled with shops and offices. The menu puts a modern twist on classic Mexican flavors, with ce...
84
10
Buena Vida Gastrolounge
Mexican · Arlington
Buena Vida Gastrolounge sits in Arlington's Clarendon district on Wilson Boulevard, serving Mexican cuisine with a contemporary twist alongside fresh cocktails. The kitchen pairs traditional flavors w...
84

All 27 Mexican & Tex-Mex Spots in Washington DC

Tequila & Mezcal
Mexican · Northwest Washington
84
El Sol Restaurante & Tequileria
Mexican · Logan Circle
82
Westover Taco
Mexican / Sports Bar · Arlington
81
Mi Rancho
Mexican · Silver Spring
81
La Malinche
Mexican · Silver Spring
81
El Rey VA
Mexican · Ballston
81
Santa Rosa Taqueria
Mexican · Capitol Hill
80
Mission - Navy Yard
Mexican / Bar · Navy Yard
80
Taqueria Los Compadres
Mexican · Columbia Heights
80
El Chucho
Mexican · Columbia Heights
80
El Tamarindo
Salvadoran-Mexican · Adams Morgan
80
Helena's Mexican Restaurant
Mexican · Falls Church
80
Samantha's Restaurant
Mexican · Silver Spring
80
Surfside
Mexican / Tex-Mex · Tenleytown
80
Haydee's
Salvadoran / Mexican · Columbia Heights
79
Los Molcajetes
Mexican · Adams Morgan
79
tuTaco
Mexican · Dupont Circle
79
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