Rosa Mexicano is one of two Penn Quarter establishments (Oyamel being the other) serving up modern and upscale versions of authentic Mexican cuisine. As I have referenced in some of my other reviews, having grown up in Southern California I thought “upscale” Mexican food was an oxymoron. I mean, why pay the high prices for food that was only marginally better than my El Taco de Mexico? Well, after my first bite of the Guacamole en Molcajete I knew I had this gourmet Mexican food thing all wrong.

Cost - $$$

Service - B-
Rosa Mexicano is one of the busiest restaurants in DC so service can sometimes take a hit during peak hours. I have always had good lunch expereinces but during the dinner rush, the restaurant usually gets jam packed and service is sometimes borderline acceptable.

Food - B
As stated above, the guacamole is very good and the only way to start off any respectable meal here. I have tried most of the menu and some of the entrees like the Alambre a la Mexicana and the tamales are great but generally speaking, the food is good and I am yet to have a subpar dish.

Decor - A-
Rosa Mexicano’s decor is a vibrant pool of pink, blue, red, aqua and orange with shades of everything thrown in. I know it sounds like a lot to consume but the restaurant decor works and I often find myself musing at the native Mexican masks and sculptures which are simple compared to the detailed walls and mosaics.

Feel - B+
If busy places with a medium-high noise levels are not your thing, you should stay away once Happy Hour kicks in. Otherwise, Rosa can be an upbeat and fun place but make sure you have reservations and are prepared to wait a few minutes to get a drink at the bar.

Rosa Mexicano is located at 575 7th St. NW. They can be reached at (202) 783-5522.

What’s the Buzz:

June 2, 2008 - Rosa Mexicano (Bacon and Blue) - Poor Rosa has been dealing with a ton of construction on 7th and F Streets during the past several months. But it’s location remains in operation and continues to serve high quality Mexican fare. For anyone that likes guacamole, Rosa is the place for you. It’s prepared table side with all fresh ingredients. I normally add some salt and a little pepper. Full article…

August 4, 2007 - Rosa Mexicano (DC Dine Blog) - Recently, Ryan and I ventured over to Rosa Mexicano for dinner. Prior to this visit, I had eaten at Rosa several times with my coworkers; however, this was the first time I went for dinner, and the first time as a reviewer.  Full article…

Price - $$

Service - B+
I’ve always had good experience with the service at Rio Grande. They staff appropriately so you never have to wait very long for an order. Additionally, the wait staff has been trained well and are extremely professional.

Food - B
Solid.  Everything on the menu is pretty good - definitely on par with some of the other Tex-Mex places in the DC area like Alero.

Décor - C
Rio Grande is an enormous family-style restaurant with a loud, main open area so aesthetics are clearly not part of their business model. Imagine dozens of tables and hundreds of yuppies in a large barn eating tacos and Rio Grande is something like that.

Feel - B
Rio Grande is a loud large space full of noise, movement and the smell of grilled fajitas. It probably is not the best place to take a date unless you don’t really care how it ends but it is an ideal venue for a family, large group, or a laid-back evening before a film.

Uncle Julio’s Rio Grande Cafe is located at 4870 Bethesda Ave in Bethesda, MD. They can be reached at (301) 656-2981.

The chain of Alero Tex-Mex restaurants gets comments from diners that all over the map. On one hand, the food is terrible and on the other, it’s the best Mexican food in DC. I have eaten at all three locations and will get into my opinion on the food below, but the one I will focus more on in this review is the U Street locale.

Cost - $$

Service - A
As with most neighborhoody latin restaurants, service is consistently very good. Wait staff is almost always hustling and eager to please.

Food - B-
As I stated above, there is a wide range of opinions on the food. Like with most things, I think the main reason for the differences has to do with the broad spectrum of expectations. Being from California, I have a fundamental problem paying $9.95 for a burrito which I used to get for $5.50 so initially I agreed with those who were disappointed in DC Mexican cuisine. However, I have learned to not be so harsh by staying away from ordering overpriced tacos and chimichangas and sticking to the best value on the menu - steak fajitas! Also of note are the chips and salsa which I think are the best around.

Decor - B
As background, the Dupont and Cleveland Park locations are traditional in decor while the U Street one is modern with a much larger bar area and lounge. The U Street location gets the B while the other two would get C’s. I like the modern scheme much better and most of the art reflects the jazz scene roots of the area. I sometimes find it cool that the latin and jazz art come together so well.

Feel - B+
With the large outdoor patio, it’s hard to top Alero on a warm weekday night or weekend afternoon. Alero has some pretty good happy hour specials but the crowd can be a bit much for me at times. There are also three sets of couches which do it as a lounge for some but I can’t say I really feel it. That all said, the primary reason I frequent Alero is because of the two large screen TVs at the bar. I won’t watch an important game here but I will spend time on a Sunday afternoon watching golf or baseball while reading the paper and sucking down margaritas.

Alero is located at 1301 U Street NW. They can be reached at (202) 462-2322.

What’s the Buzz:

September 27, 2007 - Alero Dupont (Washingtonian) - You’ll find all the hallmarks of a standard, guac-laden Tex-Mex menu–big platters holding burritos, chimichangas, fajitas and enchiladas–plus carne asada and pollo primavera (grilled chicken breast piled with zucchini, onions and tomatoes). On the seafood front, shrimp and scallops adorn most dishes. Full article…