Tequila & Mezcal Added to 17° CxNW Recommended Restaurant List

Image: Guac!

Last Updated: July 2021

Current Status: They are open for dine-in, take-out and delivery.

Before Times Review:

First Visited: August 2019

The team behind the excellent Taqueria Habanero opened this spot a couple blocks south.  It is a little spiffier than the taqueria with a proper bar and plates that go beyond just tacos.  The tacos are upgraded too, with new takes, including a rich Campechano with chorizo and a mushroom version cooked in mezcal.  The guacamole is done tableside.  It is creamy and not that spicy.  We scraped the bowl clean.

The interior is bright with a long bar. There is also outdoor seating where you can be serenaded by sirens on 14th Street.  True to its name, it takes agave-based spirits seriously.  Ask and they can do a flight of Mezcal – including a surprisingly smooth version that involves a whole raw chicken as part of the cooking and distillation process.  Israel Montero is the man behind the bar and has created a wonderful slew of cocktails, many of them with a spicy element.

The service is smooth and smart.  The feel is very neighborhood-y.  It is worth going a few blocks out of your way (or north of the Columbia Heights metro stop).  If Habanero and Mezcalero are packed, then consider the walk south a couple blocks.

Rating: Worth Taking the Walk
Cuisine:  Latin American (Mexican)
Neighborhood: Columbia Heights/Petworth
Address: 3475 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20010
Website: https://www.tequilamezcaldc.com/
Reservations: Walk-in – (202) 450-2193

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