Reviews of Cielo Rojo Restaurant (Restaurant)

Derek Berry

Great food! Local place, really good menu and good food for the value.

Christine Kulumani

Great little spot that adds so much to Takoma. Only visited once, but food and margaritas were delicious! I had chilaquiles and my husband had chicken tacos. We were both impressed with our dishes. Prices, especially for drinks, are a smidge high. However, supporting a small business that aims to have organic, local, and ethical food justifies the price tag. There's a nice outdoor seating area and tables inside. Overall, it's small and I can imagine that it gets crowded--so show up early!

Elizabeth Kelly

Delicious authentic Mexican food and drinks -- which is hard to find in DC! Horchata and margaritas made from scratch.

Valeria Huntley

Great food.

Romel Lira

THIS PLACE IS AMAZING. Do not forget to try everything on the menu. Literally everything. However, bring your taste buds and your wallet. For mexican food, it is a bit pricey, but maybe its because I ordered everything (sorry about that, wife). The drinks are very interesting and I think worth the trip alone (as well as all of the food).

Elisa Ferrante

I LOVE IT! Finally great tacos in takoma park! The restaurant is beautifully set up, the staff is excellent and the tacos are very good. We also got the guac with tostadas m, which was made fresh and very delicious. I really enjoyed this first lunch trip and definitely look forward to dinner there soon to taste some of their good looking cocktails!

Patrick Davis

The food here is shockingly good, insanely well priced, and I cannot recommend it enough. The drinks are also delicious and they have an extensive selection. The food is vegetarian focused but they have delicious meat selections as well, including some of the best Mole beef I've ever had in the United States. The only negative is that parking kind of sucks, which is normal for Takoma, and seating is limited. Come early and often when it is less crowded and even the service is excellent, despite it being ostensibly a "self service" kind of place.

Patricia R

Cute place, not enough sitting area but it is not designed as a sit down restaurant. Be prepared and don't be angry with staff because wait to sit is too long- they try to be as accommodating as possible. I think they need better signage. I didn't realize you had to order from the counter, but no big deal. Tacos were delicious. I really liked that they used the blue corn for tortillas-very unique. I hope they add more variety to the taco menu. I was craving beef, but the pork and chicken hit the spot.

Troy Burki

Great food, quick service

Jane Lyder

Great flavors. Food is fresh and well-prepared. Can’t wait to go back.

Kathrin Gilbert

Love this place!!

Keith Waters

Holy Molé! This place is really good. The molé taco was absolutely delicious. The molé sauce was excellent, better molé than several restaurants on 14th or Upshur in Petworth/Columbia Heights. But also, the Tostadas de Tinga were absolutely awesome. So much flavor and texture. Perhaps my favorite restaurant in Tkpk. We left full but not heavy. We'll be back!

Kirsten Skeehan

Good food.

Justin Mills

Food was good margaritas are too sweet. But that’s an easy fix they just need to use less syrup or none.

Sharon Gallagher

Food was delicious and well presented. Corn tortillas, not flour is something that I loved. A little noisy unfortunately and small.

Nicholas Webber

Great food, nice atmosphere, and tasty cocktails.

Luis R. Durand

Good real Mexican food

Chris D

TL;DR: Try TTT instead I had 3 tacos and a margarita. The tacos were the one with poblano and potato, the mushroom one, and the cactus one. Unfortunately I forget the names. The margarita was decent. Not bad, not great, just decent. It did have a nice big lime hunk with it. The best taco was the poblano and potato. It had a creamy sauce and plenty of flavor. The other two tacos were total disappointments. The mushroom taco was very bland with no apparent sauce of any kind. I had to drown it in the hot sauce to enjoy it (the hot sauce is probably why they get 2 stars instead of 1). The cactus one felt like it was made of applesauce, tasted about as good, and soaked through the tortilla. The biggest frustration: They mixed up everyone's order onto different plates. I'm a vegetarian, and I got my stuff all mixed up with other people's meat. The owner then told me that this is how they serve tacos, and that "next time i should warn them I'm vegetarian." While that's a fair point, it'sit's pretty presumptuous to assume there will be a "next time," and if you're going to serve food that individuals ordered separately all together, you need to tell us it will be served that way, not expect me to anticipate your very unusual serving style.

Billy George

Delightful and refreshing cocktails and tacos!

Robin Esham

Super fresh and crazy good

Natalia Cruz

The food is amazing.

Ayan Roy-Chowdhury

Very good tacos. The chicken stew was also excellent. The concept of ordering at the counter for a fine dining establishment might throw some people off.

chanpen teeranon

Love the atmosphere. Nice and clean. Fish is delicious.

Joseph

Delicious stop for lunch. Had the quesadilla. Highly recommended.

Toby Watkins

I only wish it was closer to home. Quite possibly my favorite tortillas on the planet, and I am a lover of tortillas!

Eric Saul

This is going to be an instant hit in Takoma Park. The owners are locals who put their heart and soul into this real Mexican food. The tacos are by far the best in the area. Cant wait for the grand opening!

Megan Jensen

Absolutely love this place. We’ve been trying something different every time we go and I have yet to find something bad. Tried the pozole today and it was amazing. A must try!

Ben Reyes

Great place for tacos in the Takoma Park area. You can't go wrong with their tacos but they can be a little pricey. Easy place for take out if you want something quick. We went there for sit down brunch a little after they open. Come early because seats go fast. You buy at the cash register then they give you a number to bring the food to your table. You bus your table yourself, but they will do it if you leave dishes out. The ambience is pretty nice and the decor is fun. The food is good overall. I wish they had more options but I enjoy the place and will definitely return.

mendea sawyer

hands down....THE BEST TACOS in the DMV. PERIOD! went there today for brunch and was blown away. my only negative comment is that their “spicy” was not spicy enough for me

Paul Meyer

Get the vegetarian pozole! Seriously, every thing is great. Just know going it that it isn't a sitdown restaurant- you order at the counter.

daniel hutton

Get there early.... The place is small and fills up fast

Rose & David Tileston

Love this place. Great service. Great food.

Jo Hahn

Nice vegan options, corn tortillas awesome. Margarita was refreshing.

Aracely Rodriguez

Good ambience, delicious food, great hibiscus margaritas and the love that the owners have put into this restaurant!!! It us a great place to go when you want to have a delicious time. I recommend the chicken mole quesadillas with the works.

Larry Wolfarth

Authentic Mexican in a cozy environment

Joshua Seaburg

Incredible selection of agave spirits, passionate staff, great drinks and food.

Drew Sample

Terrific food, great service

Krysia Arias

Good food! Perfect for a tasty experience!

Crystalyn Flores Najera

I’m new to this area and have been looking for a great authentic Mexican restaurant. Well, THIS IS IT! I ordered pozole and it was a home run! I’m a stickler when it comes to food temperature, however, I was pleasantly surprised that it came out hot! This is my first time here, but by no means will it be my last!

James Werner

Excellent, zesty, creative, fresh food. Informal setting with cafe seating outside.

Alex K

Good margarita, didn't have any food tho

ricardo Poroj

(Translated by Google) I did not have the pleasure of savoring the restaurant very small food and not there parking (Original) No tuve el gusto de saborear la comida muy pequeño el restaurant y no ahí parqueo

Daniel Prieto

Yum!!! Awesome food! Good portions for price, great atmosphere & lovely afternoon!

Loreto Elgueta

Good food. But the fact there are no waiters mekes the desicions difficult. I didn't know what to order.

Camille Tacastacas

I felt transported to Mexico! Loved the ambiance, the decor, and of course, the food!

Victoria Houston

True authentic Oaxacan flavors and ingredients. Self-order service, fantastic tequila choices, and our food was out within minutes. Located in a cozy and quiet neighborhood.

Jody Ranck

Really authentic, unique tacos. Loved the Huarache, drinks. Going back tomorrow!

Judy O

This restaurant is a gem on the main drag in Takoma Park. While it is not a huge place, we were able to find an empty table during a weekday lunch. The menu had some intriguing features and I finally settled on a squash blossom entree. They kept my glass of iced tea filled. I'd happily go back there again.

L Gordon

A comfortable, family-owned, fine-casual, self-service, neighborhood taqueria with a friendly, welcoming staff, inside and outside dining, excellent cocktails, and GREAT traditional Mexican food. ¡A los carnívoros y veganos les encantará la comida en Cielo Rojo!

Sam Newman

The most bland Mexican food I’ve ever had. Not worth the wait or the money.

Gabriel

Tacos taste fresh and delicious. They are unique and affordable. Especially loved the carnitas. The food just made me feel good. Will come back to try the rest of the menu.

Sheila Lo Monaco

Great food fast service. The restaurant is small very few tables and chairs. The bar is an option but isn't the best with kids. They got a few outdoors seating. You order at the cashier they will delivery at your table. Our food came fast. The decor is nice and it's very clean. Awesome pictures throughout the restaurant. The tables were handmade by the father of the ower. Fun fact I discovered while waiting for the bathroom. I highly recommend the chicken tinga tacos. Great flavors I enjoyed every bite. The guacamole is fresh and delicious. Also, the chicken is organic a plus for me. I wasn't a fan of the tostadas on the appetizer menu. But the guacamole was money. A lot of vegetarian options. I’ll come back to try the margaritas. Self-service water is cold and fresh. It's pricey but you ate paying for quality ingredients. Great atmosphere, friendly and welcoming . Also location tons of parking spaces available.

Cynthia C.

Great place! Fun and friendly environment! Their queso is to die for!

Vincent Rossi

Amazing tacos, great mezcal selection, affordable! As amazing as the tacos are tty the enchiladas as well!

Jeff Martin

Food was great! Wish they had one or two hoppy or sour beers on the menu, but overall the food and service were really nice!

Yoomie Huynh

LOVE their tacos! And their alcoholic drinks selection as well.

David Goldfarb

Amazing food. Very welcome addition to TKPK. Food so good, I hope they expand the menu to more options!

wanphen teeranon

Love food

Justin Heath

Amazing night! Great food and service!

Lindsay Templeton

I got the mushroom quesadillas which were SO good. There is outdoor seating which is nice. The whole experience was efficient- wait to be seated,v order at the counter, food and drinks came out fast.

Maria Cadena

Cute little restaurant in Takoma! I really liked the mushroom tacos (my favorite) and the quesadilla. The hibiscus water is delicious too. However, I left disappointed today after I ordered the salad (ensalada de mercado) which I thought would be a little heartier than what it actually was. I asked if I could add mushrooms to it (as adding animal proteins is an option) and the person at the register gave me the weirdest look and said no. No big deal but kind of a let down because I couldn’t make a meal out of this :(

Anita Boulware-Reid

HH is a great idea for this lil quaint spot, staff is nice and the food was pretty damn awesome. The drinks were just as tasty as well. Try them out.

Juan Benitez

Wow!!!! This place is amazing. Never had Mexican food like in this place.

Shankar Kulumani

Great food that was prepared quickly with quality ingredients. The service was very quick and there was no longer for waiting. The prices are very reasonable as well.

Pablo Zalduondo

Some of the best tacos ever, constantly harassed to take dirty plates away. Literally every 2 minutes, about 30 times total. Please change that and you'll be one of the best tacos places to have ever existed. The drunken mushroom was. Amazing and I hate mushrooms!

Sara Sieverding

This is the real deal! Have not eaten good Mexican food like this since I lived in the Mission in San Francisco. POZOLE-amazing! (and vegetarian- didn't miss the meat at all) Real, freshly made aguas frescas!! I'm going back, and soon! Loved it!

Raul Covian

As someone who grew up and lived in Mexico City for almost 30 years, I can assure anyone that this place has been hyperinflated by the publicity from reviews like that from the Washington Post. From the variety of plates I tried ($73 for two people!!) the tinga de pollo and drunken mushroom quesadillas were acceptable, as well as the mole tacos (way overpriced, though). The Pozole is actually a flavorless tortilla soup with a bit of overcooked hominy (please don't bother ordering that!). The vegan gorditas are a puzzling experiment, but they don't deserve the name (should be called "tortas de papa"). I guess this is a good place for local people who haven't had the chance to travel to Mexico City and are unaware that they can get much better tacos, quesadillas and true Pozole for less a tenth of the price at any local Mexican market or taqueria. I doubt the chef from this joint deserves that title, especially since he claims to have been raised in "el Distrito Federal"...big disappointment for an authentic chilango like myself who keeps looking for an authentic Mexican food restaurant in the DC area.

Jakiah Dawson

Really good food. The chicken mole taco has peanuts in it and it's not listed on the menu, which caused me to have a major allergic reaction.

Melissa Patel

Good food, so fresh. Order at the counter. Love it!

a solomon

The food was awesome, but we had to flag a server down to order from the bar. The horchata was so good! Didn't love the jalapeño margarita or the other flavirs that much, but the regular one was good.

Briana Wagner

Holy guacamole, this place is SO great. I savored every delicious bite of my vegan gorditas and potato taco, and each sip of my jalepeño mezcal cocktail. Wow. Yum.

Julien Touzeau

Superb margaritas and very well prepared authentic mex food

Michael Israel

Absolutely fabulous. Delicious, authentic, creative cuisine.

Regina Dyson

OMG! Beautiful decor and amazing food!

Jess Stern

We had gortitos, elote and drunken mushroom tamales. I was excited by several vegan and veggie options on the menu. Everything was pretty average but it was tasty. Just not hot enough.

Victor Jimenez

Love it

David Murphy

While the ingredients do taste fresh and attention has been given to the authenticity of the food, I personally don't understand the multitude of rave reviews. The folks who work there were great, and I did feel as if I was being given some personal attention, but there are many other Mexican restaurants that are just as authentic and cool around town that have the same or better food with cheaper prices. Takoma Park likes to think it's super special, somehow, and this place fits right in with the rest of the neighborhood asking you to pay $14 for a meat quesadilla.

Sarvesh Shah

What an awesome restaurant! Highly recommend for some really good vegetarian Mexican food. Staff is very helpful and food is absolutely delicious. Highly recommend.. will definitely come here again!

Kevin Wilson

The Beef Brisket Plate was delicious. The Brisket was cooked to perfection and very tender, perfect for making tacos with the purple corn tortillas that accompanied the plate. The mole sauce was very traditional and authentic, probably the best mole I've ever had. The Brisket Plate is not on the regular menu, but needs to be added. It was a daily special when I ordered it and I'm glad I did. I am not from the Takoma Park, but will make sure to return to Cielo Rojo if I'm ever in the area.

Melissa Griswold

Delicious food and a great atmosphere. My only complaint is the counter service model makes getting another drink or ordering dessert a bit of a hassle if you're there during peak hours. They're always packed so hopefully they'll be able to expand eventually and turn into more of a full service restaurant.

Alejandra Martin

Flavorful and traditional. Vegan friendly. Great appetizers and entrees. All served on colorful plates, glasses, and straws.

Jamison Moore

Great Mexican food that runs to the fancy side. Good service and great cocktails. Better every time we go. Worth the trip anytime.

Michael Bowie

Totally new twist on Mexican. Absolutely unmatched!

Sarah King

Everything is amazingly fresh and delicious. I go several times a week.

kollin baker

Amazing and authentic fresh and perfectly filling nothing heavy or Tex Mexy

Jamie Griffin

This place the best of all worlds. The food is hand crafted yet quick to be served. The corn tacos are handmade and the nopales was just so good, I was super impressed. The prices are very reasonable considering how much work they put into making it so fresh. There is indoor and outdoor seating, and it is a very relaxed environment. They have vegetarian and vegan options, which is a must in our house. So glad they are part of our neighborhood!!

mr. gooogly

The best tacos ever in my hole life

Dipika Mouli

Top notch queso fundido should be enough to drag you here, and that's the baseline. As a vegetarian the sheer volume of dishes that are or can be made vegetarian/vegan is exciting. We went in a group of 5 and ordered pretty much everything on the menu that we could eat, and they were all incredibly done. The nopales quesadilla and vegan pozole were especially different and delicious. If you're looking to drink you'll enjoy any one of the margarita options, and I recommend the jalapeño one in particular. I really liked how seating is first-come here and although you order at the counter there is full service from staff as you get your food and eat. There isn't much seating so if you must sit or won't sit at the bar, come during off-peak hours.

Russell Chang

very good food

Isela Gongora

(Translated by Google) Nice nice place to eat (Original) Lindo lugar agradable para comer

Nick

Great food ! Yummy chicken tinga tacos and mushroom tacos ! Great guac & had an excellent margarita there . Lovely decor and design. Approximately 8 bar seats and 25 table seats. Quick food prep and friendly service. Good prices !

Azeema M. Batchelor

Cielo Rojo has been such a fabulous addition to the neighborhood! It can get crowded at times but it's worth any wait. Incredible tacos, delicious drinks and great staff. Favorites are the mole and the tinga tacos.

Robert Jarrin

Delicious. Fresh ingredients, vibrant herbs, and flavors that really pop. The tacos are so well apportioned and tasty. ¡Estupendo!

Edward Chu

Food is good, service is fast, and staff are extremely nice. We really liked the quesadillas and the tacos we're good too. The enchiladas looked really good as well, so we will be back next time to try that.

Mary Jo Snavely

Posole was rich, spicy, and balanced. Service is always friendly and quick. Atmosphere fits the neighborhood just right.

Om Jahagirdar

Amazing Mexican Food; One of the Best in DC Dishes: (1) Tostadas de Tinga - Delectable and scrumptious. Mix bw beans, chicken, and fried tortilla was amazing. (2) Carnitas Tacos - Very fresh, traditional style, very succulent meat and toppings. (3) Corn - A little bit charred but topped w/spices and sauces. Could have been slightly warmer. (4) Gorditas - Not the best. Essentially a fried potato patty with sauces. We thought it would be more corn based. Downsides: -- Kind of far in Tacoma Park, street parking only. -- The 2 drinks we got were not very good. (Gin drink: Rudimentary, nothing special). (Jalapeno margarita was not very spicy, and was too watery). Overall loved this place. Great find. Will definitely be coming back here again!