Reviews of Oyamel Cocina Mexicana (Restaurant)

Emma Lovato

Love this place and have brought family and friends on many occasions. Service is great and the food is even better. Try to get a reservation if you're not up for waiting for a while

JP Loingsigh

The hostess told me to pick anywhere, it was late night menu and seat yourself. The place was pretty packed and people waiting. A booth empties and we take it. Woman clearing the tables stops by and asks why we sat at a dirty table, says the hostess should have seated us. I explain she said sit anywhere and she still keeps going at us over this. I ask her to get the hostess, she says no need but I grab the hostess and she assures me to sit anywhere, that it's fine. After this the waitress took over ten minutes to stop by and get the food orders. Brings by stale tortilla chips. They were soggy with no crunch. Drink orders and meal order took forever to take down. I was hoping it wasn't because of sitting down like the hostess said to but I can't imagine the service is always that bad. Food wasn't anything memorable, guacamole and tacos. You can find better of both. Needed another drink and the waitress was nowhere around again. Didn't get seen another time until she dropped of the check. It was really that bad of an experience with both food and service and I can't imagine why people would want to go here. Avoid this place and save your sanity.

Fred Vinson

We hit Oyamel during restaurant week and each got two large starters and a taco, plus a chocolate passion fruit concoction and an ice cream with foam. It was all very good but the clear winner was the short rib taco.

Sree A

Their happy hour is crowded and places get filled real quick. Happy hour start at 4 and ends at 6. The seating is allowed to few high tables and bar stools. The host was considerable and We were allowed a proper table. They had wonderful margaritas and their fajitas are awesome. Would love to go again.

Tae Kim

Nice location and good atmosphere but that's it. The food is generally salty. Very pricy and long waiting.

Laura McKenzie

I am a native New Mexican with a love of green chiles and i tend be biased towards my state's regional cooking. Nevertheless I enjoyed eating here very much. The service was friendly. The food was good. I had the delicious Quesadilla huitlacoche and loved it. I sampled other plates at my table and they were good. The restaurant had a nice atmosphere. I would certainly return.

Sevak Sarukhanyan

One of the best Mexican food stops in downtown. The Margarita variation is fabulous!

Jack Newman

Exceptional food in a creative setting. Not to be missed. Immensely sharable. Specialty margaritas are worth exploring. Enjoy!

Dustin Weber

Best guacamole in the area. I highly recommend it. Great tapas place with fantastic staff members. I encourage you to make a reservation for the weekends.

Ron Everett

It's tasty and there is a variety of options. Nothing beats fresh guacamole that is made on site in front of everyone. The drinks are really good too. It's at the top end for mexican/Spanish food in terms of price. The atmosphere is a good vibe. Call ahead for seating because this place has high traffic during peak hours. Service is top notch also. Definitely a must have.

Matthew Fegan

We went with the intention of ordering the grasshopper tacos, but unfortunately they were out. The chips and salsa were both amazing, and both the beef tongue and fish tacos were fantastic. Service was fast and friendly, and the prices were reasonable for a full-service restaurant in the District.

Adam Riemer

Oyamel is one of the most popular places to go for both locals and tourists. I'm not a fan of guacamole, but everyone else loves it. Their signature Margarita with the foam salt is one of my favorite things on the menu. The salsa tastes smokey like they use chipotle peppers in it and the tacos are beyond delicious. This is a must stop at if you're in Penn Quarter.

Greg Carter

The food is excellent. And tapas portions allow you to try more of Jose Andres' magical imagination.

DEREK KEIMEL

Absolutely delicious, the shrimp dish that I couldn't pronounce to save my life was amazing and the dessert was rich yet refreshing. They also have a great selection of tequila.

Amy M. Toman

Absolutely amazing. My son had been raving about Oyamel for a few years, and we finally got to go. Boy was he right! The vibe was great, the interior decoration was exciting, and the food was excellent. I loved that the plates were relatively simple. No extraneous rice or beans came with entrees; you needed to order them separately. Overall a great experience and we WILL be back!

Ellis Redevelopment

The classic margarita was one of the best margaritas that I've had. The dish names are all in Spanish, so I don't know the exact name of what I ordered, but it was refried beans with melted cheese in the middle with crema. It came with tortillas, but I mostly ate it with the tortilla chips and salsa. Yum!

Carlos Mesquita

Great tapas experience. Friendly waitstaff and fast service. Visited during restaurant week and got a great deal: 3 tapas and desert all for a reasonable price. Would definitely visit again!

Diogo Pereira

Really delicious. Great food great drinks and service. It is often quite packed on Friday and Saturday night but they always find a way to let you squeeze in at the bar or a table somewhere. Even if you have to wait a bit it is worth it. One of the best restaurants in Chinatown.

Jennifer Perri

Delicious every time. Service is always wondeful. Cant get a better margarita anywhere in the city. Just outstanding.

Allyssa Yamaguchi

Beautiful environment, wonderful staff and the food was AMAZING!! I recommend the fish tacos, 10/10!

Neha Somani

One of the finest guacamole I ever had. It was damn expensive for guac...but it was all worth it. Chips were okay, and service was little slow. But these

Joshua Hrdlick

Food is decent, more up scale Mexican food, tapas style restaurant. Great margaritas, tons of tequila

Daniela Marín

The tortillas of the tacos don't have the best quality, they break super easy. The food is ok but the cocktails are really good

Cindy Harris

This place is great. Great food. Great service. Great atmosphere. We found it by accident...cancelled our reservation elsewhere and grabbed a table. Small plates to share, spicy guacamole and cava. Whats not to love!?!?!

Catherine Zander

Great food and ideal for celebrations. The brussel sprouts are very very good. They have an allergen menu for anyone who needs which makes it a less scary place to go. They also bring out tortillas that are still warm. Plus you never feel bad giving money to Jose Andres.

Mark Hardison

Awesomeness! Fresh made guacamole to order. Super good street tacos. Lots of civiche options. Very unique twist on Mexican flavors.

Yuri Klepach

Simply awesome Mexican food and drinks! Must try Mexican coffee and cocktail with Hibiscus in it. Mouth watering flavors! Servers are very polite and helpful. Highly recommend!

Mike Levy

High end Mexican-what a concept. This place specializes in small plate dishes of food from the Oaxaca region of Mexico. Our party of three had six plates and that was plenty. Have anything with mole and you can't go wrong. Their horchata was superb- just wish the glass was bigger!

Sarah Tozer

Lovely restaurant week dinner. Didn't feel rushed and enjoyed a lovely dinner. The margarita with the salt air was wonderful

Marcus Elder

Fantastic happy hour taco specials in a nice environment. Bartenders were kind and friendly.

eric porter

The place was not kid friendly. The food was lousy , and refried beans were burnt.

Christian Mörth

Food ok, but way too loud inside. I was glad to be out again...

Alain Parcan

We had a really wonderful dinner at Oyamel. The service and food was great, especially the pork belly quesadilla and the goat taco (my favorite). The only disappointment was the brisket taco we had was slightly dry.

Karolina Zapolska

Great food and super service

Brandon Nardoianni

Hands down the best tasting food and authentic Mexican cuisine i have ever tasted with a HUGE mezcal selection and flights!

Nathan Wellsfry

We went on a Monday night, and it was horribly crowded and too noisy to hear each other talk. Then the servers practically ignored our table of 10 people! Except when it came to bringing us water. Also the food was ridiculous. A single tiny taco was $4. You would need at least 5 to make a meal of it. The only redeeming quality was the taste. It was pretty good, but they went a little overboard with the parsley. I will not be going back.

Gastro W.

Oyamel Cocina Mexicana didn’t disappoint. Their tacos were each four delicious bites. The palm sized shell could barely contain the lengua guisada ($4.50), to the point I had to finish the second half with knife and fork as the thick slices of tender beef tongue fell out. Braised until permeated with flavours, this is the way tongue is meant to be served: bites of the soft meaty properties while the unsightly bumps are hidden from view. The pollo a la parrilla ($4) had lovely smokiness with the chicken even the green onion garnishes getting some time on the grill. If you order multiple tacos, eat this one first as the flavours are mellow. The smear of smashed heirloom Resboseros beans at the bottom were the perfect condiment, just thick enough to hold everything together but fluid enough to not get sticky. Cheese lovers, the quesadilla huitlacoche ($10) is for you with tons of soft gooey Chihuahua cheese studded with corn and bits of bell pepper, onion and tomatoes. There’s something magical about the preparation of the cheese, slightly crusted so the caramelized parts breaks into pieces that tastes like bacon bits. We had to double check with the waitress to make sure it was indeed vegetarian and pork free as it tastes so real. Of all the items, the guacamole ($15) seemed the most run-of-the-mill. But, to be fair, it’s a dish that’s easily made at home. At Oyamel, a staff member stands in the dining room making it fresh with mortar and pestle, before topping each with queso fresco and a green tomatillo salsa. I would have liked a more of the Serrano chile for heat, but did enjoy that the acid was balanced so the creamy avocado was present.

Ryan Piers

Incredibly fast bartender. Fair prices. Food and drinks were delicious. Would give six stars if I could.

Elise Craven

Probably the most creative cocktails I've ever had, try a salt in the air shot of tequila (I think that's what they called it) it is life changing

Val Atsen

This place is one of the best Mexican restaurants in the country. Cozy atmosphere inside, even though the place is large. Several areas with different decor and various types of seating. Their food is absolutely delicious, but plates are small. Nothing is overpowering spicy, so if you aren't a fan of suicide spicy food like they have at some Mexican restaurants, this place is for you. They have these flights of tequila on the liquor menu, which I thought was a great idea if you want to try some of their endless tequila selections. Prices are inexpensive, service can be just a little slow at times, staff is very attentive and knowledgeable about their food. Great experience overall

Brendan Illingworth

Authentic tortillas and salsa. Excellent food, service and ambience. Highly recommended!

Subhasis Ray

one of the best Mexican restaurant in DC. hard to get a table unless you book ahead. portions are small even by non-american standard. they usually recommend three items for a full meal. the ribs appear to be the only item closest to being a full meal. also, service can be a little slow.

KRISTIN D

Very tasty. Love their signature drinks. The air salt was really good. We loved the Brussels sprouts! Guacamole was awesome. Salsa was a little too Smokey for me, but the rest of my family loved it. Only negative was no kids menu! If you have a picky eater, it's not the place for you.

James Struckmeyer

Everything...EVERYTHING...tastes better than you could possibly imagine or remember in Mexican Cuisine. Even "Traditional" fare tastes like a better, more spirited version of itself. The house Margaritas are to die for. Oyamel is a "Must."

Oakley Hill

Ya know, Mexican food is sorta my go-to. That's what I eat more than anything else and I never get sick of it. Usually I'm one for street tacos and hole-in-the-wall spots with fantastic masa tortillas. Oyamel was a different experience. It was Fine-dining Mexican food and I was thoroughly impressed. The chicken enchilada was the best tasting I have ever had, and the raspberry margaritas with salt-foam was out of this world. If you come here, remember that it's all about taste, not size. If you want to be full, you're going to spend money. To put it in perspective, tacos are about $5 each. Also, grasshopper tacos are on the menu. They're not good, but they make a great story.

Tyson

I wanted this place to be great - but the tacos were so poor especially for what you are paying. How do you mess up a taco? One job folks! The pork taco looked so sad... nothing in it. I give them an extra star because at least they give you chips and salsa.

Nathan Riesen

This place is amazing. Bright flavors, excellent execution. Really great bar tender making really cool margaritas

Patrick Savoia

Decent Mexican food, especially the tacos and tortas. Service can be hit or miss.

Kyle Burns

The tacos were fantastic! My wife and I were very pleased with all the tacos we had. Of the three (brisket, fish and goat) the brisket was definitely my favorite! Their mojitos are awesome and last bit not least, their salsa and chips were fantastic! Many times chips and salsa are an afterthought but in this case, it's nearly at the forefront of the best parts of this restaurant.

Steven Ariza

Great vibe here. Love the fresh chips and smokey salsa. The ceviche selections from the ceviche bar are all tasty. The fresh guacamole can use a little more love in seasoning. Service team does a great job overall. The place is a little crowded during lunch hours and happy hour. Best time is around 2pm after the lunch rush and stick around for Happy Hour.

Julia A. Melzer

Hands down the best guacamole I’ve ever had. I’d go back just for that. We ordered a variety of tapas style dishes that both my husband and I shared bites of. They were on the smaller portion side but the taste was very good. I also had the tres leches dessert and it was outstanding. We’ll definitely be back!

Linda Davis

Excellent drinks , food, service, and flair. The bartender was truly personable

Halimah Dark

The complimentary chips and salsa were perfectly season. The ceviche great and the margaritas were amazing i usually hate margaritas but I’ll definitely be back for more!

Ramatu Kandakai

Amazing ambiance, food and service. Our bartender knew it was our first time at the restaurant and recommended the best drinks and tapas. The quesadillas and guacamole were the best. Cant wait to go back again.

Cesar Ruiz

This is by far the best Mexican restaurant in the area. All the food is good and they offer some interesting food like grasshopper tacos. Every time I go I try something different and I haven't been disappointed so far.

Benjamin Guerin

Had the best quesadilla of my life for $11. I'd go back in a heart beat!

Susan Wallace

Had a great meal and the twin 3 year olds in our group were welcomed.

Anthony Ortiz

Chilaquiles are amazing. Tons of flavor with a little kick. Very friendly and diligent service

Mia Larson

While the food tastes great, the serving sizes are unbelievably small. We paid $25 for an appetizer and 3 tacos, allowing each of us 5 bites of food. While it is a convenient location in downtown D.C., be prepared to spend a ton of money on not a lot of food.

Heman Gharibnejad

Good food excellent drinks at exorbitant prices (what do you expect, it’s DC) with great decor and ambiance. Check the bathroom downstairs, it’s adorable. It is totally worth going there once if you are in the area, but be ready for a hefty check and crowded frenzy.

Tennyson O'Donnell

Fantastic staff. Interesting flavors. Enjoyed it very much.

Astrid Becerra

Food was good! But plates are too small and is too expensive

Sagar Mody

Had a huge waiting, an hour+ but got good table in the end. Serves nachos on arrival which very fresh and crisp. Guacamole was delicious but the serving of every item was very small, so you need to order 3 portions per person to fill up good. That makes it expensive overall. Good ambience overall.

David Barud

Flavor explosion! And also margaritas! What are you looking for—maybe that’s a better question? In- and out-door seating, plus a variety of options for meat and vegetarians alike. If cost is not an option, treat yoself to a night out and dine in at Oyamel.

Raymont Anderson

I enjoyed the environment. Lunch crowd was loud lol but all good. Food was delicious. If you have never been, be for informed that serving sizes are smaller and so getting 2 - 3 things to make a full meal is normal. Also the hot chocolate was a sip of heaven!!!

Sheila Lo Monaco

I enjoyed this restaurant atmosphere. It’s gets very busy . Local beer and their made to table guacamole. Delicious dishes. Great service. Friendly welcoming staff .

David Williams

Could use a few more non seafood options but the food was great. Cozy venue with delicious food and top notch service in the heart of DC. Always busy so make a reservation.

Adri Guzman

Amazing guacamole, but some cuisines are not meant to be served as small plates...Mexican is one of them. $4.50 for a taco smaller than the palm of my hand? Why?

Justin Weis

Oyamel is my favorite restaurant in DC. Amazing Guac and an excellent oyamel margarita. While on the expensive side, the food is well worth it. Tapas style, when in doubt order two!!!

Sean Vandenberg

Pretty good tacos, and a delicious Margarita with a salty foam finish.

Christopher Church

great food, very different than the standard 'Mexican' fare. Service is always excellent, quick efficient polite.

rcsabotage

I spent my birthday here . It's a bit pricey but its worth it. If you go by for happy hour get tacos for taco bell prices that will blow your mind. The guacamole bar is so good that lost my mind.

Tracy Morris

I tried the grasshopper taco and it was good. Tasted like beef. The guacamole is fresh

Jose Guerrero

The prices for the food are very high. I guess since it is in DC that is expected. I ordered three tacos (4.50 each). For that price I would have expected the tacos to have great taste, but meat was cut in big chunks, the sauce was put on the tacos, which made the tortillas soggy and they fell apart when I grabbed the taco to take a bite. I wouldn't go back to this establishment.

Pascale Lemaire

Great upscale Mexican with chic decor. This is one of famed Celebrity Chef Jose' Andres' many DC restaurants. The hand-made guacamole is a must-have!

Klinton Blair

Good food! Service was a little slow but that comes with the territory of a small plates restaurant. Definitely check it out.

Joker Bravo

Food is good, enjoyed the fresh guacamole and drinks. My wife did not enjoy her vegetarian taco, but I enjoyed the pork and brisket taco. We like that they are open late.

Colleen A. Owens

Just happened to find this place and we were SO Pleased we did - best mojitos we have ever had. Absolutely loved the queso fundido con tequila and the chilaquiles!!

Nick Graham

Great menu. By far the best Guacamole I've had! Great atmosphere. If you're in Chinatown it's a must to eat here

Zeina Mounajjed

The atmosphere is great the food is good, the portions are small

Doris Becerra

Small plates and overpriced.. is Mexican food that is normal. One mini taco for 5$, one small guacamole $15 .

Itamar Gendelman

Really good food, small dishes though, I would recommend it if you want a tasty experience!

Karl Becker

Just amazing. Friendly service, fantastic food, delicious drinks. We had guac, ceviche, and tacos, and every single one was seriously delicious. Do not skip out on this, especially if you haven’t been here before like our first time.

E Creighton

Great menu. Two words— salt air. Any of the tacos with pork are fantastic. The ceviches are a must. Convenient location. If you’re looking for more than bar food, I would definitely go here over the other eateries on the block. It’s really good— easy to frequent my. We try to make it every year for restaurant week. Great for happy hour, too. I will say, it does get quite noisy, so I recommend coming past 8:30 of you like late dinners.

Mike Derzko

Oyamel is special. It's one of those restaurants that surprises you, that reminds you that there's a difference between meals prepared by professional chefs and those that simply taste good. It starts with the chips and salsa. The chips are warm, thin but not too thin, and explode with flavor. Then, you add the salsa. You think it's just salsa and then, before you know it, you're tasting smokiness, maybe a hint of bacon, and just the right level of heat. And that's just the introduction. From there you're off to the races. Every cocktail, every dish takes your taste buds and olfactory system on a different adventure. ... And the best thing? The atmosphere is entirely unpretentious. The servers are kind, attentive and helpful while giving you all the space you need to have a good time. In my books, it doesn't get any better than this.

matt schmidt

To be brutally honest as always. The food here is amazing. Staff is polite and knowledgeable.

Ace Williams

This a great restaurant for a couples date or large groups. I came with my wife and we enjoyed the food selection. We enjoyed great and attentive service. We got tipsy af and full off of really great food. Drinks were really good but are tequila or gin inspired. I recommend this for nice night with significant other, or just other and medium to large groups.

Ted Larsen

Very good place for authentic Mexican. Good sized small plates, the Cerviche was excellent. Accommodating to my service dog, Tim from Hebron CT. Took great care of us tonight, with very helpful entre suggestions. Back soon

Melanie Trowbridge

nice Jose Andres restaurant with delicious margaritas. I've eaten at 7+ rertaurants of his and this concept doesn't disappoint!

Eric Rogers

Oyamel has a cool vibe, we stopped in for lunch and the guests ran the range of older folks to young professionals and families. The chips and salsa to start were amazing; fresh tortilla chips and the salsa was the perfect blend of spicy/smoky/sweet. Margaritas were good and the entrees we ordered were decent but maybe not hot enough out of the kitchen? The ceviche we started with was to die for. Service was decent but didn't stand out. We would come back again for lunch for sure.

The Mid Life Traveler Lexie Lee

Wow, wow, wow...the drinks and complimentary house salsa, best I've ever had!!!! I do not like margaritas because they are so sour, but not here, they use only fresh squeezed lime juice, no sour mix

Bren Cisneros

Good food, authentic Mexican flavor, quality ingredients, GREAT guacamole. Seated quickly, very nice waitress. You won't be disappointed eating here :)

Maria Loera

Oyamel nailed what Mexican fusion looks like. The dishes had traditional ingredients but they each had something that made them unique. The prices (including the prefix menu) were also reasonable. The only thing I did not like were the beef ribs (mostly fat) and the service was slow (we were at the restaurant for over 2 hours).

Emily McAuliffe

Can’t beat happy hour at Oyamel. The margs are fantastic, as is the guac. Unlimited (free) chips/salsa is pretty nice as well.

James Yu

Great food and great service - but be wary of small but pricy portions. Excellent for hanging out and chatting over delicious light food and drinks!

P0l1shGuy

This is a fabulous resturant. We ate a little of everything and couldn't decide what was best. Tacos were outstanding. Ceviche out of this world. Mole only ok. Drinks were insane. We really like this place and will be back!

monica nuñez

I recommend this place if you are looking for mexican food. The staff is very attentive, they like to explain the menu, the drinks. You can see how they prepare the guacamole (fresh and creamy). This place has a vibrant ambient but not stressful. For rush hours better make a reservation. Food is delicious and next time I'll try the ceviches. For dessert I asked for "Tres Leches", (a cake soaked in milk, with ice cream, pineapple and cream) it's very good.

Rebecca Link

I lovd the food, and the lunch prices are very reasonable for the quality.

Ja Be

Great food and service, nice atmosphere. No issue bringing the two kids for a late lunch.

Vince Z

Not for me. It’s unlike any Mexican restaurant I’ve ever been to. They claim to specialize in Mexican street food, but it was just ok. You order tapas style plates. The tacos couldn’t be any smaller. The restaurant itself is very small and you’re rubbing elbows with the person next to you. The staff was just odd. You’d expect to see this crew working at a Gucci store. It’s expensive too. I won’t be back

Patrick Red

Closed at 11:23 instead of 12:00 midnight. cool, but I also travel to go to your restaurant, so say you’re closed at midnight and not 11:23

Clay Friese

Always a great spot if you are in the mood for tacos and phenomenal pitchers of margaritas. The staff is lively, friendly, and on point. Very nice mix of tourists and locals. Highly recommended!

Karen Guevara

We went during lunch time without a reservation and the wait time was 45 minutes, however there was no wait time if we sat outside which we did. The food was delicious and the house margaritas were also delicious. I enjoyed the food and the atmosphere. I definitely recommend this place.

Jean Richards

From margaritas to dessert...hands down our favorite meal in D.C. Arturo took great care of us. Treat yourself...we did!

Julia Bohn

This place is amazing. I've been 3 days in a row.

Mary Leaphart

The staff is super friendly and helpful. The food is different and a bit out there, but it's still very good. Highly recommend.

Chase Townsend

Wish I could leave 0 stars. This was pure robbery. Lunch for 2 cost $55 and we left more hungry than we came in. Pretty sure the salsa was pepper and ketchup. Excellent place if you want a quesadilla the size of a quarter. Avoid unless you have a fetish for being ripped off.

Jamison Moore

I don't like margaritas, generally. These margaritas are amazing. Life changing. The Caddilac of margaritas. The tacos are great, and service is spot on without being pushy. Not as pricey as it could be. Highly recommend.