Cantina del Sol
Bar · Capitol Hill ·
Rooftop bar with margaritas, tacos, and city views.
Rooftop bar with margaritas, tacos, and city views.
"Cantina Del Soli takes over the former Mezcaleria Oaxaca space. The Mexican rooftop bar is serving up frozen margaritas, micheladas, and agua frescas. Food-wise you can expect tacos, burritos, nachos, and more." - kayla sager riley, gabe guarente, aimee rizzo
"This Capitol Hill spot has a rooftop area with nice city views, along with a cool-looking food truck that’ll have you asking “how did they get it up there?” But the tacos are forgettable, the margaritas are on the pricey side, and the crowd is usually subdued with music cranked up too loud to compensate. On sunny days, the views might be reason enough for a quick stop with chips, salsa, and Coronas. Otherwise, head to Captain Blacks." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley, gabe guarente
"This Capitol Hill restaurant has taken over a rooftop bar once occupied by Mezcalaria Oaxaca—though there's not much here worth climbing all those steps. The tacos are forgettable, the chilaquiles have an unpleasant aftertaste, and the $15 margaritas are anticlimactic. Cantina Del Sol inherited an area with decent views, along with a cool-looking food truck that’ll have you asking “how did they get it up there?” And on sunny days, getting fresh air might be reason enough for a quick stop that involves decent chips, salsa, and Coronas. But the scene can be subdued even in nice weather, with music cranked up loud to compensate. For a good time on a roof, head to Captain Blacks instead. Food Rundown Margaritas This margarita is something you'd get at the backyard BBQ of someone rationing their tequila. photo credit: Gabe Guarente Chips & Guacamole If Cantina Del Sol does anything well, it’s these chips. They’re airy and puffed up, creating big salty craters that are basically made to hold scoops of tangy guacamole. Definitely get this as a little snack to warm up your stomach for the inevitable influx of margarita mix. Taco Plate Meats like chicken and carne asada need some seasoning. And the tortillas are flabby and limp. You can skip it. photo credit: Gabe Guarente Chilaquiles Those same chips get double-fried and drenched in a tasty salsa verde. But while the thickness of the chips hold up well against the weight of the toppings, they have a burnt oil aftertaste that’s hard to ignore. Ensalada Picarita This salad bowl is certainly colorful and the tortilla strips offer a pleasant crunch. But the vegetables are bland and there's not enough sauce to make up for it. photo credit: Gabe Guarente" - Gabe Guarente
"Capitol Hill’s old Mercado Luna space got revamped into a brand spankin’ new rooftop bar just in time for summer. And, man, is it the perfect warm weather hangout. There’s a full bar plus a reasonably priced menu featuring guacamole, burritos, and some creative tacos (try the harissa-glazed cauliflower!), plus plenty of shade for those extra hot days. They’ve even got slushies and horchata, and of course there are multiple specialty margaritas to choose from. For a memorable taste this season, try the Wild Flower Margarita — not only is it pink from hibiscus, but it has both tequila and mezcal in it, plus just the right amount of ginger liqueur." - Brianna Gunter
"One of Capitol Hill’s largest restaurant spaces will come to life again soon. The folks behind popular spots like Rumba and Agua Verde are taking over the multi-story location formerly occupied by Mercado Luna. Let’s hope the new tenants make good use of the killer rooftop—we’ve had many a margarita up there." - gabe guarente