Cinco Soles

Updated Cinco de Mayo 2025: Clearly we saw tonight that 10 months later this place had some front of the house issues. First of all, the food is still great..but.. After accommodating our seating, we had three different servers who didn't seem to coordinate with each on pretty much the whole evening leading to a not so festive Cinco de Mayo. The drink order was taken, and then it was a good 15-20 minutes before I had to get up and ask where they were. Mind you that the restaurant wasn't overly busy even for a CDM. After getting the wrong first drink, one of the servers figured out she forgot to submit the order. Once we ordered our food, the first two orders came out, enchiladas and a burrito with French fries. My order, which is actually an appetizer, the Gordita with a side of refried beans took an extra 10 min past the first two entrees. We were told it's busy, but not sure how an app takes longer than an entree? The menu has changed, no more chili rellaño, prices are a bit better. But the service was really bad, the food was still good. 10 months ago: We are at CS for the first time the other night. It met expectations. The place has a Latin feel that doesn't go overboard. The service was prompt and the food was great. A little more sauce on the rellano than I liked, but was still a great dish. The mixed tacos were also enjoyed particularly the fish taco. Another spot to put in the rotation.

I stumbled upon this hidden gem looking for food and I am glad that I did! The atmosphere is beyond beautiful! The food is fantastic! The drinks are suburb using fresh ingredients. I had the pleasure of sitting with Sebastián at the bar and his service is exceptional. This is hands down one of the best Mexican restaurants I have been to in a very long time. I will definitely be back! Don't hesitate! This is a must try!!!!

What a wonderful neighborhood spot. My girlfriend and I got the molcajete with two extra sides of tortillas. It was so delicious! It came with two pieces of steak, two pieces of chicken, about 6 shrimp, 2 panels of cheese, nopales, and bell peppers. It was all stewing in this amazing salsa at the bottom. It also came with rice, beans, sour cream, pico, and guacamole. Also, their tortillas are hand made! For this price point and food, I definitely thought it was worth it. We also decided to try the churros and they came out warm! Very happy to see an authentic Mexican establishment in DC, especially in Columbia Heights. I love El Chu cho and I frequently go, but Cinco Soles feels much more authentic. It is pricier, but well worth it in my opinion. I have been dying to look for a restaurant that makes their own tortillas and was happy to stumble upon this one. I’d recommend anyone to at least stop by. Also the molcajete is huge! Can definitely feed 3 people.

We had a reservation on a Saturday - it wasn’t super busy, started to get busier around 8-830. Overall the food was solid - guac was great, chickens tacos were solid, chicken enchiladas were quite good and the carne asada was solid. Churros were great. Drinks were good, takes awhile to get them but they were solid. The service was ok, it seemed like they had one person doing the whole place which would be a challenge for anyone. Seems more authentic than your traditional Tex mex joint.

Thrilled to have Cinco Soles join the Columbia Heights neighborhood. The food is authentic Mexican with a specialization in moles and ceviche. The cocktails are genuinely some of the best I have had at any Mexican restaurant in DC--the guava and spicy margs especially. There are a few kinks to work out in overall service (at the time of this review, they have been open a full 8 days) but our waiter was fantastic, the restaurant staff are warm and friendly and I can't wait to go back and try the rest of the menu.

My friends and I recently visited Cinco Soles and had a fantastic experience. We loved the freshly prepared tableside guacamole and some truly delicious mocktails. One of my friends ordered a mezcal margarita and raved about how good it was. We were so hungry that we completely forgot to take photos of the food—but trust me, it was delish! I had the Goat Birria Tacos, and they were absolutely very good.

We had the chips and salsa (which also came with surprise queso!), the Brussel sprout tacos, and the mole enchiladas. Everything tasted great. The taco tortillas seemed homemade and held together well! The beans that came with the the enchiladas were the best restaurant beans I’ve had on the east coast. The white rice was so fluffy and tender. The mole sauce had great depth. No complaints. Wonderful, attentive service and great food. Glad we randomly found this place.

We had an amazing experience at this restaurant. Dinner was delicious, service was great. We’ll definitely be back soon. My compliments to Chef Leo.

We came here for our monthly family dinner night. We wanted to try a new spot. Ambiance - Cute. Really liked the seafood art in the walls. And the smell when you first walked in was incredible. We knew we were going to eat well. Food/Drinks - Hubby and I really enjoyed our drinks. I got La dama. He got the mango mojito. And my daughter also liked her strawberry lemonade. My favorite thing was the corn salad, but it was hard to pick a favorite because everything was so good! Service - 10/10. Everyone was so attentive and they made sure I got good footage for my blog. They kept our glasses full as well. Overall, try this place out! The flavors and customer service are truly amazing. They're going to need a bigger location soon!

A fantastic little Mexican restaurant tucked away in Columbia Heights! This is defiantly an up and coming new local favorite. Immerse yourself in the modern boho Mexican atmosphere and full service bar. This is an ideal spot for lunch and dinner, casual but elevated, perfect for a date night or celebration. They have all the tastes of Mexico and well crafted cocktails, Call ahead for reservations or pop in for a quick table/bar seat. We had fantastic service and can't wait for a return visit!

Food- each dish we had was pretty tasty. We opted for many appetizers instead of tacos or an entree so we could try more dishes. I liked mix of the Mexican rice, corn, and cactus. And the guacamole and mahi tostado were a nice compliment as well. Service-Fatima was friendly and attentive. She also paid very close attention to my food allergy. Vibes-The restaurant has a nice decor, good seating options and full bar. Kind empty but hopefully that changes for them soon. Happy Hour- They have a great happy hour special-2/3 tacos and a cocktail for $20. Will definitely be checking that out next time.

Anytime I go out to Mexican restaurants I'm always dissatisfied with the food because I'm used to eating Mexican food my mom makes every day and they never compare to hers BUT this place was amazinggg I'd definitely return it's a 10/10 for me. All of the plates we got were really flavorful, even the drinks we got were delicious. It felt like I was eating in Guadalajara, Mexico loved so much. I am only gonna give 4 stars only because the service we got once we entered was iffy and then we ended up getting a different waitress and she was really sweet, they were really attentive as well although we did reserve once they opened so that could've been why. Definitely would recommend

The service was mediocre, I asked if they had sparkling water and the waitress said they only had tonic water. On the menu there was sparkling water, mineral water and still water. In addition, our margaritas never came so we ordered the check early and didn't order entree. Another server came to pick up our check without apologizing or picking up any plates or menus. With reason, we were the only ones in the restaurant on a Sunday at 3:30.

I have walked by this place a few times and it was time to check it out with a friend. It was empty and we were the first customers for the night. They have ample outdoor and indoor seating. A back deck I heard. They don't have happy hour on Thursdays, only Monday and Wednesday I believe. Extending that would bring more people in the house because neighboring restaurants have specials. We were warmly greeted by the bartend/manager. The service was great but it was empty. The food was good. I had nothing bad but nothing really stood out as outstanding yet. The cochinita was good. Like a mom would make. Guac good. Everything was good. I think they have to find their niche here because there are a lot of similar places with good food and a little less expensive.

Just went for the 4th time, and have been impressed each time. I had the fish, al pastor, and brussels sprouts tacos, and I can honestly say they are among the best (if not the best) in the DMV. And they have a great HH deal--3 tacos and any cocktail for $20. Cinco Soles definitely deserves to be much busier than it is, but the advantage of its under-the-radar status is that you can get a table any time.

Great place. Was there a while ago so don't remember the food but I remember thinking I was looking forward to going back or getting takeout. Nice ambiance.

The food here is outstanding. 11th street is a great location and the service is super friendly and helpful. Highly recommend

Food was great. Service was the best. And a beautiful warm ambiance. I will definitely be back.

Thrilled to have Cinco Soles join the Columbia Heights neighborhood. The food is authentic Mexican with a specialization in moles and ceviche. The cocktails are genuinely some of the best I have had at any Mexican restaurant in DC--the guava and spicy margs especially. There are a few small kinks to work out in overall service (at the time of this review, they have been open a full 8 days) but our waiter was fantastic, the restaurant staff are warm and friendly and I can't wait to go back and try the rest of the menu.

We are visiting DC from Seattle and picked this restaurant because another down the street (recommend by son) was too crowded. Boy are we glad we had dinner here!!! Fabulous service, quality delicious food, and lovely atmosphere. Would definitely return if we lived in the area. Even had dessert because we didn't want to leave! We never get dessert! Wish I'd taken pictures of the Gordita and enchiladas.

The tacos are flavor bombs! The entire menu looks enticing. The service is very friendly and the decor is cute. I will be back!

Wow. I was so Impressed by the food and staff. They are trying to hard and need your support! The food is *chefs kiss* - very nice presentation, thoughtful preparation unusual for Mexican restaurants in DC. This is MUCH better than mi vida, cactus cantina, etc.

We went here today for lunch and were the only people there, which was truly baffling because it was the BEST Mexican food I've had in years. Seriously. I rarely leave reviews, but it was so good that I felt compelled to do it. I really want this place to survive, because it was so amazing. Every single dish was fantastic, including the tamarind margarita. We ordered the yuca, octopus ceviche, conchita pibil, pupusas for our toddler, a stuffed poblano pepper dish, and a mole enchilada (it was way too much, we had leftovers). Finger licking good, and it's super cute inside too!

Excellent restaurant! The food was incredible (I got the cinco soles enchiladas and my wife got the mole enchiladas). The guacamole was delicious, as was the campana cocktail. Wonderful service, and a beautiful subdued atmosphere. A true hidden gem in the neighborhood!

Tried this new place in Columbia heights this weekend. Tacos were excellent and definitely the highlight. Esquites just ok in my opinion. Service wasn't the fastest but it was attentive and caring. Importantly, this restaurant prices fairly with none of the obnoxious surcharges that so many DC restaurants are applying these days and I deeply appreciate that. Nice place.

The service was astounding, everyone was very kind and attentive and our waiter even brought us complimentary tastes of fresh pineapple juice to end our meal! The food itself was very tasty - we began with the pescado tostado which was very fresh, then split the beet salad which was interesting to see on the menu but quite tasty, and finally split the tacos Al pastor and the carne asada tacos. All the food was excellent and authentic of fresh coastal Mexican food!