La Mexicana

Great food! Great staff and owner! The only way you're not gonna like it here is if you're a Kevin or a Karen. As evidenced on Yelp! Go here expecting a good time and you'll have one.

We went last night and had very delicious chicken and steak bowls. The 1800 margaritas were also good. Unfortunately, they OVERCHARGED us for them their menu says they are $9.98 and on the bill, we were charged $11 each. Also, BEWARE they added a 20% tip that I did not ask them to add/tip. We do tip that amount but if my husband had paid he wouldn't had noticed it was already added and would've tipped again. Giving the waitress a 40% tip. We're lucky I noticed it.

Went here for lunch and it was fine - not too memorable for good or bad reasons. Decent portions, nice that there's free/complimentary chips and salsa. Steak was very flavorful. Our party had mixed feelings about the ground beef. Rice is thicker and risotto-like and flavorful. Beans are good. Service was average. Vibe is bar-like though there are a few booths. Smallish space.

This is my 6th times coming here, and this time I had shrimp with rice and fries, the lady who served us had trouble understanding my order that was so simple. But the shrimp was great and taste good except the yellow rice that was too buttery I didn't even finish at all. Their fries is really good anyway. the server was not good, she's too distracted.

Best club soda pitchers, tater tots, and open mic comedy in town on Wednesday nights. It's just a great vibe, all the drunk townies come out of the woodwork to enjoy the comedy and smoke cigarettes and god knows what else in the parking lot. The food isn't bad either.

La Mexicana in Gaithersburg, MD, is an absolute gem! The authentic Mexican cuisine is bursting with flavor, from the perfectly seasoned tacos to the rich and creamy guacamole. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, with vibrant décor that transports you straight to Mexico. The service is top-notch; the staff is friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable about the menu. Whether you're dining in or taking out, the quality is consistently excellent. If you're craving authentic Mexican food, La Mexicana is the place to go. Highly recommended!

So good I ate here two days in a row. Had enchiladas both nights— the only difference was the second night I ate them while watching a drag show in the comedy club next door. What a great evening!

Great restaurant and wonderful atmosphere. Visited this place during my business trip. Bought the chimichanga and the tres leches cake. The food was tasty and the cake was really fresh. Loved the location and also the bar inside. Wish I could have had a drink but was tired from traveling. They had a pool table too. Customer service was awesome and a nice place to try. 👍👍👍

My parents and I dined at La Mexicana while enjoying a comedy show. They run several comedy events every month and donate 50% of all proceeds to organizations determined by the guest comedian. I had a great time indulging in steak tacos and frozen pina colodas, while also being entertained. The restaurant is in a more hidden shopping center, but it shouldn't be dismissed. I highly recommend going and signing up for one of their comedy events!

Stopped in for lunch. Food was ok, but the 20 percent tip added to the bill had me incensed. Not going back

Yum!! The doors are dark, and I was a little unsure if I was using the right doors to get in. But once I was inside, I really enjoyed it! I sat at the bar since I was there by myself. Attentive service from both bartenders. I'm doing a high protein, low carb diet so I went with the chicken sampler. Delicious! The taco chicken and the chicken and rice were my favorites. So juicy and flavorful! Fresh guacamole was also great!

We did not eat in the restaurant but rather had our food at give at the adjacent give a hoot comedy club prior to the show. The service was very good, the food was delicious, and the comedy show was fantastic! We will definitely be back, thank you!

There are a lot of Tex-Mex places in the area - a lot. And, to be honest, we've only been here as part of our coming to a Give-a-Hoot comedy night. But I will say that our meals here have been good, the margarita very tasty and good strength and complementary chips/salsa with two salsas. One is a chunky version (mild) and the other spicy with a nice kick. Everything we've had here has been well prepared and tasty. Big portions, too. Last night, I had a grilled chicken bowl, which had a good amount of moist, well prepared grilled chicken strips, and enough cooked onions (I love cooked onions) to enjoy some onion in most bites. I think this place is worth a trip to come just for the meal. Price point is decent, too. Service has been consistently good, but recall that we always arrive around 7 pm and are served right away and are eating well before the show starts at 8. They brought out a bottle of water for the two of us when we asked for water and replaced it during our meal.

Nastiest food and service ever. My server had his finger in my beans upon delivery I almost threw up. Do not eat there

Was there for dinner and the comedy show. The good - Portion size as always, huge and wonderful. I had the pork chops, they were saltier than usual, but still good. Next time I would definitely ask for no salt. Wife had a combo; it was really good. The bad - the waitress was pretty bad. Asked for a pitcher of soda so we didn't have to keep getting refills during the show. She brought out the sodas - no pitcher. Asked like 3 times before she finally brought it. Went through the same thing asking for a piece of lemon. Finally had to chase down the guy who was running around - he might have been a manager, not sure. Whenvthe pitcher of soda was empty, waitress disappeared for a very long time. Then when she did come back in the room seemed to be ignoring customers. Again, I chased the manager guy as he was going to the bar with my empty pitcher and asked him for a refill. Next were the chips, asked for a refill. If you have been there, you know how good those chips are and doesn't take long to make them gone! again, she disappeared for a long time, then came back without chips. Asked again and she brought them - no salsa. Didn't even bother with her again I went after the manager dude who brought it right away. I was going to tip her accordingly. When the check came, it already had a 20% tip included. I was ready to go and didn't feel like arguing so she got a 20% tip she didnt deserve. Waitressing isnt the right line of work for her - I hope she finds the right job soon!

Our family of four each got something different and we were all very satisfied. We ate on a Wednesday night at dinner time (6 pm). Food was good with full size portions, and pricing was very reasonable. Entry doors are dark, but once inside it is light and clean. Service was a bit inattentive given that the place was not crowded. When we left there was still available seating. Overall we would definitely come back.

I came in last Saturday night to pick up a to-go order, and let's just say the service was already off before I even got my food. I was greeted by a guy at the door who, from the second I walked in, made it clear that I had to pay a $25 cover for their gogo night. Keep in mind, it was 9:15 PM, and there were literally THREE people at the bar. I politely explained that I was just there to grab my food, and he passively agreed--but only if I promised to leave once my order was ready. I took a seat at the bar, ordered a beer while I waited, and then the same guy came back to me, yelling that I was supposed to leave as soon as I got my food, almost accusing me of trying to dodge the cover charge. I wasn't even finished with my drink! I asked to speak with him outside to understand why I was being treated like this as a paying customer, but instead, he got even more dismissive and aggressive. In the end, he kicked me out--while my purse and food were still inside. Thankfully, another employee had the decency to bring me my things, but at that point, the damage was done. This experience completely ruined my night, and I'll be taking my business elsewhere from here on out. The owner was even there and did nothing to help even though he was fully aware of what was going on. Disappointing to say the least!

Wonderful food, fabulous restaurant! La Mexicana is a great Mexican restaurant that also is home to the Give a Hoot Comedy Club! This club has great comics-some are new and some are seasoned. Such a fun evening. Wonderful authentic food and all for a very reasonable price! My favorite part is that half of the comedy club income is given to local charities. You simply can't beat that! For a fun evening, head to the Give a hoot Comedy club at La Mexicana!

We love coming here! The owner is very personable and the food is always delicious! The portions are pretty hearty as well.

Ordered 3 taco bowls/ tostadas yesterday 6/26/25 .. 1 chicken and 2 beef the beef was disgustingly gros!! It literally tasted like sloppy joe meat in barbecue sauce .. the best things about it was the gauc I paid extra for and the tostada itself#NEVERAGAIN

I heard the rave about HH at this restaurant. A friend and I dined in for HH. She ordered the Fish tacos, steak tacos, a pina colada drink and queso dip. I ordered street chicken tacos, regular chicken tacos, steak tacos, sangria-rita and especial margarita. The chicken tacos have very hard pieces of chicken in it. The steak tacos were tuff to chew. The fish tacos were tender and seasoned well. The drinks were tasty.

Honestly disappointing to say the least . Stopped by to grab a bite with some friends and was offered the "late night menu" chips and guac for $15 , half cooked tamales for $10 each . You'd think we were dining in manhattan . The pricing did not match the quality , or the area we were in (rural Gaithersburg) anyone wanting a late night bite I'd suggest go elsewhere.

Casual atmosphere, greeted by nice patron sitting outside. They do have outside seating but Sat at the bar and was greeted by Mo, a very nice bartender. Ordered a margarita on the rocks and carnita tacos. Chips & mild salsa were yummy! Carnita tacos were fresh and I enjoyed them down to the last bite. Great service, great value, delicious food and of course MO, a very kind, personable bartender.

I've been coming here for a few years now. I like how they have complimentary chips and salsa as well are waiting for our orders. My go to here is usually the build your own burrito. It can be a hit or miss with the ordering. Sometimes my husband's specifications get mixed up with mine due to the server probably not noting down our toppings correctly. Also I missed the pickled jalapeños they used to have here but no longer have. Overall decent if they can get our orders correct.

We just happened to find this restaurant trying to find some good mexican food. The happy hour drinks and food were great! The staff is attentive and nice. We went on a Monday and there was an open mic which was even better. (They even have a comedy club in a section next to the restaurant/bar on weekends!) Best kept secret in Gaithersburg.

The food was good and reasonably priced. They start you off with chips for which there wasn't an extra charge. Ramekins of mild and hot salsa which my wife said was fresh were provided with the chips. My wife and I both enjoyed the spices used on her fish tacos and my chicken flautas. She recommends the margarita, but can't recommend the guacamole. She never got the second margarita she asked for and I was never offered a refill on my $2.50 small solo cup of Sprite, but we were there for Give A Hoot comedy night and it was jammed. The comedy was great, we will definitely go back for both.

I ordered the taco plate - service was prompt and friendly. The beans and rice were average, chips and salsa average, and tacos below average. I won't be rushing back here anytime soon.

Our favorite place to go! Food is great, staff are very pleasant and helpful. The prices are very fair and we love the atmosphere!

This was one of my favorite places, and the gentleman who I believe is the owner is very nice. But my experience today was very unfortunate. I brought some family visiting from Texas and wanted to show them how Maryland does Mexican. Unfortunately, all 7 of us couldn't sit together since the big room had a musical event, so we broke off into 2 tables. We understand, but for some reason, we were still charged an automatic gratuity. Additionally, it was our guest's birthday, and we were also charged for the dessert they gave us. I have never seen a restaurant charge for a birthday treat. It's a shame because, as mentioned, the food is wonderful, and the manager seems solid.

My wife's chicken sampler was too salty to eat, I ate my chicken enchiladas despite the saltiness I was too hungry it went well with Dogfish head 60 minute IPA. I came because I wanted to hear the band three song Sadie. This place is out-of-the-way for me the salty chicken ruined the night I had to leave after we ate I'm not stay with other friends who were there. I should've made it one star but the food looked fine everything Else was perfect.

This location was ok. My co-workers took me out to lunch for my birthday and said this place had good food. I went in during lunch hours and it was quiet to be expected since it was 1:00pm. The server wasn't bad but not the friendliest. The food? honestly was ok, I rather eat at Quedoba for the taco bowl I got. The guacamole had no flavor at all. Like it tasted like they just scooped it out of avocado and mashed it together and served it. Like I had to hook it up with salt to make it taste better. My friend ordered a quesadilla and she really enjoyed that. Their alcoholic beverages looked GREAT! My co-worker had one that looked like a smoothie. They have machines that hold the mix for the drinks which I though was pretty cool! I honestly don't think I would come here, unless its during the night for "turn up time".

First thanks for hosting Give A Hoot Comedy Club in the private dining area. La Mexicaña is a hidden gem. Friday night the locals were out enjoying the end of the work week. Saturday night was a bit quieter. I found the staff super responsive and friendly. We really liked the food - tried nachos, yucca, pork and chicken tamales, pork chops, quesadillas and the chicken sampler platter. Delicious!

This is Not a Mexican Restaurant. I when to La Mexicana to see a comedy show last night with some friends. before entering the room where the show was I wanted to get a drink at the bar explore the place, I am 100% Mexican born and race in Mexico city so when I go in to a Mexican restaurant I get excited. and what I experience in this place made me feel that I have been discriminated agains and fiscally assault by the employees of la Mexicana. when I got to the bar the bartender was rude and seem like she just did not wanted to serve us telling me that there were 2 servers at the comedy show sadly at that moment all I wanted was to get a drink and appetizer at the bar and then go to see the show, but we when to the show with out food and 2 drinks for the 3 of us. the show was good. after the show we decided to stay and have drinks at the bar as the night when on I started to talk to a group of people that where having drinks after kickball so much fun! but my friend got to drunk and vomit it was bad I didn't see it happen but when I saw it I almost vomit too. from there on everything happened to fast. one of my friends took our drunk friend home I asked for the check and before I got the check this guy hand me the mop and a bucket and the bartender starts to yell at me that I was not going to leave until I clean the floor I don't know about you but when someone tell me "You not Leaving" I want to run. I pay the bill and started to walk out that's when the bartender came to the front and started to pull me back I keep on asking her to let go my arm I manage to go thought the front door but at this point Im surrounded by people and the bartender and 2 other guys where pulling me trying to bring me back in to the restaurant so I started to screm Dont toch me dont touch me let me go it wast until multiple times that i screen that they stoped touching me but they were all around me cornering me agains the outdoor patio blocking my way to leave. I dont know what i was thinking in this moment but I started to say "I am Mexican" as if been in a Mexican restaurant was suposto be a safe place for mexicans one of the guy that was with the bartender look at me and said "I have a mexican son and push me down to the floor. there was I in the floor looking up at the barterder who with the help of the other guys had me in the floor sayng he has to clean the floor! I was terrify for my life the anger in the face of the bartender and the man who push me to the floor told me that they will hurt me more if i did or say anything i call the police but looking at the bartender standing there with the other guys i told the police oficer im sorry im drunk thast when they all when back in to the restaurant. this might had just been a drunk night si eres mexicano no vallas aqui. La Neta, aunque la comida esta rica no vale la pena el riesgo.

I usually never leave a review but this was too much. I ordered nachos and an Horchata through grubhub and it was not pleasant. The nachos were stale, chicken was dry, and they served the horchata in an 8 Oz cup that was mostly ice and had the audacity to charge 3 dollars for. On top if that I found a hair in my nachos. I tried calling them after I received my food and noone answered. How do you screw up nachos? Not very good

Walked in to have lunch. Bar stools were full. After waiting 5 minutes to be seated, I went to seat myself at a table but, the open ones were all dirty. Stood waiting to see if someone could seat me. Left after 10 more minutes.

Owner told me to remove my service dog because I did not have a vest or certification papers. I explained that the ADA does not require a vest or papers. He told me that i was wrong! I explained the ADA rules. The owner said he had a trainer - that was at the bar- that knows the law. The trainer said a document is required for a service dog. He said that he needs to fill out a 20-page document proving a dog is trained to be certified as a service dog. When I asked the trainer why the ADA.gov says that a dog does not need to be certified - he said I was wrong. He said that Montgomery County, Maryland laws are different. When I showed him on Ada.gov that the ADA supersedes state and local laws, he said I was wrong. I am now left confused and upset. I feel that i have been discriminated against. I will not return to this place. I will contact a lawyer to confirm that I am within my rights as a disabled citizen and will followup with this establishment to be sure that they are in compliance with the law.

La Mex is our favorite place. I have had many family celebrations there as well as drinks at the bar. The food is delicious, authentic and affordable. The happy hour prices are fantastic and Jimmy makes the best margaritas in town.

Nice environment with a private party room, friendly, good stuff, and very reasonable prices, especially given the economy these days. Plus plenty of parking.

My friends and I were enjoying food and drinks at La Mexicana when the Re-up band and security personnel showed up unexpectedly. The security team acted aggressively, demanding a $30 cover charge from each table or else we had to leave. Despite not being informed about the band or any cover charge beforehand, we agreed to finish our drinks and depart. The pressure from security persisted until we requested to speak with the owner, Ash, who surprisingly claimed there was nothing he could do. We found it odd that he couldn't intervene in his own establishment. Charging loyal customers who support your business on regular basis an additional fee felt highly inappropriate and left us feeling unwelcome. As a result, we've decided to take our patronage elsewhere. Ash in the future perhaps you should advertise when an event is taking place so that patrons aren't blindsided! I hope it was worth it.

My husband and I went to see the comedy show and have dinner. The show was great, the food is always good BUT the service is terrible. There seemed to be several staff but very ineffective as far as service goes. The owner was helping out but it didn't make a difference. We waited over 20 minutes just for someone to acknowledge us much less take an order. We were passed by several times by the staff. I would go for the comedy and forget the dinner.

it's a good place for happy hour, and they stay open late. bartenders are always nice and give good service. it's your standard bar but more relaxed than most.

The food was delicious. The only thing was the service. We had a heavy-set mid 20 year old female with black curly hair.. half up half down. She was very nice... just very complacent on our order (my mom and I). She came by multiple times asking about our order and we kept having to ask her about certain things she said she'd bring and never did. Instead, she stopped at the tables behind us and in front of us... who were there after we sat down and had our order taken. Plus the manager came by before we even ordered so we couldn't tell him exactly everything anyway.

waitress had an attitude because I ordered two drinks for myself and proceeded to tell me she's going to be too busy to keep coming by to refill me...huh? um ok. then doesn't bother to come back and ask our food wise and 20 minutes later when I finally flagged her down I told her my order was not correct and she did offer to replace it but hey we know what happens when you send food back or complain. I'm just saying. food tasted good but like I said, I didn't get the right order so there you have it.

So I was in this area which is rare...for a family event. We decided to dine here as a lot of the other restaurants were closing at 9pm on a Friday. Which was odd to me. So when I yelped, this location stayed open until 1am I knew okay...don't expect to much. However, when looking at pics of the food I was like okayyy, you may be able to get something decent. Their was a new hostess working...she told us that today was her first day. So basically my rating is really really real. She was nice but the service structure from her wasn't good. They had a St. Patrick's Day specials and the normal chicken fajitas were $9.95 however, on that day they were $7.95 which was a steal based on the food amount that they give you. I will say that tortillas they give you are small and they only give you three. So I did end up having to ask for more because I'm a foodie. Overall, the food was decent. They had a live DJ he played old school jams...not bad. Nothing really stood out to me though.

Visiting Ash S. at his awesome restaurant. He could not have a better personality, always smiling and gracious. We are loving the food, tacos and fajitas. Trey behind the bar was super nice and attentive to everyone in the place. Great margarita. Come for a great happy hour with great prices! Casuals as well as suits feel comfortable and welcomed. Cannot wait to come back.

Why this lady served me a beer in plastic cup ? And everyone else in glass regular actually she looks more drunk then everyone else.. what a shame disgusting. Hope next time they serve equal.. to much hate and division in this country !!!!!!!!!!

Alexa was amazing!! I have never had this type of customer service in my life! She made me feel welcome & was super attentive!! 10/10 would recommend!!! She was super professional & made me feel at ease after a long at work :)

I'll start off with the good, service was great and the chips and salsa were good. Now for the rest. The food was HORRIBLE, we ordered a pina colada that was basically sweetened coconut syrup. The fajitas came out and the wrap that was on the handle was melting so there was a horrible smell. The sour cream was way too sour and the chicken and steak had a odd smell. The manager did take off the fajitas but argued that the sour cream was "fine".

Came here for a group event. I was happy with the service in the event room, and the food that was served on the buffet table. We got to try a few different things, but I really enjoyed the queso dip. My only complaint was the bar. The bartender was somewhat unfriendly, and not very attentive, even when only half the bar was filled with customers.

Came here today since it's near my job. It's the old JJ Muldoons and looks just like it inside. Also there is no official sign yet, just a banner hanging over the old J.J. Muldoons sign. I ordered my food to go, a shrimp taco for my co worker and a taco salad for myself. When I came in no one was at the stand and a couple staff just looked at me and kept on working. A man, I am assuming is the owner, helped me place my order. I didn't have to wait long about 5-10 minutes at the max. I asked the bartender if I could also get chips and salsa and she told the man I wanted chips and salsa so he said okay and walked away. As he did I see the bartender look up at him as he walks away and she says "Oh I was just told it cost extra for chips & salsa to go." Strange...why couldn't he just tell me that, why did he have to say it behind my back? I get back to the office and as I pour my taco salad out onto a plate a bug crawls off of a piece of lettuce (see pic). This is gross but doesn't give me the hibbie jibbies or anything. I called the restaurant and the same man I saw picks up the phone. I explain to him who I am and the situation. He then insists that it is "next to impossible because they do not have bugs there but would give me a new salad." I told him that it wasn't next to impossible and that I wasn't looking for my money back I just thought he should know that there was a bug in the to go box. I ended up eating the salad because well it's just a bug, it wasn't a roach. The food was decent but I take away all stars due to the professionalism the manager carried the conversation. It's a new restaurant and it's getting pretty warm out so it's pretty possible for a bug or a fly to get it, unless they keep all the doors shut tight. But seeing how quick the owner was to dismiss my call I can see this restaurant going down. You(I hope you are reading this) have to be able to take comments and not get sensitive or take it so personally.

Ok so I was excited to have a Mexican restaurant near by pretty much up until the minute I walked in. This place used to be JJ Muldoons btw. At the door the bartender said grab a seat anywhere you like. Well We couldn't because all the tables were dirty. Said bartender then asked for our drink order and we weren't sure as we had just sat down so asked for chips and salsa first. Bartender went back to the bar. After 10 minutes I waved my arms to get his attention and he said he'd be right with us once he was finished with his bar customers. He finally comes around and we order a water and a coke and CHIPS AND SALSA again since he never brought them the first time we asked. Told him we knew what we wanted but he said wait till he got back. Finally got chips and salsa and drinks. Placed our food order. 20 minutes later he came back and said no pupusas . Ok then why are they on the menu. Hmmmm. Ordered chicken fajitas instead. After another 20 minutes out came our food. Tacos were average, overloaded with lettuce and not much meat. The chicken fajitas were thin slices of dry flavorless chicken mixed with a TON of white onions and a few peppers strips. Tortillas were not hand made. The WORST of all was the minute rice they served as Spanish rice. It tasted like cardboard and that was the only seasoning to it. Minute rice cardboard box flavor and it was not even cooked through. Crunchy minute rice - not impressed nor was I with the canned refried beans. Nor was I impressed with how the bartender reached through the rails from the main floor to pass the coke refill to my table. why should I have to get up to get a soda passed through the railing as a paying customer? As we were leaving, another man came out from back and offered us more chips and salsa ( re-heated chips that were almost brown) and another dish of cold Pace Chunky Salsa or a strong resemblance to that brand. This man was very friendly and seemed to try to make things run smooth but seriously there should be a waiter or waitress for tables. We were the only customers eating with a few drinkers at the bar. Maybe they want their focus to be on generating a crowded bar but not all of us can drink alcohol at 4pm on a Tuesday. Some of us just want a nice early dinner. I won't be going back here unless I read reviews that the food is waaaay better including making Spanish rice and fresh refried beans which are very easy to make. And that service is better. If you decide to go, let me know if the food has improved because it is nice to have Mexican food around the corner. But Taco Bell makes a better taco and Spanish rice and beans than this place does. They haven't been open all too long so I hope they do improve. And I hope they add some Ambiance like Spanish music and a few sombreros too. Very disappointed.

i am always pleased with the food, drinks , service and the value at this la mex. I have brought friends here and have held events here and Ash makes it totally easy. everyone loves this place.

This is my go to spot, I am here at least 4 times a month!!! Food is ALWAYS consistently good compared to the other tex mex establishments in the area. and the prices are reasonable!!! The decor and stuff may not be all that BUT hands down the best fajitas and tacos in the area!!! The staff is pretty cool too!!! Happy hour prices are awesome!!!

Went there for lunch yesterday. Salmon burrito was amazing. Service superb as always!

Just love this place! Service is great. Greeted immediately and seated. Wait staff is friendly and helpful. Food is delicious. Great casual place. Highly recommended for all occasions, they also have a great room to accommodate large events.

All I have to say is, the server handed me my plate his THUMB was in my black beans and as he walked away he proceeded to lick the beans off his thumb. I always enjoy a hole in the wall with great food and authentic atmosphere, which is why I tried this out...this had neither and I couldn't even eat my food. I was not happy.

The worse customer service ever!! We walked in around 7:45 pm and the bar area was trashed! The tables weren't cleaned and no one was at the door to greet us. Waited about 10-15 minutes and not a single soul spoke to us nor did anyone clean the tables. Just as we were leaving the waiter decided to walk over but by then it was too late.