Mezcalero Cocina Mexicana

"The owners of El Sol also have an agave-fueled bar that sells regional dishes from different corners of Mexico, including huitlacoche, esquites, tacos, and ceviches ranging from $9 to $14 for lunch or dinner. Meanwhile, happy hour-priced tequila and mezcal margaritas run $6." - Tierney Plumb, Tim Ebner

"This street food-centric taqueria fills its tortillas (corn or flour) with over a dozen featured ingredients. Combinations range from shrimp and avocado or mushrooms with goat cheese to the extra hearty campechano (chorizo and steak mixed with potatoes) as well as blackened fish with pico de gallo. Its Mexican-born restaurateurs Jessica and Alfredo Solis also send out terrific Mexican street tacos at sibling spot El Sol. Another Mezcalero sits inside Union Market district’s La Cosecha market." - Tierney Plumb, Adele Chapin

"There’s a lot to try at this Columbia Heights Mexican restaurant from the brother-and-sister team behind El Sol. The good news: a flight of mezcal will go great with some chicken or beef nachos topped with all the fixings." - Tajha Lanier, Travis Mitchell

"The scene: An affordable taqueria with a huge menu of Mexican bar snacks, enchiladas, tortas, and huaraches that pari well with mezcal cocktails. What to order: tacos dorados, tacos de canasta, queso fundido, gorditas, pambazo tortas, chicharrón quesadillas" - Gabe Hiatt, Tierney Plumb

"Las Gemelas Cocina Mexicana, the second piece of a two-part project from the restaurant group behind Espita Mezcaleria in Shaw, opened for brunch and dinner today. The cocina focuses on lighter fare that requires more 'finesse' than the volume-minded taqueria, chef-partner Rob Aikens says." - Tierney Plumb