Taqueria Al Lado II

We are staying in the area for 10 days and on our first evening. We’re wandering around the neighborhood to get familiar and came across this Taqueria. The second we walked in the door we knew we’d found a good spot. Filled with locals all having a good evening out, enclosed patio, setting, a full bar with eating at the counter and an open kitchen, so you can see everything going on. Perfect! The menu is limited as you can see pictures, but everything is done to absolute perfection. I grew up in California and have eaten various forms of Mexican food my entire life. The Carnitas here were some of the best I’ve ever had. They all passed store was stunning, and are you even discovered something I’ve never had Campechano, which is a mix of Carnitas and chorizo. It was perfectly cooked and absolutely delicious! The house margaritas were delicious and well-made in the traditional style. The service was friendly and quick. If there weren’t so many other restaurants nearby we would definitely be back… But you never know! they have a couple of locations so if you’re nearby, one of them, be sure to check them out, you won’t regret it.

Traveling from Massachusetts, this was our first time at Taqueria Al Lado II — and it absolutely blew us away. We started with chips, guac, salsa, and queso — every dip was fresh and bursting with flavor. The tacos (beef and carnitas) were phenomenal, each with distinct, authentic seasoning. The quesabirria was rich and cheesy, and the rice rounded the meal off perfectly. Bruno, our server, was outstanding — friendly, fast, and genuinely made the experience better. The atmosphere was lively and welcoming, and for the quality of food, the prices are unbeatable. Easily a 5-star stop. We’ll be talking about this place back in MA.

This is a little slice of taqueria heaven, on H street. Everything we tried was delicious. The Aguachiles fish (ceviche) was exactly the quality and flavors we had in Mexico. The tacos were good size. We had carnitas and the quesabirria. The quesabirria could have been a bit more crispy to match that to the Mexican street cart, but it was still very delicious with the perfect dipping sauce. The huaraches were perfect and delicious. The best part is the only use masa / corn flour for their fresh tortillas so it’s gluten free. There is no AC but it was fine, plenty of wind. And it makes the experience in my opinion. We can’t wait to come back.

Food: decent for price and quantity Service: decent ( this is based on my travels from west coast and the south of the USA comparing services ) Atmosphere: very welcoming and i liked the aesthetic, clean establishment

This was amazing… Bruno was great!! And the food was well worth coming back too for more!

I would come back here when I get to visit DC again. Food was great albeit a smaller menu. Drink selection was good and they were tasty too. Gluten free, celiac safe with corn quesadillas.

My wife said that this place has been on her list for some time.. if you are a DC native you will know that this is the old location for horace and dickies. Anyway this new establishment added an exterior awning so you'll be able to have seating options which weren't available with the previous tenant. We went on a relatively cold day but they do have heating lamps the only issue is that they time out and so you have to keep asking them to come back and turn it on. The food came out quickly very fresh prices are reasonable portions are substantial. Plan to come back and try a quesadilla as well as some more tacos they have a wide range of meat/vegetarian options. If you're in the area stop by. I would definitely recommend it.

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Taqueria’s and it was hands down one of the best taco experiences I’ve ever had! From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere was warm and inviting, and the staff was incredibly friendly and attentive. Each taco was a flavor explosion, perfectly balanced with fresh ingredients and unique, authentic seasonings. Their carnitas were tender and packed with flavor, while the fish tacos had a perfect crisp and a delightful kick. The margaritas were top-notch—strong, refreshing, and with just the right amount of tang. Plus, the variety of salsas offered was impressive and brought out the best in each dish. Whether you’re a taco aficionado or just craving some incredible Mexican food, this taqueria is an absolute must-visit. I’ll definitely be back soon!