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Tenleytown-AU (Red)
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Great food, great ambience, just not the best service! Over the years this place has gone downhill. I know they have 5 locations so maybe the owner isn't too concerned since he's been banking for years! The first time I ate at Guapos was when they were in Bethesda on Wisconsin ave back in 1989!
I'm sure the feat of staying in business for over 20 years proves the quiddity of Guapos alone! However, you can't go wrong with the steak fajitas, the enchiladas, the salsa, and anything with chicken! They have televisions at all their bars so its good for a game night or something too. I wouldn't necessarily take a first date to this joint but the food is what it is...Mexican! And unless you're eating at some French-Mexican or Porteguese-Mexican infused 5 star venue in Beverly Hills, you'll probably be getting the same kind and quality food you'd be getting at Chevys or Lauriol plaza.
I had only a light meal, but from my experience:
The chips are light and crispy like Rio Grande. The salsa's pretty good.
The sangria is much better at Bodega.
The seafood soup is better at Los Tios.
With plenty of better options in the city, I just wouldn't find myself going back. Sorry!
Why is this place as popular as it is? I know that AU students and alumni hold it near and dear because it's near campus, , parent-appropriate, and erratically checks ID's, but there is nothing interesting about Guapos.
The food is okay but is quite run of the mill (though their salsa verde seems to be unique to Guapos and is quite addictive). The margaritas are what earns this place its second star. The huge birthday sombrero is a funny and cute touch. Otherwise, I don't get all the hubbub. Outside of highlighting Austin Grill's faults, what does this place do that a large chain wouldn't?
Maybe it's just my biased opinion having a good friend who is a major Guapos fanboy (and who met his current girlfriend, a Guapos fangirl, there) and having been there dozens of times before, but there are better out there.
So, i'm not really sure why I decided to stop into guapos today, i guess it was because i wanted to give it another shot. I prefer Cactus Cantina to this place, but i was in tenleytown and i so what the hell.
So the outdoor area was full so we sat indoors. The area was uber-smokey and once again, the salsa they serve sucked. Yea, just totally bland, not spicy at all. I ordered the chimichanga and my gf got the veggie burrito. Both were overly salty, especially the rice. My meal was decent, but pretty meh-tastic overall.
The service was meh too. After telling the waiter we were done and wanted the check, he stopped over without the check and had the dessert menus. Hey, I asked for the check, so bring it...k? thanks.
I wont be back unless I am in the mood for mediocre tex-mex food.
I've stopped into Guapo's twice, both time I wasn't too happy with the food. Its pretty standard… Read more »
Guapos is overpriced and known by the locals as a cheesy tex mex joint where AU students bring their parents... I've had their fajitas which were pretty good, but around 15 $!
I've heard good things about their margaritas, but overall this isn't real Mexican food and its also pretty bland. I did enjoy the steak salad I had, but overall this place is too expensive, and for 'not real Mexican food' I'd take Chipotle (a few blocks away) any day! Also on some weekend nights they turn the upstairs into a frat-packed dance party.
Solid Mexican restaurant. The salsa was clearly home made, a little watery but nonetheless really good. Chips were thin and crispy.
I ordered the spinach enchiladas and was not disappointed. You get plenty of food for your money. Service was good too.
One of the best East Coast Mexican (Tex-Mex) restaurants i've been to for a while - I mean, compared to chains like OTB. They have a tortilla-making machine cranking out fresh, fluffy goodness. And the margaritas are pretty good too.
Serviceable Mexican Food in Tenleytown. It's close to the AU campus - so watch out for sorority chicks from New Jersey.
Tasty Food and Great Service!
It's right next to the Tenleytown Metro so it's convenient too.
The food is good -- not spectacular but not bad either. What pushes this place above is the great service. The waiters never let the (gratis) salsa get empty, and were timely with the food. They didn't rush the check, waiting till our delicious white sangria was gone before proffering it. The service may have been so great because there weren't that many people (it was around 5:30 on Friday) but by the time we left the place was filling up. While lots of people were eating outside, we opted to eat inside because of risk of rain (plus the street was kind of noisy). Inside, the atmosphere is nice, not the stereotypical Mexican place with tons of "decorative" crap on the walls.... but I digress.
Yay for the white sangria,
Yay for my meal (chimichanga)
Yay for great service. I'll be heading back.
P.S. Tip for broke people like me - the back of the menu has less expensive meals than the inside ($8-12 verses $13-20)
Guapo's is always a fun place. I've found the enchiladas and burritos to be good, not great. The Tacos Carbon and Tacos El Paso are excellent. I've always enjoyed the hard-shell versions, but on a recent visit I mistakenly ordered the soft-shell Carbon. They were terrific, particularly with a bit of the Mexican butter. As always, the free-flowing margaritas were both welcome and delicious!
I'm a fan of Guapo's -- I've had my fair share of shitty and good Mexican, and while it isn't "the best" I've had, it certainly isn't the worst.
That, and I love their Margaritas. Potent is a word I'd definitely use to describe them. Mmm.
I've come back here a couple more times and have serious doubts the food here is any better for omnivores. The guacamole here is some of the worst I had ever been served, and the salsa is also lacking a certain punch. It's as though all the taste has been watered down at this restaurant.
Although Guapo's will remain a Tenlytown/American University hang out for years to come, I can't understand the appeal beyond the drinks. Maybe all those margarita's are clouding other reviewer's better judgment.
Previous review:
Because so many of my friends enjoy this restaurant, I've been looking for a good reason. But something tells me I am limited by my pescetarian tastes.
If you order anything vegetarian, epsecially the burrito, prepare to get ripped off with broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and other vegetables that do not belong in a Mexican dish.
Fortunately the drinks are nice, but don't bring your vegetarian friend (me).
Because so many of my friends enjoy this restaurant, I've been looking for a good reason. But… Read more »
Super crowded patio we thought we wont stand a chance to get a table but the inside of the restaurant was huge and spacious. It was a warm evening and the air-conditioning didnt appear to be working well - we were sweating profusely. The salsa tasted like a tomato sauce with chopped up tomatoes - let's just say it's not that impressive. I ordered the steak with garlic sauce and yuca fries. I asked for steak to be medium rare and the waiter looked at me like I was crazy. The steak came out more medium - see that's why. The food was ok.
This has got to be the hands down BEST Mexican food I've had in a long time. Maybe it was what I ordered but gotta say this place made me happy, a lot happier then I can say for Alero's out in Cleveland Park.
I ordered the combination fajitas...steak, chicken, and shrimp, all in one dish. It was amazing! Definitely plan on using this spot as my permanent mexican staple (well at least in the city).
I had some nice margaritaas, another strawberry/margarita concoction that was quite sweet and delicious, chips & salsa and the Quail and Steak combo fajitas.
Loved the Quail and steak fajitas. Plenty of extras to add to the mix as well, which you should always expect for fajitas (but sometimes take for granted...i.e. Mama Mexico in Jersey)...
Chips were made fresh and were paper thin delicious. Salsa was good, a bit chunky with the tomato and created a lot of watery salsa, but good nonetheless.
Nothing fancy...at all..but a nice Tex/Mex place where servers are VERY attentitive and love refilling your drinks/chips/salsa and includes an outdoor patio for summer.
Downs?: Smoke fills the inside with fajita love (cough). Bathrooms are located downstairs and next to busy kitchen. Bar area is pretty tiny. Table space can be limited with amount of food and size of plates...
reading my previous reviews, you'll notice that i'm a bit of a mexican food snob coming from san diego. and though tex-mex can hit the spot every once in a while, it generally never on the same level. so with that, i'm not too big a fan of guapos.
though, having attended american university, it was only standard that i visited guapos every now and then after class. but if i was to choose, cactus cantina is only a few blocks away and i feel provides a better option for tex-mex.
Oh Guapo's, an American University institution. In my days before I turned 21, I came here countless times for the dance parties upstairs. But this review is about the food. Guapo's is a solid Mexican restaurant. The food is tasty and the portions are large.
Guapos is "A-ok," not bad not great. Service was reasonable, prices are reasonable, my salad was good, my tablemates liked their food, good beer selection. Pretty unremarkable. I would call it a safe bet. No suprises. That's the good thing and the bad thing, though. Am I right or am I right?
I thought the food was ok. but not great. And, I went for lunch, so, no margaritas (unfortunately) altered my opinion of the food, and there was a screaming 2 year old.
Service was a little bit slow, but attentive and friendly. I waited for my corn instead of flour tortillas for a good five minutes while my steaming fajitas begged me to eat them! Portions were big, I ate lunch here and leftovers for dinner the same night.
Chips and salsa come with the meal, which is a plus! But, I like my salsa (and most other things in life) spicier...
I've been to Guapos dozens of times and can say that I'm am not entirely surprised by the negative reviews here -- this is not a very high-end Tex-Mex place, perhaps approaching hole-in-the wall -- but that does not mean that I'm going to write a negative review myself, or that I won't go back.
Why on earth would I go back if I'm not always 100% satisfied? Well...
- the chips and salsa are fresh and plentiful
- great margaritas
- excellent appetizers
- I always get an attentive server
- the tacos and enchiladas are great
Sure, the ambiance leaves something to be desired. And yes, there are some overpriced items on the menu. But overall, I recommend Guapos.
The food is decent, but is a bit pricey, and the margarita pitchers are really expensive, $20 or so each. We got two without knowing how much they were and were surprised by the bill - $120 for 4 people, with just four ~$10 entrees and the margaritas.
Food wise, I got the chicken chimichanga, which was tasty. The salsa is good, and the margarita seemed pretty weak, although good. It's big and good for groups, however, just make sure you know how much you're spending!
I have friends who are die-hard fans of this place - personally, none of the mexican places in DC really sing to me. So, I'm left to judge all mexican joints based on their margaritas.
Let's just say it's not one of my choice venues.
4 stars because it always accomodates large groups REALLY QUICKLY when we go in. This is a great place if you've got a ton of people and need some decently priced food FAST!!
You can never go wrong with the tortilla soup, tamal d'elote, and a chicken burrito. People have had the fajitas that look good, too! Oh, and the salsa ROCKS. It's got chunks of tomatoes with awesome flavors and spices. And the nachos are always warm.
This place is kind of a typical, Mexican restaurant...but it won't disappoint.
On weekends, sometimes there are private parties upstairs which are pretty fun. Margaritas are delicious. So are the swirled daiquiries with half strawberry and half pina colada. Delish.
I am a big fan of Guapos over the alternative Tex-mex places in the area. I have always received great service at Guapos, especially the last time I was there. The waiter was Mr. Juanny on the spot! The food is quite delicious. I am sure there are individual items that are better at Cactus or Rio but overall, I seem to enjoy Guap's more. If I were asked why, it would boil (in Mexican butter) down to a few things.
1. You can get pitchers of Margaritas
2. Shrimp + bacon + jalapano + cheese = good times
3. I have never had to wait for a table.
4. They don't charge you for cheese and sour cream the way the other places do.
My homeboy doesn't dig on bacon/cheese/Jalap shrimp the way I do. He pointed out that the regular shrimp comes butterflied with the shell still on it. I agree with him in that that's dumb. He should just eat more bacon though...
I have eaten at 3 Guapo's in the area, and this one is hands down the best. The service is always prompt and they waste no time giving you chips and their delicious salsa. Margaritas here are very good, as evidenced by almost every table having them during dinner. I usually only get 1 dish here: Pollo Criollo, which is chicken cooked over charcoal. It is out of this world with the skin being crispy and having a distinct charcoal flavor and the inside being super tender and moist. My girlfriend usually has the vegetable fajitas and loves those.
I've only been there once -- and will probably never go again. Not only was the food mediocre, but we got rained on right after our meal...and then we got sick from the food. Talk about a bitchslap from the heavens.
Okay so I've been living under a rock the past twenty some years. Went to dinner here last night with a gf that use to frequent this spot during her college years. The place was hopping and jam packed. Surprisingly we managed to swoop two stools in the bar area to wait. Finally our buzzer went off 10 minutes later and thankfully - because the bar became even that more packed... So we get sat in the main dining room against the wall with mirrors. It would have been the perfect spot had there not been screaming two year olds to my right. Dear God I understand children scream, cry, get cranky etc. but the table that housed these demon spawns were actually encouraging the screaming.... Someone was playing with this kid while she rolled around on the floor under the table. So anyways onto the food..
The chips and salsa are on point. Just how I love my salsa. Chunky and juicy, yes I said it. The chips were fresh and so yummy! I contemplated ordering some queso but we decided against it because the chips and salsa were that great. We both ended up getting the chicken enchiladas which came out at the perfect time, right after we both finished our second bowl of salsa (we each had our own, that's how we do!). Everything was delicious, fresh and prompt. We never had to ask for water, or anything the staff made sure we were taken care of. My gf asked for this green spicy sauce they have and I highly recommend it to anyone that likes their stuff spicy. It added a nice touch to the meal.
We topped our meal with fried ice cream, who wouldn't? But I do admit at that point I was almost about to get sick because I was too full - yet that didn't keep me from nibbling more at the ice cream. So finally I had to throw my spoon down into the caramel sticky sauce so I wouldn't have any other choice but to stop (or eat with my hands).
I would definitely return to this location again and probably sometime soon!
I just went here today for lunch lol, The place was nice and clean.
The music was mexican, and the food was great. There isn't alot to say about this really, I mean they gave us chips and salsa. The salsa had lots of tomatoes in it but it was good.
I orded a Pollo de Santa Fe, which is chicken with Salsa(?),rice and a salad. Man it was good it was like estacy in my mouth, I felt like I was high on drugs lol. But really, it was good everything came quick, our total wait time was about 10 minutes.
Overall, this resturant is great.
The only bad thing about this place, The drink section of the menu doesn't show any non - alchohallic drinks. The only way you can get non-alchohall drinks is if you ask the waiter.
Other then that, 5 outta 5!
Guapo's is a fun place for group outings. The food is tasty. I got the guacamole dip and the tortilla soup. Orderers, be warned. The guac is not just a bit of dip in a bowl. Nay, it comes surrounded with a platter of huge fried tortilla-chip-like things (oK, I'm sure there's a better name, but that's the best I could come up with). So, it would have been good for sharing, but I enjoyed it by myself too :) The tortilla soup is good if you like vegetables and broth. It was tasty and savory, but it was not your average "tortilla soup" in consistency if that's what you are expecting.
Now, I must address the gum on the table. There was a big wad of chewing gum on the tablecloth! Gross!
**3.5**
I hate to admit it, but I really enjoyed their chips and salsa here. I feel like I am betraying the Cactus Cantina chips and salsa gods by saying this, but it's true. I loved the freshness of the diced tomatoes and the cilantro!
I am an AU alum and in the 5 years I've been in DC now, I've only eaten at Guapo's once before this particular trip. Hard to believe, huh? I mean, I've been to Guapo's before...usually just for drinking though. :-)
We sat on the patio which was fantastic. The seating can get a little crowded, but on this particular evening, there was plenty of space. It was really nice because there was 0 humidity. :-) Definitely gets some points for the great al fresco dining.
I got the 3 enchiladas - chicken, beef and cheese. They were pretty tasty and very filling. My friend got the 2 cheese enchiladas.
Stuffed and happy, we stumbled off the deck and walked home just in time to catch the Olympics Swimming.
Hands down, the worst Mexican food I have ever had. While the service was extremely attentive (hence two stars instead of one), if the food is terrible, what's the point? Unless you like kitschy restaurants that serve Americanized Mexican food (read: so, so bland!) lathered in grease to its patrons, avoid Guapo's. No matter what you order, it looks and tastes the same. I'm from California, and have been to Mexico, and the closest thing I've come to really good, "authentico" Mexican food is from a Taco truck in Adams Morgan - I wish I could review them!
As for the chips, salsa and margaritas that other reviewers have raved about, the chips were so-so, the salsa was pretty good, and the margaritas were above average (if lacking in alcohol, particularly considering the price tag: $17.95 for a half-pitcher).
Any patron who looked remotely Hispanic was at the bar (read: NOT eating!) - and I can't blame them for needing some Dutch courage before having to eat Guapo's awful food.
I came here for lunch on my birthday. The food was decent, but what I really liked was the service. Everyone seemed very genuine and happy to be there.
recession what recession? this place was packed on a wednesday night- good for them i say!
real rating : 3.5
my classmates and i needed a drink after an exam last night and took a journey to guapos. ended up sitting all the way in the back by the bar and had a good time.
downside: had to ask for chips and salsa. service+food took a while.
upside: relaxing atmosphere( even though it was crowded) and the other customers around us were merry and chatted it up with us.
next to the metro. margaritas hit the stop.
i'm sure i'll be seeing guapos again!
Food was decent. Passable if by California standards, failure by real Mexican standards. The prices are also ridiculous, a burrito is not worth 12 dollars, it costs all of 3 dollars to make one, of which I'll pay up to 7 for someone else to prepare it for me. The chips are quite tasty, which led me to repeatedly dipping nto the funny smelling salsa and gorging down mouthfuls of fried corn.
I also ordered enchiladas which were extremely dry and tasted like paper.
The margaritas are quite light, I'd imagine a 1/2 shot of tequila in the entire concoction itself, great way to not get wasted.
For the first time in my life, I saw an item in a Mexican restaurant that cost over 20$.
Salsa gave me (and probably everyone else who ate there that night) food poisoning, it smelled very strange which I thought was just the house blend, but turns out it was just spoiled.
A little more upscale than your Qdoba or Chipotle, but great ambience Tex-Mex style. Can accomodate groups, which is a plus. Cocktails are fairly-priced, so get your mojito on. It's a very small chain, so you can buy memorabilia. Staff is polite and hospitable. The nachos can be refilled. Great with substitutions and vegetarians. Try the tamal.
There are those who sneer at the faux tex mex nature of the food. They say it isn't authentic.
I say who the heck cares? The food is REALLY tasty, incredibly consistent and always fresh. The service is awesome. Of course my wife and I have been going there for many years, both together and before we knew each other, so maybe the excellent service we receive isn't the norm, but I doubt that's the case.
Just got back from brunch on the patio. Fantastic as always. Lightning fast and easy on the wallet too. If you haven't been, go. Definitely worth it.
My first Mexican restaurant in Washington DC! Very clean inside complemented with an atmosphere of warm temperature and wall colors, pictures, flat screen TVs at the bar, Spanish music, pleasant and quick servers along with free nachos and salsa that are off the hook. My cousin also treated me to my first Sangria's beverage that kicked my butt! All it took was one. Our chicken wraps were very tasty and I also enjoyed how it wasn't packed inside the restaurant like a sardine can. Kudos to the bar tender!
Guapos is my comfort food place. It's not the greatest Mexican food I've ever had, but I always enjoy the food and the strawberry dacquiris. I used to go here all the time in college a loooooong time ago, and then every once in a while when I lived in VA, and now that I'm in the city again I've been there a few times. I walk in there and it's exactly the same as it was back in the day, which for some people may not be good, but for me, I like it...it's like walking into your Mom's kitchen, only there's a tortilla chip machine in it.
The Bar was pretty busy so we sat across from it and watched the tortilla machine during our meal. The chips and salsa were good, the chips very thin and crisp.
For appetizer we had Chili Con Carne, really really good! (5/5)
For my main dish I had a combo. Cheese Enchilada(3/5), Chili Relleno(4/5). The rice that came with it was yellow with peas in it but nothing special, nor were the beans. The guacamole and sour cream were as expected, the pico was tasty.
Ah, the good ol' Tex-Mex fare. Honestly, the only thing I tend to eat at Tex-Mex establishments are the quesadillas, and Guapos does a pretty good job with them. Other things on the menu looked good too, especially the seafood dishes. The decor is nice, complete with sombrero lighting. Service was kind of slow, but it might have been because it was St. Patty's Day. Overall, a decent experience. A nice place to eat if you're getting tired of Austin Grill all the time, namely, me.
Bethesda, MD
Category: Mexican
Neighborhood: Tenleytown
Category: Parks
Washington, DC
Category: Tex-Mex
Arlington, VA
Category: Mexican
Neighborhood: Tenleytown
Category: Greek
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