| Address | 401 7th St., Washington, DC 20004 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (202) 783-3133 |
| Fax | (202) 783-0197 |
Some of the best Mexican food this ex-San Antonian has found in D.C.
We came here for Restaurant Week on a Thursday evening. Based on previous RW experiences elsewhere, I had high hopes but low expectations. Andale was a definitively perfect RW experience. My first concern was that we'd recieve poor service. Quite the contrary, my date and I were seated at the most choice table in the restaurant, in a little nook in front of a window. Our server was attentive and helpful, volunteering reccomendations and warning us if certain dishes might take longer than others to prepare, without being intrusive. The RW menu had a decent number of selections -- about 4 apps and 4 entrees. My date and I ended up choosing our servers reccomendations for all 3 courses. In particular, the queso fundido app, rockfish entree, and cheesecake dessert were all out of this world. Unlike previous RW experiences elsewhere, portion sizes were generous. I'd never eaten at Andale before, and was impressed by the creative combinations of flavors and textures in each dish. The margaritas were also well worth the trip -- try the Oaxacan Sunset, made with prickly pear. The regular menu prices are a bit steep for me for everyday dining, but based on our RW experience, I'd be happy to return to Andale for a special occasion or just to grab drinks and apps at the bar.
Sure, the food is great. But anyone can get better Mexican and latin american food, more authentic & rustic, at a third of the cost. Nevermind the kitchen. The bar is the highlight at Andale. The selection of tequilas and hard-to-find mezcals is fantastic. Some of their fruit margaritas are nothing special, but they do a mean tequila-mezcal margarita called "El Diablo" that is -- smooth, smoky, perfect.
We had the tres leches for dessert it was heavenly, light and not too sweet.
This higher-end Mexican eatery was a good place to try during Restaurant Week. Four choices each of appetizers and entrees from the regular menu plus just about the entire dessert list meant you could get a pretty good sampling. Don't necessarily baulk at paying $5 for the chips and salsa, which includes a choice of three entirely different but very tasty salsas: verde, fresca, and my favorite - a chipotle and tomato salsa that was both smoky and spicy. The chicken taquitos and shrimp empanadas were both good starters. The grouper entree was okay but more memorable for the tasty sides it came with (especially the corn puree). And, only the aforementioned chips prevented us being able to finish our desserts, particularly criminal in the case of my "chocoloco," a flourless chocolate cake that was exquisitely rich. The service was a bit erratic - we waited for ages for the chips, which were then quickly followed by the apps and entrees, but then the waiter was MIA for ages before we could order dessert. On the other hand, he was very helpful in making recommendations as we chose our courses, so on balance he served us pretty well. Overall, it was a satisfactory experience.
The vegetarian entree is MUCH better than it sounds!!! Great atmosphere and friendly.
This is one of my new favorite places to eat. The food was super, very tasty and the closest thing to authentic Mexican (NOT Tex-Mex!)that I have eaten in DC. Plus half price bottles of wine on Saturdays throughout the summer and on Mondays the rest of the year.
Outdoor seating delightful. The dessert was especially perfect. We had the Soupa Mango, atop were chunks of pineapple, pretty drops of meringue, garnished with creme de menthe. The textures and visual appeal satisfied the end of the meal. All dishes were inventive, and contained equisite pairings - another favorite was the red beet soup with pistachios and goat cheese. The goat cheese was hidden in small turnip looking pouch that when eaten supremely allowed ingredients to mesh in particular controlled fashion, allowing the goat cheese its moment in the spotlight.
I have lived in the American Southwest and traveled throughout Mexico. Therefore, I went to Andale with high expectations. They were certainly not met. The two lunches I had on two occasions--hoping that the first was just a bad day--were disappointing. The Texmex food had little flavor, and the ingredients seemed tired. I wouldn't recommend this as a lunch spot for anyone.
Andale has an excellent happy hour deal...half price wine by the glass and margaritas and half price select appetizers, which makes it worth your while. But the atmosphere is lacking and attendance is low. Don't expect any lively music or interesting people to chat with at the bar. And the bartenders are not that friendly, they do the bare minimum. That said, it is one of the cheapest happy hours in town if you don't drink beer.
Andale's dining room is festive and inviting. The margaritas are among the best in town. We were disappointed that, although we had ordered dinners and drinks, we still had to pay for chips and salsa-- something even the best restaurants can offer for free. They had only one or two vegetarian offerings on the menu, but they were both quite tasty. The menu featured fish and chicken prominently, but seemed pricey for the offerings.
They have a happy hour Monday through Friday between 4:30pm and 6:30pm. During the happy hour, they have three items on the menu half off, peanuts, salsa sampler, taquitos. They also have three types of drinks half off, draft beers, house wines and margarita. Although happy hour items are rather limited, those items are quite good. My favorite is salsa sampler which has three types of salsa source and tons of chips. Draft beer selection is not bad at all. I am a big fan of pale ale and they have flying dog which is just right for a hot summer day. Definitely I would not mind having additional happy hour food items as a happy hour warrior.
Overall, the restaurant is clean and friendly. I have been to this restaurant for dinner a few times and I was satisfied with the service and food. But the only item I would not try is Shredded Lamb. The dish was lacking imagination compared to the rest of the items on the menu. Don't let me stop you from ordering this item. They do use high quality ingredients and taste ok.
Very solid food. Delicious margarita. A very excellent wine list, including a number of quality choices of wines by the glass.
I was unimpressed with the presentation, and I left wanting more flavor. Not a good thing for a Mexican restaurant.
