Taqueria Nacional, Formerly on Capitol Hill - Relocated to 14th and T Street in 14UP

[Sthitch]

It is a good deal, but I did not find it to be a good burger. The one I had was over-seasoned, the cheese was unmelted, and the bun fell apart. Ever since I have just stuck to the tacos and yucca fries.

[cjsadler]

It is a good deal, but I did not find it to be a good burger. The one I had was over-seasoned, the cheese was unmelted, and the bun fell apart. Ever since I have just stuck to the tacos and yucca fries.

Give it another shot. The brioche buns seem to be better than ever lately. The pimento cheese isn't intended to be melted, though. Like the burgers at Jackie's that these are modeled on, it's added when the burger is assembled. Unusual, but I kinda like the contrast of the cool cheese with the hot burger.

[Sthitch]

How about the over-seasoning? The meat tasted like a salt lick.

[cjsadler]

How about the over-seasoning? The meat tasted like a salt lick.

Haven't encountered that problem.

[MelGold]

Thank god for this little slice of heaven on the Hill! After 4 hours walking around the Hill with Santa Claus handing out coal to Congress yesterday, my colleague & I hit Taqueria right as they made the switch to lunch. Two tacos - a bean & a chorizo - and an order of guac & chips set me back to rights again. I wish I found myself on Capitol Hill more often around lunchtime!

[JimRice]

Closed today, open Thursday and Friday, closed Monday Dec 31 and Tuesday Jan 1.

(I find these things out on days when it is raining.)

[collije]

Just stopped by there for the 1st time.

Agree with many of the comments above. The Fish tacos and yuca fries are excellent. Also tried the Chorizo taco [liked, but a little less so than the fish version] and the Beef taco [little dried out, but given very slow day on the 27th I'll assume to try again when they're on full cylinders & food is being purchased more quickly]. The sauces aren't particularly hot [bummer], but they are decently tasty.

As for the drink, once I heard they had Coke w/ the cane sugar version in the good 'ole glass bottle, I said yes as soon as he mentioned it.

The containers for the food are still in the heavy brown cardboard-ish boxes. Seems overkill for 1 taco, but I guess it does protect it well

Chatted with Wayne [seemed in charge this afternoon], nice guy.

All in all, liked the place. Will be back to try the hamburger and other items in the near future.

[collije]

Just went back again to try the hamburger & fries platter.

As one of the best [compared to Central/Colorado/etc], not in my opinion. The pimento/cheese [which I do like the contrast of warm meat to cool cheese] is too overpowering to enjoy the flavoring of meat. I was able to try the meat on its own in a few bites, but the flavoring wasn't to my taste [sorta bland], also tend to like mine medium rare /medium [it was cooked done / welldone]. Bun was good though & held up. The french fries that came with it were alright [sorta limp from cooking in oil, but tasted fine], but wished they'd do the yuca fries with the platter instead [which I love].

As a value at $5.50 in the District, yeah ... good deal. Willing to absolutely give it another try or 2 [i'll ask if I can get it cooked Medium, is that safe for swell meat lol?], but my 1st preferences here will be da tacos and yuca fries. Maybe try a few other things too before attempting the burger again.

Taqueria was doing brisk service around noon today [seemed like lots of regulars ... folks had their orders down pat]. Like that folks are noticing the place!

[synaesthesia]

Yellow split pea soup - yummy and hammy. Very good given how cold it was yesterday.

Chorizo and cheese taco was delicious with lots of the chorizo oil all over - you need the double layer of tortilla. Didn't like the pork taco as much. I don't know if it's the pre-prepared nature of the meat, but I seem to always run into very dry fillings at most taquerias I visit, exception being one in CA - but that might have been because it was really busy at the time. I adored the green salsa. Mmm...

I was surprised to find that the horchata had a very vegetal, bean-like taste. It reminded me a lot of the very unprocessed soy milk from Chinese grocery stores. I don't know if that vegetal flavor is normal for chufa-based horchata.

[Sthitch]

What has always annoyed me about this restaurant is the inconsistency. One day the pork taco will be a beautifully cooked shreds of flavorful strands of pork, other days it will be dried out and flavorless, or some of the yucca fries will be cooked to perfection while others in the same batch are mushy and unappetizing.

A case in point was my lunch today, the chicken taco was amazing, the meat was juicy and seasoned just right, and not a touch of grease to be found. Then came the pork taco, it was not dried out, but it was so overly salted that the two bites I took actually hurt my mouth. I hoped after the first that it was just from an aberrant piece of meat, but I took my second bite from the other side, and it was just as painful. The Chorizo and cheese taco shed enough grease to fill one of their little sauce cups half way (sorry Jamie, but this was a horrid glut of chorizo oil), this taco suffered from the same saltiness but to a less degree, but that could have been because most of it was lost in the grease at the bottom of the brown container. The yucca fries that can be a standout, offered only a few bites of pleasure, three of them contained fibers inside of them that were as hard as toothpicks and as mentioned above some were nicely fried while others were not, I even had one that was well fried at one end, and the other end it was bland and mushy.

[jigones]

What has always annoyed me about this restaurant is the inconsistency. One day the pork taco will be a beautifully cooked shreds of flavorful strands of pork, other days it will be dried out and flavorless, or some of the yucca fries will be cooked to perfection while others in the same batch are mushy and unappetizing.

A case in point was my lunch today, the chicken taco was amazing, the meat was juicy and seasoned just right, and not a touch of grease to be found. Then came the pork taco, it was not dried out, but it was so overly salted that the two bites I took actually hurt my mouth. I hoped after the first that it was just from an aberrant piece of meat, but I took my second bite from the other side, and it was just as painful. The Chorizo and cheese taco shed enough grease to fill one of their little sauce cups half way (sorry Jamie, but this was a horrid glut of chorizo oil), this taco suffered from the same saltiness but to a less degree, but that could have been because most of it was lost in the grease at the bottom of the brown container. The yucca fries that can be a standout, offered only a few bites of pleasure, three of them contained fibers inside of them that were as hard as toothpicks and as mentioned above some were nicely fried while others were not, I even had one that was well fried at one end, and the other end it was bland and mushy.

This review is spot on. I do have to say, that the "aguas" that they have are delicious all the time!

[Sthitch]

I don't know why I keep going to Taqueria Nacionale, maybe it is because there really is nothing decent to eat any closer, and it is the kind of place that I really want to like even though it consistently disappoints me. Today's disappointment was the cheese enchiladas with rice and beans, and again the inconsistent yucca fries.

Each bite of the enchilada reminded me of some horrible microwaved Mexican entrée I once subjected myself to. The flavor was apathetic, the cheese had an industrial quality to it, the sauce that topped it was visible but otherwise innocuous on the palate, and the tortillas were a damp glop of blah holding this morass together. The beans were just bland tasting refried beans that likely came from a can, and the rice was overcooked and otherwise complementary to the rest of the meal (read insipid).

Will I be back? Well when my other choices are horrible "café"  food and Union Station, I would not put money against a return.

[collije]

Just stopped by today, still enjoying their Fish Tacos + their Aquas.

[JoyS]

Just stopped by today, still enjoying their Fish Tacos + their Aquas.

I stopped into Taqueria today as well, and enjoyed my pineapple agua fresca. However, I was less than thrilled with my chicken taco. If my memory serves me correctly, they used to put cilantro and onion on their chicken tacos. Today, it was only greasy chicken on the corn tortillas and nothing else. I haven't been there in a few months, but the chicken seemed greasier and lacking in flavor today. Fortunately, their green salsa made up for the lack in flavor.

[DanM]

We stopped by here for a quick lunch. The fish tacos were great, but the vegetarian bean taco was forgettable. The mango aqua fesca was amazing and better than the overpriced pitcher we purchased at Oyamel.

Dan

[Anna Blume]

The flavor was apathetic

Impossible.

[Sthitch]

Impossible.

I guess I will have to reassess what I wrote and instead of remembering that dish as a poor imitation of the enchiladas you might pull from the freezer section of the Gas and Go in Sheboygan Wisconsin maybe upon further reflection and the weight of your argument I should have compared them to as wonderful as I had growing up in a neighborhood filled with a delightful Mexican woman that taught me everything she knew about making enchiladas it brings a tear to my eye when I remember how this dish actually just as she made them but actually a little better!

[Anna Blume]

I guess I will have to reassess what I wrote and instead of remembering that dish as a poor imitation of the enchiladas you might pull from the freezer section of the Gas and Go in Sheboygan Wisconsin maybe upon further reflection and the weight of your argument I should have compared them to as wonderful as I had growing up in a neighborhood filled with a delightful Mexican woman that taught me everything she knew about making enchiladas it brings a tear to my eye when I remember how this dish actually just as she made them but actually a little better!

To expand upon my one-word post: flavors cannot be apathetic, nor can couches, coaches, caches, cascades, breezes, loaves of pumpernickel, rye or wheat. Given our tendency to anthropomorphize animals, you might find Minnaloushe apathetic when given a doorknob to worship instead of the moon, but apathy is a condition normally ascribed to human beings who feel indifferent, passive, dispassionate or bored. I don't find signs of apathy in any of the posts you've written on this particular establishment.

[DPop]

Things must have changed drastically since 2007, when I remember reading raves about the Burger Special at Tacqueria Nacionale being one of the best deals in the city. I can say, unequivocally, that this is no longer the case. The hamburger that I was served today was no better than any of the numerous salad bar/sandwich grill lunch places you find scattered around the city. Sure, the pimento cheese crumble made it at least different than your average takeout place, but other than that this was an entirely mediocre burger. The patty was painfully overcooked and the bun was way too big, leaving about a half inch of bare space around the diameter of the meat. Based on Sthitch's more recent posts above (mirror my experience today), I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the burger is probably not worth ordering at this point.

The Chorizo and Cheese Taco and Yucca Fries, on the other hand, are quite delightful, although I've experienced temperature issues at times with each. The Pork Taco has its moments, but I've found it to be relatively dry and flavorless a lot of times and in need of being rescued by the delicious green salsa they offer at the counter. The Beef Taco and Chicken Taco are safer bets than the pork, being consistently pretty good but never hitting the highs that the pork can achieve when moist and tender.

This is a nice little inexpensive carryout spot that helps to break up the monotony of crap up in this area, but certainly not worth a trip across town like some people upthread were suggesting.

[Kev29]

Wow - this thread hasn't been touched in ages!

John Fulchino and Ann Cashion will be moving Taqueria Nacional to 14th and T NW in a few months...

I guess they see a lot of potential around U St for the concept -- and they can add dinner and booze. Interesting that they're going to change the takeout space of the existing taqueria (to a Johnny's takeout). I have noticed that their business has gone from 'packed/line out the door' to just 'steady' since the flotilla of food trucks has become permanent on nearby N. Capitol.

[ad.mich]

If this means longer hours and being open weekends then hallelujah. 11-3 M-F is no way to go through life.

I will miss playing "guess who is the Fox News employee" while waiting for the food though.

[RWBooneJr]

Is this place still open on the Hill?

[Kev29]

Is this place still open on the Hill?

Funny you should ask... was in Johnny's yesterday and heard that the Taqueria will be transitioning out next week -- to become Johnny's Take Out. I'm not sure when they will open the taqueria concept on T St NW, but I think the build-out has a ways to go. Got my coffee from the Taqueria this morning and saw the menu for the re-purposed space... (sorry for the poor photo and my mug in the reflection, Prince of Petworth syle )

Some Lousiana influences and affordable lunch staples. Kind of sad to see the Taqueria go, but things change. And they used tons of raw onion in their tacos and specials which didn't go well with 5 more hours of work on a Wednesday...

[hoosiereph]

Once, Tacqueria Nacional was a welcome lunchtime newcomer to a neighborhood starved of options, other than Union Station's abysmal food court. That was before the food truck revolution, and before their prices went up and portions and quality went down. Now, it won't be missed. Hopefully Johnny's takeout will offer some reasonable lunch prices.

[lovehockey]

Apparently the changeover is complete.

I went to Tacqueria Nacional a few times over the years and found the food to be good although the portions seemed to be small. I'm sure I'll eventually try the new incarnation. Considering the location in the Hall of the States Building, John and Ann would be crazy not to have something in that space to serve the people who work in that building and are looking for a quick lunch (along with Senate types who are willing to walk a couple blocks). But I wonder if the weekday presence of food trucks along Mass. Ave. will have any impact on them.

[MTPeter]

I was a regular at the old location. Liked it. New location : I'll say only that in a lifetime of eating tacos, these were the first I ever returned for a refund. Offended me in their badness. Skip it and go over to Chilango.

[KeithA]

First time here today for lunch. I had 3 tacos: the fried squash blossom filled with cheese special, chicken, and lamb.  The squash blossoms with the tomatoey ranchero sauce was the best followed closely by the lamb with pickled vegetables, chopped onion and cilantro.  Both were well-made, fresh and well seasoned generating lots of good flavor. The chicken was ok, it had some spice to it, but needed some of the tomatillo salsa to wake it up a bit. The food was quick, cooked well and relatively cheap - under $9 for 3 tacos.  Later when driving home, I passed by Pica Taco off Columbia Road (a more traditional, hole in the wall hispanic place) and decided I had room for 1 more and it might be nice for a comparison.  I had 1 barbaco beef taco which came with chopped onions and cilantor and a lime wedge.  The taco was fine but seriously lacked flavor - the meat was tender but tasted almost like nothing.  Tacquiera Nacional for the win today.

[LauraB]

We've been without a working kitchen for awhile and have been doing a lot of carryout and visiting cheap eat-in places. Tonight we stopped into Taqueria Nacional for the first time. And the last time. I never knew this place when it was new and on the Hill and named one of the 5 best new Mexican restaurants in the US in 2007 by Bon Appetit. (Really?!!!?) Is this place still owned by Ann Cashion and John Fulchino? Because, frankly, if you told me it had been taken over by the abysmal Austin Grill or Taco Bell, I'd believe you.

I ordered the special which was a Grilled Shrimp Taco for $3.50. When it was presented to me, I almost laughed out loud. The entire filling was barely 2 inches in diameter and contained exactly TWO microscopic shrimp "“ the kind of shrimp I'm guessing you might find in a "˜shrimp cocktail' at Red Lobster. The rest of the ingredients: claytonia, pico de gallo, queso fresco, and chipotle crema didn't add much.

MrB ordered the Tostada: 2 crisp tortillas, beans, cheese, lettuce, pico de gallo, and crema for $6.50; he added lamb which boosted the price to $7.50. I will say that the lamb was not bad; the rest of it however, reminded me of tostadas I used to get from a mediocre carry-out place just off Dupont Circle in the "˜80s. And it was the best dish of the meal!

Finally, we had the Quesadilla ($6.50), which was just as big an insult as the Shrimp Taco. It consisted of 4 small wedges. The cheese filling between the tortillas was just cheese, no other ingredients mixed into the cheese as I am accustomed to in a quesadilla. The cheese was one step removed from melted Cheeze-Whiz. The toppings consisted of shredded lettuce and red onions that had no taste at all "“ oh, there was also exactly one pickled jalapeno slice.

Walking back home we passed by Chipotle and agreed, we could have had a better meal there for about the same price.