Amparo Fondita is the restaurant that replaced Pesce. They did a great job re-decorating it and the bar area looks especially inviting. We came here with a friend and had a great time. The Margaritas were awesome as was the food and service. The price was higher than expected, but given the world of inflation these days I guess I shouldn't be surprised.
James C.
We rolled in at 5:00 on Saturday. Things got off to an inauspicious start when we were told they couldn't seat us without a reservation in a room full of empty tables. But we know this place is trendy right now, so we didn't think too much of it when we sat at the bar. We started with the cheese quesadillas. These were good: blue corn tacos with a generous helping of Oaxaca cheese inside. Although we ordered everything at the same time, it was another hour before we got our next course. Weirdly, this confirmed they definitely could have seated us, because the restaurant only ever reached about half capacity during that time. I'm left wondering if they didn't really know what they were doing, or if they just didn't like us in particular. They did apologize for the long wait. The tacos, when they came, were pretty good. We got the pork and chicharrones + the chorizo fish tacos. Both were good quality, but the salsa they used is pretty heavy on the lime, so they were a bit sour for my taste. Altogether, it ended up being a little over $81 for the nine tacos (three cheese, three pork, three fish). That includes a 22% service charge--a slightly more honest version, I guess, of the current trend in DC restaurants where a 20% service charge is applied to the after-tax total. I don't think we will be back here, but if you have the time, and don't mind paying towards the higher end of mid-tier dining prices for tacos, Amparo could be worth a shot. Consider asking for the salsa on the side, since it overpowers meats that seem like they were nicely marinated.
Darius D.
Incredibly thoughtful and delicious food, with what seemed like a focus on specialties from the Yucatán. I'm visiting DC from LA, have had Mexican cuisine from literally 100's of restaurants, some with Michelin stars, but mostly tacos stands on street corners, and I can honestly say this was a Top-10 spot in my book. Fresh blue corn tortillas were out of this world and everything on up from the house made guacamole to the clearly freshly made pickled onions was amazing. I especially enjoyed the smoky salsa Verde, just wish I could get more of it to take home with me.
christian johnson
Incredible spot, for those who love the attention to detail... even in the most simple of dishes. This team does not disappoint! Food, service, ambiance is a hidden gem in Dupont Circle...
This dining experience brought me such joy! The restaurant decor and attentive service is great. The food hits all the authentic flavors of CDMX (Mexico City, Mexico). We came here because it's one of the few restaurants that offer mezcal. My mezcal margarita was wonderful; not too sweet. My partner ordered the Mezcal Negroni which he really enjoyed, telling me that it was somewhat like a mezcal old fashioned. It was impossible to choose a favorite among all that we ordered, but I will say the surprise ringer of the night was the Taco de Tinga de Pollo. They took what would traditionally be a street food tostada and made it an amazing taco. Have said this, do not write off the quesadillas de huitlacoche, taco de lamb barbacoa, or the taco de cochinita pibil. They are very loaded with protein and the house made tortillas are wonderful and took me right back to the streets of CDMX. Despite being full, I am so glad and highly recommended ending with the flan de cafe. As a former pastry chef I was very pleasantly surprised at the traditional way that the flan was made. Not only do I HIGHLY recommend Amparo Fondita, but I cannot wait to return!
Nicole T.
I rarely take the time to post a review but I felt so burned by this place tonight. I'm happy to pay a premium for good food and service but this place missed the mark for me. I stopped in for dinner after a long flight and sat at the bar for a quick bite. The bartender was visibly annoyed that I didn't order any alcohol. I explained that I just got off of a long flight and didn't feel like a cocktail tonight but I would place a big food order to compensate (which I did). The bar was completely empty-- not a single seat was taken-- so I wasn't taking a spot from any drinkers who were waiting. Also, there are lots of people that don't drink or feel like alcohol at every dinner. I personally don't drink at every single dinner and it's never been an issue when I go out. I order big and tip extra. The flounder chorizo tacos were so overly salted I couldn't taste anything else but salt salt salt. The "all the herbs" rice was just plain white rice. Two of the salsas were ok, but nothing I would order again. The bartender continued to be unfriendly, visibly annoyed and I felt uncomfortable sitting there. She barely said one word to me and kept moving dishes and glassware around kind of aggressively-- I got the hint. I ate my food as quickly as I could and dipped. I was probably there a total of 30 minutes from start to finish. A 22% gratuity is automatically added to all checks (eyeball roll)... I would gladly pay 22% + for good service but it's not what I got tonight. There is no incentive to provide good service since it's automatically added. To be fair, the menu does disclose the 22% service fee and that they would take it off if asked but I wouldn't do that-- what an awkward conversation to have-- and I just wanted to leave asap.
Lindsey M.
We had a lovely meal here with friends. The atmosphere is light and airy, we had great service and the food was delicious. The ceviche was fresh, we shared a vegetarian bean stew that was delicious and the fish chorizo tacos were memorable. Looking forward to coming back!
Victor Williams
If you are looking for legitimate Mexican food this is the spot, food is perfectly crafted with fresh an authentic ingredients, I wish I had room to order each item.if the menu, but definitely I will be back one of my favorites restaurants in the city, Chef Chris was super friendly and passionate about he's work and the service was very attentive.This place is a gem and hope everyone that really appreciate great Mexican food should try it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Tres Leches Cake, Tacos Cochinita Pibil, Pozole Half
John T.
Unjust involuntary service fees - not worth it - won't return - "service" not worth it
Kathy W.
Very good cocktails and a fun vibe, but $18 for chips and guacamole? Took 45 minutes to get our fish tacos. I will give it another try but they have a few things to work out.
Food and drinks were excellent!!! We ordered the tasting menu, and with just two of us, we had sooo much extra food, so I recommend coming with a big appetite.
Ashvita V.
All of the dishes used high quality, fresh ingredients with aromatic spices. The food was incredible and the mezcal was perfectly smoky. Incredible pozole-tender pork shoulder with the earthiness of the hominy and the tang from the Time SO GOOD! The guacamole needed more texture, the chips were a little oily, and the tacos were good. I really loved the vibrant, mosaic decor and layout of the restaurant. It was a little pricy for the portion sizes, but that's to be expected in the Dupont area.
C W.
I sat at the bar, and the service was lovely. My cocktail was good too, and at about regular DC prices. The food was way too expensive. The menu is not the same as on the website. If it were, maybe I wouldn't think it was too expensive, but 3 fish tacos for $20?! The tacos weren't bad but..oy. And chips are $15! I don't think this place is worth it. Go up 14th St to La Chicatana or Mezcalero or something instead. Additionally, they have a 22% extra charge that they say goes to operations. I had to ask the waitress if she got the money, she said it 'went to everyone,' which means it is NOT a tip, and of course I tipped her a regular 20%. So this was an unnecessarily expensive meal, and I hope the restaurant is in compliance with the rules the DC AG has set down.
J Foodgeek
The food was good (but some dishes could have been more flavorful) and the cocktails and service were even better. Not crazy about the 22% service charge (that isn't even the tip) even though I knew about it. It's a way of making your menu prices look less than they really are. Plus $27 for a sweet potato is a bit much even with marrow butter. I'll still give it three stars. Try it for yourself.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 4
DC in D.C.
Tasty dessert, ceviche, chips, and corn tortillas. Some of the best soft and mild corn tortillas I’ve tasted (others are sometimes overpowering). Beautiful and yummy cocktails. The mixed green salad was quite quite bitter and not up my alley, but amazingly large. Tacos we ordered were just ok, as the meat fell flat when overpowered by the pickled onions, salsa, and tortilla. Since that’s the main point of the meal (entrees) we left a bit underwhelmed. Tons of attentive staff though!
Amparo Fondita is the restaurant that replaced Pesce. They did a great job re-decorating it and the bar area looks especially inviting. We came here with a friend and had a great time. The Margaritas were awesome as was the food and service. The price was higher than expected, but given the world of inflation these days I guess I shouldn't be surprised.
We rolled in at 5:00 on Saturday. Things got off to an inauspicious start when we were told they couldn't seat us without a reservation in a room full of empty tables. But we know this place is trendy right now, so we didn't think too much of it when we sat at the bar. We started with the cheese quesadillas. These were good: blue corn tacos with a generous helping of Oaxaca cheese inside. Although we ordered everything at the same time, it was another hour before we got our next course. Weirdly, this confirmed they definitely could have seated us, because the restaurant only ever reached about half capacity during that time. I'm left wondering if they didn't really know what they were doing, or if they just didn't like us in particular. They did apologize for the long wait. The tacos, when they came, were pretty good. We got the pork and chicharrones + the chorizo fish tacos. Both were good quality, but the salsa they used is pretty heavy on the lime, so they were a bit sour for my taste. Altogether, it ended up being a little over $81 for the nine tacos (three cheese, three pork, three fish). That includes a 22% service charge--a slightly more honest version, I guess, of the current trend in DC restaurants where a 20% service charge is applied to the after-tax total. I don't think we will be back here, but if you have the time, and don't mind paying towards the higher end of mid-tier dining prices for tacos, Amparo could be worth a shot. Consider asking for the salsa on the side, since it overpowers meats that seem like they were nicely marinated.
Incredibly thoughtful and delicious food, with what seemed like a focus on specialties from the Yucatán. I'm visiting DC from LA, have had Mexican cuisine from literally 100's of restaurants, some with Michelin stars, but mostly tacos stands on street corners, and I can honestly say this was a Top-10 spot in my book. Fresh blue corn tortillas were out of this world and everything on up from the house made guacamole to the clearly freshly made pickled onions was amazing. I especially enjoyed the smoky salsa Verde, just wish I could get more of it to take home with me.
Incredible spot, for those who love the attention to detail... even in the most simple of dishes. This team does not disappoint! Food, service, ambiance is a hidden gem in Dupont Circle...
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Fried Plantains, Chile Relleno
This dining experience brought me such joy! The restaurant decor and attentive service is great. The food hits all the authentic flavors of CDMX (Mexico City, Mexico). We came here because it's one of the few restaurants that offer mezcal. My mezcal margarita was wonderful; not too sweet. My partner ordered the Mezcal Negroni which he really enjoyed, telling me that it was somewhat like a mezcal old fashioned. It was impossible to choose a favorite among all that we ordered, but I will say the surprise ringer of the night was the Taco de Tinga de Pollo. They took what would traditionally be a street food tostada and made it an amazing taco. Have said this, do not write off the quesadillas de huitlacoche, taco de lamb barbacoa, or the taco de cochinita pibil. They are very loaded with protein and the house made tortillas are wonderful and took me right back to the streets of CDMX. Despite being full, I am so glad and highly recommended ending with the flan de cafe. As a former pastry chef I was very pleasantly surprised at the traditional way that the flan was made. Not only do I HIGHLY recommend Amparo Fondita, but I cannot wait to return!
I rarely take the time to post a review but I felt so burned by this place tonight. I'm happy to pay a premium for good food and service but this place missed the mark for me. I stopped in for dinner after a long flight and sat at the bar for a quick bite. The bartender was visibly annoyed that I didn't order any alcohol. I explained that I just got off of a long flight and didn't feel like a cocktail tonight but I would place a big food order to compensate (which I did). The bar was completely empty-- not a single seat was taken-- so I wasn't taking a spot from any drinkers who were waiting. Also, there are lots of people that don't drink or feel like alcohol at every dinner. I personally don't drink at every single dinner and it's never been an issue when I go out. I order big and tip extra. The flounder chorizo tacos were so overly salted I couldn't taste anything else but salt salt salt. The "all the herbs" rice was just plain white rice. Two of the salsas were ok, but nothing I would order again. The bartender continued to be unfriendly, visibly annoyed and I felt uncomfortable sitting there. She barely said one word to me and kept moving dishes and glassware around kind of aggressively-- I got the hint. I ate my food as quickly as I could and dipped. I was probably there a total of 30 minutes from start to finish. A 22% gratuity is automatically added to all checks (eyeball roll)... I would gladly pay 22% + for good service but it's not what I got tonight. There is no incentive to provide good service since it's automatically added. To be fair, the menu does disclose the 22% service fee and that they would take it off if asked but I wouldn't do that-- what an awkward conversation to have-- and I just wanted to leave asap.
We had a lovely meal here with friends. The atmosphere is light and airy, we had great service and the food was delicious. The ceviche was fresh, we shared a vegetarian bean stew that was delicious and the fish chorizo tacos were memorable. Looking forward to coming back!
If you are looking for legitimate Mexican food this is the spot, food is perfectly crafted with fresh an authentic ingredients, I wish I had room to order each item.if the menu, but definitely I will be back one of my favorites restaurants in the city, Chef Chris was super friendly and passionate about he's work and the service was very attentive.This place is a gem and hope everyone that really appreciate great Mexican food should try it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Tres Leches Cake, Tacos Cochinita Pibil, Pozole Half
Unjust involuntary service fees - not worth it - won't return - "service" not worth it
Very good cocktails and a fun vibe, but $18 for chips and guacamole? Took 45 minutes to get our fish tacos. I will give it another try but they have a few things to work out.
Restaurantji Recommends
Food and drinks were excellent!!! We ordered the tasting menu, and with just two of us, we had sooo much extra food, so I recommend coming with a big appetite.
All of the dishes used high quality, fresh ingredients with aromatic spices. The food was incredible and the mezcal was perfectly smoky. Incredible pozole-tender pork shoulder with the earthiness of the hominy and the tang from the Time SO GOOD! The guacamole needed more texture, the chips were a little oily, and the tacos were good. I really loved the vibrant, mosaic decor and layout of the restaurant. It was a little pricy for the portion sizes, but that's to be expected in the Dupont area.
I sat at the bar, and the service was lovely. My cocktail was good too, and at about regular DC prices. The food was way too expensive. The menu is not the same as on the website. If it were, maybe I wouldn't think it was too expensive, but 3 fish tacos for $20?! The tacos weren't bad but..oy. And chips are $15! I don't think this place is worth it. Go up 14th St to La Chicatana or Mezcalero or something instead. Additionally, they have a 22% extra charge that they say goes to operations. I had to ask the waitress if she got the money, she said it 'went to everyone,' which means it is NOT a tip, and of course I tipped her a regular 20%. So this was an unnecessarily expensive meal, and I hope the restaurant is in compliance with the rules the DC AG has set down.
The food was good (but some dishes could have been more flavorful) and the cocktails and service were even better. Not crazy about the 22% service charge (that isn't even the tip) even though I knew about it. It's a way of making your menu prices look less than they really are. Plus $27 for a sweet potato is a bit much even with marrow butter. I'll still give it three stars. Try it for yourself.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 4
Tasty dessert, ceviche, chips, and corn tortillas. Some of the best soft and mild corn tortillas I’ve tasted (others are sometimes overpowering). Beautiful and yummy cocktails. The mixed green salad was quite quite bitter and not up my alley, but amazingly large. Tacos we ordered were just ok, as the meat fell flat when overpowered by the pickled onions, salsa, and tortilla. Since that’s the main point of the meal (entrees) we left a bit underwhelmed. Tons of attentive staff though!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Ceviche, Tres Leches Cake