Picante
14511 Lee Jackson Memorial Hwy,Ste B, Chantilly, VA, 20151
Picante Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Chantilly for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Chantilly for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Chantilly for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
14511 Lee Jackson Memorial Hwy,Ste B
Chantilly, VA, 20151 - Phone (703) 222-2323
- Website https://www.picantetherealtaco.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Mexican Cuisine
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
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Erin G.
Err...not sure where are these rave reviews are coming from. Now, I won't pretend to know what "authentic" Mexican cuisine is, but I'm pretty sure I didn't find it here at Picante! I found the decorating to be overwhelming to say the least. It's very bright. Bright, bright,bright. The staff seemed nice enough, however I got the impression that boredom was in the air. I got the spinach burrito. Bland and the size of a small baby. More than half of it, it seemed, was rice. I ended up cutting out the spinach/onion mix and having that with some rice. It was not what I was expecting at an "authentic" Mexican restaurant. What I did like: the place was clean, the salsa you get with the chips is pretty good and the people are courteous- no more, no less.
(2)Edward B.
Best Mexican food in Nova. It's authentic Mexican and I have never ordered something I didn't like. Btw, if you're really hungry get the deluxe burrito. It's literally as big as your head.
(5)Jessica L.
As you can probably tell, I am not an authentic Mexican. However, my boyfriend sure is and his uncle had been raving about this place for the longest time. When he returned from Germany, the one thing he really craved was some good Mexican food. He remembered his uncle's referral to Picante!, so we made the trip out just for him! In celebration of his return, we each ordered margaritas. He got a traditional margarita on the rocks, while I opted for a frozen, mango margarita. Yum!! We didn't eat too much since we were going to have dinner in a few hours, so we only ordered from the appetizer menu. We got the chile rellenos and the "Alambres", which was a dish of tender beef sauteed with bacon (my fave), red bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms. I wasn't that huge a fan of the chile rellenos but the Alambres was delicious. I wouldn't mind coming back here to try some more dishes!
(4)Trish W.
This is a great place for families with kids. Been going here for years - in fact, we still credit their salsa with putting me into labor for my oldest son! Great authentic food, great margaritas, servers are all so friendly. I recently moved away, but it's one of the places that we think to go back to when we return home. Love the mother of all margaritas, and the service. Kids menu is great for little kids.
(4)Marisa F.
I have been checking out all of the different lunch options in the Chantilly area and Picante's was definitely on my list. My co-workers said it was a good place to go and I stopped in one day and got some food to go. Typical menu of Mexican food and I decided to go with the chicken mole enchiladas. You get a ton of food, but I thought the rice and beans were pretty bland. The enchiladas themselves were ok, but nothing to write home about. I was kind of surprised they didn't have better lunch prices (the enchiladas were 12.95) since I have learned that Chantilly is the mecca of fabulous and cheap lunch prices. I might check it out again, but I would rather go across the street to El Fresco because the food was better and cheaper.
(3)meriam c.
if you know what authentic mexican food taste like , skip this place. was not good at all. I think they microwaved pretty much everything ! disapointing !
(2)M W.
Enjoyed my first visit here - since The Tortilla Factory in Herndon closed, we've been looking for a good quality, low key mexican restaurant and we pleasantly surprised by Picante. I ordered a sangria (decent and freshly made) and chicken mole, which was delicious. Standard sides of refried beans and rice but well seasoned and not too salty, which is usually my complaint with mexican food. The chicken was tender and the mole sauce flavorful. Portions are more than generous, had to take half home in a box. Chips were just okay and the salsa was watery. Decor is warm and inviting, the service was attentive as it was a slow Saturday evening. Overall, I would go back once in a while.
(3)Karen F.
As an Arizona native, I am picky about my Mexican food. I am happy to have discovered Picante. The food is tasty, and the service is friendly. prices are reasonable, too.
(4)Paul M.
It's a good restaurant. Don't go it you are looking for a creative spin on Mexican, but it is a great place, a large menu and very friendly. Lots of allergy sensitive options. I love the mole.
(4)Chris G.
Been here a couple of times with Family and friends. Overall the food is pretty good, better than most Tex-Mex restaurants. You can taste some authentic flavors in some dishes around the basic offerings of Burritos and Tacos. Our family really enjoys the Pescado a la Veracruzana. Very authentic and well made. Carne Asada and other grilled meats are well cooked too! Drink wise margaritas are ok. Desserts are definitely the weak point for Picante, need to add some attention there. Service is always very good.
(3)Angela H.
This is not your typical Mexican restaurant, definitely more on the authentic side. Portions are huge. Plan to split a burrito with another person. My favorites are their enchiladas and tacos. They also have a really, really good tortilla soup. I do like their food, I just find myself feeling too stuffed sometimes when I leave because of the amount of cheese they use. That is why I like that they offer an option to just get one taco, or not opt for rice and beans. Their tacos are the BIGGEST I have ever scene. I give their salsa a 4/5. Their food is on the pricier side compared to other Mexican places, but not so high that I would recommend someone to come here.
(3)Kat I.
3.5 STARS Definitely digging the warm Aztec feel of the restaurant! Gigantic portions of food served in colorful dishware. Sunkist orange walls && ponchos for tablecloths. I wouldn't be surprised if some Fanta girls came out and started running around in their white gogos. CHICKEN ENCHILADAS (3 stars): Day's worth of protein && carbs right here. Chicken was a little dry, but the seasoning was great. CHILES VERDE TACOS (3 stars): Pretty good. Maybe it's all preference, but The beef/jalapeños were way too soupy, like they just dumped a laddle of beef stew over a tortilla. VALENTINA (3 stars): 3-layer white cake plopped with whipped cream, chocolate && raspberry syrup drizzled over it, lined by a strawberry skirt. I'm guessing the cake was under baked for the day since it was runny && spongy. I think it would've tasted pretty good otherwise.
(3)Fun M.
I think they make all the food once a week and then just reheat it. Everything was dry. Most everything was tasteless.
(2)Ryan L.
A place with great service and good food. The price is a little steep, but overall this was a good experience and we'd come back if we were in the area and hungry for Mexican! The enchiladas were excellent!
(5)Lizzy W.
Picante is AWESOME. Get a burrito - any of them, they all rock - and order it wet and supreme. They'll bring you a baby-sized pile of ecstasy wrapped in a tortilla. These things are MONSTERS, but so insanely good. The red sauce is my fave. Staff is extremely friendly and helpful. Prices are great too!! Not sure what some of the fools are talking about below. My date has been coming to Picante for 15 years and it's an awesome little hole in the wall, definitely recommend!
(5)J E.
I went there with the family today and had a great time. While it wasn't cheap, the service was very good and the food was excellent. It was certainly more tex-mex than 'real' mexican, but it was exactly what we were looking for. My wife had carne asada, I had the nachos especial, one kid had the kid's combo, and the other had a bean and cheese burrito. The sangria was very good and the flan was the best I've had in a long time. Highly recommended!
(4)Aly P.
Wasn't too impressed with much here. The service was about the best thing there. The chips tasted stale and the salsa seemed like it was store bought. Got two chicken enchiladas, one with red sauce and one with green. Both very bland and the enchiladas had no flavor at all. Chicken was very watery and the thing that really grossed me out were the beans. They were absolutely disgusting! I can't even describe the taste. It was awful. I couldn't even eat them. Absolutely gross. The food really lacked real Mexican flavor, actually any flavor and I won't be returning. One experience can ruin it forever and this one did! I don't recommend!
(1)Katrina S.
Not impressed by their chips and salsa, but the Alambres is a must-order. Meat and veggies, fajita-style, slathered in melty, gooey cheese? SOLD!
(3)David I.
Disappointing. The tomato-based ceviche wasn't very good so we sent it back. Unfortunately we ended up having to pay for it versus having it taken off our bill. The manager gave us queso dip for free but again, it wasn't very good. The margaritas were mostly mix, we couldn't taste any tequila. Finally, the burritos were decent but not great. What a shame.
(1)Vanessa P.
The cuisine comes out more tex-mex than authentic Mexican. Prices are steeper than most real Mexican restaurants but you get a lot more food for it. The Beau ordered a beef burrito which came out with beef being a cross between Taco Bell looking beef and shredded beef. There was very little cheese on it and it was MASSIVE and a little overwhelming. I'm not sure if the Chipotle crazed rubbed off on them or vice versa but they're both alike. I ordered the chicken quesadilla with chicken and cheese only. The chicken was grilled and cut into small cubes. Some of the edges of the chicken were hard or crispy which resulted in a sore mouth afterward. I prefer shredded, spiced chicken to grilled, unseasoned, cubed chicken. Very, very big portion though. The service was good and friendly, and our chip basket nor our drinks were ever empty. The decor in the restaurant was very lively and brought much needed character. Otherwise, this place isn't anything super special.
(2)Susan F.
So Picante is not my most favorite Mexican food, but it was better than most. The chips and salsa were okay. My husband reallly liked the salsa though. I had fajitas. Good but not the best. My husband had a burrito which was HUGE! My husband joked that it was the size of our Jack Russell Terrier!! Skip the tres leches cake as it was just down right disappointing.
(4)Angela S.
Two friends of mine (One cuban & one mexican) both raved about this location stating it was the best mexican food in the area. Keep in mind - I'm picky about my hispanic food - I usually only eat in Woodbridge since its the only area with authentic tasting food. The service is awesome - everyone was very friendly & helpful. Free chips & Salsa - Great! Picante's Sample Platter - everything besides the veggie quesadilla was disgusting. Beef Enchiladas a la Carte & Beef Taco - first off the cheese they use is yellow which I prefer the typical queso blanco cheese found in most hispanic restaurants. The enchilada sauce was burnt black....didn't even know that was possible. The meat for both items was this disgusting shredded but smashed to look like ground beef mixture. I have no clue what it was. The portions for it were great. I'm probably too picky & had great reviews from hispanic friends or maybe I just made the mistake of ordering the wrong food - but never again will I go here. I'd eat at Taco Bell prior to this place again and thats saying alot for me.
(2)Miriam H.
The shrimp fajitas are awful. I used to go there quite a bit with family or friends and I was always satisfied with the food. However the last 3 times I have gone the food have been awful. It tastes like everything is frozen then microwaved. I am definitely not returning to this place anytime soon.
(1)Chris D.
Was in the area and relied on Yelp to find something new. The experience ended up being more disappointing than good, which annoys me, because I have a soft spot for over-the-top Tex-Mex joints. Among the things you would have heard if you were eating with us are... "It smells like paint varnish in here." "This menu is huge, I can't decide what I want." "This salsa tastes pretty fresh." "The queso would probably be pretty good if it wasn't cold." "$3 for an iced tea?" "Why does all guacamole look like baby shit if you try and save it?" "That old guy's lunch buddy called the restaurant's phone to say he was running late." "This hot sauce doesn't seem to be a naturally occurring green." "That meal wasn't worth $48."
(2)Julie M.
I grew up near Picante the Real Taco and drove past it a million times before I actually stopped and decided to try it. For years we'd gone to the Anita's down the street, and I didn't question that choice because Anita's had been there for years and clearly knew what they were doing. One trip to Picante a few years ago, though, changed my numero uno restaurante Mexicano forever. First off, the name is awesome. Come on, who doesn't like to say, "Picante the Real Taco?!" Secondly, the portions are huge! I normally get the bean and cheese burrito deluxe and it lasts me two days. Yum. Lastly, the customer service is great. They're all super nice and the food comes out surprisingly quickly. Bottom line ... it might not look like much from the outside (or on the inside for that matter), but it's a hidden gem. Go to Picante the Real Taco. Ole'!
(5)Jae K.
Since i'm frin LA, I guess my taste for Mexican is a bit higher than others writing here. While the limitless bowls of chips and salsa is good, the food itself is average at best compared to places I've been used to eating out in LA, and even to a certain degree Oregon. With some of the review on here I expected better, but it's just ok for me.
(3)Brendon G.
Having lived in the Southwest for most our lives, one of the things we miss most is the Mexican food. We were hoping Picante would satisfy our craving. It did not. I think the waitress forgot about our order. After waiting for an extended period of time we finally decided to remind her of our food. She brought it out a short time later, but the mole sauce for my chicken had been burnt by that time and my date was disappointed in her enchilada. I guess we'll have to keep looking for good Mexican.
(2)Ryan M.
This time around the picadillo tacos were a bit disappointing and kind of on the expensive side. It was not ground beef with tomatoes, but more like a pulled beef brisket taco. The bean and cheese tacos were good but still pricey. The regular and hot salsa were both delicious.
(3)Pj J.
eh... bland tasteless food! mediocre service.
(1)Barbara C.
This is the best Mexican in the area, and we've been going there for years. The service and food are wonderful, and it's kid-friendly. Margaritas are HUGE!
(5)Jeanne L.
This is my favorite mexican restaurant now. I love how its a small family owned restaurant. You can always get a seat on the weekends and the food is great and fresh. Their prices are very reasonable too.
(5)Audrey L.
Returned here this past week only because Thai Basil had a wait. Oddly enough Picante only had 2-3 tables occupied. I ordered the vegetable burrito which was very odd and had no flavor. It contained plain white rice, spinach, and chopped up vegetables. I paid extra just to have guac and sour cream, and I could find VERY little guacamole in the burrito. My burrito, which came with no sides, was around $10 at lunch. They have no lunch prices or lunch specials that I saw, so you pay the same at lunch as you would for dinner. My bf also ordered two pork tacos and when asked if it came with any sides, the server said he was unsure. It also came out with no sides (no toppings either except for some shredded lettuce) and our check was around $30 for two very bland entrees with no sides. I can't imagine people coming here for lunch and being ok with spending $15 (including drink + tax + tip) on one very plain burrito. I think for that price they could at least throw you some sour cream for no extra charge. Next time we will probably just go to Chipotle.
(2)Nolan C.
Quite simply, the most bland mexican food I ever had. I had the steak fajitas; my friends had various other dishes but we all agreed that the food was unremarkable. I think I remember the burrito my friend had looking like a pile of spinach and rice. Service was fine. Overall I was pretty disappointed.
(2)David K.
This is great Mexican food. Is there better? Yes. But not within 40 friggin miles of 20120. I would challenge anyone to point to a better place, it isnt possible. The chips and salsa arent the best, but they satisfy. Try any one of the "recommended items on the first page, and you will be in for a treat. Yes, they are between 10-15 dollars an entree, but to keep a non-chain restaurant that has good food around, I don't mind paying it. Also - it's NoVA people, you can't get dinner for less. Best Mexican place this side of the Potomac (maybe more, but I don't go over to the MD side much).
(5)Cyndy D.
I ordered fajitas expecting a nice medley of grilled vegetables. What I got was an abundance of green and red peppers swimming in grease. The tortillas fell apart. The service was slow. Big FAIL.
(1)Min Sae C.
This is the kind of place that gives "REAL" Mexican food a bad name. Some of the worst chips & salsa I have ever had at any kind of joint. The salsa was so poorly blended that the cilantro stems were 2-3 inches long. The chips were almost inedible. I should have ordered a burrito but wanted to give this place a fair shot and ordered the Beef & Pork Verde Platter. The rice was beyond bland and dry. The charro beans were just beans in a soupy mess that had little flavor. I tried to dump it onto my rice to at least moisten the rice but together it tasted horrible. The basic flavor of the verde sauce was okay but I literally could not tell what was beef and what was pork. I felt like I was on Gordon Ramsey's show Kitchen Nightmare's. The menu also claims that their tortillas are home made. Their corn tortillas are made by a local company Casa Blanca. They are not real authentic corn tortillas because they are made with maseca ( corn flour ). Their flour tortillas were a little better but were also not homemade. My biggest problem with this joint is value. If you are going to serve subpar to average food then it had better be cheap. This place was just as expensive as Uncle Julio's and La Sandia but with half the quality. You are better off waiting at Thai Basil or checking out the Indian joint Minerva.
(1)Chris B.
The food here was pretty bland. The salsa that comes out with the chips before your meal didn't really have much flavor to it. For my main course, I went with the wet chicken burrito. While it was very pretty looking and fit to be showcased on "Man Versus Food" (it was huge), it also lacked flavor. The service, however, was really good.
(3)Matt B.
This was one of the strangest Mexican Restaurants I have been to. No chimichangas and the nachos I got had very little chips. The food was quality, and I would say that this is one of the better Mexican Restaurants out there. They had a tasty cinnamon dessert. It wasn't my favorite, but you might like it.
(3)Jay B.
Picante is in my regular rotation of local restaurants, so it's long past time I add a review. I like Picante - a lot. It's the best place I've found in the area for Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine. It's far from perfect - some elements fall short, the prices are relatively high, and the parking lot can be a nightmare - but I continue to go back enthusiastically. Things they get right - the tamales are quite good, as are the most of the Tex-Mex classics - enchiladas, burritos, fajitas, etc. One of my favorite items is the mole enchilada platter - the mole sauce is excellent, and they don't skimp with it. My wife regularly order a chicken burrito with red sauce because it's consistently good, and it's a generous portion - she usually has enough leftover for the next day's lunch. And on top of the classics, Picante's menu ventures into some dishes that are not common at strip-mall Mexican restaurants - queso fundido and poblanos con crema and ceviche on the appetizer menu. Cecina de res, adobo de puerco, and pescado a la Veracruzana or al Mojo de Ajo from the Specials of the House menu. I love the Cecina de Res, but I've never really gone wrong with any of the specials. Picante is also a family friendly place, and the decor is over the top and colorful. And if you're interested in a more adult experience, they've added a tequila bar on one side of the restaurant, where you can sit in comfortable lounge chairs and sample their large variety of primo tequilas. But Picante does fall short in a few areas. I love nibbling on salsa and chips before a Mexican meal, but Picante's chips are rarely warm, inconsistently salted, and I find the salsa a bit runny. The food is priced high for a Mexican place - dinner for two can easily exceed $40. The portions are generous, and I rarely feel cheated, but I can see why some would question the value of the meals. And lastly, the location is the pits. Picante is in an old strip mall on the south side of Hwy 50, just west of Rte 28 in Chantilly. The traffic, especially during weekdays, can be a nightmare in this area. Access to the parking lot can be painful - especially when coming in from the east and departing to the west. And the parking lot is cramped and often busy. Still, I'm willing to put up with the pain of getting there often enough that I have Picante for dinner once or twice a month. I've probably eaten there 30 times in the past couple of years, and I'm always happy coming away from the experience.
(4)Karen W.
Thought the prices were a little high on ok mexican food. The service was good. Not great or anything.
(2)Kevin M.
Came here with family this weekend. My brother in law, who lived in Mexico for two years said this was his favorite Mexican restaurant that he has been to in Northern VA so we decide to give it a try with them and were not disappointed. What is better is that it was not overly crowded at 6:00 pm on a Saturday Night. My wife got the Torta de Pierna which was super good. If you are in the mood for a good sandwich this is the one to get. I got beef flautas which were also very delicious. I am not much of a bean person but my sons bean and cheese burrito was very good. The beans are very fresh as are the tortillas. We will defintely be making our way back to this restaurant in the near future.
(5)Bodie Z.
Horrible food, mediocre service, tacky atmosphere. Nuff said. Never going back here. The only reason they get one star is because the salsa dancing on Friday's is excellent, my wife went out and said she had a great time. If you order mixed drinks at the bar know that you will be getting a watered down powder mix margarita. Order a beer or a shot if you want to get any taste of alcohol.
(1)Fernando A.
Absolutely delicious fresh Mexican food. This is not your typical chain restaurant with "eh" flavors. The food is seasoned just right and made fresh to order. We have been there twice and both times we have been very pleased. On both visits we took friends with us and they just nearly licked the plates clean. Great atmosphere and friendly staff. Stop in for lunch or a nice dinner night out...you won't be dissapointed! Leave room for dessert!!
(4)Chrryl P.
Wow, what a great experience! the service and food are outstanding! If you you enjoy a good drink, they have a huge selection of tequila and guess what? They offer Salsa dancing lessons every Friday night! I love this place! They serve fresh fried chips with homemade salsa while you wait for your meal, which isn't long! Say 'hi' to the manager, Michael!
(5)Stacey S.
I should preface this review with the fact that I typically do not like Mexican food. So much cheese and beans and bland and ... you get the picture. But I LOVE Picante. I have never had a bad dish here. The stuffed jalepeno appetizer, the sizzling pork tacos marinated in achiote and pineapple, and most recently, the chile rellenos. Wow. I could not stop inhaling the smoky tomato sauce (both through my nostrils and my mouth). The chiles are stuffed with ground pork, dried fruit and spices - a unique and flavorful combination so well set off by that incredible tomato sauce. The food here tastes fresh and cooked with care. It's fairly reasonably priced, good service, and for me, close to home.
(5)Michael H.
One of my favorite mexican restaurants. Their fajitas are out of this world, and their portions are HUGE. Don't believe me, then get the burrito. I love the queso too. And food always comes out very fast.
(5)K H.
Good, nothing groundbreaking, but worth a trip
(3)Colleen F.
Enjoyed lunch at Picante. Great service and really enjoyed the food.
(5)Eric S.
An acquaintance recommended this place, and, well, he's normally pretty spot on when it comes to all manner of food. Sadly, I found his Achilles' heel -- Mexican food. I don't care how on top of things you are, if you grew up in Virginia, you don't know Mexican. Sorry, chief. So yeah, this is really more of a 2.5 stars kind of thing, with the price being what caused me to round down instead of up. On a scale of 10, I'd say 5 -- mediocre and overpriced. Didn't hate it, didn't love it. Before I rail more, I will hit the positives. They did get "the look" right in that walking in, I was excited to see it look like a real mid-range Mexican[0] joint you'd see out West somewhere -- that is, totally over the top. Service was decent, but nothing to brag about. They have chili verde on the menu (rare out here) -- not the best I've had, but decent.. They also had mole dishes on the menu, which again, isn't common. Sadly, it was kind of a boring mole sauce. The carnitas were good, and there were plenty of them. In fact, given how huge the tacos[1] are, you'd do just fine ordering a plate of carnitas tacos. Had I done that, I'd probably have a better review of the place. As for everything else. . . blah. The usual dishes, but none of them even remotely spicy enough, and that includes the salsa. Also, I didn't even enjoy the beans much, and beans are a food group to me. If a Mexican place doesn't do good beans, then they have a lot of work to do. I might go back if I was in the area and someone else dragged me, but I'm not making the trip out there on my own again. Mexican that doesn't suck is hard to find out here, especially a couple dishes they do have, but I can do better. Sorry kids, I didn't agree with the hype. ~EEE~ [0] In my world, Mexican comes in three flavors: no frills roach coach/taqueria, mid-range sit down place with crazy decorations and such, and nice sit down place where it's similar food but you take your parents because it's dark, tasteful, and quiet. On the East Coast, that doesn't seem to exist, in favor of "fine dining Mexican", which is another animal entirely. [1] Other reviewers are not kidding. The tacos are the size of a baby's head!
(2)Allan N.
2.5 stars. I'd have to agree with AB. I had the deluxe chicken burrito and it came out to be $11. It was big and all but I don't think it warranted the price. I would give it a try but the prices seemed a bit high. Service was friendly and fast. I miss the taco stands I've been to in CA that are fresh and cheap.
(3)Darren G.
Nice little place for Mexican: yes it actually tasted authentic! Got enchiladas with molé sauce on a corn tortilla- very hard to find. Rice and beans were boring, but enchiladas were outstanding! Also gets an A+ in customer service. I'd definitely come here again :)
(4)Barry S.
The sad thing is the food was pretty unique and tasty but it was about $2-3 over priced for the portion size and the quality/atmosphere. Our Mole was pretty nasty (although to be honest I don't know what the dark brown sauce is supposed to taste like). The chicken tacos were quite average but the two beef tacos we tried were fantastic! Again, overall a three star ... worth eating there if you were in the area but I wouldn't drive out of my way for this place.
(3)Michael C.
Delicious food, the atmosphere is good and the food was not bad at all. Looks a little shady on the outside, but good food and excellent salsa make up for it.
(4)Barbara B.
Picante is great family friendly, non-chain restaurant that serves a variety of Mexican dishes. Of course, they have the usual suspects: sizzlin' hot fajitas, tacos (the al carbon on the corn tortillas are great), queso dip from heaven, and burritos the size of newborn babies ... but it's the specials that are really awesome. I haven't been to many Mexican restaurants that have shrimp on the menu (other than fajita style), but Picante has two that are delish: the Mexicana and the Diablo. Mexicana is almost like a Mexican shrimp creole: tomato based, and served with rice. I believe it has onions and cilantro in it. Not spicy and yummy. The Diablo is HOT HOT HOT. There really isn't much in it except shrimp and a red sauce that will burn your buns off. It's also served over rice, which only soaks up more of the yummy hot sauce. I love spicy food, but even I have to slow down when I get the Diablo. It is CRAZY hot. Both shrimp dishes run between $13 - $15, which I don't think is unreasonable for a shrimp entree. Add in the free chips hot from the oven, bottomless soda/tea, and the friendly service, and Picante's got my vote for best Mexican in Northern VA. Picante bonuses: - All the fresh chips & salsa you can eat - Mug-a-rita Tuesdays - $3 margaritas (yippee!) - Kids eat free on Mondays (one kid to one paying adult). The grilled cheese is the BEST you will ever have. Ever. - Kids club where you get a free kids meal on their birthday. - We celebrated my husband's birthday there 2 years ago and he not only got to wear the birthday sombrero, but they gave him a free Picante t-shirt too! - Live music during the later part of the week - Free Picante mug (we got this at Xmas)... this could also be because we go there so dang much that they figure we would be good advertising!
(4)Gregg H.
It ain't Texas, but about as good as it gets in these parts! The owners have a Lone Star pedigree and extremely friendly staff. Their Fajitas are without a doubt the best in the DC metro! Portions are generous and prices reasonable. Parking is free in this strip center near Dulles, the Air and Space Museum and Chantilly employment centers. The atmosphere is comfortable - for singles, couples, families with children, or work groups. Their Margaritas are renowned! Whether it is a working lunch, an escape from home-cooking, happy hour or family night out, you will be catered to by the friendlies staff in the region! Stop on in!
(4)Meghann J.
We had a party of about 10 for a lunch at Picante. There seemed to be a bit of a communication issue with the server, we had to ask her several times for the same things...over and over (this started when there was just 2 of us there and continued throughout the meal, so it wasnt just the large group that had her confused.) The food was good. I had never had queso the way that they make it. It was more of a solid sort of cheese melted with chorizo in it. It was pretty good. We got the fajitas for 2. The serving size was HUGE (for $25 it should be), we had the chicken and beef mix with the grilled veggies. The only real issue that I had was that we were charged extra for the extra tortillas that we ordered, and we had to chose either cheese or sour cream, if we wanted the other we would be charged. I'd go back again just for the fajitas though, I love a grilled meat or veg. We had enough leftovers for two people! So in summary...food good...prices high....comunication lacking.
(3)Amita R.
Well after looking at all the reviews for this place, I feel kind of bad for only giving it 3 stars. I went there for dinner last night with about 5 other people and well pretty much had the same conclusions: - For appetizers, we had the half platter, which came with a queso dip, vegetable quesadillas and some kind of rolled up thing that I can't think of the name of. All 3 were really good and definitely worth a try. The quesadillas, especially, was a favorite of mine. - For dinner, we ordered a vegetable burrito, with spinach, topped with red sauce. Bad choice. The burrito was nothing but refined beans and white rice. I have never seen white rice in a burrito before. Usually, you see fried rice or Spanish rice, but never white. It was bland, dry and just kind of boring. And it was huge! We shared it among the table and there was still plenty of left overs. - We also ordered the vegetable burritos. AMAZING! These were the favorite of the table and the night. Definitely worth trying again. Overall, we may back to this place, but definitely not for their burritos.
(3)Carly C.
I don't know what makes this place think it can be called "The Real Taco" because their food is bland and boring. I've been here about 3 times over the past few years and have never once left thinking it was a satisfying meal. This last visit was a little better because they altered their salsa recipe and it has slightly more flavor. Other than that, I really wasn't impressed with the food or paying $12 for a salad with nothing exciting in it. Want Mexican? Go to El Fresco around the corner.
(2)Jo C.
Burritos were good. Beef burrito was a combination of ground and shredded mixed up. Made for an interesting consistency. Not bad but not great. Food came out quick and was hot. Overall, there's better Mexican food out there, just not in the area.
(4)Justin M.
Decided to try this place after reading the good reviews. I was very impressed with the food and drinks. I went on a Monday (which was the mojito special day) and had two enchiladas, one with cheese and green sauce and one with chicken with red sauce. I also had two mojitos that were mixed perfectly. The food and service was great, so I'll be back soon!
(4)Jeff C.
While I really love this place it is a bit maddening in its inconsistency. It is never bad but about 1/2 the time it is excellent and the other 1/2 just merely good. The service is always prompt and courteous. The Sirloin Tips Chipotle and the Abodo del Puerco are my standbys and are both really good and a welcome break from the formulaic enchilada/burrito/taco trio. The 3 carnitas taco includes, I kid you not, at least a pound of savory and aromatic shredded pork. The fajitas are not very good, always very dry and overcooked. Other than that everything that I have had has been worth getting again. They also have a huge selection of Tequilas. I counted almost 50 bottles last time I was there. So if you are looking for some new Tequilas to try this looks to be a good place to do so.
(4)Galilaina L.
Picante is a great little place right off of Rt 50 in Chantilly, VA. At first look from the outside it doesn't amount to much but the restaurant staff is very friendly and the food is pretty good. I especially like the Chilles Rellenos they are to die for. On weekends they have some entertainment in the bar/lounge which makes it more enjoyable. They happened to have salsa the night we went and have continued to frequent the place on weekends for the food and dancing. Thumbs up.
(4)Davide M.
I went just once and food was ok. I had beef fajitas and beef was more like carne asada, not super tender but decent. Bean dip was ok, guacamole good and all the other ingredients were fine. tortillas were a bit cold. Price average.
(3)Dr. Snarkenstein Y.
I have been to Picante several times but not as often as I would like to. It never disappoints. Everything is fresh and authentic. It reminds me of the Mexican meals I have had in Southern Cali and Arizona. Certainly more than Anitas and others. The shrimp diablo is VERY spicy, one of my favorite dishes in NoVa. Picante expanded several years ago, taking over the doughnut shop next door. That tells you how their biz is doing. However, I miss the days when I had a late dinner at Picante and could smell the doughnuts being made. Yummy!
(5)Poriya M.
Great ambiance and authentic Mexican setting, I tried 3 different kinds of enchallidas and they were all great
(5)Jeff W.
Man, I feel bad for breaking up the perfect score party but I just can't get past the high prices at Picante. The food is top notch, providing a true mexican feel but everything is pretty expensive, especially for lunch. Granted, most of the portions are huge but I wish they could have a smaller, less costly lunch menu for when you don't want leftovers. Highlights include the wet burritos with guajillo sauce, the tortas and the tortilla soup...OH the tortilla soup! Never had anything like it in my life but it is just flat out delicious with a ton of meat in a beautiful broth. Even the chips and salsa are noteworthy and delicious at Picante!
(4)Bindu S.
Last night my husband and I decided to go to picantes. My husband ordered a taco salad in a shell. After a few bites he said the salad tastes weird. It was yucky n bitter. I tried a bite and almost spit it. We asked for the manager/ owner and he came to our table. We explained what we were experiencing. He tried to explain but did not agree there was anything wrong with the food. Sigh.... Oh well.. I just spent my nite in the bathroom. I am still sick. Guess we will not go back to the place.
(1)Robert B.
I really wanted to like this place, but the food was lacking and the prices were high. I found it to be overpriced ($13.50 for a small taco and a mole enchilada combo with flavorless rice and beans). I tried one of their signature dishes and I was also disappointed with the quality of food relative to the price. This place needs to slash their prices in half or tremendously increase their food quality to justify the prices. Mexican-ish food is not supposed to be expensive - that's the whole point. Unfortunately, I will not be going back. Are there any good Mexican restaurants in the NOVA area?
(2)Randy M.
Did it live up to the hype? It pretty much did. Great food and ambiance, tasty margaritas, and friendly service. The chips and tortillas appear to be made in house, always a must for top notch tex mex. I went with fajitas (beef), they were awesome, you get a choice of rice, beans, or cheese? with them. But pico, sour cream, and guacamole come with. Other orders at the table were enchilada/taco combo and burritos. The burritos are massive, think 1.5 pounds big. And in the same line the tacos are also huge, one might struggle to eat just three of them. My one and only gripe was that when nearby tables where cleared and cleaned the smell of the cleaning solution lingered a few minutes and was strong.
(4)Darrius P.
We drive 1.5 hours away to eat here. One of our top 3 favorite restaurants. We've never been disappointed with the food, service, wait time or atmosphere. For chocolate lovers, their Tres Leches (I think I have that right) is the ultimate dessert.
(5)Matthew G.
The tacos are large. There are two tortillas laid down in kind of an 8 figure, so one taco is really two taco's. I saw a reviewer say that the taco's are small, which is not the case. I would have rated 4 stars except that the prices are way too high. I love the tacos Al Pastor at Picante, but rarely go because I can't pay $13.49 for a taco and enchilada combo. It would be less expensive if I got just the taco plate but I want rice and beans too. Taco's here are great. Enchiladas here are ok. My wife has gotten some of the signature dishes and we were all disappointed. The tacos are what keeps me coming back. Did I mention the Tacos Al Pastor? Currently, Picante is a place I go rarely as a special treat. The lack of decent Mexican in NoVa and DC is depressing. Having lived in SoCal for a few years I got used to great mexican food. Now I feel like a starving man with a Saltine out here (man that's a good cracker, is it a Ritz?). Picantes wouldn't make the A list in SoCal, but if you want a decent taco (Al Pastor), and dont mind paying a lot for it, give Picante a shot.
(3)Ceeee C.
I figured I'd try this place out since it's in my neighborhood. I ordered three tacos and side orders of beans and rice. It was nothing to brag about. The taco meat was not bad, and portions were good - but for $17, not worth it. Granted, I took my order to go so I did not get the whole restaurant experience. I may try again or I might just end up making tacos at home :p
(2)Dean J.
Had a bean and cheese burrito...tasted liked something bad I would make myself. My wifes tacos were pretty good though and queso was great. Think I am still an anitas man though.
(3)Rachal L.
My family has been going to Picante's since it opened. It is a wonderful family owned restaurant in the Chantilly area. It is one of very few chains and it has a great feel and friendly people. They have Mexican food that isn't processed and is as close to the real deal as your probably going to get in NoVA! I'm currently in San Diego, CA so I'm spoiled with great Mexican all over but Picante's in the one spot in VA that always delivers and doesn't taste like you got it from Taco Smell!
(5)Jessica M.
A wonderful surprise! I was really craving TexMex for my birthday dinner. Montgomery County is slacking in it's offerings and I still had visions of the plentiful, yummy food in San Antonio. My dad, who used to work in Chantilly, suggested I go to Picante. I am very happy I did! I went on a Sunday and it wasn't very crowded. We had pretty quick service. The menu had a lot of items, but was laid out a little odd in sequence. I ordered the Carne Asada platter. It came with two pieces of steak, two cheese enchiladas w/ salsa verde, rice, refried beans, guacamole, and the usual lettuce & tomato. It was so darn tasty and very filling. The steak was cooked & seasoned very well and was not too chewy. The enchiladas were delicious. What ever cheese they used in them must have come directly from the heavens. For desert, I had the tres leche cake and my daughter had the sopapillas. The sopapillas tasted like a combo of baklava and Cinnamon Toast Crunch (yum!) The tres leche cake was also very yummy. It was like eating the cake and having a glass of milk at the same time. I doggy bagged the remaining half of my meal and was super pleased with the way it tasted the next day. This restaurant is worth the drive to NOVA!
(5)Andy P.
The best Mexican food I can find in greater DC. Typically, Mexican food around here is crap, but Picante's is legit, very much like what I grew up on in Texas. Of course the prices are very DC -- something that costs $10-12 here would be only $6-8 back home, but what can you do? That's just how it is around here. Fajitas are the go-to item. I've taken numerous friends of various cultures there and never once seen anyone not love them. Chile rellenos are a nice appetizer or queso are nice starters, or you can just do the salsa, it's good enough that you don't really need anything else as a starter. After that everything is pretty good, though I would stay away from burritos and do something more adventurous (they have a very good fish dish who's name escapes me), or they have a pretty good Pollo en Mole if you want to do homestyle. They're more than adequate in the tequila department and have a nice tres leches dessert. All around one of my favs.
(4)A B.
I must have gone to the wrong place. It looked like a DC carryout, except minus the bulletproof glass. Which, imo, is what makes a carryout. No bulletproof glass? Well, then, I just don't trust your mambo sauce wings. But seriously. I got very happy when I saw the prices at this place, and then the portion sizes...but...well, I should just know better than to order a burrito at a place that says "the real TACO". Point blank, I just don't recommend the burritos. Esp. the chicken in red sauce one. I still think maybe I went to the wrong place. But the sign DID say picante's...
(2)Steve S.
This is the most expensive poor quality food you can buy in chantilly. The tacos are soggy and not tasty and cost $4 each. What a rip off. Not to mention the servers don't know what "sitting at the bar" means. Just ask them and see where they sit you. At least that is some comic relief to distract from the high prices. Lastly, I watched my food get come out if the kitchen and sit for over 5 minutes while employees constantly walked by the food with no one caring it was ready. I will never go back with the amount of quality restaurants nearby this place. I am baffled that people can speak positively of this place.
(1)Earl K.
Recommend the chicken burrito, wet. Tender and tasty. The salsa is tops.
(3)Scott M.
Some of the dishes are mediocre and some of them aren't what you expect - it's fairly authentic Mexican and might need to grow on you. I say if you ever love tomatillo (green) sauce, this is the place for you. That's why it's my favorite place. The green tamales, chile verde tacos, or anything else with the green tomatillo sauce is fantastic. Also the fish veracruza is nice, a sweet fruity fish stew type dish - and big enough to split over two people. Finally, the cake is awesome, especially the chocolate - semi-sweet and moist. If you know what to order at Picante it's awesome.
(5)Sekar R.
Service is good, interior decoration is nice. Asked for more spicy and they really provided very hot.
(4)Jina Y.
Originally came here because DC Paint Nite was held here. I ordered their margarita and it was okay. It just tasted really limey in my opinion. After painting, my friend ordered fajitas. I only tried a bite, but the meat was tender and it seemed to be flavorful. One thing I didn't like was that it was crowded with all the people from paint nite and the waitresses didn't seem to care about the space. Meaning every time I stood up to go somewhere they just pushed through and when I looked at them they were like "oh, excuse me." I'm like uh, okay? I will be back to try the food some day... I'll update my review then...
(3)Tony F.
I went to the restaurant last night for dinner with my daughter and I felt fooled by the staff. I order the fish veracruzana that is a classic Mexican I ask what kind of fish they use and the lady responded grouper! and I order it. Came the dish and the sauce was well made but the fish was tylapia a difference easy to recognize by my palate since I cant stand the muddy taste of that farm raised cheap fish and I do know my grouper. I told the waiter but the cook denied the scheme, we did not ate it but they charge the 15 dollars anyway. If anyone concern with this restaurant read this I ask you to please dont try to fool the American people you know you can't fool a Mexican.
(1)P M.
More like 3.5 stars, but rounded up to 4. The food is pretty good. Trying to find good Mexican food in the DMV area is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Coming from the West coast, nothing has even come CLOSE to the taste of home. Picante!, on the other hand, is surprisingly good in comparison to what is available in the area. I ordered delivery and they were on time and polite. * The Picante Sample platter - a combo of apps for the indecisive consisting of Nachos especiales, tamales, flautas, veggie quesadilla & chile con queso - is quite tasty. While it will not feed 5, as the menu says (maybe 2-3??), the taste is definitely there. *The tortilla soup is more soupy than thick (what I'm used to), but it's also good. *The spinach burrito is HUGE, but you pay extra for the cheese/lettuce/tomato, which is standard in most burritos elsewhere. *Chihuahua cheese comes from the milk of chihuahua dogs - if it's authentic, and I always opt out of this type of dairy *The chocolate tres leches cake is extra sweet and very filling and plenty for 2 people (and I'm not often one for sharing desserts). They did *not* include the fresh fruit topping from the description, less 1/2 star. *They did include a massive amount of tortilla chips, which was a nice gesture. *Delivery fee of $3.00 - a bit much? (less 1/2 stars) The prices are higher than other local Mexican fare (less 1/2 star), but the quality of the food (including the meat and chicken that was included in the Picante Sampler platter) were good enough that I'd order from this place again and maybe even try the restaurant in person.
(4)Christine T.
I've been eating at this place for 10+ years and I feel terrible that I haven't posted a review. I've recommended this place to friends, family, and co-workers. The menu is rather large and they have a good variety. I will admit I haven't made a dent in trying out the expansive menu, but I will at least provide my insights on what's good and perhaps what you should skip (although not much). I last ate here about a week ago. My newest favorite and now go to is the tacos al carbon. They serve it on a skillet (sort of like fajitas minus the fajita toppings). I order it for two and can easily get two additional meals after taking it home. The burritos are also good, although I will say I'm not a fan of the chicken burrito, the last time I had it was made with pulled chicken and was rather bland. The bean and cheese burritos are excellent. I can only get through half a burrito. The fajita tacos are also excellent, I've only had the chicken but the tortilla is stuffed with meat and of course peppers and onions. The nachos are ok, my hubby likes them, to me they are a bit too heavy, they're good but I've had better elsewhere. They also have a good drink selection the large margarita is huge, so if you're not driving drink up. If you are driving I suggest sharing with someone else or get the smaller sized one. They do have salsa dancing on Friday nights on the bar side of the restaurant. I normally come here for lunch though on the weekends which its not too busy. Never had to wait for a table here.
(5)Jillarae R.
I came here for PaintNite and had no idea it was even there...and I work right around the corner. This is tot your typical Mexican restaurant. The menu is huge and I love options so this was perfect. My group of 3 ordered a "half plate appetizer to serve 5" and we couldn't believe the portion. It was small and I am still wondering how 5 people could enjoy it. It had 1 of everything so you really had to pick and choose what you wanted to try on the appetizer plate. We also ordered a shrimp salad...that barely filled up a plate. Not a lot of lettuce or greens and a couple pieces of shrimp. They don't have happy hour? Kind of weird for having such a large bar. The owner was however very nice and spoke during PaintNite. He offered us coupons, too. My only other comment would be that the service was a bit slow and they weren't packed or busy. May be worth checking out again.
(4)Claudia C.
K... Place was ok...music... Not that bad...if advertising says salsa night be salsa night... Salsa classes are at 8:30 to 10pm. Not at 11:30 when real salseros trying to dance with passion... Is not a freaking competition and definitely not a meat market...oh and love my latino restaurant owners... But why in the hell do you think is ok to turn off the a/c off on the side where the dance floor is. anyway!!! Wont be back there for this friday's salsa nigh thing!!! Good thing i was with my husband. Was funny to watch those competitive salsa dancers wanna be flying of to the ground...
(1)Aly R.
Hands down my most favorite Mexican restaurant! The chicken fajitas are what I get EVERY time, easily enough to feed two, you will not be disappointed! and the chili con queso is easily the best out of any other mexican place. I eat here at least once every other week and its always consistent. They even offer a wide variety of Tequilas for tasting and latin dance classes on friday nights!
(5)Melissa F.
Fun atmosphere! Came here with a few friends for lunch and had a mango margarita with a vegetable quesadilla. Taking our orders was a little slow but the food came out in a timely manner. Both the quesadilla and the margarita were very tasty. The establishment is a very colorful and fun place to come with family or friends. Order a frozen margarita for sure!
(4)Sakeeeennnnaaa H.
The food is pretty good here. I come here a few times a month. Sometimes it's phenomenal sometimes it's alright. The service has always been good and the portions generous. Except last night they were really stingy with the guacamole. Which is surprising because all of the local grocery stores have had sales on avocados. And I am not aware of any droughts....
(3)Mica S.
Pretty good food, great waiter, the reason for 4 stars is because instead of charging for the extras in the meal price itself its tacked onto the tab at the the end. Just was kind of annoying to get a bill for 4 people with like 10x $1 items, when most would prefer to just be shown the $1 or $2 more per meal price.
(4)Nathan G.
The food was ok, but I left disappointed that both items I ordered came different than described in the menu. The Tacos Al Pastor were tasty, with plenty of meat and toppings. A few complaints: 1) some actual pineapple in the meat would have been nice, 2) the menu didn't state that you had to assemble your own tacos (I would have chosen something less messy), and 3) I found out later that they were supposed to come with frijoles a la charra, which were never brought out. I got the Valentina for dessert, which is supposed to be white cake, but the one I got was chocolate. I'm not a huge fan of chocolate, and the cake's consistency reminded me of a frozen Pepperidge Farm cake from Giant (not good). My friend got the Vanilla Blossom, which was a definite improvement. He wants to go back for dessert again, but I wasn't all that impressed by the experience.
(3)Kristy H.
I've visited Picante many times and really enjoyed the food. When I'm in the mood for truly authentic food, I always make the drive from Bristow (while passing many other spots along the way). The customer service my group experienced last night makes me think about not returning. I gathered a group of friends to go to happy hour to celebrate my birthday. When arriving we asked about the Happy Hour Specials posted on the website. The waitress argued with us that they do not have Happy Hour on Thursday nights and sat us away from the bar area. When pulled up the webpage, she rolled her eyes at us and walked away to get someone else. The waitress brought a lady over and another gentleman. Both who argued the website is out of date and their was no happy hour. This went on for at least 15 minutes, all the while, we still had no menus or our drink orders weren't taken. Nothing was done to accommodate for the false advertisement on the website. Since we were already there we decided to go ahead and order. The food was very good, as it usually is. But, one of my friends taco was soggy and he asked for another taco. He was brought just a shell and expected to dig out the meat and reassemble a cold taco. At the end of our meal they did bring out a nice dessert and sang for my birthday. But, this is something they always do for birthdays. So I wouldn't consider this gesture making up for the rest of the bad experience.
(2)F. N.
Updated review: Everytime I have been to Picante! in the last month or so the service gets worse and worse! The owner's brother is the worst culpret- he is slow and makes it very clear that he could careless about a dining experience ending- hence the last time I was in I waited between 10-15 minutes to get and pay the bill so I could leave. Seriously, nobody ever wants to wait for a server...not in Northern Virginia or elsewhere (GET WITH IT!). My second opinion of the servers (in general) is there seems to be a revolving door of them lately...there was one that appeared to be a reformed gang-member (?) but seriously I don't want to hand my credit card to someone I don't want to ever see it- and I have been watching my credit card bill closely ever since. FINAL THOUGHT: Find service people that know the menu and don't seem to be in betwwen gigs before going back to jail.
(2)Oscar N.
Terrible restaurant. Ordered fajitas and had to choose between cheese, beans, or rice to eat them with. They should come with all of those in the first place! For around $15 it was so not worth it. Slow service. Really disappointing experience.
(1)F L.
Having now visited Picante! a few more times, i feel confident in raising my rating to four stars. The Mexican food is consistently good for East Coast standards. I always get the Grilled Portabello & Roasted Pepper Fajitas which are super-tasty and hit the spot. The ingredients are top notch. I have come to watch World Cup games a couple of times, and the staff is super kind, totally into the games and willing to put up with my companion and I while we eat a feast and watch along in the lounge TV behind the bar. In our last few visits we discovered this mana from heaven in their dessert menu called Tres Chocolates Cake. It is absolutely divine and one of the best desserts I've ever had. We're always so full after our large meals at Picante! but we've learned to make room to share a slice. Heck, I won't pass up taking a slice home if I'm stuffed to the gills. Picante! has won me over with their fajitas, desserts, excellent service and wonderful atmosphere. I wish you were closer to DC!
(4)C L.
I've been going to Picante's for over 10 years. Always for lunch and always good food and good service, unless you get the owners brother. He has an attitude and never smiles. The restaurant was sold a couple years ago and I haven't seen the brother of the old owner recently... maybe he is gone. A positive note from the sale of the restaurant is that the food has gotten a little better. I grew up in Phoenix, AZ and the Mexican food out east will never be as good; however, Picante's is a good substitute until I can get back home - highly recommended!! I usually order the Chicken Burrito enchilada style with red sauce. The green sauce is a little too watery for my tastes. The burrito usually lasts me two days so come here only when hungry or plan on eating left overs. When you enter, they have a main dining room to the left with no TV. To the right, is a bar. If it is open, you can go to the right where there is a large TV. They often have dancing and celebrations in the bar on Friday nights and weekends. I've never been but I see the advertising for special events - like salsa night. The sound system appears very large so it probably gets pretty loud... but hey... if you're there late and looking for a party... this is probably a fun place.
(4)Sarah H.
Ordered two quesadilla over phone and asked to hold mushrooms, when I came home there were mushrooms and when I tried to have them make good on them they would not. They said I didn't ask to hold mushrooms. My word vs theirs. They were not very good and the people I served them to really don't like mushrooms so after they wouldn't replace, they went in the trash. Won't be a repeat customer.
(2)Jessica G.
Came here for the first time tonight. It's a cute little restaurant. When you eat a gluten free low carb/keto diet, it's difficult to find options at a Mexican joint. I managed to find some good choices here. I ordered a side of guacamole and ceviche. The ceviche portion was HUGE. I've eaten ceviche at several restaurants and have never had such a big portion. It was decent tasting. Not amazing but not terrible. The waitress was attentive and sweet. Can't complain about the service! There was a young family sitting a few tables down. Their daughter who must have been about 3 years old stared and smiled at my the entire dining experience. She came up with her mom and dad to to tell me how much she liked my hair. Super cute kiddo. I'd come back here.
(3)Christina K.
I was there last night for dinner. I was so happy that they had Carne Guisada tacos on the menu. Sadly, when my order came it was a luke warm flour tortilla with meat that had been drained from it's sauce. When I asked the waitress about my dry GRAVYLESS taco meat she said carne guisada is suppose to be that way. I'm Mexican and that is not correct. Carne Guisada are beef chunks braised in a rich flavorful sauce NOT just the drained meat that had been sitting in gravy. This is the description from their own menu: Carne Guisada (Flour) Lean beef tips in a savory sauce. One $5.75 Two $9.50 Mistake 1.) telling the customer it's suppose to be that way when on the menu it clearly describes the food. Mistake 2.) not offering a clearly unhappy customer a couple of teaspoons of sauce to make it right. Won't be going back any time soon.
(1)Sean M.
The food was acceptable but lacked any real flavor. I got the Chicken Burrito, which was a bit bland. It tasted like boiled chicken. In fairness I probably should have paid the extra $2 for the other sauces, but it was basically chicken, cheese and lettuce. My wife had the veggie burrito which was also so-so. I ordered on kids meal for my 2 little ones (2.5 and 15 months) to share. It was more than they could eat. Definitely a good portion. Overall, I would rate it a C+
(3)Lisa G.
The food was good. I highly recommend the portobello fajitas! The woman who took the order and delivered it was very professional and friendly. It took a little longer than they quoted, but I expected that it would take longer than 35 mins.
(4)RMthree M.
Decent mexican place in Chantilly...but not the best by far. It does have a great atmosphere and great decor. I enjoyed the beverage menu and the food wasn't the worst. I must say that I was impressed with the steak nachos...they put each chip together one by one so that every bite has every topping on it...very cool and it tasted great.
(4)Juicy G.
Imagine the biggest burrito you've ever seen at a restaurant. I'm talking larger than Chipotle. It's smothered in melted cheese, piping hot, and looks absolutely delicious. Now image digging into that burrito and with your first bite realizing it's the worst burrito you've ever tasted in your life. That's Picatnte! Despite being stuffed with meat, cheese, guacamole and other such ingredients, the food was off tasting, to the point of disgusting. I'm not sure what spices they use for their meat, but it's not good. Nothing about the burrito came together as it should have. Even my Mexican day porter who I invited to join me said it wasn't good, and my other co-worker just called me telling me he's been throwing up since eating it. Definitely won't be back to this place. Hands down it's probably the worst burrito I've ever eaten.
(1)John T.
This is real Mexican food. I couldn't believe it when I found this place. There is almost zero authentic Mexican in Northern Virginia. I have loved everything I have ordered from here. Do yourself a favor and order their mole sauce. Seriously, it's next level. The quality of the food is very high and they get quite a few ingredients shipped in from Mexico that they can't get around here. The service is great and friendly. If it wasn't in Chantilly, I would go there all the time. I can't recommend a place (of any cuisine) much more than this.
(5)Yaasmeen D.
Since I'm unable to give 2.5 stars, I'll round up to 3. I just finished my meal at Picante @ 1 hour ago, so I wanted to review it while my experience was still "fresh". The little one and I ventured to Picante in search of cheese enchiladas after having enjoyed a wonderful Christmas play/concert. In other words, the evening had such high potential. It's a shame it ended on a sour note. When we entered the restaurant we could hear the festive music in the lounge area and I was reminded of the Yelp reviews about the salsa lessons and after-party that Picante is known for. It sounded fun. The dining area was pretty empty. There were 3 other dining parties - one of which was paying their check as we were seated. Our server seemed friendly enough (at first). She greeted us with a smile and took our drink orders and gave out the menus. She then left and didn't return for another 15 minutes. We watched as she attended to the other dining parties and were intrigued as we witnessed her cheerfully giving the departing diners a lovely Holiday Holly Wall Hanging in honor of the season. It warmed the heart watching her patiently demonstrating how to splay out the arrangement for artful display. Sadly, she repeatedly hurried past our table without so much as a sideways glance. After waving her down, she finally took our order. On the plus side, she willingly substituted another cheese enchilada (in lieu of a beef taco) in the Kids combo I ordered for the little one. Sadly, that was really the only positive thing I can point out about the service. To put it plainly, we were simply ignored for the rest of the evening. Once our food came out, I discovered that ours was the only table w/o silverware. My frantic looks and waves at our server went unanswered so I was forced to take silverware from a nearby, empty table. Since the little one's chin barely grazed the top of our table, I was finally forced to get up and walk to the kitchen to find our neglectful server and request a booster chair. Our server didn't even bring us the booster chair. She delegated that task to another restaurant worker. Apparently she was too busy eavesdropping on the conversation of the diners seated closest to us. It's times like these when I wish my Spanish was better, because apparently the conversation was so interesting that our server just couldn't tear herself away from being w/in earshot of it. On the plus side, the little one enjoyed her cheese enchiladas. My Picadillo Plate was OK - nothing to write home about - but OK. A man dressed in off-white (the manager, maybe??) frequented the table of the aforementioned, nearby diners to see how they were enjoying their meal. Sadly, my little one and I were only frequented by a view of his backside, as he never came to our table. After requesting to-go boxes and our check (which took another 10 minutes to get after receiving the to-go boxes) I was ready to leave. It'll come as no surprise that we were not 'offered' the lovely Holiday Wall Hanging that the other diners received with their checks. However, I felt that I was at least 'owed' that much, so I asked our server if we could have one, please. To her credit, she smiled, departed and returned with one w/in 2 mins. I guess I'll just have to find somewhere else to get decent cheese enchiladas for the little one. Apparently Picante isn't interested in garnering the business of this So-Cal transplant...Too bad, so sad.
(3)Kat V.
Been going here for years. Good food, good service, huge portions, and a good price. Everyone here is very friendly and the food comes out very quickly. I have never been disappointed here. I also recommend all the food and the margaritas :)
(5)Brian T.
I sampled four dishes: all bland and flavorless. Even the table salsa tasted like tomato-infused water. Service was average. Mammoth tequila selection.
(2)Lindsay G.
Best fajitas I have ever had and a huge portion. Delicious frozen margaritas. Fun atmosphere and decent prices.
(4)Ariel H.
This is a long overdue review. My coworkers and I came for a business lunch a while ago. We were a large party, and ordered a combination of food items from fajita to enchilada to quesadilla. For some reason, the meat in ALL our dishes were tough and overcooked. I think the quesadilla was the only redeeming dish and I don't recall anyone really enjoyed his/her food. I hope the chef just had an 'off' day, but in either case I won't risk trying again.
(2)Donald W.
I would have given this restaurant at least 4 stars but for the poor service. I spent 4 years in Matamoros, Mexico and developed a taste for North Mexican cuisine. This restaurant is one of the very few I have been to in the States that comes pretty close to what I remember from my time there. I highly recommend the Queso Fundido con Chorizo. However... I stood in front of a nearly empty restaurant for at least 5 minutes before I was offered a table... I went my entire meal without being asked if would like anything else and I was DYING of thirst... When I asked for the bill, I should not have been surprised, I guess, when it took them 20 minutes to bring it to me... This lack of service would normally earn the restaurant a 1 star rating but...I really enjoyed the food. Take from that what you will.
(3)charles w.
Went there last night with co-workers. I walked in at 4pm. I was the only person there. Sat in the bar. $4 for a miller lite. $6 for a heniken. Sorry , really sorry, you can't charge those prices anywhere in chantilly and expect me to come back. Food was nice, Owner was very nice. But I am very sorry...you can't not have a happy hour beer special and expect me to come back.
(3)Christian V.
I've been here a couple of Friday nights for the dance socials. The Tequila list can be a bit daunting and drinks a bit pricey, but the dance instructors are awesome. Highly recommended, this now my favorite Friday night venue!
(4)Jorge P.
Excellent restaurant. The food is just amazing. I really enjoyed. The waitress was very kind and helpful.
(5)Humberto Raul B.
Picante! What a great restaurant! Picante is the only authentic mexican spot in the area! You need to try their Al Pastor tacos! They are heavenly! Their tortilla soup muy deliciosa! And their beer seleccion is great! Don't pay attention to the negative reviews, instead come over and try it!!!
(5)Kim H.
One word ..........BLAND! So we stumbled into Picante on Friday night because Thai Basil had a line out the door!!! The inside is reminiscent of a hole in the wall mexican joint complete with sombreros, bright orange walls, margarita glasses and mexican pop bottles. I ended up ordering the taco salad which looked so promising with the beautiful presentation of colors - red tomatoes, green guac, sour cream, cheese, shredded beef and a light/crispy golden yellow shell (see pic). However, to my disappointment the beef had no taste! Where was the seasoning?!? My bff ordered the wet burrito and SAME complaint, no taste! The chips and salsa were also a fail, in fact the salsa tasted exactly like Pace Picante sauce.....a coincidence?? hmmmm...... On a good note, our waitress was great.
(2)David D.
A solid 4! Fajitas were outstanding. Meat was tender and perfect spices. Great service.
(4)Greg M.
I'm not sure how I've missed this place, but sure enough I tried it out and was pleasantly surprised. My sorry self ordered a cup of the chicken tortilla soup and the mixed fajitas - what else would you try at a new-to-you Mexican place?!?!? The tortilla soup was not the best I'd ever had, but pretty good. What really pleased me about it were the roughly cubed avocados diced up in the soup, generously. Yum! That was worth it, then warmed up in the broth with a little spice...call that a soup and sign me up. The chicken/steak fajitas were equally good. It was a generous portion served with four fresh tortillas, pico, sour cream, guac, and plenty of grilled veggies. Let me break down my thoughts: The pico was fantastic - the raw rough cut jalapenos were enough to meet my need for heat. The table is set with Tapatio, one of my favorite hot sauces for flavor so that was a welcome sight. The guac was unremarkable, I can't tell if it was fresh but if not, it was at least a decent product. The grilled green peppers were perfect - hot and seared still with a crunch. The onions were cut too small, they were a bit overdone. On to the meat of the issue - the chicken was bland bland bland - but Tapatio solved that. They were almost naked, had almost no spice. I wonder if it was in error? The steak meat was very well spiced, tasted fantastic. The cuts were not the best for sure, that had to be round at best, but the flavor was rich and plentiful. The service was very friendly. Overall, this is not the best Mexican by any means, but so far the best Mexican I've found in 6-7 attempts in NoVA - not a high bar to meet, but good enough for addition to my rotation. Another 2-3 great visits and I'd give it 4-stars.
(3)Meghan G.
I knew I had to try it once to resolve the contradicting reviews. I was so disappointed! The Mexican dish recipes were lacking authenticity or at least some sort of familiarity to clean and simple Mexican flavors. To be quite honest, it wasn't even as good as generic Mexican food that I could get from a mainstream Mexican food restaurant. Instead of having larger portions, they should invest in quality ingredients and serve smaller plates. Even the cheese dip appetizer was like melted Kraft cheese. It was just really sad. The two stars is only for entertainment aspect. The mariachi singers were lively and fun. They also premiered a little girl singer, she was so cute! It was like watching Selena up and coming, child super star. I have to support that! I can see this being a cool happy hour joint. Picante! Please let us know when you've improved your ingredients and recipes! Then... I'll be back. : )
(2)Nicole R.
They have a new chef who just moved from Mexico (Puerto Valliarta I think?) so I was VERY excited to try his food, but unfortunately it wasn't much of anything special. I remember the last few times we've been being better. I got the fajitas, meat was dry, and there definitely wasn't anything exciting about them --- and I wouldn't have thought that a chef who spent the past 8 years in Mexico had made them. Either way, we'll be back. They've got a pretty extensive menu and the food has always been good, so we'll give the noobie another chance.
(3)Angela C.
This was another place that we would go to for lunch or sometimes drinks after work. They food is decent and they have some good lunch options, but it isn't amazing. The shredded beef tacos and burrito are pretty good. They have a veggie burro that I like as well. It's not the best Mexican food, but being from AZ it was always difficult for me to find good Mexican food in VA.
(3)