Just 4 minutes away from the Woodrow Wilson bridge in Alexandria, Virginia, Taco District is easy to spot when driving down South Washington Street. It’s a small brick building with “Taco District” written in big black letters on the side, and as soon as you walk in you can tell that it’s different from other taco restaurants. The atmosphere was very eclectic, with plastic crate lamps hanging from the ceiling, and signs written in chalk. Upon entering we noticed in the far corner a large sign that said “Salsa Bar,” which immediately drew our attention. The lines weren’t very long, although it was 8 PM on a Sunday. The menu had a lot of options, ranging from all breakfast tacos to Nachos Borrachos. They also had the option of premium toppings for an additional charge, but my mother and I decided to opt out. I ordered the 3 for 8, which consisted of 3 tacos for 8 dollars. I chose corn tortillas with chicken as my protein of choice, pico de gallo, cilantro, lettuce, and an apple juice from the fridge. My mother ordered the same taco meal with a flour tortilla, chicken as her protein, rice, cheese, lettuce, and sour cream on the side.

After we placed our orders we received a little card with an animal and a number on it, as well as the animal’s name in English and Spanish. The eating area was medium sized with seat options including booths, bar stools, and individual tables. After finding our seats we decided to investigate the Salsa Bar. There were little containers so customers could take their sauces back to their tables, and the area was set up like a salad bar. The sauces were in containers surrounded by ice and peppers. The area was a little messy, but for the most part organized. I decided to get some fresh limes and some spicy sauce. We waited no more than 5 minutes before our food was brought to us.

Our tacos arrived in a small tray stacked on top of each other in aluminum foil. The taco looked pretty decent, although the ingredients looked as if they were thrown together into the tortilla. After adding my lime juice and sauce, I took my first bite. Initially the taco was refreshing but as I continued it got bland and my tortilla started to diminish. The other two tacos were the same; the chicken wasn’t really fresh, nor was it seasoned very well. My mother agreed with me about the taste of the tacos, saying “I’ve had better.” Overall, I would give this restaurant a 5.5 out of 10.