Acitrón — Restaurant in Arlington

I really really really wanted to like Acitron. I talked about going there a few times with work friends but it never worked out. Finally, I had a friend visit from out of town and I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to try this place. Even better, they had a Groupon that seemed like a great deal: 2 3-course meals for $45. Bought the Groupon, made the reservation, got excited. The place is very cute inside. It's really nicely decorated, I really loved the decor. Our table wasn't quite ready yet, so we grabbed a glass of wine at the bar. Everyone was incredibly friendly and kind. We were sat moments later at our pretty tiny table. I get that we were just a party of 2, but the place was nowhere near full, I felt like they could have sat us at a bigger table, and the waitress even admitted that the table was very small. We ordered the freshly prepared Guacamole and the Street Corn. The guac was ok, and I have a suspicion that it was not freshly made...as it was ice cold. I have had and made fresh guac, and it should not be ice cold. The corn was also just ok. It too tasted like it was not fresh. The kernels were burnt and shrunken and honestly just didn't have that amazing gotta have it flavor that other Mexican Street Corn that I have had has. My friend got the shrimp mole and she said it was pretty good. I got the "special" which were basically kabobs with veggies and each one had either beef, chicken, or shrimp. Again, it just did not seem fresh to me. The veggies were all so over-cooked and shrunken it was hard to believe they had been made that day. When I got to my beef skewer, it was completely rare on the inside. I showed it to the waitress and she said "Ew." My thoughts exactly. They made me a more cooked beef skewer and it was fine. Then it was time to order dessert. This was where it kind of solidifed that this place was really missing the mark for me. I ordered my first choice (don't even remember what it was now). She came back to tell me there were none left. Ordered my second choice, which was the same thing that my friend ordered. A few minutes later she came back to tell me that there was only one left, which was going to my friend. So I ordered the literal only thing left that was not Flan (ew), which was ice cream that was covered in freezer burn. Sigh. A huge disappointment all around. On top of all of that, as we were waiting for the check, the entire staff was having a staff meeting in the dining room (this was at around 9:15 on a Saturday night) and emotions were clearly high. It was VERY uncomfortable and I was quite taken aback that the management thought this was a good idea, no matter how empty the restaurant was. At least our waitress was a doll and the place was...

Acitron is such a favorite of ours and has been for 7+ years now. I wish I could give a 4.5 because the food is great, the wait staff is prompt and professional, and the atmosphere, though small and a little difficult to maneuver around during a busy night, is cozy and clean. We've had very few minor blips here and there over the years, as to be expected with any restaurant, things that were addressed and corrected before we even said anything. We have ordered the mole poblano (rich chocolate brown, VERY mild spice) time and time again. Last year or so we ordered it for take out and it arrived with a sticker saying mole poblano but the color was more red. I thought it was strange because we were used to that rich chocolate brown. I have spice intolerances so while I can handle mild heat, I can have medical issues if it's too hot. Despite my better judgment, I had a few bites of the mole and realized quickly it was not for me. I figured maybe I received the wrong food or they changed the mole without updating their online menus despite the sticker saying mole poblano. I gave a call but the person I spoke to on the phone said no, they hadn't changed the recipe and if it said mole poblano on the box it was correct (thought this was weird but didn't want to push it or come off as rude given they've always been wonderful.) I tried to ask about the difference in color and heat and the person said no, it's the same and hung up on me. Super disappointing but everyone has a bad day or perhaps was just a busy moment in store to handle the issue. We didn't visit or order takeout for a while after that. The next time we did, I noticed the menu sure enough had changed to mole coloradito, the more reddish mole with higher heat. If you're going in for the mole poblano, I haven't seen it on the menu since. Sooo sad to see the mole poblano leave the menu because it was truly divine. Completely understand change can and will happen though. Just wish this particular issue had been handled differently. That being said, the enchiladas and elote are delicious, amazing tres leches cake, and really...

Updating my review from six (6) years ago.

During the COVID pandemic we have ordered takeout from Goto and his team every month since March. Sometimes twice a month. We are never disappointed and now have a new favorite - mole poblano. The sauce has so much depth and character that you want to bathe in the stuff.

As folk who travel the world and eaten at Michelin starred restaurants, we still come home and crave our favorite Mexican.

Please support your local restaurants. They are the heart and soul of our communities.

Below is my original review. I standby it today as I did when I first wrote it in 2014.

We went to Acitron a few weeks after it opened and were impressed from the start. The owner clearly knows his target audience: people who are adventurous and want something out of the ordinary.

Acitron is anything but ordinary. From its modern decor to inspired margarita's (we rave about the mezcal or jalapeno) and upscale menu, Acitron caters to those who crave something more than run-of-the-mill TexMex.

Having been back more times than we can recall, we have traversed the entire menu though keep coming back to the Chiles En Nogada, Tacos De Pescado, and Cochinita Pibil. The Elote (grilled corn with a chipotle aioli and cotija cheese) is an absolute given each time we visit.

The staff are extremely friendly, the owner always finds time to come and say hello, whether it be brunch or dinner, and the food is excellent for the price.

We take family and friends to Acitron knowing we will have a great time. For us Acitron is a...