Taqueria Sabor Mixteco — Restaurant in Maryland

What a great restaurant! I'd been meaning to go before the WaPo review, but that just pushed me over the top. The restaurant is quite prettily decorated, and even when it got close to full, wasn't crazy loud. The food was spectacular, from the giant tlayudas (my wife and I genuinely thought we had accidentally ordered two when it came out, but no, it's just that big that you can barely fit half on one plate) to the nopales to our entrees (alambres campechanos and enchiladas verdes), and we left stuffed to the gills with leftovers and very happy. The salsas, in particular the salsa morita, are very good, with the morita's smokiness being extra special and going perfectly with the tlayudas, as recommended by the owner. If the passion fruit agua fresca is available, get it; just the right sweetness without going overboard, and incredibly refreshing.

Speaking of, service was attentive without being pushy or over the top, and the owner was super kind and helpful. When I mentioned how much I enjoyed the salsa morita, he offered to send me home with a bit to enjoy with my leftovers, which I gladly accepted.

Prices are good, but don't expect "cheap" but rather value. Big portions of great food and the prices that are lower than you'd expect. Plus, no ridiculous fees! You could easily leave for under $20/person if you wanted.

Edit 7/24/25: This place just keeps getting better! The menu is significantly bigger than when they opened, and everything I've had is great. I particularly like the mole mixteco and chile relleno. But better even than the food is how they treat people, and clearly are constantly looking for new ways to engage their customers, especially their youngest guests. My 3 year old loved his dinosaur cup and extendable straw, not to mention the Sabor Mixteco sticker (and promise of cool new Mexican stickers next time we come!), and the chef chats with the kids just as much as with adults, making them feel special and excited. I cannot emphasize enough how wonderful it is to have this gem of a restaurant in our area; we are...

Great local addition, and some of the most delicious and more authentic Mexican food we have found in the DMV. Very friendly staff, courteous and helpful, wonderful overall atmosphere in a very casual Wheaton dining spot.

We loved everything we tried pretty much:

Guacamole (Avocado, onion, jalapeño, tomato, cilantro served with chips) - very fresh and flavorful, and while it could have been a little chunkier, that's just a preference

Queso Fundido (Melted Jack cheese, Queso Oaxaca, jalapeño peppers, cilantro and served with corn tortillas) - we added chorizo and it was one of the best versions I have had of this ever. The chorizo was rich and delicious, and the queso itself was so yummy you could just eat it on its own with a spoon.

Tlayudas (Pork lard, refried beans, cabbage, lettuce, tomato, avocado and cheese) - again added some of that delicious chorizo and it was an amazing dish. Never had this before, but highly recommended you give it a try. Enough for 3-4 people to share as an app or for one to enjoy it as an entree

Enchiladas De Mole (Three traditional mole enchiladas stuffed with chicked served with rice, beans, queso fresco, and radishes) - my wife loved her enchiladas, and the mole was out of this world. Super smokey with the right amount of sweetness and bitterness.

My daughter loved her custom bean, cheese, sour cream and guacamole burrito, one of her favorites ever she said. The beans were perfectly done.

We tried a couple of tacos too:

Al Pastor (Taco filled with marinated pork in adobo and pineapple) - perfection, right out of Mexico City.

Suadero (Taco filled with braised beef) - probably the only lowlight for me, just not a fan, tasted a bit too fatty and mild.

Phenomenal meal. Can't wait to return or potentially order...

Sometimes published professional restaurant reviews can be helpful in suggesting someplace to try. A favorable Washington Post review guided us to out-of-the-way, and easily-overlooked Sabor Mixteco on a drizzly Thursday and we came away highly impressed.

Despite many local competitors for fast casual cuisine of many ethnic styles, Sabor Mixteco stands tall as a little restaurant not to be misjudged or overlooked by its humble storefront appearance and inexpensive, pedestrian decoration and ambience, bright colors notwithstanding. Culinary artwork with a Mexican flair can be found inside.

Though non-fans of Mexican (and/or Tex-Mex) may wish to give this place a pass, if this cuisine is what you seek, Sabor Mixteco does what they do with excellence and charm. A large and varied lunch menu awaited us with surprisingly affordable prices. With lunch under $20 being difficult to find in the DC Burbs, here you can find many delicious and bountiful choices for less than $15, in 2025.

Delicious bargains are rare indeed but exist here. One of us had the burrito, which proved too big to eat for lunch and we brought half home. I had the delicious Pastor Alambre Tacos off the lunch menu. We plan to come back and work through the other offerings too.

Sabor Mixteco deserves more business. Maybe the recreational cannabis dispensary a few steps away brings them some? ...