Pikoteo — Restaurant in McLean

OMG, this place is unbelievable! My wife and I tried it for the first time this evening -- and it was easily one of the best meals we've ever had, ANYWHERE. They advertise themselves as Latin-American cuisine -- which fits -- but they're really just "excellent food," regardless of cuisine. It almost doesn't matter what kind of cuisine you like -- you'll love Pikoteo.

My wife had a halibut that was one of the best she's ever had (and she's a connoisseur of halibut; it's her favorite fish 🐟). I had calamari and ceviche. The calamari was grilled -- not deep fried! -- and it was grilled to perfection. But the flavors! The preparation and the flavors were excellent. This was possibly the best calamari I've ever had. Even my wife, who is not a big fan of calamari, had 2nds -- and 3rds!

But it didn't end there. Ceviche is one of my favorite dishes -- and this one did not disappoint. Like the calamari, it was one of the best I've ever had. It was a delicious blend of whitefish and mango and onion and other flavors, served with taro and plantain chips. It was simply delicious.

For the wine, I asked what they had in red, and the owner asked me what I like -- and then brought out a wine that was perfect for me. (I even had a second glass, and I don't often do that.) I should have asked what the varietal was; it was notably excellent.

But that's not all.

We brought our dog, and dined on their dog-friendly patio, which was also delightful. They even brought out a bowl of water for our beloved furball. ❤️

This was one of the best meals we've ever had anywhere -- at half the price of anyplace else.

We gave them 5 stars because that's as high as Google Maps goes. I'd give them 10 stars if I could. And this was our first visit.

We are definitely going back to the...

Fellow travelers, if you are in the McLean, VA area and in for some delicious Caribbean and Latino food offerings, please visit Pikoteo. A rather new location, opening its doors in 2023, Pikoteo is a celebration of Puerto Rican and Mexican heritage as showcased in their inside and outside seating spaces as much as in their menu.

During our visit, we tried the following food items:

Medalla Light Beer (bottle) Beef Empanadas Mofongo Balls Ground Veal Pastelon Rice and Beans (side) Flan

Our favorite items were the Beef Empanadas, Ground Veal Pastelon, and Flan. All of which were presented and decorated in a beautiful manner. The staff provided service that was welcoming, friendly, and accommodating.

We visited Pikoteo around one hour before closing time and were a bit lucky in finding the last available parking space in front. We can see parking being somewhat limited on busier day. We chose to sit inside since it was rather hot outside and the host kindly offered a place by the window, which we appreciated.

In an area where Puerto Rican inspired food items can be limited at the restaurant level either by distance or price, Pikoteo shines as a close by, affordable, high-quality option. Certainly a great addition...

Atmosphere at Pikoteo was festive colorful and fun. Service was good. It was pretty open on a Thursday night. When asked to sit by the window, there was a hesitation that there were not enough seats for parties of two. We were a party of four. We eventually sat by the window but I felt uncomfortable that we were asking for too much.

Based on the reviews, I had expected the food to be excellent. The appetizers were good. The ceviche was tart but flavorful. I think it may have dominated the flavor of the octopus and the calamari. Mofongo sounded unique but pricey for the small portion. Overall, the appetizer portions were smaller than expected. We were planning to eat tapas style for dinner.

However, we ordered the ribs because everyone was a bit hungry. The flavors of the was ordinary—covered with thick sweet and tart sauce. Given the Latin American decor, I was expecting more flavor. This dish was a good value as it accompanied two sides. We chose fried plantains and garlic mashed with potatoes. The plantain side was delicious and sweet but it overpowered the garlic mashed potatoes.

Overall a decent experience but a bit of a disappointed as I had high expectations having read the five...