La Brasa Latin Cuisine — Restaurant in North Bethesda

We love the food at La Brasa—honestly, we’ve been coming here for years. The servers are always very nice and polite. However, I can’t say the same about the owner or manager. He appears to be an older man with short gray hair, light skin, and an average build—not very tall.

I wouldn’t normally write a review like this, but after today, I felt it was necessary. A year or two ago, we placed a takeout order. When we arrived, our food was ready, but due to a last-minute change in plans, we asked if we could have a table and order some drinks so we could enjoy the meal we had ordered. The manager reacted very rudely, as if we were asking for something unreasonable, making us feel uncomfortable.

Today, I noticed a similar situation. Although the servers were polite and professional, the manager spoke to them in an unnecessarily harsh tone, especially in front of customers, which I felt was completely uncalled for.

The food is wonderful—one of the best, and we truly enjoy it—but I can see why staff turnover might be high. No one can thrive in an environment where the manager treats people poorly. I hope this can be improved so that both customers and employees continue to have a great experience...

La Brasa has been one of my go-to's for many years. Throughout covid, we did our best to order from them as frequently as our finances would permit because we were very concerned about keeping them going while restaurants permanently closed left and right. This evening, I wanted to take myself out to dinner. I weighed my options between big chains and small, family owned establishments. And I decided that I wanted to spend my money in a small establishment and by people who may be unfairly targeted by the current political climate. I went in, was immediately seated, and placed my order. While I awaited my food, I realized that the TV is set to play what I consider to be regime propaganda on Fox "News." I immediately lost my appetite. As soon as my food arrived, I had them box it and I took it home. I'm sad to say that I will not be back. I have plenty other options that are equally good if not better, and the political leanings for my other choices are not in question. In a climate where my country is being destroyed from within, giving Fox a platform is tantamount to complicity. If you, like me, value your purchase power as a means for change, don't go...

I’ve been a regular customer at this restaurant for a while now, but today’s experience was extremely disappointing. I ordered my usual, but when my food arrived, there was a lot of extra food on the table that I did not order. I spoke with the manager to clear up the misunderstanding, but instead of resolving the issue, he became very upset and made me feel like it was my fault for not being “detailed enough” in my order. I left feeling disrespected and blamed for a simple mistake that his staff made.

The way the manager handled the situation was not only unprofessional but also unpleasant, and I won’t be returning to this establishment. Customer service is key, and unfortunately, this experience left me and my family frustrated. It’s a shame because I used to enjoy coming here, but I can’t support a business that treats...