Plaza Oaxaca Rockville — Restaurant in Rockville

This place has the potential to be a great spot at Rockville Town Center... but there's still a way to go to reach that point. The staff was very polite and forthcoming, and I understand the restaurant has opened fairly recently; however, there are some major issues contributing to a less than ideal experience.

First things first, the menu -- there is a clear Happy Hour menu on their website, but no such thing at the restaurant. If it is not ready for the restaurant, please don't put it on your website -- I even double checked to see if there were only certain days for Happy Hour, but there was no such indication on the website. Major bummer, but ultimately not a deal breaker. We had a reservation, but once we arrived (on time), the host at the counter couldn't find it and had to find someone to help. In the meantime, other people arriving after us without reservations were seated. We were fine with waiting, but everything felt a bit disorganized.

Disorganization became the running theme--someone tried to bring the wrong order to our table when we had just been seated seconds before, and two or three different servers stopped by our table over the course of the evening. My friend asked for a glass for her soda; she didn't receive one. I asked for a glass for my beer, which came open but with foil nearly inside the bottle; had to ask twice. At some point, the last server who had stopped by disappeared, and it took quite a while for us to get our check after politely asking for it. Overall it just gave us the impression the staff didn't quite know where they were supposed to be or what they were supposed to be doing.

My friend and I both ordered margaritas (I the classic, she the passion fruit), for the full $10 price (as opposed to the $6 advertised on their website for the nonexistent Happy Hour), and they were unfortunately incredibly disappointing. They were small, and mine tasted like straight up water or cheap mixer. I did not taste any tequila. Also, while there are some specialty cocktails on the menu, there is no description whatsoever of what they contain. I'm sure one could ask a server, but it would be nice to have an idea, and it's such a simple thing to add.

As for the food... most of us ordered tacos ($4 per taco instead of the advertised $3 for HH). And they were tiny--I mean, diminutive. We all had different tacos, and the general consensus was that they were flavorless. My friend's chicken dish was dry and under seasoned (though she seemed to have better luck with her sauce!).

All in all, a bit of a disappointment. Plaza Oaxaca has a lot going for it--an excellent location, a good atmosphere--but until some improvements are made, the experience is unsatisfying.

I understand they have recently opened, but from my understanding, it's been over a month. I do hope they find their footing soon--I certainly won't discount a future visit once all the kinks have been worked out, and I'm looking forward to see how they develop...

I'm giving Plaza Oaxaca kind of a "meh" review- hence the three stars. There were highs and a lot of lows. Service was pretty good and the ambiance is very much a party atmosphere- especially with the outdoor seating. We ordered the classic margaritas which were tasty but small and served in a 10 oz. rocks glass for $10 each. In other places that would be a $6 drink for that size. The Mahi-Mahi fish ceviche was good and properly executed. Next came the Chile Relleno with red sauce- don't order the red sauce. It tasted like the cheap, overly sweet sauce in canned spaghetti. No depth of flavor or heat or body. Thin and watery. The relleno itself was OK with a nice tender chile filled with chicken, but the chicken was boring and needed seasoning. Next came the chicken enchiladas with mole sauce. Don't order the mole sauce. This was one of the poorest excuses for a mole that I have ever put in my mouth. Bitter with no depth, no heat, no anything. Just bitter. I have spent a good portion of my life traveling the Southwest- Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah. If a restaurant tried to pass this mole sauce off in one of those states, they would be laughed out of town. This is so sad- it could be so good. Right now with the warm weather the outdoor seating will carry them. But when cold weather comes and that closes- well we will see how...

Discriminatory, Illegal, and Hostile – Do NOT Support This Place

On Sept 30, 2025 at 12:38 PM, I, a Disabled Veteran, was denied entry and service at Plaza Oaxaca because of my service dog. The employee on duty flatly said, “Pets aren’t allowed,” even after I informed him Flash is a trained service animal protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

When I asked him to consult management or the ADA law, he mocked me, dismissed my legal rights, and continued to refer to my dog as a “pet.” He then falsely claimed dog hair and allergies were reasons to deny us—both of which are explicitly invalid under federal law (ADA Title III ).

He refused to seat us inside, told us to walk around the building like second-class citizens, then followed us to the door trying to intimidate us, saying “Come back when you don’t have the dog.” He even got uncomfortably close to Flash as if to push her out.

This was not just illegal—it was deliberate, demeaning, and racially charged (we are both African American men). We filmed the interaction and are filing formal complaints with the Department of Justice, Montgomery County Office of Human Rights, and Maryland Civil Rights authorities.

Avoid this place at all costs. They break federal disability law, treat veterans with contempt, and operate with zero respect for human decency. Absolutely...