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Very Best Restaurants: Austin Grill and South Austin Grill

Very Best Listing | Very Best by Cuisine | Very Best by Location

Austin Grill **
Washington, Springfield, Bethesda , ¢
South Austin Grill **
Alexandria , ¢

At any branch of this fine Tex-Mex chain, it's the whimsy of the setting that first puts a smile on your face; the primo margaritas, authentic food, and service keep it there. In decor, the new Bethesda branch goes over the top, with walls stenciled with caricatured Texas icons (oil wells, armadillos, barbed wire), a Jurassic Parksized lizard perched on a corrugated tin roof that canopies a row of booths, and more.

From the chain's trademark smoked-beef chili to its Ibarra chocolate brownie a la mode, chef Wayne Combs upholds the Grills' reputation for consistent, traditional Tex-Mex fare. As at the other locations, highlights at Bethesda include quesadillas stuffed with house-made chorizo, soft pork tacos, burritos stuffed with stewed chicken and black beans, and pork carnitas so good that you'll never want to order those plain old beef fajitas again.

If Combs is cooking up his version of frijoles a la charra as part of an evening's special, talk him into letting you buy a bowl; flavored with barbecued ribs, they are sensational, particularly if you lace them with the house-made Weed-Killer Sauce.

Austin Grill , 2404 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington; 202-337-8080. Open daily for lunch and dinner. MapIt!

Austin Grill , 8430 Old Keene Mill Rd., Springfield; 703-644-3111. Open daily for lunch and dinner. MapIt!

Austin Grill , 7278 Woodmont Ave., Bethesda ; 301-656-1366. Open daily for lunch and dinner. MapIt!

South Austin Grill , 801 King St., Alexandria ; 703-684-8969. Open daily for lunch and dinner. MapIt!

QUALITY: ****Excellent; *** Superior; **Very Good; * Good
PRICE RANGE: $$$= Very Expensive; $$ Expensive; $=Moderate; ¢=Inexpensive

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