After a long week of hard work, I crave nothing more on a Friday night than a full-on Mexican feast. Sure, Georgetown has a few choices to appeal to Mexican food fanatics with Chipotle and Qdoba on M Street and Los Cuates further up Wisconsin, but none of the choices truly appeases my hunger for an authentic Mexican meal.

Fiesta, a tapas and Mexican restaurant, recently opened inDupont Circle. Known for a variety of small plates, drinks and hearty Mexican food, I feel as though I’ve found the final answer to my quest. The restaurant has a vibrant interior with festive orange walls and high ceilings, colorful cultural accents and a surprising amount of space for a restaurant in its location. Fiesta’s crowd clamors for their happy hour: drink specials and two-for-one tapas every night from 4:30-7:30 p.m. Fiesta’s menu consists of typical Mexican fare as well as interesting tapas, with innovative gems ranging from the white shrimp and fresh mango quesadilla to almond-crusted goat cheese tapas. During my visit, I was served chips and salsa once seated. The salsa was fresh and full of flavor, albeit a bit spicier than most Mexican restaurants. The beef empanada tapas were a great starter as the flaky outside pocket gave way to juicy ground beef with the perfect amount of seasoning, then dolloped with salsa.

For dinner, I shared the Tierra Combo fajitas for two. A sizzling plate of beef and chicken on a bed of onions and peppers came accompanied by warm homemade tortillas and a side of rice and beans. The chicken was incredibly juicy and tender, with thigh meat instead of only white meat. The steak was sizzling in a succulent marinade with hints of pepper and citrus. The side of rice and beans was a generous portion, with fluffy, spiced rice and rich black beans.

The only drawback was that Fiesta charges extra for a side of grated cheese. While this is quite normal in many restaurants, you receive a dismal amount of cheese for the price—hardly enough for one, let alone two people. Overall, the meal was a great experience and left me yearning for more every time I stand in line for tacos at Leo’s.

Located in the heart of Dupont at 1327 Connecticut Ave. NW, Fiesta is the perfect place to unwind and enjoy an authentic Mexican meal. Prices are reasonable and the location is close to campus, while enabling you to explore beyond the Georgetown bubble.