Lime Fresh Mexican Grill

I went to this place expecting that I will get the best burrito ever. I added guacamole. I start eating and no guacamole (just a tiny bit at the end of it). No sour cream. The rice was miserable spiced. I will never come back. I’d rather go to chipotle wait in line and get a better burrito.
Very disappointed I paid $ 11 for something that is not even close to Mexican food. Stay away from this place.

The location is great in this place, right off from the Metro station, in the same building as Target and Washington Sport Club. I have never been to this place until Tuesday night. I went to chip in for a fund raising event for a Guatemala orphanage. The place is larger than I expected. It has a back room where you have table seating rather than the high bar stools at the front. The menu is simple, you order and pay at the front. There are salads, burritos, tacos, fajitas, and vegetarian option. The sauces counter and salsa counter at the back is impressive. My steak salad was good for the price, less than $ 9. Let’s face it, it is better than fast food, large healthy portion, convenient and economical. I would go back when it suits me.

I give it three stars because the ambiance is good, staff are friendly, and price was ok for what I got. I got the bacon beef guac quesadilla and holy shit there was enough oil in it to power a car. I normally don’t mind greasy food but this was taking it to another level. It took up 7 napkins to soak up just part of the grease (I ate the rest of the grease). It tasted ok, but I def wouldn’t order that again.

Customer service was great! Staff very friendly BUT the food is not worth chewing in my mouth.
The tortilla chips… Fresh?! negative Tasted Very Stale
I ordered a Avocado Quesadilla which was the sloppiest piece of work ever. I should have ordered the ingredients with 2 tortillas on the side
Prior to this visit I ordered 2 chicken tacos and received 2 beef tacos! Unfortunately I do no eat beef!
Very unacceptable and Im so not pleased with this place.
Foods Fairly Bland… The salsa bar is cool but nothing out of the ordinary!
Clean Space but ill pass!!!

Mike, one of the district managers reached out to me about my Unilocal review, and I was pleasantly surprised by it. After exchanging a few e-​mails about my first experience at Lime, he invited me back earlier today as he was visiting the Columbia Heights store.
For a good 20 minutes, Mike and Doug (store manager) spent time explaining Lime’s mission, its story and how they reach out to customers to gain feedback.
So here it is:
— I retried almost every salsa available from the salsa bar. The first time when I had the pico, it tasted a bit below par. This time it tasted much fresher. The pineapple salsa was a real hit, as you can taste the freshness, sweet and saltiness (to keep it from bitter) all in balance. Not the biggest fan of their new red salsa, or the asada though.
— The guacamole was still too sour for me. The sourness of the lime juice still overpowers the point of guacamole, which is the chunkiness of seasoned avocado. For those people who like their guacamole more sour, you can grab some lime from the salsa bar and add to it. But I can’t remove lime juice if it’s already in the guac.
— The fish tacos, this time with the sauce on the side. Last review I thought my grilled fish was too cold. This time I got some home, and ate them immediately to make a fair assessment. The fish tacos were warm, so it was probably the sauce that made them cold the first time. Nevertheless, I couldn’t decide whether I like them. There were some salt on them, but they were under seasoned without the sauce. If the fish tacos seasoning comes primarily from the sauce, and you’re not a fan of the sauce (like myself), then I’d recommend putting your favorite salsa (in my case, the pineapple salsa) in them.
Overall there was a definite improvement since my first experience, in terms of quality. However I still have reservations about their guacamole and fish tacos, two items I religiously order from Mexican places. With their improved salsa and overachieving service, I bumped up the review from 3 to 4, as Mike and Doug are actively listening to customer feedback.
I’ll be back, albeit small orders to try some of their other items.

The deals at Lime Fresh are just ridiculous (in a good way).
I was lured into Lime for the first time because of the «TACO TUESDAY» ad on the chalkboard displayed out front, and because they were playing Duncan Sheik over the loudspeaker. Seriously, Duncan Sheik — throwback to middle school — who else remembers that «Barely Breathing» one-​hit-​wonder?! Anyway, with the 12-​year-​old inside of me nudging my growling stomach onwards, I entered.
The staff is nice enough (although the gal who took my order seemed bored beyond belief) and pretty efficient. The Taco Tuesday deal is pretty sweet — you get 2 tacos of your choice (chicken, beef, or steak, on soft or hard shells), chips and salsa, and a drink. All for $ 4.99! Booyah.
The tacos themselves aren’t 4 star quality — more like 3 stars. Pretty average for a fast Mexican food joint. But they have great options for the tacos (and burritos). And the options don’t stop there — just wait until you reach the SALSA BAR. Mmmmm. So many delicious and fresh choices to be made! I am a big fan of the pineapple salsa and the regular pico de gallo, although they have plenty of other mild to seriously hot options. Fountain drinks are pretty standard (um, they have Mellow Yellow, speaking of throwbacks to middle school), but big points for having three options for iced tea — green, red raspberry, and regular.
There is also a pretty rocking happy hour deal on Wednesday — Friday (the WTF?! deal). Basically, you can get $ 2 tacos, $ 2 beers, and $ 3 sangria or margaritas during happy hour. Very sweet indeed.
Lastly, I liked Lime because of the ambiance inside. Much nicer than sitting down at Chipotle or Cal Tort — the place has a lot of seating options (and a quieter back room) and just generally feels calm and more relaxing.

Ate here for the first time a few days ago, and although the food was yummy and the place is new and clean, I wanted a little bit more. I got the nude burrito, which is really just a bowl, and although it was yummy it didn’t come with any chips, even though the menu says it should. I guess they assume when you don’t want a tortilla wrap you also don’t want chips. They did still give me some when I asked, which was nice. My boyfriend also got the queso burrito and he thoroughly enjoyed it. I’d go back.

Lime Fresh drew me in with their promise of $ 3 margaritas and unlimited chips and salsa. Let me explain, they have a happy hour they call WTF?! and every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 4−7pm they have $ 2 tacos, $ 3 margaritas and sangrias. The margaritas are pretty great for $ 3. As far as the unlimited chips and salsa go, I think that might either be a daily happy hour special or an all the time thing. Also, I like that they have a salsa bar with many salsa options instead of just one.
In addition to the margarita, I had the 8^th Street Burrito with chicken and bacon (sans black beans and sour cream) and was pretty pleased with it. The bacon made for an especially tasty burrito.

I love Lime! First of all, the deals are amazing. On Monday, you get any burrito, chips, and a drink for $ 5.99. Tuesday is even better with two tacos, chips, and a drink for $ 4.99 (I recommend the steak queso taco, yum!). On Wednesday-​Friday from 4 – 7, they have $ 2 tacos, $ 2 beers, and $ 3 frozen sangria and margaritas. The frozen sangria is amazing — it’s a big cup, and it’s perfect on hot summer days. That, and a full salsa bar, and you’ll never have to wait in the INCREDIBLY long line at the Chipotle across the street ever again.
The customer service is also excellent. Scott, the manager, really puts a lot of effort into making sure each customer is happy. You can tell he’s really invested in giving everyone the best possible Lime experience. He really listens to customer feedback and does his best to accommodate everyone’s needs.
I cannot wait until the next Lime opens in Chinatown, and I can only hope the staff is just as good! I definitely recommend this place, hands down.

Considering what it is, a fast food chain, Lime is «as good as it gets!» I’ve been here a couple times (granted, I’ve always ordered the salads, go with the Southwest Salad) and it’s always been a 5 star experience, for a fast food establishment.
Great + fresh food, rarely is there a line, good service, food comes out hot and quick, the place is super-​clean, and you get unlimited chips + salsa. Not sure what else I could ask for when I’m looking for something quick.

Lime has great graphic design — I’ll grant them that. Their logo is nice and enticing. The staff is also pretty friendly and provides good service. But overall, there are much better fast Mexican food options, including Chipotle across the street.
The tacos are pretty low on substance — I got them crispy, and they were basically empty shells with a little bit of meat and filling. The burritos not on par with Chipotle, Baja Fresh or California Tortilla. The salsa bar is okay, but is not as good as Baja Fresh’s salsa bar. The guac is excellent, however, as is the queso — but those are two things that are hard to mess up.

The following statement will get me stabbed to death in most social circles but…
I like them better than Chipotle.
I went a long time ago for a Unilocal event before they opened and I just assumed they were showing off for us. I went back a few days ago and the experience was even better.
It was about three in the afternoon, so there was no line. I ordered a regular chicken lime burrito, a side of sopapillas, and a cherry lime «slurpee.» Call me crazy, burn me at the stake… do whatever your burrito-​religion instructs you to do with heretics, but every burrito at Chipotle tastes the same to me. It doesn’t matter if it’s chicken or steak, with peppers or without, pinto or black beans. They all taste about the same. My friend had a queso burrito with fried fish here and it tasted completely different than mine.
Now portion-​wise, I’ve never finished a Chipotle burrito without wondering if my stomach had finally met its match. One of those can feed a whole village of those hungry kids on those commercials. Lime’s burrito looks to be the same length, but it’s clearly lighter and less packed. But considering each one comes with free chips (unlike Chipotle) and a variety of salsas, I was full before the sopapillas came to me.
Oh yeah, that’s another thing… They bring your food to the table. Had I known that the fajitas would actually come out sizzling on a cast iron plate, I would’ve opted for one of those. Those sopapillas were soft, warm and the syrup combined with the cinnamon sugar sealed the door on my food coma.
They earned a piece of my next paycheck.

I’m giving this place 5 stars
I’m drinking a $ 2 beer…
This place has the best music
This is simultaneously my study spot, my pre-​game spot and my dinner spot

I first heard about this place from my coworkers who were stuffing their face in the break room, so i decided to try it out one day.
I went there when i got off work so around 3 ish and the line was out the door but it moved pretty fast and the young ladies who work there handed out menus in line so that you can know what u want ahead of time. I decided to keep it traditional and go for the ground beef tacos, hard shell with chips and salsa.
The breakdown:
Beef– was seasoned but wasnt mind blowing
toppings– fresh and had a bit of a crunch so thats a plus
Tortilla– didnt taste like cardboard
Chips– waaaaay too salty, i had to brush off the salt
Salsa– i chose several different kinds and they all saved the salty chips so i was pleased, especially the pineapple salsa… very good.
On top of that i got a frozen lemonade which was really tasty, not to citrus-​y
Overall i would go back again if i got tired of chipotle or didnt want to deal with them, the employees are much nicer at lime and they all for the most part seemed to be content working there. I hate going into food establishments where the staff just look miserable. then i think my food will be miserable. So yea, Lime is a nice lil spot to grab a burrito or a frozen sangria during happy hour and just chill.

Went back — the experience was a little better this time.
— Music still too loud
— Margarita from the tap was good (if a little sweet) and a reasonable value
— The food is just average and a bout $ 1 too expensive when compared to Chipotle
— Fun place to get rowdy with a group and down some well priced drinks
— Management seems eager to help, if not a little too eager to help the more attractive people if you get my drift
So, 3 stars

Gentrification is a touchy subject. Personally I fall on the side that if a group is going to «invade» a neighborhood, they should leave its original character intact. Now, of course, there are arguments to be made on the other side too. But I dare anyone who’s pro-​gentrification to try Lime and then argue them!
This place is an example of the blandification of Columbia Heights.
And by that, I mean the food. Apparently they like their Mexican lame (hey, Lame, that’s a good nickname for this place) in Miami, where this chain is based, because my burrito was tasteless. At first it was because I was accidentally eating the vegan girl I’m dating’s cheese and sour creamless burrito (but even she, used to this combo, found her burrito subpar). However, once we switched, my burrito containing the necessary milk-​based products, tasted like mush mixed with overcooked rice. Now they do offer up a ton of salsas on an all-​you-​can-​salsa bar to flavor the burrito. But I could instantly see why. It does not stand on its own.
I do love this place’s concept though. Each burrito comes with chips — although some of them were drowned in salt — to try the aforementioned salsa bar. And the salsas I tasted were great (I found the asada which was supposed to be medium welcomely hot). And they have a WTF (Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday) Happy Hour with $ 2 Mexican beers. Plus the party, poppy, dance music they play (apparently to conjure South Beach) could be appealing to some.
But the only WTF I experienced eating there on a Tuesday was a «WTF did I just eat?» And I don’t think that’s what they intended.

Bein a Texan transplant to DC, I was super stoked to see Lime opening in our neighborhood. So the week it opened, I definitely wanted to drop in and check out this San Diego favorite chain.
Dropped in for takeout. The folks were extremely friendly, if a bit disorganized. No bigs, it’s their first week, right? Ordered a salad. They told me about the salsa bar and told me to check it out while I was waiting… it looked kinda like Baja Fresh’s, but hope springs eternal and I was hungry. So I walked over to check it out. Then realized they didn’t give me any chips and there were none at the salsa bar like I had assumed based on the directions provided. The following convo ensued:
Me: Um… I was told to try the salsa bar, but I can’t seem to find the chips???
Lady: Oh, that’s because you get your chips with your order.
Me: But I was told to try them while I’m waiting for my take out order. So… how am I supposed to try them before I get my order?
Lady: Oh. You don’t. You just, like, get some. And then you get your order, so then you can have some.
Me. Huh, ok. So that really doesn’t make sense, because you guys said while I wait for my order…
Lady: Well, what we mean when we say that is like, you know, it’s there, so when you get your order…
**Wait for my order. Get my order. No chips**
Me: So, I was told to check out the salsa bar while I was waiting for my order. But then I didn’t get any chips. The other lady told me that even though I was told that, what ya’ll really mean is to wait until I get my order.
Guy: Yeah, that’s right. So you get the salsas while you wait and then you can try them once you get your order…
Me: That doesn’t really seem to make sense, but ok. So um, I got my order, but no chips…
Guy: *looks in my bag* that’s cuz you got a salad, not a burrito or tacos.
Me: Ok, so that means no chips?
Guy: well they don’t come with the salads.
Me: Ok, so why tell me to check out the salsa bar while I wait if you won’t give me chips while I wait and then you also won’t give me chips after my waiting is over?
Guy: Well, I can give you chips, it’s just that they don’t come with the order.
*Gives me chips*
And the salsas were similar to that of baja fresh. Got to my friend’s house. Tried the salad. It was… uninspired. Most of the steak was inedible because of the fat and toughness. The chips weren’t cooked all the way through. I was so excited Lime was coming to the neighborhood, but even though I’m not a fan of Chipotle, guess I’ll be sticking with that or Alero when I want my «Mexican» fast food fix.

I wonder if Chipotle from across the street is having their employees write reviews because they’re scared of the competition? I’ve been here twice and have been impressed with the food and the customer service both times.
I got the queso burrito – it was good. Not gourmet Mexican good, but solid. I enjoyed it and felt the portion was very reasonable for the price. I love that they give you a side of chips without having to pay for it and that there’s a mondo salsa bar available. Two small issues: 1) chop up the jalapenos a little more – yeah, I know they’re in there, but when they end up right next to each other in huge chunks, weenies like me burn their mouths off; and 2) a little more cheese sauce, distributed – I got to the end and was sorely missing the cheesy deliciousness I started with. But that’s not a burrito issue I don’t have ANYWHERE else I go. The hubs got the tacos, which, I agree, were a liiittle light on the meat. The the flavor was rockin’, and again, the side of chips was well appreciated (especially considering the competition makes you pay for a huge bag of chips).
Managers definitely didn’t assault me, and I didn’t feel that the ordering process was particularly confusing (then again, if you look up the reviews for a place like Hill Country, you can tell that if the ordering process is in any way unusual, Washingtonians simply can’t handle it). You order. If you’re eating there, they give you a number. If not, you stand and wait for your food. Staff was very friendly, and willing to help out and answer questions. Décor is tasteful and it was clean and nice inside.
Definitely am looking forward to trying out the happy hour – it’s crawling distance from home!

I don’t feel like writing in complete sentences so behold my list:
Pros
1) Staff is extremely friendly.
2) Classic quesadilla with steak is nom-​nommy!
3) There is an extensive salsa bar.
Cons
1) Margarita tastes like limeade. Sangria tastes like melted slurpee.
2) Chips and guac are bland.
3) So are most of the salsas at the above-​referenced bar.
34 Tacos taste like Taco Bell.

FANTASTIC CUSTOMER SERVICE!!! These clerks will treat you right :)
Lime has a delicious salsa bar, and several different types of guacamole to choose from. Try the abuela guacamole, as it is the ‘spicy’ version– (nice tang, but won’t blow your mouth off). The HUGE plus about Lime is that they serva da dranks! Yes, you can get a blended sangria/​margarita swirl and your burrito in several minutes! Lime has ample seating for all (high and low tables), and can accommodate a large crowd. The taste of the food was somewhat lacking, as the burrito and crispy tacos were bland. The two items we enjoyed were the chicken quesadilla and steak soft tacos. Perhaps Lime’s understand is that you get a bland burrito, and then use the salsa bar to create your own flavor? Maybe, not quite sure. :)
I will definitely be back for a Corona and chix quesadilla.