La Duni Latin Cafe

Alegria, says:

• Food:

  5/5

• Vibe:

  4/5

• Service:

  3/5

• Value:

  4/5

• Overall:

  4/5

Service can indeed be spotty, and the waits to be seated can be long -- but we really do like the food enough to brave some annoyances occasionally. The slow-roasted lomo sandwich is my fave, especially if made on a popover (not as huge and fab as the popovers at Neiman's Zodiac room, but good). Margaritas are fine but if you're not drinking alcohol, try a limonada Suiza, which has a sort of cocktail vibe and costs half as much as a marg.

DC, says:

• Food:

  4/5

• Vibe:

  3/5

• Service:

  2/5

• Value:

  3/5

• Overall:

  4/5

Mixed feelings here. Usual park / valet K-H combo.

A table for eight is supposedly waiting for us. Six of us arrive, wait staff will not seat us. Two others are en route, tied up in some snarl on 75. As usual, I suggest we find someplace that actually wants our money, she thinks we should stay. We stay. Five minutes later our group is complete, table is gone and we sit around for another 40 so minutes waiting for a table outside. No effort by the staff to make us whatsoever comfortable, even a glass of water. I guess they have an allergy to getting tips.

Finally, though, the cocktails and dishes start to flow. Salads are good and sandwiches receive positive notes. Carne asada plate is actually pretty decent, with only some hints of grade z meat thrown in as a nice contrast to most of the other tex mex places.

Another visit, after a gift card arrives, seated promptly and attended to well by the waitstaff. No problems. Chicken with lime oregano is a nice departure from the usual burrito fare.

Menu is moderately insulting - see D magazine's "best cocktail" highlights and split charges, reminding me of the disingenuous visit last time, as if they really couldn't care if you enjoy yourself or not, as long as you acknowledge how great they are, pay your money and get the hell out of there.

Who are we kidding, inevitably someone else is going to end up taking us there for dinner sometime. At least it won't cost an internal organ.

Food pretty good.

dftimes, says:

• Food:

  5/5

• Vibe:

  5/5

• Service:

  3/5

• Value:

  3/5

• Overall:

  4/5

Great brunch restaurant. The popovers with flavored butter are excellent. The coffee is great along with all of their drinks, ie mojitos. They have great breakfast dishes, along with a great Dulche de Leche cake for dessert.