A different kind of taqueria has hopped into Tysons Galleria.
Conceived by some of the team behind D.C.’s Maïz64, Rabbit Taco opened on the mall’s third floor on June 24, selling tacos, burritos, quesadillas and more near Empanadas De Mendoza.
Though much of the menu may look familiar at first glance, the eatery put its own spin on Mexican street food by utilizing all-halal meat and organic, fresh vegetables, and offering dishes like Mexican corn and tortas (sandwiches) not found at fast-casual chains like Chipotle or Qdoba.
Those unique touches have surprised diners, who often arrive expecting the same simple fare they could get at any other restaurant, executive chef Cristian Saucedo says.
“When they come here and they taste our food, they like the quality of the ingredients,” he told FFXnow. “It’s also pretty affordable for everybody, and they appreciate that we’re doing something different. I think we’re very unique in this area.”
Rabbit Taco is also a departure for its owners and culinary team, who developed the concept after a fire destroyed their previous restaurant back in March.
Located at 1324 14th Street NW in Logan Circle, Maïz64 quickly gained traction after opening in October 2021, getting a mention in the 2022 Michelin guide and, more recently, a shoutout from Mexico’s ambassador to the U.S. As suggested by its name, it stood out for its use of heirloom corn imported from Mexico.
That restaurant has been closed since the fire, and Saucedo didn’t address whether it will reopen. But he says the team intentionally went in a different direction for their next venture, developing a new menu while maintaining the same focus on authentic flavors and fresh ingredients.
“Over there, it was fine dining. Everything was plated beautifully, and right here, we’re more like a fast-casual restaurant, so people just want to grab and go, you know?” Saucedo said.
The team saw an opening for their concept at Tysons Galleria, which they felt was missing a dining option with “Latin flair,” according to the chef.
Rabbit Taco is located in the stall once filled by London Chippy, back when the mall was trying to establish a food hall with Urbanspace. The third floor still has two remnants of the food hall — Andy’s Pizza and Empanadas De Mendoza — as well as an expansion of the popular coffee shop Shotted.
The halal burger truck Char’d announced in July that its planned brick-and-mortar site will get a grand opening at noon on Aug. 18. It’ll be located in the former Donburi space.
Saucedo says it has been rewarding to see some of Maïz64’s customers in Tysons for Rabbit Taco, but they’re also starting to find new supporters.
“I don’t know if there’s any other restaurant that is doing the thing that we used to do down in D.C., so I know a lot of our customers, they’re coming here and check it out. Some of them, they actually live in the area,” he said. “…We have that, and also right now, now that we’re open, we’re standing out a little more here, and people are going to know a little more about us. We’re starting to create new regulars. I see a lot of the familiar faces every day.”
Rabbit Taco opens at 11 a.m. daily, operating until 7 p.m. on Sunday through Wednesday, 8 p.m. on Thursday and Saturday, and 9 p.m. on Friday.
