MGM National Harbor’s Next Big Restaurant Is a Tequila-Pouring Mexican Spot From Vegas

MGM National Harbor is replacing the restaurant space that Fish by José Andrés left behind with a new location of Diablo’s Cantina, a margarita-slinging Mexican venue that already operates out of two of the company’s Las Vegas casinos.

A representative for the gambling complex in Oxon Hill, Maryland, tells Eater that the first East Coast location of Diablo’s is expected to open later this summer. Diablo’s debuted at the Luxor in late 2018 and added an additional location a year later inside the Mirage.

The company expects to have more menu details in the coming weeks, but a sampling of offerings on the strip include tableside guacamole, carnitas, tostadas, sizzling fajitas, a churro funnel cake, and of course, lots of tequila drinks. Its signature Vixen cocktail comes with blanco tequila, lime juice, hibiscus, and mint. Sin City vibes are aplenty at Diablo’s, between red pitchfork-shaped drink stirrers, a wild color palate, and sugar skull murals splashed across its walls.

Diablo’s Cantina/official photo

Sit-down Mexican food will be a new feature for the nearly four-year-old casino in Prince George’s County, which reopened to the public on Monday, June 29, after a three-month hiatus due to the coronavirus crisis. The casino rebooted with just two fine-dining options to start: Voltaggio Brothers Steakhouse and Asian-themed Ginger. Under its detailed reopening report, restaurants currently space seats and bar stools six feet apart and no longer hand out physical menus. Diners scroll through options on mobile devices using a QR code and receive text message notifications when their tables are ready.

The former home to Andrés’s seafood spot boasts a central bar and will get a full-on refresh, with its “own unique feel” separate from the Vegas locations. Diablo’s Cantina plans to make use of Fish’s former patio space, which used to host summertime lobster boils. Fish closed in January, with ThinkFoodGroup citing “evolving business strategies” behind the move.

Diablo’s Cantina/official photo

• The Diablo’s Cantina Party Returns to the Strip [EV]
• José Andrés’s Casino-Based Seafood Restaurant Will Close Next Week [EDC]
• MGM National Harbor Reopens Next Week With Two Indoor Dining Options [EDC]
• The Mirage Shakes Up Its Dining Options with Mexican on the Way [EV]