Verdict: Actually Overwhelmed (yes, we’re as surprised as you are)

Third time’s the charm, except we already knew the charm was there — this wasn’t a gamble, it was a victory lap. Morning Fuel has a following in West Lawn, and by 10:30 on a Saturday that following was very much present: 20-minute wait, packed dining room, the whole deal. We’ve been enough times to know that’s just the toll you pay.

The place is a breakfast-and-lunch spot with a Mexican flare and — critically — a full bar, which is not a combination I knew I needed until a Bloody Mary showed up with my chilaquiles at 10:45 in the morning and made complete sense. The Mrs. kept it more traditional with eggs Benedict and roasted potatoes, and it arrived exactly as advertised: hollandaise doing its job, potatoes crisp, nothing to argue with.

I went with the chilaquiles — tortilla chips buried in salsa, sour cream, queso fresco, eggs, avocado, black beans, pico de gallo — and it was a lot of plate. In a good way. Bold flavors, generous portions, looked as good as it tasted. Then somebody at the next table mentioned the homemade hot sauce, we flagged it down, and it quietly became the best thing either of us ate all day. That’s the kind of detail you don’t find on the menu; you find it by eavesdropping.

Service kept pace despite the crowd — friendly, attentive, no attitude about the wait they created just by being good. About $60 for the two of us once the bar tab got involved, which felt fair given what showed up.

We’ll be back a fourth time, and if you’re in the area — or even if you’re not — this is worth the special trip.

Rating: Actually Overwhelmed.