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    El Camino

    3.8 (230 reviews)
    ModerateMexican
    Closed 5:00 pm - 10:30 PM
    Updated over 3 months ago

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    EL CAMINO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Hipster
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - El Camino

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    Beef enchiladas
    Allie W.

    I thought this was very good! Got a pitcher of margs, guac (it's a very small serving), corn dip and beef enchiladas and enjoyed it all.

    Nachos
    Tiffany C.

    I've gone here multiple times because it's a few blocks away. They have good tacos, nachos are $9 and any of the meat toppings are the same price. So $5 for steak, chicken, chorizo. The service is good, whenever they see your water is low they full it up and the service is super quick. It's good for an after work drink at the bar. So if you are by yourself it's good for that. It also has an outdoor space which is good for the spring and summer time.

    Mojito sub tequila  10/10
    Bailey B.

    This has always been my favorite neighborhood spot. The quality in food & drink never waivers below phenomenal. I'm not sure who's back there seasoning/cooking their steak, but Food Network needs to get involved and spread that recipe far and wide. I sometimes find myself dreaming of my standing "steak quesadilla+ Mojito sub tequila" order. If it arrives in a short glass, I know I'm in for a fun evening Stop in for happy hour (beer+margarita specials) and Taco Tuesday ($1 off tacos) and join the El Camino Stan club!

    Friend plantains
    David M.

    Finally stopped in here I pass this place all the time on Rhode Island and it is typically a busy spot. They have great margaritas there are many different flavors and you can get them frozen or traditional. We also tried the fried plantains and the ceviche. All really good and serving traditional Latin American food. Service was great and several TV's inside and out where you can catch the game. They also have a killer happy hour and I would definitely go back to this place.

    Shari D.

    El Camino has tons of outdoor seating, as well as bar/table seating inside. The food here is so flavorful! They have tons of options on the menu and the pricing is very decent for the area. My favorite taco so far is the salmon taco, it's cooked so well, the sauce is also very creamy and flavorful! They have a great drink menu, with lots of mezcal options, which I really enjoyed. Sitting at the bar, Pedro has always been helpful and welcoming, he makes each drink with precision.

    El Camino Steak
    Glen Y.

    We pass this El Camino all the time while on Rhode Island Ave, and finally decided to try it. It did not disappoint! The wait staff was great and answered any and all questions we had. I have been twice (so far), and sat outside on both evenings. The first time I tried the El Camino steak, and the second was the Pollo en Mole. Both were great. There are so many options! My wife saw something in what I believed was a Grubhub menu that wasn't on their printed menu, and they accommodated her. I also had the nachos (not pictured). They were great as well. I shall return!

    Birria Tacos, Yellow Rice, Black beans, Mango Margarita
    Karla W.

    I may be bias but El Camino has some of the best service and Mexican food in DC. Now listen it can be hard to find authentic Mexican food but they do a great job at it. Their drinks are 10x better and the crew managing this establishment always welcomes you in like family. If you haven't done so already... try their brunch. THATS a 5 star alone! I come here all the time and they have never disappointed.

    House margarita (happy hour)
    Thomas G.

    I went to El Camino for the All Day Monday Happy Hour. The pre-made batches of margarita and sangria are well worth the price and are both flavors without being overly sweet; they're well balanced. The guacamole was freshly made and we were able to choose a spice level, which was new to me. The bartender was personable even as the restaurant became more busy towards dinner time. The music, staff and environment were authentic very much so resembling my experiences in Mexico.

    Fried plantains
    Rumesh V.

    We are a huge fan of this restaurant ever since they reopened. We have been going there quite often. It's super convenient that they are just few steps away from our house. First of all, their service is amazing. We always prefer to sit at the bar. Both their bar tenders are very friendly and offer great recommendations about their drinks and food. We order Margaritas to start off while munching on their free chips and delicious salsa verde. For entrees, they have multiple options ranging from tacos, fajitas, plato grande (meat platter) and steak. I have had it all and love everything. The entree I order mostly depends on my mood. When I get back from a nice workout, I tend to order plato grande which comes with beef, chicken, shrimp, plantains, beans, rice, and sausage. It's humongous and easily serves three people. Absolutely love the taste. I recently ordered steak and it was so good. It was medium rare and served with broccoli, carrots and shrimp. Wow! These two entrees are perfect for me especially after my workout. For tacos, lamb barbacoa taco is my favorite. Absolutely love the way lamb is cooked. Their hot kinda salsa is spicy but delicious. I am thankful that they reopened and that they are just seconds away from our house. Extremely convenient to order out during these tough times. Hope they continue to do well. #thankyouthursday

    Shrimp burrito
    Rachel L.

    Ordered takeout for lunch as we've been trying to try smaller spots. Overall the food was decent. The staff are incredibly friendly and it was pretty quiet inside. The shrimp burrito was very yummy. Great amount of shrimp & the guac was delicious. Very fresh. The steak and eggs w/ potatoes was very mediocre. The steak was extremely well done which we're used to but this was VERY well done. Not much flavor in the rice and beans or potatoes. I think we would try other menu items to give it another shot but definitely not getting steak again. Overall it's fine so maybe we just need to branch out with our choices!

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    6 months ago

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    4 months ago

    This place has improved so much in the last few years. Friendly, good food. I really hope it's not closed!! El Camino, where are you!!

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    4 months ago

    We love this neighborhood gem!! Service is always friendly, food is always tasty, and the price point is excellent.

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    3 years ago

    Best nachos u can get in this buisness and tacos customer service is great in here and very friendly servers

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    Oyamel

    Oyamel

    3.8(3.5k reviews)
    1.5 miPenn Quarter
    $$

    Boss pulled up and said "we're going to Oyamel" and that was the right call. Weekday lunch, Penn…read moreQuarter, reservation secured because this place does not slow down for anybody. Pitcher of margaritas for the table: smooth, rich, not too strong. Exactly what a group lunch needs without turning into a whole situation. The guacamole is terrific and they'll adjust the spice level to your liking, which is a small thing that goes a long way when you're feeding a whole office with different tolerances. The tacos are built on house-made masa tortillas and you can taste that they care. I did the Pollo à la Parrilla and the Chilito de Res. Both landed. The beef especially, slow-braised and seasoned like they meant it. This is a José Andrés restaurant, so you already know the room has energy. If you're in the District and haven't made this a regular stop, fix that.

    My favorite thing was the chips and salsa. Quite tasty. Chips seemed very fresh and salsa was super…read moretasty and smoky flavored. Ceviche was a laughable portion size. And it served with no extra tostada or chips. Or nearly this wouldn't be an issue when there is it unlimited supply of chips, but even though I'm sitting at the bar the chips were not plentiful. The beef mole tasted good but the beef was tough and not especially warm when it came out. It was good but it was not great.

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    Oyamel - Margarita

    Margarita

    Oyamel - Ceviche de Atún Pacífico

    Ceviche de Atún Pacífico

    Oyamel - Cilantro Margarita

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    El Sol Restaurant & Tequileria - Fajita El Sol

    El Sol Restaurant & Tequileria

    4.1(779 reviews)
    1.0 miShaw, Downtown
    $$

    This place hit the spot, even toddler approved! We ordered take out and it was prepared pretty…read morequickly. The menu is quite extensive, it took us longer to decide on what we wanted. I got the nachos, my husband got tacos, and we got a chicken quesadilla for our toddler. The nachos were PILED with toppings and so colorful - even in a take out container is looked beautiful. They were SO tasty, very full of flavor and spice. My husband said the tacos were delicious and our toddler actually ate a lot of the quesadilla. Win all around. Highly recommend!

    In town for the week, tried to get into Unconventional Diner for brunch...a backup was needed. We…read moreventured down a few blocks looking for anything and found El Sol. Fair sized joint with a smallish patio out front. Having perused the menu on the way, I was looking to try something just beyond "staple of cheap Mexican." Sadly, we were presented with brunch menus, so it was a breakfast burrito for me and the breakfast tacos for her. I was remarkably hungry, so the burrito was eaten (and quickly). But truth be told, it's standard Mexican fare made with breakfast ingredients. No more description necessary - you've had this before and you'll have it again. The service was marginally lackluster- if you're not in a big party, you might get shuffled down in prioritization (or at least I thought we were...once ready to leave I did the 'fidget with credit card' trick to get the staff to close us out. It took frustratingly long. All in all, if I lived in the neighborhood, this would be my cheap Mexican place and more out of convenience than culinary merit.

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    El Sol Restaurant & Tequileria
    El Sol Restaurant & Tequileria - Queso Fundido con Chorizo

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    dLeña - Pork Belly** and Short Rib**

    dLeña

    4.4(1.3k reviews)
    1.0 mi
    $$$

    Came last night before a comedy show at the Capital One Arena and OMG...10/10 hands down I have no…read morenotes. We went in right as they opened, on a Friday at 5 pm, and there was already a line! The reservations were full, but we were offered a seat either at the bar or outside. Luckily it was a beautiful day so we took a seat outside. They started us off with a sweet hibiscus flavored juice as a palate cleanser which was super refreshing. The left side of the menu had appetizers and shareables, while the right side had entrees. We ordered the short rib tacos, pork belly, wagyu empanadas, and seafood enchiladas. Everything had a beautiful bright orange sauce on it and made it look like it would be spicy but it wasn't! I think it's their signature guajillo sauce and it was VERY good, super creamy. Seafood enchiladas: This was my fav. Might have been because it was extremely hungry and it was my first bite. Definitely best when eaten warm, as the cheese is gooiest and the seafood inside is hot. I wasn't sure how the salad was going to be but it added a perfect refreshing and acidity to balance out the creamy sauce. Wagyu empanadas: Much gooey-er and cheesier than expected, but also a hit! Came with a decent amount of beef inside. Comes with the orange sauce and a chimichurri, which I think was a good idea because given how cheesy and creamy the filling already was, the chimichurri was a nice balance as well. Pork belly: Melts as soon as you cut into it. The Asian in me low key wanted a giant bowl of rice with this so that I could soak up all the sauce and veggies. Pretty fatty so if you're not a fan of that you might not like this. Short rib tacos: These were loaded, not with meat but with tons of crunchy topping (maybe fried carrots?) Could have done with slightly less crunch but overall still good. The orange sauce on the bottom had a peanuty flavor which I thought added a unique kick. Also, we were surprised at how quickly the food came out. We were in and out in under an hour. Our server Rebecca was also extremely nice. Will def be back if in the area. Highly recommend all around!

    This rating is for the brunch and the brunch only... I have to be completely honest about this for…read moreanyone planning on going for brunch. The service was ok, we had to tell our server we weren't seeing him enough, there's a 2 hour limit and we weren't getting a chance to order more drinks. After that he kept the drinks coming. WARNING! You DO NOT get to choose what items you want from the ayce brunch menu, they bring every single dish out and they do it at a pace that you barely get a chance to enjoy anything. Every dish is loaded with fillers and barely any meat. Every dish has a similar flavor of chilli, lime and cilantro. I say this with the upmost respect to this restaurant, the only good thing about the brunch were the churros and they don't give you that until you're ready to leave. The chicken and waffles were almost good but the sauce on the chicken with the waffle just ruins it. The steak and eggs were ok and you only get a 1oz piece of steak. Birria tacos were just ok and the fish taco was ok. Everything else was not worth it. A lot of items went to waste. If we could've chose exactly what we wanted, it might have been better. This would also add to why the service did not start off well because our server gave us our first drink and left. After that, every item from the brunch menu were just getting dropped off by food runners. It became overwhelming. We didn't even have room on the table for all of that. Then we also had to ask for new plates because we did not want to mix the flavors of every dish. The drinks were also not good, I had margaritas for my drink of choice and they are so sour and filled with cheap tequila... respectfully for 70$ a person you're better off ordering à la carte. The restaurant is beautiful though, great for pictures and the food is colorful as well but the flavors are just not that good and you're ultimately paying for a bunch of food that you don't really even want nor enjoy. I really hope they adjust this because I heard it was 10x better in the past.

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    dLeña - Bathrooms

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    dLeña - Salmon Zarandeado*

    Salmon Zarandeado*

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    Mi Vida - Fish taco

    Mi Vida

    4.0(232 reviews)
    1.4 miPenn Quarter
    $$$

    Worked a full day, and didn't eat lunch. I was looking for a nearby Happy Hour. I found this one…read moreonline, and that their HH started at 3. Perfect timing! This is Directly across from the Chinatown Metro, F /7th St NW. TACO Tuesdays, are $4.50 on HH (compared to $6 HH tacos) I tried the Pescado (fish) and Camarones (Shrimp). The Shrimp was the BEST!!! I also ended up getting 2 ALITAS ($2 each) Marinated wings. SOOOOOOOOOOO GOOD! And the DE LA CASA ($8) good! and Ponche De Lola ($8) Refreshing!! Tables outside. Bar was clean. Hostess was very nice! Bartender was helpful and nice, answered all of my questions I will be back!

    We were here to celebrate one of our friend's birthday. Glad we reserved the time around the…read moreWizards game as this place wasn't crowded much as the game was going on. Parking can be hard to find in the area during the game days. I recommend taking the metro or bike if you live in DC. The ambiance was great. The service was great as well. The server recommended some of her favorite apps to start with. Highly recommend the freshly made quac and hot salsa with the chips. So good. One of the best hot salsa in the city. For entrees I ordered the chicken fajita and my husband ordered the birria tacos. The tacos did not come with the sauce. We thought the birria tacos was suppose to come with the sauce. When we asked the server she said you have to order it separately. Well that's mostly why I am giving them 4 stars and also the chicken in my fajita was pretty dry. I had to dip it in the hot salsa to make it nice and juicy.

    Photos
    Mi Vida - Interior

    Interior

    Mi Vida - Carne tacos

    Carne tacos

    Mi Vida - Dining room

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    Dining room

    Jaleo

    Jaleo

    3.8(2.7k reviews)
    1.4 miPenn Quarter
    $$$

    I've eaten here several times now and each time everything, food, wine selection, service, and…read moreambiance, was on point.

    I met up with a few friends here after attending the nearby escape room…read more Jaleo has been on my list for a long time. I love Jose Andres and have been to a couple of his restaurants. The restaurant was packed. So for sure get a reservation if you can. First things first, the restaurant is beautiful. The art, the menus, the ambiance. Just a really great hangout spot. Our server was really knowledgeable and friendly. As for the food , unfortunately, i didn't have anything that blew me away. My mini hamburger/Ibérico de bellota mini hamburguesa was actually my favorite item. Very juicy and flavorful. Though $13.00 for one slider was a bit much. My least favorite was the rabbit confit with apricot puree/Conejo en salmorejo con puré de albaricoques. I was excited about this because I can't recall the last time I've ever had rabbit but I think it was the texture of the puree that took away from the dish. Coming in at the middle was the seafood paella. I know it's one of the restaurants headlining menu items but I found the seasoning inconsistent. The rice seemed a bit salty and the shrimp was pretty bland. Combining it to balance it out didn't yield the flavor I was hoping for. Weirdly enough, if I went back and the table ordered it again, I definitely wouldn't mind but probably wouldn't get it myself unless my companions were interested. All in all, I'm not opposed to trying other items on the menu should I know anyone who would like to visit though I can't say it hooked me enough for me to go on my own accord

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    Jaleo
    Jaleo - Sangría

    Sangría

    Jaleo

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    Mi Vida - Carnitas Tacos with black beans and rice- DELICIOUS!

    Mi Vida

    3.9(1.6k reviews)
    2.6 mi
    $$

    Mi Vida is located along the Wharf, with tons of outdoor and indoor spaces…read more I went with a hungry group of 8 and started with their guac and small plates/apps. We ordered their "most popular apps" for 5 which came with tamales, croquettes, empanadas, deviled eggs, oranges, and fried pork rinds (chips?). The serving size was definitely enough for our group, so I'd only order this for an actual group of 5 if you weren't eating anything else. I had their pork tacos as an entree and tried their carne asada. Both were satisfying but neither stood out. Overall, I'd say this place is a safe place to dine - you know the service will be good and the food will be solid. I wouldn't say that their dishes stand out, but I also mainly tried their basic items.

    I really wanted to love Mi Vida because the atmosphere is beautiful and the decor is stunning. At…read morenight, it has such a lively vibe and the service has always been wonderful! I'm giving it 3 stars because the food just hasn't hit for me as much as I hoped. The first time we went, I tried the birria and tacos de pescado. I wasn't a fan of the sauce on the fish tacos, it kind of took away my appetite after a few bites. I had my boyfriend try them (he thought I was being dramatic), and he immediately agreed something was off, though his tacos were great. We went again another time and ordered 3 or 4 things, but the chicken tasted a bit old, which was disappointing. I'd still be open to trying it again in the future, but right now it sits at just okay for me. A cute place for drinks though!

    Photos
    Mi Vida - Interior

    Interior

    Mi Vida - Appetizer

    Appetizer

    Mi Vida - Non-alcoholic drink

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    Non-alcoholic drink

    Pisco y Nazca Ceviche Gastrobar

    Pisco y Nazca Ceviche Gastrobar

    4.6(2.9k reviews)
    1.8 miDowntown
    $$

    We came here for dinner and made a reservation ahead of time to make sure we had a table, though it…read morelooked like they also offer walk-in bar seating. The restaurant is beautifully decorated, and the staff was friendly and welcoming from the moment we arrived. The food was delicious, especially the dessert! We were visiting a friend who recommended this spot, and it definitely lived up to the hype. The atmosphere was lively and energetic, but even with a full house, it was still easy to have a conversation at the table. Overall, a great dining experience and a place we'd happily return to.

    This place is a solid 3.5 stars but doesn't hit a 4 because the main dishes were underwhelming…read more We came here on a Monday night and it was pretty busy. They have good drink options which was nice for a group which all had different tastes. We started with appetizers, including the chicken empanadas, the tuna tacos, and ceviche sampler. The chicken empanadas were good, if not particularly memorable. But had a nice crunch on the shell and the inside had a nice savory flavor and not dry. The tuna tacos, which didn't have the most appetizing color, was also tasty. The tuna was tender and balanced well with the crispy shell. The ceviche sampler was also delicious, each one having a different flavor profile. I liked the tigre de leche the best in terms of the acidity and brightness. I just wish the ceviche had some kind of vessel to eat it with. One of the ceviche had plantain chips which was nice but I wanted more. Without it, the texture is just one note. For the main dishes, we got the lomo saltado and the aji de gallina which are two, iconic Peruvian dishes. Both were just meh. The aji was the better of the two. The sauce was flavored well with the creaminess of the sauce not overwhelming the garlic and tumeric flavors. But the rice was SUPER dry, almost crunchy. The lomo saltado was even worse. The beef was overly cooked, some pieces were very sinewy and chewy. It was also overly salty and the veggie to meat ratio heavily favored the veggies and made the dish feel cheap. Overall, it was fine but given the options for Peruvian in DC, not sure this deserves 4 stars+.

    Photos
    Pisco y Nazca Ceviche Gastrobar
    Pisco y Nazca Ceviche Gastrobar
    Pisco y Nazca Ceviche Gastrobar

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    El Camino - mexican - Updated May 2026

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