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El Centro

3.4 (137 reviews)
ModerateMexican
Open 5:00 am - 10:00 pm

El Centro Photos

EL CENTRO ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Loud
Touristy
Casual
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - El Centro

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Reviews With Photos

Morning cup of desperately needed coffee
Karen V.

I was looking for breakfast before my flight. I almost went to the crepe place but didn't like that all the tables surrounding it were dirty. El Centro looked clean and inviting. Besides, this was the only sit down restaurant with table service in Terminal B/C that was open for breakfast at 6:30 am in the morning. I was seated right away at a table near a TV. Donna was amazing. She asked almost immediately if I wanted coffee after giving me a glass of ice cold water. The coffee was pretty good, and very much appreciated. The service was great! I ended up getting the breakfast torta with bacon instead of chorizo. It had a fried egg, oaxaca cheese, pico de gallo, guacamole, and pickled slices of jalapeno. It was actually very satisfying. I also liked that the breakfast potatoes were crispy. I'd get the same breakfast again. I didn't feel like it was the same old breakfast platter served at all airport restaurants. The menu had breakfast burritos, tacos, huevos rancheros, chilaquiles, and even churros. I almost got the churros. I later found out that my husband had the churros at this very same restaurant a couple of years ago. I might get that next time. The food was also reasonably priced. It ended up being a very good breakfast option at Washington Reagan National Airport.

Great spot in C terminal
Stephen S.

Solid spot for a meal. Stopped in for breakfast and was served up some great customer service from Mirna. An asset to this establishment. Nice job! Breakfast burrito was great for me. The Coffee was even great. No issues on this visit. Will stop in again next time I'm in this terminal.

Beers
Kaethe E.

Great hang out for flights. Beer, margaritas , nachos. Even entrees. Very quick service, just what you need

Table View
Otniel L.

We came to El Centro searching for a quick bite prior to boarding our flight that was about 45 minutes out. There is a host who seated us quickly; he was polite and friendly. The waitress we had was absolutely awesome! She was friendly, had a sense of humor and knowledgeable on the menu options. We had the Cantina Nachos! It was a thin, crispy tortilla and all the toppings were widely dispersed. It's not the best nachos I've ever had, but it's definitely a good nacho and worth the visit. My Order: Cantina Nachos requeson cheese sauce, guacamole, crema fresca, black bean purée, pico de gallo, jalapeño -ODL Connect with me on IG & YouTube: @AOEAT

El Centro Margarita
Marjorie H.

Good food. Good drinks. Great vibe. The service was quick, efficient, and quick to ask about refills. I never felt rushed. The food was really flavorful. I would definitely stop at this location again on future trips.

Chicken Nachos
Laura U.

The Restaurant has a bar and table seating. It was bustling and packed. I was able to get in right away, with people leaving quickly due to flights coming and going--airport food with quick service and friendly staff. I was in and out within 30-45 minutes, which was nice because I had a connecting flight. I ordered the chicken nachos, and they were good for airport food. They were a good size with plenty of toppings. They weren't skimpy at all. I heard other tables also talking about how the food was, and everyone seemed pleased. Prices weren't terrible but expected for the location. I have no complaints.

Pork carnitas
Sean K.

Grabbed a quick lunch before flying out of DC. Had the pork carnitas which was very tasty. Great services as well.

Beer
Neil K.

Service was good, the chicken enchiladas with black beans & rice was surprisingly delicious. Plenty of tender shredded chicken, with a nice verde sauce. Not much to report about the ambiance, it's inside an airport.

Chicken Tinga tacos
Danielle L.

Stopped here again on a layover. Not sure if they have a limited menu due to covid, but the delish BBQ chicken salad was not on the menu. I got the chicken tinga tacos instead. The pulled chicken was juicy and flavorful. Rice and beans were also very good. Portion size was quite large, I was full so it felt worth the $15. Docking a star for the tortillas.... Corn tortillas, but only one per taco which did not hold up to the saucy tinga. The tortillas completely crumbled and I ended up eating it with a knife and fork. I sat at the bar - Service was excellent!

Kimberly R.

Unparalleled customer service, delicious food perfect portions and reasonably priced. Don't need a res. Can't wait to go back!!

tables and chairs in a restaurant
Annie R.

Before our flight, we walked by this spot and I got hungry lol it was still "breakfast" time but I can eat nachos at any time of the day lol so we ordered nachos. It was actually a good size for 2 people. They did a good job on distributing the cheese and toppings in different spots and layers. And our waitress was super nice and attentive. Would go again!

The  DF Burger*
Demor'a B.

It was good to sit down and eat while waiting for your flight! Great customer service and fresh made to order food that doesn't break the bank!

Spicy Mango Margarita
Amanda M.

I wasn't sure what to expect because I rarely eat at airports because I'm usually just barely making my flight but this was a solid 3 stars for sitting at the bar for a quick lunch meal. COCKTAILS Spicy Mango Margarita - $13.20 serrano infused blanco tequila, agave, lime, mango *not quite balanced, it tasted more tart than spicy El Centro Margarita sauza blue blanco tequila, agave, lime *pretty solid margarita, I like that they freshly squeeze a lime and use agave STEAK TACOS three tacos served with rice and beans, onion, cilantro, salsa verde *I didn't get asked temperature for the steak so I was a little worried it was going to come out well done but it was perfect and had great flavor *Also there is melted cheese on the tortilla and you can pick corn or flour SERVICE: There were two bartenders and one had just incredible timing for everyone and anticipated refills and needs, the other was the complete opposite. I had the the complete opposite bartender...*hand to forehead*

Carnitas tacos- not on menu. Shrug

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3 years ago

Terminal C near gate 30, awaiting flight out, I had the street tacos. Absolutely yummy! Surprised for a great airport meal.

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Guajillo Mexican Cuisine - Mole Poblano**

Guajillo Mexican Cuisine

(644 reviews)

$$

Rosslyn

I arrived as a party of three on a Saturday night and was quickly seated. We quickly got salsa and…read morechips to start and our orders in. Overall, service was quick. Ambiance felt authentic and casual. Queso Dip 3/5 Decent amount of queso. The cheese reminded me of bowling allergy nachos or movie nacho cheese. I'm not particularly a fan of that style but you might be. Taconazo 5/5 Absolutely delicious. I'm a big taco fan and the variety is such a bonus. My favorites were the grilled steak, grilled chicken, and al pastor. All three of these meats were very flavorful and tender. This was my first fish taco and I definitely plan on having more in the future because of this! The carnitas were also good but a bit dry-- still flavorful though! All tacos were huge portions and definitely filled me up. They had simple toppings but complimented the meats well. Would definitely recommend!

I rarely leave negative reviews, but my experience at Guajillo Mexican Cuisine was extremely…read moredisappointing. The service was poor from start to finish, and the food was honestly very subpar for what you would expect from a Mexican restaurant. The most concerning part of the experience happened when I received my bill. After leaving a specific tip amount, I later discovered that the waiter had increased the tip beyond what I authorized. At that point it's no longer just bad service--it's a serious issue, and I'm currently disputing the charge. Between the poor service, mediocre food, and the unauthorized change to my tip, this was one of the worst restaurant experiences I've had in a long time. I cannot recommend this place.

El Centro - Tacos Griegos - Not available at the 14th Street location.  Delicious!

El Centro

(1.4k reviews)

$$

Georgetown

Came for lunch while exploring Georgetown. Had the chicken tacos and guacamole. They also have a…read morebottomless brunch on the weekends. Both dishes were great. The guacamole tasted fresh and the chips were warm when they arrived to the table. You get three tacos with the plate as well as a side of Mexican rice and beans. Service was fast, and polite. The inside has two floors. We sat upstairs where there is an indoor bar portion and an open patio. Would recommend and would return if I'm in the mood for solid tacos.

I work down the street from here, and actually found out about it as I was perusing different…read morerestaurants to check out for Restaurant Week. I liked their menu and wanted to give it a try. I got there shortly after they opened up and it was pretty empty. I got a seat right by the door, and had a view of the street and watched as the restaurant began to fill up. Lots of college kids came in as the evening went on and it seemed like a popular restaurant. I thought my server was very good. He checked in regularly and had a lot of tables he was responsible for. For my meal, I started with Queso Fundido and that was probably my favorite. The cheese was really hot and very delicious. It also came with three types of salsa on the side (a salsa verde, a chili salsa, and a third one I'm not sure what it was). I did like the chili one. The flour tortillas were very hot and fresh. I enjoyed it. For my entree, I had the Achiote Hanger Steak Fajitas. This was my least favorite part of the meal. I had asked the waiter if they were good and he told me he always recommends it. I didn't mind the sides that came with it. The rice and beans were pretty good and I liked the guacamole. What I didn't like was the actual steak. It was very tough and hard to bite into. What was weird is it was completely red in the middle so I believe it was medium to medium rare, but the steak wasn't tender at all. It also wasn't very seasoned and the peppers and onions under it just seemed to be sitting in oil. I did ask for salt and pepper, but even with it, I didn't like it. I ended up not finishing the meal. Finally, I had ordered the corn cheesecake as a dessert. I now realize they sent out churros instead, but I guess I wasn't paying attention until after the fact.The churros were OK. I would have preferred more chocolate sauce on mine. I wish I would have spoken up because I was actually looking forward to trying the cheesecake. For me the food was ok, and not spectacular. I'd be willing to try out something else and come back to at least try their cheesecake, but if I never returned that'd be fine with me too.

Tacos Los Primos

Tacos Los Primos

(82 reviews)

$

Rosslyn

I recently moved from Kent Island, MD to Arlington and I've slowly been checking out local food…read morespots to fill the a void I have with some places I miss back home. One such place was a Mexican place as my old fav Mexican place on Kent Island (Señors Chile) had great but extremely greasy birria tacos. So you can imagine my surprise when I stumbled upon this food truck that read "Tacos Los Primos". The spot made me curious. So I went to visit a friend who lives in walking distance from the spot for lunch recently. She ordered the veggie burrito and I ordered (pic below) Quesabirria tacos (no onion). When we got back I was WOW'd by not only how yummy my food was but how it wasn't oozing with grease! The consume that comes with for dipping is just enough for me personally and bursting with flavor. As you'd expect from most food trucks the service is made to order. When you go up to the counter and tell them what you want they make it fresh! The truck is parked on Rhoside Green Park (sandwiched between Courthouse and Rosslyn) so if you live in either neighborhood it's easy to access from walking distance. And since it's near an Arlington green space there's usually some seating nearby you can pop a squat and eat lunch. Given spring time is approaching this seems more doable. Just yesterday I was driving by to visit the same friend and saw a long line for this place! Most people in Arlington know how great this spot is, it is a terribly kept secret! Can't comment much on how long the line was busted as I went during a time when it was windy (but warm) and it was mid day. When I drove by it was pushing dinner time past 7pm. I love the food here! But since I live closer to the storefront location in Lyon Park I usually end up ordering food from there (review on that location is coming soon)! If you like authentic Mexican food that's fresh and delicious, you'll enjoy this spot!

This place is so delicious!!! As a SoCal native who really missed Mexican food, I was blown away by…read morehow yummy the tacos are here. I am obsessed, this might be my favorite taco spot yet. I recommend the chorizo taco and the lengua (beef tongue). I also liked the mixtos taco (half asada and half chorizo). They do give a big portion of meat per taco. Service is also really quick. This is also a to-go place only so it's pretty casual. They include limes, radish and mini containers of salsa verde and red salsa on the side.

El Centro - mexican - Updated May 2026

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