This place is good Mexican food for people who don't know good Mexican good. The food was just okay. The carne asada tacos were worse than dry, they were powdery. How does that happen? Our server was totally uncool until he dropped the check and then he was all smiles hoping to get a good tip...He didn't. There are so many other places in town to get delicious, authentic Mexi for a fraction of the price. read more

Make sure to go to El Centro for Sunday brunch. 2 hours unlimited food and drinks for just $35. I came here with both my parents and then again as a girls day out. The staff is helpful and friendly, Mikayla was our waitress both times and was wonderful. I will absolutely go back before leaving the city. read more

I would give 0 stars if I could. The food was average. Wish I had a photo of the guac to show how small the portions are. Mess up a mango margarita which is a staple and impossible to mess up...unless you're el Centro. Server was slow and inattentive and rude. Worst of all was the manager who operates from the bully pulpit and just does not care. Avoid in favor of the many other options around. read more

Great happy hour and you don't have to be in the bar to get the happy hour prices. Guacamole for the table, the tacos were all great and they treated my daughter to a shot of tequila for her birthday. I suggest a table on the second floor - much better ambiance. read more

El Centro has been a highly recommended place. I try it for the first tine for a friends birthday. They don't have guac, pork belly, and sangria. They had Mexican music as well as family guy playing. They server was a nice guy but terrible. It took 24 minute to get water refilled and chips refilled. The food was ok but overpriced for the weird vibe, terrible service and medicre food. Also the bathroom is super weird and you can see in to the other bathroom. Never coming back read more

I've been here a few times in the previous years (about 3 times including this recent trip). Pros first: the layout is nice, dining on the 1st floor and dancing on the upper floor. Music and food is ALWAYS a good thing. For the most part the employees were pleasant. Now for the Cons: I honestly would have given this review 2 stars but from my previous experience and how the waiter handled the situation is why I gave it 3. Not to drag the story out I sat down at the bar to order from the late night menu and the waiter as usual pour me a glass of water and waited for me to order...upon taking 1 sip I felt something in my mouth. I'm not sure what exactly it was so I took it out of my mouth and placed it on a napkin (see pic), I was dumbfounded at first but then I raised the glass and stirred it with my straw and see a bunch of particles that looked like lemon pulp and something else...I informed the waiter and he provided a reason regarding the dish washer and some pulp might have been stuck in the glass. And offered an alternative drink. I asked for bottled water as advertised on their menu and was told they don't sell them anymore because they weren't selling. Overall it was unfortunate incident that has alternated my perspective a little read more

See all

Keny was the best!! he got us everything we wanted and kept send food and drink are away. I love it !!

We went there for a birthday dinner on Friday night and had a wonderful time! This is a fantastic new restaurant and we will definitely be going back! 4 of us went out to celebrate a friend, all came away satisfied and happy. The wait staff was friendly, attentive (we always had filled chips and salsa on the table) and very knowledgeable on the products and made good recommendations. Since it was a birthday he brought us out a great dessert of chocolate cigars and ice cream! The whole experience was complimented by the reasonable prices and the great amount of food. The boys even got tequila flights of infused tequila which were so good! The meals we ordered were: Queso Fundido and guacamole for appetizer, Kalbi tacos, Pollo abodado, port carnitas and a short rip cazuela. I would recommend all of these dishes! read more

If you've ever been to this location back when it was Third Edition, you will know what I mean when I say this place is a VAST improvement. Richard Sandoval really classed the place up. I've been to this location once for dinner and it was fantastic. We had a very friendly server who recommended the Greek tacos made with pita bread instead of your traditional taco shell. Definitely recommended! I'm a huge fan of margaritas and while their traditional margs are nothing special, they certainly aren't bad. My second trip here was for the bottomless brunch which I enjoyed even more than the dinner. For $35 (everyone in your party must participate) you get bottomless drinks and food. The watermelon and pineapple aqua frescas were delicious and definitely bottomless. We got a bit too caught up socializing and probably did not take full advantage of the endless food. I would recommend this place with a big group. It's the ideal place to just order everything and sample it all amongst a large group. read more

This place definitely gets down at nittt! The food unfortunately isn't going to help you on your date. I went with my buddy and my girlfriend to grab some tacos. Usually I will eat off my girlfriends plate just to steal some food. How fortunate for her I didn't have to take anything off her plate. I ordered the steak tacos and it was over cooked, I like my meat medium rare or at least to show signs of pink in it. It wasn't flavorful or seasoned at all. The tortillas was the worst part about it all. After every bite I grew more upset. I picked up the tab, just because I would feel bad for anyone else having to pay for it. read more

We came here for Sunday brunch and was impressed. It is a $25 all you can order or $35 all you can order including unlimited alcoholic beverages. The menu had a lot to chose from. We enjoyed trying a variety of different things on the menu. It for sure worth a try on a Sunday! Guacamole and salsa were fresh with great crunchy chips! read more

I have been to El Centro many times and have had a great time every time. Great ambiance,excellent happy hour and delicious food. The chicken zarape never fails me.You must try the agua fresca's, it's fruit infused water spiked with tequila, so refreshing! I went in last night just for some drinks and had a great time interacting with everyone else at the bar, and our bartender herby was AWESOME. I'll be back! read more

The girls and I came here for brunch one Sunday and we had a great time. We were seated upstairs and were a little surprised at how large the place was. Lots of space. They had heated lamps in the section we were seated and it was nice and warm. Our waitress came over and greeted us right away and got our drinks started. The menu has a lot of great options for the bottomless brunch and they were small enough that you could try many different ones. The churros are amazing!!!! Definitely a must when eating here. We tried the mimosa and the spiked watermelon agua fresca and they were both great. I would definitely go again. Oh I forgot to mention how fresh and delicious the guacamole was. Yummy! read more

I love the design of this place! It is unique and rustic. 2 floors and the seating outside is so nice. I love that they have holes in the ceiling for natural sunlight to come through. Service was fine but the food was very disappointing. I honestly didn't like a single thing that I ate except the chips and salsa (I would go back for just that - probably best I've had). So bland and just average. Even the churros didn't taste good! I went to go use the restroom and literally got stuck in the stall. I had to push so hard on the latch to open it and ended up cutting my thumb in the process. I asked the staff for some band aids and this one asian women who might have been a hostess came and helped me out. She was literally so sweet. She came and legit cleaned the cut and put the band aid on for me. So I had to write this review solely for her and that great customer service. read more

I was recommended the brunch, but I honestly wouldn't recommend it to anyone else. Sure, the bottomless option seems to be the most reliable option when everything on the menu is $10 minimum, but then you see the incredibly small sizes of the portions. That would be fine for me normally, you know just order a bunch at a time! However, the service was so slow it wasn't even worth it. Our entrees came out sporadically, if at all, and we're all cold. It really seems like they try and make you wait out the 2 hour brunch period by holding your food back from you. Our waitress was super sweet and kept filling our drinks, and apologized profusely for the delay, but her counterparts from the kitchen who served us didn't seem to care. I wouldn't come back for brunch, just stick to their happy hour. read more

Horrible management. Took my sons with me as they like their food. Place was busy. The hostess AND the manager said it would "be an hour at possibly earlier". Took my phone number to text. After an hour, asked hostess "how much more time before we can be seated". She said it would "be an hour". I told already on the list for an hour. She said it be at "least another hour". Asked for manager. He came over and said "it's an hour". I explained he said it's "another hour or more". If we were told the truth the first time we wouldn't have spent an hour hanging out on the sidewalk. Good stuff eatery was a better choice any way. read more

My first time at El Centro is also my last time. I met up with a friend at 10:30 AM (We had reservations). We originally decided to do the bottomless but then decided we really weren't going to eat a lot and chose not to do bottomless. The Agua Fresca's we ordered were delicious and our food was OK. But my problem occurred after our meal when we asked for coffee and churros. Our waitress brought out our coffee and told us it was the last of it and she would bring out more when more was brewed. Our coffee was luke warm even before we put our creamer in it. At this point, why even serve the bottom of what's left in the canister? We also asked our waitress for sweetener but after waiting for it and realizing our waitress was serving drinks behind the bar, I went up and asked if she could bring our some sweetener. She then asked another waitress if she knew where it was and she said she didn't know. She went to look for some, returned with it and at this point our coffee was cold. Another waitress walked by and we asked for a new cup of coffee. She delivered! When a server came with our churros, the platter was spilling with caramel so I had to quick grab it before it got all over my clothes. That wasn't avoided because when left and I waited outside for my Uber I noticed it was all down the side of my coat! I understand a restaurant gets busy during brunch, but more tables shouldn't be opened up if servers are under staffed or can't deliver excellent service. read more

El Centro - Caramel sauced spilled on my coat - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

The food and drinks were really good, especially the margaritas and quesadillas. The service was really nice, our server, Daniel was a sweetheart and really helpful. Will be back soon! read more

Horrible experience, stay away! We went with a group of six 25+ year olds. The bartender was disrespectful, and broke my girlfriend's ID becayse he folded it too hard and multiple times while checking it, despite us asking him to stop. Afterwards, he refused to give several IDs back until we asked to speak to management. We found found the two managers completely uncorteous and incompetent to deal with their lousy bartender. Ultimately, we left with a broken ID and without a single apology. It's the only restaurant I've been to in DC that appears totally disinterested in serving its customers. Spend your money somewhere else. read more

Stopped here to grab a quick bite with my girlfriend. Ended up leaving not too happy. Food was bad, tacos were dripping oil. Not truly authentic Mexican food. Margarita was deadly, was made with cheap tequila. Best part of my experience was the guacamole, it was really good. read more

Kenny and George are amazing bartenders who provide great customer service and are full of kind, fun energy! Additionally, our waiter was amazing and the food was fantastic for bottomless brunch. Now my new favorite spot! read more

Had a tough experience with drinks to start, but staff here is very engaged and more than made up for it. Highly recommend the Barbacoa tacos. read more

Went to brunch with a bunch of girlfriends yesterday and Oscar was the best server. He made our day! Definitely will go back!!

Kenny is THE BEST server I've ever had! This is our first time coming here and he made our experience so fun:)

I would've given zero stars if I could. We called ahead at 9pm for their "club" dresscode and the lady on the phone said their was no dress code. Asked 3 times to clarify and she said no dresscode tonight. Brought a group of 30+ people for my niece's 21st birthday. They let other people in with vans and other sneakers but jordans weren't okay. Pulled the whole party out because they wouldn't let two people in the group in with sneakers. This place missed out on easily a few thousands of dollars. Talked to the manager about how the person on the phone misinformed us and they said it was their "policy." How about you tell the rest of your staff that before wasting all our time? They would've dressed appropriately had they been correctly informed when they called ahead of time. Security and managers were extremely rude. Awful place. read more

Throw on some stretchy pants because you'll be rolling out as stuffed as a smothered burrito. I've been to the 14th st location for late night drinks, but this was my first time having dinner at the Georgetown location. First impression was that it was clean and had good decor. It was a Tuesday and not too busy. We were promptly given chips and Salsa and the salsa was very good - a dark Smokey chipotle version, which is my preferred kind. The chips were hot which was a plus. Then we had chunky guacamole which was brought out and mixed together at our table and very delicious! I had shrimp tacos with pineapple salsa served with refried black beans and rice (SO GOOD) and my fiancé had the shrimp and crab enchiladas which were also tasty. Of course, we had to top off the night with churros which were fluffy and melt-in-your-mouth, served with caramel, chocolate and a mango jelly. The chocolate was too thick to get on the churro before it fell apart completely but the caramel was excellent. We also had several margaritas which were pretty average, but certain ones have special salts which is nice. Overall, a pleasant experience. read more

See all

El centro is awful. Would give 0 stars if I could. Have been here a few times and always considered it below average but after tonight I will never come here again and consider it far below average. All the drinks are not only bad but extremely over priced. Our waiter is very rude and will not listen to us at all. The owner is more rude than the waiter and refuses to help our party at all other than to adjust his man bun. I will never come here again and encourage all readers to do the same! They promised us a nice brunch yet will not serve us and still charge $35/head, which is not worth it for one drink and chips. Do not come here, avoid at all costs! read more

This is my go to spot here in DC especially for the happy hour.The bartenders are always super friendly and accommodating.It also doesn't hurt that the chips and salsa are fantastic.Overall fantastic spot read more

Great brunch, $39.99 for bottomless. Variety of drinks including margaritas, mimosas, and other cocktails. Tacos, empanadas, and guacamole were amazing. The other food came out cold and the service was a little slow though. read more

The food was great and our waiter was very polite. We were able to really enjoy our meal and felt comfortable taking our time. Margaritas tasted good but we're a little weak. Relaxing atmosphere with good music! read more

Food is mediocre, and service is so terrible. We got an empty tortilla container and they couldn't bring salt to the table ...ridículos. I will never come back to this place read more

Saturday afternoon, 6pm, party of 2. The place was not that busy - 1/2 full - our waiter was sweating bullets and I overheard the kitchen was backed up. We should have left at that point. The entrees is average - not authentic nor fantastic. The guacamole is average - not super great/ not super anything The service was average - not outstanding nor terrible. Maybe if you can find a seat at the bar and shovel apps while drinking tequila this is your spot. If you are on a date, or just looking for a place in the neighborhood, there are many many better places. Because this place is just about as average as it gets. read more

Recommended from friend that the guacamole is good here so I make appoint to come n try! Disappointed !!!! The guacamole is so so, I can make better one! The chips given is not tasty , we had the Restaurant week menu ! The dessert is not fresh , I will never come back again! read more

The only good thing that came from this visit were the drinks, the chips and salsa and the cucumber and tomato salad. Only reason I'm giving them a 3 star and not 1 because the staff was great and the drinks were good and not watered down. I don't mean to sound over the top but the tacos smelt like dog food. Yes... Dog food the beef felt rubbery and simply unappealing. One thing that is usually hard to get wrong is the tortillas, these however felt like rubber, almost like they were microwaved and put on the plate. Now that I think about it, they probably did and just smothered everything in sauces. Sauces were good il give them that. Service was also great. Presentation looked nice, hard to mess that up when all you do is spread colorful sauces all over the plate. I've had better tacos at Taco Bell.. (Of all places) Hopefully they invest in better ingredients. I think this place could be great but it's simply not there yet. read more

Had brunch here right before moving out of DC a few weeks ago. It was a mixed bag for sure. The atmosphere is decent and the outdoor seating is pretty good, plus they have an outdoor bar to serve patrons choosing to challenge the summer heat. The food was really good (unlimited brunch menu items and drinks for $35 ain't too shabby) and the drinks were decent, too, when you could come by one. Which brings me to the lone, glaring negative. The service was so, so bad. There were three groups of people sitting outside, including my group of six, and they had dedicated staff for the outdoor-seated guests, yet getting a refill was like pulling teeth. You'd think the servers were volunteers who'd lost their desire to help. It was that bad. Would check it out again. Guessing the service lapse was a one-time thing, but you never know. read more

Do not go here for brunch. You'll end up paying $50 for a singular quesadilla. Wait staff has only one person who actually knows what's going on. Highly recommend avoiding, the bottomless is absolutely not worth it. read more

We visited this location for my friends birthday brunch and $50/person later and we ended up with a few bad mimosas, a couple triangles of quesadillas, and absolutely horrible service. All 8 of us left pissed off and sober. Do NOT do brunch here unless you want to be severely disappointed and spend a small fortune for cheese. El Centro Georgetown, please DO BETTER. read more

I stopped by here for a margarita and some chorizo sliders. Once I got home I realized I left my credit card there. I called to see if they had it before I drove back. They did. They said it would be here waiting for me. When I arrived they had lost it. It was an hour later and they couldn't find it after they just told me they had it. No sorry no nothing. They wouldn't even admit they lost it. read more

Our server was great, but the food and the drinks take way too long. Literally waited an hour for any kind of order and all the food tastes bland and boring. All in all don't come here, it literally takes ages. read more

Never again. We recently moved from DC after 12 years living in the District; we still visit here for friends and work, and often stay in Georgetown. We have been to EC many times and always enjoyed the food, drinks and atmosphere. Tonight we stopped in for an early dinner (4:30 pm) before an evening event. Several folks were at the bar and only my wife and I were in the dining room (15 feet from the bar). We were seated at a two-person table (fine) made of wood planks that were misaligned and in different directions. Which was fine until the food arrived, then our two-person table became very crowded and my beer bottle literally slid off the wonky table onto the tile floor. Good news is the bottle didn't break but most of my beer was now a puddle. None of our servers seemed to notice, so we kept eating. Finally, the bartender came over and we noted the beer on the floor, which she hastily mopped up with a napkin and walked away. So, I now had no beer and my wife's margarita was empty. We figured someone (anyone) would stop by and offer more drinks or at least water. Nope. Our server had disappeared (we'd asked for more chips - ghosted) and the bartender was too busy with her four customers. Shockingly, the check didn't come to our table, so we stood up to leave. The bartender came over, we paid and headed out. I stopped by the hostess stand to tell her we had bad service, that my wife was thirsty, no chips, etc. She laughed it off. I thought she didn't understand so I told her again the service was terrible and we wouldn't be back. She laughed and smiled and said thank you, then went back to whatever task she was doing. I realize it's difficult to find good help these days, but at least train your staff to pay attention and not laugh at your customers. And make sure the furniture is functional. There are many restaurant choices in Georgetown; El Centro is now off of our list. read more