Went to El Centro Mexicano with my husband and kids, and unfortunately it was a very upsetting experience. We ordered chicken nachos and a choridip. The chicken nachos were dry, but that quickly became the least of our concerns. My 9-year-old daughter found a chip with a tiny roach on it. It was absolutely unacceptable and disturbing. A server (who wasn't even ours) was very apologetic and immediately notified the manager on duty--a young man. Shockingly, he dismissed it and said it was "nothing," and never came over to our table to apologize. The server did agree that we should not be charged, which we appreciated, but the lack of accountability from management made the situation even worse. My daughter was so shaken that she cried and even threw up afterward. read more

I was in Winchester shopping at Gabe's clothing store in the Delco plaza. I wasn't that lucky with what I found... I decided on Mexican for lunch. El Centro is right in town on the walking mall. I finally found a place to park, lots going on in Winchester on a Saturday. I go in around 1140AM and the place is almost empty. Ok, I decided on a seat at the bar. It was breezy outside but definitely not cold. I decide on a frozen margarita, I think it was lime flavor. The bartender made it in a flash and I was still thinking about the menu. I remember the queso Blanco with chorizo was very tasty last time I was in the restaurant. I order that and decide on the taco plate (3 tacos) with beef. The margarita is pretty good. It's a Saturday and I'm wondering where the lunch crowd is. The queso arrives with chips. It's ok, the overwhelming taste was pork, not really the cheese I expected. It smelled like pork too...I ate some and decided I had enough. Chips and salsa were provided so I switched over to those until my food arrived. After a bit the margarita is half gone the tacos arrive. Refried beans, lettuce, cheese, Mexican rice and the rest of the taco fixins were on a big plate. Nice! I filled the tacos and enjoyed the rice. The beans were tasty as well. The taco plate is gone, I'm full and I finish the margarita, pay my tab and I'm out. I may go back next time I'm in Winchester. read more

See all

Sadly, they no longer have mole :(. They said it takes too long to make. But, try the restaurant anyway! read more

See all

We had a reservation for 15 people and it was good that we made it ahead of time. The restaurant was packed for lunch. Reservation recommended for big groups. Loved the decor, food, menu options and drinks here. The feel was casual and mexican upscale with clean restrooms and a welcoming bar area. Drinks review: - mango on the rocks - 5/5 - loved the taste and presentation. Yummy! - mango marg - 5/5- 100% yummy must try - skinny margarita - 4/5- huge and yummy without the extra calories - blueberry lemonade- 4/5- it was a hit or miss but looked good and light blue to me. Maybe strawberry lemonade is better. Food reviews: - burrito - 5/5 - chicken $12.50 came with 2 rolls of cheese covered burritos with shredded chicken. They did have an option for grilled chicken too. It comes with a side of rice and beans (refried or black) and lettuce and sour cream - chimichanga - 5/5 - fried burrito ordered with extra jalapeño and super hot-hot sauce - quesadilla - 4/5 - veggie & cheese - loaded and delicious - pollo special - 5/5 - huge portion size and comes with rice and tortilla. Delicious!! - tacos - 5/5 - 3 tacos come with option on meats and you can choose soft/ hard. We asked for extra lime which paired perfectly - complimentary chips and salsa 5/5 - fried ice cream - 5/5 - super huge portion so definitely share. Loved it! Deducting 1 star for service as the particular server could have been more polite and friendly and get us what we want without 3 reminders and eye rolls. read more

See all

Food has no flavor. For a Mexican restaurant I don't understand why there is no good taste.... Wait staff was wonderful...

First time stopping in, staff was super friendly and helpful. Food...very large portions, came out quick and hot. The taste was amazing, I had the Burritos and my wife had the Tacos. Will definitely come back again. read more

El Centro - Chicken Taco Plate - Mexican Near Me - Winchester, Virginia

El Centro has a really nice location right on the walking mall, which immediately makes it appealing. The outdoor seating is a big plus, especially in the warmer months when you can sit outside and enjoy the atmosphere. It feels lively and is a great spot to meet up with friends or just enjoy being downtown. One thing that's always appreciated -- they do offer free chips and salsa. That's something many people look for at a Mexican restaurant, and it's nice to have that included without an extra charge. The burrito itself was good flavorful, well prepared, and satisfying overall. There are a few downsides to keep in mind. Parking downtown isn't easy, so depending on the time of day, you may need to circle around or walk a bit. The menu is also very limited compared to other Mexican restaurants in the area, which might not leave a lot of options if you're craving something specific. While the chips and salsa are complimentary, they unfortunately weren't the highlight. The salsa lacked real flavor and felt a bit flat, which was disappointing. Another negative was the credit card surcharge. In 2026, adding an extra fee for paying with a card doesn't sit well that feels like a standard business expense rather than something customers should absorb. Overall, El Centro benefits greatly from its prime walking mall location and outdoor seating, and the burrito was solid. Just be aware of limited menu options, parking challenges, and the added card fee before you read more

My husband and I stopped in Winchester to stay the night and have dinner on the way up to NYC (we're moving from Atlanta.) I accidentally left my sunglasses there. My sunglasses were custom ordered by my mom and brother for my 30th birthday. El centro staff looked all over for them and did not find them- but found them later and made sure to track my number down and let me know. Then they went above and beyond to ship them back to me. FABULOUS customer service. FABULOUS atmosphere. WONDERFUL service and DELICIOUS food. Truly what more could you want?! 10/10!! Also queso, salsa, chips, flavored margaritas, and tacos were EXACTLY what we needed otw to NYC. Delicious. All wonderful. read more

This is a restaurant in downtown Winchester (a very nice entertainment district - highly recommended). They have both outdoor and indoor seating. The food here is fantastic! The salsa was homemade and excellent. Chips were fresh. Both my wife and I had the "Pollo Especial" which is similar to grilled chicken fajitas over Mexican rice. We could have had either refried beans or black beans. We both had the black beans. They were quite good. Service was ok, with one significant negative, which is why I didn't give El Centro five stars. I asked for more chips (since the salsa was so amazing) and the waiter gave me a very condescending look. My brother and his wife were there on Monday and had a similar experience when they asked for more tortillas with the chicken fajitas for two (even though they were charged $2.00 for the extra tortillas). Food is great! Location is great! read more

El Centro - Pollo especial - Mexican Near Me - Winchester, Virginia

Fun atmosphere on Loudon St. Service was good and quick. Good portion sizing on the food. Food was good but not change-your-world. Went on a recommendation and was happy with the dinner. read more

Food is Outstanding Served Hot and Fast Service is also Outstanding Can't say enough about the Margarita Many different options of Margarita's Sitting outside on the patio and the music is great! Can't recommend this place enough! read more

Food was ok. Service was not good. Watched staff talk to each other for 10 minutes while we sat done with dirty plates next to them. The gluten options were available but the waitress failed to mention that there chips were not until after they served them and some were eaten by the effected person. That whole location were the restaurant is located is very depressed and is not a tourist destination as described. read more

Nice location with plenty of seating both indoor and out. The food is consistent and you get large portions. Not my first choice for Mexican food but a decent choice if you're downtown. The service is always on point. read more

I want to cast El Centro Classic Mexican restaurant in the most complimentary light possible. To start, it is better than Taco Bell. If you remember the restaurant chain Chi-Chi's from a decade or two ago, they are also almost as good. And the word "CLASSIC" is a misnomer because the food is closer to an Americanized classic, than authentic Mexican food. The tip off is pretty simple, each of the entrees comes with bland refried beans, bland yellow rice, lettuce and sour cream. All of those things will help cut spicy food, but honestly even their spiciest hot sauce was just so spicy. I really like spicy so in this aspect I am extremely biased. The service here was super awesome and my server was really more authentic than the food itself. Between her English and my very limited Spanish the order was taken care of very well. And she was super attentive, even when they couldn't give me the tacos I wanted. They have tacos which they call "el pastor" which is usually a roasted pork on a taco with onion, cilantro and lime. Really simple taco, but the flavor combination is the perfect bite. Their taco with the same name was pork medallions and an order of cilantro was extra. Not exactly sure what else came on it, but if I was a betting man I would suspect, lettuce, tomato, cheese and some kind of sauce. I didn't really check because I couldn't get past the extra charge for cilantro. So instead we ordered guac and chips and queso and chips which were both quite delicious. For an entree we split the shrimp and scallop fajitas. They were also quite good. I did like that you can get both flour and corn tortillas which is a plus. They also had beer, wine and spirit options. I think though the biggest value is they have Tequilla flights for about $14 for a flight of 3 shots (Blanco, Anejo, Reposado). I couldn't tell if the shot glasses were one ounce or half an ounce, because the shot glasses were pretty thick and heavy. Still it was a bargain in my book and they had about 3 or 4 options for flights. I chose the Casa Migos. I would advise Happy Hour for this venue. But if you are a typical gringo, you will probably love the food. El Centro would be great for groups, special occasions or a night out. read more

See all

Its a happy place. Must be the tequila that does this. Great atmosphere whether your sitting inside or dining alfresco. Staff very pleasant, fun and attentive. Beers, tequila, full bar.. specials too ! CAMP was our bartender -waiter. Awesome personality....smiling and talkative- handsome too :( Obviously some regulars were there as he addressed them by name.. No doubt the next time I'm in he will remember me to... Certainly makes the dining experience memorable and fun. Especially during these pandemic times with social distance and limited seating. I have had a few things on their menu...recommend the Queso w/ chorizo, Guacamole, Jambalaya, fajitas, enchiladas, and carnitas( reminds me of eatting them on a corner in Mexico) all prepared as ordered, very fresh and. Crisp that can certainly make or break the dish specially with Mexican food.... I had left with some leftovers-..the corn tortillas wrapped in foil... .well 2 days later... ....they were just as fresh and tasty as the day they served them to me. I was super impressed...the Mexican food was already devoured by another-- lol I fried up a few eggs and wrapped them in the tortillas...still super fresh...that states a lot about the freshness and quality of their food. read more

See all

I got two fish tacos and they were pretty decent! Could use a little more flavor but the black beans and rice on the side were pretty good. Probably will try something else next time and definitely order the Coronita! read more

El Centro - Tacos Los Cabos - Mexican Near Me - Winchester, Virginia

Came back twice in one week for dinner here. Both times were not bad. The drinks were delicious and so was the food. The menu is a little smaller than what I'm used too, but good choices of options. The outdoor seating was super nice and loved sitting out there absorbing what the views. The service wasn't too bad! read more

El Centro - Chicken Chimichangas, fried rice, black beans - Mexican Near Me - Winchester, Virginia

See all

My wife and I were meeting a friend in Winchester on Saturday for lunch, so we made a reservation at El Centro since Winchester is in the halfway point of our houses. I had eaten at El Centro before and I thought the food was pretty good, so we decided to stop in again. We were seated right away, drink orders were taken and about 15 minutes later, our server asks if we're ready to order. We say we hadn't received any menus yet and he gets a little testy and says "It's on the table!". We don't see anything and we lift the basket of chips and there is a QR code underneath. Ok, well we didn't put the chips on top of it, the person who brought the chips did, so we never saw it. I was about to say "Oops, didn't see it" but the waiter was already gone. 10 minutes later he comes back and we're ready to order. My wife asks if she can make a slight change to a dish and, without looking up, the waiter says "no". Well okay then. She ordered something else, our friend and I placed our orders and we're all good. The food came and it was fine. I had the grilled chicken burritos and they were good- the highlight being the cheese, it was really tasty and gooey. The rice that accompanied the dish was excellent. My wife liked her food, but we all agreed the food lacked a little flavor. This is a popular spot and maybe they get complaints if they add too much seasoning or green peppers or something to give the dishes a little bump in flavor, I don't know. This felt like it was Mexican food made by American people for sure. The food was good, it gets the three stars, probably 4 if our waiter wasn't having an attitude. The person we had lunch with has been in the restaurant business for many years- she has opened many restaurants as the GM of some places like Logan's, Texas Roadhouse, and a few others in her career and she said to us "That guy would not be working here if I ran this place". read more

The food was very good and the queso was delicious the service was so fast. Would go back for sure!

This place is delicious! We ordered the enchiladas and the chicken fajitas. Absolutely bomb. Plus they are very knowledgeable about gluten free, which is rare. The margaritas are delicious as well! Super cute place, love the outdoor seating read more

Great atmosphere, strong drinks, and a special shout-out to our bartender Mark! He kept us hydrated and happy. Highly recommend a pit stop here as you work your way up the old-town strip. We'll be back (for you Mark). read more

El Centro - Me and my hot GF - Mexican Near Me - Winchester, Virginia

A very sound choice for dining when you're looking for fast service and a filling meal. The staff is very friendly and fast on their feet. They have great happy hour deals. What caught my attention is their margarita flights. Yeah, they do marg flights! read more

El Centro - Chimi Rolls - Mexican Near Me - Winchester, Virginia

See all

We've gone to El Centro around 10-12 times and every time we go, we are pleased with the outcome! Sometimes it can be packed and service can be a little slow but typically it's not an issue. Everything on the menu is great. I typically go for the chicken chimichangas! Highly recommend it! Great local atmosphere and for the most part, the staff is always happy and willing to go above and beyond. read more

Went in for drinks and tacos. The food was just "meh" lukewarm and basic. It is on the walking mall in Old Town Winchester. The music was playing and the environment was cheerful but the food just wasn't a "wow" for me. read more

Margarita was meh... the food however which is why we stopped in was top notch! The house salsa and chips were delicious and they offer a healthy pint or so with chips for 6$. The quesadilla was nice and cheese, the chicken didn't overwhelm it. Pollo especial was pure perfection (took leftovers home). He had the Plato Matador, I could cut the steak with a fork, seasoned well and very good. Was a pleasant surprise in an alley of choices. read more

See all

We had planned a meal hosting our son, his wife & two young daughters. Planned to dine in the outside area, but management (Evan) refused to move two tables together or move two chairs so that we could be together as a family. There was room at the far end to do so without encumbering wait staff. I questioned his decision and finally, based upon his attitude, called him an a..h... (my bad). Evan exerted his "power" & refused service under any circumstances. After our poor experience at El Centro; we enjoyed a good meal at Roma, not far away. They were more than happy to move tables to accommodate our party. Customer Service is never a bad idea and you can bet we'll be in contact with the owner of El Centro when he returns to the site. read more

Gone down hill. Bartender spent most of the time in the back. Couldn't get a drink. Food a bit bland. Had to ask for salsa read more

El Centro - Small marg. $7 for happy hour - Mexican Near Me - Winchester, Virginia

Tex mex place downtown Winchester on the Walk a Mall. Situated on the corner with indoor and outdoor seating including a full bar, the decor is traditional mexican with booths and tables. The menu has plenty of choices with all your favorites , fajitas, burritos, chimis, enchiladas, salads and more ! Upon entering you are promptly greeted and taken to a table. The server arrives with complimentary chips and salsa, which is super good !! Love the salsa , chips are light and crispy. Plenty of drinks as they have a full bar, try one their specialty margaritas or cold beer, they do have soda and ice tea as well. We opted for shredded chicken tacos and beef enchiladas. They arrived hot and were very tasty. Try the guacamole, fresh made!! Service is always good and if its a birthday- they even sing a little tune giving the birthday guest a Sombrero to wear !! Super fun ! Check this place out next time you are craving some Tex Mex, read more

See all

the menu is limited compared to other Mexican restaurants in the area chip were apparently from the bottom of the barrel. still waiting on food read more

El Centro - Mexican Near Me - Winchester, Virginia

Great service Reasonable prices Food was good and atmosphere was very nice Even had a surprise party in next room and caused no issues Would return next time in town read more

Repeat customer and customer for life. Great atmosphere and team. Always a great time and delicious food. I was blown away by the service of the manager that drove out to hand deliver our side of beans! That's how someone takes care of a customer and make a positive impact! read more

Very unimpressive food in a perfect location on a walking mall of the old historic town. A courtesy salsa taste as it is made from canned tomatoes. Quesadillas , chimichanga, enchiladas are average. We had beers so can't comment on margaritas and other house mixers. Saw them on the other tables - huge size, not sure about the taste. Nice sitting outside as well. Can bring your dog into the outdoor sitting, however no dogs' water bowl are offered, neither the water to the table if you order beer. Asked for salt, the server brought paper. Servers are all very friendly but clearly lack professional training. Have to ask for everything. read more

El Centro - Quesadillas - Mexican Near Me - Winchester, Virginia

The fajitas are fantastic. I had it for lunch and leftovers of it for dinner. The steak chimichanga is also delicious. I really like the ambience of the restaurant. The service can be just a tad bit slow. But I still give 5 stars read more

Lunch special is a good deal. Pick two from the menu, includes rice and beans and a drink. And chips and salsa. And it's the salsa that I like - thick, not drippy! Service was good today and the food came out fast on this weekday lunch time. Nothing spectacular, but it was good and cooked properly and well stuffed. Chicken Burrito and a beef enchilada. For under $10 with a soda, that's a good deal! Outside seating on the pedestrian walk in downtown Winchester. It's lovely on a nice day and today was a nice day! read more

See all

They refused to allow me to order a kids menu dish stating they would charge me $5 extra dollars. When trying to cut back on portion sizes this is a ridiculous policy! This is policy as no one should be able to dictate what someone wants to order. Also the kids Mac and cheese is literally craft Mac and cheese that you are paying $6 for.... read more

Possibly the worst imitation of Mexican food I have ever been unfortunate enough to experience. It's almost as if they went out of their way to destroy a person's taste buds. I've eaten Mexican food from Massachusetts to California and down to Mexico and I've never experienced this particular type of food. I realize and enjoy southern, northern and coastal style Mexican food but I'm not sure what this was. It couldn't even be classified as the bad attempt of Salvadoran style Mexican. My wife said it was the worst margarita she ever had. I will say the the service was great I could not have asked for a nicer more wonderful waitress. read more

Worst Mexican food in Winchester. Although the food was fast to arrive it lacked flavor and was just disappointing. The black beans were cold and the rice had no taste. The shrimp tacos were simply four shrimp in each flour tortilla (which was good) and just lettuce and cheese/sour cream on the plate. How are shrimp on a tortilla considered a taco? Used some veggies from the fajitas, and asked for limes/pico de gallo from the kitchen which ended up costing $1.25 which is crazy for a tablespoon of tomatoes/onion/cilantro. Definitely better, but all that should have come on the plate. The fajitas were also bland and the veggies were like mush, as if they were cooking all day. All and all just disappointing. Lastly, the staff was abrupt and just not very friendly, definitely will not be coming back. read more

See all

El Centro Classic Mexican was outstanding and we really enjoyed our Food & Drink. Waitress was polite and professional. She did an awesome job for our party of eight. The food was served fresh and hot. read more

See all

Prices were reasonable, food was great and service was friendly and quick! I recommend this place.

Do not pay with a card!!! I went in to eat 3 days ago and the food was good, but today I was charged $10 to my banking account marked as a "Tip"! I did not approve this and my card was locked, but the money was still taken out. When I called, and reported this they somehow knew the amount of the new bill without me giving any other information other then $10 being added to my bill days later!! And was told they must have accidentally marked a tip on my card other then the person who tipped them. But why is it my card was used for this person's meal "3DAYS LATER"!!!? Then I was told that l have to wait until the GM (Genral Manager) was available in a day or more! Because they can't do anything about it! So be aware, many people most likely do not have notifications for when money is taken from their accounts like I do. And most likely never noticed $5-$15 missing from their accounts. I'm sure this is something they do to quite a few people! read more

El Centro - This is the proof that they decided to "STEAL" money from me!! - Mexican Near Me - Winchester, Virginia

See all