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    El Rey

    3.4 (22 reviews)
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    Cherry Limeade
    Larry M.

    I can definitely vouch for this spots tacos!! I've been here before, just their spot Uptown. I had no idea they were also at the Navy Yard!?! You know what that means right? Time to get some tacos!! Let's GO!! . Where I am: @elrey_dc . Location Reviewed: 79 Lotomac Ave., S.E. Washington D.C. . Items Reviewed: STAMP!! Their Cherry Limeade ($9 with cherry juice, lime juice, & soda water). Refreshing, sweet but sour!! STAMP!! Their Chips & Queso Chorizo ($13 with tortilla chips, melted queso, & chorizo). Get this!! Cheesy, a zing in that chorizo, I could eat a bucket of this!! I added guac for $6 too...STAMP! LIKE THAT! Their Elote Frito ($13 Cheesy sweet corn fritters, chipotle mayo, & Tajin). Sweet, savory, corny!! Round fried cornbread!! STAMP!! Their Chicken Quesadilla ($16 with grilled chicken, Oaxaca cheese, sour cream, pickled onions, salad, & lime creama in a flour tortilla). Juicy chicken, well seasoned, flour tortillas hit different to me!! The Tacos *2 per order* Their Hamburguesa Tacos ($15 with club sauce, shrettuce, American cheese, & pickles). Surprisingly tasty!! A we made burger in a tortilla!! LIKE THAT! Their Carne Asada Tacos ($14 with grilled flank steak, charred scallion salsa, queso fresco, & cilantro). Well seasoned steak, with that charred scallion taste!! STAMP!! Their Crispy Cod Tacos ($14 Masa fried with shaved cabbage, curtido, lime crema, & hot sauce). Beer battered Cod, crispy, & spicy!! STAMP!! Their Churros ($9 with cinnamon , sugar, & ancho chili chocolate sauce). The chocolate had heat to it!! . Customer Service: On Point. . Parking: Rough on the street, but it's paid garages everywhere. . Recommendations: Get that Quesadilla, & try that hamburger taco!! . Accessibility: It's wheelchair friendly, & it's differently abled persons friendly. 5 Stars=STAMP 4 1/2 Stars=LIKE THAT 4 Stars=DELICIOUS 3 Stars=DECENT 2 Stars=PASS 1 Star=NAH #Bigschlimsreviews

    Kaya E.

    The new El Rey location is at a beautiful location right by the water in Navy Yard. The space is really open and perfect for a summer day/evening grabbing food with friends. They have plenty of TV's scattered throughout and they also have the QR codes set up so that you can order your meal/drinks right away. What I didn't love so much about this location is that the food runners/servers never really checked up on you. They dropped food and then would go look off into the distance or start socializing on their phones. I say this because it was so difficult to talk to someone after receiving really bad guacamole. The guac tasted like it came from a package at Costco unfortunately. The Al pastor tacos were decent. They tasted fresh but the filling to taco ratio was not there. The meat was super skimp. After wanting one more taco my friend and I decided to split the cheeseburger taco and it was not good. Super greasy and lacked a sauce. For now I would only recommend this El Rey location if you're coming for drinks and a nice view. The food is a little off.

    Samone J.

    Waterfront restaurant? Don't mind if I dooooo! Ok this spot is a vibe, especially before a game! The indoor and outdoor space can't be beat. Awesome for small or large groups, just go! We kept it light with salt and pepper calamari, crispy cod tacos, nacho, a coke, and a HH margarita! Our favorite bites were the tacos and nachos, we didn't loveeeee the calamari and so wouldn't order again if we return (oh we willlll be back!) They take orders using an app, so be prepared for that! All in all, a cool experience!

    Al Pastor and Carne Asada tacos.
    Michael B.

    The good, great new location right on the water. I didn't love the vibe though. The service is minimalist. Order from your seat using your phone and so interaction with any service staff is pretty limited. They bring your drinks and food, but don't really check on you other than that. The chips, salsa and guacamole are a nice starter. Shared tacos with friends and so we could try different meats. Tried the al pastor and carne asada tacos. Both tacos had plenty of meat unlike some previous reviews. They had good flavor, but being a Tex-Mex snob, I felt they didn't quite live up to my expectations. It's worth a try, but maybe not even the best tacos around Navy Yard.

    Spencer D.

    My best Mexican spot in the neighbourhood, and in the best location. The good: service here was rapid. They use qr code ordering which I am not always thrilled with but the kitchen and servers were on top of their game with every order while we were there. The food was also great, I have not been thrilled with some of the other Mexican options in Navy Yard and was thrilled that this spot has opened up. The dining area is also a great evening hangout with a covered patio overlooking the river. The mediocre: I got nothing to complain about all fire. They even let me bring my dog! The bad: my only complaint is that this place is not closer to my apartment. See you at happy hour!!

    Taquitos
    Lynne R.

    I love a good happy hour and had been wanting to try El Rey before a Nationals game and it finally worked out this week. You can't beat the beautiful location overlooking the river. They have a nice outdoor seating area but we were hot and decided to eat inside in the A/C. We were shocked when the place was empty at 5:30 pm but realized that people were not eating out because of the federal occupation of DC. Very sad that businesses like this are being harmed... Anyway, we were given a lovely booth and quickly ordered traditional margaritas. I really loved mine, sweet, sour and nice and strong. We stuck to the happy hour menu for food and ordered the chicken tinga taquitos and the elote frito. We got two orders of the taquitos, which came 3 per order. They were packed with chicken and crispy, topped with onions, shredded lettuce, and a delicious crema (I could've used more of that, it was so good!). We shared the frito, which were four little corn fritters. Very tasty and moist. This was plenty of food to satisfy us. We had to have a second round of margs (definitely feeling happy at this point!) and couldn't resist the Dulce Churros for dessert. There was a long delay before the churros came out so our wonderful server, Mary, comped us for them. I have to say I wasn't sure about the chili chocolate sauce they came with but it was mighty tasty! Highly recommend. We really enjoyed our time at El Rey. We definitely want to go back.

    Food
    Tania R.

    I don't really eat pork and for this location to have chicken alpastor it has to be my fav spot . The waiter was so amazing. The manager was definitely welcoming us with a great smile . The tacos are 10/10 . I enjoyed my experience here !

    Carne Asada taco w/ Llama de la Llama (spicy margarita)
    Tyler H.

    The front dining area of El Rey is vibrant and inviting, setting the tone for a cozy and fun dinner experience. I had the carne asada taco, which was delicious -- the hot sauce added a nice extra kick. I paired it with chips and salsa and a refreshing cocktail, all of which hit the spot. Service was quick and smooth with no issues at all. I'll definitely be back!

    Happy hour nachos! Reaaallly good!
    Chancia M.

    Great customer service, great food, great happy hour, and best of all a great view! I definitely recommend for happy hour, you get a lot for the price.

    Cod tacos
    Victor R.

    This place is pretty good in a nice day like today its 80 out and I sat outside with the breeze coming off the water. The food was good. You had to order from the code on the table. Which was cool. Be a nice spot for a hapoy hour. The food was like small like a tapas though. It was worth it.

    Mango basil marg

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    1 year ago

    Food and Service was great. I got the short ribs and ate off the platter for days. The portions were huge.

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    ZOOZ Cocktail Garden - Gyoza ($15) - they are smaller than you can imagine

    ZOOZ Cocktail Garden

    3.7(112 reviews)
    0.9 mi

    We had such a fun night at ZOOZ for their comedy night, and it was such a great addition to The…read moreWharf! The host, Uncle Ant, did a great job keeping the energy up. There was a great lineup of comedians, Myss Brown Sugga went last and was outrageous and hysterical! I love that they are taking the comedy night to the next level. Starting with the next show (August 26) it's becoming Comedy Competition, with a different lineup for each show. Guests will vote for their favorite comedians, with cash prizes for the winners, plus half-off wine (yassssss). ZOOZ has a really sexy, cool cocktail-garden atmosphere that makes it a great place for a night out. Our server was very good, the food was good, and the cocktails were excellent. And the location at The Wharf is perfect--you can make a whole evening of it by grabbing dinner and drinks, catching the comedy show, then walking along the river, enjoying the swings on the pier, and taking in everything else the Wharf has to offer. We're definitely looking forward to coming back for the next show!!

    When I heard that this was the after party for the event ceremony I was a part of, I was pretty…read moreexcited. But upon arrival, I realized that they changed a few things. They had a late night happy hour that was really the allure for random weeknights, and I thought it it made them stand out among others in the area. Unless it's some secret menu item now (I don't think it is), the late night happy hours gone. But this was the most full I had seen ZOOZ, and I was so happy for them. But it didn't seem like they were :/. All the times I have been here, I had always said to myself that I wish they were more crowded because people are missing out. But something was up with the staff that night, and I couldn't help but wonder what was going on! Between the lack of happy hour and the staff, the vibe was off, completely. Maybe I would stop in during when they're happy hour actually is now, but otherwise I wouldn't be back.

    Photos
    ZOOZ Cocktail Garden
    ZOOZ Cocktail Garden
    ZOOZ Cocktail Garden - Poisonous Kiss

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    Rappahannock Oyster Bar - Oysters

    Rappahannock Oyster Bar

    3.4(398 reviews)
    1.3 mi
    $$

    We stumbled upon Rappahannock Oyster Co. while walking around The Wharf, and I'm so glad we did. It…read morehappened to be happy hour, so we grabbed a couple of sangrias and ordered a few fried baskets to share. The shrimp and oysters were incredibly fresh, hot, crispy, and full of flavor. You can definitely tell they take pride in the quality of their seafood. My nephew ordered the burger and absolutely devoured it, so I'd say that was a win too! Between the waterfront views, laid-back atmosphere, wonderful staff and great food, it was the perfect place to take a break and refuel after exploring the area. If you're spending the day at The Wharf and looking for a casual spot with delicious seafood and a great vibe, I'd definitely recommend stopping here.

    I was recommended this place because of the…read more So I brought some out of town guests here but honestly I wasn't that impressed with The menu is very small first of My guests got shrimp Po boy and pasta they seem to like their dishes I got The market fish which was the tuna steak. It was just okay A bit pricey given the amount of food given The major issue I have with this place is the ambience. The inside seating is really small and really strange. They set us, a party of three, at a sort of bar that was centered around Frozen seafood so it was hard for us to sit around. There weren't too many tables for people to face each other which is also a little bit strange they do have outdoor seating but the view honestly isn't something that I would recommend for outdoor seating even though it's on the wharf Parking in this area is really tough. Either take an Uber or plan to pay for parking or come at an Nothing else really stood out. I doubt I will come back here.

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    Rappahannock Oyster Bar
    Rappahannock Oyster Bar - Seafood Tower

    Seafood Tower

    Rappahannock Oyster Bar

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    Tiki TNT & Potomac Distilling - S'mores platter

    Tiki TNT & Potomac Distilling

    3.4(487 reviews)
    1.3 mi
    $$

    This place was made to party! We came on a dreary spring day- I have to come back during nicer…read moreweather because the building is made for it! Also I have to strongly recommend happy hour. The drinks are kind of pricey otherwise, up to $25 for a cocktail! But the happy hour deals are amazing! We started with a rum punch bowl for $22 and holy crap it was strong! It's also so cute and ready for Instagram, and every time one of us lifted it to drink we felt like Poseidon. From there were got some apps to share. The nachos were pretty good and had a unique flavor profile, and you can't beat $12 for nachos in DC! We continued with $5 mini frozen drinks and wow were those a deal! They were super strong and also super cute! A friend got the Pain Killa and again for $9 it was a steal and the most delicious drink we had. Someone also came by with free Jell-O shots and they matched the mood of our night! The whole bar is fun with quirky decorations and great views. I'm sure it gets really busy during nice weather. Plan for it and come for the best deals during happy hour.

    3.5. I would come back here again but with caveats. Vibes and concept are 4 stars for sure. Service…read morewas a little lax but very personable so that is fine. But what landed me on a 3 was value, specifically for my shrimp po boy which, at $18, was literally 3 shrimp on a hot dog bun. See the pic. It comes with broccoli but I had them sub tots. I just have a hard time with the idea that some broccoli, a single hot dog bun and 3 shrimp are worth $18. The fried rice was a much better value in both portion and quality and our s'mores platter was pricey at $18 but also quite ample. Drinks were strong. Not necessarily good. But strong. So whether these drinks were 3 or 4 stars for you depends on your goals. Overall, is this somewhere I would go out of my way to visit? No. Is it a chill easy hang if you're already in the area and need somewhere to drink while waiting to do something else at the Wharf or if you work in that area? Sure. Do I like that it is chiller and less bougie than the rest of the Wharf? Absolutely. I just feel like your best bet is to come and have a beer.

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    Tiki TNT & Potomac Distilling - Downstairs bar

    Downstairs bar

    Tiki TNT & Potomac Distilling - Honolulu cocktail bowl

    Honolulu cocktail bowl

    Tiki TNT & Potomac Distilling - Frozen Rum & Coke

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    Frozen Rum & Coke

    Free State - Hazy IPA

    Free State

    4.3(150 reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$

    Not to be confused with Free State Distillery in Upper Marlboro (though many also call it Arthur…read moreWheeler Spirits haha), this place is located just off of the main street in chinatown, and it's surprisingly lowkey. It's a basement bar with a bit of a dive vibe, but it's hard to ignore the nautical, blue crab theme throughout. Turns out that one of the owners is a Marylander, which is cool to see reflected in the decor in a place in dc, even though it is next door. They have a happy hour and they have a great variety of drinks in general. It's bring-your-own-food (BYOF) and there are a bunch of delicious looking Asian spots nearby, including upstairs. It didn't start getting crowded until closer to 10, which, as I said, is surprising for this part of town to me. Everywhere in Chinatown is not going to be packed and busy, and this place is here to remind you of that. Stop by if you're looking for a more chill vibe. Staff are pretty cool.

    Free State is perfect for a chill bar in the Downtown area. It's exactly the kind of place you want…read moreto share a few drinks and be able to hear the person in front of you. I had a delicious orange crush drink and my friend had a sangria. The bartenders are extremely chill and nice; they only come up when you need it which is nice for good conversation. I'll easily be back when I want to catch up with friends without a speaker blaring in our ears. Great place to introduce to more people!

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    Free State - Spiked chocolate

    Spiked chocolate

    Free State - Bar

    Bar

    Free State - Small glasses

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    Small glasses

    Sixty Vines

    Sixty Vines

    4.4(238 reviews)
    3.1 miFoggy Bottom
    $$$

    High energy- bright vibe with modern ambience. Exceptional service everywhere you turn. Good food,…read morefun atmosphere for some good time with friends and family. Venue: Ginormous - and yet it was packed. Huge bar downstairs and there's one in the rooftop as well. Modern- I just loved all the furniture there and lounge area by the waiting area is so chic and very smart idea. Food: we just ordered pizza and large charcuterie board. Margarita Pizza was good- simple yet full of flavor with almost perfect dough (and good priced.) Charcuterie board was simple yet well prepared. Loved the honey comb that complimented the soft cheese we ordered. Had some wine flights and went very well with what we ordered. Service: the manager helped us in the beginning - and came back to check up on us -just said everything how this place is under a great management. The servers from the lounge to the table were all exceptional and very helpful. You guys rock! Price: very fair price for what it delivers Yes- I'm coming back again for more but with more people now!

    Came for lunch on a week day. No wait to be seated. Then,…read moreIt got really busy after we ordered our food. Beautiful ambiance, delicious food and came in good portions. The lady led us to the seats were not very friendly, no smile at all. Then our coffee drink was forgotten. But made up later and was on the house. Waiter service was great. He was efficient and knowledgeable of the menu. Prices for the quality of the food is reasonable. Loved the cocktails, was refreshing and not sweet. Foodies of @WineDinenVacay do recommend this place, & hope to see improvements in certain parts of the service.

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    Sixty Vines
    Sixty Vines
    Sixty Vines

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    El Rey - mexican - Updated August 2026

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