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El Rey is a staple for me to go to before shows at the 9:30 Club. The location is great, right off U street, very close to the metro. They have some indoor and outdoor seating. They have $7 margaritas during happy hour, the mango is my personal favorite. Last time I got the chips and queso, the queso doesn't taste like queso and it is not my favorite. I usually get the birria tacos and they are really good, the meat is juicy and the tacos are crispy. You can order from an app or they have a server walking around taking orders. They do card you at the door, so don't forget your ID!
I have a love and hate relationship with this place. For starters the food does come out fast and it taste so good but the service in this establishment sucks. I have to chase down a worker for drinks and food almost always. Last time I went the bartender took our food and drinks before happy hour ended and he ended up messing up our order and the time for happy hour ended and he did not want to accommodate us again and charged us FULL price for food items we ordered with time. He realized he made a mistake as we seen how upset we all were and sent us a round of drinks which is appreciated but some of us didn't eat food as we were annoyed, he didn't try and help us out knowing he made the mistake.
I've been here a number of times with friends, usually already feeling good to say the least and it's been cool. I've now tried to pop in here two times solo and the first was ok. It was nothing memorable, honestly, and the quesadilla was mid. This most recent time, I sat at the bar for a bit and waited for the bartender. He finally comes over on a non busy night and I see some beers on tap that I'm not familiar with and he says, exasperatedly, "I don't know, I'm just kinda here, I haven't tried it." I said ah ok cool and walked out.
Frozen margaritas are a yes for sure at El Rey. The Al pastor tacos though .... Are a big no no. The pieces of meat were thick squares, chewy and fatty. I only ate a half of a taco out of the 3 that I needed to buy because that was their special for the day. It was gross and inedible. My friends got the Burria tacos and loved them so go that route if you decide to stop by. The restaurant was very busy on the day I came. Shoutout to the DJ because they brought all of the energy. The bartender I was ordering with was not the friendliest but I'm sure he'd also had a long day. All in all, will not be getting Al pastor tacos from here again.
El Rey is a popular spot to pregame on U Street. They are known for their Margarita pitchers, which you can have regular or frozen. Also, they have pretty good nachos. At nighttime, the bouncers are sometimes jerks and the place can get packed with a line outside the door. On one visit, they denied my friend entry because her ID had a crack in it, and they refused to scan it and accused her of having a fake ID. Mind you, we were 24 at the time. Why would we be carrying fake IDs?
One of our go to spots margarita pitchers and good tacos. Music is always good and people typically have a great time. Service can be hit or miss.
My favorite part about El Rey is the sky view from the back of the restaurant. It does get busy some nights but it's still a cool spot to have a few drinks and tacos. On Tuesdays they have 3 tacos for $10 which is a great deal! This place gives me the vibe that it's for younger people so I did feel kind of old but the music was nice and the atmosphere is cool so I've enjoyed myself here each time I've went. The women's bathroom was awful and the parking is hit or miss that's the only reason I didn't give them 5 stars.
Estuvimos ayer visitando el Rey con mi esposa. Yo pedí 3 tacos de asada y mi esposa una quesadilla de pollo acompañado con chips y guacamole. Todo eran muy delicioso totalmente recomendado los tacos eran una delicia con un sabor único. También pedimos una Jarra de margarita suprema de mango y era riquísima. En total hemos pasado una linda tarde y también recibimos la mejor atención de parte de Nico. Sin duda volveremos pronto!
El reeeeyyyyyyy!!!!!! I've passed by so many times but it's always tricky trying Mexican inspired spots (sorry not sorry) this obviously isn't authentic but the taste is there. I appreciate a creative taco, and I'll give them that recognition. My Al pastor taco came with pineapple and as a sweet and savory LOVER. It melted into my mouth. The meat wasn't rough or too chewy either. It was flavorful and not dry which was worth it. I also got the choriqueso and it was a bit underwhelming. The other toppings got overpowered by the choriqueso (duh) but it tasted more like a pupusa rather than taco. My fellow kitties got the chicken burrito, dc taco and the carne nada - the meows that were shared were also a bit underwhelming- the dc taco was a bit too dry and disappointing (as a dc native you'd like to support dc everything!!! Maybe not this taco.) it was also reported that the burrito's chicken was also a bit dry. The beans and sour cream carried apparently (you can't mess up beans tho) regardless of that experience, the carne nada? 9/10. The toppings paired nicely with the fake meat and it was juicy!!!!! A juicy fake meat is hard to come by. The flavors meshed well and it was worth it. The service was a bit confusing at first since people have usually come by just for drinks. We did have to wait a second before getting served water and told how to order (I'd consider adding a QR code for ordering - they added it for the menu and then another link to download another app to order ?? Was confusing.) the ambiance was good, we came around 8:30-9 on a Saturday night before It got too crazy. We sat outside and it felt so nice. They had fans everywhere and the decorations were what was expected when you go into a Mexican inspired place. We also got drinks and they were good. I had the classic spicy marg (SO GOOD) and mango crush was also ordered. Sweet and tangy. Pretty normal. I'd come back for the drinks!
El Rey is always a go-to spot, the food is consistently good and it's a fun time every time! Whether you're going for a casual bite or a lively night out, the good vibes never miss.
I'm LATE!! I know I know...I should've hit this taco spot a looonnngg time ago. But, better late than never!! With that being said, let's GO to El Rey!! . Where I am: @elrey_dc . Location Reviewed: 919 U St., N.W. Washington D.C. . Menu Includes: Chicken, Shrimp, Fish, Beef, Vegetarian, & Impossible Tacos, Nachos, & Quesadillas. Chips n Salsa, Tostadas, Elote, Tamales, Wine, Cocktails, Beer, & Beverages!! . Items Reviewed: Their Tacos (all $4 each) The Choriqueso Taco (on a flour tortilla with mozzarella, chile de Arbol salsa, jalapeños, Spanish onion, & cilantro). DELICIOUS!! Meaty, spicy, probably better on a corn tortilla. The Thai Shrimp Taco (on a flour tortilla with marinated shrimp, carrot jicama slaw, sriracha aioli, & cilantro). STAMP!! Spicy & tangy slaw, & well cooked, & seasoned shrimp!! The DC Taco (on a flour tortilla with fried chicken breast, potato frites, house Mambo sauce, & cilantro). STAMP!! Crispy chicken strips, sweet & spicy Mumbo, with crunchy potatoes!! They're Quesabirria Tacos (with braised beef, cheese, onions, cilantro, creama, & consumé $15). LIKE THAT!! Cheesy, with well marinated meat!! STAMP their thick, & savory consumé!! Their Nachos (with chicken, Queso, black beans, & cilantro $15). STAMP!! The chicken, & cheese set this off!! Perfect nachos!! Their Elote (corn on the cob with lime aioli, cotija cheese, & cayenne $6). LIKE THAT!! Fresh corn, thick, & tangy aioli, scrumptious!! . Customer Service: The waiter didn't write down my order so I had to repeat myself several times, via him not getting it right. The waiter also insisted that I didn't need all the food I was ordering, saying "The quesadilla would be enough." I didn't ask. Service was on point after that. . Online Navigation: Easy . Parking: Rough . Recommendations: The Nachos, & tacos!! =STAMP =LIKE THAT =DELICIOUS =DECENT =PASS =NAH #Bigschlimsreviews
3 years ago
The tacos here are pretty good despite being expensive, but I guess that's just par for the course when you get Mexican food outside of California. The service is fast and amicable, and the interior is open and leaves way for people to dance, converse, and enjoy themselves. Been here twice now and will more than likely come back again soon. read more
6 years ago
I ordered delivery because I was really craving nachos and I'm obsessed with their Carne Asada nachos! I'm mean they aren't anything fancy, but sometimes you need that liquid gold with refried beans to give your heart what it truly needs! The delivery was quick and the nachos were hot when I got them. The chips were soggy, but what do you expect when you order nachos for delivery? I'm happy with what I got and I loved every bite! Perfect with a coke or margaritas! read more
2 years ago
Came with a huge party for a birthday. The waiter/bartender was super awesome and all of our food was right. My adobo chicken taco was amazing. The chicken was slow cooked, super tender and moist. I will get that every time I come and the guacamole. The guacamole was so delicious and had the essential ingredients! The taste was not over crowded by onions or too much salt. It's was a perfect consistency. I also got the Chorizo Tamale since it was Tuesday. The tamale is huge and tastes amazing. It's not the prettiest tamale you have ever seen but it might be one of the tastiest. Not to mention how huge it was. The taco and tamale was quite enough and had to take my guacamole home. I can't wait to try the other tacos, the looked so delicious and all of my friends were saying they were good. read more
3 years ago
Their food and service has always been a hit or a miss for me. However, it wasn't busy on Monday and the custom strawberry margarita was a hit. The frozen margarita is always strong and I love that as well! read more
4 years ago
8 years ago
6 years ago
I came to DC for my birthday - December 2019, one of my coworker's is a DC native and recommended this spot. Great atmosphere, we were seated immediately. The waiter took a little long to get to our table so we ordered at the bar. Once we placed the order, within 15 minutes we were enjoying our food and drinks. I love tacos! This place did not disappoint my taco needs, the Thai Shrimp tacos were my favorite. The Adobo Chicken taco was very hearty - like packed with shredded chicken. The nachos were tasty but not as good as the tacos. Id definitely recommend this spot, if your looking for a nice drink and awesome food in DC. read more
5 years ago
I love trying different taco places, especially in the summer. I went with my sister on a Saturday and the atmosphere was good. I got strawberry margaritas-one frozen and one on the rocks. They were both great! As for tacos, I got 2 birria, 1 DC taco, 1 fish and I think 1 chicken. This was my first time trying birria taco as and they were good but I'm not really a cheese eater so that's probably why they weren't far out amazing to me. I would definitely come back for the drinks read more
3 years ago
8 years ago
I've been in DC three years, finally tried the tacos here. SO GOOD. Haven't had all of them, but I'm definitely coming back to try the other ones. Definitely get the guac, just made so well! I love that you can actually taste the lime juice in the guac, I swear restaurants get scared to add some lime juice! The spicy Thai shrimp and fish corn tortilla tacos are my faveeeee! Very tasty tacos. The place does get packed (it's a bar), which sucks, but hey, if ya want the tacos, deal with it! read more
7 years ago
This was my favorite spot on my trip to D.C. this weekend! We hit this place up for dinner on a Saturday night and it was packed. We had to linger a little before we got a table which was the only downfall of the night. We started off with a margarita pitcher, which comes at a steep price, but worth every penny and great for sharing! We also ordered several sides of chips and queso which was phenomenal. I was apprehensive at first about the fact that you have to order everything at the bar and then you take a number to your table, but everything came out so quickly, especially for how busy they were! I finished the night off with the DC taco and the Thai shrimp taco and they were both sooo good. Full of flavor and the perfect size. I wish I could have tried one of all the tacos on the menu. This is such a unique Mexican meets beer garden restaurant concept and a wonderful place to hang in the city. read more
9 years ago
Very busy on a Saturday afternoon. It was literally POPPIN like drunk people yelling and dancing, music blasting, and super crowded. You have to be 21 to get in. They ID you. When you first enter, there's an indoor part with a bar and limited seating. And the back turns into like an outdoor patio with a bar. There's a lot seating there but also gets super crowded. Seems like a fun place to be when you're tipsy/drunk. Unfortunately, I came sober for the tacos. I got the al pastor and only $3!!! It was delicious and cheap. Surprisingly came out really fast. Also got a frozen margarita. It was good but quite expensive for such a tiny glass. I would love to come back to this place blasted or at night!!! read more
9 years ago
Late night snacking. Stopped in for some food to help soak up our alcohol. I had the chicken nachos. Omgosh the food was delivered fast and it was mouth watering delicious. I ate like a starving person. I didn't drop a single piece. My cousin ordered the chorizo tamale but she ate more of my nachos than her own food. I also ordered a margarita. The bartender was fast and very friendly. You have to order your food at the bar at night. They had all the T.V.s playing the soccer series. If you looking for a late night meal stop in. read more
2 years ago
5 years ago
7 years ago
Great food, great music, great drinks, great vibe. Visited each time on a Friday evening post work and enjoyed chat and chew with the girls. Happy Hour prices are very reasonable especially if you are choosing to share. I love swirls, so I ordered a pitcher for $17 (happy hour); thai shrimp taco, and beef nachos. My girlfriend prefers shredded cheese over queso (however shredded cheese instant an option); I love my nachos dressed with lettuce and pico de gallo which does not come with it. So we ate our nachos as we like them separately lol. Smashed the taco in 2 bites and slowly enjoyed the nachos once I dressed it up to my liking. I would highly recommend this place and early arrival suggested especially if you plan to stay for a while. You will be carded upon arrival . . 21+. Fantastic patio, music of all kinds, and if you LOVE Mexican food stop by today! read more
Came here for brunch. It was pretty quiet and the patio was really nice. I got the carnitas breakfast burrito and it was delicious but super heavy with tons of pork and eggs and cheese. The chips and salsa were also good too. I liked the laid back atmosphere and the staff was very friendly. read more
4 years ago
7 years ago
Theres a thin line between the 3 stars and 4 stars. Too bad I can't do halfsies* My bestfriend & I arrived around 4:30-5pm, which was a good time. There were people there, but not packed. We found a seat at the outside bar, once we sat down we were "greeted" {I use that term loosely} by the bartender. I'm not sure what was going on, but he was not happy at all..very dry with the greeting, no smile, or friendly conversation that bartenders usually offer. Anyway we asked about happy hour specials, which he rattled off then told us to look at the menu. Usually this would be a time I would leave, but your girl was hOngry! We ordered chips & salsa + a swirl margarita pitcher {$25 happy hour price - gets roughly 5-6 glasses} the margarita and the appetizer came out almost immediately. SIDENOTE: the bartender asked if we wanted to start a tab or close out. I thought it was strange, but you can't just order then get your check you have to put a card down Back to the review...the chips & salsa was okay...nothing special, but that margarita!?! Honey!, I tasted that tequila! For our entrees: Veggie Nachos {for me}- the veggies were almost a puree texture, I was expecting the normal chopped up veggies. The cheese was different, I was expecting the white queso, but instead got yellow "queso" which didn't give me the normal nacho flavor I'm used to. DC taco {my friend}- nothing special, the mambo sauce is the star of the dish Chicken enchiladas {my friend}- she said it was okay, no more than that. So, I gave them 4 stars because I will be back...for drinks only. read more
8 years ago
El Rey is the bee's knees. I come here all the time with friends, and I have a blast! The drinks, especially the margaritas, at El Rey are a different breed of potent. You only need a few, so I recommend splitting a pitcher with at least one other person. My personal favorite margarita is the frozen strawberry/ lime mixed, but if it's hot outside, you may have to wait for the margaritas to freeze; it's annoying, but worth it. The food is also yummy. I always get the Thai shrimp tacos with corn tortillas; they are the perfect blend of savory and fresh. I stan for those tacos. They do have a happy hour that isn't really advertised, but if you order your margarita pitchers before 7 pm, they are only $25. Please try this place out. You won't regret it. read more
7 years ago
I heard a lot of good things about this restaurant so I figured I try it. The decor in my opinion was pretty nice on the eyes, resembled a lot of the tequila bars I been to. To my surprise they had an outdoor dining which I liked. My drink(s) of choice were a Natty Boh, margaritas and a glass of wine, all good selections. I actually mixed my beer with the margaritas For my meal I had Nachos. It came out faster than expected which made me wonder how fresh everything was, but its a bar on U street so I didn't trip. The portion was a nice size. They weren't stingy with the steak, and the shrimp was a nice size and imo I had a decent amount I would definitely go back when I feel like driving to DC after work read more
El Ray is the king of nachos! Made a pit stop here last night after wrapping up a conference and was happy I did! My group ordered two margaritas on the rocks as well as an order of nachos with al pastor. The margaritas were honestly disappointing, the glass is a small goblet and the margaritas tasted more like mixer than tequila. Before arriving I checked out the pictures posted by other visitors and bypassed the pitcher option as it looked too small to fill up multiple drinks. After seeing the size of the goblet, if you're coming here with another person and plan on getting margs then it may be the best option financially. The highlight of my visit... the nachos! The standard nachos come out in a deep basket loaded with queso, jalapeños, and pico de Gallo. We opted to pay the additional $4 to add on al pastor which was generously portioned and flavorful. The best part about the nachos though was that the chips stayed crunchy throughout the basket and weren't saturated down by all the toppings. Service- one of the annoying parts of this spot is that they don't provide table service. All food and drinks are ordered at the bar which can get quite packed. I will say the table runners bring your orders out really quick. Overall I give this place ~3.5 stars. read more
5 years ago
The spot was fairly empty when we went. Unfortunately, the food was served pretty cold but the tacos were delicious. read more
3 years ago
omgggggg. This is my favorite restaurant in dc. I take all of my visiting friends & family here and every one of them are obsessed. The service is decent but the staff are friendly; they can get really busy on weekends. There's also a takeout window on the outside of the building. Cool vibe inside. Literally the best tacos I've ever had. Ever. I can't say enough about how good the food is The birria consume is flames, too read more
A casual, Mexican beer garden sort of place serving great food (try the NACHOS!) and drinks in a large patio style restaurant. The storefront is small and is comprised of shipping containers but the back opens up into a patio with a retractable roof. It's hard to believe I have never reviewed this place considering I go here about once a month, usually with a large group of people. The nachos here are incredible - you get a large portion of chips with lots of tasty toppings including a bundle of jalapeños and their delicious cheese sauce. Protein options for their nachos include pork, chicken, mushroom, steak, or seafood. We usually get about 3 variations of the nachos every time. The nachos are a great item to share with a group of people along with a couple pitchers of margaritas. Their margs are surprisingly strong for such a good tasting drink. You can get their house margarita on the rocks or frozen, and you cannot go wrong with either. The tacos and tamales are also very good here, I really have not had a bad thing. Again, this is a casual type of restaurant/bar with a small food menu and it gets loud and pretty full on the weekend. You are not going here for a quiet, very nice dinner. You are coming here for very good food and drinks in a great, laid back atmosphere. I mean the Nachos are like $7 and tacos $3 and it's basically a beer garden. Definitely recommend to anyone in the U st. area. Perfect to come before or after bar hopping. read more
Go to place on U st. These margaritas are dangerous tho lol. They taste amazing but will catch up to you if you don't take it easy. I normally get the nachos if I'm going to eat but I'll sometimes get tacos too depending on the mood. Steak nachos. Al pastor tacos. Thank me later. Service is pretty good too. Last time i was there our server checked on us so much I thought she wanted to sit down and have a margarita..can't be mad at that. When the weather is nice the outside area is nice for that day party feel. Even when it's cold they have heaters that can keep you warm so you can enjoy this place year round. Maybe the best thing about this place is that late night window. So even after the main restaurant is closed and you're ending your night on U st, you can go here and grab good food(when you're not in the mood for pizza). read more
3 years ago
5 years ago
Love the ambiance of this restaurant! It is yet another great Mexican place located on U street, one of the busiest spots in DC! There's sooo many kinds of tacos to choose from, and all of them are $4 each! It's an amazing deal for the quality of tacos they offer. The inside of this restaurant is so fun and vibrant too, I spent hours there with my friends just soaking in all the amazing vibes. If you're a fan of margaritas, El Rey also has a great happy hour where you can get pitchers of frozen margs for a super reasonable price. They're super delicious!! And perfect for the summer time. I'm definitely going to be back there soon! read more
4 years ago
7 years ago
I visited El Reys's on 1/9/2020 and upon ordering a margarita picture my party and I observed a dead cockroach present in the margarita pitcher. I immediately made the bartender aware (long haired Hispanic man) of the situation and I began to discuss my reservations. His response was "it's a bar, and that shit happens... so, ok". I was pretty baffled for a second because no sort of empathy or decent consideration was provided when engaging with him, so I sought to speak to someone else who worked at El Rey's that had a higher level of decency and comprehension. I found another bartender in the back room because the original bartender was very removed and heedless to what transpired. I told the second bartender what occasioned and if a superior of his could intervene in regards to getting a simple refund. Shortly after I was then given a refund by the original bartender. While exiting one of my friends gave a recommendation of another Mexican restaurant down the street we could try and before I could make a completion through the door I received an unwarranted threat from the door attendee(unsure of proper pronoun for attendee). The door attendee stated that they would then mace my party and I for no apparent or credible reason. I was caught off guard again and offended once more. The door attendee grew louder and told us to get out not realizing they were turning an unfortunate restaurant experience into a hostile and potentially violent one while delaying our departure from El Rey's. I've never engaged in such disgusting behavior by individuals that are employed at a place of business. I certainly will not return here again and may peace find them instead. read more
*Rating is based on food* Nachos and tacos were alright. I was pretty drunk and still not that impressed (you know food usually always taste better when drunk...) The atmosphere of this place is pretty cool. I like the actual layout and decor-- nice and chill place to drink. However, it does get very packed at night, and can become rather difficult to order drinks. read more
6 years ago
My new favorite taco spot! 1st I want to applaud the restaurant for taking great safety precautions ! Temperature checks at the door , Outdoor and ventilated indoor seating. Food wise everything came out quickly and hot! Drinks were delicious , can't wait to come back ! read more
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El Rey - mexican - Updated August 2026
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