Mexican spot with a bunch of different food and drink options I came here with my wife and some friends, and we split the loaded fries app, while I also opted for a flavored margarita and a taco plate. Everything was very tasty, but the taco shells were a bit stale, which made them break easily. The taco plate came with 3 tacos + 2 sides (which I got to choose from a selection of ~9 or so). For sides, they had both generic (beans, rice, etc) and unique (the esquites were really great!) Service was a little slow, but they were very friendly read more

I ordered the taco trio and a Pacifico (draft). We started with the chips and salsa, and both were excellent. The chips tasted house-made and were delicious. I especially liked the salsa. It was a darker red salsa with plenty of flavor but wasn't overly spicy. For the taco trio, I went with steak, pork belly, and fish. The tacos were a good size, enough that I gave the fish taco to my son. Both the steak and pork belly were very good, with a slight nod to the pork belly as my favorite. The tacos came with rice and whole black beans served in a small cup. Personally, I prefer the more traditional plate with a generous serving of rice and refried beans. Nothing wrong with what they served, just a personal preference. Service was friendly and very quick. The restaurant was clean, and I also liked that the tables weren't packed too closely together. Overall, a very good meal. I'd definitely come back, especially for those pork belly tacos and the salsa. Also, should mention, the draft was $5 happy hour special. read more

4.5/5 We may have just found our new favorite Mexican restaurant. I found Helena's a few months ago after seeing great reviews. I'd been waiting for the right opportunity to make the 25-mile drive, and since we were headed to Paragon Theaters right down the street for date night, this made sense. Our old spot changed owners and closed, we wanted some really good Mexican food. Helena's delivered. Well... after we figured out where to park. Parking was the most frustrating part. Helena's wasn't listed on the Patient First parking signs. I called the towing company, and they told me not to park there and said Helena's had a lot in back which we couldn't find. The restaurant said Patient First lot should be fine, but I wasn't risking date night ending at a tow yard. Thankfully, we found street parking. Once inside, everything changed. Helena's looks even better in person than online. Medium lighting, light music, comfortable booths, a bar area, beautiful artwork and enough space to comfortably talk. It had a relaxed family-and-friends energy. We were greeted and seated right away. Even the young gentleman who seated us told us, unprompted, that we HAD to try the calamari. Great advice. Our server, Shaiel, was fantastic friendly, attentive and extremely knowledgeable. She had worked at Helena's original location, and you could tell she genuinely enjoyed her job. Then there was Paco. He had OWNER swag. He said he wasn't the owner, but carried himself like the experience was personally his responsibility. He checked on us several times and had this cool uncle hosting you at his house vibe. Now the food. The complimentary chips and salsa were fresh and very good. Then came the gluten-free calamari ($15). Yes. GLUTEN-FREE FRIED CALAMARI. Light, crispy, fresh and delicious. The sauce underneath complemented it perfectly. We liked it enough to order another one to go. 9/10. The guacamole ($15) was ridiculously fresh with beautiful chunks of avocado. I only started eating guac within the last year, and apparently I have lost time to make up for. Fresh, creamy and absolutely getting ordered again. 9.7/10. Then came the Bruschetta Camarones ($26): bacon-wrapped shrimp. OMG. My wife and I have talked for 16 YEARS about the bacon-wrapped shrimp we had at Taco Loco in Cabo San Lucas near Cabo Wabo. It became the standard every version since has been compared against. Helena's CLOSE 2nd Sizzling hot, fresh and packed with flavor. My wife especially loved the beans. 9.5/10. Her $11 red sangria was another winner. She said one gave her a light buzz and two probably would've put her exactly where she wanted to be. My $3.50 unsweetened tea was fine; I just wish they offered bottled water. The kitchen was FAST. At some point I looked at my wife and said, "We found our new Mexican spot." She agreed. If you're gluten-free, Helena's deserves serious attention. A huge portion of the menu is GF, and Shaiel confidently answered every question. I requested other accommodations, and nothing felt like an inconvenience. Our dine-in dietary experience was genuinely 10/10. Unfortunately, one mistake keeps this from being a full five-star review. We ordered mixed enchiladas(shrimp, carne asada and Birria) ($24) to go and requested no cheese or crema because I'm dairy-sensitive. The modification was clearly printed on the receipt, but there was cheese inside. Thankfully, I'm sensitive rather than allergic, but dietary requests have to be handled carefully, especially with something like an enchilada where you may not see the mistake before taking a bite. We discovered it after they closed, so Helena's never had an opportunity to correct it. I'm not taking it out on Shaiel's service either she entered the request correctly. The enchiladas themselves were very good, especially getting a little of all three together, but the mistake mattered. Paco also brought us churros on the house.. They weren't GF, so those were all hers. She loved the churros and warm chocolate, although the other sauce was a little thick for her. Our total was around $165 including food to go. Considering the quality, portions and service, the value was excellent. We drove 35 minutes to Helena's because we were already going to Falls Church. Now I'd drive 35 minutes just for Helena's. You don't need another reason. Helena's IS the reason. A&J DATE NIGHT TEST Food Quality: 9.3/10 Service: 10/10 Atmosphere: 8.2/10 Value: 10/10 Dietary Accommodation: 10/10 dine-in Overall Date Night Score: 9.4/10 Worth the Drive? Absolutely. Would We Return? Immediately. Take my money. Date Night Approved? Absolutely. MUST ORDER: Gluten-free calamari, guacamole, Bruschetta Camarones & red sangria Biggest Strength: Huge gluten-free selection Know Before You Go: Give yourself a few extra minutes to figure out parking. Without the to-go mistake, I would've had a hard time not giving Helena's all five stars. We'll absolutely be back. read more

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The food is good. The service is also good. It's a newer location so it doesn't get as busy which is nice if you're hungry and dont want to wait forever, it's a solid place for Mexican, I wouldn't call it authentic. The drinks are good, I have tried a few and wasn't disappointed, the corn ribs are a hit, the tacos are ok. The agua chile is decent, more lemony but it's not spicy at all. I'd call it a solid place if you don't want to wait forever and want good food but it's not authentic, it caters to Americanized mexican food, Parking is decent. They have street parking nearby that isn't full all the time. read more

Helena’s - Agua Aguachile Verde - Mexican Near Me - Falls Church, Virginia

I've visited the first Helena's location on Telegraph, so I was excited to see that a new Falls Church location had opened. I decided to stop by because I was craving fajitas. From the moment I arrived, the staff was incredibly kind, welcoming, and patient. My partner and I started with the Queso Dip with extra chorizo, which was perfectly ooey-gooey and made for a great shareable appetizer. For my entrée, I ordered the chicken and steak fajitas. Both were cooked perfectly, and I loved the flavorful onions that came with them. My only minor complaint is that the cheese came with an additional charge, as most fajita dishes I've ordered elsewhere typically include cheese. Aside from that, the portions were generous, and everything was delicious. Overall, it was a great experience, and I'm happy to have another location closer to home. read more

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This place is a major upgrade over the previous Mexican restaurant that was in this space. The food here was super hot, fresh and tasty. The free chips and salsa are better than at most places and the salsa had lots of flavor and I really enjoyed it. The house guacamole is also worth a try but it's not cheap and the price is "market" in the menu is assume based on the price of avocados. The three enchilada combo gives you a variety of filling options, I went with shrimp, birria beef, and carne asada. I enjoyed all of them but it was a little lame that the shrimp were the small salad type shrimp rather than the full sized ones. They also give you more sauce options than most places, I went with Mole sauce and it went very well with the enchiladas. It also came with enjoyable rice and beans. The Kiki's house margarita went very well with my meal and it's a must try since it's a real margarita, with fresh ingredients not just the mix. Service is very fast and friendly and we were able to eat on the patio since we had good weather. This place is a welcome addition to Falls Church and while it's a little pricey it's enjoyable and I'll be back. read more

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What a fabulous local gem!! They know how to make every ingredient sing! The Ceviche was spectacular (be sure and ask for a spoon to slurp up the deliciousness!). At our table we did birria, mushroom, pork belly, fish and shrimp tacos -- all were spectacular. And the mushroom tasted just as "beefy" as the actual beef (great choice for vegetarians!). No salt/pepper on the table, because you really don't need it. Sandra was our server and she was wonderful -- very proud of the restaurant and attentive to our table. We did free street parking in the neighborhood -- no issue there. Just a great experience overall. Cannot wait to come back and bring more locals with us! read more

Helena’s - Calamari - Mexican Near Me - Falls Church, Virginia

The restaurant is located at the corner and is next to Patient First; it was hard to find at first but we made it! The place itself is cute and they were accommodating to our party of 8. The food was decent, but it didn't quite wow me. I ordered the Ceviche Tropical, but there wasn't much fish or shrimp. It was topped with a generous amount of diced pineapple and mango, which was refreshing, but I felt the fruit-to-seafood ratio was a bit off.. I also tried the charro beans (braised pinto beans with pork) but it was bland and watery. On the brighter side, we started with the wings and calamari, and both were enjoyable. The calamari was tender with a nice light crisp, and the wings were juicy with a tasty sauce that I really liked. The service was great, our server was nice and friendly. At the end of dinner, they brought out a small ice cream bowl and a sombrero with the serving staff gathering around to sing Happy Birthday to our birthday boy. read more

Helena’s - ceviche tropical - Mexican Near Me - Falls Church, Virginia

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Celebrated my mom's 84th bday, big family of 16 and staff did excellent job! The food was delish and plated beautifully, from apps of queso, calamari to variety of mains (burrito, shrimp, birria taco, branzino, etc) - no complaints! Drinks were excellent too! Thank you for your patience and wonderful time at your lovely restaurant! read more

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Was excited to try this new outpost of Helena's Mexican Restaurant (of Alexandria) in Falls Church. Being smack dab in a higher rent area made me expect slightly higher menu prices, and I was not wrong. That being said, finding value in a menu like this one can be challenging - but I'm happy to give it a shot! The Chips+Salsa (Complimentary) were a nice surprise. The tortilla chips were warm and evenly salted. The house salsa is a very mild, darker roasted pepper variety that is finely blended. A safe flavor profile with no discernible heat notes. I asked for their "hot" sauce which was perfect on my entrée (see photo). The ceviche menu looked interesting - there are 6 to choose from. Ordered the Ceviche Pescado ($15) and unfortunately it was too salty to be fairly reviewed. Next time I'll try a different one. In the meantime, keep this in mind. I was satisfied with the Steak+Chicken Combo Fajitas ($30). I was surprised when the waiter asked me how I would like my fajita steak temperature to be - I said "Medium?". Both proteins came out juicy and perfectly seasoned. My only critique of the steak: They sliced it with-the-grain (the wrong way), making it hard to chew and especially hard to bite off when wrapped up in a tortilla. It should be sliced against-the-grain. The bed of grilled onions simmered in the steak+chicken juices were my favorite. Next time I would ask for extra onions. How I WISH this dish were $20 instead of $30. At $20, it would be a once-a-week tradition for a lot of people. At $30, I don't really think of it as a high-rotation contender on my hypothetical eating-out playlist. $30 gets you AYCE sushi (which includes steak yakitori) a few blocks down the street... Some small notes: The water glasses at my table were never refilled - they remained empty for the 2nd half of the meal. The tables for two are quite small considering the number of plates one may expect in a normal dining experience here. There was a wadded up roll of butcher paper underneath one of the table support feet (to keep it from wobbling, I presume) which looked janky. Fix that right & for real - it's a brand new restaurant - do it right! read more

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I used to live in Arizona, and their mole sauce and salsa we're unlike of anything I've ever experienced. You're the best way possible. In fact, after having eaten here at dinner, the next day, I find myself wanting more and ordering delivery. The only thing better than the food was the ambience and service I was attended to for every need and everybody made the experience wonderful read more

Customer service very good here. Loved the salsa. Enchiladas were delicious. Did steak, chicken, birria, with verde and mole salsas. I'm still here so if I get the wings which look amazing will report back. Ambiance great. Music in background and showing FIFA World Cup. Will absolutely return. read more

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A WHOLE NEW FAMILY FEELING is the overwhelming impression from Helena's. We went to Cuates Grill for years and enjoyed it, and even though it's in the same place with much of the same layout, the Hernandez family has imbued something more in the experience. This restaurant is FAMILY owned and FAMILY run, and you can feel it. Everyone here gets along, and everyone cares! THE ATMOSPHERE was dominated by faces, all welcoming and offering to help. The ones that are busy are out of the way, and those that are free are lined up to greet you and offer help. There is traditional Mexican music playing, new table layouts and new booths. THE FOOD stands out immediately! They melted the cheese into the shells of their tacos, the guac was so chunky, the calimari was so tender and light, the ceviche was laid out like a large gourmet poké dish -- low in carbs, high in protein and veggies, not overcooked or too salty. THE SERVICE was multi-layered, so there were no dead spots during our time there, so not much waiting. Manager and owner each came by and listened carefully to our feedback. BOTTOM LINE: We were surprised at how nice this place was, and don't think of it at all in the same light as previously. THIS ORGANIZATION HAS DEPTH, and I hope they are here a long time. We will definitely be coming back! read more

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Coming from CA we've had Mexican food second to none this side of the border. Lots of disappointments around the DMV-area, unfortunately. Helena's is a saving grace. Delicious food, great drink menu, super clean, and really not expensive considering the part of town they're in. We're here for the second time this week. read more

Had to come back for this delicious food. Got to try the Pozole and it was amazing. Definitely had to get both Aguachiles again 10/10. Our server, Sandra was lovely, gave us fast service and had great recommendations. Favorite part of this lunch date was dessert and drinks. My partner got two Micheladas and a Paloma, I had the Jamaica Agua Fresca and a La Vida Solo es Una. All the drinks were top notch. My personal favorite dessert is the Churros and it's paired lovely with the homemade hibiscus jam. New favorite spot, will be back again. read more

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We had a wonderful lunch here - my fish and mushroom tacos were the most delicious I've ever eaten. Washed down with an ice-cold Mexican coke. And our server could not have been nicer. I only wish we lived closer! read more

Helena’s - Mexican Near Me - Falls Church, Virginia

Omg this place is excellent! The service was a tad slow but the inside is cute and the food is great. The queso was so good I couldn't stop eating it! The guac was also delicious. I tried a mixed platter of tacos - the mushroom, carne and birria. The birria was my favorite followed by the mushroom. The carne meat was really good too just not my favorite of the three. I will be back!! read more

The food was bland. Service was great. However, my fajita costs $35 for a mixed, no peppers , just onions ... that was surprising. The flavor was underwhelming to say the least. The margarita was decent,. Just okay, nothing special. I went based on the previous reviews and probably Could have skipped it and paid less than $60 bucks for a not enjoyable Meal. But at least I tried it. read more

We were extremely disappointed with the way we were charged. We ordered one margarita, one 6 oz glass of wine, and guacamole dip, and somehow ended up with a $66 bill and with tip we paid $76! I asked for a double shot in my margarita, but instead of simply charging for the additional shot, they charged me twice for the margarita itself, plus an additional charge for the specific tequila used. In other words, one margarita was essentially charged three times.Unfortunately, this billing experience left a very bad impression and I would strongly recommend checking your bill carefully before paying. read more

Loved the food so much we went back for restaurant week. It was a good choice. The tacos and enchiladas were great. The guacamole as good as my daughters (sorry honey) and the tres leche cake the best I have ever had. The service is great. Management makes frequent rounds to see if you need anything. Highly recommend it. We ate outside and it was pleasant on the side street. The main street a little noisy for me. read more

LOVEEEE!!! coming here, everyone is so nice. And their Platanos are really good not dry at all and ask for sour cream on the side, trust me. The vibe is good. read more

The best Mexican food in the DMV hands down !!! The place looks amazing and the service was excellent. 10/10

We've been to Helena's twice now and thoroughly enjoyed it both times. I have had the green pozole and the fish tacos and my husband had steak fajitas the first time and carne asada the second. Definitely a cut above most area Mexican restaurants. We will be returning! read more

The food is very delicious, and the waiters are very friendly. Amazing place to go eat with family . read more

Helena’s - Mexican Near Me - Falls Church, Virginia

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The best service ever!!! Glenda is the best bartender always has a drink waiting for me! Food is authentic and so good!

Food is all fresh and homemade. Linda is the owner and she stopped by to say hello and check on us. They graciously added shrimp to the quesadilla when I asked despite it not being on the menu. A crazy 180 from terrible Cuates. Check it out! The chips are also wonderful and HOT with delicious salsa! Welcome to FC! read more

New favorite Mexican restaurant in the area! Food is amazing, service is amazing, reasonably price! The inside is really clean and nice! Come here if you get the chance!! read more

The food and drinks were 10/10, service 10/10, ambiance was 10/10 I recommend this restaurant because everything is fresh and delicious 10/10. read more

Been twice since they opened in Falls Church, after only going to the previous place once in all the years they were there. Had the carne asada tacos and the chicken fajitas. Both dishes were delicious, and service was great. Our server remembered us the second time and welcomed us back. The margaritas were fresh and refreshing, and I'm excited to have a new yummy restaurant in walking distance (PS - I avoided Cinco de Mayo, knowing it would be a crazy night for a New Mexican restaurant). read more

Stopped by for lunch with the kids - service was great, chips and salsa five stars and really enjoyed the taco platter. Previous restaurants in this location were below average but Helena's will do great! read more

We were excited to have dinner at the recently-opened Helena's Falls Church on Cinco de Mayo. Since they aren't set up to do online reservations, I called ahead the week prior and the gentleman I spoke with took my information and confirmed my reservation. Then when we showed up for our reserved time on Cinco de Mayo, they were very busy and said they didn't have reservations. After explaining that I had been given a reservation over the phone, one of the managers looked in a notebook and acknowledged my reservation. Soon after being seated, the waiter stopped by our table. She was very nice and took our drink and appetizer orders. Within a few minutes, chips & salsa and our queso & guac appetizer were brought out and we ordered our entrees. The waiter apologized that the drinks were delayed and they came out around 10-15 minutes later. The chips, queso/guacamole, and drinks were all very good. Then over the next hour, we waited patiently for our entrees while the waiter repetitively apologized for the delay and told us just a few more minutes. Throughout the long wait, there was never even an offer to replenish our empty basket of chips. A manager finally stopped by and asked if everything was okay. After explaining we had been waiting on our food for over an hour, he left for a few minutes and came back asking that we give him 5 more minutes to get our food out. By that time we were tired of waiting and being repetitively told it would be a few more minutes, so we asked to pay our bill and leave. The manager obliged and we walked to a nearby local restaurant where we received prompt service and excellent food - albeit not the Mexican cuisine we had hoped to enjoy on Cinco de Mayo. Truth be known, we had tried Helena's Falls Church with friends about 10 days earlier and had a great experience. Unfortunately it seems they were not prepared to handle the high demand with the same level of service on Cinco de Mayo. Since we live in walking distance, we'll most likely try Helena's Falls Church again. We've looked forward to having a good Mexican restaurant we can walk to, so are hoping they can get it together to consistently deliver a high quality experience. read more

Excellent service started at the door. Wait staff checked back several times during our meal. Shrimp wrapped in bacon fajitas were yummy and so were the steak and shrimp combo fajitas. Generous portions. Margaritas were tasty too. read more

Very tough showing on 5/5. Service was awful, food took over 1.5 hours to get to the table. The restaurant had a good vibe, but has a long way to go if it wants to stay popular. read more

Had a lovely lunch here. Brand new - trying hard, and succeeding! Great service and food. Moderate prices. A welcome addition to the City.