A reliably ungentrified forward operating base of "good enough" at tolerable prices in what has become an insufferable yuppie stronghold. The contrast is unmistakable. You have $8 coffee next door, a gourmet dog treat bakery across the street, $3,800 per month studio apartments caddie cornered, Orange theory, a book store specializing in post modern feminism on the other side, a food truck featuring sustainably sourced $26 breakfast sandwiches with cultured cashew cream and microgreens that comes with a 90-second explanation of the chef's philosophy regarding regenerative agriculture. And then there is Restaurant Judy in a league of its own. The Puerto Rican speaking broken English handing out menus with items crossed off in crayon is a much needed breath of fresh air as the oxygen content increases in the atmosphere as I begin coming back down to earth. This is my Easter island in a vast sea of Deliotte consultants wearing LuLu lemon. When your food arrives its a relief that it has all the appeal of a Toyota Camry- cost effective, satisfying, gets the job done, sometimes inconsistent which is indicative of random people manning the kitchen rather than some overqualified chef demanding to raise prices to justify his employment there. This place is a DC treasure and its underlying ethos must be defended at all costs. Strength and Honor, Restaurant Judy read more

Came in on a Friday night with a large group and they had plenty of seating available. My crew mainly wanted dessert, so we ordered a couple of those with lots of spoons to share. Service was incredibly friendly and able to split our bill which we appreciated. I will come back and try their famous pupusas! read more

Restaurant Judy - Flan - Salvadoran Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

The pupusas at this restaurant are delicious! I love the revuelta (pork and cheese). They're a little steep price-wise ($4.75/pupusa, $10 for flan, etc.), but it's not really out of line with the area and the food is comforting and good! Staff is nice, there's plenty of seating inside, and you can easily place an order to go. read more

Restaurant Judy - Pupusa - Salvadoran Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We always make sure to stop by Restaurant Judy whenever we're in the area. It's not an upscale spot, but the service is always friendly and the portions are generous. Prices are amazing for what you get. The chips and salsa are super flavorful, and I absolutely love the pupusas--they're some of the best around. The corn tamale is one of the best I've ever had, and the Burrito Azteca is another favorite. Drinks are reasonably priced, and the margaritas are fantastic. The bartender is always extremely friendly, which makes the experience even better. This place is a true gem! read more

See all

Always amazing food! Friendly waitstaff. Not fancy, but you feel like you're part of the family eating here!

No frills. Ambiance and service leave something to be desired, but who cares. It's just really good food. Pricier than expected but I'm not complaining. Would definitely come back read more

Pros - Good atmosphere and service. The food felt overpriced in proportion to the quality. We got chips and guac for $12, and it was a pretty small portion and the guacamole didn't taste fresh. The cheese on my nachos that I got for my entree had hardened a bit, and weren't that great. My husband got a burrito, which tasted good, but it was fairly small, and it only came with a small ramekin of beans and rice. I will say we didn't get any drinks, so I can't speak to that. Overall, it was overpriced for a mid meal. read more

I love Judy's so much. I've been here countless times: it's always my go-to in DC if I want a filling, affordable meal. The interior is inviting and string-lit and spacious and warm. There's plenty of seating, so I've never had trouble getting a table. The service is fantastic and prompt, and the food comes quickly. They bring out free chips & salsa and drinks are pretty cheap -- I often split a margarita pitcher if we're dining as a group of four. I always get the "El Tipico," which comes with a chicken tamale and pupusa & enchilada of your choice (I always opt for whichever the server recommends). The portions are sizable and the food hits every time. Everything comes out hot and delicious. Highly recommend if you're looking for some great Salvadoran food at a beloved neighborhood joint! read more

Restaurant Judy - el tipico - Salvadoran Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I was taking a friend out for his birthday, and he had a request for food. He told me about this place that I had never heard of. It's in the U Street corridor area, but it's up near W St. I like never walk beyond V, so that's why I was not familiar! And apparently they've been around forever. When we arrived, I was impressed by how big it was. The bar is spacious, there's plenty of tables, and there's a whole other room that you see whenever you go to the bathroom. They have all the space to have the most epic parties if they choose! The staff were very nice and the menu had some great options, but I decided to try something I haven't had in a while -- pupusas! It is a Salvadoran restaurant, after all. And were they delicious? Absolutely. They have a full bar as well, featuring margaritas and much more. If you're around, check them out. It's really good. read more

Food: Queso- this was meh but it's not bad! Combination plate- the tamale was amazing! Great texture and great flavor. Pupusas: tried the bean and the revuelta. I preferred the revueltas for sure! Also was a great price for the amount of food (3 for 12 and I had leftovers) Service: super friendly and quick! Ambiance: very chill, great for a quick bite read more

Restaurant Judy - Pupusas - Salvadoran Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

You cannot say anything bad about Judy's ever. You are immediately greeted by their staff who tell you where to sit or if it is less busy then you have the choice of spots. You can really tell that this is a place where regulars always are at the bar because of the wonderful staff and the amazing prices. Where else can you get three massive pupusas, queso, a drink, and giant tamale for under 45? This is the place where you go for reliable food, free chips and salsa (make sure to ask for their housemade hot sauce) and to catchup with friends in a casual location. They are open late so you know it is a great place to go before or at the end of a night out. Pupusas-we always get the bean because you can see all of the cheese melting out of them Queso-my friend thougt it was a little spicy and I wanted to add even more hot sauce to it. It was so perfectly cheesy and paired perfectly with the chips and salsa they give you Tamale-the sweet corn was so good and even though we were stuffed, we had to eat it read more

After living close to restaurant Judy for almost a year, I finally tried this El Salvadorian spot. We were able to walk in for dinner without a reservation. We tried several dishes and margaritas. The ambiance is casual and authentic with a homey feel. Definitely a good spot for a date night or hang out with friends. They were able to serve us pretty quickly which was nice. We loved all the food that we tried. I had a cheese puspusa and it was much bigger than I expected for the price. My husband tried the trio and our favorite was the beef enchilada. The beef was really tender and well prepared. The tamale was just ok. I had a well made margarita. Overall definitely recommend trying for the margaritas and puspusas and the enchiladas are amazing too! read more

Restaurant Judy - Cheese puspusa - Salvadoran Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

Great food, food is quick and delicious. Mix of cuisines including salvodoran and mexican. the pupusas are amazing (chicken is my favorite but revuelto and queso are also great), the salsa/cabbage is delicious, the burrito was filled with a delicious beef stew with cheese melted over it. tamales are delicious, nachos and quesadilla are ok read more

Excellent service and fantastic food. The Corn Tamale is heaven in earth. Highly recommended. read more

Came here for Wed lunch and it was empty chips and salsa - 5/5 love how hot the salsa is Ceviche combo - 4/5 very good and refreshing on a hot DC day pupusas (ranked in order)- loroco 5/5 , bean 4/5, pork 4/5, cheese 4/5, chicken 3.9/5 yuca con chicharron - yuca is 5/5, chicharron is 3/5 since it was really dry marcuya / passionfruit drink - 5/5 maranon - 5/5 very tasty, must try since i've never had maranon before I'm going to come back here for the tamales read more

Delicious food, fast and very friendly service! Would highly recommend stopping by this restaurant!

Visited quite randomly for dinner since we live nearby and have been saying we need to try it. Glad to came in. It's a bit rickety inside but the food is delicious. It was mostly packed by dinner time, but I'd said service was good, maybe a tad slow. It looks like your local mom and pop shop, prices are quite reasonable. My wife got a cocktail and she liked it. I got the trio dish and forgot what my wife got. But it was a lot of food for not much money. The item that stole the show was the beef enchilada. I was expecting ground beef but it was more of a braised beef, and the taste was magnificent. No idea what they did but I'd come back for more in a heartbeat. Also gave free chips and salsa. I hope this place sticks around, hoping I can try the beef enchiladas again soon! read more

Restaurant Judy - Tripleta, beef enchilada was amazing - Salvadoran Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Date night in DC - but make it reasonably priced with big portions :) Overall: 8.45/10 (4.23/5) Vibe: 7.25/10 Service: 10/10 Pupusa revuelta: 9.5/10 - one of the BEST I've ever had! Carne asada: 8/10 Chicken fajitas: 7.5/10 read more

See all

Came on a Friday night for a quick dinner. The restaurant didn't look like much from the outside but inside it was popping and pretty spacious with two dining rooms. The ambiance is your neighborhood mom-and-pop shop, no fancy decor, very down to earth, but everything felt well-maintained and clean. The restaurant was quite busy but the servers were very attentive and came to take our order as soon as we sat down. We had horchata ($4) and tamarindo ($3.5) for drinks. Both were very good and reasonably priced. The complementary salsa was amazing, with amazing flavor and a great kick. We shared El Tipico and Lomo Saltado as our mains. The portions were generous for two hungry people. Their combo platters are great for people looking to try a bit of everything. My favorite from El Tipico platter was the Pupusas Revueltas, so cheesy and paired well with the slaw. The tamale and enchilada were delicious and generously filled. The chicken filling was slightly dry so will try a different option next time. The Lomo Saltado was also great. It came with crunchy fries, well-marinated meat, and a flavorful, gingery sauce. The food took a bit long to come out (~40 mins), which is completely understandable for a mom-and-pop restaurant. My friend and I were running for a show afterward so had to rush our meal. Would recommend budgeting some extra time:) read more

See all

Judy has a very casual and laid back feel to it serving Salvadorian dishes. We were able to get seated right away and our food came out very quickly. They had salsa music playing in the speakers overhead. Towards the back of the room they have a stage with some audio equipment. I'm guessing they have salsa night a couple of times a week. I really enjoyed the food I got the camarones al ajillo. Served with shrimp in a garlic sauce, rice, and a salad. The prices are very reasonable and everything is super affordable. A great local place to check out in DC. read more

Restaurant Judy - a plate of food with rice and vegetables - Salvadoran Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Good prices, good food, and good service. Great spot for a big group or just a friend. They have bar seating and tables. The queso dip was delicious & pupusa were cheesy. Free chips with refills (something you don't see in DC). This spot was easy & laid back. Highly recommend! read more

Really enjoyed coming here. Randomly came across this low key place and was interested in checking it out. The food is absolutely delicious especially the Lomo Saltado and bistec a la criolla. The steak is so juicy, tender and delicious. The plantano is sweet and perfectly crisped in the edges. The service was phenomenal and the staff were very attentive and proactive. Highly recommend. read more

Restaurant Judy - Salvadoran Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

DRUNK! This spot is such a classic and I think we should collectively give this place our $$$. They're so welcoming and the food is bomb! On top of that, the drinks are so fucking good. The vibe is well and big enough for a group of 10. You're only young once and add this spot into the rotation of the night. Neat, but local so don't doooo tooo much. It's a comfortable safe space. Be respectful of the latinooooosssssss or don't bother coming! read more

Came here for dinner before a night out celebrating my friend's birthday. The food was decent and affordable. We ordered the El Tipico and Vegetarian Trio de Enchiladas. The chicken tamale, pupusa, and enchilada in the El Tipico all tasted standard. The Vegetarian Trio de Enchiladas was also a standard vegetarian enchilada dish. Me and my friends asked for extra salsa-- one spicy and one mild to taste and add onto the dishes. I liked the mild salsa. It was really tasty, had a nice green color, and had a good texture. I highly recommend asking for spicy salsa on the side for the food because the flavors of the dishes were simple without it. In addition, we also tried the Flan. The flan was decent. It's not the best flan I've ever had but it hit the spot. Overall, Judy's is a cute hole in the wall with decent Latin American food. I recommend asking for mild/ spicy salsa to give the dishes a kick and a bit more flavor. read more

Restaurant Judy - El Tipico - Salvadoran Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

Impeccable and the most authentic El Salvadoran food ever in this hole in the wall resto along the bustling 14th street. If you're getting bored of DC metro area and the overpriced restos, seek no further! Discovered tons of such spots in such neighborhoods and I'd gladly come back again to try other dishes. I have never ever had such savory tamales and Pupusa as before. The Latino music in the background is also such a vibe. read more

See all

The food is amazing, customer service is excellent, and I would definitely recommend this spot for people who are looking to having a good time. read more

One of DC's best kept secrets, Judy's is the best! Their customer service is top notch, their drink selection is large, and their food is out of this world. I will be coming back time and time again. I've never tried takeout, but it's clear so many people have. As i sat at the bar, the grub hubs and Uber eats never stopped. I can't decide which I liked better - the trio of enchiladas or the passion fruit margaritas read more

Restaurant Judy - Salvadoran Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

best food ever such a hidden gem. i had the burrito and it was so tasty, the rice was amazing. I could eat a whole bowl of it. Our server was so nice and kind 10/10. Very good music but a bit dimly lit. read more

Restaurant Judy - chicken burrito - Salvadoran Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The vibes were good and lively. The wait staff was friendly and didn't rush us at all. It's a nice spot for late dinners. I liked the pupusa and enchiladas. The cheese in the pupusa had a good pull. It was comforting to eat. The enchilada was enchiladaing. The tamale lacked flavor :( The carne asada was good. The steak was not over cooked and easy to chew. Love the flavor. The tacos (not pictured) were alright. read more

Restaurant Judy - El Tipico - Salvadoran Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

My late night and comfort food No 1 option. Though takeout is convenient, I would recommend stopping by to eat in person. They have free chip and salsa when you dine in and they are AMAZING. Their soup has delicious savory broth base and I always order a sweet tamale to satisfy my sweet stomach. My go-to is always the soup but I heard a lot of compliments for their other Hispanic dishes. I wouldn't recommend their sweet non-alcohol drinks - they are great if you like it very sweet though! read more

See all

Best carne asada platter out there. Carne Asada A+, rice A, beans A, salad A. Definitely check them out

Judy is one of my favorite local spots in all of DC. It's the opposite of pretentious, and it's a regular spot in my rotation. I typically bring guests from out of town -- especially if they've never tried papusas or El Salvadoran generally. Located right by 14th and Florida NW, it's a bustling area with plenty of bars and restaurants. They are easily accessible by bus or metro. There are bike lanes directly out front, too. Residential parking is available on nearby streets -- though you'll want to be cognizant of spots that are reserved for residential zone 1 parking during certain hours (usually later in the venue for). I highly recommend the papusas, tacos, or trio of enchiladas. Friends and family love the fajitas and burrito. The margaritas are always delicious and served in a classic glass. Service is solid. Salsa and chips are complementary and legit. The hot sauce it AMAZING. Can't rave enough about this place. read more

Restaurant Judy - Enchiladas and burrito. - Salvadoran Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I heard that many El Salvadorians immigrated to DC during the country's civil war. The pupusas are one of the signature dishes in DC. I found it here on Yelp. I entered the restaurant. I expected some Latino or Latina greeters. But a non-Hispanic-looking guy came to me. LOL. I checked the menu. It seemed that Mexican, other Central American, and American mixed cuisine. Anyway, I ordered an Enchilada, Tamale, and Pupusa plate. The food was great! I loved it. I ordered some drink, Maranon that was great. The prices were bi higher than in Houston. I could eat the same plate for $10 in Houston. I paid around $15 in DC. Overall, I loved it. read more

Restaurant Judy - Salvadoran Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

Stopped in on a Saturday before a show at the Lincoln. We sat at the bar and were immediately given waters, chips and salsa. Eric, the bartender let us know what Judy was known for, the pupusas and chicahrron, so we ordered a chicken, a pork and a cactus pupusa. They were packed with filling that oozed out with every bite. We also got the tilapia cheviche and were pleasantly surprised with the generous portion of perfectly marinated fish. The last thing we tried, the platanos with sour cream and beans was a simple, well balanced plate . A pitcher of mango margaritas and some homemade habanero sauce finished off a great pre-show meal. Can't wait to return. read more

I've walked by this place a bunch of times. It's an unassuming restaurant that always seems to be busy. I'm a lover of a good pupusa and this place did not disappoint. We got the locoro and cheese pupusa and it was delicious. The margaritas were SO good and fresh - they let you chose the juice, the tequila, and the salt you want. I got a lime, jalapeño tequila, and tahin rim. My friend got a tamarind, jalapeño tequila, and tahin rim. I ordered el tipico and I really liked the enchilada and pupusa, but not the tamal. I tried my friends beef burrito azteca and it was very good. Overall, I can't wait to make this place a regular place that I visit! read more

See all

Fidel is the bartender of the night. He's customer service is amazing. Love this little hole in the wall. Their margaritas are amazing.

If you're looking for a welcoming, low-ley neighborhood joint with tasty food, this is it. I live in the area and my partner and I have become regulars at Judy. It's one of those places where you can walk in wearing a suit or gym shorts and nobody could care less. This isn't a "vibey" place; it's homey, lived-in, and beloved. The food's fantastic too - I'm not Salvadorean or Mexican, so I can't speak to the authenticity of the food, but it's really tasty. I love the pupusas, the enchiladas, and the tacos de lengua. My partner always gets the shrimp with garlic butter sauce. Sure, none of the food is gourmet, but given the super low price it's all well worth it. I always see the same two guys working here and they're stars. They're friendly and helpful and have great recommendations. Cheers to them and the rest of the Judy staff for their hard work. read more

Its an amazing find. Great food and every dish our party ordered was yummy! I got the beef soup it was so hearty! I also got a side of the plantains with sour cream and beans did not know what to expect but it was great with a dash of hot sauce and salsa. They were also quick to serve all of us. It was quiet as we had the side room all to ourselves. read more

Definitely my favorite spot in this neighborhood. Both Kevin & Fidel are amazing bartenders and will always take care of you. Judy's is the definition of "when you're here you're family". Their pupusas are to die for as well. They have the type of atmosphere that makes you feel comfortable the second you walk in, and you end up staying for hours because the vibes and the company is so good. Would recommend this place time and time again! read more

This place is fantastic! We got the Ceviche and Carne Asada and it was ridiculously delish! It doesn't look like much on the outside but don't be discouraged... go in and get some fresh food and great service by DeeDee!! read more