Decided to order delivery from here and the food was mediocre. Not only was it mediocre but we found multiple hairs in our food. We had ordered the lamb barbacoa and steak burritos with the coconut flan. The burritos were bland with very little filling but too much sauce on top. All filling was to the side in a separate container which was very confusing. Rice and beans were bland. Additionally the chips that came with the meal was stale. The only item that was decent was the coconut flan. Not ordering from here again. read more

This place has reopened, but I'm very sorry to report it's lost a lot of its charm. The decor is cheaper than it used to be, and the food really isn't that good, both in terms of quality and flavor. My chicken mole was unappealing - it tasted like the mole came out of a can and about a quarter of the plate was taken up with unappetizing steamed broccoli. My friend's soltanes seemed to have been made with frozen French fries. Which would've been fine if the price reflected that, but it's a bit spendy. And the margarita tasted like it came from a mix. The place was deserted tonight, and I wish I'd left instead of wasting almost 60 bucks on a dinner I didn't enjoy in the slightest. read more

Food served on cool thrift-store Grandma plates! Quest fundido cheese has nice smoky does not melt well--not easy to manipulate an scoop on a tortilla. Think pizza cheese or melted sting cheese Pork shoulder quesadilla: same cheese. Don't let it get cold Bc the cheese solidified a bit. The pork is tender and has great flavor. The solid winner were the tacos. Fish and shrimp to be exact. The fish tacos were light and flavorful. Shrimp tacos were my second favorite. Tasted a little heavier, probably due to the spicy sauce drizzled on them. They have a late night happy hour 1030p to close with $5 drinks and $1 chips and salsa. FYI. read more

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El Camino recently reopened. And rumor was similar to before but better food. I was thrilled at that prospect right in my neighborhood. We went earlier this week. The staff were very friendly and attentive. BUT the food was a great disappointment. I had the limo saltado, and it was extremely bland. And my fiancé had 3 tacos, which were bland and very dry. He didn't even eat the third one at all. Sadly, this looks like a place we won't be returning to. read more

The food is excellent. I had the Fried Whole Branzino. It was excellent. The staff is very friendly and I look forward to returning to try the Grilled Salmon. read more

El Camino - Fried Whole Branzino - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

More like 3.5 stars but decided it was good enough to round up. Stopped in on a whim for Saturday brunch (well we consulted an old post from "B!tches that Brunch"). We were a bit disappointed that the menu changed & other Yelp reviews, which we checked while there were underwhelming but we dived right in. The steak with eggs over medium came with home fries, black beans & fruit. The dish was very flavorful. The beau ordered the shrimp omlet which came with the same sides. Also very flavorful. He's very critical so when he likes the food, you know it's good. I was relieved that we got a good cook; we did play it safe with our selections but the food was very good! The restaurant traffic was light around 1230ish; we were one of two tables & our server was very attentive. We also got bottomless mimosas which were reasonably priced & were refilled promptly. The decor was a bit lackluster but I'm happy my food & dining experience were great. I admired the plants on the window ledge & the server very generously provided me a potted clipping of the plant to take home - I named it El Camino! We will be back to try dinner & happy hour. read more

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Super reasonably priced. The food is good, margs are great. Awesome happy hour deals.

Great authentic Mexican food. The Guacamole and Margaritas here are amazing. The service is great. I come here so often the waitress Jasmine knows my name! read more

Loved the spicy mango margarita and my selection of tacos - chicken, salmon, and al pastor. I also ordered the esquites and they were full of flavor. read more

Good food, great mango margaritas. The restaurant is quite small but wasn't crowded or cramped my any means

El Camino's front patio is probably the only thing it has going for it. Although people do tout their cheap happy hour, their margaritas are weak, watery, and sour, so I don't know that a $5 margarita there would even be enticing. We were there at 8:30pm on a Friday and thus forced to pay a whopping $33 for a pitcher! Most egregiously, they do not give you complimentary chips and salsa, which should be obligatory at every Mexican restaurant. Sucking it up, we opted to cough up the $2.50 anyway, but the waitress never brought any to our table because she had apparently forgotten. Sigh. In general, the servers seem very unhappy, which perhaps contributes to their lack of attention to detail and to friendly customer service. A couple of my friends had the tacos, which were nothing to write home about. It's a shame that El Camino is so mediocre because, given its location in a row of popular establishments and appealing patio, it could bring a lot of joy to the lives of Bloomingdale residents. read more

El Camino - Tacos are blah - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Delicious traditional Mexican food - with all the fixin's (rice, beans, salsa fresca) .... good variety of dishes. Good vibe, charming environment, solid food presentation, and friendly service. It's not the same as the upscale place - but I'm okay with that - we need solid good diverse food in the neighborhood and this fits the bill perfectly. Kid friendly, salsa/chips served immediately, and yummy frozen drinks. read more

Just reopened under new ownership. I ate amazing carne asada and their margaritas are made with fresh ingredients. Fresh veggies, rice & beans too. Still have some website issues to resolve but this place is back and better than ever! read more

El Camino - A perfectly grilled, tender Carne Asada with rice, beans & steamed veggies. - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This small plate of guac was $12... v confused what merits $12 for 3 ounces of subpar guac but, whatever! read more

El Camino - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This place is a not so hidden gem. My friend and I went in yesterday for dinner and had the best experience. We started off with the guacamole---get that, you will regret not getting it. We also got the habanero mango margaritas and OMG.....so good. I got the shrimp fajitas and my friend got the steak fajitas. Both came out quick and hot.I could tell from what was being served to us and those around us that they make everything fresh and I was super impressed. The wait staff is courteous, always around if you need them and just all around awesome. I will be going back as soon as possible! read more

If I could give 0 stars I would. I came to el Camino hoping for an enjoyable experience. Instead I experienced what I believe is covert racism and poor service to top it off. I ordered the hibiscus mule. It tasted like old gym shoes. I asked the server to switch out the drink.... Instead he told me that he hadn't received any other complaints (in a snarky tone). I told him I wasn't concerned about other customer reviews on the drink. He ended up switching out the drink for a Cadillac margarita. I had my legs resting on the chair to elevate (sometimes my ankle swells after a long day of walking). Another server/ or maybe manager walks over and tells me to put my legs down. I asked "excuse me" just to make Sure I heard him well... and he repeated himself. I oblige.... Because god forbid I'm labeled as an angry black woman. To top it off... I think chips and salsa are pretty standard at a "Mexican" restaurant. We got our chips and salsa 35 minutes after we'd been sitting down waiting for our freaking food. Would not recommend....& not coming back. read more

Delicious Mexican in DC and reasonable prices! We sat at the bar and got a couple of drinks while waiting for friends. Mick was really nice and took great care of us. He even told us about the special cocktails he had a hand in creating. He used to work at the Passenger and definitely knows his stuff. We started with guacamole for the table and it was really good. Oddly enough, there was an option to make your own. Not sure why anyone would want to do that. The tacos were the best I've had in DC. We got the shrimp, picadillo, and chicken tinga. Shrimp and picadillo were the best. We also got the empanaditas, which were delicious. read more

Sloan: The water here is exceptionally crisp. The food takes a littleeee long to come out, but it is definitely worth it. I'm obsessed with the vibes. The ration of chips we received the first time we came here was a little sparse. However, on our second visit, we were met with a surplus of tortilla chips. Ava: sitting outside I am immediately transported to a pleasant --dare I say-- beach like setting. The star they have made out of lights is unfortunately lopsided. read more

Under new ownership! El Camino is reopening Thursday July 25, 2019. I went to the soft opening and can't wait to go back to check out the full menu! We had delicious margaritas (spicy mango, cucumber, and watermelon basil) and tasty appetizers. The plantains and ceviche nachos were yummy! read more

El Camino - who wants a margarita? - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The food was... fuego but the tacos got me prego. No but seriously service was incredible. Would highly recommend the pollo tinga. Margarita also top notch. One of the best bang for your buck joints in dc!! read more

El Camino - El Camino Margarita & boys - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This is the best taco restaurant in DC, and certainly the most hip. If you are searching for a trendy atmosphere in an emerging neighborhood, look no further. I met a friend here for dinner on Wednesday. The restaurant is a bit hard to find given the lack of overt signage. With that said, it certainly fits with the lived-in feel of bloomingdale. We were immediately seated and started with margaritas plus guacamole. Both were excellent. You can't order pitchers of margs but the drink is neither too sweet nor too strong. Word to the wise: definitely spring for the guacamole. Ingredients-avocado, jalapeño, onion, cilantro-are fresh and can be be used as a topping for any thing else you order without highjacking the flavor. We got the tacos as well. The options were somewhat limited but universally good. An order of two tacos for each of us plus guac was perfect amount of food. I was so impressed by the place that I'll be coming here for my birthday. In the words of Eazy E, this is truly a fresh El Camino. read more

Great drinks, tasty snacks, service is always over the top amazing. Go for frozen mango habanero margaritas, hibiscus mules, margs on the rocks, and loaded nachos. read more

Nice little Mexican spot in the Bloomingdale neighborhood. Slightly disappointed that the chips and salsa were not complimentary but I must admit that the two house made salsas were better than the average. For tacos, my favorites were the lengua (ample amount of protein unlike some other places), camarones (so good that I had to order it twice), and carnitas. The chicken tinga just didn't have the flavor profile that I anticipated - something was missing, but I'm not quite sure what. I didn't get to try the baja fish this time, but would definitely get it next time. The real disappointment of the meal was the scallops ceviche.. the portion was just too small and the taste too tangy for my liking. The ambiance was nice - seemed to be filled with a lot of people that live in the neighborhood. The outdoor seating area is super cute for summer nights, and great for people watching. Overall, not a place that I would go out of the way to visit, but definitely one I wouldn't mind checking out again if I'm in Bloomingdale. read more

El Camino - delicious tacos! - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This place is real good we're visiting DC from Miami and they have many Latin restaurants but this in particular was a very pleasant surprise. I recommend the huevos rancheros, enchiladas, pancakes, three tacos, and esquites. We ordered from their brunch menu. It's very cheap too I'm gonna miss it already when we leave. read more

So I def understand business are struggling however this business is horrible. The owner was our server so I would have thought she would have been more understanding. We were seated for an hour and 45 mins and when we inquired about our food we were told all kinds of stories. Patrons who were seated 40 mins after us ate and left and we were told they serve smallest orders to large so if you have a party larger than two I suggest you stay away from this place!! read more

Great neighborhood spot - quality food, fair prices, and friendly staff. The basics (burritos, tacos, etc) are better than you might expect and made quickly. Taco salad also solid. read more

I feel like Yelp lied to me on this one, I eat a lot of authentic Mexican and I really don't even know what this is. As other reviewers have notes the $5 margarita is small, not severed in a traditional margarita glass, watery, sour, and was only salted on 1/8th of the rim. The chips and salsa is decent (not complimentary), but the salsa is severed in small box shaped dishes that the chips don't fit in. They were kind enough to let me order a half size of guacamole, which was fresh but lacked seasoning. I ordered a la carte, an al pastor Taco and a pollo asada. Al pastor was swimming in an overly sweet sauce while the chicken was dry. Meat and other fillings were scare, except for an abundance of tomatoes though. Tacos were wrapped in one small corn tortilla. The spicy corn was decent, however there was far too much crema sauce. Also, their refried beans are made with black beans, I am aware they are used in some parts of Mexico, but Tex-Mex and Northern Mexico normally uses pinto beans. I feel it is commonplace enough to use pinto; that black should have been specified. Also, side note I really dislike places that don't offer ice in water. I know it's fairly common, especially in the city but chilled water in the summer makes all the difference. But yes, disappointed sums this one up and it isn't cheap either. read more

I really like this place. It's small and cozy with about a 10-seat bar, a few tables, and a sidewalk patio. We have had nothing but friendly, good service there, and you can tell they've established a group of neighborhood regulars. It's not the most authentic Mexican food (for that you should head further up Rt 1 to Riverdale/Hyattsville), but it's very tasty, not expensive, and they have a good variety of tacos, entrees, appetizers, snacks/sides, and even a brunch menu. My favorite tacos are the cactus, shrimp, or carne asada. The guacamole is a really large portion and tastes like it was just made fresh. The fries are delicious - topped with sauces and queso fresca, and only $6. If you like spicier food, ask for their house made hot sauces - the habanero based one is good, actually hot. Their margaritas are pretty good, and they have some specialty cocktails. If you're there for brunch, they do have a bottomless drink option. They also have late night happy hour specials every night and a special Friday lunch menu. Several reviews complained that they don't bring you complimentary chips and salsa, but it's only $2.50 for those who want the chips and salsa. read more

El Camino - Brunch drinks - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Definitely not bad at all. I would come back because the food was decent. Had a chicken burrito that I liked, but definitely not anything above pretty average. read more

Anyone who has given the new El Camino five stars clearly never ate at the original. The food was bland, "airport Mexican" at best. The queso fundido was straight up wet and the chips and salsa seem store bought. With such terrible food, the prices are criminal-- $80 without tip for brunch for two. Such a disappointment after being a diehard customer of the El Camino under previous ownership. read more

El Camino - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I know it's 2020 end times so take this how you see fit but this was the worst Mexican I've ever had. Veggie fajitas was just tomatoes, whole cucumbers, and broccoli. Yes those are vegetables but what? The list goes on longer than I care to write. read more

Got takeout here on Sunday, August 16. I live around the corner and got a few tacos--al pastor, carnitas, and carne asada. They were Fantastic--especially the carne asada one. The proteins were fresh and tasty and were all served with onion and cilantro, and the al pastor had pineapple as well. The ordering process was over the phone, but quick and easy, and I paid by card on arrival. The staff were super friendly and very observant of COVID requirements. Looking forward to dining in on their patio sometime soon. read more

The carnitas mole enchiladas are fantastic! Ask for more guacamole because it comes with some automatically but not enough in ny opinion.

Delicious food and great service. The lamb, corn, shrimp, chips were all amazing! Love this as our neighborhood spot.

I debated whether to give this place 3 stars or 4. It's a nice restaurant/bar, but not much to back it up. The margaritas are small and really salty. The tacos are "artisan" aka hipster. A lot of taco options but nothing classic and nothing at a classic price point. Three bucks and some change for one taco? Yikes. The chips and salsa aren't free which would be okay if they weren't stale. Overall the food is okay, service is okay. read more

Brunch here was really underwhelming. It was really difficult to pick out what we wanted, mainly because none of the brunch items seemed really appealing. I got the huevos divorciados, which was basically just two fried eggs on crispy corn tortillas and refried beans on the side? Very basic and not worth the $10 price tag if you ask me. All of the other options were pretty similar variations of eggs with some random sides, and only a few meals offered any type of meat. There were only two sweet options (pancakes & french toast) - and they were out of the french toast. We all did bottomless mimosas though, which was a pretty good value at $14. The mimosas were nice and strong, but they used juice with the pulp (not a fan). The only positive was that the service was good. Our server was super nice and attentive and kept the mimosas flowing. He was also nice enough to take one of my friend's meals off our tab because she didn't eat any of it (she had originally ordered french toast, but they ran out and had to pick something else last minute). Two star food with five star service. read more

I was out with a friend to get my mind off stuff. I don't get out much, so when I do, I'm determined to have fun. This poor place had to hear me unwind with my friend and that requires tequila, apparently. Thank you all for putting up with us I also feel like we should get compensated for our entertainment read more

One of my favorite local Mexican restaurants. The nachos with carne asada are the best I have had. They super friendly staff, decent prices, and awesome tacos. Definitely recommend if you find yourself in the Shaw/Bloomingdale area. read more

I am staying in the Rhode Island Ave area temporarily while protesting, and saw El Camino was open. I ordered take out from them twice in the past month. Both times the staff was extremely cautious, wearing masks, very polite, conversational, and the food was great! They were very clear with their policies and as an out of work bartender/restaurant manager, I really appreciated that. Staff is very sweet, and steak fajitas are great. Thank you for being open and hope you are all safe! read more

I live in the neighbourhood and have been to El Camino three times now. Each time it was solid, the food was fine and the service decent. That said, I have repeatedly found it to just be mediocre. The food is overpriced for what you get - for example, for the tacos and the guacamole and chips - and the drinks are small, namely the margaritas. This clearly hasn't stopped me from going, it is nice to have a convenient Mexican place around the corner and, like I said, the food is fine. I just wouldn't go out of your way to go to El Camino. read more