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    El Fresco

    4.6 (36 reviews)
    Open 9:00 am - 9:00 pm

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    Meat Nachos
    Namir B.

    My wife decided to swing past here for takeout one evening, and the food? Bussing (10 out of 10). We were both so shocked by how good the food was. Whoever is seasoning the food in the back? Need to know their name--because why was the nachos bangin!?! As many times as we've driven past this place, we never would have known that it is a gem . Needless to say, we will be back again. She ordered the seasoned beef tacos, I believe. But she really liked the food. It was good. Nachos went crazy. I devoured them! And wished i had more for later. 12 out of 10. The Seasoned Beef was the star of the show. She had no complaints with the takeout process either. Very seamless.

    Arroz con Pollo
    Jens J.

    Four stars, only a couple centimeters from being five stars. A great new restaurant in the Hybla Valley corridor. The remodel they did before opening El Fresco was a big upgrade to the premises. The atmosphere inside is modern, clean and airy. On a sweltering afternoon waiting for my tires to be changed at nearby Costco we decided to check out El Fresco. You place your order at the counter and if eating in, they bring your food out to you. Service was friendly and accommodating. We both ordered the arroz con pollo. A very good dish, containing a fresh green salad topped with a li'l dollop of sour cream. The chicken in the arroz on pollo was topped with both white and yellow cheese. The dish was accompanied by two warm tortillas. The cream cheese jalapeño poppers were fine, served with a chipotle dipping sauce. I'm not sure though why they are using disposable silverware when the plates that dishes are served on are not disposable.

    Bar to order
    karen k.

    On site parking and a fully remodeled restaurant. Clean and easy to navigate. The young man at the counter was very helpful and steered us in the right direction of what to get. Lunch special is $9.95 and a super deal! Get the chicken fajitas which were Perfection , or the Taco & enchilada combination, all Served with rice, beans, and chips. There is also a salsa bar with mild to spiced salsas along with pico , onion, lemons and limes. Highly recommend and anticipate being back here often.

    That bowl depth tho
    Aaron S.

    Sorry Chipotle, ive got a new boo and her name is El Fresco. This place is newly opened, and today happened to be their grand opening day where they ran a 5 dollar burrito bowl special. They redecorated the place (used to be a charcoal chicken joint) and its nice and modern looking. The staff was super friendly and accomodating which is always great. Heres why this burrito bowl is better than chipotle. First, all of the ingredients are fresh, but you can definitely taste everything. The pico was great, and you could distinguish between the jalapeno, cilantro, and tomato. Second, they layered the cheese. On top is the standard issue white cheese, but underneath the pico, lettuce and white cheese is a layer of yellow (not sure if cheddar or something different) that melted itself into the steak and lettuce. I almost missed it because it wasnt easy to see but its there and its fantastic. Third, the rice. Spanish rice is used here and it was so good. I typically get the lime cilantro at chipotle but the spanish rice gave it that chefs kiss. Fourth, is volume. Look at how deep that bowl is! They have a ton of other things on the menu that im looking forward to trying out so ill definitely be back. Oh, and they give you chips while you wait. Whats better than that!

    The back register, salsa bar, and drink station
    Tom K.

    The food tastes great. Got the Asada Tacos lunch special. The asada is excellent quality. They have a salsa bar with hot, medium, and mild sauces, diced white onions, and fresh diced jalapeños. The prices at least for lunch are great! There are plenty of tables and the dining area is very clean. The lady at the register even gave me chips while I waited for my tacos!

    LoriLynn R.

    Food is amazing and fresh and delicious cute inside and out. Staff is friendly. This is just a great place and our new come to spot. It's clean and all around spot on.

    Steak Nachos
    Nicole H.

    I had an awesome dining experience at El Fresco! I ordered the steak nachos with white queso. They were the most amazing nachos I've seriously ever had ! The meat was nice and tender, the veggies fresh. The white queso was creamy and delicious! Staff is super friendly and the owner is hardworking and always takes good care of us when we eat there. Place is clean and organized. They have a salsa bar! Yum! Lots of salsas to choose from. I ordered the fried ice cream for dessert and it was AMAZING! I loved my whole experience at El Fresco on Route 1 in Alexandria!

    San Antonio Chili
    John L.

    This place has BASIC Tex-Mex food. Two of the desserts were stale, and one was awful. More about that later. El Fresco Tex-Mex Grill is a franchise company owned by Iranian immigrant Steve Ganji. He opened the first restaurant in 2008 in Chantilly, VA. This store opened on January 19, 2024. It is owned by a franchisee. All four of their locations are surrounded by Taco Bells. That's a smart plan! It ensures a customer base that eats simple Tex-Mex. When they come here, they'll rave about it because the food here is fresher and more flavorful. A Taco Bell executive said that all their regular dishes are made from a limited list of ingredients. That's why it all tastes similar. The flavor profile in everything we tried here was either basic or lacking. We made 2 visits and tried 10 items in hopes of finding something outstanding. 1) San Antonio Chili It was oily beef soup with ground meat, black beans, diced onions, tomato paste, and diced green peppers. It had a mild spiciness with moderate seasoning but no chili powder or cumin flavor. The meat tasted like a blend of chicken and beef. Edible and forgettable. 2) Chicken Nacho Supreme It had corn tortilla chips topped with plain shredded chicken, a choice of white queso or cheddar/jack cheeses, plain tomatoes, black olives, cilantro, jalapeňos, and sour cream. We chose queso, and it was typical. The flavor was the sum of the parts. The only added seasoning that I could taste was salt! They have a free salsa bar, which has jalapeños, pico de gallo, limes, lemons, onions, tomate rojo, tomatillo verde, and jalapeños asados. We used them to give this dish spiciness and depth of flavor. It was average at best. 3) Burrito Deluxe A flour tortilla with shredded chicken, Spanish rice, and beans. Covered with white queso, tomatoes, olives, cilantro, sour cream, and red chili. You have a choice of black, pinto, or mixed beans. The filling was lightly seasoned with salt and pepper. The red chili was liquid from the chili described above. The Taco Bell method was used here. It's got many of the same ingredients as the nachos. 4) Chicken Fajita It had strips of grilled chicken sautéed with tomatoes, onions, and green peppers. It came with 3 flour tortillas, lettuce, tomatoes, beans, Spanish rice, cheese, sour cream, and a slice of lime. It was sautéed in a sauce with flavors of lime juice, garlic, cheap chili powder, and salt. It had depth of flavor that was ordinary. It had no smoke flavor and no brown sugar to balance the lime juice. Those are just a few changes it could use. It was okay overall. 5) Mariachi Burrito A flour tortilla filled with Spanish rice, carne asada, pollo asado, beans, lettuce, and pico de gallo. Covered with melted cheese, red chile, and cilantro. Served with sour cream and fresh guacamole. The guacamole was too salty. The meats were mildly seasoned and tender. Overall, it was moderately spicy and full of typical tasting ingredients. It was better than the Burrito Deluxe. 6) Chorizo con Huevos It had Mexican sausage and eggs mixed together and then topped with red chiles and melted cheese. It came with 4 tortillas and fried potatoes. Other than the seasonings and savoriness in the Chorizo, this was 2-dimensional in flavor and salty. It was mildly hot from the chiles. The potatoes were typical. 7) Southwestern Enchilada Platter Two soft corn tortillas filled with a protein or veggies, then covered with melted cheddar/jack cheese and red chile. Served with olives, lettuce, tomato, cilantro, guacamole, and sour cream. It came with Spanish rice and a choice of beans. We picked carnitas, which were moist, tender, and savory. It helped in making this flavorful and well-rounded. 8) Sopapillas with a side of honey They were dense, chewy, not fluffy, stale, and had hard edges. They were covered with powdered sugar. The taste and texture were awful! Why serve this? Unbelievable! 9) Apple Churros It had 3 pieces, deep-fried and covered with cinnamon. The filling tasted like apple pie filling. The dough tasted like it was stale and frozen too long. It was like vendor pre-made frozen churros. Go to Brazilian bakery for great fresh churros. 10) Mexican Fried Ice Cream It had a big scoop of plain vanilla ice cream coated with fried corn tortilla flakes and topped with whipped cream, chocolate syrup, and a maraschino cherry. It was in a STALE tortilla bowl. No rich ice cream or crispy fried cornflakes. It's a mix of mundane flavors. The service was friendly, helpful, and responsive. I couldn't ask for more! 3 entrees only took 18 minutes to make. The dining room and restrooms were very clean. The restrooms were locked. Ask an employee for the key. They have a free parking lot that was repaved recently. The service was great, but the food wasn't. They give a good amount of food for the price, so there's value. I'd rather spend more and go to El Paso Mexican restaurant for superior Tex-Mex food.

    Tex-Mex Grill
    Shaun F.

    I'm so happy El Fresco has arrived on Richmond Highway. The service is awesome! Staff are always smiling and they provide fresh chips and salsa while you wait for your order. I normally get veggie burritos or veggie quesadilla and I'm always satisfied. Their food is better than most restaurants on Richmond Highway. They also have a deal going on. Check it out!

    Burrito minus tortilla (BMT) with guacamole

    This place is combines all of the best parts of Moe's and Chipotle. Very good food, fresh!! The service was fine. I love the fact that guac and sour cream come automatically with your BMT (burrito minus tortilla/burrito bowl). All of the salsas at the bar are great! I ordered the BMT with steak.

    Chicken Fajitas lunch! So delicious!
    Maggie S.

    This place is a small chain, but wow do they deserve kudos! Great service and absolutely so fresh, delicious and the prices are on point! Chips and salsa come with every meal with a great variety of salsas to choose from at the salsa bar. Will be back!

    Shrimp Fajitas with pinto beans.
    Catherine W.

    This is a must restaurant to visit! Clean and brightly lit, the manager greeted us and explained the menu really well. He was friendly and made sure our food was to our liking once served. He even offered a free dessert! Food was delicious!

    Vegetable Burrito

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    4 months ago

    We love love love this location. The food is fresh and hot. I choose plant based options.

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    1 year ago

    I go there often. Everything is fresh and delicious. The chicken fajitas are tender! My go to for myself or the whole family.

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    1 year ago

    Food & Service excellent every time. Everything is always fresh and delicious. Location is very clean

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    2 years ago

    Delicious Tex-Mex style enchiladas! Finally! Great, friendly service. I went twice in the first week. The chicken nachos were dry, though.

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    It's hard to find good Mexican food in the DMV. The menu is amazing, the location is clean, and the staff are friendly.

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    2 years ago

    Enjoyed my chicken fajitas and got a free ice cream, cannot complain and will go back.

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    Narman Restaurant, Cafe & Bar

    Narman Restaurant, Cafe & Bar

    4.5
    (15 reviews)
    4.3 mi

    Love love love Narman. It was easy to find, and the parking was free & nearby. We decided to…read morecelebrate my husband's birthday at a Turkish restaurant. He was in the mood for Lahmacun (sounds like Lahamajoun) super thin, crispy pizza topped with a mixture of minced meat with peppers, tomato, herbs, and spices. More fine, light, and delicate than the typical American thin pizza. The service, drinks, and food were beyond stellar in Narman. We felt like the only customers there and were waited on by many staff. The highlight of the day there was their pizza and their beverage presentation and flavors. We came on a weekday night and were the only people there in the end. My husband was impressed at how upscale the restaurant was and it was the finest Turkish restaurant he ever visited. He said it was similar to the hotel dining place he lived at in Turkey. This was our first restaurant in downtown Alexandria and one of our best experiences in Alexandria. The Lahmacun was the finest Turkish pizza my husband ever had. He ordered three of them! Each pizza was served on a large wood board with extra toppings on the side like lemon wedges, cilantro, and onions. They are so fine and thin that you can roll them up to eat. We had to put some of the last pizza aside for take out. I ate the takeout piece and was very impressed how delicious it was after being in the fridge overnight & re-heated. I loved the flavors of the Lahmacun and I don't even care for pizza that much. It is my most preferred pizza in my life ever next to the Crazy Ex in The Thirsty Goat in Clarksville, Tennessee. I ordered a Turkish dish with a rich and ancient history, Hunkar Begendi, or "Sultan's Delight." It dates back several centuries, and it was prepared for the sultans and high-ranking officials, and was served during special occasions and celebrations. The Hunkar Begendi had lamb and velvet soft eggplant with spices. I ordered it with a side of rice. It was very delicious and unique. Yet the Lahmacun despite its simplicity stole the show and cost 1/3 of the price of the Hunkar Begendi. For my beverage, I ordered The Elma. It has a stunning presentation in a smoke filled glass box. The Elma is a beverage with Bourbon, Peach liquor, vanilla maple, Apple butter,Lemon juice, and Apple cider. You have to watch the videos of how it is presented at the table. At the end of our dinner, they played happy birthday and surprised my husband with an ice cream and pumpkin dessert with a candle. So wonderful & heartfelt. It was a fascinating and flavorful dish. The pumpkin tasted like sweet potato & was different. This is a must see place for Turkish cuisine and the finest restaurant service. Prices are low to fair for such high quality food and service. Five Stars.

    We're so excited to see a new restaurant in Old Town North! That space has been teasing a new…read morerestaurant for a while now, so it's awesome to see one stick! We went on opening night a few weeks ago and we had an awesome experience! You can tell everyone working in that restaurant is passionate about their food and service. We had the pide (vegetarian and meat), the hummus, and two other recommended dips. The food was delicious and the portions were generous. We will definitely be back to Narman!

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    Grilled Octopus with Baby Veggies
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    Prawns cooked in terracotta plate
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    Fontaine

    Fontaine

    3.8
    (930 reviews)
    3.9 mi
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    Tucked just off King Street, Fontaine offers crêpes and classic French dishes in a charming, bistro…read moresetting. The crepes were good, I tried the Alexandrian and enjoyed it. The menu leans traditional, with a variety of options that highlight classic French flavors. That said, it's a bit on the pricier side for the overall experience. I'd recommend Fontaine more for a specific occasion, like taking visiting parents, or if you're dining with someone who needs gluten-free options, as they have good choices. Overall, a quaint and inviting spot that brings a touch of France to Old Town.

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    Egg salad with cucumbers. Delicious!
    Egg salad with cucumbers. Delicious!
    French 75

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    French 75

    El Fresco - mexican - Updated June 2026

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