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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.
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 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!
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!
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.
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.
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!
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!
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!
2 years ago
A small restaurant inside but the food was great! Came for a late lunch on a Monday afternoon. Appreciated the single serving of chips given to each person and the salsa bar (while common at Mexican restaurants). I ordered the shrimp salad and added grilled chicken for extra protein. I also swapped avocado slices for guacamole and omitted olives. I didn't use the ranch dressing and asked for the cheese on the side. Even without those extras, the salad was delicious! I appreciated that the greens were dark and leafy and not iceberg lettuce. I ate everything and was sufficiently full. Highly recommend! read more
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. read more
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. read more
2 months ago
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. read more
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! read more
1 year ago
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! read more
6 months ago
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! read more
2 years ago
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. read more
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. read more
9 months ago
2 years ago
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! read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
2 years ago
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. read more
2 years ago
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! read more
1 year ago
3 years ago
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! read more
2 years ago
The food is spectacular with lots of vegetarian options. Their queso is very good, and the service is fast very friendly. read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
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2 years ago
The food was 10/10 delicious. Every item was delicious and cooked amazing. Service was decent & got our food fast. The place is clean and has an amazing music playlist. Definitely will come back! read more
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More info about El Fresco
7324 Richmond Hwy
Alexandria, VA 22306
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(703) 991-0005
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http://www.elfresco.com
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El Fresco - mexican - Updated August 2026
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