My boyfriend and I were really excited to try a new Mexican restaurant, but unfortunately this place was just not great. The queso was bland, and his fajita quesadilla was pretty much cold coming out. It also was extremely tiny for $15. In other words, I could've made both of those items at home. The Golden Chimichanga was the only good food we purchased here today. On top of that, I am not sure if the restaurant was under staffed, but the service was terrible. The waitress gave us cold vibes, and barely checked up on us. Took us 30 minutes to get the queso and a water refill, and an hour for a food to show up cold. read more

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Omg!! We found a texmex spot!! Being from South Texas (near Rio Grande Valley), this was a treat! Excellent chips & salsa, good guac, and perfect margaritas! We got fish tacos, enchiladas, and a burrito. They were all so flavorful and delicious! We will absolutely be back! read more

I had high hopes for this place when I walked in. Had a Tex-Mex ambiance with lots of different colored lights and many Tex-Mex decorations. The restaurant was crowded, but we were seated pretty quickly. It seemed like I would get the authentic real-deal Tex-Mex food. Sadly, my expectations were not met. I ordered the duo tacos with shredded chicken. The duo tacos came with rice, beans, and pico de gallo. The rice wasn't cooked properly, as the consistency was not the same throughout. Never great when you have to chew through some hard pieces of rice. The shredded chicken didn't taste like real, authentic chicken. It was more like chicken out of the package, something from a lunchable. Complimentary chips and salsa were brought over which were fine. The service was good, but if your food isn't up to par, it ruins the overall experience. Can't see myself coming back to this place. read more

El Paso Cafe - Duo Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Been a regular for decades at El Paso Cafe on North Pershing Street off Glebe Road in Arlington. El Paso has been open since 1992. Most recently we came here for a Mothers Day late lunch early dinner. Service A+ Cleanliness A+ Ambiance A+ Food A+. Love this place! BTW, all adult females received a long-stem rose at the conclusion of your meal! Touch of class. We started with a couple appetizers; Gambas al Ajillo (Prawns in garlic butter sauce served with crispy slices of bread) and Pupusa de Queso and Pupusa Revuelta. Of course the pupusas are served with the traditional curdido, a lightly fermented cabbage slaw with a touch of salsa. I cannot describe how incredibly fresh all the ingredients were and how fresh and hot they were when reaching our table. Only downside to this was my wife's frozen margarita was really boring, lacking flavor or any hint of tequila. For entrees we had a mix of steak quesadillas, steak fajitas and Mario's platter (cheese enchilada, beef enchilada & crispy taco beef). All were served exactly as ordered. Give El Paso a try you will not regret it. Outstanding! read more

My family and I have been coming to El Paso for years now! The Arlington/Ballston area used to not have many good Mexican spots to go to for a long time so this was the go-to. Parking can be a little tight there at times, but generally when we visit we're able to get a table right away. My usual order is the veggie fajitas and they always hit the spot. Service is always great and people are super friendly. I wouldn't say its the best Mexican food I've ever been to, but it's definitely a solid and classic option. Will visit again in the future! 4 stars! read more

I love going to El Paso Cafe! I randomly picked their seafood enchiladas one day and ever since I just can't get enough! The service is always good. They have a big space so it's never packed when I go usually right after lunch time to miss the rush. Their drinks are STRONG so well worth the price! read more

El Paso Cafe - Seafood Enchiladas .... sooooo good!!!!!!!!! - Mexican Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Started with queso and guacamole. The queso was spicier than I remember but still delicious. The salsa was flavorful as well. Good guacamole. Warm crispy chips. Hard to stop eating them! Attentive service and enthusiastic mariachi players were the norm throughout the meal. I had "Ana's Platter" but substituted a beef taco. It was good. I loved the chile relleno. The cheese oozed out as soon as I dug into it. The chicken enchilada was stuffed with chicken and maybe just a little dry. Something was a little spicy too. The giant margarita helped. I really like this place and everyone I bring here enjoys the atmosphere, food, and service. read more

El Paso Cafe - Mexican Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

This place is always fun with great service and obviously excellent food. It is definitely a neighborhood go to. It is not fancy, but it is delicious and authentic. read more

First off-- I really loved this place. I will explain why I'm giving 3 stars after I explain what I did like about it. I liked that they sat us right away, that the margs were good and that our food came out fast. There was also a band in there that was really great. The atmosphere was good. Now the things I didn't like. First off there was a homeless man walking around everyone's tables. He wouldn't leave and no one was asking him to leave. He sat next to a couple eating and was disturbing them. Another thing I didn't like was that they add gratuity and did not let me know when giving me the check. I left a &50 tip. Then realized the next morning that they sneaked on the gratuity already. So I basically gave a 40% tip. I felt sick for losing that money. The tortilla soup was also not good. read more

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Came here for a Happy hour and farewell for a co-worker on a Friday. The food was moderate and service terribly slow. We waited too long to put in our order and to get the food itself. We waited about an hour to get our checks which could not be separate because the system would not allow it... I had the burrito el Paso. My tip for restaurants is to get the item that has the name of the place on it and you can't go wrong. Portion was big and I was satisfied. Mariachi band was great. read more

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The service the was great!!! The margs were very tasty! The food was very good! My party had a really good time!

Yummy and fast! The food was pretty tasty but screamed for a little excitement. I am a Tex-Mex lover so they definitely met my standard. My waitress was very attentive and made sure our drinks stayed full. I love when my enchiladas come with a side salad. The nachos were really well made and had a nice toast on them. The decor makes me feel like I am at home in my favorite Mexican diner back home. I would go back and probably try something different though. read more

El Paso Cafe - Mexican Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

El Paso is my favorite Mexican restaurant in the area. The food is always tasty and fresh! We almost always get cheese enchiladas and spinach enchiladas to share, they are so good, extremely cheesy! While I miss my red and green Chile, I appreciate the red/green sauce offered here. Btw, I am obsessed with the black beans and rice, I could just eat a bowl of them - soooo good! read more

El Paso Cafe - Cheese and spinach enchilada! - Mexican Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Tasty! Ambiance: a bit of a strip-mall dive but okay. Service: Fast but nothing special Food: Excellent. Nachos and salsa were provided at the outset and the flavor was good. I had a shrimp burrito which they offered fried or baked (I got baked). It was delicious. I am looking forward to trying other fare. Price: Good value. Bottom line: I'll be going back to try more from the menu. read more

I love it! Everything was authentic and delicious! They made my daughter's birthday great!

Everything was...fine. The food was fine, the service was fine. The ambience was LOUD, but I guess that's fine for a Friday night. Wouldn't come back, though. read more

I love the food here! Especially the Queso with chorizo! The vibe is relaxed and friendly! read more

Your run of the mill Tex Mex place with all the comforts you could ask for at a fairly affordable price. Now, I see a lot of reviews are talking about bad service but I can't speak on that- I ordered on Uber Eats. My food was delivered fairly promptly and still came hot so that's a good sign. We ordered the chili con queso, chips and salsa, one corn tamale, chicken enchiladas with green sauce, and a chicken fajita quesadilla. Ratings: Queso was a solid 4.5. A kick of spicy and perfect yellow gold and thick. Chips and salsa were a solid 5 as the chips were bomb and the salsa was smokey. The corn tamale was well, pretty sweet, almost felt like it was a dessert but also close to a 5 star. The one weird thing is, it comes with sour cream which I am addicted to however, I swear they put salt in it? So weird to describe but it almost tasted salty. The quesadilla was great but the guac that came with it was meh. My chicken enchiladas, well I think I made a mistake. The chicken itself was great- so were the rice and refried beans on the side. I chose to have them topped with green sauce and that's where I went wrong. The green sauce tasted super onion-y and super different then any other green sauce I have ever tried, so it was a bit off putting. Next time I'll go with the red sauce or the white sauce instead. I ate the chicken itself but passed on the tortilla. Great experience overall, not fancy food but hits the spot. Definitely want to visit this place in person to try the famous margaritas. read more

This is not to be confused with El Paso in springfield. They are not the same chain. We came on a busy friday night and were put on a wait. The hostess said 15-20 min and that they would call our name even if we stand outside. They dont have a waiting area inside the restaurant and theres only a little room between the entrance and the sitting area so it get packed quickly. We opted to wait outside. When it was 15 min we moved into the little room and noticed everyone that came before us was gone so we went to ask the hostess about our table. I guess she did call us from the inside but we obviously didn't know. Be careful if you do opt to wait outside because they do not go looking for you. After we were seated it took forever to get a menu and our drinks. Several waiters passed us multiple times and never acknowledged us. We were finally greeted and ordered our apps and entrees because we didnt know when she would be back. They gave us complimentary chips and salsa. The salsa had a kick to it but had a lot of flavor. We ordered the yuca appetizer which was okay. The yuca themselves were fried perfectly but the meat that came with it was very dry and not crispy like we expected. We also ordered the steak and chicken fajitas for two. The amount of food was good for two people and it came with rice, beans, sour cream, guacamole, and tomatoes. The meat wasn't bad but it was just okay and nothing special. We also never got a refill on our waters. Service was extremely lacking here. read more

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What a great place! Friendly staff and the food was fantastic. Fish tacos were delicious and the coconut flan was to die for. Nice to know a wonderful neighborhood and not big chain restaurant like this still exists in Arlington. read more

I went for lunch, I was the only one in the restaurant and was seated promptly. I ordered the Ana platter. The chili relleno was cooked fresh as was everything else. The tamale, like with most restaurant tamales, had too much masa and not enough filling. The tamale was topped with a chili type sauce, which was good. The salsa that came with the chips was not very spicy and had a fresh slightly smoky flavor. All in all pretty good value for the food that you get. read more

Everything I ordered was great. The pork tamales are amazing as well as the steak fajitas which were tender. I saw others dining in but I ordered to go and was still pleased read more

Second time eating here. Not bad but not stand out. S-L-O-W service. Guacamole was a little bland. My main meal of three enchiladas was good, but again, did not rock the boat. Worth the visit if you are a gringo, meh if you married a Texan. read more

The food has really gone down, I went with my family today and the service was horrible! I ordered the guacamole it literally tasted like store bought. The waitress was so rude not friendly and had an attitude the whole time. Never once did she ask if we enjoyed our food or if we needed anything. I used to love this place I don't know if it has new management but definitely won't be returning and I will be letting friends and family knew about the horrible service I experienced today! Go elsewhere! read more

Great food in a great environment. This place has also had a visit from former President George W. Bush. I found it quite cool to see the seat where the President sat, along with various photos. Margaritas are very good, perfectly balanced. Service was slow and disappointing, but I think it was our server, other servers seemed to be on top of their tables. Our server was quick to leave, more than twice leaving before I could ask for something additional. I did ask for our guacamole to come as an appetizer, and it came with the meal. We wanted to eat guacamole with our chips, but instead had to wait. The guacamole was very good, perfectly seasoned and quality avocados. We had the fajitas, the chicken was perfectly cooked and seasoned, along with caramelized onions, beans, and rice. The food and margaritas were excellent, and we are looking forward to our next meal here! read more

El Paso Cafe - Mexican Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

This restaurant really took me by surprise. I mean it's not in the best or most convenient location. And the other establishments around it always feel sketch. But this restaurant has amazing staff and service. More importantly, their food is delicious. I've been looking for a good Tex mex place. My fiancé likes going to chevys but I'm not a big fan of chevys. I think their food is subpar and overpriced. But El Paso's food is damn delicious. Everything tastes fresh and spiced well. I highly recommend it. read more

I ordered the chicken enchiladas and chicken burrito. Wow. Fantastic! The quantity was more than I expected given that portions have gotten smaller lately. The beans and rice were fantastic too. I took a chance and just guessed in the reviews and I am glad I did. Excellent Mexican food. Thanks El Paso Cafe! read more

Hidden gem in Arlington! I'm glad to live walking distance to this restaurant because it is absolutely delicious. I was surprised at how nice it is inside and crowded it can get on weekends. I've never seen any advertising for it, nor have met anybody that knows what this is. The interior is very festive, with string lights around the bar, walls with great artwork and bright colors. There is usually a few minute wait, but the staff is very accommodating for big parties. The food is fantastic. The chips and salsa taste fresh and the salsa has some good heat. It has a great depth of flavor with citrus and smoky notes. I've had the enchiladas and burritos. The enchiladas are nice and cheesy, and covered in sauce. This place has variations of enchiladas such as a goat cheese enchiladas, which I love. They have a variety of sauces you can smother your enchiladas and burritos with. I also had the gordo burrito, and this is essentially 2 meals. I've never had a aoli drizzled on top of my burrito, but it totally works. The garlic aoli had a very unique taste when had with melted cheese and roasted vegetables and chicken. Each bite was heaven. My only complaint about this place is a lack of a real bar. I wish there was bar seating. Other than that this is one of the better Mexican restaurants in Arlington! read more

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Very tasty Mexican fare. I tried their chips and salsa, the beef quesadilla, the guacamole and the red sangria. The chips and salsa were fine, but did not make a lasting impression. The Barbacoa beef quesadilla and the guac were amazing though. I would order this again any time. The red sangria was pretty tasty as well. It did not taste like a store-bought mix at all and there were some fresh fruit pieces floating in the drink. The service was quite friendly and efficient. I'd be happy to come back here next time I am in the area. read more

El Paso Cafe - Barbacoa Quesadilla - Mexican Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

We came here for a birthday dinner. It was 11 of us. The food was delicious and the service was excellent. I had Carne Asada and the steak was well-flavored. And my friends' dishes looked amazing too. I have to return to this restaurant to try all these dishes!!! Such a lively restaurant! read more

This place has great food. The chips and salsa are obviously made in house and are excellent. I usually get the duo burritos which is really good. I have had good service every time I have been here. read more

Great food. Love the fajitas and enchiladas. Sometimes the service is sketchy. But I always come back...

This place doesn't come up prominently in an Arlington Mexican restaurant Google search but it should. I am a self-proclaimed Mexican food expert & El Paso Cafe IMO is really good. Clean, friendly service & prompt service despite what I've seen on a few other reviews. I've been multiple times when there appeared to be some sort of military &/or fed govt luncheon...the place (small to begin with) was absolutely jammed but they found a way to seat me & get my order in, food out as if I was the only one there. It's reasonably priced. The only menu item I've had that disappointed was the queso. Kinda flavorless. Otherwise I will continue eating here read more

Best Mexican place around. Missed it since the shutdown but got take out tonight and better than ever. So grateful for El Paso. And their margs. Chicken tacos, guac , beef burrito and house mart! read more

El Paso Cafe - Chicken Tacos Delight, Guacamole & Sour Cream, beef Burrito El Paso, house margarita. - Mexican Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Best Mexican food in region. Grew up in South Texas and El Paso is real Tex Mex. very yummy, perfect chips and homemade salsa. Fresh ingredients and friendly service. I have been coming here for years and always have a great experience. read more

CAN YOU SAY PITCHER O MARGARITA Amazing food. Sat down on a slow wednesday for some fajitas and drinks. Pitcher of margarita ?! Fuck yeah !!!! Chips guacamole and all the fajita meats. Cooked perfectly and huge portions. I tried to come here on a weekend and it wasn't happening. The place was packed. Weekday at the slow time for sure or else your waiting 35 min. The only reason I'm giving 4 stars instead of 5 is because the bar area is very limited with space and drink options. read more

Great food, great service, very sweet people. Drinks always filled, portions were great, and the taste was authentic. Highly recommend this place. read more

Pretty solid restaurant. It's one large room, however we were there on a Saturday afternoon and it wasn't too crowded. Our server was nice and checked on us frequently. We ordered some queso to eat along with the complimentary chips (which were delicious) and salsa. My bf ordered the steak and chicken fajitas and I the fajita quesadilla. Both were great! I also had two 12 oz margaritas and he a corona. The only thing that may deter us from coming here again is the price. For a small app, two entrees and a couple of drinks our bill was $70+. We've gone to other restaurants and spent two thirds that with drinks included. Their drinks are a bit over priced so if we did come again I'd probably hold off on getting a drink and just have food! read more

So I've been here over an hour and my waitress has been to my table three times. Once to seat me. Once to take my order. Once to throw my food on the table. That's it. Food was quick. Baja fish tacos are very good. Well there we go she just managed to show up to get me a to go box. Something about someone sitting here writing a Yelp review that gets people all nervous. 45 minutes with no service. Not a question nothing. Not impressed. The guy at red robin checked on me every 15 minutes. Good job red robin. Bad job El Paso cafe. At least she was smiling this time. Also she dropped off my to go box but no check. Help. I'm being held captive and forced to watch soccer and the race for the White House against my will. The manager just contacted me to apologize. That is the highest form of customer service. Greatly appreciated. For that I give you four stars instead of two. read more

If they were any slower, I'd have to order the meal I want tomorrow, today. Seriously, got there early for lunch, 45 minutes from order to food on table, then another 45 to pay and leave. Drinks were refilled unreliably (one not at all, gave up because we wanted to leave). Food - honestly, kinda flat/bland. I added Cholula to everything just to kick it up a bit. Not sure what happened-- others came later than us, were served earlier and left before us. Not sure what we did to piss them off, but I'm not in any hurry to go back. read more