We ate at this El Pueblo family-Mexican restaurant in Burke, VA after last coming here 4-years ago. During previous dining experience found food was not fully cooked and partially cold. This time, decided to try a weekend on a local "clipper" magazine coupon for 10% off, and see how things had progressed! Went on a Sunday at lunch-time and found the place had about 10 other patrons seated and overall cleanliness was very good. Got seated immediately with choice of table in the middle. Server brought out chips & ice-water to start with menu. Noticed that there was a weekend menu speciality items paper clipped to the menu, with several items, at what seemed like a very high price: $22 for Mexican steak, $17 for Lomo Saltado, and about $13-$16 for burrito/enchilada combos. Margarita menu was offered to by the server which were about $8-$10 each with lots of flavor choices. We ordered tacos Vera Cruz and the Pollo Pupusas, priced lower than the other items that would have been of lunch-time interest. Seems menu overall is high $$ for this venue. The wait was about 20 minutes for food, arrived hot; each selection with shredded lettuce, refried beans, and yellow rice in an oval 'platter' format. Pupusas were good yet slightly undercooked. The tacos were plain, with a quality that appeared store-bought shells and flavorless meat. For the money, this was overpriced in terms of quality and flavor. We would have to rate this as just "A-Ok" simply predictable, strip mall, Mexican food. Service staff was "A-Ok" slow on checking back for refills/chips; and at the end, had to go find a staff member simply to pay the bill which seemed to take multiple steps to get it. No "thanks" or "come again" from these folks - - somewhat emotionless affect. read more

IGreat service, attentive staff. No complaints about anything. Solid all around. I know it's a Mexican place, but get a few IPA or local craft beers on the menu. That is the only thing you are missing. read more

Nothing really special about this place. Their margaritas and food are pretty run of the mill and the atmosphere/decor could definitely benefit from a basic facelift. If I had to choose between La Tolteca (a similar local Tex-Mex joint) and this place, I'd choose La Tolteca every t read more

Went to El Pueblo tonight at the behest of Yelp's competition-the Local Picks iphone app from Trip Advisor. I am very glad I was able to convince my family to give it a shot. All agreed the yucca con chicharones appetizer was delicious. We also got a pitcher of sangria which was quite good. The Chile Rellenos weren't the style that I prefer with the egg batter on the outside but they were still quite good, stuffed with beef. All told we enjoyed our meals and will be returning. btw-i'm from San Jose, California originally so i feel this qualifies me to be a judge of good Mexican Food. These folks have a latin fusion thing going on as some of the food is Spanish, some Mexican, Tex Mex, and Yucca con Chicarones is Salvadoran... read more

Employees are not wearing masks and gloves plus there is no 6 feet rule in the store. They said the food is going to be ready in 25 minutes and I ended up waiting 3 hours, no one really helped and cared. Very poor customer service. read more

El Pueblo - Employees are not wearing masks and gloves. They said the food is going to be ready in 25 mins and I ended up waiting 3 hours. - Mexican Near Me - Burke, Virginia

Don't be fooled by people comments. This is neither a hole in the wall nor cheap, and it DOES NOT have good food. The food is mediocre at best. Just because you live in the suburbs doesn't mean you have to settle for mediocre crap. I can name a number of delicious restaurants to try instead of this place, La bistro hermitage in Occoquan, Rafagino's, (all the SAME price as this place almost), ChopStix (get the Chicken & eggplant). The salsa at El Pueblos had no flavor--it was like they took crushed canned tomatoes and put it in the blender and served it as "salsa". Wow not even an onion or anything, huh? read more

We really wanted to love this place since it is so close to our house, unfortunately we won't return. It didn't start off well when the salsa looked and tasted like it came from a can. I asked for best selling margarita suggestions, and was only told it depends on what type of tequila you want with no additional info. Wow, that was a first. Then the food came out and it was just ok. The food at a chain restaurant like Chuy's is much better. We lived in San Antonio for several years, so we're always looking for local Mexican restaurants hoping to find something similar to authentic Tex-Mex. Unfortunately this was not the place. I gave it two stars because at least I liked the jalapeño margarita that I decided to try on my own since I didn't get any recommendations. read more

I am not one that often writes reviews of restaurants but El Pueblo has impressed me enough to write a review. The restaurant has about 60ish seats so if you are going there on a weekend it's possible that you may have to wait a little while for a table. However the wait is defiantly worth it! The food and service are both amazing. Wether you are going in for dinner or having a drink at he bar and taking food home the service is only topped by the quality of food. I have tried close to half of the menu and trust me if you like steak, anything that has the carne asada is always amazing! read more

My favorite Mexican restaurant in NoVa Great family owned restaurant. Excellent food. I go weekly for years and the quality is always great. They will customize your order without compliant. Favorite are the carnitas or the rainbow trout. read more

absolutely awesome spot the food was amazing and service was top notch I'm for sure going back I would recommend this place 10/10

We've been here a bunch of times and each time has been great. Very good menu selection and very friendly service. Cocktail selection is also very diverse and I haven't ordered a bad drink yet. I do wish that they had Modelo Especial in addition to the Negro Modelo, but one can't have everything. Has that hole in the wall ambience, which is always a plus in Tex Mex and Mexican restaurants. They do a lot of coupons, so we keep an eye out for those in the mail. read more

We love this place! Our family had been eating here for many years and the staff treat us like family. By now we tried many options in the menu and is always fresh and delicious. El Pueblo is out "go to place" every time we want to celebrate with friends or family special occasions. I enjoy my Margaritas on the rock with salt very much :) read more

The place would easily have 4 stars from me but the prices and not providing any salsa for to go is ridiculous. Have ordered take out about 5 times in the past year and the food has always been very tasty and consistent. - chicken flautas appetizer is crispy, well seasoned and filling. - yuca con chiccarones is great - taco salad is large and full of everything you need. - fajitas are well seasoned - burritos are large and full of flavor - sides are solid and sauces have all been good. I have a small issue with the some what arrogant attitude of being overpriced in a market that has established price points. The food is better than other local similar cuisines but not to the point that they should be able to charge more. My larger issue which has kept me from coming back is that they charge you for salsa, even on a $100 to go order. If you can't provide me with some salsa on large order then you obviously don't know how to treat your loyal customers. The food cost for salsa is next to nothing. It is a flat out joke that higher end Mexican / Latin restaurants don't even charge for such minuscule things. read more

Really nice Mexican place, small, family owned, in a Safeway strip mall. This place was off my radar. I'm glad we dropped in. I had carnitas, they were fresh, hot and flavorful. This place was PACKED the entire time we were there. Clearly a local fave. read more

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One of the jewels of Burke. Very friendly staff that is quick and attentive. The food itself is very good. Beef tacos with rice and refried beans is my favorite meal here. The enchilada is delicious as well. All meals come with a good portion of rice and beans. The place is always busy but never understaffed or slow. The staff cares about its patrons and it shows. Highly recommended! read more

I'm bias, being local and I the industry but I'm a fan of this little spot and their keen decor read more

El Pueblo - Thank You, El Pueblo...delicious lunch. - Mexican Near Me - Burke, Virginia

Last week we decided to try this place out, and we were happy with our decision. Last month we looked up local places that may be a good spot to get a margarita when the weather gets hot, and this place was on our list to try. We were quickly seated by the friendly staff, and chips and salsa were brought to our table. They chips and salsa were good, but they could do a little bit better with the salsa; make it a little chunkier with fresh veggies. I ordered a special margarita with fresh agave and lime juice.... THIS. MARGARITA. WAS. DELICIOUS! My wife and I both said that El Pueblo is worth coming back to just for this drink. I ordered a combo platter with an enchilada, a tostada, and a taco; I got all beef. All were definitely tasty. My wife ordered the beef fajitas, and these were great! I, myself, don't like to order fajitas because I don't want to assemble my own food at a restaurant (weird thing I have about fajitas). I will ignore that for these! Next time we go (and there will be a next time) I am sure to order these bad boys! Overall our experience was really nice. The staff, and especially our waitress was really helpful and friendly. read more

A true "family" restaurant where you automatically feel as if you have known the owners and staff for years. Now to the good part...the food, service and presentation...exceed expectations....Seafood w/linguini...best kept secret in Burke....Skirt steak unbelievably tender...everything was great...check out the bar. The margaritas with passion fruit will make you think you are on a sunny beach in Cancun or "grabbing some rays" on some other delightful tropical beach paradise. Their bar also has a modest but adequate wine selection for a small restaurant, but an even surprisingly greater selection of top shelf brands. Go for the warmth, great food, and charm of dining out locally. read more

Definitely good food. We found this place a few weeks back and although its not the "greatest restaurant ever", it still does its job as a good solid place to get some good grub. The staff is always friendly and prompt. Our kids love the food as well. The Papusas are excellent. Never had a problem with orders or rudeness of the staff. read more

Bounced between 3 & 4 stars. The service was very good & got it to the 4. I agree with others, it would be better to have smaller plates that were less expensive. I got the $12 burrito & had enough for an extra lunch. Food was good Mexican food - solid 3 "A-OK". Came out quickly, prepared well, hot. We'll be back read more

I really like this place, but my family is lukewarm about the food. I do have to admit that the only thing I have ever had here is the Paella Marinara, and when I get a craving for it, that's when we go. There are not a lot places around here where one can get a great paella, well, I actually don't know anyplace else to get paella. The portion is nice and generous, it is loaded with fat shrimp, tender calamari, clams and mussels. The tomato and saffron rice is nicely seasoned. My husband ordered the Burrito Fiesta. He said the meat was quite generous, but the seasonings and the rice were just "so-so". While I happen to enjoy the Spanish parts of the menu, he tends to prefer the Mexican, and if he wants Mexican the go to place for us is Austin Grill or even Chevy's. Service is always excellent and friendly. The place is usually pretty busy but we've never had to wait. read more

I was craving Mexican food so I decided to check out this place after reading the reviews on Yelp. It's a pretty small place, tucked away in a strip mall. When I arrived it was around lunch time but there were just two other couples there. I went straight to the bar and was greeted by a lady who I wasn't so sure was friendly or not, as she said "Hi. For here or to go?" without a smile. I asked if I could sit at the bar and she said I could, then handed me a menu. I ordered a traditional margarita and the Tacos al Carbon meal, which was reasonably priced, tasty, and offered large portions. The margarita was also pretty large for $8 and gave me quite the buzz After the lady who took my order and made my drink that I was friendly and in a good mood, she warmed up and became more friendly herself and we had a great casual conversation. Although she had to take care of the other customers and do other things around the restaurant, she always took the time to check on me and make sure I was okay. Overall, my experience was pleasant. The food was good and the service was decent. I look forward to going back again soon. read more

Went in here for a quick lunch before I had an appointment with the florist next door. Wasn't sure if I were going to have time to eat lunch there as I only had about 40 minutes until the appointment. Were in and out in about 30 minutes. Service was great even though there was only one waitress, luckily the place wasn't busy. I ordered the Taco Salad which comes in a big shell. It tasted amazing and I'm really coming back to try other things on their menu! read more

I did not find the food to be fresh. It was more expensive than some other Mexican restaurants.

Ambiance? No. Service? Decent. Food? AMAZING. El Pueblo is a little hole in the wall in a strip mall near my parent's house, but I always go there when I visit them. I've eaten at this place at least 20 times and I've never left thinking anything other than "damn, that was good". The servings are large, the service is pretty good (nothing great, but the place only has a dozen tables) and the margaritas are strong. If you're ever in Burke, I highly highly recommend El Pueblo. I'm sure I'll be back another dozen or so times. read more

This place is a decent Mexican-Spanish hole in the wall restaurant. The staff is very friendly. As for the food, I had the Yuca and Chicharrones for appetizer. It was delicious with the exception of not having enough Chicharrones. My main dish was the Paella Marinara. There was plenty of seafood in it and the Marinara sauce and saffron gave the rice an exceptional flavor. Although the mussels had a lot of shell with very little mussel meat. I got so full that I had no room for desert. For the people that know me, it is a rarity that I get full. The only drawbacks were the chips seemed to be stale and the plastic menus smelled like they were washed with an old dirty wet rag. read more

My friends and I live in Arlington and stumbled on this restaurant for the first time a few months ago when we were in the area. Last night we made the 30-minute drive back out there because we like it so much! If it was closer we'd be going a lot more. I've eaten at a lot of mediocre Mexican restaurants in the DC area so this one is a welcome change. The service was great, with the exception of a bit of a lag between ordering our margaritas and receiving them. The waitress was friendly and extremely polite. I've only ever gotten the frozen house margaritas, but I really enjoy them. In addition to the standard lime, they also have flavors like raspberry, mango, peach, passion fruit, and strawberry I believe. Bonus: you can mix two flavors. Raspberry + mango is a winner. I've gotten the smoked salmon quesadilla both times I've gone--the first time because I had just never seen that on a menu at a Mexican restaurant before, and the second time because I enjoyed it so much the first time. My friends have gotten other items like burritos, chimichangas, and fajitas, and have always enjoyed them. The portion sizes are definitely big, too. The interior of the restaurant is cozy and there are a ton of options on the menu for both food and drinks. Bottom line: my friends and I prefer it over any of the Mexican restaurants we've been to in this area. I definitely recommend! read more

This is a nice little family spot ! Def not the best Mexican but you can get a quick fix - my favorite plate and go to is the carne asada . As far as the salsa I agree with others it could be better not to great so I can skip that but worth a shot when your craving Mexican . read more

This restaurant is not a bad place for some Mexican food in the Burke/Springfield area. When I went on a Friday night the place was packed which is always a good sign. The food was good, not the best Mexican restaurant, but certainly you don't go home unsatisfied. We tried a variety of dishes all of which I thought were pretty decent. The staff is very friendly and attentive. The prices I thought were a little higher than what I've seen at other Mexican restaurants. For me this place was OK - you won't be dissappointed, and probably not WOWed either. read more

The papusas are good, especially with pork. The enchiladas, especially Los Tres, are solid. They also have good fajitas. The beef tacos are mediocre. Drink-wise, I haven't had the house margarita but the margaritas with lime juice and choose your own tequila (I chose 1800 Reposado) are large and well made. The service is not great when they are busy, but once you have the free chips and salsa and an aforementioned margarita it's all okay. The inside is warm and inviting but not necessarily hip. But hey, it's a great option relative to Burke. read more

I have visited this restaurant five times this year, I stumbled upon it while at a charity event in the shopping center. Their food is by far the best Spanish food in the Springfield/Burke area. The staff is attentive and pleasant and the atmosphere is just perfect for a small family owned restaurant. There have been a number of items I have tried and all have been fantastic. I've ordered Yuca Con Chicharron, Pupusas, Pollo Asado, and Carne Asada. All of these dishes came out piping hot and cooked to perfection. The flavors are amazing and true to homemade. I am also an iced tea junkie and the tea they serve is not bitter, I don't have to add a thing to it. I am so glad I found this place as I have grown so tired of the commercial mass marketed cookie cutter restaurants that seem to have taken over the Northern Virginia landscape. Locally owned is the way to go! Give them a try! read more

The type of restaurant every neighborhood should have. Warm staff, great food at reasonable prices.

My cousin who lives around the corner brought me here and I was sadly disappointed. First let me start that my cousin and I are from San Diego, California so our standards for Baja Mexican food are pretty high. Most of the staff were from El Salvador so the style of Mexican food is going to be slightly different. The host who took our Togo order had trouble getting our order. We ordered the Tres Enchiladas which come in cheese, chicken and shredded beef. I asked if he could modify mine for all chicken. Once we placed the order we sat at the bar and ordered a corona and a house margarita with a shot of patrone because they didn't have Don Julio tequila. We spoke to the bartender who was nice and friendly. Our order took a long time. After our 2nd round I asked the bartender to check on our order. She brings us our food and then charges us for the food and drinks. My cousin said we already paid for the food and they call the host over who didn't recall processing the payment however my cousin pulled out the receipt and he still couldn't remember. Shockingly the drinks were $52. When we arrived home the food was semi-warm and wrong. When I called the restaurant I spoke to Anna the manager and said this food is unacceptable and she wanted us to come back and return the food for a full refund. I advised her that she should refund my cousins portion of the food since she didn't get what she ordered. There was no enchiladas sauce and the rice and beans looked inedible. If you want poor service and semi-adequate food then this is the place for you. read more

El Pueblo - Worst Chicken Enchiladas with dried verde Enchiladas sauce - Mexican Near Me - Burke, Virginia

The pupusas! They are the best around. Also I'm not sure why this is labeled a Mexican restaurant... pretty sure the owners aren't Mexican and the food is more of a mix of Central American cuisine. Regardless... Very tasty! read more

Well at least the chips n salsa are good. Been here a few times and every visit was disappointing. The prices here are expensive for the area and the quality of food. I've tried the Chili Rellenos , Chimichanga and Enchilada. All were some of the worst I had. Taco bells ground beef is better than this. The chicken filling in the Chimichanga was almost non existent and the Chili Rellenos was bland and dissatisfying. The rice had a lot of water and the beans were bland. The service is ok, but having to wait 4-5 mins for a refill of water with only 6 tables and 2 servers is unacceptable. Chips n Salsa-Good Papusa-Ediable Sweet Corn Tamale-Delcious 3 Differant entress-All Horrible read more

We enjoyed our dinners and sangria. Service was a tad on the slow side, but we were in no rush. Servings were large and very tasty. Prices were very reasonable. We will be back! read more

El Pueblo - "Authentic Mexican & Spanish" I would say 90% Mexican, 10% Spanish. - Mexican Near Me - Burke, Virginia

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One of the best Mexican food places around. Try the steak tacos. They won't disappoint.

Fast, food was delicious, and the water was great. I know, weird to rate the water but when they make an effort to provide good water...everything else falls into place. I'll come back! read more

A great local restaurant! I love the food here, it's always delicious. I come here all the time and have tried like half the menu and everything always comes out tasting great. Definitely one of the most consistent restaurants I've been to. And the margs are always great too! If you don't like this place I don't like you. read more

My family has eaten here a few times. It isn't the Tex-Mex we grew up with, but it was a marginal substitute. The chips are heavy and greasy and the salsa is blah - definitely not prepared in house and lacking flavor. It's not horrible, which is ok if "mostly adequate" is what they are aiming for. Word to the wise: you get one small container of salsa for your table. If you ask for more to accompany your meal, they charge for it. I understand that if someone does not order an entree, but it is puzzling when everyone at the table is actually eating a full meal. Last night, I was at the restaurant with my husband, my brother and my two children. We, of course, got dinged for a double charge of salsa which we thought strange but accepted (this charge is noted on the menu) but the real surprise on the check was that they added a 20% party gratuity automatically to our check. Please. There were FIVE of of in our FAMILY. We had ONE check! I have seen gratuities added to large (8+) parties, especially when it involves multiple checks, but never, ever for a family of five. When we pointed it out and asked if it was a mistake and could be removed, the waitress got extremely upset and told us not a chance. We asked for a manager, who was in full view of us, and it took her 10 minutes to get to us. Meanwhile, the waitress slammed the check tray and swept the complimentary candies off the table and stomped off, where she remained in full view of us, literally pointing her finger at us and carrying on an extremely abusive tirade about us with four or five coworkers loitering in the register area. Nope. No thank you. Typically, I do not subscribe to leaving no tip, as many issues are not the server's fault. However, in this case, they got the amount of the check, minus the gratuity and that's it. We will never go here again. It's not a big loss - we mainly went there because it was sort of acceptable and near our house. Skipping it from now on will be no great loss. It's a forgettable kind of place with rancid customer service. Drive up the road to La Tolteca or even brave the line at Chuy's - you'll be glad you did. read more