Their food and service has always been a hit or a miss for me. However, it wasn't busy on Monday and the custom strawberry margarita was a hit. The frozen margarita is always strong and I love that as well! read more

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

Came with a huge party for a birthday. The waiter/bartender was super awesome and all of our food was right. My adobo chicken taco was amazing. The chicken was slow cooked, super tender and moist. I will get that every time I come and the guacamole. The guacamole was so delicious and had the essential ingredients! The taste was not over crowded by onions or too much salt. It's was a perfect consistency. I also got the Chorizo Tamale since it was Tuesday. The tamale is huge and tastes amazing. It's not the prettiest tamale you have ever seen but it might be one of the tastiest. Not to mention how huge it was. The taco and tamale was quite enough and had to take my guacamole home. I can't wait to try the other tacos, the looked so delicious and all of my friends were saying they were good. read more

El Rey - This was some of the best Fran guacamole I have had in a while! - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Del Rey still one of the best Mexican friends I'd places in DC! Authenticity, service, good ambience! Love it! read more

El Rey - Streets tacos and beer! - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

El Rey he's been one of my favorite spots to grab some tacos in the district. The tacos there are ridiculously flavorful. I always get the fish, shrimp and beef and they are all phenomenal. They also serve a great frozen margarita. The vibe of the place is that of a popular bar. It's usually super crowded, but a great place to meet up with friends and have a few drinks. I was so disappointed when I heard that they were closing (permanently) due to COVID, but I was ecstatic to find out that they were able to weather the storm! This place is definitely one of my go-to DC spots! read more

Great open atmosphere, great container layout and the food is excellent. Whether it's for happy hour, date night or dinner, you'll have a great time! read more

I've visited El Rey several times with friends and classmates over the last few years since I've moved to DC, and it's been a reliable staple for a fun, chill night out. With classic Mexican food, strong margaritas, and a chill vibe with an indoor/outdoor patio with heat lamps and string lights, you're always bound for a fun time! At night, the crowd is loud yet relaxed and just having a good time! El Rey has an variety of menu options: the tacos are meaty and filling -- all under $5 -- and tamales and nachos are always a hit. The food is good and it's mostly about the experience and enjoying time with your friends! The margarita pitchers, especially frozen, are very popular and there's several concoctions to choose from too! read more

I came to DC for my birthday - December 2019, one of my coworker's is a DC native and recommended this spot. Great atmosphere, we were seated immediately. The waiter took a little long to get to our table so we ordered at the bar. Once we placed the order, within 15 minutes we were enjoying our food and drinks. I love tacos! This place did not disappoint my taco needs, the Thai Shrimp tacos were my favorite. The Adobo Chicken taco was very hearty - like packed with shredded chicken. The nachos were tasty but not as good as the tacos. Id definitely recommend this spot, if your looking for a nice drink and awesome food in DC. read more

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

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I love trying different taco places, especially in the summer. I went with my sister on a Saturday and the atmosphere was good. I got strawberry margaritas-one frozen and one on the rocks. They were both great! As for tacos, I got 2 birria, 1 DC taco, 1 fish and I think 1 chicken. This was my first time trying birria taco as and they were good but I'm not really a cheese eater so that's probably why they weren't far out amazing to me. I would definitely come back for the drinks read more

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Service was absolutely horrible. The manager wrote down the right order on paper ordered the wrong order then made us return the bill to charge us what he never ordered for us. Customer service was poor from a management prospective. read more

I've been in DC three years, finally tried the tacos here. SO GOOD. Haven't had all of them, but I'm definitely coming back to try the other ones. Definitely get the guac, just made so well! I love that you can actually taste the lime juice in the guac, I swear restaurants get scared to add some lime juice! The spicy Thai shrimp and fish corn tortilla tacos are my faveeeee! Very tasty tacos. The place does get packed (it's a bar), which sucks, but hey, if ya want the tacos, deal with it! read more

El Rey - Menuuuuu - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Rating this place 4 stars as a bar, if you're looking for good food at a sit down restaurant you're better off looking elsewhere! I came here for the first time last Friday and had a good time. There's lots of open space which leaves room for mingling with others, TVs to watch sports games, and space heaters! Don't sit under one if you don't wanna overheat lol. The food is super cheap but most portion sizes are super small and as far as quality- you get what you pay for tbh lol. I got a tostada and a chicken enchilada but neither were very good and were tiny. The nachos and quesadillas were prob the only bigger dishes I saw. I'd just recommend getting a few tacos, they're the best thing on the menu ($3-4 each). They've got decent margs though! And our waiter was friendly and service was pretty fast. Note: seems like they almost always automatically charge 20% on the bill. I almost double tipped bc I didn't see it until one of my friends pointed it out! read more

This was my favorite spot on my trip to D.C. this weekend! We hit this place up for dinner on a Saturday night and it was packed. We had to linger a little before we got a table which was the only downfall of the night. We started off with a margarita pitcher, which comes at a steep price, but worth every penny and great for sharing! We also ordered several sides of chips and queso which was phenomenal. I was apprehensive at first about the fact that you have to order everything at the bar and then you take a number to your table, but everything came out so quickly, especially for how busy they were! I finished the night off with the DC taco and the Thai shrimp taco and they were both sooo good. Full of flavor and the perfect size. I wish I could have tried one of all the tacos on the menu. This is such a unique Mexican meets beer garden restaurant concept and a wonderful place to hang in the city. read more

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

Very busy on a Saturday afternoon. It was literally POPPIN like drunk people yelling and dancing, music blasting, and super crowded. You have to be 21 to get in. They ID you. When you first enter, there's an indoor part with a bar and limited seating. And the back turns into like an outdoor patio with a bar. There's a lot seating there but also gets super crowded. Seems like a fun place to be when you're tipsy/drunk. Unfortunately, I came sober for the tacos. I got the al pastor and only $3!!! It was delicious and cheap. Surprisingly came out really fast. Also got a frozen margarita. It was good but quite expensive for such a tiny glass. I would love to come back to this place blasted or at night!!! read more

El Rey - al pastor and frozen margarita - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Late night snacking. Stopped in for some food to help soak up our alcohol. I had the chicken nachos. Omgosh the food was delivered fast and it was mouth watering delicious. I ate like a starving person. I didn't drop a single piece. My cousin ordered the chorizo tamale but she ate more of my nachos than her own food. I also ordered a margarita. The bartender was fast and very friendly. You have to order your food at the bar at night. They had all the T.V.s playing the soccer series. If you looking for a late night meal stop in. read more

El Rey - Chicken nachos and a margarita. - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Since my move to the DMV area El Rey has been a consistent go to spot and recommendation for friends visiting. Though a little pricey the margaritas are strong and very good and they have a good selection of flavors for both frozen and on the rocks. The tacos are also pretty good and my favorite is the DC taco (fried chicken with mambo sauce). This is a great place to hang out with friends and the staff is friendly and service is usually pretty quick. They have a small inside seating area which leads out to a beer garden. read more

This is a cool little spot on the u street corridor. I stopped in randomly on a Friday night during happy hour and probably had some of the best frozen margaritas I've ever had. The decor is interesting to say the least it appears to be a shipping container converted into a Mexican restaurant and looks way more spacious inside than it appears from outside. There's 2 bars and even an open roof area as you proceed further into the building and plenty of small tables allowing for ample capacity without overcrowding. The vibe and atmosphere is very chill and comfortable and the bartenders were quick and responsive, I didn't have to wait very long for either of the margaritas I ordered. The happy hour prices seem to be pretty standard for DC the house margaritas were $7 and the beers $6. I definitely look forward to returning and trying out the food next. read more

Great food, great music, great drinks, great vibe. Visited each time on a Friday evening post work and enjoyed chat and chew with the girls. Happy Hour prices are very reasonable especially if you are choosing to share. I love swirls, so I ordered a pitcher for $17 (happy hour); thai shrimp taco, and beef nachos. My girlfriend prefers shredded cheese over queso (however shredded cheese instant an option); I love my nachos dressed with lettuce and pico de gallo which does not come with it. So we ate our nachos as we like them separately lol. Smashed the taco in 2 bites and slowly enjoyed the nachos once I dressed it up to my liking. I would highly recommend this place and early arrival suggested especially if you plan to stay for a while. You will be carded upon arrival . . 21+. Fantastic patio, music of all kinds, and if you LOVE Mexican food stop by today! read more

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

Came here for brunch. It was pretty quiet and the patio was really nice. I got the carnitas breakfast burrito and it was delicious but super heavy with tons of pork and eggs and cheese. The chips and salsa were also good too. I liked the laid back atmosphere and the staff was very friendly. read more

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

I understand the hype behind El Rey! The security was nice and attentive. Server was too but a little slacking. The Margarita pitcher was STRONG and definitely worth it. 2 cups in and I was feeling it. The birria tacos and quesadilla both were notable as they were warm and seasoned well. I came on a Tuesday and towards the end of happy hour, it was definitely getting hyped. Definitely would return back to El Rey for some more fun during the weekend! read more

Theres a thin line between the 3 stars and 4 stars. Too bad I can't do halfsies* My bestfriend & I arrived around 4:30-5pm, which was a good time. There were people there, but not packed. We found a seat at the outside bar, once we sat down we were "greeted" {I use that term loosely} by the bartender. I'm not sure what was going on, but he was not happy at all..very dry with the greeting, no smile, or friendly conversation that bartenders usually offer. Anyway we asked about happy hour specials, which he rattled off then told us to look at the menu. Usually this would be a time I would leave, but your girl was hOngry! We ordered chips & salsa + a swirl margarita pitcher {$25 happy hour price - gets roughly 5-6 glasses} the margarita and the appetizer came out almost immediately. SIDENOTE: the bartender asked if we wanted to start a tab or close out. I thought it was strange, but you can't just order then get your check you have to put a card down Back to the review...the chips & salsa was okay...nothing special, but that margarita!?! Honey!, I tasted that tequila! For our entrees: Veggie Nachos {for me}- the veggies were almost a puree texture, I was expecting the normal chopped up veggies. The cheese was different, I was expecting the white queso, but instead got yellow "queso" which didn't give me the normal nacho flavor I'm used to. DC taco {my friend}- nothing special, the mambo sauce is the star of the dish Chicken enchiladas {my friend}- she said it was okay, no more than that. So, I gave them 4 stars because I will be back...for drinks only. read more

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omgggggg. This is my favorite restaurant in dc. I take all of my visiting friends & family here and every one of them are obsessed. The service is decent but the staff are friendly; they can get really busy on weekends. There's also a takeout window on the outside of the building. Cool vibe inside. Literally the best tacos I've ever had. Ever. I can't say enough about how good the food is ‍ The birria consume is flames, too read more

El Rey - vegan impossible taco, chips & salsa - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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El Rey is the bee's knees. I come here all the time with friends, and I have a blast! The drinks, especially​ the margaritas, at El Rey are a different breed of potent. You only need a few, so I recommend splitting a pitcher with at least one other person. My personal favorite margarita is the frozen strawberry/ lime mixed, but if it's hot outside, you may have to wait for the margaritas to freeze; it's annoying, but worth it. The food is also yummy. I always get the Thai​ shrimp tacos with corn tortillas; they are the perfect blend of savory and fresh. I stan for those tacos. They do have a happy hour that isn't really advertised, but if you order your margarita​ pitchers​ before 7 pm​, they are only $25. Please try this place out. You won't​ regret it. read more

El Rey - Frozen strawberry/lime margaritas :) - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I heard a lot of good things about this restaurant so I figured I try it. The decor in my opinion was pretty nice on the eyes, resembled a lot of the tequila bars I been to. To my surprise they had an outdoor dining which I liked. My drink(s) of choice were a Natty Boh, margaritas and a glass of wine, all good selections. I actually mixed my beer with the margaritas For my meal I had Nachos. It came out faster than expected which made me wonder how fresh everything was, but its a bar on U street so I didn't trip. The portion was a nice size. They weren't stingy with the steak, and the shrimp was a nice size and imo I had a decent amount I would definitely go back when I feel like driving to DC after work read more

El Rey - Carne Asada Nachos w/Shrimp - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Wanted to echo some concerns in the thread re: questionable business practices / theft concerns. After I paid, I left and realized they didn't give me my credit card back. I hadn't been out of the restaurant for more than 5 mins and was 1 of 2 patrons at the bar, so I was a bit surprised when the bartender didn't seem to recognize me but also didn't ask when I had left the card. He said he didn't have it. We started looking under tables in the restaurant and in the restroom even though we were pretty sure we never received the card back, until one of the employees told us he found it in the very back of the restaurant in an area we never were. We thought the whole thing was a bit strange and told a friend who said he had his credit card stolen there. Avoid and if you have to go, pay cash. read more

El Ray is the king of nachos! Made a pit stop here last night after wrapping up a conference and was happy I did! My group ordered two margaritas on the rocks as well as an order of nachos with al pastor. The margaritas were honestly disappointing, the glass is a small goblet and the margaritas tasted more like mixer than tequila. Before arriving I checked out the pictures posted by other visitors and bypassed the pitcher option as it looked too small to fill up multiple drinks. After seeing the size of the goblet, if you're coming here with another person and plan on getting margs then it may be the best option financially. The highlight of my visit... the nachos! The standard nachos come out in a deep basket loaded with queso, jalapeños, and pico de Gallo. We opted to pay the additional $4 to add on al pastor which was generously portioned and flavorful. The best part about the nachos though was that the chips stayed crunchy throughout the basket and weren't saturated down by all the toppings. Service- one of the annoying parts of this spot is that they don't provide table service. All food and drinks are ordered at the bar which can get quite packed. I will say the table runners bring your orders out really quick. Overall I give this place ~3.5 stars. read more

El Rey - Nachos al pastor - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The spot was fairly empty when we went. Unfortunately, the food was served pretty cold but the tacos were delicious. read more

El Rey - Birria Morelos - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I am from Arizona, so I have a high standard for Mexican food (especially birria). I was blown out of the water by this place. I ordered the quesabirria, and although it wasn't a taco style quesabirria (more so a quesadilla with birria in it), it was delicious. It was seasoned and cooked perfectly, and the consome synergized amazingly with the flavor of the birria. I got chips and queso as an appetizer. The chips were solid, but the real star there was the queso. The consistency was really nice, not too liquidy and not too viscous, and the taste was fantastic. Food was well priced and came out quickly. I'll definitely be back. read more

A casual, Mexican beer garden sort of place serving great food (try the NACHOS!) and drinks in a large patio style restaurant. The storefront is small and is comprised of shipping containers but the back opens up into a patio with a retractable roof. It's hard to believe I have never reviewed this place considering I go here about once a month, usually with a large group of people. The nachos here are incredible - you get a large portion of chips with lots of tasty toppings including a bundle of jalapeños and their delicious cheese sauce. Protein options for their nachos include pork, chicken, mushroom, steak, or seafood. We usually get about 3 variations of the nachos every time. The nachos are a great item to share with a group of people along with a couple pitchers of margaritas. Their margs are surprisingly strong for such a good tasting drink. You can get their house margarita on the rocks or frozen, and you cannot go wrong with either. The tacos and tamales are also very good here, I really have not had a bad thing. Again, this is a casual type of restaurant/bar with a small food menu and it gets loud and pretty full on the weekend. You are not going here for a quiet, very nice dinner. You are coming here for very good food and drinks in a great, laid back atmosphere. I mean the Nachos are like $7 and tacos $3 and it's basically a beer garden. Definitely recommend to anyone in the U st. area. Perfect to come before or after bar hopping. read more

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Go to place on U st. These margaritas are dangerous tho lol. They taste amazing but will catch up to you if you don't take it easy. I normally get the nachos if I'm going to eat but I'll sometimes get tacos too depending on the mood. Steak nachos. Al pastor tacos. Thank me later. Service is pretty good too. Last time i was there our server checked on us so much I thought she wanted to sit down and have a margarita..can't be mad at that. When the weather is nice the outside area is nice for that day party feel. Even when it's cold they have heaters that can keep you warm so you can enjoy this place year round. Maybe the best thing about this place is that late night window. So even after the main restaurant is closed and you're ending your night on U st, you can go here and grab good food(when you're not in the mood for pizza). read more

El Rey - Al pastor tacos. Frozen strawberry margarita. - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

El Ray was a laid back and fun space to hang out. I was pretty impressed by their chicken taco and guacamole (even though the guacamole was small) read more

El Rey - Carney asada was good and hearty - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I think food is better when you're drunk but all of the tacos could use a bit more flavor. The best thing on the menu is their nachos. Their nachos are honestly top-tier. But the tacos all around could use more flavor. I got the carne Asada it wasn't that flavorful, I got the fish, wasn't that flavorful I also got some birria tacos and I have for sure had better. Definitely stop pass this place for a good drink with your friends, share some nachos and just vibe. But other than that I wouldn't go here for a full-fledged meal it's not worth it in my opinion. read more

I've only been here for drinks so I can't comment on the food. The drinks are decent, but what I really like about this place is the space. It's got pretty cool vibes, and I like that it's inside while still being outside (open roof). I don't know that I'd go out of my way to come here, but I'd definitely come back if I was nearby. read more

Love the ambiance of this restaurant! It is yet another great Mexican place located on U street, one of the busiest spots in DC! There's sooo many kinds of tacos to choose from, and all of them are $4 each! It's an amazing deal for the quality of tacos they offer. The inside of this restaurant is so fun and vibrant too, I spent hours there with my friends just soaking in all the amazing vibes. If you're a fan of margaritas, El Rey also has a great happy hour where you can get pitchers of frozen margs for a super reasonable price. They're super delicious!! And perfect for the summer time. I'm definitely going to be back there soon! read more

El Rey - shrimp tacos - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I visited El Reys's on 1/9/2020 and upon ordering a margarita picture my party and I observed a dead cockroach present in the margarita pitcher. I immediately made the bartender aware (long haired Hispanic man) of the situation and I began to discuss my reservations. His response was "it's a bar, and that shit happens... so, ok". I was pretty baffled for a second because no sort of empathy or decent consideration was provided when engaging with him, so I sought to speak to someone else who worked at El Rey's that had a higher level of decency and comprehension. I found another bartender in the back room because the original bartender was very removed and heedless to what transpired. I told the second bartender what occasioned and if a superior of his could intervene in regards to getting a simple refund. Shortly after I was then given a refund by the original bartender. While exiting one of my friends gave a recommendation of another Mexican restaurant down the street we could try and before I could make a completion through the door I received an unwarranted threat from the door attendee(unsure of proper pronoun for attendee). The door attendee stated that they would then mace my party and I for no apparent or credible reason. I was caught off guard again and offended once more. The door attendee grew louder and told us to get out not realizing they were turning an unfortunate restaurant experience into a hostile and potentially violent one while delaying our departure from El Rey's. I've never engaged in such disgusting behavior by individuals that are employed at a place of business. I certainly will not return here again and may peace find them instead. read more

El Rey - A roach that was in the beverage picture 1/9/2020 - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

WARNING: a bartender here sneakily added a 20% tip to my bill!!! Double check your bill before you pay!! It was for a margarita pitcher for 4 people, meaning there was no reason to auto add 20% for "large parties." He tried to take advantage of the fact that we've been drinking. I'm glad I took a second look at the receipt. read more

My friends and I came in solely for the happy hour here after a recommendation from another friend and it did not disappoint! We walked in before happy hour started (4:40ish) and we were greeted at the door by some rude bouncer who we asked if happy hour had started yet. He gave some snarky answer but we decided to go in anyway. At the bar we found out happy hour didn't start till 5 but our bartender was really nice and opened a tab for us instead of making us wait. The outdoor patio is a fun space and it gets pretty packed so get there early if you want a seat. We had two pitchers of margaritas($24 each) and they were strong and just what we were looking for. We also ordered the nachos with chicken which was good but a little soupy. Overall we had a really good time and would come back again! read more

My new favorite taco spot! 1st I want to applaud the restaurant for taking great safety precautions ! Temperature checks at the door , Outdoor and ventilated indoor seating. Food wise everything came out quickly and hot! Drinks were delicious , can't wait to come back ! read more

El Rey - Shrimp taco,Pescado Taco, DC taco Elote x 2 Carne Asada taco, Shrimp taco , al pastor taco - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I was very disappointed in my experience because of Victor (manager) and Patio (bartender). They were extremely rude to our group and were watching us until we left. They made it uncomfortable for us and created a hostile environment, so we left ASAP. There was a lot of miscommunication about the bottomless mimosas during the drag show, online they said it would last from 12PM to 4PM. We spent tickets for this, but they didn't event check them. They make you think you're getting a deal, however it's just a cash grab and bait and switch. I paid for a ticket to the drag show and we thought we got a deal with the bottomless mimosas, but we really didn't. I have NO complaints about the drag queens and kings. Honestly save your money and go to the establishment (Nellie's) in front as it seems a lot better. I want my money back. read more

*Rating is based on food* Nachos and tacos were alright. I was pretty drunk and still not that impressed (you know food usually always taste better when drunk...) The atmosphere of this place is pretty cool. I like the actual layout and decor-- nice and chill place to drink. However, it does get very packed at night, and can become rather difficult to order drinks. read more

El Rey - Nachos - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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El Rey has always been one of my favs! For 3 years I used to only eat Al Pastor Nachos. One night I decided to get 8 of the 10 Taco options El Rey had to offer. All the tacos were super yummy and so was my Strawberry cocktail! Def will be eating more tacos from El Rey !! read more

El Rey - Al Pastor Taco Carne Asada Taco De Pescado Taco Taco Del Dia Adobo Chicken Taco DC Taco . All on Flour Instead Corn Tortilla. - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia