I loved my El Salvadoran dish - milanesa de pollo (chicken) and fruit punch, everything was good and waitress was friendly. My friend got the same dish but opted for shredded beef, and she didn't like the rice and black beans, so I would say it depends on your taste palette. But going with chicken is probably the safer way if you are not sure if you have an international palette. read more

El Rinconcito Cafe - Fruit Punch - I tasted mango, orange, apple bits, honey dew bits. - Salvadoran Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

Best pupusas for the best price in DC. Love their yuca frita and pico de Gallo chicken too. Recently tried their tacos and those are delicious too. Best bang for your buck in DC! read more

I tried papusas for the first time here and they were OK. I have never had them before so don't have anything to compare them to. The ropa vieja which is a favorite dish of mine was not great though. It was way too salty. The plantains that came on the side, however, were very very good. I definitely want to try other dishes here. We ordered takeout which was slightly difficult w the language barrier over the phone but would probably order take out again because the place is pretty small and crowded. read more

Hidden gem but I think the secret is getting out! This place is a couple of blocks from where we live and I think it was the first spot we tried when we moved to the neighborhood. It is definitely a casual spot but do not let that fool you, the food is 5 star quality. Some of our favorites include: Chicken nachos, Gambas a la crema (shrimp with cream), and the quesadillas. I am not a big fan of papusas but this place is known for those as well. The takeout food from here is delicious as well. I have ordered it several times and have always had a great experience. Additionally, the bar is very reasonably priced for DC so do yourself a favor and get a drink while you are there. read more

Had a great time at this place, waitresses and staff were friendly. I tried the striper fish meal, very good, include a full striper gutted, then deep fried. Also had refried beans, salad, rice and picante like mixture. My friend just had tacos, rice and black beans. Seats about 25, many takeout meals going out. read more

El Rinconcito Cafe - Striper, fried w/fixings - Salvadoran Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Excellent Salvadoran food! We loved the pupusas and the tamal de pollo was to die for. Good prices and good service.

It's crazy too be discriminated by your own race. We were ordering to go and sitting outside. The manager offered us a table inside so we took it. The server treated us like we freeloaders from the beginning. We're taking and laughing they came and kicked us out. Don't come here ever. They're so disrespectful. read more

Awesome hole in the wall. Gets busy and squished during lunch and so it may be confusing to get your seat since servers have divided attention spans. That is by no means meant to suggest that they are rude or mean, quite the contrary everyone is nice but it's not like their whole premise to dote on you hand and foot. Anyway all of that commentary is just fluff let's get to the real stuff. Ceviche mixto... Gotta have it! Kinda reminds me of Peruvian style... uses whole thick chunks of fish, shrimp, and thinly sliced onion green peppers that give it some kick. As opposed to Mexican ceviche which typically had diced tomatoes, onions, cilantro, etc served with tostadas. Anyways... Absolutely loved this dish! The seafood tastes fresh and clean. 2 pupusas + 1 tamal combination plate. For pupusas I got the revuelta and the flor de (I don't remember... Kind of like calabasa). For the tamal I got the sweet corn. Everything was AWESOME! Everything as filling but not greasy! So I didn't walk out feeling sick but instead soooo happy and satisfied. They gave the cabbage that typically comes with pupusas but the ONE thing that was missing was the salsa, which I really like. I guess I should've asked, but I didn't... So maybe my fault. Unfortunately they ran out of flan so that was a little disappointing. I kept eyeing everyone's food and the beef soups looked SO yummy. Wish I was in DC longer just so I could eat at this establishment multiple times. Thanks rinconcito! I highly recommend! read more

El Rinconcito Cafe - 2 pupusas (revuelta and cheese/squash) + 1 tamal (sweet corn).... U gotta have it!! - Salvadoran Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

Man! I can't say enough about the food. Tiny place; only about 20ppl can fit inside but great pupusas, quesadillas y Guacamole and chips. Cant wait to come back here. Gracias, lila! read more

Not a great place to come and eat. Had some tacos in the tacos were not great at all had a lot of fat. Spacious but this place needs remodeling. read more

Delicious food in a small storefront restaurant. The owner is a lovely gentleman who seemed genuinely appreciative we were there, plus the rest of the staff was warm and attentive. The enchiladas and the Pollo guisado were both outstanding. A primarily Spanish speaking crowd is usually a good sign to me and this was no exception. read more

Decent, and reasonably priced, but I've had much better Salvadoran fare before and wasn't overly impressed by the papusas in particular.

The pupusas are re-heated and burnt. Disappointing. The curtido was watery and old as well. Basically if you get the first batches of the lunch rush it's the re-heated unsold items of the prior night. read more

El Rinconcito Cafe - Inedible. Poor try at preparing this easy street food. - Salvadoran Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

El Rinconcito is my favorite neighborhood spot and even more now as it's been a reliable source of good food during WFH. They serve delicious, high quality el Salvadoran and Mexican dishes varying from familiar dishes like quesadillas, enchiladas, and pupusas to dishes you may have never had before (camarones a la crema, carne guisada, sopa de modongo, etc.). They do quick carry out and delivery on the apps like doordash. Go support your local businesses and try some awesome food! read more

This place is on point. Great Salvadoran food and great prices. I had the pupusa and tamale platter, and my son had the bean and cheese quesadilla. We also shared the flan. Everything was great!!! I would definitely go back. read more

See all

A lot of people mistake this place for the El Rinconcito II in Columbia Heights but it is NOT the same place! In fact the two aren't even affiliated with one another. While the menus are similar, it's mainly because they both carry Latin restaurant staples. This location has decent food, but nothing that really jumped out at my as being that tasty. The seating is also much more limited and the bar is always crowded. I've come here 4-5 times since the Columbia Heights El Rinc has been closed, but now that it's back up and running I doubt I'll be coming here much. read more

Kind of expensive. We spent $40 on dinner for two who h included vege fajita and shredded pork with tortillas. It was delicious!! In a cute small place, waitress was super nice, it was great that they spoke Spanish and English. Homemade horchata was a nice touch! Would recommend! read more

El Rinconcito Cafe - Salvadoran Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

This little cafe is a hidden gem where you can get authentic Latin cuisine for affordable prices. The inside of the restaurant is small and tight with seating, but it makes for a welcoming atmosphere and the food is worth it. Service is very hospitable and they offered food suggestions. We started off with horchata and a margarita, both great. They also have a bar and other drinks available. They have an extensive food menu with lots of options. We ordered pupusas, a burrito, and shrimp soup. Everything was fresh and delicious. I highly recommend this place, and they do take out too! read more

Their food has a very authentic taste. Very impressed! The pupusas with tamal plate was amazing. The drinks also taste freshly made, not from powder. Will be coming here more. read more

El Rinconcito Cafe - Pupusas con tamal - Salvadoran Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I'M TYPING STUPIDLY IN ALL CAPS BECAUSE I LOVE THIS PLACE SO MUCH. Y'all. I've been going here for years. Everything here is delicious and cheap. This place is even vegetarian friendly. They have amazing bean enchiladas, vegetarian burritos, nachos, and bean and cheese pupusas. Literally everything I have ever tried here has tasted amazing. Be warned though: this place is hole-in-the-wall and doesn't have much seating. Don't go here expecting a table without a wait. Their main restaurant in Columbia Heights was much larger (2 floors) but unfortunately closed down a few months ago. This is the next best thing. A+ though. read more

First of all, I thought this was going to be a great experience going in. The place seemed authentic, great reviews, etc. I love both cuisines they're serving up and was excited to try it. When we arrived, the place was packed as it is a very small space. We waited about 20 mins for a table and sat down. A word of wisdom to anyone who visits, the waitress we had spoke very little English and we were using our minimal Spanish to try and communicate with her but it was rough. Brush up on your high school vocab before visiting! I got a margarita and my boyfriend got horchata. My margarita was probably 3/5- watery, more lemon than lime, and just generally not very appetizing. His horchata was also not great, and he LOVES horchata. He ended up not finishing it. I got the pupusa platter with an elote tamale. My boyfriend got the ropa vieja. They were fine, not much flavor, didn't blow us out of the water. The tortillas on the side of his dish were not what I would define as tortillas. A little too thick, more like a gordita base. Anyway, we left thinking that it was definitely a 3/5 and we've had better Salvadoran food in DC for about the same price. BUT, the worst happened. All the next day, I was having major stomach pains and then got very ill. He ended up having the same reaction just hours after I did. We traced everything we had eaten together to try and figure out what had made us sick and in the end, the only option was El Rinconcito. The only thing we ate in common was rice and tortillas, so we are very nervous that there is some cross-contamination, unclean hands or surface areas at this place. Either way, we are still suffering majorly and it has been three days. They also charged me three times for my meal and then would not help me out when I called and asked to be reimbursed, just telling me to wait and see if it went away (still waiting). If it was a 3/5 for the in-house experience, which I unbiasedly believed, I probably would not have recommended this place to my friends. Our after-dining experience included, though, I would strongly deter you from going. I don't have the heart to give a business 1 star, but I definitely thought about it. Huge bummer of an experience. read more

This cafe is a little slice of heaven the food was good. I had the pupusa platter with refried black beans so yummy. All the food was seasoned well and made to perfection. The location is small so expect a wait to be seated and for your food to come out. The staff was friendly and helpful with the menu. read more

El Rinconcito Cafe - Salvadoran Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Another of DC natives and locals best kept secrets. The best of authentic Mexican and you could pass it by without an even notice. Don't. Delicious and tasty authentica awaits. Very small without all the glamour that most WDC snubs want. If eating amazing Mexican food is your bag, this is it. I usually go with the Ground Beef Burrito and their Ground Beef Chimichanga as those are hard to find and here they do it up. Love their Pupusas and Fajitas. If being in an authentic Mexican/Latino space with almost all Spanish being spoken makes you uneasy, skip it and go elsewhere. That's a seat for me to sit at. SCORE! I'll be catching up on the Spanish soap-opera's on their TV with my Corona and Burrito. read more

Open later than most places in DC and can consistently deliver a great meal. Very family feeling atmosphere and usually some great Liga MX soccer on TV. I've tried the burritos and fried plantains. Both have been delicious. read more

LOVE my neighborhood restaurant. Please support local businesses. Best enchiladas, best margaritas best Spanish soul food, hands down. read more

There was a hair in our cabbage salad furthermore, my pupusa order was wrong and the server did not even care. Food was good though

The food was not horrible. However, the service is in need of improvement. There was 5 of us eating and 3 out of the 5 did not get what they ordered. When we told our server that the food was incorrect, he asked us if we wouldn't mind eating it anyways and didn't even offer any sort of discount or apologize for getting our orders wrong. read more

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASEEEE ALL POC DO NOT SPEND YOUR MONEY HERE!! Had a horrible experience the weekend of my bachelorette party. Me and my friend (both female poc) stopped in this cafe after a liquor store run to get food to go. Sat at the bar and decided to order drinks while we waited for our food. Of course we were asked for ID (standard of course). We both have and provide our passports. The manager is sitting at the bar as well eating. He proceeds to "double check" our IDs and is very skeptical. He then starts asking us follow up questions about our IDs. Very weird, we automatically feel uncomfortable and accusatory. He tells my friend that her passport photo her "hair is different" we are women, of course we change our hairstyles from time to time. He also questions the address that's on her ID. (She was born in a different state, like many people in the US). He then comments on the shade of lipstick that she's wearing in the passport photo saying it makes her look older in the pic, and takes it further to tell both of us that it's weird we have passports and they don't see them often. Like, come on. It's Washington DC...so many international tourist visit and you don't get passports?? Disclaimer I'm 29 and my friend is 27..definitely above the legal drinking age. He never even asks to see a second form of ID from us which we both had. We explain to him that we literally just used our passports at the liquor store down the street. All in all, we did not get the drinks we wanted. Even contemplated on canceling the food Togo order but they had made it already. We just paid and left. A truly embarrassing shameful situation. To be scolded bc our hairstyle is different in our passports was insane. PLEASE DO NOT DINE HERE THE MANAGER DISCRIMINATES AGAINST YOUNG FEMALE POC read more

Hidden gem! Absolutely great food! Taste just like grandmamas home cooked meal. A must when in Columbia Heights

Just go. You won't be disappointed. Everything the other reviewers said is true. Good authentic food. Great service. If I lived nearby I'd be a regular. Just go. read more

Excellent service, delicious food, reasonable price. We visited DC from San Francisco and mid adventure I had a craving for pupusas. Now I've come the understanding that everything is so much more expensive in California. My husband and I both ordered their combo platter plus drinks ( two pupusas, rice and beans, and a tamale) everything was delicious, and ended up being $26 with taxes. At home we would have easily paid $40 for the same thing. I did feel the pickled cabbage was a little weird but again I am use to it looking differently. The taste was the same. Both ladies that helped us where very attentive, the ambience was soothing. No loud music or anyone talking loud which is great because the location is very small. I would highly recommend anyone that is either new to the area it just visiting and needs a quick fix of their pupusa craving. read more

In DC for a conference with some students. This restaurant was close to the hotel that we're staying at, Washington Plaza. It had pretty good reviews so we decided to go for an early lunch, brunch kind of thing. Kind of a small sitting area but we were able to fit all seven of us at two tables. The waitress was super nice, and overall the food was very good. I had the steak eggs and sausage combo and an extra Papoosa. The homemade tortillas were delicious soft and melted in your mouth. The steak was nice And cheesy while my poached eggs were just creamy enough to make it worth a good meal. So much food I was able to Save a bunch for lunch later. We had coffee that was really nice and already cream was added into it just needed some sugar. All of us ate either burgers eggs burritos and some others had some Papoosa's which were really nice tasting. Definitely would enjoy going back and trying some of their other menu items. The atmosphere of the place as I said was a little small but it was very comfortable. It look like they had a nice bar at the restaurant for evening As well. read more

Not sure what all the hype is about, but this place was real bogus. Got a vegetarian burrito (mediocre at best) and a side of chips and salsa and they brought out something resembling vodka sauce instead of salsa. Tried to explain the situation but it was a no go. Would not recommend read more

El Rinconcito Cafe - Be warned! Chips and salsa actually means weird warm tomato sauce with stale chips. - Salvadoran Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

They did it again! They are always open on Christmas and the food is clean, flavorful and well priced. Salsa verde is perfectly balanced and served warm, ask for corn tortillas. Pupusas are savory and filling. Sopa de camerones was rich and served with rice, cilantro and onion. Star of the show was the Cameron Yucatan, shrimp cooked with onion, pepper and habanero, tasted like something a mom would make. Service is friendly and fast, you are missing out if you are on Dupont Circle and skip this, bon appetit. read more

Imagine my surprise when, while skirting considerable security surround the convention center in the immediate aftermath of the inauguration, I found this little gem. It is about a block from where I live and due to its out of the way location, I have never seen it. Nearly half a year later, ERC remains in my regular rotation of take out places. I've been to Rinconcito II, but I didn't realize it until after I had my first meal here and asked to take a take out menu. Those two visits could not have been any more different. Their main problem I think is shared with establishments serving the food of other non-powerhouse culinary traditions. In order for a Salvadoran place to be popular, they must serve a more well known style of food as well, in this case Mexican. For the same reason, Korean places serve sushi, and southeast Asian restaurants often serve some Thai as well. Do not be tempted to stick with the familiar, you will be disappointed. Instead order only from the Salvadorian specialty menu. In short follow these three rules and you'll be in good shape. 1. Avoid anything Mexican (burritos). 2. Get anything Pork. 3. Get some papusas for goodness sake! Pretty easy huh? The Morsels de Chicherone were kick ass, and the shreded pork with egg was at least as good. Enjoy! read more

It makes me so sad to read these reviews, do you people realize this is NOT A MEXICAN RESTAURANT? Of course the chimichangas and burritos won't be good. Those are TexMex dishes, not Salvadorean dishes. Here is a tip: Most of the hispanics in the DC area are Salvadorean. Salvadorean food is as different from Mexican and TexMex food as Chinese food is to a unicorn. Another tip: Most of the food you probably consider Mexican such as Nachos, crunchy shell tacos or GIANT flour tortilla burritos are not Mexican. It is TexMex. If you come across a restaurant and it says "Salvadorean-Mexican", it is a Salvadorean restaurant. if it says "Salvadorean-Chinese", it is a Salvadorean restaurant. Do not order Mexican or TexMex dishes at a Salvadorean restaurant. With very few exceptions, it will suck. Order Salvadorean food. Anyway, if you come here, and order actual Salvadorean food, you will probably like it . So what are some authentic dishes to try? Horchata as a drink (a kind of sweet ice cold almond/cinnamon tasting drink). Order a Pupusa (cheese filled tortilla served with a kimchi kind of side). Order the carne deshilada (shredded beef with rice and beans and egg). Most of the authentic stuff is near the front of the menu, the texmex stuff is near the back. If in doubt, ask the waitress for some suggestions from traditional Salvadorean food. When in rome... read more

Sooooo, I've lived literally 50 feet (well, hell, I don't know the actual distance; I've got depth-perception issues) away for 3 years and I never even bothered until 2 weeks ago. I know. I am a sham of a neighbor. On a rainy Sunday afternoon, R was hungry and I was hungover. I whipped out my iPod Touch and zapped the yelp app, which reminded me that El Rinconcito was 50 feet away. So off we went to the corner! Only the good Lord knows why I could have stayed away this long. I think it might have been one of the best meals of my life. I got the chicken burrito, which -- I know I should not be making this comparison -- put Chipotle to shame. And I say that as a former Chipotle stockholder; had to sell, tho, as it's the definition of "overvalued." I mean, I love Chipotle, LOOOOOOVE Chipotle, but $164/share for burritos and an occasional fajita??? Por favor! But I digress. The burrito was gianormous and absolutely delicious: moist chicken, with saucy salsa, fresh lettuce, and fluffy rice, and just the right amount of greasy. Not to mention the MASSIVE sides of refried beans and more rice. Actually, the portion sizes overall are just plain overwhelming. But don't worry, if you're hungry enough, you'll eat all of it. All of it. I hurt real good when we left. (Proof: several hours later, R asked if I wanted a snack and I said, "Nope, I'm never eating again. Don't have to.") As a couple of other reviewers have mentioned, the service isn't super fast, but it's a neighborhood spot, so I wasn't expecting speed. It really is a hangout spot, so beware that if you're trying to get a table (the place is pretty small and sometimes tables stay occupied for a really long time). And it's not the most beautiful restaurant in the world. But I cast all of those things aside and went with my [deliriously happy] gut to enjoy a great meal. read more

Excellent, tasty food for a ridiculous price! If you're an eater and want to go somewhere where you can actually get full without emptying your wallet, this is the place. I was starving as I just came from the gym, and I wanted to go somewhere with good food, good portions and good prices. I got the grilled chicken burrito and El Rijou (or something, dont remember), and I was satisfied. They were both tasty and filling. Definetly gonna go back here next time I'm in DC read more

Having been deprived of good Mexican food since my year in central California, I've been disappointed by most Mexican restaurants since and doubted that DC would change my mind. El Rinconcito did just that. Mind you it's not Mexican, but at least we're hitting the same strip of land. This hole in the wall is a hidden gem that sits on the edge of a half-gentrified neighborhood next to downtown. Walking in for the first time can be a little initimdating (especially if you're a girl) because the place is filled with only Latino men--probably a mix of neighborhood locals and workers. However, the atmosphere is genial and everyone seems to be there to have a good meal and relax. The extensive menu covers what looks like authentic, homey dishes from different Central American countries. Dinner entrees range from $8-16 and the portions are generous enough to fill up even the hardiest worker. Unfamiliar with the characteristics of most dishes, I stuck with a good ol' fashioned Mexican burrito to go. When I noticed the people who knows best how this food is supposed to taste (i.e. everyone except me) had a look of nostalgic satisfaction after finishing their meal, I knew this was the real deal. Opening my box at home, the warm smell of rice, beans, burrito smothered with cheese, and cool guacamole hit my face all at once. I dug in and didn't stop until I was gratifyingly full (but not heavy). Like those before me, a smile of nostalgic satisfaction swept over my face as I remembered those California days. PS: There is a small bar at the restaurant where customers can watch whatever telenovela is on while downing a drink. Also, cash only for orders under $10. read more

I consider El Rinconcito to be a bit of a complicated little place. Let me explain. The restaurant serves primarily Salvadorian, not Mexican, food. However, while their pupusas are good, they're definitely not the best I've ever eaten, and I don't like their traditional Salvadorian slaw at all. However, I ironically prefer their enchiladas, a traditional Mexican staple. I also like the crispy shredded chicken tacos, and they too are customarily a Mexican dish. So, if you're hoping to find an exclusively Salvadorian restaurant, I'm not sure if you'll be happy with El Rinconcito. Personally, I don't mind the electric mix, but to each their own. I'm actually deducting two stars not because of the food, but because of the poor service and lack of seating. The place is incredibly small. I'm talking it's the size of a large dining/kitchen area, and to make things even more crowded, the staff allows their bar regulars to hang out and take up the only space customers have to wait for their to go orders. This make things especially chaotic during busy times. As for service, well it's lacking. Waitresses are prone to caring a bit more about flirting with the aforementioned bar regulars than they do about the accuracy of your order. All in all however, if you're craving authentic ethnic food, it's not a bad choice. I'll likely visit again, but only when I'm willing to pack a little patience along as well. It can take a while to visit El Rinconcito. read more