My friend and I went here for dinner because we wanted some fried fish and fried shrimp tacos. Lots of places don't have them, but this place does! I will say, I was disappointed in the tacos. The tortillas and toppings were perfect and fresh, however the fries shrimp and fish were mostly batter. Moreover the actual fish and shrimp were very little. As for the chips, they're thin and crispy, seasoned, and served room temperature, which is acceptable. The salsa was nice and tasted homemade. The guacamole was average. It definitely tasted like it was made a few hours ago because the dish was lime-forward. The staff were nice. They were attentive and patient with us as we navigated the menu with some questions. The space is nice and bright, the booths made it feel cozier, however some of the upholstery on the seating is torn and patched by masking tape. It feels like a diner, which isn't bad and appropriate for this price point. Next time, I'm trying the Birria tacos. read more

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Love a place with free chips and salsa! We stopped in after some rock climbing and were welcomed by the jack-of-all-trades bartender who also served as hostess, waitress and table busser. Service was quick and friendly. The carne asada salvadorena was a little chewy but the flavor was great. The birria queso tacos were amazing! Would come back again. read more

El Texano Bar and Grill - Mexican Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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The food is so good at this location and a great place to watch the FIFA games The queso was excellent and not too salty for my preference.

Hidden gem in a shopping plaza. Plenty of parking. Came on a Friday afternoon. The Restaurant was clean, and not too busy. Dayana was our server and she was excellent. She was multitasking between taking orders and bartending. And she did a great job. We ordered a couple margaritas to start, and they were made well. For food, we opted with the birria pizza, a shrimp birria taco to try, and esquites. The birria pizza was 8.5/10. It came out fresh and had a great taste. The consumme was delicious . My only complaint would be the thickness of the "pizza". It was on the thinner side, and basically like two quesadillas put together. Other than that, it was still great. The shrimp birria was a 8/10. It seemed u only get 3 shrimp per taco, but they were seasoned well and paired great with the birria. I wanted to try based on the picture in the window. Didnt quite look the same, but i was pleased with the taste. Lastly, the esquites. I originally asked did they have elote, and Dayana informed me they had esquites, which was a new menu item. It came out well after our other food, and the first try, i'd give it a 2/10. The ingredients weren't proportionate at all, and it lacked flavor. Dayana didnt hesitate to take it back. She apologized and told us someone in training made the first one, but a manager was offering to remake it, free of charge. Excellent customer service. Shoutout to Evelyn who remade the esquites for us, and made sure it was right. It was 10x better!!! (Pictures will show old vs new esquites). Thank you again to Dayana and Evelyn for making my first visit enjoyable! Cant wait to return to try more items. read more

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The tacos were super delicious and the bartender very nice. I definitely plan to go back sometime and try different save Margarita and different tacos read more

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I can only review for the birria tacos but I know I will be returning to try other items on the menu. Their birria tacos have to be one of the best i've tried around the area in terms of taste. In terms of cost, an order of 3 tacos for over $15 seems a little up there to me but I know some spots that charge for the consome and they include the consome with their price. Tacos tasted very fresh made to order. My favorite part about these tacos is that the shell stays crispy and the tacos are not overall oily and hold shape. They also kindly provide chips and salsa complimentary to your meal. Great spot feels like I found a hidden gem. read more

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I actually found this place from Tiktok and the hype is real!!! The pupusa birria was amazing. Great menu and great service. Highly recommend! read more

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We had the chicken and steak fajitas and the steak was rubbery and the whole skillet was flavorless. We also had the Santa Fe burrito and sauce it was drowning in was not good at all. We were not happy at all with either meals. read more

El Texano Bar and Grill - Santa Fe burrito - Mexican Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Great spot to come by and get some birria queso tacos or ramen! The people here are nice and the food is great! They definitely specialize in birria, as you can order about 10 different birria dishes, but you can still get other items like carne asada tacos, or al pastor or other meats and dishes like burritos or enchiladas. Would recommend getting the dirty fries, which is essentially loaded fries with pico, queso, choice or meat of meat and chipotle sauce. I would get it without the birria, maybe an al pastor or carne asada, because the juicy was of the birria might make the plate a little wet, but not too wet. Definitely get the birria ramen, it hits the spot, could use a little more chili oil to give it a kick, but overall a very splendid dish. read more

One of those hidden spots in the Van Dorn Station area that should get more attention! I only got to try their Birria Pizza this past weekend but will have to return to check out their drinks and other options on their menu. Very festive on the interior with a bar area. It was rather quiet with a few customers at the bar when I walked in to pick up my order. read more

The pupusas and tacos are a must. They're probably some of the better tacos you can get around the Landmark area. I did order their Birria Fries, and I had mixed feelings. The meet and toppings themselves were delicious; however, the fries were soggy and actually cold. I would definitely have enjoyed it way more if it was hot and crispy. I've also had the Birria tacos and Birria ramen during another visit. I'd definitely recommend them! read more

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I would absolutely NEVER go back there ! I got two tacos and a birria burrito and threw up everything ! Cross contamination ! They need to clean their utensils when cooking . Also they didn't have a drink menu . The waitress said they didn't have a happy hour then said it was over at 5. Beverage option was a can soda . read more

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Rice and beans had no flavor. The stake was definitely old. Definitely a lot of opportunity for food to taste better.

Awesome Beria Ramen and the wings are also 10 clean and plenty of TVs. Parking is limited service was amazing and to be able to watch multiple games at once was a great time. The ambience was beautiful. read more

El Texano Bar and Grill - Mexican Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Quesa Birria tacos were fire. Diana was amazing and very friendly. I will come see her again!!!! Thanks Diana All the way from Florida read more

El Texano Bar and Grill - Mexican Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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Great hole in the wall spot with welcoming feeling! As a Texan in Virginia, this was a great Tex-Mex fix, particularly for someone missing some good birria! read more

El Texano Bar and Grill - 3 Birria Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Came here today at 9:20 ish . The servers here didn't want to serve me at all. As soon as I came in the lady at the front gave me a dirty look was really hyped to try out this placed but instead I immediately walked out due to the service they gave me read more

I have placed phone orders and walk in orders on a few different occasions from this location and every time they always forget the sauce for the birra tacos (but still charging the same price) even when I order tacos or burrito they are so greedy with their green sauces (it's filled less then half) and the containers are small and they only give you one sauce per an order. They always hesitate when I ask for more sauces. If I'm spending 50+ dollars and getting that kind of customer service. I'll happily go elsewhere. Restaurants and waiters are asking for tips but the lack of customer service is a no show so why should I tip? Tips are earned not just given. Take your hard earned money elsewhere. I know I am. If I can give this place a zero star I would (because it would not post this review without a star) read more

First time here and loved the art, music, service, food and drinks! The vibe was good and the food was very tasty! I definitely recommend and I will be going back read more

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The food was delicious I enjoyed myself it was so excited I forgot to post my first review. They were very nice accommodating and the food was delicious again. Oh yes the Music was nice too nice hits playing in the background. Lighting also was great. read more

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The chicken fajitas were very dry and lacked all the sides except for rice. The three birria tacos were okay, but they had only about a teaspoon of onions between them and were somewhat lacking in flavor. The fried shrimp taco was the standout of the meal. Although it was an hour late, understandable when a restaurant is busy, the absence of key components for several items is critical and should be addressed. For the price of the meal I wouldn't be ordering again. read more

Ordered tacos and a pork + cheese pupusa. This a great spot for a quick and hot bite to eat. Staff was friendly and my order arrived without delay. The pork and cheese pupusa was nice and crispy on the outside. The filling amount was just right - not too dense. Just the way I like it! The tacos were fine - not mind-blowing, but a good solid taco when you're in a bind. It's a good value for the price. I wish they provided regular silverware instead of plastic forks and knives - but I get that it's easier. It takes away from the ambiance a bit. It's a little sparse, but modern inside. This is meant to be a fast casual. I hope they're doing OK after the kitchen fire. You'd be real happy if this was your neighborhood joint! read more

El Texano Bar and Grill - Mexican Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

El Texano Bar and Grill is a new Mexican eatery that opened up in the Van Dorn Station Shopping Center, located across from Thai Lemon Grass and Dunkin. They serve everything from birrias, tacos, burritos, quesadillas, pupusas, and even their house specialties. Note that they are getting their liquor license soon, so their menu will become more extensive and the place will be open late! We ordered: +3 Birria Tacos - filled generously with marinated shredded beef and diced onions, served with a side of beef consommé +Fried Shrimp Tacos - fried shrimp in a housemade batter, coleslaw, and homemade chipotle sauce in a slightly crispy flour tortilla, served with slices of lime; these were sooo good and saucy with a slight kick, that we ordered 2 more! +El Texano Taco - flour tortilla filled with grilled-burnt Monterey jack cheese, grilled chicken, cotija cheese, pickled red onions, and drizzled with the house's signature mango habanero sauce +a Cheese Pupusa - crisp edges and filled generously with cheese +Horchata - thick and creamy - so good! Service was super friendly and welcoming! Loved the murals by Rodrigo Pradel and the colorful lined-up Jarritos on the shelves! Plenty of tables and booths! Glad that this first brick-and-mortar from a popular food truck is here in Alexandria! +Fried Shrimp Tacos! +Horchata! +tasty pupusas! +delicious birria! +everything made with love! +super friendly & welcoming service! +plenty of parking in plaza lot read more

Nice little place. Not quite a bar (since it's waiting for their alcohol license) but it didn't feel like a full-service restaurant either. I tried the birria taco special and was satisfied. Not sure if I would get those particular tacos again (the slow cooked beef made the tacos soggy) but they seemed to have lots of other options that looked good. Even though you can't get an adult drink, the sparking sangria was still good. I look forward to trying again, particularly after they have their alcohol license. read more

El Texano Bar and Grill - a bottle of beer and three tacos - Mexican Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

The food is amazing here as well as the service. If I could give more than 5 stars I would! The decor is also delightful as well as the music. This place is truly a hidden gem. #teamdayana read more

El Texano Bar and Grill - Mexican Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

amazinggg food! service! drinks! aesthetics! everything is worth a try! birria tacos are my favorite so far. ive only been here 3 times and the service & food has been top tier everytime!! 10/10 read more

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Had never had a Birria taco before, so I was very excited for my first time to experience some I went to this restaurant very excited and hungry to my disappointment. My Birria tacos were horrific. The portion size was so small enough for my five year old and they charge $18.86 you got no black beans you got no type of side. No nothing didn't even tell me I wasn't getting cheese. The meat was so tough almost broke my teeth. I was disgusted almost threw up Birria sauce taste like oil flavorless I got no silverware. The lady didn't even offer me green sauce or sour cream until she seen. I was disgusted with my order, I will never go back to this place again. I had to hold myself back from going back in there and demanding my money back a waste of almost $19 do not eat at this place. Trust me portions are super small for too much money and the food is not good. If I could give this a zero rating I would, disgusted and I will be calling the manager tomorrow and the bathroom stank! read more

The restaurant is very clean looking and has a beautiful ambiance. I came at 4:00 PM on a Friday. The time it took for pickup was slow. It was a 15 minute estimate but took almost 30 minutes. For pickup on a slow day with barely any customers; not so great. I would not recommend pickup if you're on a time crunch. I would like to see what it's like eating in. read more

Delicious food! Perfect portions. Little pricey but everything is these days. Would highly recommend.

The tacos were very filling as you can see by the generous portion of avocado on the grilled shrimp taco in the center. Pickled onions are my favorite and theirs are very good. I really liked the flavor of the tinga taco. The salsas & hot sauces were tasty. Any restaurant that gives you lots of sauce gets points in my book! They have a ton of creative options "birria inspired," like birria pizza and birria quesadillas. My only complaint is that the food was rather cold. Tacos were not warmed at all. We went right at opening so that could be why. The tacos held together though with just 1 corn tortilla, so that's impressive. Service was very friendly! read more

El Texano Bar and Grill - Tacos: L to R -- chicken tinga, grilled shrimp, el texano - Mexican Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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Went by here after randomly going to the international market in the same plaza. They have the best horchata I have had on the East Coast. The loaded Carne asada fries were great, fries were cooked well,meat was cooked well and topped with a good sauce. The tacos were ok. AL pastor had good flavor but was a little overcooked, the tinga flavor was good as well. read more

El Texano Bar and Grill - Mexican Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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Cute little place, the tacos are decent & the staff is always nice when I go. This time I did the happy hour tacos and they were good overall! read more

El Texano Bar and Grill - Tinga Taco Special Grilled Chicken Taco Special Asada Taco - Mexican Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

The menu is loaded with many options. I've only tried the tacos because they're so tasty and filling. My only advice is to not go there if you're on your lunch break or short on time. The service leaves a lot to be desired. read more

Ordered birria tacos & ramen the absolute best in the ramen as okay something about the flavor didn't quite sit well with my palate. Overall the service was amazing and the food was good. I'll have to check out the restaurant in person in the near future. read more

Great food with great service they were busy but food was ready in manageable time . Most definitely a must go again

Lovely local taco spot! Service was nice and the food is very good for the price point! Highly recommend read more

El Texano Bar and Grill - Mexican Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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This business is open for pick up orders. The front is closed; pick up is around back. The food is amazing! Birria Tacos, Quesa Tacos, Fried Shrimp Tacos, Birria Quesadilla, Birria Nachos, and Ramen; everything was 10/10 and I will be back! read more

I stopped in here because I love trying new places. Birria Ramen Noodles? Yes, please! Perfectly cooked, generous portion, delicious! Can't wait to try the rest of the menu! read more

El Texano Bar and Grill - If you could only smell this!!! - Mexican Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Ermagherd. The birria tacos are divine. I had it without cheese. Pay the extra dollar for cheese. My husband and I went on a Saturday night during the Army-Navy game and it was dead. Service was outstanding. The ambiance is eh. We went for the food, not ambiance; although there is a dope mural on the wall. Clean. Decently priced. Absolutely worth a try! read more

El Texano Bar and Grill - 3 Birria Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

New restaurant and can use service industry improvement -- not yet a well oiled machine. Also food needs better flavor profile to make it stand out read more

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