I loved this restaurant! The staff were super attentive and kind, there was good seating and a bar with a local mom and pop sort of feel, and all the food was delicious! I definitely recommend the pupusas! read more

This is one of my favorite restaurants for pupusas. They come out hot with a choice of pork, cheese, bean, chicken, or loroco (squash flower) and the deal is 3 for $7.50. The curtido is on point. It's a lightly fermented cabbage slaw that is commonly served with pupusas in El Salvadorian cuisine. The vinegar and tang balance well with the fried and filling pupusas. We also ordered the ceviche combinado, meaning with fish, shrimp, and squid. Their ceviche uses a lot of lime and has great flavor. I was disappointed with how many shrimps and squid were in the serving. For an extra $2 it did not seem like enough. In the future I'll go with just the fish ceviche ($11) rather than the combinado ($13). read more

Restaurant Judy - Three assorted pupusas $ ($7.50) their curtido still reigns them all - Salvadoran Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Restaurant Judy is absolutely delicious! The papusas are tasty, the quesadillas are great. The staff is so friendly! Coming back again soon!

BEST bar/restaurant kept secret. The food is fresh and tastes........ Vanessa is AMAZING, knowledgeable and fun and Very engaging with patrons. SSSSHHHHHHHHHH Beat Kept Secret on 14th St. read more

Always a good time at Judys! The burrito azteca is a favorite - the jalapeno queso is absolutely delicious. I also love their yuca fries and their pupusas (the chicken and bean ones are my top choices). I have also tried the combination ceviche and the sopa de res - I was not crazy about either of them, so will probably default to other dishes next time. The service is always great and I am happy to be supporting this neighborhood institution. read more

"If the world spin in a circle, I want to learn to move backwards."--Styles P. Tacos are en vogue in D.C. right now. New spots are popping up what looks like daily. Last year, or maybe 2019 it was I committed to being true to the D.M.V. and trying as many pupusa spots as possible. One of those that I missed, unfortunately was the landmark that is Restaurant Judy. Recently I tried the pupusas here for the first time and they were some of the best I ever had. The curtido and the hot sauce elevated the flavors even further. Of the 3 varieties I tried that day, the Frijol y Queso was my favorite. What this original mission neglected was not simply a great place to try pupusas, I reduced the cuisine of El Salvador to pupusas. I was familiar with the breakfast breads and whatnot but I'd yet to try Pollo Guisado from a Salvadoran restaurant and Judy did not disappoint. Though it wasn't my favorite stewed chicken I've ever had it was a good meal and with the usual top notch service I was glad to branch out and look forward to trying other dishes. read more

Absolutely the best place to get your fix for burritos, tacos, nachos, salsa, and more. I had the most delicious burrito here. I don't like my burritos wet so I asked for it on the side (I know I know, I should really eat it the way it's intended to be eaten) and it was the best thing ever. The burrito Azteca was so highly reviewed I had to try it for myself. It was so authentic, homemade, and fresh, and the sauce (that usually comes poured over) was so good I couldn't stop dipping into it. The beans were even good and I don't even usually like the refried beans. The rice that comes with it - omg. They put something in it because it's a bit heavier and sweeter and so amazing. I'm salivating as I write this review. The chips and salsa were so fresh and not too salty, I think everything's just right about this place. I unfortunately don't have pictures but the tacos and burritos and I'm sure everything else are all really good. Muy delicioso. I think it's a true gem - please branch out to other locations. read more

I just happened to stumble across this place going out in DC on a Friday night. PRO TIP: the parking in front of this restaurant is prime location. It's totally free and for whatever reason no one thinks to park here. I was hungry on the way out and wanted something quick and cheap so we just stopped here. I got three tacos and my boyfriend got a burrito. We were happy and went home full. Would definitely be coming back here. read more

Restaurant Judy - 2 chicken and 1 beef taco - Salvadoran Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Cozy restaurant that worked fine for Cinco de Mayo. The service was good. I had the chicken burrito, which I found to be dry. Shredded chicken inside a tortilla. Guess I was expecting more. The Mrs had the combination plate, which included a beef taco, beef enchilada, and a chicken tamale. It did not come with any additional sides, so she added rice and beans. The beans were good, and the rice was just rice. Add a margarita at $11 and the total, with the tip, was $60+. Probably would not try it again. The food was average and, IMHO, overpriced. read more

Fidel is the bartender of the night. He's customer service is amazing. Love this little hole in the wall. read more

Restaurant Judy - Ask for the Tropical Perry... It's delicious. All the sweetness in your mouth you can ask for with alcohol. - Salvadoran Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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When I was a kid, I used to watch Punch And Judy. Now I drink Punch At Judy. What to get: Pupusas, baby. Owned by Judy Garland and Judy O. Christian, this place is real Salvadoran late night heaven. In a city full of Salvadoran spots, this one really stands out because: (a) it's open very late (b) it's near downtown (c) pupusas are absolutely heavenly (d) it has a full, and busy, bar (e) it has an extensive Latin menu but I come for the pupusas (f) it's not as expensive as you'd think given the location near Adams Morgan (g) service is really nice So all in all, Judy is one of my favourite places to stop and eat, and the kid serving (who is actually Salvadoran, I think), is really awesome. It might even be the best Pupusa I've had outside Cleveland... and the Horchata is okay, too. A spoonful of Horchata makes the medicine go down, you know. Judy Andrews told me so. read more

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My boss and I popped in here for lunch because he said it was one of his go-to spots back in the day. The prices were extremely reasonable for DC and it ended up being $25 plus tip for two people to have lunch which is a rare gem as far as I'm concerned! My boss and I both went with a sampler from the menu which included enchiladas, tacos, and a pupusa (called the el tipico). It was tasty with a good amount of food for the price. The free chips and salsa were fresh and we ended up with seconds of those. Overall it was a steal budget wise, good quick service, and truly was authentic Latin American Cuisine. You can't go wrong with Restaurant Judy, would definitely recommend this spot! read more

Authentic Mex here folks. I was impressed. I had a beef taco and a shrimp taco. My business partner had THE MOST succulent quesadilla I think I ever had... or certainly within memory. I stole a portion from her. WELL SEASONED AND SUPER JUICY Note: quesadillas normally don't impress me - in the least. This one had juice oozing out when you squeezed it... and it was white meat - super cheesy and moist, believe it or not. I was shocked. The guac was nice and so was the margarita I had but should not have had during a biz lunch meeting but whatevs, lol. The place is spartan but the food was good. 4.25 stars read more

Restaurant Judy - Shrimp taco (partially consumed, sorry) *apologetic face* And beef taco on corn tortilla. Aurhentic. #masa - Salvadoran Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I came here for the first time on Cinco de Mayo. It was busy and I had a great time here. The food was really good. The carne asada was $18 a damn good steak. Very flavorful and a big portion of the skirt steak. Our waitress was awesome. She was very busy but very attentive and nice. The host was awesome. We wanted a different table closer to the bar and he took care of us even though there was a lot going on. It seemed like everyone (the host/manager, all the waiters and the busboys) sincerely wanted to make sure we were good. The margaritas crept up on us. Be careful:) Much rather come to Judy's than some boujie joint. read more

After going to this place a few times, my co workers and I finally met Judy in the flesh. Judy is the daughter of the owners, who named the place after her. The love she has for her parents and people in general shows in the food. She was very modest and was an excellent server. Now let's get to the actual restaurant itself: Ambiance: nice roomy space. You can eat at the bar area or be with a big group in the tables of the other room. Our party of 12 came last minute and they sat us all! Nice undertone of music in the background, but just enough that you can still listen to people!! The food: I order way too much every time I go here!! The pupusas: for 2.50 these pupusas are really huge and hit the spot. Just wish they served more cortido (cabbage mixture) but you can always ask for more. Personally love the loroco!! Burrito: I got the Azteca burrito and did not like it so I got the carne burrito and thought it was pretty average but had a lot of stuff for 8 dollars. Beans, rice, sour cream, you sold me!!! El typico: a combination of one pupusa, tamale, and an enchillada! I loved this combination for about 9 dollars! It was totally worth it and it is so good for indecisive people bc you get the best of all worlds! Drinks: I would definitely suggest getting a drink to pair with your meal! The helado: I would not suggest this, it doesn't taste like Any other one I have ordered before. Tastes like a Bloody Mary gone wrong. Margarita: I got the margarita individually and as a pitcher. Make sure you mix the pitcher so it isn't syruppy. I also ordered the margarita by itself and thought it needed mixing. Overall I would suggest getting this over all other drinks. Beers are a safe bet too! Overall, I love Judys and admire that they are open late and great for good groups! Thanks Judy for everything!!! read more

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I'm ashamed to say I've slept on Judy for 3 years living in the U Street area, but I've seen the errors of my ways. Happy hour is 5-8 (!!) and you'd probably have to leave the district to find another place with $15 margarita pitchers (the passion fruit was amazing!!) The food is delicious, flavorful, and affordable. Who doesn't love fresh salsa, perfectly cooked plantains and crispy, cheesy pupusas? Already planning my next visit... read more

Restaurant Judy - Bean and loroco pupusas, passion fruit margarita, plantains - Salvadoran Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Never judge a book by its cover. This is one of those places. Delightful Mexican food, a nice bartender, and a lowkey grungy (but CLEAN) bar vibe. I had the trio combo platter - with a pupusa, tamale, and enchilada... it was beyond delicious. Stop in here for a quick, cheap meal... grab a beer while you're there. Heaven. read more

Restaurant Judy - Fajitas! - Salvadoran Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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A+ service, food, and vibes! Almost walked right by it on our way down 14th street looking for a place to eat dinner on a Saturday night. We were immediately seated at the bar and were chatting with the attentive bartender throughout our meal. The chips came out fresh and warm with salsa and the shrimp ceviche app was full of flavor. My boyfriend got the burrito azteca and it was covered in delicious jalapeno cheese. I had the el tipico with the chicken tamale, bean pupusa, and chicken enchilada. Pupusa was amazing and tamale great but the chicken enchilada was a bit dry. Would recommend you try this place out--we'll definitely be back! read more

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I am a Judy's regular. It's my Sunday morning breakfast spot with friends. The place I stop for a meal or a passion fruit margarita on my way home from work. No one can confirm if Judy herself actually exists or is just a neighborhood myth. I believe. read more

Restaurant Judy seems smaller than it is from outside. There is a bar, a small seating area, and then another room with more seating and a stage (were I heard a new band play). I had the Camarones al Ajillo, which I was told was more flavorful than the Camarones à la Plancha since my order had a garlic sauce. It was served with a side of salad and very little rice (could have used a little more). The sauce was indeed flavorful and was served with 5 jumbo shrimps. It was y spicy so I was given a separate green spicy sauce that also added extra flavoring. It was good food that I'd recommend if you wanted seasoned food but not too heavy. read more

Restaurant Judy - Caramones al Ajillo - Salvadoran Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I've only had the papusas here, so can't speak for anything else. I thought the papusas were just okay. I loved all the awesome crispy cheese goodness that came out on the edges. But the cheese they use is a bit sweeter than I'm used to, and the papusas fell apart on me, which was disappointing. Also not as flavorful as others I've had. Would definitely be willing to come back and try again, but will most likely stick to El Tamarindo. read more

Pupusas Judy is one of the classics on the 14th st DuPont Cirlce. 3 pupusas for $7 The price is really good! And the pupusas are so yummy! $5 Margaritas! The decoration is not the best but honestly who cares with those prices? I like this place! read more

Restaurant Judy - Salvadoran Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I love Judy's! This is the perfect neighborhood spot. The staff are always super friendly and helpful. The prices are incredible as well. Big fan! read more

Hole in the wall joints are the best!! Thankful to have walked by this place and with 30 mins left on happy hour. We ordered passion fruit margaritas for $5. Those drinks were strong - I love it! The pricing of this place is probably the cheapest spot I've been since being in DC. I was ecstatic because it reminded me a of Midwest Mexican restaurant. Chips and salsa were brought out with the drinks. Service was super efficient and pleasant. I ordered yucca fries and chiccharon. My favorite when I was in Colombia! And my friend pollo y queso pupusas. Overall I give the food 4/5. Great flavor. I think the salsa for chips tasted store bought. Definitely was expecting to knock my socks off but it was decent. The place itself is very dim lighted. So be ready for that. The decor well there is none. The barred door reminded you what neighborhood you were in. And again amazing customer servive - would definitely come again! read more

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Agreed that it looks like a little hole in the wall, but as you enter the restaurant the amazing scents engulf you and the menu has many choices. I ordered the Pollo guisado. It was delicious and brought a lot of memories to the forefront of my mind and it reminded me of my childhood. Although I didn't order dessert, the platano frito was a great substitute for any sweet treat that I may have chosen. Bravo "Judy" and buen provecho read more

Another spot I will regret reviewing and giving a 5-star rating because it will bring more exposure to the restaurant, and soon enough it will be too crowded and undoubtedly, they will raise prices too. But, this place deserves all the accolades cause it truly is a gem in this city which has very few. Fair warning, this place isn't a fine-dining establishment so temper your expectations. What this place is, is pretty much a pseudo-divey place where you go with a few (or many) friends to celebrate a hard day's work or have a low-key birthday party. First off, one thing that will stand out here is how low the prices are. They are incredibly low for DC restaurant prices. Most entrees were about $8-12. But the food is not just cheap, the food is really really good. My party ordered the guac and papusas for appetizers. For entrees, we got shrimp quesadilla, pollo saltado, and fried pork chop. All of the dishes were really really good. All of them....even the shrimp quesadilla. Usually quesadillas are a good measuring stick of Spanish/Mexican places (like how fried rice is for Chinese takeout). Quesadillas can be really bad but here, they were so good. Even the shrimp was good. You could tell they used good quality shrimp (aka not the frozen kind). My friend who got the fried pork chop was amazed at how juicy it was considering it is so easy to dry it out. I could go on and on about the food, but just know it was really good. The service was really good too. The staff members there have such great attitudes and they're quick to bring you whatever you need. I'm prob going to make this a regular spot to eat at. read more

We went on a Saturday night. We walked in and looked around for 5 minutes before anyone even acknowledged we walked in. They sat us next to a table of 20+. We waited 20 mins before waiving down a waiter to get water. We waited another 10 before waiving down another waitress to take our order. Then we waited 40+ minutes for our food. Oh, and the big table had left when we ordered, the kitchen couldn't have been that backed up. Now, the food - I got a veggie burrito. If I wanted steamed vegetables from a frozen bag wrapped in a tortilla, I would have gone to Walmart. Pathetic. Steamed broccoli in my burritoooo yay! -_- And I'm so sad because I fought my friends to go here instead of the other great places in the area... read more

Restaurant Judy - So glad I paid $$ and waited 40 mins to get some frozen steam veggies wrapped in a tortilla with some sauce and cheese over it... - Salvadoran Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Don't get the guanaquita. Even though it's a Chef's Special it's only enough to fill up and satisfy a child. It reminds me of a Weight Watcher's version of El Salvadorian food. Luckily the Papusas were able to salvage the rest of the meal. read more

Restaurant Judy - Lol I regret eating this dish. The portion would only satisfy a small child - Salvadoran Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Go to Judy for the papusas and strong drinks. The rest of the menu is not great, based on my limited experience. Dry (but big!) steak taco and an "enchilada" that was just tortilla and shredded chicken - no cheese, pico, salsa or even seasoning. read more

I love love love this place. The prices are affordable and I can see myself eating here as often as possible. It's a cute little restaurant. We sat by the bar, and was given water right away. We got chips and salsa. The chips looked alright; I didn't try it so I couldn't tell you if it was any good. I ordered the lomo saltado because it's my favorite dish and I haven't found one that I liked in DC. The price of it was only $13, I believe and that's definitely the cheapest I've seen. The steak was cooked perfectly and it was meaty instead of fatty. It was the right size serving; however, I would've liked more potatoes. It does come with a salad and I'll tell them to hold off on that next time. The peppers and onions were crunchy and cooked perfectly. I loved loved loved the dish. I will definitely be back and also bring friends here. read more

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Best food for a great price with amazing service. I definitely recommend pollo saltado any day and also the chicken soup if you're ever feeling under the weather. read more

Went here with my gf on Saturday night. I am a recent DC transplant so was a little reluctant at first with all of the really nice look eateries in the area. Boy was I wrong! The service was good, we got chips and queso, the pollo guisada and a couple $3 modelos. Our total bill was around 26 bucks (the gf wasnt that hungry so that was only with on entree). The place was clean. Honestly just a hole in the wall but the food was AMAZING. The pollo guisada was, according to my brazilian gf, like her grandmother used to make. Really like this place and cant wait to go again. read more

This is everything I've been looking for in DC. Super cheap, but amazing food. The restaurant looks a little sketchy on the inside, but don't let it deter you. It's a gem. The lighting where we were sitting was half off, so you couldn't see the other side of the restaurant which is why it was sketchy. This was my first time having pupusas, and I am impressed (and full). We had 3 pupusas revueltas (like pork? Also 3 of these is all you need), and 2 tamales de pollo each. It was an insane amazing of food, but I have lunch for tomorrow! The pupusas were light and Kinda crispy. The tamales de pollo were fantastic. I'm half Mexican, from Texas, but these were honestly the best tamales I've had in my life. They were moist, SO FLAVORFUL, and just an all around great deal. Pupusas were $2.5 each and tamales were $3 each. I would come back here in a heartbeat. My only other problem was that the waitress didn't come around that often, but she made up for it in the end. We also had guacamole as an appetizer, that was also good. read more

Restaurant Judy - 3 pupusas revueltas - Salvadoran Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I've wanted to go here for some time. Yesterday was the day. I strolled up, and pulled open plexiglass door. For those that didn't get that from the other reviews, the ENTIRE door is plexiglass. I noticed the "People love us on Yelp!" sticker and I know why. Having read many of the reviews already written about Restaurant Judy, I asked the young woman for a recommendation. She asked what I was in the mood for, and I told her something warm. She promptly recommended the Sopa de Res (beef short rib soup). I also decided to add two pork pupusas because I thought maybe that wouldn't be enough food? What was I thinking? While I was sitting at the bar, I couldn't help but notice that I was the only other person in the place besides the chef and waitress. I then heard the sizzle of my pupusas being fried up. As Biz Markie said, "I had no idea I was in for a treat." The pupusas with homemade curtido were amazing. I'm kind of a newcomer to the pupusa world so I can't really compare them to much else. The Sopa de Res was spot on and exactly what I wanted for the chill in my office. It had a lot of vegetables including plantains with the skin still on them and some of the largest carrot slices I've ever seen in my life. The beef was cooked to perfection and nearly falling off the bone. I didn't finish my whole meal and yet still managed to propel myself into a food coma. I'm definitely going back there. The food came out kind of slow, but I think that's because I may have been their first customer of the day. read more

I came here with a few friends on a Saturday night. We had originally planned to go to Pica Taco around the corner, but after we saw them pull food out of the microwave, we turned around and came across Restaurant Judy. It's a big space, with great, well-priced, Mexican food. The pupusas and enchiladas are great, and I had the pork and chicken (respectively). I would recommend this to anyone looking for a no-fuss, classic Mexican/Latin place. read more

I was SO excited when I found this place near my residence in DC, but deeply disappointed. We walked in on a Sunday afternoon, and absolutely no one was there. We were also greeted by a total of zero people! We first got the chips and salsa - the chips tasted packaged & the salsa was the tabasco sitting at our table with some tomatoes added. For lunch, we ordered 1 pork and 1 bean pupusa. And platanos fritos with beans and cream. Firstly, the pupusa's were WAY TOO fat! now I don't discriminate based on thickness, but these pupusa's made me sick to my stomach. Elsewhere, I could of easily eaten three and been satisfied, but I ate one here & i was done. The taste of the pork pupusa was good, but the beans one was just repulsive. They used a different cheese in the beans pupusa that just stunk up our whole plate! My sister and I just stuck to the one pork pupusa & the platanos. The platanos fritos were actually really good! I also got the horchata, which was just rice milk mixed with cinnamon. All the cinnamon was right at the top & looks like it was mixed right at the top. I honestly could of made it my self - very poor presentation. The server was all over the place and hardly ever came to our table! Overall, I recommend you get your pupusa fix elsewhere in DC! Save your time & money and walk on by! read more

Restaurant Judy - pupusa's & horchata - Salvadoran Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Parking None, either train, walk, or finding street parking! Location It's easy to miss and didn't look like it was open. Service We were acknowledged promptly when we walked in but menus, water, and food were slow to follow. Ambiance No frills, we sat by the window, near the bar. Food Got the mixed grilled fajita which was good! The other yelpers were rt! Got fried plantains on the side for an extra $3. It was good! Cost Reasonable which is notable considering how pricey this area is. Overall Would consider getting my food to go next time considering the lack of ambiance and slowish service. read more

We came to DC two years ago and stumbled upon Judy's. It was DELISHHH so of course, we're back in DC so we must stop at Judy's. It's just as good as before, if not better. And that's a big memory to live up to. Tonight, a margarita and a michelada, a corn tamale ($3), burrito ($11), and steak with peppers ($13). Amazing. If we lived in DC we would be here all the time. PS we live in NYC and get great food often, so we know what we are talking about! read more

Restaurant Judy - Burrito Azteca $11 - Salvadoran Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Been craving Pupusa and the plate of platanos w/ beans and sour cream...best choice I made today to drive over to this restaurant! Great food and really nice people there! I got the Pupusa Loroco (small flower) (photo of them attached), Revuelta (pork), and Frijole (beans). read more

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We LOVE Judy's!!! We live a few blocks away, and when we want a delicious, home-cooked inexpensive meal out, THIS is our go-to place. The service is always friendly and attentive, and everything we've ever gotten there has a home-cooked look and taste about it. The pupusas are superb, and for an excellent cheap and filling meal, can't be beat (just one will satisfy your hunger, two will fill up most hungry people). My personal favorite, which is not on the menu normally but they'll make it for you, is the Pollo ala Crema (Creamed chicken). Oh, it's sooo good. My wife, especially when it's cold or she has the sniffles, ADORES the Chicken Soup, which is, as is everything else there, Mama's recipe. We ALWAYS start with the Ceviche De Camarones (the Shrimp Ceviche), which rivals the best we've ever had, and they give you a relatively enormous amount of it. It's more than enough for 4 people to have a nice portion each, or for two people to each eat a LOT of shrimp. Oh, almost forgot. The Chicharones are the best we've ever had! Highly Recommend! read more