Mouthwatering Latin American in Washington

Super Chicken

★★★★☆ 4.2 (589) • $$

"SO DAMN GOOOOOD. service is so fast that even if there's a long line, you'll get your food within 5 minutes. food itself is always top tier and for the price, you really are getting the best bang for your buck. i just wish i lived closer so i can come more often"

Seven Reasons

★★★★☆ 4.2 (532) • $$$

"I had the pleasure of dinning here on a Friday night. Immediately walking in the decor and aesthetic was super cute! I sat at a two person table on the first floor. Michael took care of us and he is the absolute best!! He anticipated all of our needs, made excellent recommendations and was super knowledgeable. I had the shared roots cocktail it was so delicious and looked amazing! For food I don't remember the exact names but I had the curry scallops, fried seafood basket, and falafel for small plates. I would skip the falafel next time but everything else was great. For main dish we had the butterflied fish, mash potatoes and side salad. Soooo much flavor it was amazing! I will definitely be making my way back soon!"

The Royal

★★★★☆ 4.2 (404) • $$

"My friend frequents this spot and recommended I check it out! Really loved the vibe in here. Very cozy and comfy. Tons of outlets so it's a great place to work from as well. I really like that you can order thru a QR code and the food will come out when it's ready. Some people like more interaction, but this is fine as well! Drinks were okayyyy, nothing special (maybe I need to try something else). The pork belly was delicious! So flavorful. I loved my cheese arepa as well. Everyone in my group enjoyed their meal, and one is a vegan and had many options!! We will definitely come back and try more things!"

Susheria

★★★★☆ 3.9 (383) • $$

"I've been meaning to try this place for a while, as I often go to the AMC theater right next door. First, the decor in this place is really swanky. I love the old but new style furniture. The bar was full since i visited during happy hour, but I was able to get a seat in the bar area. Typically, they wouldn't honor the happy hour deal, but the bartender made an exception and waited on me anyway, which I thought was really cool. Overall, the service was 100 all around. The drinks were crafted really well, which I ordered a few of them. I didn't care too much for the gyoza/dumpling as they were fried and not pan seared as I prefer them. The sushi was excellent, as I ordered a couple orders. This place was cool, I'll be back because it was some of the best sushi I've had in DC. If they expanded the menu a bit and add in some of the Japanese staples like ramen, then they will be in to something."

Bakery Bread & Grill

★★★★☆ 4.1 (339) • $

"What a great find! Coffee wonderful, and we had spinach and feta croissant not to be missed. We had a cheese empanada in a banana leaf. Wow. So yummy. I'm going back!"

Guardado's Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4.1 (312) • $$

"We just dined here for the first time and my parents have already declared it a new favorite.My favorites:+ Gambas Al Ajillo ($13.95) - This classic sauteed shrimp dish was so good we even ordered a second round and used the bread to mop up all the olive oil in the pan. + Shrimp Quesadilla ($14.25) - I love a shrimp quesadilla but these surpassed expectations--there was plenty of shrimp and the tomatoes added a nice savoriness.+ Plain Plantain ($4.50) - One of the best plantains I've had in recent memory and nice and caramelized on some of the edges. We also enjoyed:+ Calamares Fritos ($12.25) + Pulpo A La Gallega ($12.50) - The octopus was so tender!+ Croquetas ($9.50) - These were just okay and not super flavorful.+ Paella Negra ($44.95) - We prefer our paella rice to be cooked through instead of al dente and was pleased to find it nice and soft. I thought the tilapia was a little fishy but overall we enjoyed it!Despite slight apprehension when looking through the pictures prior to our visit, we were very impressed and will definitely be returning!"

El Secreto De Rosita

★★★★☆ 4.2 (241) • $$$

"The good was sooo good and it all started with great service , although they charge gratuity themselves to bill I still enjoyed the food and service. Personally I don't think these businesses should be able to put an automatic tip on the bill, so please research your place of eat before going out. With prices so high on everything it's hard to support your small businesses and it's gonna get harder too."

Spin Pollo

★★★★☆ 4.3 (228) • $$

"Let's just dive in...Pros:- DELICIOUS FOOD- I've have the chicken, yuca, white rice, black beans, plantains, and yuquita balls. The chicken is juicy and seasoned so well, grocery stores try their best with rotisseries chicken and as good as it is, it just doesn't compare. The yuca was perfectly crisp even though they were larger. Usually I don't even order yuca, because restaurants never make them crispy enough. The black beans were super flavorful, I could eat them all day. The plantains are perfectly sweet. The show stopper is the yuquita balls, mashed yuca stuffed with cheese (maybe Oaxacan or mozzarella), then battered (I believe) and fried. Whew! Just amazing and it comes with an aioli that's not spicy but slightly sweet and it's just TOO GOOD!- They sell frozen treats as well.- There are 3 diff sauces: white, red, and green. All of them are good. I'm not sure if the red sauce is supposed to be spicy, but it's not spicy to me at all. The green sauce has an acidic base which is a good compliment to the flavorful meal especially if you get any of the fried items. Cons:- small eating area inside, but that's to be expected of a Peruvian chicken place. Get your food and go home to enjoy it so you can eat messy and be free! Suggestions:- Order food for your next work event from here with their catering options, you will not be disappointed at all and your team will love you.- There's a Kingstowne location as well, visit them if it's closer."

Super Pollo

★★★★☆ 4 (254) • $

"So my need for Peruvian chicken has returned big time. I have been shopping at the mostly empty Safeway nearby. And so I've been stopping at this Super Pollo rather than Quincy St for takeout. During the epidemic I just want to shop at places where I'm in and out and home in a hot minute. This fits the bill. The chicken is excellent. And I love both locations for spinach. They aren't exactly the same, they both have potatoes in it, but this location has more tomatoes, which is pretty yummy, so are yucca fries. This is a very inexpensive, very fast solution to dinner. If you haven't had Peruvian chicken haul yourself to a super pollo location. Especially if you're a person who likes well-seasoned food, that rotisserie chicken in the grocery store is just light on flavor. Half a chicken and two sides will cost you about $11 and you'll have leftovers."

Guapo's of Georgetown

★★★★☆ 3.7 (290) • $$

"Our party of 5 had a fantastic experience at Guapo's of Georgetown in December. Service was fast and attentive. The food was fresh and generously portioned. The location was excellent, just next to the ice rink with a festive vibe and ample seating indoors as well as a large outdoor space for warmer months.We enjoyed a variety of dishes, including the Guacamole with Chips, CevicheFish Tacos, Chicken Fajitas, Chidken Enchiladas, and Steak Fajitas. The atmosphere is outstandingly festive which made for a great meal with good Tex-Mex food and fantastic margaritas of course."

El Rinconcito II

★★★★☆ 3.9 (251) • $$

"El Rinconcito is a cute neighborhood Salvadoran and Tex-Mex cafe in Columbia Heights. Came here on an early Sunday morning for brunch and it was pretty crowded.- The desayuno tipico with chorizo ($16) which came with scrambled eggs, avocado slices, plantains (crispy!), two corn tortillas, refried beans, block of Salvadoran cheese (tasted like heavy feta), and sour cream.- El Rinconcito is probably know for their pupusas and they did not disappoint! There are lots of fillings you can choose from and the one with meat, beans, and cheese was super flavorful and came with a side of slaw- The Mariscada Salvadorena ($19) (seafood soup) came with two tortillas too. It tasted fresh and came with lots of shrimp, squid, mussels, and even crab! You can choose to get the cream on the side (I like the soup better with cream and soak the tortilla in it)"

Pupuseria Doña Azucena

★★★★☆ 4 (227) • $

"Ambiance: (4/5) It is spacious and has a home style feel. Price: (5/5) You can feed 3 people for $30 with pupusas. Price is amazing for this area.Food: (5/5) The pupusas are amazing. I have tried pretty much all of them. The Pupusa loca is very heavy but very good. Definitely try the pupusa on pollo. They aren't spicy at all, but the flavors with the cheese are very good. Make sure to eat them with the two toppings they give. The horchata has a peanut butter and cinnamon flavor which is different than anything else I've tried. Service: (3/5) Food does come out very slow (dine in or take out)In conclusion, this is a must try place. It is the only place left in Arlington for these amazing pupusas that I know of."

El Mariachi

★★★★☆ 3.8 (248) • $$

"Excellent food! The steak was well-flavored, tender, and juicy. Attentive server. The ambiance is quite bright, authentic, and cheery as well! I'll definitely return! (11/7/24)"

Chicken Rico

★★★★☆ 4.2 (200) • $$

"A quick visit into town and saw this spot and vowed to try it before leaving. I tried the carna asada and the ribs and chicken combo.. if I would have known how amazing that chicken was going to taste I would have left everything else behind. 10/10 for the chicken.Service was quick and everyone in the establishment was super nice!"

Pan American Bakery & Grill

★★★★☆ 4.2 (197) • $

"Oh. My. God. The saltenas are incredible. My taste buds were gifted with the savory stews that filled the inside of the slightly sweet dough. The beef and chicken are both delicious, I have a slight preference for the chicken.The tucumana saltena is soooooo good. Instead of baked it is deep fried. Oh man. Wow. I think they might be fried to order so you'll have to wait an extra 5-10 minutes. I will be back to try the rest of their food!"

Al Carbon

★★★★☆ 3.8 (225) • $

"Im the Heart of Rockville is this amazing spot. I happen to come in the morning and ordered the breakfast platter which came with the most flavorful eggs, rice, beans, plátano, sour cream and avocado on the side. The tortillas are home made and super fresh. Everything about this breakfast was amazing!!! The gentleman who I think is the owner is super nice and is the chef himself. He is extremely friendly made me feel super comfortable sitting inside. I can't wait to take the rest of the menu here. If your in the area I highly recommend this spot. You won't regret it!!"

Chupacabra Latin Kitchen & Taqueria

★★★★☆ 3.5 (253) • $$

"My roommate and I just moved to NE and tried Chupacabra for the first time. Gary (who I think is the owner or manager) was incredibly friendly and gracious, he even gave us free drinks as it was our first time there, and gave me a free order of corn chips for my dog. The fish tacos were delicious, all of the staff were great, the ambience was super fun and laid back, and we had a great time. This will definitely become one of our go-to spots !"

El Patio

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (290) • $$

"Decent service, our waiter was pretty shy but he got the job done. Drinks were never empty for too long. Great decor, quick service. Visited on a Friday night and it was pretty empty. Not sure if this is typical or not. Food was very well priced and yummy. Clean bathrooms and all staff was masked. Also the pizzeta was only $6! We had to try."

Don Pollo

★★★★☆ 4 (177) • $

"So good!! Place was hopping!! Placed an order via their website. Food was ready when we got there. Chicken was great, lots of great sides. Only down side was my daughter ordered the LOMO SALTADO which comes with steak fries and rice. At first we thought the fries were missing but they were buried under the steak and vegetables causing them to be soaked and soggy with meat juice. Other than that it was a great experience!"

Azucar Restaurant Bar and Grill

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (266) • $$

"We came here for drinks and snacks on our way home from Baltimore and sat at the bar. We got the skinny colada, and three pupusas. The drink was $12 which I found to be a bit pricey for a general drink with rum and pineapple juice. The pupusas were pretty good; cheese was the favorite. The salsa and chips were amazing and come with the meal. The salsa is one of the best I've had at a Mexican restaurant. It was warm and had the right level of spices. We will come back in the future for a proper sit down dinner experience."

La'Caj Seafood

★★★★☆ 4 (161) • $$

"Checked this place out for a birthday celebration with a decent sized party. The service was really good. The football game was on and music was playing in the background as well. Seemed like a great place to check out if ever interested in a good day brunch outing. The food was good, I wish I took more pictures lol. I had the cream cajun breakfast scramble with crab meat. It was very tasty and filling. I would get it again if I ever were to go back. All in all I get this place a solid 8/10."

La Granja De Oro

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (215) • $$

"This was catered for my work. This was delicious. The flavors were powerful and rich. The Lomo Saltado, now that was a dish for the ages.The rolls, funnily enough, might be the best I have ever had of breads. I've never been to Peru, but if the food tastes like this, I've got to book a flight!"

Sol Azteca

★★★★☆ 3.7 (179) • $$

"They were very busy but the service was great. My seafood enchiladas were perfectly cooked and delicious. They put the seafood over cheese enchiladas with a delicious white sauce. Their hot sauce is hot but super good !!I also love their salsa! A great local restaurant here in Olney!"

Taqueria & Rosticeria Fresca

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (236) • $$

"I don't normally go for Mexican in DC, but gave this spot a try. The food is actually very good. I often judge a place based on their chips and salsa. They passed my test. Our party of two started with Margaritas, with a side of chips, guac and salsa. I order a chicken burrito with pollo asado. Tried some of my friend's yucca and loved those too. Overall, a great meal. This place is very big. They have indoor seating in the front and back, as well as covered outdoor seating. We sat on the patio, but noticed the popular area is towards the back of the restaurant where the restrooms are. Decent service, but not the best for being a slow evening. That might be the downside of sitting outside on the patio."

El Pollo Ranchero

★★★★☆ 3.7 (170) • $

"This review is ONLY based on my first and only order from El Pollo Ranchero.I'm primarily giving them 5 stars because they give you a lot for about $10 worth of food. You get (more than) your money's worth. I ordered a 1/2 rotisserie chicken which comes with two sides. I ordered yucca and black beans for my sides. My order came with two chicken breasts, lots of yucca fries, and about 1 cup of black beans. I opted for 3 pairs of green and white sauce, but they gave me TWO extra pairs for FREE even though Uber Eats showed that it would cost extra for more sauce. All of it tasted good. The green sauce is a little too spicy for me, but I'm weak when it comes to hot sauces. I much prefer the white sauce. I'm definitely ordering from them again soon."

Taco Bar

★★★★☆ 3.8 (159) • $

"So glad this place is back in action after the fire! I think this location better than Rio because it's easier to get to, however there's no difference in the quality of food. Ok maybe the carne asada is better here though. The pastor tacos are the best! Counter service with small tables. There is a fix ins bar with fresh pico, pickled onions and assorted sauces. I have heard the tortas are awesome here too. Nothing fancy but it's always a hit if you have taco cravings."

La Viña Mexican Grill

★★★★☆ 3.9 (150) • $$

"The exterior was undergoing an extensive remodeling when we dined here, and not just this restaurant. It was the entire shopping center. So, can't really fault them for this. But, parking was very tricky and sparse, so be aware before you go if the construction hasn't completed yet.The interior was nice, with a mirrored wall that made the space look bigger than it was. Good effect! There weren't a lot of diners when we went, but it was a Sunday evening. Not really prime time. Still, the place wasn't deserted, and they were still able to accommodate our rather large party easily. (There were eleven of us!)The service was pretty attentive even given our party size. I'm guessing this was due again to the rather low traffic they had. But, you could see all servers attending all guests too, so I think it was also their overall philosophy of customer service. Speaking of, our servers were friendly and helpful.The food was... a mixed bag. But, my dish? Oh, man. I would order those birria tacos 10 times out of 10!! They were SO GOOD!! Plenty of cheese inside and a few crispy cheesy bits on the outside (tastiest part!)... and plenty of slow cooked flavorful shredded birria beef inside! And don't get me started on the consommé that accompanied it. I was so close to drinking the leftovers. These were quite probably the BEST birria tacos I've ever had!The other entrees didn't impress me as much, though. Not that they were bad! Just... uninspired. And I did try a bite of the seafood enchilada. I didn't like it. The seafood had an unpleasant taste, though I can't say it tasted "off" or "bad" or anything. It just didn't taste like... seafood? It was odd. The chile rellenos looked good, though!Nobody complained about their dishes, though, so I guess they were fine. Maybe I just wasn't in a seafood mood then, but even when I'm not... eh, moving on.We did have a few issues, though. The original order included 3 seafood chimichangas and 1 seafood enchilada. We received 3 enchiladas and 1 chimi, though. They did correct this quickly, though. Also, the chile relleno order was wrong... TWICE! Admittedly, the person ordering had a LOT of special requests. Nothing unheard of I guess, but the waitress clearly owned up to the fact that the kitchen screwed it up.They did make good on all these mistakes, though, and for the most part everyone got their food correctly. And it came out fresh and hot as well. So, how was it overall? Good! It's not the best Mexican (Tex-Mex?) place I've ever had, but... honestly... those were the best birria tacos I've ever had. I think I would avoid the seafood stuffed tortilla options here in the future, but I would order those tacos every single time. And if they were out, they had plenty of other items I was interested in."

The Nibbler

★★★★☆ 4.1 (123) • $$

"Pros: Some very delicious Peruvian dishes, including their specials like their bistek, lomo saltado, ropa viejaNeutral: small, family-owned. Menu, not particularly impressive. Ambience includes mural of the old country (Peru).Cons: no fresh chicha morada. Compared to the likes of Picca pollo a la brasa, this place is small cakes."

Cocineros

★★★★★ 4.5 (88) • $$

"This is definitely a go to restaurant for an experience that you probably would not have anticipated, but definitely need! We tried a little bit of everything, but it really blew me away was the calamari which is going to be an exceptional pic for your taste buds and the octopus quesadilla something I never would've thought to order but definitely will order again! The restaurant was clean and the staff was so warm and inviting. They make sure to make great recommendations and did not guide me wrong."

Mi Peru

★★★★☆ 4.2 (101) • $$

"My sister took me here to get me cultured to some Peruvian food and omg I was taken away by how delicious everything was. The people working here were welcoming and kind as well!We got the aji de gallina which is a rice dish with shredded chicken smothered in a creamy yummy sauce. The chicken was juicy and not dry at all! I tend to stay away from chicken dishes as they can either be a hit or miss and most the time it is a miss for me, but not here at Mi Peru!! It was definitely a hit that left a good impression on me. The pupusas were also delicious as we got the pork and cheese filling one. I like to add the cabbage on top to add a little bit of flavor to it, and of course they do have some house special sauces to add as an option!I will be back to try other items on the menu."

Gloria's Pupuseria

★★★★☆ 3.8 (118) • $

"Decently priced pupusas. The staff were mediocre. The pupusas here were very good, though, and I enjoyed their horchata. This place is conveniently located in the heart of Columbia Heights."

J & J Mex-Taqueria

★★★★☆ 4.1 (101) • $

"This place is definitely underrated! When I tell you the authenticity of this food and the flavors!!! you would have been blown away! They had a nice seating area and they had so many different sauces, all the meat was juicy and tender. The tacos were full of meat and I loved all of the accompaniments.Birria Taco was my favorite! It was so cheesy and full of meat! The consommé was super juicy as well and I loved the flavors. I think it was some of the best I had!I really like the tortillas to they were soft and fluffy you could tell they were freshly made. I'm definitely planning to go back. The staff was so nice! After we left, they even gave us a coupon, because we were just talking with them about our experience."

Pan American Bakery & Grill

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (135) • $$

"The sáltenlas are the best! I love their tres leches cakes too!! They have three locations as well! You'll probably need to know what you're ordering in Spanish."

Joy by Seven Reasons

★★★★☆ 3.9 (101)

"Pretty solid Restaurant week dinner menu. First time dining here and we enjoyed the service and atmosphere. They do validate parking- $6 off. Pretty good restaurant week dinner menu, but if ordering cocktails, it can really add up. The highlight dish is the Conchitas a La Parmesana. I would come back just for this appetizer. My wife thought the Peri Peri cauliflower dish was the bomb- best cauliflower dish she's had. My main chicken dish was good, but a little dry. The seafood coconut rice dish was really good.First time having an old Fashioned with scotch- I really enjoyed it though but at $19 I had to sip it."

Justa's Chicken- Alexandria

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (138) • $$

"There really is no shortage of Peruvian restaurants in the NOVA area, but as far as I'm concerned, Justa's Chicken is the lip smacking best!!!First off, they are open early on Sundays, which is appropriate since their chicken is tantamount to a religious experience. Loaded with all the right spices, it is a mouthwatering feast that is bound to satisfy the most discerning roasted chicken aficionado. There were a lot choices from which to choose in Justa's Chicken Heaven, but I opted for their batter dipped breast of chicken, a succulent slab of all things yum. And as if this delicious meal wasn't enough, Justa's Chicken's selection of traditional Peruvian sauces took my bird to the next level. (Trust me the creamy white sauce is the bomb!).Yup, hands down, this is the fried/roasted chicken that will wash away all of your culinary sins and restore your foodie soul."