The Most Scrumptious Latin American in Washington

El Tapatio Sports Bar & Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4 (63) • $

"Had a 12 AM craving for guacamole, chips, and salsa. Ordered through uber eats since they are open late night. Guacamole dip was FRESH, packaged AND seasoned well. Nice balance of lime, cilantro, a bit of saltiness, and perfectly ripe avocado. Definitely would order again. Perfect amount for one person. I also got the pico de gallo. Fresh, bright, and citrusy. My only gripe is the price for what you get. The pico de gallo comes in a sauce cup / container. Maybe twice the size of the plastic cups used for ketchup at burger and fries places. So I can skip that next time. Will check out the rest of their menu."

La Cabana Restaurante

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (18) • $$

"I've ordered take out from here numerous times as it's really close to my office, but the convenience of the location is the biggest reason I keep going back. The food is hit or miss, which is not to say that there are certain items to choose to avoid, but that even things I enjoyed one day can be totally off the next. They do give you a lot of food to the point that it's almost too much meat sometimes. I am a huge fan of their chips and guacamole which are both homemade, fresh, and delicious. The rice on all of their plates tends to be a smidge too salty. One annoyance for me is that because the owners and employees are Salvadorian it can be very difficult to place an order over the phone in English. There are people there that speak English, but I have been hung up several times when trying to place an order over the phone. I do wish that my Spanish weren't so rudimentary, and I certainly don't think they owe it to me to speak the same language, but it has made it a little difficult to order or ask questions about things from time to time.I'm sure I'll continue to order from here as long as my office is on this block, but doubt I'll come searching for it after that."

Centeno's

★★★☆☆ 2.8 (10)

"Simply put, some of the best Central American food I've experienced in the city. There's a lot of places that make great pupusas, but my co-workers and I at the school come here for everything else you'd want Central American/American like fajitas, yucca con chicharron, quesadillas, and my favorite bit of decadence: tacos de lengua. The thing about Centeno's is that they don't do the bare-minimum on anything... your tacos are going to each have a little bit of diced tomato condiment, a beautifully sliced avocado piece, and a grating of aged white cheese to round it out. There will be the ubiquitous slice of lime to cut the fat of the perfectly fall-apart-tender tongue, and an order of three tacos comes with the house rice and beans. Even the rice and beans are better than other restaurants that make the same dishes, with the rice likely being sautéed while still dried with (guessing here) onion and garlic, then simmered until those little perforations made by heat and oil are filled with the infused flavorful fat. And the beans are pureed into a brick-colored potent soupy consistency that mixes perfectly with the aforementioned rice, or works as a dipping base for the extra-thick tortillas that for the vessel of delivery for the tacos. I think I went off on a little bit of a tangent there, so I'll just let you folks know that even if you don't care for tongue, the other stuff has an equal level of care put into it. Also, I get it; my wife says whenever I'm eating tacos de lengua, I'm basically making out with a dead cow."

Kantutas Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4.4 (176) • $$

"Really love getting the opportunity to support my neighborhood restaurants. This was a new one for us as it just opened in this location. The service could not have been more attentive or helpful. The food was great - even for us who know not enough about Peruvian and Colombian food. The kids loved it. Make sure to try the melón drink."

Catherine's Kitchen

★★★★☆ 3.9 (8)

"this spot saved my life today. I am a real estate agent and had been working all day without eating. I only had a small window of time to grab some food and stopped at CK. The fried whiting was fried lightly and not too greasy, the potato salad perfect, greens, string beans, mac and cheese , shrimp quesadillas - all delicious. Deanwood needs them here. They took me back to when i was a child growing up in NW DC i use to eat with my neighbors at a place called Goins on Georgia and Shepherd. I miss that place cause they are no longer there and Catherine's Kitchen gave me yummy reminders. I will be back."

Super Chicken

★★★★☆ 4 (30) • $

"As denoted by the Yelp star system, I've become a fan of this place. I've tried many of the rest in MD, and this is (so far) the best. I went recently and have a few things to update.Food - The prices have jumped quite a bit. A 1/4 chicken meal will still run you about $6, but the 1/2 chicken meal has increased to nearly $9 and the whole chicken to $14! Still, it is the best Peruvian chicken stop in MD.Location - They still don't have menus or a signboard up at all, which I find a bit annoying but they now accept credit!For you MoCoers who insist that Crisp & Juicy is the be-all and end-all, drive down to Super Chicken and be prepared to be amazed."

Mister Rotisserie

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (35)

"A DC institution, even after a fire that burned it down lol, Mister Rotisserie is the place that is ever reliable. Where else can you get a rotisserie chicken - at 3 AM?"

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."

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!"

El Gavilan Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.6 (81) • $$

"Okay why did I just find out about this place? I have been going to El Golfo's for years, not knowing that this place was right across. I give this place three stars cause of their yummy frozen drinks, but the food and service was not that great. I would go back just for the frozen drinks! The food not so much. However, the food is good enough. I got the chicken wings which were not saucy. I was excited about saucy wings, but they were just fried with batter. The wings were real crispy and juicy, but I wanted more sauce on it. I also got the cheese quesadilla which were good, but just bland. I wish it came with some vegetables like salsa and lettuce. I got the strawberry and guava daiquiri with rum added to it. I did wish the drink was stronger, but it was still really good. Going back for the drinks!"

El Amate Restaurant

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (14) • $$

"Nice, friendly waitstaff.... fresh chips and salsa, generous portions of good tasting food thats looks fabulous, cold bottled beer and the coldest glasses in town.... well lit, clean bar, lunch specials 11am-330pm. Superb stereo system-great sound!,"

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"

King Pollo

★★★☆☆ 3.1 (46) • $

"I swear I've been here before forgot about it and had deja vu a la Teena Marie....In a shopping center in New Carrollton, can't say that it is easily seen from the road. Kinda off to the end of the strip.Parking is good for the area.Once inside, nothing to write home about. I take it that this is the kind of place that you come and get take out, not sit down.Various options from papusas, quesadillas amd the like. Pretty decent offerings and a slew of sides to choose from. On this date, I got the family deal; this consists of a whole blame chicken, two large sides, and four canned sodas. This is all for the price of 19.95 folks. I thought this was a pretty dope deal. Here in lies my problem....most of the sides looked as though they had been forgotten about. The yucca fries were looking lonely under that lamp as were those thick 'ol plantain slices. The mixed veggies were gone and the yams looked as though they had seen better days. The sides that I decided upon: rice/beans which by the by counted as TWO sides. Um, where they do that at? Who eats rice without thee black bean......anywho, I digress and I got the greens. The chicken was good, but was a little dry IMHO. But the addition of the green sauce, pico, and those yummo pickled (I think) onions helped it out immensly. The greens were a bit underseasoned for my liking and even with the green spice needed more hot sauce to pep them up.How can one mess up thee black rice and bean? Regardless, you get a crap ton of food for a nice price. Pick your sides wisely and make sure you get the sauce (pico and onions) to pep up your plate!"

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!"

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."

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."

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!!"

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."

Las Americas Restaurant

★★☆☆☆ 2.4 (34) • $

"Got pupusas. They were pretty good but the cabbage and red sauce hit the spot. Really good cabbage.I cant comment on the rest"

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."

dLeña

★★★★☆ 4.4 • $$$

"We had a WONDERFUL galentines brunch here and left feeling full and tipsy! $70 is a great price for bottomless drink and food- especially when margaritas are involved! All the drinks were tasty and alcohol was not skimped on at all. Even when we exceeded are 2 hour table time, our waitress was generous enough to let us have 1 last round. The food was so good too, we tried EVERYTHING on the menu and our bellies showed it. Top choices for me was the carnitas, birria and fish taco, and salmon. The fruit parfait was a miss for all of us- too sour. And the steak and eggs was a little dry. Lastly, of course we had to end on a sweet note and the churros did just that !"

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)"

Huascaran

★★★★☆ 4 (86) • $$

"I had to think over whether I wanted to post this or not as I'd selfishly like to keep this hidden gem for myself, but alas, the fine people that run this place deserve all the praise. Top notch Peruvian food. I don't think there is one comparable within a 20 mile radius."

Peru's Chicken

★★★★☆ 3.6 (16) • $

"Ahhh glad I found this place. It's located next to another amazing Peruvian place. You can't go wrong. This place was packed on a random night. I thought the service would reflect on that(which is ok) but right after I grab my chicha and order.....I receive my food. Literally less time than writing this sentence. So I was like "is this s*** cooked? ". "Did you just slaughter the chicken and hand me raw meat? "I know it wasn't completely fresh to my order as it took more time to pay than to receive my food but it all honestly. The chicken was probably just cooked. As I would hope they would be smart enough to keep those chicks coming. So I sit down. Sip my drink. Ahhh it's fresh. None of that watered down, sitting in the fridge for years because no one Peruvian comes to the restaurant type chicha. So step one has been completed. Now they just need to sell sublime Anyways. The portions are average but left me satisfied. Chicken was perfect. Not over seasoned. Not lacking flavor. Just perfect.Now here's where I'll take you for a loop: the fries were better than the yuca....I know right? How does a Peruvian place mess this up? Now I'm not saying the yuca is yucko. I'm just saying the fries were better. ShockingPs sauces were on pointPs I'll be backPs I love Peruvian chicken"

Unplugged Restaurant & Sports Bar

★★★★☆ 3.7 (74) • $$

"Finally got to check this place out after driving past it so many times. Located right off Georgia Ave, it's pretty accessible, just a few blocks from the metro. I was looking for a good spot to catch the NFL playoffs and they had it on almost all the TVs around the bar area. The first thing I noticed was mixed crowd, pretty cool diverse mix with young and old. The music reflected it, bachata, new school hip-hop, and electro. Juan didn't waste a second to greet us and help us find a good seat. I knew this was Kantuta's sister restaurant so I had to try the silpancho, which was excellent. Very good sized portion. My mother ordered the carne asada which was a little saltier than she would have liked it. Overall the food was pretty good. The other bartender, Maria, was extremely nice and pleasant. She told us about their Wednesday salsa nights and other events they have throughout the week. Definitely will be back."

Denny's Cafe

★★★★★ 5 (7)

"I work in the area quite a bit, and when I don't bring lunch, this is my go to place. Been here 3 times since they opened and they haven't disappointed yet. Great tasting food, good menu and prices aren't too bad. Highly recommend"

Irenes Pupusas

★★★☆☆ 2.6 (57) • $$

"I've only been in twice, once for carry-out and once dine-in. Both times the language barrier was a bit problematic (I don't speak Spanish) but each time there was a male employee there who was completely bilingual and was able to bridge the gap. I avoided Irene's for years because from the outside it looks a hole in the wall, and the Glenmont Shopping Center is dirty and feels dangerous. I finally stopped in recently because I was at the Staples next door and was lured by a craving for a pupusa. The restaurant turns out to be cavernous! It's also pretty dark and neither of us used the restrooms, so I don't have much to say about the reviews that lament a certain level of dirtiness, except that my knife had food stuck to it. I've ordered both bean & cheese and spinach & cheese (not on the menu) pupusas, and the man ordered pork & cheese. He also ordered a beef taco. We both ordered rice & beans on the side. Everything was absolutely delicious. The food did take a while to be served but it was all piping hot and flavorful. Neither of us were raised on Latin American food so we may not have great comparison, but we were both very happy with the food. The one thing that sat ALL wrong with me was the tip that's built into each dine-in check. The menu states that, like in many food establishments, a 15% gratuity is added to parties of 5 or more. Well, that may be true, but our table of two had a 20% tip already added to the bill when it arrived. And there's a line for an ADDITIONAL tip underneath. This is sneaky and makes the place seem shady. Many other reviews mention it and the owners should take note that customers don't like this practice and their Yelp reviews reflect this. It's the reason I gave them 3 stars, not 4."

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!"

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."

Pupuseria Vanessa

★★★★☆ 4 (21) • $

"Chicken & steak tacos were well seasoned. Unfortunately, the fajita combo was too salty for my taste. My biggest complaint would be for an order that I was told would take approximately 15 - 20 minutes took over 30 minutes."

Villa Maya

★★★★☆ 4 (529) • $$

"Finally! A Mexican restaurant that I really enjoyed! Coming in on cinco de mayo I expected the worst but got the best. The service was average but on this day I'll give a pass. The food was great with me pushing to finish the burrito. Other places I've finished out and still ready to eat more but this was one worthy of being an entree. The sides that came with it were great and just what it needed. Generous amount of salsa, sour cream and guacamole to go along with the burrito. The mariachi band kept everybody vibing with the day. Great time with some great food."

Esperanza

★★★★☆ 3.8 (9)

"First shout out to the service! Everyone was so friendly and kind! Even after taking our order! They also answered all of our questions without pause! The portions were enough to have some now and later! The chicken was juice, the rice was fresh and the beans were flavorful! Will definitely be back again!"

Maria's Cafe & Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4.4 (25)

"Maria knows what she's doing! I was greeted by a friendly lady at the front.I ordered the Birria Tacos that came with mashed black beans and rice with a side of pico de gallo.I added the empanada made from plantains. The order came with pickled peppers and onions, a spicy green sauce, and the birria dipping sauce. I enjoyed everything. The Birria tacos were huge! Some places I've been the 3 tacos are small and you feel like you could've eaten one more. I was full off the 1st one and saved the other 2 for later. The beef was tender and came in a fried double tortilla; not the best I've had but good. The beans and rice with the pico de gallo were good, although I prefer my beans whole. Now here's where things got freaky, the plantain was the size of a medium fist sprinkled with sugar, inside of it was this thick sweet white cream, wasn't expecting this. It was good, but weird because I couldn't figure out what I was eating exactly. It's not just plantain, it's a Salvadoran empanada, where the vanilla milk custard is placed in the center of the plantain, then rolled into a ball and fried till golden brown. If you have an appetite and want to try authentic Salvadoran cuisine. I highly recommend, there's a lot to choose from, and you will get plenty of food for your money."

Los Primos Latin American Cuisine

★★★★☆ 4.4 (277) • $$

"All of it, the presentation, the tastes, the portions. Yes, the parking sucks. Yes, the patio area is next to Twinbrook traffic, but inside is a comfy spot for fantastic Mexican food. Love it."

Silvestre Chicken

★★★☆☆ 3 (12)

"Yeah I gave them two stars. Not because the food is bad but we all know there's that one Silvestre that is better than the other ones, now say it with me......" St Barnabas Rd". It's convenient though so I'll prolly still be up in there, but I said what I said!"