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Authentic food rules! When I first discovered this place, thanks to Yelp, I visit six times in two weeks. It was that good. The best part of this place is the pricing; I can feed myself for less than $5 and be really happy with the food. You can't even do that at Taco Bell [unless you're a few deep].
What I like:
Tacos and the supreme burrito. Chorizo, beef, and chicken.
What I don't like:
Pupusas. Goat or tongue.
As expected from this "once run out of the back of a car" business, there are some negatives:
1) The ordering system is a mess. Rather than getting a number and waiting, the owner/founder/cashier simply reads out what the order is and someone grabs it. If you have an identical or nearly identical order to someone else, you had better keep your ears perked.
2) Orders are often read in Spanish. I know basic Spanish, but one day I waited a REALLY long time because I was waiting for an item that was being read in Spanish that I didn't recognize; it was mine.
3) It's hot [in the summer]. The kitchen, cash register, and line are all in about a 20x15 facility. I'd recommend waiting outside for a few minutes before venturing back inside to listen for your order.
Lastly, while there is minimal seating, plan to take it out. There is a park about a block away directly behind the strip mall, or you can eat on the curb.
What can you get for two bucks nowadays? Maybe a pack of minty fresh gum?
For two bucks, El Charrito's taco is one the most flavorful bites of food you can find in VA.
The construction of the taco is classic Mexican street fair. The double layer of tortilla does a fantastic job of supporting the meat and salsa while soaking up any excess fat and goodness. The lingua (tongue) is my favorite but their other meat options are fantastic as well. Also, don't forget to use some of their salsa verde.
People thought this was:
Wow, did I go to the wrong place? Instead of going to El Pollo Rico for lunch, I stopped by this restaurant last year after reading all the great reviews on Yelp.
I walked into a super dingy and unimpressive restaurant. I almost U-turned right back out but was reassured by the framed "perfect 5-star" Yelp rated plaque.
I ordered several things on the menu, a couple of papusas, the supreme burrito, several tacos (had to try the goat).
It was just bad. I ate with my bf and we both thought it was awful.
The least worst was the supreme burrito. It was ok because it had a glimmer of flavor but the Patio microwave burritos are as good if not better (and much cheaper). The side of beans were runny, flavorless slop.
The goat taco was like "whatever" and the papusas tasted like they were litterally out of the trash. I almost gagged.
I see this place has lost a star since last year which is understandable. What I don't understand are all the rave reviews. This place is TERRIBLE.
People thought this was:
For take-out only
Seven stools and no tables
Limited parking
15 minute wait
Two pupusas, one taco
Slow but cheap good food
People thought this was:
LOVE the tacos here! My boyfriend and I frequent this place when we get cravings for mexican. Everytime we go we order a burrito supreme, chicken or beef tacos, cheese papusas and the plantains. There have been a few times when the meat and/or plantains have been a little dry -- but more often than not, the food has been delish.
I would recommend placing your order ahead of time and then picking it up. The restaurant is small and can get extremely crowded so if you order ahead you won't have to wait for your food.
People thought this was:
I've been wanting to try this place for a while. We had the Tacos & Pupusas as everyone seem to recommend the Tacos. We weren't disappointed at all.
For the price ($2 tacos), and its authentic flavor this is a great find. Everything is cooked right in front of you so just sit by the counter and be patient while your order is ready. You won't be disappointed. Recommend ordering it to go as there's hardly any seating.
People thought this was:
Pros: Great tasting Mexican food at a great price... what else do you need.
Cons: Don't eat the sauces or the shredded cabbage that come with the papusas or tacos... I think they have MSG in them... or maybe I'm being a little paranoid.
Love this place... although... to be fair, I don't think the people that own or work at the place are really Mexican. I don't think it should really matter but... it's just one of those things you gotta accept.
People thought this was:
I took my first trip to El Charrito tonight.. ordered a burrito, asked for no beans or Guac.... Got to my car, checked my burrito to see that it was loaded with beans. hmmmmm ??? Took it back in and the guy said he didn't hear me say no beans.. ** I HATE BEANS** Of course I said no beans. Wouldn't give me my money back, and wouldn't make a new burrito....
I mean, you know how furious you get when you get screwed over, right?!!! I just wanted a friggin' burrito and ended up throwing my money away. I'm sure the food is good there (I've heard great things), but I WILL NEVER come back and I'll be sure to tell everyone I know not to got there.
VERY DISAPPOINTING.
People thought this was:
Seinfeld's soup nazi is an* angel* from heaven compared to El Charrito's cashier. He is mean, and will hate your guts the minute he sees you hungry face walking in the door. You will not bring a word or an expression out of this guy's face no matter what you try or do. But that's totally fine with me, coz the Tacos de cabrito, Popuzas de queso, and Popuzas de Loroco at this place are just amazing (great with a can of coconut water). And it is ridiculously cheap.
People thought this was:
Wow, what a great find. Thank you yelp, as this is the very definition of a place that I would never ever have gone to in a million years without your knowledge. It's got a few things working against it being that it's tucked into a tiny strip mall on a highway that I never actually travel except when I'm in a hurry to get somewhere far away. I would never have even thought twice about it.
But a top five on yelp can do that to a person, so I swung by today, and I'm very glad that I did. I went at a dead hour, which I estimate to have been a very good idea. I can imagine the place being a train wreck if and when it gets busy, with one door, a counter, and nothing else. Ordered a beef torta, and old favorite from my Mexican places back in central FL, along with a couple of pupusas, a dish with which I was previously unfamiliar.
The food was quite excellent. The torta was absolutely perfect, and, as I often find with sandwiches of all cultural origins, the bread completely made the deal. If they don't bake it themselves, I need to ask where they get it from. I have not looked into any Mexican/Salvadoran bakeries in the area but I need to find out where they get that bread!
The pupusas, despite being new to me, were exactly what I had expected. A delicious, greasy, cheesy mess. Came out at approximately ten thousand degrees Fahrenheit. I could have driven them back to New York in a convertible in December, and by the time I got there, they would have been a good temperature for eating. I somehow managed enough willpower to wait long enough not to melt all of the skin off of the inside of my mouth, something I do on at least a weekly basis. The slaw with tomato sauce on the side was a great addition, and the salsa verde was also quite good, although I decided that the flavors of the dish were too delicate to warrant its application.
Overall, very impressive.
People thought this was:
Tacos here are great! I had the carnitas, the carne asada, and the GOAT tacos. The goat was GREAT. Also had a pork and cheese pupusa that brought me back to my days in LA living in a Salvadoran neighborhood. The burrito was MEH - I don't recommend it. Also, their horchata was excellent, and they have all the Jarritos sodas you'd expect in a good Mexican food stand.
Down sides: Burrito not so great, small trek from metro, almost nowhere to sit, not great ambiance if you want someplace nicer
Up sides: Most of the food is fantastic, very authentic, fast, and CHEAP!
I'll definitely be going again soon!
People thought this was:
It seems like everyday parts of Arlington are being torn down and replaced by high priced condos, stores, and restaurants. Avoid the yuppies on Wilson and head down Washington Boulevard to El Charrito.
El Charrito has a back to basics approach. Basics meaning awesome food.
You don't go here for the atmosphere. You go here for the tacos and pupusas-which are phenomenal. And cheap. My standard order, 2 goat tacos and 1 herb pupusa costs $5.50.
They've actually upgraded the place in the past few months. Redesigned signs and takeout menus, and an ATM inside, since they only accept cash.
People thought this was:
okay... i'm going to be the asshole here (sorry Jeff, yelp HQ took down my original review since some people thought me calling you out on being one was offensive even after you had told me that you were pissed i was taking the title away from you... i LOVE you, flaggers out there... you guys are so awesome. when i grow up, i wanna be just like you. i figure all i need is a lobotomy and some tights) that doesn't agree w/ why this spot is so bangin. i mean, yeah... okay. they're not bad. and they're dead cheap. but they're not great, either. i wouldn't even go there again unless the mate really needed a fix and even then i'd ask if he was sure bout it. and even then i'd more than likely hit up another joint in that strip while he gets his tacos on.
i think that's where i fail to see the light, though. i didn't have a taco. why? well... i'm MOSTLY vegetarian. and i use that term loosely... i do eat meat (no, not just man meat. shut up, ya fucking pervs), from time and again. not pork and beef, but i do consume chicken if i know for a fact it's organic/free range, etc. blah blah blah... and since i am certain nothing at this joint is organic, i stayed away from das tacos.
so... i had a vege burrito and a cheese pupusa. the star here was the pupusa for me... mmm mmmm greasy cheesy goodness melted into a fried corn tortilla. what the fuck is there not to like? unfortunately, the burrito didn't deliver. at all. it was boring. it didn't dance.
first off, there was hardly any beans. i am a BIG fan of beans. and when i eat anything hispanic/latino, i want to be able to ask my mate in bout an hour and a half to two hours later to pull my finger and for me to be able to respond w/ a good answer. hence... gimme a good portion of beans, please. but nothing doing on this sad burrito. second. there was supposed to be guacamole in it. i didn't see or taste any. second, it was crammed with mostly just lettuce. and lastly, there was NO CHEESE!!! okay, so that last one i should've asked for since they don't normally hook it up w/ cheese. but how am i supposed to know that shit? come on...
this place fell flat for me. large time. i guess i'd come back for a cheese pupusa, but honestly, i'd much rather have a slice of pizza.
People thought this was:
Finally after having El Charrito bookmarked for the past 6 months, we finally walked over and tried it. Wow it was extremely fresh, good flavor, authentic, and cheap.
We will definitely be back!
I bet this place is a lot better if you get take-out instead of dining here. I'm positive Chris would have appreciated it more if we had gotten take-out instead of eating here as well! Let me explain.
This place is located in this like 3 unit retail strip mall. Once you walk into the front doors you are greeted by a man behind a counter looking at you holding a notepad. There is probably 5 feet between the front door and the counter with about 6 bar stools lining the counter.
So we get here on a Sunday at around 1:30ish and it is hopping with all kinds of folks standing around waiting for their take-out orders. We were on our way out to the big suburbs to visit Old Town since it's supposed to be fancy and all (according to all our friends in the 'burbs). We wanted to eat there so we grabbed a couple stools and placed our orders. I got 3 tacos - goat, beef, and chorizo - as well as a bean papusa. All were very delicious. The tacos are wrapped in homemade corn tortilla shells and the ingredients are fresh and tasty. This was also my first papusa and I can now say I'm a fan. It was superb.
HOWEVER - we were the only ones eating at the bar with all these other people just standing around us waiting on their food and watching us eat. It was a little uncomfortable to say the least.
Chris didn't like that situation, but there aren't any fish or shrimp tacos - they are all meat. That was another minus for Chris since he goes the pescatarian (sp?) route.
Anyhoo, I thought for a carnivore that doesn't mind eating when no one else is, it was delicious! If we lived nearby I would definitely hit this place up on the regs.
I LOVE this place. Seriously, for 10 bucks you get way more food than you can ever eat and no one gives you a dirty look when you order the supreme burrito AND the tacos!
I always get mine to go, but some folks do sit at the counter and eat. Every time I'm there, I sit at the counter to wait for my food and it always reminds me that I really need to stop procrastinating and just learn spanish already!
If you go, order the Beef Burrito Supreme, the Pork Tacos, definitely get the side for rice and beans, if you are feeling special, the plantains are awesome, and I like to get a pineapple soda.
Only 4 stars cause I always get way too much food since it is so cheap and then I feel bad for eating so much!! That and I don't speak spanish so the ambiance is a little off for me.
Really impressed with the food here. I liked the beef tacos, the chicken pupusa, the spicy green salsa and the slaw.
People thought this was:
We were looking for some cheap, easy and tasty takeout on Friday night because we were going somewhere uber fancy on Saturday night (see my next review) and we settled on this place b/c of the high reviews. Yelp was right--we loved it! As others have noted, it's insanely inexpensive. We got 2 burritos, 2 pupusas, a tamale and 2 bottled drinks for $13. That's ridiculous.
For Mexican food that's cheaper than Taco Bell, you can't have high expectations, but it tasted so DELICIOUS! We ordered and they made it fresh on the spot while we waited, probably about 5 minutes. Authentic, cheap, quick, delicious; what more could you ask for?
Beware though: CASH ONLY!
I spent $11 and got 2 tacos, 2 papusas, and a Burrito Supreme. I couldn't eat it all and had to save the papusas for later. It's all good food. The tacos are made with soft corn tortillas and are pretty filling. I had to try this place after all the good reviews I read and now I go there at least once a week.
I like everything except the beef tongue. The shredded goat meat is really tasty and unique. Also, the ground chorizo is my favorite and makes a really good taco. If nothing else get the Chicken tamale, it's wrapped in a banana leaf and moist like a tamale should be.
This is excellent, inexpensive Mexican/El Salvadorian carryout food. I'm impressed with it's quality considering it's a glorified taco cart. Baja Fresh & Chipotle have nothing on this place.
People thought this was:
Well for my first review I figured that I would add one to the 500 or so this place already has. El Charrito Caminante - not sure what the name means, but, I do know one thing - this place is fail proof.
My girl and I decided to venture in one Monday night, and we weren't disappointed. From the outside it doesn't look like much. Tucked away on Washington Boulevard, it's put back among 4-5 other business including the always crappy "Z-Pizza" and the always dependable 711. Anyways, the restaurant itself doesn't look like much - even the light up sign looks like it fell out of 1980's Tijuana, but it's what's on the inside that counts - right? Well onto that. If you're looking for a spiffy night out with a certain someone, or if you're looking to be able to sit at a table and enjoy a few overpriced margaritas with your food, this is not the place for you. The decor is drab, and the place looks like it could use a good deep cleaning, but like Bourdain says - if it's good, it's good - sometimes you just have to close your eyes and pretend like you don't know where it comes from. BTW. None of my stars are based on the decor or service (because there really isnt - it's short order) they are based solely on the food
As for the food: From what I can see there are 2-3 El Salvadorian/Honduran women in the back throwing down on what is probably the best, not to mention cheapest (3$ taco, 4$ burrito, 2$ papussa) authentic Mexican cooking in the Northern Virginia area. I decided I would order the Burrito with Shredded Pork and a Mixed Papussa and my lady had two Vegetarian Burritos. Word to the wise, only order one of the burritos, two if you're feeling extra hungry. Even though the prices are low, the portions are large. The food came out in a very timely fashion (although we were the only ones there), and it was wonderful! There are a vast array of words that can describe the way a certain thing tastes, so for that, I won't even try.
But I will say this, if you want some of the most authentic (and cheapest) South American cooking around, do frequent El Charrito - and delay your next trip to Chipotle.
Other people have already covered the atmosphere, the deliciousness, the value, etc, so I won't waste any time re-hashing its greatness.
What I do want to tell you about is a taste-pairing that would satisfy the foodiest of foodies (that's a phrase people use, right?). Here's what you do:
1. Go to El Charrito and order your tacos, burritos, pupusas...whatever. Make sure you order something with red meat. I suggest goat.
2. Cut a hole in the box
3. Put your d*** in the hole
...sorry, wrong set of directions...
2. Go to the 7-11 next door and buy a can of Bud Light with Clamato. Yeh, I know what you're thinking. "Eww, clamato and double EWWW, Bud Light...". But let's deconstruct: beer, salt, lime, and tomato to chase down a taco. It couldn't be more perfect.
3. Put your BLw/C in a paper bag and return to Charrito.
4. Retrive tacos, find a spot on the curb in front of Z pizza.
5. Eat tacos, drink BLw/C from paper bag, and thank me when you're done
People thought this was:
Very good carryout. The tacos with chorizo, goat and beef were quite tasty. They had as much meat as you could expect in $2 tacos and the flavors were good. Each type had its own garnishes and the beef had nice thin slices of radish. The tongue was not stewed tender and stil had a bit of chew to it. The horchata was good, nutty with cinnamon. Its near the office and we'll be back to try the Tamarindo and more menu items.
What would it take to get 5 stars? Hotter meats, beef tacos with fresh grilled and chopped meat.
Yes, it's not the cleanest place in the world.
Yes, you might be the only non-Hispanic person standing in line.
Yes, the guy taking your order understands English.
No, they don't take credit cards.
This place is where it's at. Easily one of my favorites in the DC area. It's cheap and wholesome. Just the way I like it. It's hard for me to give it a full 5 stars, because the place doesn't accept credit cards, but damn the food is just too good.
The tortas, tamales, and the pupusas are my favorites here. The chicharron isn't so bad either. Forget about "mexican food". This Salvadorian/Colombian/Peruvian cuisine is as good as it gets, and beats that tex-mex crap like a fat kid with no lunch money. Don't forget to wash it all down with an ice cold Inca Kola... respek!
I can still smell the sweetness that is you. On my hands, in the air, on my face, all around me. Your taste fulfills all of my senses and my mind simply screams, "I want more!". Soon I lean back, tired, satisfied but saddened that our time together has suddenly ended. You're no where to be found...and I'm all alone.
I already miss the four of you. My deliciously tasty temptresses in the forms of a beef, tongue, goat and chicken tacos. My last taco has disappeared down my gullet and I indeed wanted more after they were all gone.
Had I been a smoker, I probably would've lit a cigarette after my first lunch at El Charrito Caminante. Yes, it was THAT awesome! After reading the reviews on Yelp a few months back I've been dying to try it out to get my taco fix. Today was the day and I managed to get some coworkers to join me for the walk to El Charrito.
As soon as we arrived, we saw a short line and quickly place our orders. As we waited we saw the various awards hanging on the wall with the Yelp award proudly displayed in the center of the sea of awards. As they cooked up our eats, I noticed on important fact for would be visitors of El Charrito Caminante; it's a cash only business so bring some green!
The good thing is that the prices are very cheap ($2 tacos and $4 burritos) and you won't need too much money to fill you belly. Once our food was ready we grabbed our eats and walked down the street to a pubic table. Ripping open the bags we all stuffed our faces briefly saying "umm, this is good" or "man this is delicious" in between bites. We were all obviously happy and I experienced sheer delight as I destroyed my four tacos.
For those of you that are fans of poo poo non-legit Mexican food (see Taco Bell), this is THE real deal. The burritos and tacos are made with real meat and you wont' find any of that nasty processed ground beef here. The selection of deliciously spiced meats at El Charrito are chicken, sausage, beef, pork, goat and beef tongue for the more adventurous.
I was truly bummed when my four tacos were all gone and my stomach happily hummed with satisfaction as my eyes grew heavy with sleep. Sadly, I had to abandon work an hour early and headed home to spread the news of El Charrito...and to relax.
A few hours later after hyping up El Charrito, the wife and two monkeys headed back to Arlington. It was dinner time and my wife was skeptical at my enthusiasm for El Charrito but was looking forward to trying out the tasty burritos for herself. Ordering one chicken burrito supreme (chicken, beans, cheese, rice, guac and some tasty sauce) and one beef burrito supreme we dined in our luxury ride; the family mini van.
Oh yeah, the boss lady was indeed impressed and after a few bites of her chicken burrito supreme instantly became a fan of El Charrito. She ate half of her chicken burrito and switched with me finishing off my beef burrito supreme. Finishing off our respective burritos we sat there happily in our seats and both agreed we would be visiting El Charrito many more time in the days to come. We couldn't wait to share the word of El Charrito with friends and family.
As we headed home with stomach happy of a 2nd El Charrito meal...I thought about what my coworkers would say if they knew my fat ass came back to El Charrito for dinner. I think they would be jealous.
People thought this was:
Love this place! We eat here regularly, or rather, we call our order in and pick it up as the line gets CRAZY during peak hours.
If you order in a complicated way - I recommend you speak Spanish - or expect your order to be wrong - these guys and gals are really busy. Just order off the menu, everything is great!
I'd recommend any of the pupusas and I highly recommend the goat tacos! All their tacos and burritos are fantastic....and CHEAP! We feed our household for $12!
The chorizo burrito here reminds me of Bambas: Burritos as Big as your Head, mexican chorizo burritos I used to always get at 2am when I was still at the University of Illinois.
That is to say, I just had one, and my lips are still tingling.
That's legit.
[Note: This is not a sit-down place. There is literally a counter with 3 bar-stools that looks into the kitchen - come and order your $4 burritos and take it home or sit oustide the 7-11 next door, which is really quite a hang out sometimes ...]
After suffering from a hankering for some good Mexican food over the past couple weeks, I read the reviews on this place, and so decided to dive into this hole on a Wednesday afternoon. Although I was hoping for some of the more traditional enchiladas, seafood, etcetera, they had the most authentic tacos I've had since I last visited a taco stand in a Mexican border town.
I ordered a numbero tres, which is on the menu amongst the pics provided. Now, I usually don't dabble in suffering meat, but today I was out or sorts from a night of excessive quantities of beer, so I regretfully said "ahhhh fuck it". This is not to say that I regret the flavor of the steak or chicken, as they were both quite tasty, nothing special though, just tasty. The chicken taco was really good, packed with herbs and grilled chicken (no cheese). They use the thick corn tortillas for all their tacos, their cheese pupusas are surprisingly tastier than they look, their rice is typical white rice, and they serve black beans, with a pureed consistency, which I like.
Next time I go, I may request a cheese pupusas in place of the standard corn tortilla for the taco. The pupusa is essentially the tortilla filled with cheese. They also have home made salsa verde, fresh tasting and earthy, but not very spicy. I would like to advise eating right after you pick up your order, either eat there, or outside on the sidewalk. I drove out there from Annandale, which allowed for the drive back to dry up the meat a little. I'm eager to go back to get a fresher taste.
People thought this was:
Unbelievable.
This place is great, I had the goat taco and a burrito supreme with beef and it was absolutely delicious. Great flavor out of the meet, ingredients were traditional and everything was cooked right there in front of you. I wish the place was bigger so that you can sit down and enjoy it, rather than sitting in front of 7-11, but whatever, the food is great. Try the steak and cheese too.
Highly recommend
I wonder how long it will take for my 3 star rating to result in a passive aggressive review calling me names?
I just don't see how El Charrito is so highly praised as it was pretty much perfectly acceptable, but nothing amazing or life-changing. I hate it when people mention some sort of snobbery towards a food because of where they've previously lived or traveled to (see NY pizza or TX BBQ) but honestly I think my standards have just been forever changed by the taquerias I've been to out in CA. How could they not be? There, you will see a crew hurriedly preparing fresh tortillas, grilled meats, salsas, guac, etc and generating some amazing quality mexican food for like $4 or $5. When you've seen and experienced that, how can you possibly get excited by someone at El Charrito pulling a tortilla out of a package you can get at the grocery store, and then slapping it down on a tortilla press a la Chipotle?
I had an extensive order, so as to sample as much as possible. I tried a couple tamales, two different pupusas, the chicharrones with fried yucca, and some horchata. The tamales were pretty good. I liked that they were nice and hot, and had good texture but barely had anything in them. It was basically just a wad of cornmeal.
The pupusas were definitely the highlight of the meal. Piping hot, with delicious filling. If I remember correctly I had one with cheese and one with chicken. Both were great, and an absolute steal at just around $1 each. The chicharrones with yucca were borderline petrified. Tough, dry, and tasted like they had been sitting out all day long. Extremely disappointed. The yucca didn't come anywhere close to the quality at Super Pollo, so in the future I'll just head over there if I find myself needing some fried yucca.
There's nothing wrong with El Charrito, it's just not the freshly prepared mexican food I was expecting. The menu is dirt cheap, which excited me, and they have some pretty extensive offerings. I'd likely come back on a regular basis to try something new, and wouldn't hesitate in suggesting that someone stop by to try it to take a break from the typical burrito shops. But I definitely don't see this being definitive mexican cuisine, and will be sorely disappointed if it actually does prove to be the best in the area.
People thought this was:
Wow, I live 3 blocks from this place and never went til last night. Don't get me wrong, I love Chipotle, but there is something more authentic, local, and tasty about this place. 8 bucks got me a pupusa, carne asada, a chicken taco, rice and beans, and a coke. Everything was delicious, especially that chees pupusa (I'll be honest, I had no idea what a pupusa really was before going here), and a great changeup for the Chipotle run.
Apparently this place was all the rage a couple years ago, and I know Yelpers overhyped it, but still, I was very impressed... will go back often (or as often as I have cash... nearly had to run to the ATM next door).
Strong to quite strong. Going to Confession today for the sin of having lived so close to this place for over a year and never gone inside (and I'm not even Catholic). It's just pathetic on my part.
Had some of the beef and some of the chicken (too much a puss in boots to try the Goat yet) tacos. Love the green sauce they give you. Love the tortillas. The entire thing is terrific and entirely affordable. There's nothing else to add that hasn't been covered below.
Recommend you memorize the menu and call ahead to avoid one of those awkward Starbucks-like hand-in-pants-staring-at-dude-next-to-you-while-yo u-wait things. Unless showing up in a Craig's List Missed Connection is your goal, I mean. Then, by all means.
People thought this was:
Transplanted Californians: this review is a shout out to you all that are suffering from the inability to eat cheap and fricken' awesome Mexican food.
I moved here a several months ago and began a search for what seemingly felt like the Holy Grail; I wanted to find good Mexican food in NOVA/DC area. I scoured and tried different places. I scoured the seven seas, swam through the bilge water of the Potomac, and walked miles through snowstorms to find this place.
Californians - this place is legit! I had the tacos, burritos, and pupusas and everything is pretty good. Only bad thing is that this place doesn't do burritos like back home. (You know the steamed tortilla shells and jam-packed with luscious, savory fillings screaming out to you to be eaten.) They toast the tortilla shells and make a sort of a round big taco, but still its pretty damn good. If your a purist, stick with the tacos.
I have a couple other assertions why this place is good.
1) The food is prepared by people invented the food.
Authentic Korean food tastes better when prepared by Koreans. Authentic Latin American food tastes better when prepared by .... can you guess it... Latin Americans. The same ladies you remember from the Taqueria back home work here too. Do the fricken' math people. The formula works!
2) The food is eaten by the people that invented the food.
The customers are also Latin Americans. You know the ones that primarily speak Spanish. I saw what it seemed like some blue-collar folk that rattled off their orders. They know their own culture's food.
If you go to a Korean Restaurant and find no Koreans, a fricken' alarm should go off in your head. Nuff said.
Point 1 + Point 2 = Fat and Happy Stomach.
Also, they got a "mean" horchata (cinnamon rice drink) that is pretty darn good. You definitely need to hit that up.
People thought this was:
This well-loved Arlington Mexican food landmark has been reviewed over 60 times, so I'll make this quick.
I, like so many of my fellow-reviewers of this testament-to-Mexican-food-goodness, love their tacos. They are of supreme quality, packed with deliciously prepared meats (I tried the goat, chorizo and pork), and fresh cilantro and aromatics. The Goat is intensly...goaty. Goat doesn't taste like anything else. It's delicious. The chorizo is snappy, spicy and tastes homemade, and the pork has that signature latin-food chewiness on the outside.
The tortillas taste like they were made of corn that was pounded out the same day. Refreshingly fresh (that's a double fresh!), simple, structurally sound, and fantastically flavorful.
The salsa verde in the squeeze bottle on the counter packs a little punch, but isn't too spicy. It's a nice compliment to some of the stronger meats (like the goat).
The fact that you can fill your belly with food of this quality for $2 a pop is outstanding. Outstanding doesn't cover it, really. I've reached the limit of my vocabulary of superlatives to describe the goodness that this place delivers.
People thought this was:
What a dissappointment!! I'm not sure if I was expecting way more because of the great reviews or they were just having a bad day.
So, I was on the mood for some tacos. Based on the reviews, I went out of my way to accomodate my cravings since I was all the was in Tysons. I got there and ordered 5 tacos one of each (chicken, beef, pork, sausage and goat). To my surprise, the best one was the goat taco and I don't even like goat meat that much. The other 4 were nothing special, very dry even after adding the green sauce. The sauce was also pretty good with a nice spicy kick that leaves your mouth burning for a good 3-5 minutes after finishing the meal.
Let me make it clear that I'm just reviewing the tacos here since that's all I had. I'm pretty sure other stuff in the menu is good. All in all, great goat tacos and great price ($2/taco).
People thought this was:
I've been wanting to try El Charrito Caminante forever - especially after reading such rave reviews on Yelp. So, one chilly night when we were in the mood for Mexican (food, that is), the family and I went over to check it out. Taco shops like this are pervasive in Southern California where I grew up, so I was hoping for a little slice of home. Like most "Mexican" places around here, the Central American influences are quite strong, so it wasn't truly "Mexican."
First things first, this place is cheap and it caters to a primarly latino crowd. All I'm saying here is that the food is basic and generally pretty good - but don't expect a mariachi band to greet you inside the door, gringo. The tacos were large and mostly good, though the chicken taco was a bit dry, the beef and chorizo tacos were flavorful. The papusas were just ok, and even though we ordered a couple different kinds, it was hard to tell them apart. The friend plantains and yucca were both good. The chicken tamales were below-average and had chickpeas and potato in them - kind of strange, and more like an Indian samosa than a tamal. (Yes, we way over-ordered, but I wanted to try so many of their offerings, and since the prices were so cheap, I went for it.) The best thing I had was a steak torta which was served on excellent, tender torta bread.
All in all, El Charrito was ok. I'd go back for the beer and chorizo tacos and for the torta, or if I only had $4 with which to feed myself.
People thought this was:
This place had me at the horchata- which I can rarely find (it's a sweet rice drink with cinnamon). So this place gets high marks for the goat tacos, the pupusas, and the price. I ordered the carne asada platter- it was decent, but meat was a little dry. It came with beans, cheese, salsa, sour cream, guac and rice. The goat and tongue tacos received really good reviews, as did the tamale. As mentioned by other Yelpers, this is a take-away place, and it gets crowded. Also, it's cash only. I'll be back to sample more of their varied menu.
People thought this was:
Whenever I come back from any trip to asia, I always have a serious craving for Mexican food, and only El Charrito Caminante will do. Here is the routine:
1. Endure 24 hour flight, obsessing about delicious goat tacos with their refreshing, crisp radish and spring onion topping and double-layer tortilla
2. Take the 5A home from the airport, each relentless, shockless bounce on the road reminding me of my empty stomach and sending my brain a powerful message: NEED TACOS NOW
3. Grab quick shower and dump suitcases at apartment, while quickly looking at the convenient menu taped to the fridge and pre-ordering by phone
4. Pop over to the store and pick up my food, already ready to go
5. Eat with so such much enthusiasm, dedication and gusto that, were eating Mexican food my job, I would surely be amongst the highest-paid professionals
6. Fall asleep at 3pm in a delirious, jet-lagged, goat-taco-flavored rapture
I highly recommend it.
Also: hilarious that when you call for pick up, they do NOT ask your name. This totally threw me the first 100 times I called. The guy is just like "thanks" *click* But they never mess up your order, GOOD TIMES!
People thought this was:
I gave El Charrito 5 stars because it is the best at what is purports to be...an authentic Mexican spot whose roots are in feeding people who enjoy tasty food that is not smothered in cheese and sour cream. Having spent my youth in L.A., it was refreshing to find a spot that reminded me of the taco stands I would stop at on my way back from church with my grandparents.
I love the fact that you can get goat. Goat is a staple in many parts of Mexico so it is nice to see it being honored in DC. The tacos and burritos are all very tasty and well prepared. You can't go wrong with any of the options. This is certainly not high class dining, but if you want the real deal, this is the place to be.
People thought this was:
This is a no frills hole in the wall place that serves some great authentic Mexican food. When I was there in the evening, there were no dining tables at this place just some bar stools. But the patrons at the bar stools were just waiting for their carry out order. Also parking was limited as it is shared with Z Pizza and other stores.
I just got the tacos, they were $2 each. There were a choice of meats (beef, chicken, tongue, etc) for the tacos. The flour tortillas were topped the meat, onions, and cilatros. And the green spicy sauce goes with it on the side. If you want simple, affordable, homemade & authentic Mexican food, this is place.
People thought this was:
My friend living in Arlington was raving about this little hole in teh wall Mexican taco joint, and now that I have been tricked into coming out to Virginia again, we made a trip to El Charrito. Upon entering the store, we ordered off the menu displayed over the counter that consisted of a few stools for those that actually ate in. I ordered a chicken burrito supreme ($4) and a chorizo taco ($2). My friends both ordered beef tongue burrito supreme along with tacos and pupusas. During the 15 minute wait for our food, One of the workers behind the counter proceed to give my friend a stare down that made him succumb to looking away. Don't look her in the eyes! Upon paying no addition tax was charge to my $6 order was only $6. Cash focused business at it's best. muwaha.
Upon getting back to teh apartment, I eagerly opened my burrito and taco and started pouring the green sauce into my taco. Deciding I should probably taste it before I poured it, I dipped my finger into the sauce and put some on my tongue. Big mistake. and i brought it into my mouth, it got on my lips and proceeded to burn. It felt as if I had a make out session with the sun. The taco was much smaller than teh pictures showed and it came in a corn tortilla which is more authentic, but I prefer a soft flour tortilla. The chicken burrito was poorly constructed, but given the amount of food they had to made during a mini rush, it was forgiven since i opted to put more sauce in the burrito and re-wrapped it to my standards. The burrito contained lettuce, which I normally do not get because lettuce is something you should never cooked or heat as my dad had failed to learn as I was growing up. Overall given the price and authenticity, I'm a believer.
Oh wait, this review isn't over yet, Just be warned, if you are prone to post Mexican gasiness, Avoid the beef tongue, as my friends were having their own seismic activity in their digestive systems. Beef tongue farts aren't something you want to be around no matter how much you like nature.
Arlington, VA
Category: Mexican
Arlington, VA
Category: Mexican
Arlington, VA
Category: Mexican
Alexandria, VA
Category: Latin American
Arlington, VA
Category: Restaurants
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