El Don Restaurant

Came in as a group of 5 ladies into the empty restaurant. Had a really rough experience ordering drinks and then all but one coming out incorrect after a long time. The margaritas weren't blended all the way and at first didn't have any alcohol. The man and woman making the drinks didn't seem to have any system nor want to explain. I was the only one to order food & the cheese pupusas were excellent. My drink - a pina colada - was the only one that was correct but it took over 30 min for everyone to get drinks. Unfortunate since we were all hungry, they could have made much more $$$ plus a big tip as we are all bartenders/event planners who love to reward great service.

Get the steak tacos, you wont regret it! They are definitely among the best tacos in the Columbia Heights/Petworth area.

Ohh, and if you speak spanish you'll have an easier time placing your order.

2.5 stars. A decent option if you need some sustenance after hitting the playground across the street. Had the whole pollo a la brasa with rice and beans. Tasty. Service was a little lackluster (she forgot one of our drinks), but food was good, and the wait wasn't long.

My wife and I discovered El Don immediately following a move to the neighborhood in 2013. We love it, and we have to make an effort to stay away! We have always been treated very well by every employee, the food is very good and marvelously priced, and it's fun to dine-in AND great for takeout. Takeout orders never seem to take more than 10 minutes, and a quarter chicken with rice and beans is our regular thing (plus one or two papusas for good measure). There is no bad time to order from El Don. Just coming from the park? Community pool? DCA? Work? Having friends over? Etc, etc. Oh, and if you need to wait a few minutes, then mosey up to the bar and grab a cerveza or two!

Service was a little off... My dish came out long after my boyfriend's and contained the wrong type of meat. They sent it back and remade it for me.

4 stars because the tacos were fantastic! I will be returning for those sweet sweet tacos.

I came in for pupusas, but was disappointed. They seemed to have too much tortilla mix and too little filling. Service was waaaaay off, my server had more interest in being sitting down nonchalantly at another patron's table, never asked whether I liked the food... she was interested in selling more beer...

High hopes for this place as i've watched it grow over the years. Maybe its new management but the quality of the food has declined a bit and delivery is so spotty now its not worth the call. I love supporting family owned businesses but I'd go hungry if this was my only option now. This area is booming with new restaurants its going to be sad watching this one loose out because of quality and service declines.