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Categories: Latin American, Mexican [Edit]
Neighborhood: Columbia HeightsColumbia Heights (Green, Yellow)
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My first experience with an El Rinconcito, was their 11th St. location near the convention center. And while I'm not trying to bring one down, while building up the other.. but that place just didn't really do it for me.
Fast forward several months and I've moved closer to the Columbia Heights location and had a few friends who swore by the place. I had to see for myself. I was impressed, really impressed.
El Rinconcito is authentic, tasty tasty El Salvadorian food. It isn't anything like the 11th St. location. For starters, it actually has a handful of set, ready-to-dine-on tables. They also don't use the generic bright orange "what the heck is this" cheese. The food has flavor and is made with love and I'm now officially a fan of the place.
I've gotten take out twice and dined-in once. Special warning, if anyone plays music in the jukebox, it will blast at an insane volume level. Do not dine in hungover. Trust me. But, the food saved me and for that, I still really like the place. I'd like to get back and try to seafood stew, which my friend absolutely swears by.
I've been slowly working my way through all the interesting looking restaurants in the Mt. Pleasant area, so stopped by El Rinconcito II for lunch. I probably should have listened to other reviewers and stuck to the papusas and tamales, but I was feeling tacos. While the beef ones weren't bad, they just kind of reminded me of the ones I used to make from the Old El Paso spice packet as a kid. The rice was pretty tasty though, and the pork papusa was delicious.
Not a bad little place, would definitely try again.
Not the absolute best Tex Mex/Mexican/Salvadorian place I've ever been to in my life, but El Rinconcito II is still really good. My roommate and I walk down to get dinner a few times a month and we've never been disappointed with the food or service. My only gripe is that the music is INSANELY loud -- if someone is playing music on the jukebox you can forget about talking to your dinner partner until it's over, it just isn't going to happen without screaming and constantly asking each other "What? What? What?"
The Pork Enchiladas and Cheese Enchiladas are both totally worth the hearing loss though.
Authentic, good prices, consistant (i've been over 10 times), great menu (i've had 7-10 different items). Is there better carryout mex/saladorian in the city?
*sometimes smells like cat pee in a litter box
this is place is very good. its tiny, and you might be the only americans in the place, but i like… Read more »
Hi. All I remember having from this place is a (giant and delicious) steak burrito, a (???) pupusa, a Dos Equis (for the first time, and honestly it tastes like water), and a shot that we were all supposed to sip but didn't.
I also remember being incredibly loud, drunk-dialing a certain Plunger Guy, taking some pictures, and telling m m that, to go to the restroom, she had to "go through the baby and past the kitchen". I also may or may not have screamed "CULOOOO!" at some point during our very animated meal. Our server was great -- she was amazingly nice and patient.
Four stars, even though I barely remember what I had and what it tasted like.
How can you resist cheap pupusas in a rowhouse basement? 'Nough said.
Really, though, delish eats reasonably priced with quick friendly service. It's a huge perk having this place in the neighborhood.
I tried this place for the first time last night, and am planning on trying just about everything on the menu so I'll update my review later.
It seems fairly authentic, and has a wide variety of Central American food on the menu (e.g. pupusas, platanos, tamales, burritos). Last night I had the taquitos sonora which were good and came with tasty rice and beans. Their salsa is delicious. If you are a guacamole fan, theirs is fantastic. Definitely order an extra side because you will want more than they give you.
The service is warm and friendly, and the prices are very cheap for all the food you get.
It's a mistake for them to put Italian dressing on the side salad. It sort of kills the authenticity and doesn't blend well with the rest of the sides.
I'm giving it a four for now, but hoping to bump to a five once I try a few other dishes. For now I will say this is one of the more authentic Latin restaurants I have tried in the city and would definitely recommend it over Lorial and similar places. It's a nice complement to the swankier, but still authentic Rumberos, which has more southern Latin American dishes.
The establishment is billed as an El Salvadoran restaurant. It is un-assuming and small but well-tended. I came here with several fellow yelpers for some much needed sustenance. The menu is distinctly ethnic. I ordered the chicarones with yucca appetizer, carne guisada (beef stew) and pork pupusa. The chicharones were very good. Very savory and crunchy. The fatty pork backs really have good flavors. The yucca were also good with a nice crispy outer cover. The carne guisada had a good meaty and heartiness to it. The pork pupusa was decent if a bit bland. I washed it all down with a tall glass of horchata that was somewhat gritty. I guess they used a powdered mix. The portions were generous and the service was expedient. Overall a decent place for a meal and one that I would likely frequent more often if I was a local.
How much you spend here depends entirely on how much you want to eat. You can easily get out for under $10 with a full stomach if you want to. I got an order of two pupusas, one mixtas, one pork, and an order platanos con crema y frijoles. The platanos were very, very tasty, but the pupusas honestly didn't do a whole lot for me. Beer is also cheap, running under $4 for the import bottles they have, and a little cheaper for the domestics. They also don't seem to mind a very rowdy group yelling at each other about masturbation.
I noticed that Jenn W. mentioned this as well but does the smell bother anyone else too? I disagree with most everyone on the authenticity and the quality of El Rinconcito. The Columbia Heights area has so many Latin American restaurants that El Rinconcito actually falls in the bottom tier. The open-faced tacos (the proper way) was garnished like Taco Bell (dry shredded lettuce, puny tomatoes, and dog food-like ground meat). The pupusa was okay but nothing compared against nearby neighbors. Try instead Gloria's on 14th or San Miguel at Mt. Pleasant. [Original Visit: March 31, 2009]
This little out of the way joint is great for authentic central american food (not like Chipolte or Lauriol Plaza). The clientele is diverse, from latinos to hipsters. The food is good but it's mostly for meat lovers, not much for vegetarians except for the pupusas or burritos.
I recommend the salvadoran seafood soup, which is so big that it's hard to finish or the steak with rice/beans on the side.
The food is excellent but it's often served at 6000 degrees. Celsius! amirite?!
My one of my favorite places to eat in DC. I went here all the time when I lived in DC a few years ago and then couldn't find it again amidst the re-vamped Columbia Heights. Then one day, I was walking along Park Road and, gracias a dios, there it was.
The food is consistently delicious, especially the chicken taquitos, and the plantanos con crema y frijoles. I love their Horchata too. Diners there are a mixed bunch, which I always take to be a good sign. A nice little spot.
The ONLY down fall, and I am hesitant to say this but someone else did first ... it smells. It didn't use to smell like that. You get used to it after a few minutes, but seriously, what is it? I like it so much that I'm sticking with the 5 stars, even with the smell.
Soooo yummy! You could walk by this place 10 times and never even know it was there. Under a little purple umbrella is tiny restaurant with nice people and great food. We started off with the nachos, standard nachos with lots of jalepenos(yum) and tasty beans with lots of cheese. I had the cheese papusa with the chicken tamale. It seems that all cultures have a version of bread/cheese combo and I have yet to dislike any of them. Warm gooey and tastey with sour cream. The tamale tasted exactly like solid chicken noodle soup.... or like a chicken noodle soup dumpling. Not the corn flavor I was used to, but reallllly good. The 'coleslaw' if you could call it that was very fresh and tasty. I put some on the pupusa and ate it. The refried beans tasted homemade.
Fun music was providing the soundtrack for a very dramatic spanish soap, the bar looked fully stocked and ready to roll out some tasty beverages (although i didn't have any on this particular night) and the servers were very friendly. Prices were not bad at all. very afforable.
A fun little jem right across from Giant.
This was the second time I had salvadorean food. The salsa that came with the chips was more like a bean dip than a salsa--only ok. The actual food was a bit better. I ordered a shredded pork dip that came with rice, beans and corn tortillas. My meat was tender and flavorful, but a little salty. I wish there was more tomato salsa to go with it. For dessert I tried their flan which was made with orange rind. It was a nice interesting flavor, but a bit too sweet.
I love this place. Absolutely the best Mexi-El Salvadorean food in the city!!! Having it around the corner from my house is a true treat (almost as good as having them on speed dial).
The joint is nothing more than authentic -- from the juke box screaming Latino tunes to the futbol and Spanish soap operas glaring on the TVs. The food rocks too... try the steak burrito and some papusas... or branch out for more traditional Salvadorean dishes that will delight the pallet like no other. Get extra food to go if you feel like gorging... I know you will.
I'm going to try and be as genuine as possible in this review. I really like this place. I ordered the salvadoran breakfast and it was really very good. The tortillas here are pretty serious--almost sope consistency instead of regular tortillas. My eggs, beans, plantains, cream, cheese, and quarter avacado were all great. The eggs were cooked to the right moisture level. I will be coming again for many more breakfast/lunches (I hate the term brunch).
My friend had the pupusas. I had a few bites. I must say they are not as good as El Charrito Caminante in VA, but better than Gloria's on 14th. They were a little bit too greasy/moist.
As for the rest, there was a good amount of seating, very good service, and they had music playing which is a big plus with me. At an adjacent table, people ordered the seafood soup and it looked really good--with seafood looking like it just came out of the Little Mermaid sitting in a large steaming bowl. I hope to order that in the future.
What's very refreshing about this place is that it's a salvadoran establishment that isn't the exact same as Las Placitas, La Lomita, La Lomita Dos, La Loma, La Plaza, and La Paraiso.
Four and a half stars. Easy.
What I ate:
A chicken burrito with the best sauce I have ever tasted. It also comes with some sort of cheesy rice and I have to say that it was the best rice I've ever had. No lies here folks. A bottled soda topped it all off.
What else they offer:
Of course burritos, tacos, chimichangas, enchiladas, chorizo, cheeseburgers, alcohol, bottled beverages.
The restaurant's upkeep is fantastic. I can see what their profits go towards. They have a couple TVs that is tuned to Hispanic television. The two downsides (which in my book equates to minus a half star) to El Rinconcito II is that they have a ten dollar minimum for charges. Ten dollars?! Their prices for everything is a bit high. My burrito and a soda cost me ten dollars and some change. I think I'll head over to Taqueria for lunch as they're a little less expensive than here.
El Riconcito is one of those hole in the wall places that effortlessly pleases, but by no means is it a "sheeshy" modern hipster kind of joint. By contrast it has a very informal family sort of atmosphere and the patrons are predominantly Latino. Accordingly, they serve a traditional crowd and the menu offers lots of dishes you will not see at other places.
That being said, it also has something for everyone. From their "taco salad" to their chimichanga, and even burgers and subs, they offer some great traditional Mexican and Ecquadorian dishes while ensuring that everyone can find something that they want. A note about me: I'm pretty tough to please when it comes to Mexican food as I reign from Burrito Land USA (California). But El Riconcito is definitely the best Mexican I've had in Washington, and it is surprisingly inexpensive for the size of the plates they serve.
One thing I should mention is that while the wait staff is kind, courteous and attentive, they aren't English scholars. But don't fret, they get the job done and know how to make a hell of a margarita. Not to mention, they have the real traditional margarita glasses and a better selection of tequila than almost any place I've been to in Washington.
The tamal de elote was awesome, but everything else was so-so. Generally good value for your money, but with the ambiance being blah and the food being OK, it was just OK.
Coming from TX, I rarely find good Mex and Central American food in DC. But this place is perfect...has everything you could ever want - so long as you're needing good platanos maduros (con crema!) and pupusas, etc. Plus, the pupusas are made right when you order them - instead of them making lots and freezing or saving and reheating. They'll even special order for you and greet you - remembering what you like - when you come for your next visit. Que lindo!
I want to give this place 4.5 stars. I am a big fan. The food is very tasty and is either cheap or moderate depending on what you get.
My memory is not good enough to remember the names of most people, so the names of Salvadoran/Mexican food outside of the Taco Bell spectrum is at least equally challenging. So let me just say I like almost everything I have tried at this place.
I usually aim for the cheaper items so that I can taste a variety of items, instead of spending more on a platter which includes rice and beans, salad, etc. I do this everywhere I possibly can... :)
Chicken tamales (I think) for appetizer - they come wrapped with chick peas and potatoes. Under $2, good size, & tasty!
Beef enchilada - my gf got the platter, I tasted it....tasty!
Cheeseburger - (I don't care, I like cheeseburgers....I'm not too cool to order it at a Salvadoran restaurant. No offense...I understand the logic behind NOT doing what I do...) I love it! Oh yea, $3 for a regular burger and $5 for a burger sub! You should get at least 2 burgers or 1 sub. Consider a cheap appetizer if you want to get pretty full. Let me just say: I love their cheeseburgers. LOVE them. Simple, standard, & TASTY!
Chips and salsa - free, and the salsa is tasty!
Other stuff I can't remember - pretty tasty!
Oh, the only reason its not 5 stars is the place could be a bit more upscale. Its not bad at all, but I can't give 5 stars to everything! (My girlfriend thinks this place is average) ---- Hey, 2 reviews in one!
EXCELLENT chicken taquitos (flautas) with all-white tender meat, sour cream, guac and plentiful refried beans on the side. On the cheap, too. The salsa provided with the cold tortilla chips was exceedingly mild. It almost tasted like v8 juice, but it was good enough.
Unfortunately, the first thing we noticed when we entered was the smell. I called it rat bait, and my friend said cats. We saw neither cats nor rats, but wish it smelled nicer.
The food has always been good with the only exception being the nachos. The salsa, chips, flautas, burritos are all excellent, especially for the price. The margaritas are fantastic, so I was shocked when we saw a Jose Cuervo mix bottle in the trash. Whatever, they are still delicious.
The atmosphere is very low-key with small tables, plastic chairs and TVs tuned to latin stations everywhere. The staff is very friendly, sometimes they don't speak english very well which makes ordering fun but a bit challenging if you don't speak spanish. You have to walk through the kitchen to get to the bathrooms which may bother some people, but I am fine with it and it is clean when you get there. We did experience an odd rather unpleasant smell on the last visit, but I am willing to assume it was a one off.
I really like El Rinconcito and it is an authentic, family owned restaurant in a location that is quickly becoming big box.
Located right across the street from Giant, it is easy to mistake this place for the laundry mat next door with the pay phones and shady dudes ogling girls out front, but follow the craigslist kids into this place for some delicious food. While most yuppies have never given a second thought to the cultural or culinary distinctions between Guatemala, Honduras, or Nicaragua, this here is a Salvadoran restaurant. SO DON'T GET MEXICAN FOOD!!!!! They have tacos, burritos, enchiladas and all that, but they taste like they do at FGIFridays/Bennigan's/Chi Chi's. You don't go to an Italian restaurant and order Greek food, so why would you go to a Salvadoran restaurant and order Mexican food? Get one of the steaks or a seafood soup. Trust me on this; look at what the people who order from the Spanish menu are eating.
While you can't have a truly Salvadoran dining experience without a few 32oz Regias, for some reason no place in DC has them. Suppose that is why Laurel is often referred to as "Mecca of Culture," but I digress. Start off with Yucca con Chicharron. Pupusas are also a classic, but are more fun to get on a Sunday in front of the church on 16th street. Since you probably won't make it out there though, you might as well get a few here. Get the horchata if you want, although it tastes like bad Yoo-Hoo (this ain't Mexican horchata remember, this is the Salvadoran stuff). Mostly though, just enjoy the food, and when you are so emboldened head on down to Haydee's on Mount Pleasant Street for the best Salvadoran dining experience in the city.
3.25 stars. Like many DC residents, I am a Texas transplant. As such, I often wax poetic about the numerous taquerias and restaurants where an individual could find wonderful Mexican food for mere pennies in Houston, Austin, and San Antonio. Not surprisingly, I have found few places in DC that adequately resolve the Tex-Mex palate.
Having said that, El Rinconcito II, a hard-to-spot Salvadorean restaurant nearly directly across from the Columbia Heights Giant, has all the necessary elements requisite for enjoying food south of the Texas border: massive plates, chips and salsa, efficient service, and cheap prices. If only it were a TRUE Mexican restaurant, but I digress...
El Rinconcito II has quite a few riches to bestow upon their patrons: their chorizo, Salvadorean sausage and cheese, breakfasts, and pupusas (thick tortilla stuffed with cheese and/or pork) are all above average. The chorizo, which could use better meat, is wonderfully spiced and expertly cooked and the pupusas are clearly above average (but are slightly more expensive than some of the pupuserias here in town). The Salvadorean sausage is a bit too salty, but otherwise delectable. The best menu item I have had here was on the Salvadorean specialties: it was a thin, breaded steak very similar to carne asada.
The service here is excellent, and the prices are reasonable in the District (they are more expensive than some places in Columbia Heights, but they have a higher quality product as well). In any event, I would strongly recommend this place to sop up the morning (or afternoon) hangover or to grab a quick carryout meal.
Great restaurant and glad to see it is doing well. The first time my husband and I went for dinner, we both had a pupusa/tamale combo, (so good) and a couple of beers- and the check was for $25. Why this place isn't heralded as the best cheap-eats in DC is beyond me. It totally deserves this title.
If you like real central American corn tortillas, you'll like this place. Nothing out of the bag here. These are the thick, hearty tortillas that stick to your ribs and you get to eat the while watching novellas on one screen, and football on the other. I wouldn't change a thing. That being said, if you don't like central American food and/or ambiance, you won't like it... duh.
Set off from the street, it is easy to miss this place. After hearing great things I ventured in with a couple friends - I am addicted to the pork and cheese pupusa and corn tamale. So delicious and the tamale tastes like I'm eating corn bread! I actually went again 2 days later with other friends. Delicious.
food was good and cheap.
like many El Savadorian restaurants in DC, they add a "/Mexican" on the sign outside, basically denoting they also sell tacos. don't expect your abuela's cooking if you're not El Salvedorian though. The pupusas were awesome and the tacos were ok and I'll definitely come back to try something else off the extensive menu.
just to note, i had no problem communicating with the staff. we didn't carry on much of a conversation but we had no problems with the basics.
Wednesday night, 9pm, starving.
We walk into El Riconcito. It's pretty empty but no big deal. I thought the service was good. Speedy and no translation problems at all. Small place with Univision playing on the three TVs around the dining room. Steve didn't like the "Atmosphere" but I didn't go there for it to be a nice place, i went there to be fed.
We both highly recommend the Ensalada [aka Fresh Fruit Drink]. It's the perfect summer drink. The pieces of fruit/texture does take some getting use to but the drink was totally refreshing and light. [$2.15]
I liked my beef Chimicanga and was very happy with the portion. It came with guacamole, salsa, sour cream, lettuce, rice and refried beans for $7.50.
Steve claimed to hate his Shrimp Fajitas but after further probing it turns out he just didn't like the pitas they came with and the fact that it only came with two of them. I didn't try the pita but it was very thick more like an actual pita then a tortilla. [$9.50]
Overall Steve was super critical and gave the place a 2. He said he'd only go there again if I wanted to. Of course I want to and thus gave it a 4. I'm determined to convince him to bump his up to at least a 3.
Ah well. We spent $34 and some change for this meal. I was super pleased. Steve, not so much.
Good, tummy-filling food plus soccer or soaps on four screens simultaneously. Great for weary after work evenings when you want to have comfort food and get back home early enough to putter around, but with no dishes to wash. Grilled shrimp are tasty. Flash friend mojarra fish in olive oil is a treat. Margaritas are not the best, but not bad either. Very sugary.
it's easy to walk by el riconcito and not notice it, especially since everyone is heading towards the giant across the street. once you find it though, you'll want to keep coming back. i get the same thing every time i go: a pork & cheese pupusa and a chicken tamal (i think it's about $8). it's so delicious i just can't bring myself to break away and try something else. the atmosphere won't be everyone's thing since there's usually a soccer game on and/or loud spanish pop music playing. also you won't hear most people speaking english, including the waiters, although there is english on the menus. but they do offer take out which is the method i prefer to enjoy this delicious salvadorian food!
I used to live directly across the street from this restaurant. Even now that I live further away, we still eat here every couple of months. Its menu features Salvadoran and Mexican food, all of which is pretty great. I can't remember choosing something off their menu that I absolutely hated. Very inexpensive too.
Washington, DC
Category: Latin American
Neighborhood: Columbia Heights
Category: Mexican
Neighborhood: Columbia Heights
Category: Mexican
Neighborhood: Columbia Heights
Category: Latin American
Neighborhood: Columbia Heights
Category: Latin American
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