El Rinconcito Cafe
| Address: | 1129 11th St NW, Washington, DC 20001, USA |
| Phone: | +1 202-789-4110 |
| Site: | rinconcitocafe.com |
| Rating: | 4.5 |
| Working: | 10AM–11PM 10AM–11PM 10AM–11PM 10AM–11PM 10AM–12AM 10AM–12AM 10AM–11PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 12
LE
Leidy Russell
I dont see why the rating for this place is so high. I wanted somewhere close to eat some tasty pupusas. First of all after waiting we sat there and waited for the food, people who came after us received their food earlier than us which is annoying when you are really hungry. I just got the same pupusas as my sister (which i didnt order) and she told him about her mistaken food and the waiter didnt have the best actitud so I lost my appetite and didnt even wanted to eat my food anymore (just a bit frustrating). They were very short with us and my sister felt really uncomfortable and hated in the place by the waiters, mostly the guy who wasnt nice. All the time they were keeping an eye on us. Wtf. I ordered pupusas with tamal, and yuca and its just ok, I didnt love it like many other places in the U.S or in El Salvador where I have ate. Neither the yuca or pupusas were on my expectations. Felt really disappointed after making the effort to come here after an exhausted day of sight seeing. When the damaged came it wast definitely not worth it. $63 dollars for this disappointed. We came here for sightseeing and will be moving to D.C. and this wont be our place. I still dont understand the high ratings.
DE
Dee Dee C
One word: Packed! This place was packed!!!! As anyone may know, a good sign that an ethnic restaurant serves authentic cuisine, is to have an establishment full of people from its respective ethnic group. So, when my friend & I stepped into El Rinconcito and saw it filled to the brim with Latinos, I all ready knew the food would be the truth. Granted, I have had better pupusas before. However, my best friend raved over her pupusas & tamales, and the refried beans and yellow rice were spot on! Also, they serve cheap Latin American cervezas and potent margaritas for cheap. I would highly suggest calling ahead in advance, or looking at the menu prior to arrival, because the food is cooked to order and you will have to wait it out. The menu is extensive so if youre like me and get overwhelmed with too many options, I suggest you come prepared. All in all, if youre on this side of DC and you want a bite of Latin food, I would advise you check out El Rinconcito for some tasty, authentic, and cheap eats and drink.
DA
Danilo G
Attentive, cheap, big portions. Be sure to ask what does every item on the menu is served with. Most of them comes with side of rice and beans or side salad, even small appetizers. Best things to try are the pupusa revuelta, bistec encebollado(onions and pepper steak) and if you want it spicy go for A lo macho(with abanero Chile super hot). Try as well a glass of Horchata(rice and milk beverage delicious). Be patient, food is cook to order and it takes from 15 to 18 min, but its worth the wait. Every single plate comes with 2 fresh corn tortillas, not from a bag like other places, it literally comes out of the "Comal"(Google pictures of Comales to see what Im talking about) and 30 secs later on your plate. If you are in a rush order for take out before pick it up. Its usually ready in 15 mins.
BO
Bossi
The food is amazing -- I havent tried a dish which I havent liked. Its primarily Salvadorean but also has some Mexican dishes (though admittedly most wont know the difference, anyway). Prices are reasonable. A free spot at a table or at the bar is a rarity -- its a popular destination for a regular crowd at any time of day. Football (soccer) is on the TVs nearly 24/7. Only complaint is service- staff can be gruff, tends to get orders wrong, and it can sometimes be tough to get attention. But if you can get past that- the food is excellent. Im a fan of the ground beef soft tacos (+rice & beans) as well as the chicken chimichanga, and my friends rave about their pupusas.
IS
Isaac Truett
This place isnt bad, but it isnt great either. This was my first experience with El Salvadoran food, as far as I can recall. I had read in other reviews that the food here wasnt spicy like Mexican cuisine, but I was still disappointed that the flavors were not as intense as I would have liked. I had the pupusa, tamale, beans and rice. The beans and rice were pretty good. I dont usually order tamales at Mexican places, but I wanted to try the El Salvadoran take on them here based on other reviewers. The pupusa was a new dish for me - interesting, but not as flavorful as I would have liked. I would definitely try El Savadoran food again, maybe even here.
AA
Aaron Joyner
Tiny restaurant, doing a booming business, and for good reason. I had the Salmon and Shrimp, in heavy cream; it was delicious. The broccoli and carrots on the side were fresh, crisp, and delightful. My wife and son enjoyed their Quesadillas, which were overflowing with tasty ingredients. I ordered take out, and they said it would take 25 minutes to be ready. I came early (being hopeful), but their time estimate was spot on. Regardless, I enjoyed watching the staff navigate and serve customers in the tiny space, and the interplay of cultures on display. All in all, this was a wonderful choice for dinner.
A
A Private User
The food was superb. I enjoyed the ground beef soft taco the best. The meat was juicy and very flavorful. The tamale was very good (and impressively assembled in corn husk) as well as the pupusa. The decor and seating was limited but the food made up for that. The refried beans had a really tasty flavor which accented the rice and the rest of the meal. I will be sure to return and try more items on the menu. The place was very popular at lunch time especially with the locals.
A
A Private User
Amazing food. Hole-in-the-wall atmosphere. Very local, non-touristy. The food is El Salvadorian, not Mexican, and whats the difference? The dishes werent covered in cheese! So it was perfect for me since I love Mexican but stay away so I dont gain weight. Also, I watched them cut from a fresh head of lettuce - nothing from a bag. Everything was super fresh. I kind of hate recommending it since I dont want it to get crowded keeping me from being able to go back. : D
FE
Fernando Murillo
El mejor lugar para comer deliciosa comida centroamericana y compartir con la comunidad soñadora centroamericana en su propio barrio...... Sentarse en la barra es una experiencia íntima dónde se hacen amigos naturalmente....
PA
Paulino jacinto
La comida muy delicioso pero las meseras mal desordenado pedí una horchata nunca llego ni agua dieron si yo fuera dueño las mando de vacaciones 8/7/17 Que servicio y para a caber de chingar ni el manager estaba
CA
Carlos santiago
Small, humble, but super delicious. You can taste the authenticity in the food. Extremely hospitable. I sat at the bar and asked for a drink. Unfortunately the didnt have it so i ordered a beer. By the time i was half way done with the beer they had ordered the bottle of alcohol i liked and served me. Never had service like this. Definitely a must go spot. Feels like true home coming.
SH
Shatoiya McCann
Service is horrible here! Also, not too sure how this place is receiving so many great reviews about the papusas. Definitely not impressed. Also, be mindful of what parties arrived before you as we had an issue with a party being sat down before us although we arrived about 10 minutes before. The party was sat down immediately while we were told there was a 20 minute wait.
