El Centro D.F. on 14th Street - Permanently Closed

4.4

1474 Reviews

$30 and under

Mexican

Top Tags:

Internationally acclaimed Chef Richard Sandoval combines traditional culinary techniques with fresh, high quality ingredients to create authentic Mexican comfort food at El Centro D.F. Designed to reflect the bustling street shops and colorful rituals of everyday life in Mexico, the restaurant is comprised of three distinct dining spaces all under one roof. The Taqueria features a casual atmosphere where a lively open kitchen serves authentic favorites. The Tequileria allows guests to dine or lounge as mixologists craft Latin cocktails from 200 Tequilas & Mezcals. Along the rooftop guests raise a glass at two open-air bars. Warm, Latin-inspired service and welcoming hospitality will round out your experience.

Permanently Closed

This restaurant is permanently closed.

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Cuisines
Mexican, Comfort Food, Contemporary Mexican
Hours of operation
Brunch Sat, Sun 10:00 am–4:00 pm Dinner Daily 3:00 pm–11:00 pm Sat, Sun 3:00 pm–9:00 pm Happy Hour Mon–Fri 3:00 pm–7:00 pm LATE NIGHT Wed, Thu 11:00 pm–2:00 am Fri, Sat 11:00 pm–3:00 am
Phone number
(202) 328-3131
Website
http://www.eatelcentro.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual
Executive chef
Richard Sandoval

Location
1819 14th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009
Neighborhood
Downtown
Cross street
Swann St, NW
Parking details
Only Street Parking
Public transit
U Street Metro Stop and all 14th Street bus lines.
Entertainment
All Night Happy HourEvery Monday, 3pm-closeTaco Takedown Tuesday$2 Taco specials all day, every TuesdayLatin Thursdays10 PM-2 AM | Every Thursday in the Tequileria Lounge Salsa / Merengue / Bachata / Top 40 / Samba / and moreNo cover | Dress to impress!Rooftop HH Drinks 10pm-11pm
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Dancing, Delivery, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 1,474 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

4.4

4.4 based on recent ratings

4.4Food
4.4Service
4.3Ambience
4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

1,441 Reviews

OT
OpenTable Diner
Baltimore
2 reviews
3.0
2 reviews
Dined on March 14, 2020
overall3food3service3ambience3
The food was okay. There were good drink options. Our drinks were not getting refilled quick enough for a bottomless brunch.
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AC
AshantiC
San Francisco
11 reviews
vip
3.0
11 reviews
Dined on March 14, 2020
overall3food3service2ambience5
I am not from DC, but went to El Centro based on a recommendation about their bottomless brunch (39$) which includes everything on their brunch menu as well as alcoholic drinks. What they don’t tell you is that you are only allowed two hours to eat it and the servers simultaneously take forever to bring out the food. The portions sizes are also really small, and my food was only ever lukewarm at best (as though it was made and just sitting there waiting to be brought to the table). Essentially, you end up eating the same amount, or a little more than a regular entree...it’s just spread out over the course of two hours. That being said, I think it’s still a good deal from the standpoint of drinks since you could spend 40 dollars on drinks alone in DC and not eat anything at all. It’s a good also if you are intending to have a slower, more social-centered brunch and not instantly ravenous the moment you set foot in the restaurant. I’m not sure if the service was just off that day since we went before the rush and not many people were out due to the coronavirus panic, but I think I would go again... I would just lower my expectations. P.S. if one person at your table orders bottomless, then everyone has to, which I assume is to avoid just getting one bottomless and sharing it all around. I went with my family and my brother is 12 and a super picky eater, and they made an allowance for him to order off the regular menu while the rest of us did bottomless. Just ask the manager
1 person found this helpful
AL
AlixL
Washington DC
5 reviews
2.0
5 reviews
Dined on March 8, 2020
overall2food3service3ambience3
We did not participate in bottomless brunch, and the service we received reflected that we were not prioritized. Our coffee was cold, one of our orders took an hour to come out (everyone else got their food around the same time). The appetizer arrived after the main course, and so did the drinks. We understand the al a carts format, but the food was Luke warm when we received it...
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LF
LestheFresh
Washington DC
22 reviews
vip
3.0
22 reviews
Dined on March 8, 2020
overall3food3service3ambience3
It was o.k. not spectacular. I would probably go again.
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J
Josell1
Washington DC
7 reviews
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on March 7, 2020
overall5food5service5ambience4
Excellent food Very pleasant environment although somewhat noisy Great service
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GD
GeeDub
Baltimore
6 reviews
4.0
6 reviews
Dined on March 7, 2020
overall4food4service4ambience5
Nice dimmed light setting. Food was good and drinks also.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Washington DC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 7, 2020
overall5food5service5ambience5
Celebrated my mom’s birthday there during brunch! It was nice!
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CH
ChristynH
Atlanta Metro
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on March 6, 2020
overall5food5service5ambience5
We are from ATL and this was the best Mexican food we have had. The tacos were perfect ! The food was moderately priced. I will be back during my next visit in May!
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LM
LoriM
New York Area
2 reviews
vip
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on March 5, 2020
overall5food5service5ambience5
Excellent food well priced!
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DD
DeadlyDad
Washington DC
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on March 5, 2020
overall5food5service5ambience5
Quiet Downstairs, party time upstairs. Everything was great for my bride and me.
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CR
ChantelR
Kansas City
30 reviews
5.0
30 reviews
Dined on March 4, 2020
overall5food5service5ambience5
The food was excellent with outstanding flavor. Margaritas were so yummy!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Pittsburgh
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on March 1, 2020
overall4food5service3ambience5
Lovely amazing cool
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JV
JaimeV
San Francisco
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on March 1, 2020
overall4food4service4ambience5
Pretty good brunch - will fill you for the money paid
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Columbus
5 reviews
vip
2.0
5 reviews
Dined on February 23, 2020
overall2food2service1ambience2
The service downstairs was extremely poor. We went for the bottomless brunch and they did not come take orders or refill the drinks. We had to Wai most of the time for the server - it too a fair amount of time to find her. The food was slow to come and then all dishes arrived together and were cold. The food quality was just okay! Not my fav brunch place in DC!
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KY
KatieY
Washington DC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on February 22, 2020
overall5food5service4ambience3
Great brunch! Food comes out quick and it’s nice because you can try a bit of everything!
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MM
MegM
Washington DC
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on February 22, 2020
overall5food5service5ambience5
Food is so good, definitely worth the money for bottomless brunch. Great service
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D
Dani
Tampa
16 reviews
5.0
16 reviews
Dined on February 20, 2020
overall5food5service5ambience5
I sat at the front of the restaurant under the heaters and it was an unique, but amazing experience! I highly recommend the chicken enchiladas and the strawberry basil margarita!
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SM
SMSDC
Washington DC
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on February 16, 2020
overall5food5service5ambience4
Excellent food - the queso and guacomole were clearly fresh, we had a mix of tasty tacos and chef specialties including shrimp diavlo, and we loved the plantains too. Even the rice and beans were good. The kitchen is open so you can see all of the food prep. Definitely recommend for a group of friends or a family with older kids - a little loud but that added to the fun.
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TM
TinaMarie96
Greater Boston
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on February 13, 2020
overall5food4service4ambience5
I went to El Centro on a Thursday night to have a solo dinner. It was a little awkward getting seated with lots of couples, but I did not feel lonely at least! The food - I ordered Tacos El Pastor. I've had better tacos elsewhere in D.C., but the pineapple did taste really fresh! The beans were great, and the rice seemed like it was heated up in the microwave instead of freshly cooked. I come from a place where Mexican food is really good and really cheap, so I was only a tad disappointed to only get 3 tacos for $14. All in all, it's a decent pleace. I'm sure it's also livelier on the weekends or when there is nicer weather. I went when it was raining. I give it a 7/10.
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PK
PKDC
Washington DC
9 reviews
vip
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on February 12, 2020
overall5food5service5ambience5
Excellent food and service
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Washington DC
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on February 7, 2020
overall5food5service4ambience4
The food was excellent and it was fun to watch it being made if you sit at the bar.
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IW
paulInWashington
Washington DC
28 reviews
4.0
28 reviews
Dined on February 2, 2020
overall4food5service5ambience3
The food is tasty wish reasonably sized well-priced portions. The dishes are traditional, not really modern Mexican. Service is attentive. The restaurant has a buzz. You can’t hear yourself think, it’s so noisy. Everywhere.
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AF
AnonymousFoodie
Washington DC
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on January 26, 2020
overall2food1service3ambience4
I eat at a lot of different places and love Mexican food, but this place didn’t cut it. Located nicely on 14th St. but other than that and the atmosphere inside of the place it was a very poor experience. There drinks were on the stronger side and when I went to order my girlfriend a different drink it was not allowed as it was a 1 drink at a time rule. The food was ok but not worth the prices especially when the service is sub par. For being rated a go to spot I can certainly say I would not recommend.
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NJ
NickJ
Kansas City
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 25, 2020
overall5food5service4ambience5
Amazing food! Great service. Dimly lit upstairs and nice for a night out.
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h
housedivided
Las Vegas
11 reviews
vip
5.0
11 reviews
Dined on January 19, 2020
overall5food5service4ambience5
Guacamole was yummy!! Also, love the pork taco with pineapple garnish.
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W
Wood
Washington DC
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on January 18, 2020
overall5food5service5ambience5
I went here for Winter Restaurant Week :) It was such a good experience all around. The dishes came out in a very timely manner and altogether, allowing for adequate time between the courses. All the food was super good and there was an astounding amount of food provided for the price, I thought. All the dishes were great and the atmosphere of the place is super cool. The restaurant itself is so much bigger on the inside so that was a neat surprise. All the staff were super friendly, nice, and attentive. Everything was great all around.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Greater Boston
3 reviews
1.0
3 reviews
Dined on January 17, 2020
overall1food2service1ambience2
The manager was rude, it was empty during restaurant week, and the food wasn't very good. Basically it was equivalent to a sit-down taco Bell. We won't be returning.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Washington DC
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on January 16, 2020
overall2food1service1ambience2
We were trying this restaurant for Restaurant Week 2019...and it was a disappointment. Service was slow as a waitress walked by us several times without bringing us water or chips and salsa. The food was not good but the manger came over and apologized that we didn’t have a good experience. He even removed one meal from our bill.
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AA
AhmedAli
Washington DC
9 reviews
vip
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on December 22, 2019
overall5food5service4ambience5
Brunch was great! Great food and service
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Washington DC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on December 22, 2019
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great as always!!!!!
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S
Sparklaa
Washington DC
10 reviews
3.0
10 reviews
Dined on December 15, 2019
overall3food3service2ambience3
I would say our experience was fine, but not great. We went for bottomless brunch(food and drink) which is a good value. The food was okay, the service was okay, they seated us in the basement which felt much more like a bar than a restaurant. Good for a group celebration but nothing to write home about.
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p
poehlerbears
Washington DC
29 reviews
5.0
29 reviews
Dined on December 14, 2019
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great location for us to get together with friends and catch up on dinner. Food was delicious, great portion sizes, and I really enjoyed my Hibiscus Agua Fresca!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
London
3 reviews
4.0
3 reviews
Dined on December 11, 2019
overall4food4service5ambience5
Steak fajita lacked salt and no salt was provided. Everything else was good.
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LH
LeahH
Atlanta Metro
5 reviews
vip
3.0
5 reviews
Dined on December 8, 2019
overall3food2service5ambience4
If you want a decently priced bottomless brunch experience with okay food, this could be for you. The chips were delicious, the service was really good. The food was just okay. You can barely taste the alcohol in the drinks, but the service is so good that they are ready to give you a refill whenever you need it. They tried their best to accommodate my lactose intolerance, even though it was challenging and there weren't too many things I could eat. It is very Americanized, despite mostly latinos in the kitchen. Despite all of that, the place was okay and I would return if looking for a chill brunch experience. Wouldn't go out of my way for it though.
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AS
AviS
Los Angeles
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on December 8, 2019
overall5food5service4ambience5
So fun. So amazing. Great vibes, great food, great drinks
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CM
CherylM
Washington DC
2 reviews
2.0
2 reviews
Dined on December 7, 2019
overall2food4service1ambience2
The food was delicious, but we had to wait more than half an hour for a regular table in a less-noisy area -- despite having made a reservation ahead of time. The service was so-so. We were told that we could not order coffee after our meal because we were upstairs. After we reacted with astonishment, our waiter kindly figured out a way to bring us some.
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JT
JennaT
Washington DC
8 reviews
vip
5.0
8 reviews
Dined on December 7, 2019
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great food and fast service! The margs are my favorite
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MG
MarianG
San Diego
7 reviews
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on December 6, 2019
overall5food5service5ambience5
I chose the three street taco sampler and it was a great way to try a few different flavors, delicious! And the mango margarita was fresh and fruity. My two friends also loved their dinners, I’d love to go back again.
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LF
LoriF
Washington DC
44 reviews
vip
5.0
44 reviews
Dined on November 30, 2019
overall5food5service5ambience4
I had not been to El Centro for a while and eating dinner there made me wonder why. Service is great, the food is excellent and it's a really nice atmosphere. And you can actually have a conversation during dinner and hear what is being said. We both had the Jalisco Crab and Shrimp Enchiladas and while they were loaded with crab and shrimp, they were not heavy as enchiladas can be all to often. Really delicious. Great chips and salsa too. Definitely plan to go back more often.
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EC
ElizabethC
Denver
13 reviews
4.0
13 reviews
Dined on November 28, 2019
overall4food5service5ambience4
Food and margaritas were very tasty!!
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FAQs

El Centro D.F. on 14th Street - Permanently Closed offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (202) 328-3131.

El Centro D.F. on 14th Street - Permanently Closed is rated 4.4 stars by 1474 OpenTable diners.

Permanently Closed

This restaurant is permanently closed.

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for El Centro D.F. on 14th Street - Permanently Closed

1819 14th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009

Additional information

Cross street
Swann St, NW
Neighborhood
Downtown
Hours of operation
Brunch Sat, Sun 10:00 am–4:00 pm Dinner Daily 3:00 pm–11:00 pm Sat, Sun 3:00 pm–9:00 pm Happy Hour Mon–Fri 3:00 pm–7:00 pm LATE NIGHT Wed, Thu 11:00 pm–2:00 am Fri, Sat 11:00 pm–3:00 am
Cuisines
Mexican, Comfort Food, Contemporary Mexican
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Smart Casual
Parking details
Only Street Parking
Public transit
U Street Metro Stop and all 14th Street bus lines.
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Richard Sandoval
Entertainment
All Night Happy HourEvery Monday, 3pm-closeTaco Takedown Tuesday$2 Taco specials all day, every TuesdayLatin Thursdays10 PM-2 AM | Every Thursday in the Tequileria Lounge Salsa / Merengue / Bachata / Top 40 / Samba / and moreNo cover | Dress to impress!Rooftop HH Drinks 10pm-11pm
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Dancing, Delivery, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.eatelcentro.com/
Phone number
(202) 328-3131

El Centro D.F. on 14th Street - Permanently Closed

Permanently Closed

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Menu

What 1,474 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

FAQs

Does El Centro D.F. on 14th Street - Permanently Closed offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is El Centro D.F. on 14th Street - Permanently Closed restaurant rated?

Permanently Closed

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information