I was surprised this wasn't rated higher. The tacos were great and taco Tuesday made it even better. 3 tacos for $10 that were a very large portion compared to other street tacos. Will definitely be back ! Fast service and allow you to order by QR code so no waiting for servers unless you want to
A H
Food and drinks were very good. The service was crazy, the staff put down a margarita pitcher to a group of 6 and came back 10 mins later and rudely said that we had to pay for the pitcher because it wasn’t for us. We had been ordering from our phones and didn’t necessarily know when someone ordered a pitcher or anything else. The waitress said she could get the manager and they just came back and took the nearly full pitcher, the manager never came. This happened after we collectively spent $200…
Greg Wurz
Very friendly staff, good food and timely service during lunch rush. I’ll be back as they say.
Bruce Baker
Over priced. Customer service was non-existent. Food was McDonald’s level at best.
Anna Hill
Laid back and easy dinner. Great tacos and margs!
IsaJP
Good service and good food
Haley Brush
Margaritas and tacos are good. We always sit outside and the service is typically very slow and inattentive. Honestly our biggest complaint is the napkins - the tacos are naturally very messy and the napkins are really poor quality. It’s annoying to have to go through 15+ tiny thin paper napkins just to eat three tacos. Still, we keep coming back because we like the food, the price per taco is less than Bartaco, and can walk here.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 2
Noe henriquez
Heidi is amazing at she does. Never have I had such excellent service at a restaurant/bar. Thank you Heidi.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Maiya N. Skye
The Elote was horrible. They couldn’t even bother to give you a mix of mayo/sourcream and lime. Just straight mayo and the tajin taste off brand. I ordered the Burria nachos and I’ve had better. The cheese on the nachos taste cheep. Never returning
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 4
Marcus VanPutten
I love going to this restaurant on almost Fridays and Saturdays and sit to converse with the bartenders while having a drink. It’s such a refreshing feeling to go to a place that has servers that make your time there well worth it. Heidi is someone you Must ask for if you want a great drink! Her expertise and experience behind the bar plays a vital role in the success and experience dining at El Rey. She is also a great listener and someone really fun to interact with even when she’s at her busiest. Such a great place with great people! I would recommend to any friend that’s in the area of Ballston and wants to find a place to enjoy some tapa style Mexican food and some great drinks to wash it down with :)
Wonderful spot, awesome food, good atmosphere, solid dog-friendly outdoor area for good weather days, and perfect location as well. The best part is Heidi on the team! Always a blast seeing her at brunch and she’s the best in the DMV! Brunch on the weekends is the best time with great drink options (mimosas, El Rey Lager, marg action), football, breakfast and regular menus. Fantastic spot in Ballston!
I guess servers/bartender were too busy. No one would make eye contact. Had to go place order at the bar, at that time a gentleman helped me. Ordered margarita and Al pastor tacos. Tacos were decent, margarita needed some work. Would try again hoping for a more positive outcome.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 4
Service: 1
Nurana Dunyamaliyeva
I had a great time at El Rey! I tried their nachos and margaritas and was thoroughly satisfied.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Nachos Pollo
Michael Mahaney
This place is a gem, especially on game day evenings. Evenings. $2 Margaritas? $10 tacos for three? Sign me up for three rounds of that! The food is definitely better than many tacos at nearby places. The margaritas were also a good alcohol to mix ratio. Oh and the guac is bomb. Not like the crap you get at many other places. I would say it's at the same level as table sidewalk at Uncle Julio's.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Guacamole, Al Pastor
Michelene Coulbary
Heidi is phenomenal and my favorite person on the team. We look forward to our weekly Sunday Fundays at El Rey Ballston to see her smile. I recently starting learning Spanish and she’s been a phenomenal resource for practicing. I was very shy about asking and she enthusiastically agreed to speak Spanish with me when I come in. Highly recommend this place for great food and service
I was surprised this wasn't rated higher. The tacos were great and taco Tuesday made it even better. 3 tacos for $10 that were a very large portion compared to other street tacos. Will definitely be back ! Fast service and allow you to order by QR code so no waiting for servers unless you want to
Food and drinks were very good. The service was crazy, the staff put down a margarita pitcher to a group of 6 and came back 10 mins later and rudely said that we had to pay for the pitcher because it wasn’t for us. We had been ordering from our phones and didn’t necessarily know when someone ordered a pitcher or anything else. The waitress said she could get the manager and they just came back and took the nearly full pitcher, the manager never came. This happened after we collectively spent $200…
Very friendly staff, good food and timely service during lunch rush. I’ll be back as they say.
Over priced. Customer service was non-existent. Food was McDonald’s level at best.
Laid back and easy dinner. Great tacos and margs!
Good service and good food
Margaritas and tacos are good. We always sit outside and the service is typically very slow and inattentive. Honestly our biggest complaint is the napkins - the tacos are naturally very messy and the napkins are really poor quality. It’s annoying to have to go through 15+ tiny thin paper napkins just to eat three tacos. Still, we keep coming back because we like the food, the price per taco is less than Bartaco, and can walk here.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 2
Heidi is amazing at she does. Never have I had such excellent service at a restaurant/bar. Thank you Heidi.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The Elote was horrible. They couldn’t even bother to give you a mix of mayo/sourcream and lime. Just straight mayo and the tajin taste off brand. I ordered the Burria nachos and I’ve had better. The cheese on the nachos taste cheep. Never returning
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 4
I love going to this restaurant on almost Fridays and Saturdays and sit to converse with the bartenders while having a drink. It’s such a refreshing feeling to go to a place that has servers that make your time there well worth it. Heidi is someone you Must ask for if you want a great drink! Her expertise and experience behind the bar plays a vital role in the success and experience dining at El Rey. She is also a great listener and someone really fun to interact with even when she’s at her busiest. Such a great place with great people! I would recommend to any friend that’s in the area of Ballston and wants to find a place to enjoy some tapa style Mexican food and some great drinks to wash it down with :)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Wonderful spot, awesome food, good atmosphere, solid dog-friendly outdoor area for good weather days, and perfect location as well. The best part is Heidi on the team! Always a blast seeing her at brunch and she’s the best in the DMV! Brunch on the weekends is the best time with great drink options (mimosas, El Rey Lager, marg action), football, breakfast and regular menus. Fantastic spot in Ballston!
Recommended dishes: Birria Tacos, Carnitas, Chorizo Potato Hash, Burrito Birria, Quesadilla, Breakfast Burrito
I guess servers/bartender were too busy. No one would make eye contact. Had to go place order at the bar, at that time a gentleman helped me. Ordered margarita and Al pastor tacos. Tacos were decent, margarita needed some work. Would try again hoping for a more positive outcome.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 4
Service: 1
I had a great time at El Rey! I tried their nachos and margaritas and was thoroughly satisfied.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Nachos Pollo
This place is a gem, especially on game day evenings. Evenings. $2 Margaritas? $10 tacos for three? Sign me up for three rounds of that! The food is definitely better than many tacos at nearby places. The margaritas were also a good alcohol to mix ratio. Oh and the guac is bomb. Not like the crap you get at many other places. I would say it's at the same level as table sidewalk at Uncle Julio's.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Guacamole, Al Pastor
Heidi is phenomenal and my favorite person on the team. We look forward to our weekly Sunday Fundays at El Rey Ballston to see her smile. I recently starting learning Spanish and she’s been a phenomenal resource for practicing. I was very shy about asking and she enthusiastically agreed to speak Spanish with me when I come in. Highly recommend this place for great food and service
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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