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El Centro D.F. - Georgetown, Washington, DC

El Centro D.F. - Georgetown

4.6
4.6
1997 Reviews
$30 and under
Contemporary Mexican

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 77 times today

About this restaurant

  • Good for groups
  • Lively
  • Great for happy hour
Chef Richard Sandoval invites you to gather, dine and raise a glass at El Centro, D.F. Authentic Mexican comfort food and fine Tequilas are served in three vibrant spaces.

Reaching back to his roots, internationally acclaimed Chef Richard Sandoval created El Centro DF to introduce Washington DC to signature authentic Mexican flavors and traditional dishes that he grew up enjoying. The dynamic two-story restaurant in Georgetown, with a back patio, is also home to over 300 tequilas, mezcals alongside craft Mexican-inspired drinks.

Order delivery or takeout

Private dining

Private dining

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Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary Mexican, Mexican, Comfort Food
  • Hours of operation
    Brunch Sat, Sun 11:00 am–4:00 pm Dinner Mon–Fri 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Sat, Sun 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Happy Hour Mon–Fri 4:00 pm–7:00 pm Sat, Sun 4:00 pm–5:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (202) 333-4100
  • Website
    http://www.eatelcentro.com/georgetown
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Executive chef
    Chef Richard Sandoval
  • Private party facilities
    Reaching back to his culinary roots, Chef Sandoval created El Centro DF to introduce Washington, D.C. to signature authentic Mexican flavors and traditional dishes that he grew up enjoying. The dynamic two-story restaurant in Georgetown, with back patio, is also the home to 200 tequilas and mezcals!
  • Private party contact
    DC Events Team: (888) 387-7245
  • Location
    1218 Wisconsin Ave., Washington, DC 20007
  • Neighborhood
    Georgetown
  • Cross street
    M Street NW
  • Parking details
    There is both street parking and a public lot.
  • Public transit
    Just North of the intersection of Wisconsin Ave NW and M St NW.
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Dancing, Delivery, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Offers

  • Everyday Happy Hour

    Multiple dates available
    Sun - 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM,Mon - Fri - 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM,Sat - 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
    Join us in the Bar 7 days a week for Happy Hour featuring Small Bites, Tacos, Beer, Wine and Cocktails. Reservations are not needed or taken for Happy Hour. MONDAY - FRIDAY | 4 PM - 7 PM SATURDAY & SUNDAY | 4 PM - 5 PM

Menu

El Centro D.F. - Georgetown's menu was last updated 2025-01-30.

Guacamole & Queso

  • Unlimited Chips & Salsa Duo$3.00

    corn tortilla chips, habanero + molcajete salsas

    • Traditional Guacamole$16.00

      avocado, tomato, onion, cilantro, lime, chili serrano

      • Tuna Guacamole* **$18.00

        tuna, avocado, chili salsa, jicama salad, onion, cilantro, chipotle mayo

        • Corn Esquites$16.00

          grilled corn, queso fresco, tajín chipotle mayo

          • Queso Fundido**$14.00

            melted oaxaca & chihuahua cheese, chili morita salsa, flour tortillas

            • El Centro Chile con Queso**$16.00

              pico de gallo, pickled chili, bacon

              For the Table

              • Tuna Ceviche* **$16.00

                lychee citrus broth, cilantro, mango, cucumber, onion, avocado

                • Cantina Nachos$14.00

                  requeson cheese sauce, cotija, guacamole, crema fresca, beans pico de gallo, jalapeño

                  • Quesadillas**$13.00

                    melted mexican cheese, pico de gallo, chipotle mayo cilantro, crema fresca

                    • Crispy Calamari**$17.00

                      jalapeño tartar, chipotle mayo, habanero salsa, tajín

                      Soup & Salad

                      • Tortilla Soup$11.00

                        crema fresca, cheese, avocado, tortilla strips

                        • Chipotle BBQ Salad$18.00

                          grilled chicken, panela, black beans, jicama, roasted corn avocado, tomato, tortilla strips, cilantro-ranch

                          • Mexican Caesar Salad**$14.00

                            black beans, cherry tomato, avocado, roasted corn, jicama, croutons, smoky caesar dressing

                            Street Tacos

                            three soft corn or flour tortillas** + mexican rice & beans

                            • Hanger Steak*$23.00

                              mexican cheese blend, onion, cilantro, chile de árbol salsa

                              • Chicken Tinga$17.00

                                crema fresca, lettuce, pico de gallo

                                • Crispy Shrimp**$22.00

                                  chipotle slaw, pickled chili, pineapple

                                  • Al Pastor$18.00

                                    adobo pork, grilled pineapple, onion, cilantro, salsa verde

                                    • Crispy Baja Fish**$22.00

                                      poblano tartar, cabbage slaw, pico de gallo salsa verde cruda

                                      • Mix & Match$23.00

                                        choose any three street tacos

                                        Chef's Specials

                                        • Pork Shank Carnitas$24.00

                                          salsa trio, refried beans, corn tortillas

                                          • Diablo Shrimp$27.00

                                            charred citrus shrimp marinade, chipotle tomato sauce sweet plantain, mexican rice, charred lemon

                                            • Carne Asada*$31.00

                                              hanger steak, poblano rajas, cheese enchilada crema fresca, charred salsa

                                              • Salmon Adobado* **$25.00

                                                grilled broccolini, salsa criolla, corn pico de gallo charred lemon

                                                • Seafood Chile Relleno$26.00

                                                  crab, shrimp, roasted poblano, melted cheese, crema fresca black bean purée, mexican rice, chile de árbol sauce

                                                  • Del Campo Mexican Burger**$20.00

                                                    veggie burger, melted cheese, fajita pepper, chimichurri chipotle mayo, pretzel bun, fries

                                                    Fajitas, Enchiladas y Burritos

                                                    served with mexican rice & refried beans

                                                    • Chicken Enchiladas**$18.00

                                                      tomatillo sauce, oaxaca cheese, crema, lettuce, onion

                                                      • Cheese Enchiladas**$16.00

                                                        melted cheese, crema fresca, lettuce, tomatillo sauce

                                                        • Achiote Hanger Steak Fajitas* **$31.00

                                                          guacamole, crema fresca, pico de gallo, flour tortillas

                                                          • Adobo Chicken Fajitas**$27.00

                                                            guacamole, crema fresca, bell pepper, onion pico de gallo, flour tortillas

                                                            • Shrimp Fajitas**$28.00

                                                              guacamole, crema fresca, bell pepper, onion pico de gallo, flour tortillas

                                                              • Vegetable Fajitas**$26.00

                                                                mixed vegetables, bell pepper, onion, guacamole, crema fresca, pico de gallo, flour tortillas

                                                                • Mix & Match Fajitas**$32.00

                                                                  choice of 2 proteins

                                                                  Street Tacos

                                                                  • Mexican Rice & Beans$7.00

                                                                    • Sweet Plantains$7.00

                                                                      crema

                                                                      • French Fries$7.00

                                                                        • Mexican Mixed Greens Salad$7.00

                                                                          Postres

                                                                          • Churros**$10.00

                                                                            cinnamon, sugar, cajeta, chocolate sauce

                                                                            • Corn Cheesecake$12.00

                                                                              agave berry salsa, tajín sorbet, whipped cream

                                                                              Last updated: January 30, 2025

                                                                              What 1,997 people are saying

                                                                              El Centro D.F. - Georgetown reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

                                                                              Overall ratings and reviews

                                                                              Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

                                                                              4.6
                                                                              4.6 based on recent ratings
                                                                              • 4.5Food
                                                                              • 4.5Service
                                                                              • 4.4Ambience
                                                                              • 4.4Value

                                                                              Noise • Moderate

                                                                              Loved For

                                                                              • District of Columbia

                                                                                Most Booked 1000-Point Tables

                                                                              Review summary

                                                                              AI-generated from verified diner reviews
                                                                              El Centro D.F. - Georgetown offers a vibrant Mexican dining experience with an "amazing brunch menu" featuring bottomless options. Guests rave about the "impeccable service" and "great location." The food is praised as "delicious" and "authentic," especially the street tacos and margaritas. Perfect for gatherings, this spot provides a lively atmosphere and value for money.

                                                                              1,997 Reviews

                                                                              1. OpenTable Diner

                                                                                Jacksonville1 review

                                                                                5.0

                                                                                Dined 2 days ago

                                                                                1. Overall 5
                                                                                2. Food 5
                                                                                3. Service 5
                                                                                4. Ambience 5
                                                                                The food was gooooood. The vibe was great, the service was great, and the drinks were great. Perfect for date night, perfect for a family and friends outing, perfect for a casual or a bit formal date. Perfect.

                                                                                Is this helpful?

                                                                              2. vivian

                                                                                Phoenix1 review

                                                                                5.0

                                                                                Dined on March 8, 2025

                                                                                1. Overall 5
                                                                                2. Food 5
                                                                                3. Service 5
                                                                                4. Ambience 5
                                                                                Great food and great service! Loved Nicola as a server! Great guy!

                                                                                Is this helpful?

                                                                              3. OpenTable Diner

                                                                                Las Vegas2 reviews

                                                                                5.0

                                                                                Dined on March 1, 2025

                                                                                1. Overall 5
                                                                                2. Food 5
                                                                                3. Service 5
                                                                                4. Ambience 5
                                                                                Had a great time at El Centro. The food came out quickly and was delicious! We had great service and an overall fabulous experience.

                                                                                Is this helpful?

                                                                              4. indira VIP

                                                                                Washington DC11 reviews

                                                                                5.0

                                                                                Dined on February 25, 2025

                                                                                1. Overall 5
                                                                                2. Food 4
                                                                                3. Service 5
                                                                                4. Ambience 5
                                                                                Love Mexican and the food was great! I had chicken nachos, tortillas soup and pork shank. The soup was a little salty but other than that, everything was great and the service was amazing by Winnie!

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                                                                              5. Antonio VIP

                                                                                Washington DC3 reviews

                                                                                1.0

                                                                                Dined on February 22, 2025

                                                                                1. Overall 1
                                                                                2. Food 3
                                                                                3. Service 5
                                                                                4. Ambience 3
                                                                                Service was immaculate but what ruined the experience was a hefty rat scurrying down the tables onto the walls and onto the ceiling. Ruined the appetite unfortunately.

                                                                                1 person found this helpful

                                                                              6. Dan

                                                                                Washington DC1 review

                                                                                2.0

                                                                                Dined on February 20, 2025

                                                                                1. Overall 2
                                                                                2. Food 2
                                                                                3. Service 1
                                                                                4. Ambience 4
                                                                                The service is really pouring slow. There weren’t that many food options and the food wasn’t that great unfortunately it was a very disappointing experience.
                                                                                El Centro D.F. - GeorgetownResponded on February 21, 2025
                                                                                Thank you for sharing your feedback. We’re really sorry to hear that your experience didn’t meet expectations. We strive to provide excellent service and flavorful food, so we’ll definitely look into the speed of service and menu offerings.

                                                                                1 person found this helpful

                                                                              7. Tim

                                                                                Washington DC6 reviews

                                                                                3.0

                                                                                Dined on February 15, 2025

                                                                                1. Overall 3
                                                                                2. Food 1
                                                                                3. Service 3
                                                                                4. Ambience 3
                                                                                Ceviche was not fresh. Foul smelling. Delivered apps and two minutes later brought the main course - poor timing.
                                                                                El Centro D.F. - GeorgetownResponded on February 21, 2025
                                                                                We're really sorry to hear about your recent experience with us. Freshness and quality are our top priorities, and it’s clear we fell short in this case. The issue with the ceviche and the timing of the dishes is definitely not up to our standards. We truly appreciate your feedback and will address these concerns with our team immediately to ensure we’re delivering the best possible experience. We hope you’ll consider giving us another chance, as we strive to make improvements from every guest's experience. Thank you for bringing this to our attention.

                                                                                1 person found this helpful

                                                                              8. Kevin

                                                                                Washington DC3 reviews

                                                                                2.0

                                                                                Dined on February 15, 2025

                                                                                1. Overall 2
                                                                                2. Food 3
                                                                                3. Service 2
                                                                                4. Ambience 3
                                                                                We've eaten here many times and the food itself is usually quite good. However, the last two visits have been disappointing in that most of the dishes have come out cold. Last night one of our two mains was completely cold to the touch. BOTH of our beans and rice sides were also cold. After sending the main and side back, the main came back warm (not hot) and the side was again cold. Really unacceptable for a nice valentines dinner out. Could have overlooked it as a one-off, but it happened to a group of us 3 weeks ago. With all the great eating options around GTown this takes El Centro out of our rotation.
                                                                                El Centro D.F. - GeorgetownResponded on February 21, 2025
                                                                                We truly apologize for the experience you had during your recent visits. Serving warm and fresh food is something we take great pride in, and it's clear we fell short during your dinner. Your feedback is incredibly important, and we are taking immediate steps to ensure this doesn’t happen again. We understand how disappointing it must have been, especially on such an important occasion like Valentine’s Day. We would love the chance to make it up to you and have you back to enjoy the quality meal and service that you deserve. Please reach out to us if you'd be open to discussing this further. We appreciate your loyalty and hope to restore your trust in our restaurant.

                                                                                1 person found this helpful

                                                                              9. Joseph

                                                                                Washington DC1 review

                                                                                3.0

                                                                                Dined on February 14, 2025

                                                                                1. Overall 3
                                                                                2. Food 4
                                                                                3. Service 4
                                                                                4. Ambience 2
                                                                                The server was courteous, the service was quick and the food was very tasty. The tables were a bit crowded together but a very good choice for casual dining
                                                                                El Centro D.F. - GeorgetownResponded on February 21, 2025
                                                                                Thank you for your feedback! We're so glad you enjoyed the food and service. We're sorry to hear that the table arrangements made your experience less than perfect. We’re always looking to improve, so we'd love to hear more about what we can do to make your experience even better next time, considering you left us 3 stars. Any suggestions on what we could do to provide you with a 5-star experience?

                                                                                1 person found this helpful

                                                                              10. Nancy

                                                                                Washington DC2 reviews

                                                                                5.0

                                                                                Dined on February 14, 2025

                                                                                1. Overall 5
                                                                                2. Food 5
                                                                                3. Service 5
                                                                                4. Ambience 5
                                                                                Winnie is the beta of the best!!! From the moment and came to the table, she greeted us with a smile and mentioned her name. We enjoyed the food and the margaritas very much.
                                                                                El Centro D.F. - GeorgetownResponded on February 21, 2025
                                                                                Thank you for your kind words! We’re thrilled to hear that Winnie provided such great service and that you enjoyed the food and margaritas. We’ll be sure to pass along your compliments to her! We look forward to welcoming you back soon!

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                                                                              FAQs

                                                                              El Centro D.F. - Georgetown offers delivery in partnership with Uber Eats. El Centro D.F. - Georgetown also offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (202) 333-4100.

                                                                              El Centro D.F. - Georgetown is rated 4.6 stars by 1997 OpenTable diners.

                                                                              Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

                                                                              Make a reservation

                                                                              2 people
                                                                              7:00 PM
                                                                              Booked 77 times today

                                                                              Order delivery or takeout

                                                                              Google Map for El Centro D.F. - Georgetown

                                                                              1218 Wisconsin Ave., Washington, DC 20007

                                                                              Additional information

                                                                              • Cross street
                                                                                M Street NW
                                                                              • Neighborhood
                                                                                Georgetown
                                                                              • Hours of operation
                                                                                Brunch Sat, Sun 11:00 am–4:00 pm Dinner Mon–Fri 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Sat, Sun 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Happy Hour Mon–Fri 4:00 pm–7:00 pm Sat, Sun 4:00 pm–5:00 pm
                                                                              • Price
                                                                                $30 and under
                                                                              • Cuisines
                                                                                Contemporary Mexican, Mexican, Comfort Food
                                                                              • Dining style
                                                                                Casual Dining
                                                                              • Dress code
                                                                                Smart Casual
                                                                              • Parking details
                                                                                There is both street parking and a public lot.
                                                                              • Public transit
                                                                                Just North of the intersection of Wisconsin Ave NW and M St NW.
                                                                              • Payment options
                                                                                AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
                                                                              • Executive chef
                                                                                Chef Richard Sandoval
                                                                              • Additional
                                                                                Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Dancing, Delivery, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
                                                                              • Website
                                                                                http://www.eatelcentro.com/georgetown
                                                                              • Phone number
                                                                                (202) 333-4100
                                                                              • Private party facilities
                                                                                Reaching back to his culinary roots, Chef Sandoval created El Centro DF to introduce Washington, D.C. to signature authentic Mexican flavors and traditional dishes that he grew up enjoying. The dynamic two-story restaurant in Georgetown, with back patio, is also the home to 200 tequilas and mezcals!
                                                                              • Private party contact
                                                                                DC Events Team: (888) 387-7245
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