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El Secreto de Rosita, Washington, DC
Award-winning

El Secreto de Rosita

4.5
4.5
711 Reviews
$30 and under
Latin American

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 p.m.
Find next available

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Booked 34 times today
Experiences are available.
  • Charming
  • Good for special occasions
  • Neighbourhood gem
El Secreto De Rosita seeks to create great-tasting, authentic Peruvian street food, expertly crafted by Chef Kike Espinoza, that transports you to the vibrant flavors of Peru. With a warm, welcoming atmosphere reminiscent of your grandmother’s home, it’s a place where every bite feels like a cherished family tradition.

Order delivery or takeout

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Additional information

  • Dining style
    Home Style
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Latin American, Peruvian, Latin / Spanish
  • Hours of Operation
    Dinner Tue–Sun 5:00 pm–9:30 pm
  • Phone number
    (202) 234-8400
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive Chef
    Kike Espinoza
  • Private party facilities
    We welcome you to explore our Private Dining options, perfect for any occasion.
  • Private party contact
    our Private Event Coordinator: (202) 234-8400
  • Award-winning
    1. MICHELIN Plate 2022
  • Neighbourhood
    Downtown
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cafe, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Delivery, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wine

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  • Nabiha

    Jan 14, 2025 - Dec 31, 2025
    Palestinian Mezze Experience an experience dedicated to all the Palestinian grandmothers who filled our hearts and kitchens with love. No frills, just authentic, old-school goodness. Here, every bite transports you to the comforting, soul-satisfying flavors of a Palestinian grandmother’s kitchen, where tradition and warmth come together.
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What 711 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.5
4.5 based on recent ratings
  • 4.5Food
  • 4.5Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.3Value

NoiseModerate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
El Secreto de Rosita offers "authentic Peruvian flavors" with standout dishes like lomo saltado and ceviche. The ambiance is "beautiful and vibey," enhanced by "amazing service" and "delicious cocktails." While occasional service hiccups and noise levels are noted, the "fun atmosphere" and "warm staff" make it a must-visit in DC.
711 Reviews
  1. Luis Gabriel

    Washington DC

    25 reviews

    5.0

    25 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    It’s wonderful. Music could be a bit softer. Great food, fantastic service

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  2. Cam

    Washington DC

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on February 2, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Outstanding Peruvian restaurant. Every dish and drink we had was excellent. Perfect for a romantic date night.

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  3. Karen

    Washington DC

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on February 2, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Nabiha's food is as delicious as Nesrin, the chef and owner, is warm and charming. This restaurant is a unique, homey, and eye-opening experience that should not be missed. We started with hummus (of course) topped with fava beans and a delicious mashed lentil spread. The hummus is rich and flavorful without garlic or cumin. The tahini shines through. Debates over who has the best hummus rage. This one makes a strong argument. Our main courses were the whole fish (sea bass), which is fried, crunchy, and yummy; fettet jaj, a creamy chicken dish with pita chips; and the chicken maqlubah, a seemingly simple chicken and rice dish that is all about the gentle mix of spices. We had four (!) desserts, each more delicious than the last. I promise you will never forget the gulab jamun. Trust me. Best of all, the evening featured a running dialogue with Nesrin Abaha, who is a great chef, raconteur, and host. We laughed, joked, and told stories like old friends, even though we had just met. It felt like we were eating in her home dining room with her daughter as our server. All in all, a memory-making dinner in U Street

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  4. Hannah

    VIP

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on February 1, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great restaurant with good ambience and really great food. Highly recommend it. Daniella is an amazing and warm server!

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  5. Mike

    Washington DC

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on February 1, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent food and ambiance! Well worth the trip into the city from Northern VA, even on a rainy night. Parking can be tough, so consider an Uber. The meal was fabulous! My companion is a Peru native and she said that the flavors were very authentic. This was definitely a great restaurant.

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  6. Priscilla

    VIP

    Washington DC

    7 reviews

    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on January 31, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We went there a few years ago during DC restaurant week, both my husband and I loved it. So, this time we decided to bring our daughter there, also during restaurant week and she too agreed that the food was superb. Highly recommend.

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  7. Fadi

    VIP

    Washington DC

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on January 31, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Best food and kindest owners and most beautiful decor . Forever loyal

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  8. Joseph

    Washington DC

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 29, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food, amazing service, delicious cocktails, cool decor, live music after dinner. What more do you need?

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  9. Gabriel

    New York City

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 26, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 3
    Was disappointed, given that despite making a reservation for 4 people we were seated at the bar for 15 min, after being kept on the foyer for 5 min (it was not until we approached a waiter that we were greeted). After which our waiter took our order and minutes after told us they were out of yuca fries (at 8 PM). The food did not come in altogether instead the order for one person came in and 5-10 min after the rest followed. Lastly our waiter forgot the ceviche which was the main attraction, the restaurant gave it as a comp, but it was not enough to make up for the rest of the night.

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  10. Gabrielle

    Washington DC

    11 reviews

    4.0

    11 reviews

    Dined on January 25, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Absolutely beautiful and vibey space. Ambiance was just right, music was good. We had a 9 PM reservation on a Friday and they were out of a lot of menu items which is my only real complaint. Recommend for a cozy date or intimate dinner.

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FAQs

El Secreto de Rosita offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (202) 234-8400.

El Secreto de Rosita is rated 4.5 stars by 711 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 p.m.
Find next available

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Booked 34 times today
Experiences are available.

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for El Secreto de Rosita

1624 U St NW, Washington, DC 20009

Additional information

  • Award-winning
    1. MICHELIN Plate 2022
  • Neighbourhood
    Downtown
  • Hours of Operation
    Dinner Tue–Sun 5:00 pm–9:30 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Latin American, Peruvian, Latin / Spanish
  • Dining style
    Home Style
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Kike Espinoza
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cafe, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Delivery, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wine
  • Phone number
    (202) 234-8400
  • Private party facilities
    We welcome you to explore our Private Dining options, perfect for any occasion.
  • Private party contact
    our Private Event Coordinator: (202) 234-8400
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
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