Award-winning

El Secreto de Rosita

Name: El Secreto de Rosita
Address: 1624 U St NW, Washington District of Columbia, DC, United States, 20009
Telephone: (202) 234-8400
Price range: $31 to $50
Rating: 4.6

4.6

501 Reviews

$31 to $50

Latin American

Top Tags:

El Secreto De Rosita seeks to create great tasting food to be enjoyed in an eclectic "hacienda" atmosphere that warms the heart.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Oct 5, 2023

7:00 PM

Booked 16 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Cuisines
Latin American, Peruvian
Hours of operation
Breakfast Daily 8:00 am–3:00 pm Dinner Tue–Sun 5:00 pm–9:30 pm
Phone number
(202) 234-8400
Website
http://www.elsecretoderosita.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Owned/operated by
Latinx or Hispanic
Executive chef
Cristian Granada

Location
1624 U St NW, Washington District of Columbia, DC 20009
Award-winning
1. MICHELIN Plate 2022
Neighborhood
Downtown
Parking details
Street Parking
Additional
Beer, Cafe, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Delivery, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Featured in

Popular dishes

Nikkei Wings$14.00
Teriyaki sauce / green onion / sesame seeds
Calamar Frito$16.00
Yuca flour / leche de tigre / jalapenos / garlic aioli
Gambas al Ajillo$19.00
Prawns / extra virgin olive oil / garlic / pisco / red pepper flakes / toasted bread
Choros$16.00
Mussels / roccoto and panka creamy sauce / toasted bread
Ensalada de La Casa$12.00
Mixed greens / grilled apple / walnuts / cherry tomato / cucumber / avocado / oregano dressing
Yakitori$17.00
Rib eye / green onion
Burrata Salad$16.00
Burrata cheese / beets / orange / frisée / mango vinaigrette
Anticuchos de Corazón$14.00
Grilled beef heart / tomato / red onion / green onion / red wine sauce
Grilled Octopus in Roccoto Adobo$24.00
Grilled octopus / roccoto adobo / purple potato purée / salsa criolla
Oysters Acevichadas & Salmon Caviar$21.00
Half dozen oysters / roccoto / leche de tigre / salmon caviar
Salmon Tiradito$22.00
Sliced fresh salmon / salmon caviar / mango leche de tigre / olives calamata / jalapeños
Ahí Tuna Tiradito$20.00
Seared tuna / orange / ginger / chives / sea salt / passion fruit / leche de tigre

Ceviches

Ceviche Clasico$18.00
Corvina / aji limo / red onion / lime juice
Ceviche del Mercado$19.00
Corvina / fried calamari / rocotto / plaintain chips
Ceviche Mixto$20.00
Corvina / tuna / shrimp / fried calamari / aji amarillo
Ceviche Nikkei$19.00
Ahi tuna / avocado / green onions / sesame seeds / eel sauce

Platos Fuertes

Aji de Gallina$24.00
Shredded chicken / aji amarrillo sauces / potatoes / hard boiled egg / black olives
Seco de Res$36.00
Braised short rib / beer-cilantro sauce / pinto beans / salsa criolla / rice
Pescado a lo Macho$29.00
Mahi mahi / calamari / panka pepper sauce / sweet potato / rice
Lomo Saltado$29.00
Rib eye / tomatoes / red onion / scallion / soy sauce / rice / fries
Arroz con Mariscos$31.00
Prawns / tuna / mahi mahi / mussels / squid / seafood broth / aji amarillo / panka / salsa criolla
Churrasco a lo Pobre$32.00
Angus Rib eye / fried egg / sweet plantain / fried potatoes / rice
Gnocchi Lomo Saltado$32.00
Rib eye / tomatoes / red onion / scallion / soy sauce / potato gnocchi / pesto sause
Risotto Huancaina$22.00
Arborio rice / ají amarillo sauce / parmesan cheese / seasonal mushrooms
Lamb Chops and Risotto Huancaina$40.00
Grass fed lamb chops / risotto / huancaina sauce / parmesan cheese
Warm Acevichado Dorade$34.00
Whole dorade / sweet potatoes / Peruvian corn / red onion / roccoto / aji amarillo sauce
Kamlu Wantan de Camaron$25.00
Shrimp tempura / sweet & sour sauce / snow peas / pineapple / red pepper / crispy wonton / fried rice
Arroz Chaufa
Fried rice / ginger / scallions / egg. Choice of
- Chicken$22.00
- Ribeye$26.00
- Seafood$26.00
- Tofu$20.00

What 501 people are saying

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
4.6Ambience
4.1Value

Noise • Moderate

501 Reviews

JV
JuanValdez
Toronto
61 reviews
vip
4.0
61 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
overall4food4service4ambience4
Decent local spot, but so many great restos in DC, it’s not in must return category. Tiradito was very nice - the highlight. Lamb and risotto unexceptional. Nice gnochi. Sparse wine list and dessert alternatives. Funky decor.
Is this helpful?
ML
MikeLees
Washington DC
16 reviews
vip
4.0
16 reviews
Dined 5 days ago
overall4food5service3ambience5
We have eaten at El Secreto a lot, and it has quickly become one of our favorite date night places. Tonight though wasn’t as great…... our cocktails took 30 minutes to arrive after we sat down, and mine arrived 10 minutes before my girlfriend’s. All night, the bar service was slow. I’ll chalk it up to just an ‘off’ night as everything else was as good as usual (especially the food!!!!).
Is this helpful?
H
Happyfirst
Dallas
9 reviews
vip
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on September 27, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Fantastic service and chill atmosphere and one of the most varied and delicious DC menus. Great place to catch up with friends and make memories.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Washington DC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on September 11, 2023
overall5food5service4ambience5
The food was awesome, & the ambiance is beautiful
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on September 10, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Very nice and accommodating. A lot of dc restaurants have too many rules when i comes to large parties. This restaurant was simple and easy to work with
Is this helpful?
P
Phil
Washington DC
61 reviews
vip
4.0
61 reviews
Dined on September 9, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
A lively spot. Attentive but not intrusive staff. Food was well prepared.
Is this helpful?
L
Lov2eat
New Orleans
5 reviews
vip
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on September 9, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Dinner was fantastic….again! Arturo is an excellent bartender and makes the best pisco sours!! Great date night!
Is this helpful?
LA
LulwaA
London
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on September 6, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Delicious food, very friendly and informative staff. Overall great experience.
Is this helpful?
CR
CRISTINES
New York Area
4 reviews
vip
3.0
4 reviews
Dined on September 3, 2023
overall3food2service5ambience4
The food is so unbelievably salty I had to send back two dishes. They were extremely kind and offered the second dish and when that wasn’t to my liking the server removed it altogether. Beautiful restaurant but it was also freezing from the AC. Oh and definitely not authentic Peruvian whatsoever…
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Miami
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on September 3, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
I went during restaurant week. The menu was delicious and provided variety. The staff was also very friendly. Efficient :) and friendly
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Washington DC
11 reviews
2.0
11 reviews
Dined on September 2, 2023
overall2food2service3ambience3
Food portions were small. Oddly, they don’t do the chef’s tasting menu on weekends, which doesn’t make any sense. Service was slow.
Is this helpful?
F
Frankdukes78
Washington DC
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on September 2, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Never been here, thought I’d try it, if Peruvian is what I want, this is def my new spot.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Caribbean
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on September 2, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The food here is so good, I had the gnocchi with ribeye and it was on of the best gnocchi I ever had. The service was amazing, the staff were very attentive to every detail, and the location is very pretty if you wanna get that insta pic. You will definitely not regret eating here!
Is this helpful?
B
Brian
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on September 1, 2023
overall3food3service3ambience4
Restaurant week menu was sub par, hopefully chefs menu during regular hours is better and allows more of a variety of tastings. Ceviche ran through body so not sure if prepared properly. Have had and made at home numerous times and never had issue.
Is this helpful?
A
Alexandra
Washington DC
16 reviews
vip
5.0
16 reviews
Dined on August 29, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Incredible! This was my first time here with my parents and we loved it. The ambience is perfect as you feel you have stepped into the owners' living room. The food was on point, delicious, creative.. I could go on and on. I will definitely be coming back!
Is this helpful?
C
Claudia
Washington DC
8 reviews
5.0
8 reviews
Dined on August 27, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
This was a special occasion. Food was very good and fast served.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Baltimore
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on August 27, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
A beautiful spot for a girls night out or a sexy dinner date 💗🥃
Is this helpful?
K
Kenny
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 26, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
One of my favorite restaurants in all of DC, the food is amazing and the servers are always very friendly.
Is this helpful?
TA
TupacAmaru
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on August 25, 2023
overall2food1service2ambience3
I'm a Peruvian national looking forward to Peruvian food. Sebiche nothing like authentic Peruvian sebiche when my dish was placed at the table I new that it wasn't what sebiche should look like and after the first bite was the biggest let down to my pallette, how do you alter a dish that needs no altering even the lack of spice was a let down. At these outrageous prices you would expect much better. 😡 Will not return
Is this helpful?
KG
KandG
Denver
9 reviews
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on August 18, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Food was excellent, the wait staff was attentive and friendly. Fun atmosphere.
Is this helpful?
RA
RafaAS
Washington DC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 12, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great place. The food was amazing and the hosts make you feel at home. Best peruvian food in town.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
6 reviews
2.0
6 reviews
Dined on August 4, 2023
overall2food3service3ambience3
They opened up new seating on the far side of the restaurant which excludes you from others at the restaurant and the overall ambiance. I am assuming they did this to accommodate more customers, which is fine. It’s just not the same experience. Also, the lomo saltado, which I’ve had several times, was extremely salty — to the point it was jarring on the first bite. I was a big advocate of this restaurant but was disappointed on this visit.
Is this helpful?
N
Nick
Washington DC
15 reviews
vip
5.0
15 reviews
Dined on July 30, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
This place is amazing - the food, service, and ambiance all were stellar. Great recommendations of the staff. Highly recommend the wagyu tiradito and cevhice nikkei.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on July 30, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We had a great time! It was a nice atmosphere the staff was very nice and welcoming! Out serve Daniella was very knowledgeable of the menu and the food tasted amazing! We will definitely be returning! Gracias!
Is this helpful?
U
Underwhelmed
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on July 29, 2023
overall3food1service5ambience3
The service was outstanding but it did not truly make up for the food. Our party of 3 was very underwhelmed with the food. I had the Shakshouka and found it very bland and watery, the eggs were overcooked so instead of a nice runny egg it was almost hard boiled. The tomato sauce felt like it was just dumped from a can into the pot and I had no real taste of garlic of onion and the "roasted eggplant" was a handful of eggplant cubes tossed on top. My friends both had the Eggs Rosita Style and instead of a poached egg they also had hard boiled eggs. For a version of Eggs Benedict you expect that nice runny yolk of a poached egg but was not the case. They also noted the lack of hollandaise sauce which made the dish much dryer than it should have been. My 1 friend did their bottomless mimosa which was the only saving grace for the place that made me give overall 3 stars. A lot of places that do bottomless for 2hrs you get maybe 3 or 4 drinks because the servers avoid you. Our server many times was there to refill his glass before it was even finished. Granted the Peach Bellini was about 90% juice and 10% champagne so it was not the best on that front. The 3 of us agreed that we could not see us going back to that place, we had only gone to support our friend hosting the venues first Drag Brunch.
Is this helpful?
LW
LWNP
Washington DC
12 reviews
4.0
12 reviews
Dined on July 28, 2023
overall4food4service2ambience4
Food was good ordered the oysters and ceviche. Although the ceviche portion was very small. Drinks were excellent.
Is this helpful?
AS
AdrianS
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on July 23, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Really nice place and the food was good!!! And the drinks were amazing.
Is this helpful?
J
June022015
Washington DC
11 reviews
3.0
11 reviews
Dined on July 23, 2023
overall3food2service2ambience5
Food all over cooked and also cold and was just terrible. Service meh. Great decor.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Washington DC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on July 22, 2023
overall5food3service5ambience5
The server, hosts, food runners and ambience was outstanding! Our server made it a very special experience and we will be coming back.
Is this helpful?
JG
JoeG
Washington DC
32 reviews
vip
5.0
32 reviews
Dined on July 12, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We had early reservations for 6:15 on a Wednesday, so the restaurant was fairly quiet with plenty of open seating. The staff was excellent, making sure food arrived in the sequence it should have, so appetizers did not come after the entree. Questions were answered to clarify menu options/choices and more importantly....the food was very good, not over cooked, good flavor. I will be returning, soon.
Is this helpful?
K
Kelly
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on July 9, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
This was the best food we had during our trip to DC. Highly recommend and would definitely go out of our way to go again next time we are in town.
Is this helpful?
LL
LeeLoo
New York Area
9 reviews
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on July 7, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Amazing food and ambiance, everything was awesome!
Is this helpful?
KJ
KJStJ
Washington DC
10 reviews
5.0
10 reviews
Dined on July 2, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Food was fantastic as well as service. I highly recommend going for brunch
Is this helpful?
P
Patrice
Washington DC
10 reviews
vip
5.0
10 reviews
Dined on June 27, 2023
overall5food5service4ambience5
Excellent experience. The decor was beautiful and restaurant was very well kept. The manager/owner greeted me at the door and checked on us during our meal. Our service was very good and knowledgeable about the menu. We ordered one of the Pisco cocktails, which was delicious. We also had the prawns, octopus, and short rib. The aops took some time to come out but everything was made to perfection. We will definitely be returning to try more items on the menu.
Is this helpful?
AM
AndreaM
Washington DC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on June 23, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
I expected a nice dinner for my 8th wedding anniversary, but they really surpassed my expectations. Every course of the chef s menu was great and the drinks were sophisticated and smooth. The place us beautiful and service was unpretentious and nice. Will definitely come back!
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Washington DC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on June 18, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The best Peruvian restaurant in all the DMV, the food is so good and tasty and the service is also on top, it’s like that winning option, you can never get wrong.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Washington DC
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on June 17, 2023
overall4food5service3ambience4
The food has always been incredible here. We got Lomo Saltado and one of the Ceviche dishes here, and they were excellent. I wish the portions were a hair larger though. Additionally, while service was kind, it was slow. They felt a little understaffed for Saturday brunch. It took a while to order and get our check.
Is this helpful?
WB
WarrenB
Washington DC
17 reviews
vip
5.0
17 reviews
Dined on June 10, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Our second visit. Food service band vibe remains outstanding. A fun dining experience
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Coastal Georgia
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on June 9, 2023
overall5food4service4ambience5
Love this place and the Chef made us a last minute Tiramisu that was to die for!
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Greater Boston
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on June 3, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience5
All the food was great, the ceviche was a little bitter. Very good lomo saltado, arroz chaufa and really delicious risotto a la huancaina.
Is this helpful?

Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitizing
- Surfaces sanitized between seatings
- Digital, disposable or sanitized menu provided
- Common areas deep-cleaned daily
- Sanitizer or wipes provided for customers
- Contactless payment available
Physical distancing
- Limited number of seated diners
- Distancing maintained in common areas
- Extra space between tables

Protective equipment
- Waitstaff wear masks
- Diners must wear masks unless eating or drinking
Screening
- Sick staff prohibited in the workplace
- Staff temperature check required
- Contact tracing information collected

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 4.6 stars by 501 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Oct 5, 2023

7:00 PM

Booked 16 times today

Order delivery or takeout

1624 U St NW, Washington District of Columbia, DC 20009

Additional information

Award-winning
1. MICHELIN Plate 2022
Neighborhood
Downtown
Hours of operation
Breakfast Daily 8:00 am–3:00 pm Dinner Tue–Sun 5:00 pm–9:30 pm
Cuisines
Latin American, Peruvian
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Street Parking
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Owned/operated by
Latinx or Hispanic
Executive chef
Cristian Granada
Additional
Beer, Cafe, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Delivery, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.elsecretoderosita.com/
Phone number
(202) 234-8400

El Secreto de Rosita

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

LatinX-Owned and -Operated Restaurants to Support in D.C.

Seek out these 5 unique restaurants in Washington, D.C.

Ceviche Nikkei

Ceviche Clasico

Gnocchi Lomo Saltado

Cositas Ricas

Nikkei Wings$14.00

Calamar Frito$16.00

Gambas al Ajillo$19.00

Choros$16.00

Ensalada de La Casa$12.00

Yakitori$17.00

Burrata Salad$16.00

Anticuchos de Corazón$14.00

Grilled Octopus in Roccoto Adobo$24.00

Oysters Acevichadas & Salmon Caviar$21.00

Salmon Tiradito$22.00

Ahí Tuna Tiradito$20.00

Ceviches

Ceviche Clasico$18.00

Ceviche del Mercado$19.00

Ceviche Mixto$20.00

Ceviche Nikkei$19.00

Platos Fuertes

Aji de Gallina$24.00

Seco de Res$36.00

Pescado a lo Macho$29.00

Lomo Saltado$29.00

Arroz con Mariscos$31.00

Churrasco a lo Pobre$32.00

Gnocchi Lomo Saltado$32.00

Risotto Huancaina$22.00

Lamb Chops and Risotto Huancaina$40.00

Warm Acevichado Dorade$34.00

Kamlu Wantan de Camaron$25.00

Arroz Chaufa

Overall ratings and reviews

Cleaning & sanitizing

Physical distancing

Protective equipment

Screening

FAQs

Does El Secreto de Rosita offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is El Secreto de Rosita restaurant rated?

Is El Secreto de Rosita currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Featured in

LatinX-Owned and -Operated Restaurants to Support in D.C.

Seek out these 5 unique restaurants in Washington, D.C.