Chupacabra

Curious that this spot just closed. I was over there a week or so ago and had my usual delightful lunch break with fresh tacos, great ingredients and that weird brightly colored soda that is so popular south of the border.
The options are straightforward — tacos that are filled up with either beef or fish or pork — and you should always get the side of chips and guacamole since it’s always fresh and makes the meal a bit more filling and interesting.
The atmosphere is quirky — the place is tucked on the side of another building off H Street and there are picnic tables outside to hang out at if the tiny indoor seating space gets crowded. I typically get and go and eat someplace of my own choosing.
A nice lunch option or even better a place to grab dinner on your way home from work.

Went to this place for late lunch/​dinner yesterday, left feeling very satisfied, and looking forward to my next visit.
Had the rice and bean bowl with the Al Pastor filling. Was unbelievably good, tasted really homemade and cared for. For $ 8.00, it was a bargain.
Started with a beer, but quickly joined my fellow diners and switched to the margarita. Strong and flavorful. Was not disappointed. Be warned, however, that they only offer frozen. Hope that isn’t a dealbreaker.
All in all, can’t wait to go back. My only request would be that it was slightly cheaper, given the DIY nature of ordering at the counter and cleaning after yourself, but hey, it’s DC, so nothing really comes cheap.
I totally recommend!

Not the best food, by any means. I liked my beer and rice and beans (kind of). The chicken tacos lacked flavor and waa dry even if it was covered in sauce and the barbacoa just tasted off. Oh and they didn’t have guac and walked our food over to the wrong table. Too long of a wait for too little satisfaction. I shall not return.

Food gets 4 stars but the eating area gets 2. Outdoor area with wooden picnic tables is the only place to eat & feels random. Don’t expect service because you will order at the counter & take your food outside when it’s ready. You’ll need extra hands if you get food and one of their giant margaritas. Go ahead & get one of those. Look forward to lots of great meat options and salsa options (varying spice levels) for your tacos!

Cannot really recommend this place for vegetarians. There is basically one option, and it’s not great — not very imaginative. The chips are excellent but that’s about all. The drinks are too expensive. Also, don’t sit near the door. The bug spray provided by the restaurant is there to fend off the mosquitoes. Sit further away and hopefully you’ll fare better than I did.

I have been here a few times. Couple of notes–
1. I do like the idea, but it takes a long time sometimes for food. I ordered a margarita last time i was there and they had just reloaded the machine so it was not frozen yet. They kept telling me it was almost ready. By the time it was ready we had eaten and we were ready to go so I had to hurry and drink it fast as my group was ready to go. Have gotten food to go – it takes a bit of waiting.
2. It is a little pricey for what you get. I really think it is overpriced.
3. The food is okay. It really isn’t great and I would actually prefer Chipotle or if you want a real little taco joint in DC try Taqueria Nacional on T Street. They are less expensive and the food is much better.
So basically if I am in a hurry to grab some food on H Street (which is near my office and apartment) I grab something here because it beats the Wendy’s on Florida. Otherwise I prefer to go elsewhere.

Great local hang out place to people (and zombie) watch on H Street. Tacos and Guac are solid, although not to die for. The fish taco was the tastiest, especially washed down with PBR. Will definitely come back again.

This place is counter-​service outdoor only seating. Tons of picnic tables to sit at. Good food! The rice bowl with chicken is my favorite. I am a huge fan of margaritas, but what they charge for a margarita ($ 13) for the large size, when they just come out of a Slurpee machine and taste like your average store-​bought margarita mix, there’s nothing really to rave about. I would highly suggest making fresh blended margs– (or even just a fresher tasting mix to put in the machine) –then this place would be 4 or 5 stars!

I really like it here. It’s a nice outside spot, on H ST but a little off site which I like.
I’m a huge margarita fan and really like the different kind of margaritas.
I usually get a bowl which comes with two toppings. So far, I enjoy everything I tried. I really like the chicken and shredded beef, forgot the name is it.
The staff has always been super helpful and very friendly.

A great authentic Latin joint on H Street! The service is casual and friendly and the outdoor area is spacious and comfortable.
The cubano sandwich is a great deal for $ 7 and is thick with ham and just enough pressed Cuban bread to allow you to pick it up. Very tasty! I’m hooked.
Frozen margarita is a bit too sweet, but who judges frozen margarita, anyway!

Pros:
— very tasty meats & sauces
— a margarita spiked with with Sangria to cool you down on a hot day
— Dog Friendly
— Friendly staff
Cons
— the tortillas fell apart. I come from Southern California and this is the ultimate taco faux pas!
The meat were tasty enough for me to give them another chance… please have better taco shells next time :)

Pros: cute outdoor seating area, yummy and savory meat, waitress brought water for the pup, good alcohol, and lots of different hot sauces.
Cons: corn tortillas immediately fell apart, water was not readily available for the humans, pricey at more than $ 3/​taco, and no accoutrements for your tacos/​garnish stand.
It’s hard to review when you come from the land of taco trucks and taco stands where you can get a taco for $ 1… So if you’re in the mood for some tacos, can dish over the money and need a place with your doggy– then come here.

Chupcabra is a small taco shop right on H Street, NE. The tacos here are indeed good, but I found them to be a bit expensive. I ordered the combo, which is two tacos, chips and guac, and a PBR for $ 12.75. As is usually the case with authentic tacos, the portions were a little small, and I found myself wanting another taco or two. The individual taco prices are a bit higher than most other places in the city. Definitely try their ghost scorpion salsa. It’s hot and delicious!

Walking down H Street, we decided to stop by Chup on Sunday afternoon
It was happy hour and there was plenty of seating outside
The staff was friendly, tacos were fresh, and the chips/​salsa hit the spot
I’d put the chips (which are, in my opinion, the most important thing at a Mexican restaurant) are some of the best in DC. Hot, crunchy, and salty.
Highly recommend

Wow this!!! Place right here this place right here was everything to my life!!! I had the chicken and beef taco!!! I had a great time and the drinks where great def check this place out!!! The guy with the Mohawk ARIES I think his name is made the day even better!!!

There are taco bell quality tacos and deliciously authentic and low-​cost tacos. Chupacabra falls somewhere inbetween. I headed there on a Monday evening and the place was quiet; I’m sure this had a lot to do with the fact that the forecast called for rain and Chupacabra basically has no indoor seating (I don’t count the bar counter which seats no more than four). No worries though. There was plenty of outside seating and a canopy that kept us dry.
I opted for the two taco combo (I picked chorizo and pastor) which came with chips and guacamole and a swirl margarita for a total of around $ 12. The chips and guacamole were a large, hearty helping; plenty to share with a few people. The tacos themselves were just… okay, as in, they weren’t that memorable. I also tried the habenero salsa but if you’re a lover of all things spicy, then I recommend you go a step (or two) up on the salsa-​heat scale.
While I think there are better taco options in the DC area, I won’t completely write off Chupacabra just yet, so I’ll definitely be back for a round two.

Emphasis on kitchen in the title. This place is tiny on the inside. You can either order something to go or sit outside — lots of outdoor seating to choose from. On the contrary, the menu is quite limited. They have a couple of sandwiches, some meat choices for your taco (I chose al pastor) and then some combo plates– I got two tacos, guac and chips, and a PBR for i think around $ 11 or $ 12. The quality was good, but as someone who is from California and is used to to $ 1 tacos from authentic taco trucks, this place didn’t seem worth the $.

I’m not sure where a mediocre taco place on H St. gets off charging more than better spots in hipper neighborhoods, but I guess offering PBR gives you street cred with the local captive audience.
I’ve swung by Chupacabra twice now. The first time they were closing early, something which the employee who closed the door in my face was unapologetic about. Okay, great, I’m glad I biked all the way across town to eat at your restaurant only to find out the hours posted on your front door are inaccurate. It worked out, though, because I was diverted to a much better restaurant just down the street.
The second time I came midday, and had more luck. I was seated and had my order in quickly. I tried a classic — chorizo — as well as two of their more appetizing sounding options — barbacoa and ropa vieja.
I also ordered chips and salsa, which was the highlight of the meal. Well, the chips were; they were freshly fried and pulled a lot of flavor from the oil. However, the salsa and salsa verde were pretty uninspiring — flavorless and mild — and I ended up preferring the chips naked.
The tacos started out bad and got worse.
The tacos themselves are served cold, which, when combined with the hot ingredients and sauces means they fell apart while being held. That is not the sign of a well-​made taco.
The chorizo was, like the salsas, lacking flavor. I’m not sure what kind of chorizo they use here, but they need to seriously consider changing their vendor or their preparation. But at least it was moist, unlike.
Both the barbacoa and the ropa vieja were almost inedibly dry. No amount of (flavorless) sauce and chugs of water could save my meal. Having read other reviews, this seems to be an ongoing problem with Chupacabra. And, yes, I ate it all, but only begrudgingly.
I doubt I’ll be back; I don’t need a taco bad enough to suffer through another dry, expensive meal, and there are better (though not many) inexpensive restaurants nearby.

Awesome find amongst H Street craziness! My guy and I stumbled upon it after we visited the MJ house over on 8^th Street. It reminded me of taquerias back in Texas, so I had a feeling it was going to be good. Service from Kevin Lopez (according to the receipt) was great! He was working hard, friendly and attentive, despite the lack of AC inside the place. There was plenty of outdoor seating, most of which is shaded and there’s a big fan, so it’s a great place to enjoy a drink out on the patio. I saw lots of young couples with babies as well as professional men – and most of the folks were drinking frozen margaritas.
I had the $ 12.50 two-​taco combo with chips and guac, and PBR! How awesome that the combo gives you the option of PBR (or soda or water). These are no Taco Bell tacos, folks; the tacos were totally authentic – served on corn tortillas and garnished with onions and cilantro – exactly how they should be made. I don’t often go to H Street, but I’ll definitely come again when I’m back in the area.

Beer same price as water, believe it! Combo of 2 tacos, chips & guac for $ 12.50 includes a can of PBR or a bottle of water lol. Chunky mild guac comes with a full bag of salty tortilla chips, you’ll need a second beer :-)
My al pastor taco was loaded with meat and pineapple, with a mild red sauce on top of two soft corn tortillas, excellent. A lamb taco was similarly piled high with chunks of soft meat, plus chopped red onions and cilantro, but dry — add your own sauce, red or green from the squeeze bottles. Lamb was promised very hot on the menu, with habanero no less, but mine was basically unseasoned, idk.
No crowd at lunch, quick service from the kitchen and very easy to get a table under the big awning.
Beer in cans & bottles, margaritas from a slushy machine. Happy hour knocks a buck off beer, a couple bucks off a slushy.
Chupacabra deserves solid four stars in good weather: order at the inside counter, after a brief wait take your food outside to one of the many picnic benches, either covered or not as you like. But in winter or bad weather at best two stars, only 6 stools at a narrow bar inside, if they’re even open, mostly shut all winter.
Vegetarian rating: 2 stars, options are chips, guac, beans, rice and a primavera (squash, eggplant and beans) filling for tacos and burritos.