Los Hermanos

As soon as you walk in, you will quickly feel a very laid back and friendly vibe. I had the mofongo with chicken which was great! If I had enough room in my stomach I would have gone for any of the food that was behind the counter. They all looked great! Especially the stewed ox tails! Also had the papaya shake which was also very good! Everyone here greets you with a smile and makes you feel right at home. If you look behind the counter into the kitchen, you can see 3 – 4 older Dominican women cooking like they were born to do it. They all look happy doing what they’re doing. Even saw two grade school kids who looked like they just got out of school behind the counter walking back into the kitchen (they’re mom or grandma probably works in the kitchen). That right there in itself is a sure sign this is a mom and pop shop. You definitely get the feeling like everything served here is made with A LOT of experience and tons of love! Also got a chance to chat with the twin brothers who I assume owns the restaurant (hence the name) and they were awesome and felt like you were talking to an old friend you haven’t seen in years.
There is absolutely nothing that isn’t great about this place. Great food, awesome employees, and makes you feel like you’re right at home. Almost made the 4 hour drive back home to Tysons corner worth it! (There was a snow storm that night lol) I will definitely be coming back. I will for sure be trying out the pulled pork everyone here is talking about!

Im from Puerto Rico and I finally found a place where the food is veeeeeery close to the homecook meals I’m use to. The service is awsome and made me feel like home. I had the mofongo and it was the BEST in this area. Great great great seasoning. The price/​the wait it’s all worth it!

The best Hispanic food (Puerto Rican and Dominican) you are going to get in the D. C area! Reminds me of NYC. Finding parking is bad but it’s worth it. :)

Excellent good, and a killer deal. Delicious options, great atmosphere and super nice owners.

I went to Los Hermanos my very first night living in DC. It basically makes me want to live on this block for the remainder of my natural life. The buffet counter full of awesome smelling food was pretty overwhelming, so I just asked the staff to load up a box with their favorites. Good call, me. The pulled pork was tender and juicy. The rice and beans were super flavorful. Whatever gravy they poured over the rice was magical. I wasn’t digging the hot sauce too much when I tried it on its own, but when mixed in with everything else — dynamite. If everything hadn’t been so spectacular, I might have bummed out they were out of fried plantains, but that’s just one more reason to come back. $ 11 for a gigantic box of delicious food? I made two meals out of it, easily, so it was worth it times a million. Who needs actual brothers when you have Los Hermanos?

4.5 overall rating means everything is supposed to blow you away (not because it’s cheap!). I wasn’t impressed with the food and other details. It’s a simple cuisine, and the rice and plantains were satisfactory. Pulled pork was a bit dry for my liking. Also got the chicharron and something else I couldn’t identify (see why below), and that I disliked. Coconut treats were yummy. I’m pretty sure I couldn’t have gone wrong with any of the desserts.
I wish they had labels for each of the trays, because I’m deaf and I’m not about to hold up the line trying to communicate with the servers.
I don’t see myself going back and trying this place again even if I could go safer next time and pick the chicken. Psst– go to mi Cuba café instead.

Only real Dominican restaurant in the area. I love it. For the price, NOTHING comes close.
Note: If you’ve never had Dominican food… it’s nothing like Mexican/​Tex-​Mex/​Salvadorean. It’s more Caribbean – lots of plantains, pork, fish etc – and did I say tons of plantains? The food is very heavy (you could get spaghetti, rice and plantains in the same plate). Flavorful but not really spicy either. Ask for extra gravy and/​or hot sauce if you like more flavor.
Also, don’t confuse Mondongo (cow stomach) with Mofongo!
Pros:
1. Always fresh. They are constantly cooking and serving.
2. Friendly staff (usually)
3. Generally quick (for pre-​made things)
4. Good desserts
5. The beef and pork stews are amazing
6. Generous servings
Cons:
1. Some specialty items like Tres Golpes, Mofongo can take FOREVER! Don’t order these if you’re starving – or call ahead 20 minutes.
2. Although it’s very clean, it’s not high class (for that go to Cuba Libre). Don’t be suprised if you gotta share a table with a family/​kids. It can get very loud (if you know anyone from DR, you’ll know why lol).
3. Always busy, take it to go if you can.
4. Parking sucks. I usually park in the Target lot.

Delicious food, love the vibe of the restaurant. I ordered the beef, plantains, arroz con gandules, beans, oxtail. It all was so very tasty and you get a large amount for the price. Service is very nice and pleasant. Restaurant is clean. Will definitely return.

I’d been promising my boyfriend that we’d try this restaurant for months
Finally made it TONIGHT
I can’t say anything bad about this establishment
Even though there is an hour limit for street parking on the block in front of this wonderful place
But Thanks to the awesome and patient cashier named Rember
I now know that I’m able to park in the garage for $ 1.50 an hour
YAY!!!
Let’s talk food
The aroma hits You as soon you step in the joint
The array of selections behind the glass look amazing
I myself chose a specialty item
Whole red snapper with the special coconut sauce
I asked Rember if I should get it fried or streamed
Guess what he suggested
FRIED!!!
Best fish I’ve ever tasted
Sauce was out of this world
My boyfriend also tried a specialty item
Bistec
I don’t eat beef, but I tried the tiniest morsel to get an idea of how well they season their food
It was perfection
And even though they ran out of black beans by the time my fish was done frying
(40 minutes ssssoooooo worth it)
Micheal more than made up for it with extra yellow rice and red beans mixed
My boyfriend by the way is Puerto Rican
HE STUFFED HIMSELF
We’ll be back for sure

COMIDA MUY DELICIOSA!
You know how you taste one bite of something and you know it’s going to be good? This food is made with love. When you get tired of eating everywhere else and need some home cooked, properly seasoned food RUN HERE!
*Low price
*Great potions
*Friendly and accomodating staff
*Military discount for service members
I ordered the beef, rice and peas, sweet plantains and pork chops (and a mango drink). Everything is served caferteria style but don’t worry the food is fresh! After eating my food, I went back and ordered another to go platter. Can’t wait to come back!

Solid five — if youre in the Heights you need to be here!
What’s better then home style Dominican cooking — with a buffet service style option? How about the fact that regardless of what you get here, it’s basically the same price. I have no idea how the pricing structure is. but I have stuffed myself on deliciousness every time for under $ 12.
You should definitely come and try the braised beef and pork. The hot sauce is killer and makes me dance every time I eat, Mucho gusto.
Unsure why there is a telephone accessory store in the restaurant. but meh, adds to the ambiance I guess. The two brothers that own the places are the nicest people you’ll come across. Always a smile on their faces and eager to help.
This place by far trumps their neighbors at Phở 14 and Cuban.

The food and service here is excellent! For the food, not only is everything seasoned and tasty, but you get very large portions. Additionally, service is very fast, and you get to see your food before you order it. As an added bonus, all this can be had for what is considered dirt cheap prices when compared to the standard DC restaurant.
However, I will mention that the interior décor could use some better styling, especially the very plain and boring walls.

Tasty, affordable, cafeteria style Dominican food in the District. That’s what Los Hermanos is.
I love coming here every time I’m in Columbia Heights because it reminds me of home (New Jersey) where there is a great variety of Dominican restaurants. What I love the most is that Los Hermanos– literally the brothers– who run the place are extremely nice.
They are very generous with their portions, so much that you might get a food comma after eating here but it’s seriously worth it (on your cheat day, of course). On cold days, sancocho– a hearty, chicken/​potato/​yucca based soup– is glory. Paired with rice and avocado, you’re in for a a very savory experience.
I wish they completed the experience with natural juices (orange, passion fruit, etc), as most Dominican spots do. But, they say you can’t have it all. I do wish they had more of these spots around the district.
Oh and I also hear Justice Sotomayor likes to get her Dominican food from here :)

1. It’s cafeteria style
2 food is authentic. You can control the hot sauce.
3. Service in the line was very slow. They could be better organized but I guess it’s the culture.
4. I recommend any of the pork dishes.

Went for lunch after discovering this place via Unilocal.I got the stewed chicken. Only other time I’ve had Dominican food I was actually in the DR so I tempered my expectations. The food was actually pretty good. They were also generous with the portions and at $ 9 pretty cheap for lunch in DC. I would go again.

Columbia Heights — we once had a love affair, and then all this development happened.
This spot is past the Target/​Bestbuy/​Complex
Parking — in Columbia Heights? Not unless you’re a local. Though there is paid parking as part of the development.
Décor/​Ambiance/​Clientele — It reminds me of the Dominican spots in Bushwick. A lot of tables, a steam table for the food, and a little bit of Island memories on the wall. The spot is lively. They were playing dominoes in the front. You could even get a cell phone in the corner. Lots of Spanish being spoke, and the staff is straight from the DR. Knowing Spanish helps.
Service — This is not one of those corporate places with 2 weeks of training, signage, and deftly designed customer flow. It’s very BK in that regard.
It’s very cafeteria style, and not buffet style.
So like any cafeteria
You walk in.
Your buddy might grab a table.
You walk over to the right side steam table and you make your way left.
The dishes aren’t labeled, and If you don’t know DR food just ask.
But if you’re generally unfamiliar with food from the Caribbean/​Latin America, ask better questions. Like does the Breadfruit actually taste like Bread. (it doesn’t)
At the end of the line, you get a drink and you pay.
Then you sit down.
But what if you want Mofongo?
As a Jamaican, for the most part we have pretty much all the same dishes just spiced differently. Add olives and olive oil to most Jamaican dishes, and they become «Spanish» (Cuban, Boricua, Dominican). The British influence on Jamaica is what you don’t see too much of in «Spanish» food.
Had the Mofongo with camarones.
I’m just happy that I could have Mofongo with Camarones.
Mofongo — For my Africans, it’s like Fufu made with green plantains.
For my Non-​Africans, it’s like taking very green and unsweet bananas (plantains), frying them or boiling them, and then mashing them down with olive oil and garlic. The mash is then rolled into balls or formed into a column.
There’s an African diaspora history lesson here, but you should google that.
This is the kind of meal that you eat before hard day’s work to sustain you, or after a hard day’s work to rebuild you.
But after consuming mofongo, you will be laid out like Thanksgiving.
As for this mofongo, I’ve definitely had better. Not that this was bad, but I was happier at the idea of eating mofongo than actually eating this mofongo. Perhaps I should have gotten the chicarrones not the shrimp, but I felt like it needed something more.
Check it out if your in the area, or your just fiending for DR food.

4.5 Stars (but not an option for the rating system). Really great place, but not quite 5 stars for me yet, but definitely better than 4 stars!
Food is perfectly marinated, excellently cooked, an absolutely delicious.
Service is fantastic: friendly, prompt, attentive, portions are generous.
Super clean.
Recommended Food:
Pulled Pork — so tender, slightly salty, but in a good way
Stewed Beef– tender and flavorful
Fried Plantains — just delicious
Chicken Rice and Peas — moist and flavorful
Beans on top
I’ll definitely be back.

First time having Dominican food, and it was realllly delicious. It really reminded me of my trips to Puerto Rico and Colombia. It has a very South American feel inside with the music booming, and the food was certainly authentic. I got the beans over seasoned rice n peas, half pulled pork and stewed chicken, and a mashed plaintains w/​butter. The portions are huggeee, you can really share this plate with two people. South American food seems to focus on the freshness and flavors of the meat and veges rather than being sauce/​seasoning heavy, and it really came out in this meal. The staff was also really nice and made suggestions. I will be coming back!

Una gran opcion para comer bien, rapido y barato. Y eso se agradece en el país de la hamburguesa. Cuando uno llega a ese familiar se encuentra con una gran variedad de platos dominicanos, caseros y un acogedor ambiente familiar.

My husband and I stopped in Los Hermanos on a Thursday evening after finding rave reviews here on Unilocal when I searched for restaurants in the Columbia Heights area. Honestly, I would have never stopped in this place had it not been for reading about it on Unilocal.It’s not much to look at from the outside, although it is located conveniently not too far from the Columbia Heights metro stop and a small mall with a Target, Best Buy, Marshall’s and a couple others stores. However, it’s in an area I wouldn’t personally frequent by myself late at night.
Anyway, Los Hermanos is the kind of place that lives up to the age-​old adage, «never judge a book by its cover.»
The service and the food were both top notch. This is definitely a place to come when you’re VERY hungry and craving comfort food. It was my first time trying Dominican food, and I loved the warmth, strong flavors, and spice levels.
As specified in many other reviews, this place is family-​owned and operated, and it shows. From the friendly brothers that man the cafeteria-​style food counter to the little old lady who doesn’t speak a lick of English that comes to bus the tables, the entire atmosphere of the place gives off the family vibe.
Since it was our first time visiting the restaurant, my husband and I asked a lot of questions about the various dishes (you get to choose two «sides» and two meats). The portions are enormous, by the way. The guys behind the counter were helpful, patient, and friendly, gladly recommending dishes and helping us create the perfect meals.
I had the mashed green plantains (probably my favorite thing on the plate — they were savory and delicious, reminded me a lot of mashed potatoes but BETTER), yellow rices with peas (no beans for me), the ribs, and the pulled pork. I also asked for a side of their hot sauce which is a green, very spicy, absolutely perfect hot sauce. I used it on everything on my plate.
The guys behind the counter dish everything onto your gigantic plate, you pay, and then you choose a seat somewhere in the restaurant. It was fairly empty when we were there, except for a couple families. My husband and I both LOVED the food, and agreed it was the epitome of a comfort food kind of meal. I wish the spot was in a better location, but it was worth the trip to Columbia Heights to eat here and have the experience. We’ll be back!

I can’t believe I haven’t written a review for Los Hermanos yet. Oh wait… I know why. I have been too busy eating here!
I just have to admit, my boyfriend is the one that found this place. I was skeptical to try this place since it is next to all of the delicious choices in Columbia Heights and I couldn’t find a legit menu that made me want to come in.
Finally I gave in an came in to this place.
Best decision ever.
So this restaurant is a buffet style. Every day, the family cooks up their home made recipe or whatever they choose that day. However, this is difficult for the hungry consumer like me because it’s always a battle as to which two entrees I want to get. You get two sides and two entrees.
What do I always get? I always get the chicharron and the chicken stew. These two are so close to my favorite Filipino dishes that it is not hard to pick. The chicharron is next to the register. You get to pick which one you get. Pick it, put in the paper bag, give it to them, they chop it up and then heat it up for you. Another recommendation is the fried fish filet. It is usually Tilapia, but as for the sauce. They will whip up a fresh, warm coconut sauce for you. You’re welcome!
As far as the customer service, it is great! If you do not know what a dish is, just ask! They brothers are all nice and you can totally feel the family love that goes in to the food and service at this place. I always feel welcome.
Now, I don’t even consider other restaurants when I have to pick something up for dinner… This is always my first choice.