Silver Spring · Takoma Park · Flower Avenue
Pupusas, mariscos,margaritas —and Wednesday jazz.
El Golfo is the family-owned Pan-Latin restaurant on Flower Avenue — Salvadoran, Mexican, Cuban and Peruvian kitchens at one table, a 4.4-star Google rating across 732 reviews, and a dining room that turns into a jazz club every Wednesday night.
4.4 stars from 732 reviews
Find us
El Golfo Restaurant
- Address
- 8739 Flower Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20901 - Hours
- Sunday – Thursday11:00 AM – 10:00 PMFriday – Saturday11:00 AM – 11:00 PM
- Phone
- (301) 608-2121
4.4★
732 Google reviews
7
vegetarian & vegan entrées
25–100
private party capacity
20%
of checks donated on fundraiser nights
La Cocina
Four Latin kitchens, one table
Salvadoran pupusas and sopa de res, Mexican fajitas and birria, Cuban masitas, Peruvian lomo saltado — plus a seafood list that earns the name El Golfo. Mild or spicy, steak lover or vegan, the menu means it.
01PupusasHandmade Salvadoran pupusas with curtido and fresh tomato salsa — including a vegan squash-and-spinach version.Learn more 
02Ceviche & Seafood StartersCeviche mixto of white fish, shrimp and squid in lime — plus garlic shrimp, ginger mussels and yuca con chicharrón.Learn more 
03Tacos — Birria, al Carbón & FishBirria with dipping consommé, grilled tacos al carbón, and a mango-salsa fish taco plate.Learn more 
04Fajitas Norteñas al CarbónSizzling charcoal-grilled fajitas — up to the Super Golfo with chicken, beef and lobster tail.Learn more 
05Enchiladas & Chile RellenosRed-and-green topped enchiladas, a creamy seafood version, and egg-battered chile rellenos.Learn more 
06Carne Asada & SteaksCharcoal-grilled marinated skirt steak with guacamole — the dish their regulars name first.Learn more 
07Mariscos & Fish EntréesSalmon Acapulco, whole pan-fried rockfish, garlic-caper salmon and shrimp four ways.Learn more 
08Lomo SaltadoThe Peruvian classic — sautéed sirloin with tomato, red onion and cilantro. Named in 6 Google reviews.Learn more 
09Cuban Plates — Masitas & Pollo al HornoMasitas de puerco in Sevilla bitter orange, and half a mojo-criollo roast chicken.Learn more More than dinner
Happy hour, jazz nights, parties, patio
The other half of El Golfo: a 3-o'clock happy hour four days a week (until 10 on Wednesdays), live jazz, a seasonal patio, and a party room that seats up to 100 — with a fundraiser program that hands 20% back to local schools and churches.
01Happy Hour$10 cocktails, $20 sangria pitchers and $9 bar snacks — four weekdays 3–7, and Wednesday until 10.Learn more 
02Live Music & Jazz NightsWednesday jazz with the Greater U Street Jazz Collective, plus ticketed weekend shows — 28 reviews mention the music.Learn more 
03Patio DiningOutdoor tables from spring through early fall, lunch through dinner.Learn more 
04Catering, Parties & FundraisersOff-premises catering with staff and bar, party space for 25–100, and fundraisers that give 20% back.Learn more 
05Kids' MenuReal $8–10 kids' plates — pupusas, quesadillas, Moros y Cristianos — in a room built for families.Learn more Why here
The reasons regulars give
None of these are slogans — each one is checkable, on their menu, their Google listing, or their own event calendar.
Our story- Locally owned, one location — the owner and her staff run the floor, not a franchise office.
- 4.4 stars across 732 Google reviews; 491 of them are five-star.
- A dedicated vegan & vegetarian menu section — praised in 22 Google reviews.
- Wednesday jazz with the Greater U Street Jazz Collective, and happy hour until 10 that night.
- Private party space for 25 to 100, plus off-premises catering with staff and bar service.
- Fundraiser nights donate 20% of marked checks — schools and churches use them every year.
Reviews
What customers actually say
4.4
732 reviews
We stumbled in on a Monday and there was good food and music! Vegan options are great, ceviche was a hit and Janet was the kindest server! Will be back!
Kam Cole
via Google · Ceviche
Great as always! Quiet when there’s no live music, but the live music is always good. It’s a matter of what you’re in the mood for!
Dr. Donna A. Dietz
via Google · Live music
Rating and reviews are real and unedited, aggregated from Google (checked 2026-07-30). Read all 732 reviews.
The neighborhood
Ten minutes from most of the east county
Silver Spring
5 min · 1.6 mi from downtown
Takoma Park
5 min · 1.8 mi
Langley Park
5 min · 1.6 mi
Four Corners & Woodmoor
3 min · 1 mi
Adelphi
6 min · 2.4 mi
Shepherd Park, DC
7 min · 2.4 mi
White Oak
9 min · 4.1 mi
Wheaton
13 min · 5.4 mi
Hyattsville
14 min · 5.7 mi
Chevy Chase
15 min · 5.9 mi
Kensington
14 min · 7.4 mi
Good to know
What people ask before they come in
Is there parking at El Golfo?
Yes — the lot holds roughly 30 to 40 cars, which regulars call out as one of the easiest things about eating here versus downtown Silver Spring.
When is happy hour?
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 3 to 7 pm — and Wednesday from 3 all the way to 10 pm, matching jazz night. $10 cocktails, $20 sangria pitchers, $5 select beers, half-price wines by the glass.
What night is the live music?
Wednesday is the weekly jazz night with the Greater U Street Jazz Collective. Ticketed shows — jazz series, bluegrass, folk — land on weekend evenings; check the calendar or call.
Do you have vegan and gluten-free options?
A dedicated menu section carries seven vegetarian and vegan entrées, and GF markings run through the whole menu — pupusas, soups, grilled entrées. It's mentioned in 22 Google reviews.
Can I order online?
Yes — takeout and delivery ordering is online, and the restaurant also does no-contact delivery per its Google listing.
Can El Golfo host my group's fundraiser?
Yes — on Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Your supporters dine in, servers mark their checks, and 20% of those checks is donated to your organization. Contact info@elgolforestaurant.com or 301-801-7640.
How big a private party can you seat?
From 25 up to 100 guests, as a seated dinner or buffet, with off-premises catering (staff and bar included) available beyond that.
Do you sell gift cards?
Yes — $20, $40, $50 and $100 gift cards, available through the restaurant.
Tonight, then
The kitchen's open until 10
8739 Flower Avenue, Silver Spring — parking on site for 30-plus cars. Order takeout online, or come in for the version with a sizzling platter and a band.