Contemporary Mexican fare & drinks in a lively dining room with bar seating, happy hour, & brunch.
"Find the chicken tinga nachos at El Bebe loaded with creamy cheese, cotija, jalapeños, pico de gallo, sour cream and guacamole." - Tajha Lanier, Travis Mitchell
"Choose from three margarita flavors at the Mexican bar in Navy Yard, including one made with strawberry-jalapeño agave. Order a pequeño-sized marg (four servings) or make it a real celebration with the “Gran Jefe” that yields an impressive 24 drinks." - Vinciane Ngomsi
"The team behind Circa restaurants opened El Bebe this spring with inspiration from the taquerias and bars of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. The bar churns frozen margaritas in flavors like classic, prickly pear, hibiscus and strawberry that’ll cut through the D.C. heat. People who prefer theirs on the rocks can explore variations with strawberry jalapeno, blackberry, and a cucumber-lime combination. Any of them can be topped with a liqueur or a Cognac floater for a small fee." - Travis Mitchell
"Navy Yard’s newest taco and tequila bar will ring in its first Cinco de Mayo with all-day specials from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., including $2 salsas, $5 esquites dip (grilled corn, lime, red onion, jalapeno) and guac, $5 margaritas, and $4 Tecate or Corona tall boys." - Tierney Plumb
"An airy taco and tequila bar lined with racy oil paintings from a big name out of Miami is scheduled to open in Navy Yard next week. Miguel Paredes, an in-demand graffiti artist with more than 81,000 Instagram followers, painted a large series for Él Bebe, the forthcoming restaurant from the Metropolitan Hospitality Group that runs the local chain of Circa bistros. Design firm Gensler created a space that encourages drinking and relaxing across the entire 3,600-square-foot restaurant, which compiles bits and pieces of MHG’s favorite hangouts in Florida and Cabo San Lucas. Inside the 75-seat space, flickering cathedral-style lighting fixtures and reclaimed wood beams hover above diners. Executive chef Javier Loayza’s incoming lineup of tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas and burritos will land on wood tables singed with a torch. Happy hour calls for $2 chips and salsa; $4 Tecates and Coronas; and $6 classic and frozen margaritas." - Tierney Plumb