Overall, a good experience. The good: Beautiful atmosphere Top-notch service Most food was very good. The seafood enchiladas were absolutely delicious. Not real spicy, which I had confirmed with the waiter before ordering. Sweet and slightly zippy delicious sauce The bad: So terribly overpriced for the portion sizes Guacamole was both a pitifully small portion and too many onions Tamarind margarita tasted weird I won't be rushing back but my friends liked it A lot read more

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Very slow service even during slow hours, but worth the wait when the food finally comes out! While this restaurant is not vegetarian, I found two vegetarian options. The tortilla soup was delish! I didn't realize the server would come out and pour it over items in the bowl. Nice effect! If you are vegetarian request the house made chips. The tortilla that comes with the soup isn't vegetarian. The charred avocado seemed basic when i ordered it, but the seasoned pico de gallo made it tasty! Enjoyed both items. Some of the menu items are slightly cheaper at lunch vs dinner time. The restaurant is really pretty and the downstairs has a bar at night. Overall, cool ambiance. Not really many options for vegetarians. Expect service to be very slow. Looks like a fun vibe for dinner, but perhaps easier to get a table at lunch. read more

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The food was great we went for brunch it was definitely super busy we were able to eat without reservations. The bathrooms are community bathrooms which I wasn't a fan of using it after a male in a shared space . The guacamole was absolutely delicious we scrapped the bowl to get every last bite . The food itself was great but the portions are on the smaller size . read more

dLeña - Huevos Rancheros - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Six out of five stars! One of the best & creative menus on the east coast. Loved the combination of flavors and colors. Hands down an experience not to be missed! read more

I love love love Dleña! I went for the first time for my birthday a couple weeks ago and came back again with some friends. The food, drinks, ambiance and staff are all amazing! Chef Carlos and his staff are amazing and create dishes that are so delicious and truly represent Mexican cuisine in a modern way. My favorites are definitely the Camarónes a la Diabla and the Pork belly. The sauces that are with the dishes are so flavorful and you can tell the passion that goes into each dish. read more

dLeña - Camarón** taco - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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The down stairs bar is fantastic! All of the drinks are so good. The decor and the vibes are out of this world. I would love it if the portions were larger. Oh they HANDS DOWN HAVE THE BEST DESSERT in DC. It's out of this world. read more

dLeña - Down stairs bar - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Came here for my birthday dinner and was not disappointed. Everything was amazing, including the food, drinks, service, & vibes. Prickly pear marg - fresh, beautiful, & delicious Pina mezcalita - one of the best drinks I've ever had, including a 10/10 rim Crab guac - tasty, filling, lots of crab meat Habanero pepito salsa - fresh & good, but my least favorite thing we tried Enchiladas - some of the best I've ever had. Seriously so good. Short Rib al Carbon - my partner got this and loved it. He said it was extremely tender & flavorful Carajillo Crème Brulée - this is the 3rd time I'm saying this, and I don't take this lightly - best I've ever had. Get this dessert. read more

dLeña - Enchiladas - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Ambiance was amazing, food was 10/10 and service was great! Highly recommend, will definitely be back read more

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I decided to come here for my birthday dinner. And I enjoyed the experience from beginning to end. The ambiance of the restaurant transported me back to my trip to Tulum. The interior director did a wonderful job with the restaurant space. Food: I ordered the Lamb Barbacoa Shank. The Lamb was seasoned to perfection and placed in a spicy and flavorful broth. Drinks: I ordered the Prickly Pear Margarita, Southside Mule, and Casual Encounter. My favorite of the three was definitely the Casual Encounter. The Casual Encounter comes out in a cage and the cage is filled with smoke. The presentation and drink *chefs kiss* I had Shannon for a server. She was amazing. The restaurant offers a complimentary churro dessert for your birthday. I highly recommend this restaurant. I'll definitely be back. read more

dLeña - Birthday dessert - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Dlena is a place I always take visitors to if they want an amazing happy hour or brunch. The brunch food is incredible, the speak easy downstairs is adorable, but the best part is definitely the happy hour margaritas. They're housemade and to die for. As a Floridian I can't remember the last time I had a marg I loved this much read more

dLeña - Bar area - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

My girlfriend and I had a lovely date night here! First we were greeted by wonderful hosts who offered a complimentary coat check. Then we made our way through the beautifully decorated space to our comfortable high top table! The candle was lit, and the mood was set just right for the night. Josh gave us a warm welcome and insight on the menu. Maritza, our server, offered wonderful service throughout the night, and helped us narrow down our choices on steak and wine. We got the wagyu fajitas and they come out, sizzling, juicy and full of taste. To drink, we had a nicely crafted mercado margarita and some relaxing wine afterwards. The cheesecake at the end was soooo good. Finally, Justice wrapped our date night up with a warm farewell. If there was more than 5 stars, Dlena would surely deserve it. Thanks to the team. Great Job! read more

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A decent experience overall. The atmosphere is pretty lively due to the many diners and busy yet friendly staff. The decor and lighting truly set the mood for a nice experience. The drinks were flowing and the margaritas I had were tasty. I don't think there's any drink on the menu you could go wrong with. Our server was on point with checking in on us. Apps - I enjoyed the empanadas - nice crust and tasty corn filling - the chimichurri was perfect for eat bite. My friend ordered the queso and I was not a fan. It was too salty to me but the meat was tender. My friend stated that it may have been better served with tortilla chips vs the soft tortillas. I almost forgot that we had the enchiladas (seafood) as well - I'll just leave it at that. Not bad but not memorable. Entrees - I enjoyed the Zarandeado (fish) it was filling and I liked the tortillas that came with the meal. I was able to make my own tacos with the leftovers. The cole slaw, grilled half avocado and corn salsa tied the meal together with an assortment of flavors - tasty. The Roja Lounge downstairs was a plus. We learned that it was opened a few weeks after the main dining area and has its own cocktail and bites menu. I'm glad we waited a few weeks vs going immediately after they opened. Service was lacking here - simple orders/requests easily forgotten. I enjoyed my Mezcal Painkiller cocktail when it finally came. The truffle fries my friend ordered were ok - the temperature threw me off. Dleña is nice for a decorative dinner with good cocktails. I can see this being an impressive choice for celebratory occasions, date nights or just a chill vibe with good service. Some food items are hit or miss. I may be going back to try some of their other offerings just to compare experiences. read more

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I went here for my birthday dinner and was disappointed beyond words. We made a reservation for 4 and the table we were sat at clearly did not have space for four. We played Jenga with our dishes all night attempting to find space for everything we ordered. If the dishes somehow fit, there was literally no arm room. All candles in the restaurant were lit besides our table. Our reservation indicated it was my birthday. No churros or anything were brought out. My mother finally gave up and asked the server if they did anything for birthdays in front of me. The server made some poor excuse and ended with asking me "did you still want it brought out?" and out of obvious embarrassment, I said no. The server eventually did send this item out but it was truly too little and too late. We did not enjoy the food, were not impressed by the ambiance and hated how little the attention to detail was. The unfortunate part is we drove all the way from Baltimore to try this restaurant. Poor start to my birthday as I wished I just took my money elsewhere. read more

Honestly, this restaurant was a hit or miss for me. I did enjoy some of what I ate but the ambiance and service is what kept me there! The waitress I had was great and she was able to answer any questions we had about the menu. I'd probably go back for the drinks but the food wasn't all that to me. Thanks for a great evening dLena staff! read more

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The brunch is wonderful. The food was delicious, the drinks bottomless, the service was world class and the ambiance lovely. I'd recommend trying it if you like Mexican food. I will definitely be returning. read more

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My friend and I sat at the bar and we had the best time with the bartenders. They were so fun and even made us a fun cocktail they wasn't on the menu. They also made great suggestions - we had the pork belly (to die for), tuna tartare (soooo good) and the guacamole (delish!). The vibe was incredible and just a really cool bar to sit at. It's a bit expensive - so make sure you're prepared to spend money when you go! read more

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Came here for brunch for a friend's bday and let me tell you it did not disappoint! The unlimited food is so delicious! Everything they served was presented well and we got to try out the whole menu. They also have yummy mocktails if you do not want to drink. If you have a group larger than 10 it's best to make reservations. The bathroom downstairs is for men and women. They have a small bar I guess that is open during dinner. The decor and setting of the restaurant is beautiful! read more

My sister and I came her for brunch on Sunday at 11:30 am. It wasn't too busy, but things picked up a little more later on. Still, it wasn't too too busy. We got a seat outside and it was nice that the patio was covered. I would come back, but probably not any time soon. I would recommend this place with some caution as there is a lot that you should probably know before you get there. 1) We chose to do the all you an eat. Once we chose this option instead of a la carte, our server told us we don't get to pick what we eat off the menu. They just bring everything and then if we want more, they can bring it to us. That seems silly to me because that's wasteful. We didn't necessarily want everything on the menu. We tried everything since it was given to us, but we definitely wouldn't have ordered everything. It gave me more 10 course meal vibes, not all you can eat. 2) You cannot bring anything home with you unless you order a la carte. Apparently this is standard at a lot of brunch places I guess in DC if there's an all you can eat option, but this isn't common knowledge to everyone. So we were disappointed when we were told that we couldn't bring anything with us and that the things that we hardly touched would be trashed. Our server was nice enough. She wasn't the most on top of it, though. They forgot to bring out a plate and everything was just timed poorly. The first couple rounds of food came out all together. And then there was a huge awkward lull and then one or two plates came out nicely timed, and then the last few plates came out sporadically and not timed well at all either. Overall, I think their advertising of "All You Can Eat" is not the greatest. Like, I get that you can order whatever you want and there's no limit, but we weren't given the choice to not order things. That seemed more like a tasting menu to me. It was also kind of pricey for two people. $120 including tip but at least there weren't any hidden service fees, so I appreciate that. Not knowing all of these things beforehand was a little off-putting, but now that I understand how this place works, I would come back with a big group of people if I need a solid brunch spot. read more

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This was girls night out and the ambiance was amazing! I had the "Guava Me Please" and an espresso martini & to eat, Bone Marrow & Tuna Chicharron. read more

A bit pricy, so I will probably only go for special occasion dinners/lunches or drinks, but the food was unique and exceeded my expectations, service was above-and-beyond and the owner stopped by our table to make sure everything was satisfactory as well, and the atmosphere in the patio area (can't speak for the inside) is so aesthetically beautiful and unique. (PS. Get the smoky "Southern Mule!" -- You won't regret your decision. ) read more

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Food and service was great. I saw multiple baby roaches in the downstairs lounge. Disappointed because I love this place.

I cannot speak to the regular restaurant but I had an AMAZING time at Roja Lounge! Get there a little early to get good seats as it's first come first serve. I had an amazing strawberry tequila cocktail, the pork belly, and the shrimp tacos--you absolutely get what you pay for so do not be discouraged by the prices. Everything was delicious!!! Gigi McLaughlin and the United Nation Trio were amazing, I loved the live music! The ambiance was so beautiful and the best thing was that our server Diego noticed it was my birthday on my ID and made it such a special evening!! He was so helpful with menu recs and very kind--thanks so much Diego! read more

dLeña - Shrimp Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Troy was so amazing! He ensured that we were taken care of and had the best food and drinks! He's the BEST!

Dlena is an excellent date night restaurant! Definitely a very sultry environment, with great service and an interesting menu. Reservations are highly recommended. My friend and I started with the queso fundido and corn tortillas. It was good, but nothing special. We also had the wagyu empanadas, which also weren't anything special. I was expecting a lot more flavor with the wagyu as opposed to a cheaper type of meat. For my entrée, I couldn't help but get the wagyu. I wanted it medium rare, but the waitress recommended going one step more rare, because it would cook on the hot stone base. I was a little bit skeptical, especially when my meat arrived much more rare than I'm used to being served, but she was right! The hot stone it came on stayed hot the entire time I was eating, and any time I was ready for another slice, I cooked it up very quickly. The meat was beautiful, fun to cook, and the tortillas with it were delicious. However, I did find it to be quite expensive as it wasn't as flavorful as I would've liked for such a high price point. Service was extremely friendly and prompt. The entire experience was nice, but again, for such a high price point, I expected higher quality ingredients, and more umami in the dishes. I'm not sure if I'll be back, given there are so many amazing restaurants in DC, but this was a nice experience. read more

Branzino go crazy!!! ORDER IT NOW!!! Also that side of corn hits. Good vibes and good food perfect date night spot

Ambiance is very upbeat but relaxing! Whoever did the interior design deserves a raise. The staff was great! Very attentive. We ordered the queso fundido with chorizo and it was soooooooooo good (this is coming from someone who doesn't really enjoy queso). Also had the wagyu empanadas which were freaking amazing paired with the chimichurri. 10/10. You gotta at least try this place once! read more

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I came here for dinner Saturday and had a wonderful experience. To start, my friends and I ordered margaritas. They have many flavor options and mezcal and tequila options. Our server was very informative and helpful. We got the guacamole bonito (comes with tuna) for an appetizer. Delicious! You get a variety of chips with it, including a cooked bread (?) crisp, which was my favorite. I got the tuna tacos, my friend got ceviche and another friend got the shrimp tacos. We all enjoyed our meals. I loved the tuna tacos. Fresh and flavorful, with a kick. I also tried one of the shrimp tacos which was also very good and flavorful. They came in a jicama tortilla which I'd never had before and really enjoyed. It was light, which allowed for the flavor of the tuna and toppings to really shine. For an end cap, I got the Mexican coffee, which had rum, coffee, and khalua. It was delicious! Like a sweet latte! Then to really end the night we did the mezcal flight which came with three mezcal shots. Perfect end to a nice girls night dinner! Overall, we really enjoyed Dlena and definitely recommend them! read more

dLeña - The Mexican coffee - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Food was not great. We got a salad which had a super sugary dressing, crab enchiladas which tasted like it had congealed cheese inside. The beef tacos and guac were pretty good! Staff was very friendly and accommodating! read more

We came here for a graduation dinner for my niece. We didn't have reservations so had to wait 10 minutes before being told they can seat us. Low key, I thought it was to make sure we had a chance to look at the very pricey menu. Yea, if you're on a budget, this is not where you want to be. Now that we've got that understanding.... The ambiance was divine. It was gracefully decorated with just the right amount of lighting for a warm and inviting environment without being too romantic, but there was romance in the air, if that is your need. We were quickly greeted and orders taken for our beverages. As we looked at the menu we heard, then saw, a sizzling platter being served at the neighboring table. The tomahawk steak, dinner for two! We want that, my brother and I exclaimed! Unfortunately I wanted medium rare, he medium well. No compromise offered, so we ordered individual steaks of prime rib. My niece ordered a roasted cauliflower thingy, determined to be veganish. The steak was slamming, as was the cauliflower. Our sides of roasted avocados do brócolini was also tasty. We finished it off with two desserts, the creme brûlée and another, pictured. All in all the food was delicious. The mixed drink was meager and ice filled. That was truly a disappointment, and they did replace it with a red wine. Good service. The best part of the experience, besides the tasty food and phenomenal service, was the chance to chat with the GM and Vice GM, Josh and Mark. They seemed very interested in our impression of the experience and shared the evolution of the restaurant. They went way upscale, and feedback is important to the success. They listened as we shared ours. I would definitely return given the opportunity. I also recommend it but it is not for the light "walleted". Be able and prepared to pay for the upscale food and service, and you'll be pleased. read more

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I've had this spot on my list for quite some time and I'm so glad I got to check it out while in D.C. From the ambiance to the service to the drinks, food & dessert - every thing was top notch . We ordered a few things to share which was the best route so we could try out a few dishes. For drinks, we started with the Mercado and a Lemon Drop with tequila. Mercado was really good! Lemon drop was well, a lemon drop lol. For food, we ordered the Empanadas de Wagyu, Maryland Crab Guacamole and Enchiladas (shrimp & blue crab). Everything was so good! The empanadas and crab guac were my fave! Topped it off with the Mil Hojas de Panqueque Argentino for dessert. This was by far one the best meals I've had in a while, & that says a lot! You know when you're eating something good and the whole time you're saying "Mmmmmm, mmmmmmhmmmm" - this was one of those meals I also learned they have a bottomless (literally) brunch every Saturday & Sunday - $60 per person for bottomless food AND cocktails or $37 per person for bottomless food only . They also have happy hour Monday-Friday 5-7pm at the bar only with $6-7 margs, $6 wine, $5 beers, and $6 bites. Needless to say, I'll be back! read more

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dLeña is my favorite brunch experience in all of DC. The food is incredible, and rather than pick items bottomless food menu they just continuously bring you everything on the list. I love having the meal perfectly paced without having to think about anything. Some highlights are the fruit salad (seriously, it's incredible) and the chicken and waffles. The drinks are also amazing--definitely not your run-of-the-mill brunch drinks and well worth going bottomless for. I can't wait to be back to try their dinner menu! I came here with a group for my birthday and I want to give a big shoutout to Nora who managed my event. She was professional and a pleasure to work with. I'm thankful for all she did to make the day come together! read more

From the time we walked in, with the friendly staff and warm ambiance, I knew we were in for a treat. A round of delicious cocktails perfectly complemented the pork belly and corn empanadas. Each bite was delightful. The second round of drinks was equally delicious as our entrees arrived. We all dove in to the picture worth plates and happily shared bites of our perfect selections. I can hardly wait to go back and try more. read more

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The atmosphere was wonderful! Busy and energetic just like the service. Merly our server was genuine and thoughtful with spot on recommendations! She suggested the shirt rib tacos and they were out of this world! Go there and get the Queso Fondito as well! Highly recommend! read more

dLeña - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

not very much options for appetizer nor main menu, but still has good food waiter was very questionable and unpleasant

A true culinary experience! Just wow - service is excellent and the ambiance is cozy and charming. The food is real scratch quality & the food is all cooked on a wood fired equipment. read more

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Immaculate vibes! Delicious food. 10/10 recommend. Didn't really like the mushroom tacos that much. But everything else was delicious. Can't wait to go back! read more

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DLeña nailed it! The crab guacamole (not pictured) and oysters were super fresh and flavorful. The Wagyu empanadas were tasty, but a bit heavy on the breading. The short rib Al Carbon? Perfection. It was tender, smoky, and the clear standout. Great food, amazing service--definitely worth a visit! read more

dLeña - Ostiones a la Leña - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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If I could give this establishment a -10 I would. We walked in and asked for a table, they said the wait was an hour and a half. Let's be very clear, there was no one in line, there were a plethora of empty tables. They offered the bar or the the downstairs bar. Both were full to capacity. I believe they were saving these tables for reservations. But, there was no one lined up at the door to get seated it literally looked like a ghost town. If I wasn't so upset I would have taken photos. The hostess was very unkind/unfriendly. My friends and I were super taken aback by her attitude. It's very unfortunate that we were treated with such tasteless hospitality. I'd hate to say the treatment was because of our skin color. But we were the only people of color in the entire restaurant besides a few people at the bar. But I am super disappointed that an almost empty establish wasn't accommodating me and my party. Highly disappointed. I will be telling all my friends/family/and followers not to dine here. It's a shame that people judge books by their covers. It's Halloween weekend, I'm gonna give them the benefit of the doubt and say they denied us service because of what we had on and not the color of our skin. But, even the people of color who sat at the bar were dressed very well. I'm highly disappointed. I hope they get it together. read more

My husband and I just recently went to DC to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary. We spent every day walking our feet off enjoying the beautiful Capitol, and every evening eating gorgeous gorgeous meals. Five amazing high end dinners, including more than one Chef's table booking (including the Dlena chef's table which is another review, and was beyond amazing) but because we enjoyed the whole vibe at Dlena = beautiful but also warm and welcoming, we chose to come back another night and eat at the bar. We saw so much fantastic food being prepared for the general restaurant and wanted to try some of those dishes before leaving DC. I have to say the service sitting at the bar was as congenial and on point as sitting at the Chef's table. It's debatable what was the best bite out of the entire trip - but the bite that made my eyes bug out was Dlena hot stone wagyu served with smoked grapes!!! Everything about the dish was perfection - but those GRAPES! My husband hates fruit, only eats about 4 vegetables and he was competing with me over the grapes :D Really can not say enough good about this restaurant, the GM, the Chef, all the waitstaff, beautiful beautifully run restaurant. Will stand out in a lifetime of fine dining. Highly suggest!!! read more

dLeña - Wagyu cooking on a hot stone, fantastic! - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Came here with a coworker for late lunch on a Friday, not too many people. We shared: - chips and guac: really tasty and fresh guac, chips were lightly salted. There was also a toasted big chip that was quite tasty, had a nice roasted flavor. - birria tacos: the flavor was AMAZING. Such a burst of flavor, meat was tender, liked the guac on top as well. I loved these, they were so delicious. Not really traditional birria tacos of course but the meat was very flavorful and the other ingredients on top were tasty too. - crab sliders: lots of crab and the sauce that came with it was tasty. Quite enjoyed it, and the fries were perfect - crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Portions were a bit small for the high prices, but the quality is there. Service was quite good too, as we were checked up on and water was constantly being refilled. read more