We sat in the basement with a colleague who had taken us out. The food was amazing and ambiance is unmatched. High recommend for a date night or group outing. read more

Service has gotten so much better since the last time I was here! Food was amazing per usual! Love this place! read more

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Food was great, service was better, and the ambiance was very inviting and hospitable. The drink menu was exquisite. We arrived without a reservation, but were seated very quickly. read more

So delicious! Ambiance is beautiful and the food does not disappoint. Service is outstanding and the server was very knowledgeable about the menu read more

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Had a great meal here back in October. Service and everything I ordered were solid. Looking forward to returning in a couple months. I would definitely order the ribeye again but there's so many things on the menu I would like to try if I had the chance. read more

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This place is so good. I came here for a date night with my husband. Saturday night, busy but not overcrowded. The ambiance is very nice, perfect for date night. Pretty decor and the food presentation is awesome. We ordered the queso fundido, short rib tacos, camaron tacos, and the cheesecake. (Wish I took more pics, but did manage to upload a pic of our cheesecake) The food was delicious, and though small portioned, very filling. Our waiter was also great, personable, and very knowledgable of menu items and ingredients. The only reason why I didnt give 5-stars was because a lot of the items on the menu contained shellfish and there werent too many other options to choose from if you have a shellfish allergy, as I do. So, if your allergy is serious, make sure you ask questions before you order. other than that, I would def return. read more

dLeña - Grilled Jericalla Cheese Cake** - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Wow! Hip busy happening! The new wave Mexican food the best in town. Do forget the Churros read more

dLeña - Got to go - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Food was good!! Tight space depends on where you are seated. service was good. Drinks was good too read more

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

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I went here for dinner and brunch and I enjoyed my experience each time. It's more of an upscale restaurant and more on the pricey side. However, the food is good and they give good portions. When I went for the dinner the waiter was very nice and informative since it was my first time. When I went for brunch the next time, I had another waiter who wasn't friendly. The brunch option is great though because they bring you all these tapas dishes to try and bottomless mimosas/margaritas! I believe this option was $65. read more

The atmosphere was well thought out and beautiful but I found our table to be too close to other tables and hard to hear my husband across the table even though it was a Monday night so likely not as busy as a weekend. The food was good but a little overpriced. The drinks again were good, but not amazing and filled to the brim with ice so the drink was very little. Our service was not great- we had questions about the menu that weren't answered and when we asked for clarification it was met with an eye roll. Overall, we don't plan to come back. read more

Had the pleasure of trying Dleña on a visit to DC. The smell reminded me of actual leña from when we went to visit Huatulco, Oaxaca Mexico. They greeted us with a shot sized Jamaica that was delicious! We ordered a steak, empanadas, camarones diablo and ended with the most amazing crème brûlée. The one thing I had that wasn't a fan of was the pork belly. Would have loved it a lot crispier, but over all very clean and excellent service. read more

Alright, this place is top-tier. To begin we didn't have a reservation but that didn't stop us from being well accommodated. The restaurant was FULL but the waitresses did an excellent job making sure everyone was seated fairly and quickly (particularly in the lounge area). Ambiance 10/10: low lit, very great for date night. There was love, interactive music which paired well with the food. Food/Drinks 12/10: Yupp, a 12. Everything felt prepared with love and tasted so delicious. I got the corn empanadas and short rib tacos. My taste buds rejoiced and even though I was full I kept eating! Service 10/10: again, the restaurant was quite full but our waitresses were extremely attentive. There was no "rush" to turn the table around at all. read more

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The menu offered an interesting mix of dishes, a little beyond standard Mexican fare - there were huevos rancheros, but also a few dishes I had never heard of. The food itself was pretty good, not deeply memorable, but reasonably tasty. The service was pretty poor. It seemed like our waiter had forgotten about us, and even after many requests of other servers, we had a lot of trouble getting him to visit our table. The concept was also a little weird for brunch - our waiter tried to explain that they would just bring us stuff, but we also had the option of ordering specific dishes we wanted. It was good that we were able to order specific dishes because he never brought us anything that we hadn't already ordered. The outdoor patio was really nice, and I appreciated that it was covered, which is very helpful in climates with variable weather. I am always happy to find places that offer outdoor dining, and generally speaking that would increase the likelihood of my going to a restaurant. However, the service did leave me, thinking twice about coming back. read more

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

The hongos a la lena and the grilled cheesecake were excellent. This is one of my favorite finds in DC. The ambience for lunch was lovely and the servers were attentive and responsive. I'm no longer a DC resident but I will certainly come back to Dleña whenever I have the chance to return to the city. read more

dLeña - Grilled Jericalla Cheese Cake** - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Ok ok ok This place was really good! Food is different and just gooood! I had the short ribs... AMAZING! Service and suggestions were on point! read more

My ggf and I went for my birthday in October and we went downstairs to the speakeasy to sit at the bar and it was definitely a treat!!! Ambiance: 10/10 The decor upstairs was beautiful and the speakeasy gav mix of lounge style seating, tables and the bar. Food: 10/10 We just did the Queso Fundido bc we just wanted to eat light since we both were going to other spots afterwards. It was awesome!!! Drinks: 12/10 C'est magnifique!!!! The bartender definitely knew what to do once we told her our preferences! The pictures and video prove that! Overall: 20/10 I LOVED the experience of the speakeasy and the atmosphere was so grown and sexy. I will be goiback to try more food since we just did lite bites and drinks. (I added some videos of the entrance into the speakeasy and the drinks for your viewing pleasure but for some reason it didn't all attach to the review) read more

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This restaurant is nothing short of amazing. The food was delicious and the ambience is upscale. The atmosphere is laid back. Great service that are very knowledgeable of the menu, it's swanky, so dress it up. read more

dLeña - This restaurant is nothing short of amazing. The food was delicious and the ambience is upscale. The atmosphere is laid back. - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Had such a lovely dinner here. Helped with the menu by Maritza - gave great sug and service. Enjoyed all aspects of the meal including the wine and the best churros I've had. Thanks for a great experience. read more

I've been to dLeña a few times. It's a great restaurant, but I'm a picky eater, so I usually go with the corn empanadas and tacos. It was National Margarita Day and I had the Frambuesa Fresca. It was super crowded and when we did get a table, we had to be up within an hour. It's dark in there, but enough lighting to navigate. The live music was a nice touch too. All in all a good time. read more

dLeña - Birria Beef Tacos** - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Good food, and a fun vibe! Our favorites were - pork belly app - queso fundido (must have in the tortillas, doesn't good in normal chips) - short rib tacos Skip the - cauliflower - burrata - crepe dessert Our cocktails were terrible, I think the bartender may have been off. Only good one was the mule. Also, our waiter was not knowledgeable at all on anything which was super disappointing. read more

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This was our favorite meal in DC. Such interesting food. Gorgeous ambiance. Great service. Highly recommend.

The food was amazing!!! Worth every penny. The drinks have good flavor combinations. Our waiter was great! And the vibe was moody which I love. The only thing I thought was just good, and not excellent, was the cheesecake dessert. It just was not my favorite. But everything else was amazing! read more

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Was excited to bring a friend here for my second visit but, unfortunately, was very disappointed -- if not embarrassed -- by the service; the problems started as soon as we walked in. Despite having a reservation for brunch, we were told that they "couldn't see it" on their end when we arrived; even showing them the confirmation from our side didn't convince them. The particularly rude hostess then informed us that if we still wanted to dine "without a reservation" then we could only sit at the bar -- despite the fact that nearly every table was open and remained so for the majority of our time there (after reluctantly accepting to sit at the bar). The service at the bar was equally underwhelming and disappointing; the order that our dishes for the bottomless brunch came out was incredibly disorganized, equally sporadic and intermittent, most dishes came out cold after sitting at expo for quite some time, and unlike my previous experience there nobody indicated what was being served -- leaving us to guess in the midst of the disorder. Ambiance was still great though, but didn't quite justify the prices for the service and experience we had. read more

Traveled here for a birthday celebration and we were seated promptly a little before our reservation. For this to be open 2 years the restaurant is still clean and new as ever. Our server Troy was 1000 stars! I reserved through O.T about a month ago and requested a few things in honor of it being a birthday visit and Troy accomplished everything I requested! I believe an owner was on site that night and came by the table as well. The food was delicious and wood fire cooked. I will definitely revisit and highly recommend! In regards to price it depends on the person but I found them to be reasonable in terms of taste and presentation. Keep in mind this is ELEVATED Mexican Cuisine! Pictures with menu names provided. (Not pictured: traditional guacamole which is a great appetizer) read more

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They appear to be accommodating for allergies. However, when you actually speak to them, they are unwilling to accommodate allergies and are very rude. If the allergens were any outside the few random ones noted on the menu, they are will not even discuss accommodations or adjustments to current dishes. I strongly do not recommend to anyone with allergies, and based on their attitude towards other allergens, I would not trust them with those they have listed. read more

What? Alex at Roja Bar in DLena was outstanding. We love mezcal and asked for recommendations and he nailed every request. His attention to service and knowledge os beyond what I have experienced in another restaurant. Highly recommend this bar! Yes!!!! read more

I have been dying to go here for a while and I was so happy to get to visit for lunch with a friend earlier this summer! We were so impressed by the great service and even better food! We started with the guacamole and each got salads and I can happily say I'll be returning for more! We left so full and so satisfied, can't wait to go back! read more

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

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Can I give this restaurant 6 starts? What a beautiful place, very nicely decorated, clean specious and the staff super friendly We didn't know this peace of heaven existed, and my daughter discovered by accident The food is so pretty, we didn't want to devoured, each and every bite we took, was a explosion of flavors? My taste buds were so happy, the oyster were amazing, I have never ever tried oysters with smoked bacon jam, yum yum yum, you do not need a knife to eat the rib eye steak, it was juicy and tender, the drinks were also very enjoyable I highly recommend this place read more

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This is my favorite restaurant so far in D.C. The food is amazing, flavorful, and everything came out fresh! My favorite are the appetizers, the crab guac and wings are FIRE!!! We were seated in the lower area of the restaurant and the ambiance was soothing. I cannot wait to go back. read more

Food was amazing!! Crystal was an amazing server and almost read my mind every time when she came to check on us. read more

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

I hosted a work dinner here for a group of 23 and reserved the back room and had a family style dinner with an open bar. I loved the set up of the back room, it was totally separated from the restaurant and allowed us to stand and mingle instead of sitting the whole time. For food we ordered the following: - Guac with tuna tartare: good Guac but the tartare was amazing, had a little kick and melted in your mouth - Corn empanadas: unique app of a standard empanada with corn and a light buttery sauce inside - Brisket tacos: maybe my favorite item - the sauces and the meat were phenomenal and super flavorful - Branzino: had a nice wood fire roasted taste - Spicy shrimp: probably my least favorite item just because they were by themselves, would probably get the taco or something else next time - Carajillo creme brûlée: fun item that is lit on fire while served - mild coffee taste and mostly tasted like a normal creme brûlée - Corn mezcal cake & vanilla ice cream: surprisingly loved this dessert - it was more of a savory sweet dish but very different than any dessert I've ever had - would highly recommend! For drinks we did an open bar, and the mezcal margaritas were okay. I also tried a mezcal old fashioned but it tasted super sweet like too much simple syrup was added. In general the group felt that the drinks were a bit watered down / were very light on the alcohol. We ended up doing a tequila / mezcal tasting as well which came with three types of tequila each - that was fun but would have been nice if it was a little more interactive / they told us about the tequilas as we went through as opposed to all at the beginning since no on remembered by the time we got to the third one. Overall, very cool decor and enjoyed all of the food we tried. Would come back to explore the regular menu and try drinks when we're not on an open bar situation. read more

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I have been waiting to visit this place for over 6 months. Some friends and I went here for Happy Hour and dinner. Just a tidbit before you go. If you order anything from the happy hour menu, you have to consume at the bar only, you cannot close out your bill and bring to the table. But we had the Margaritas which were balanced and delicious. Next we ordered the guacamole and beef empanadas (not on the menu) then we ordered the Ribeye and pork shank with broccolini. The dinner was delicious and flavorful. Now for dinner we ordered the creme brulee. It was not that great. I honestly would not order again. Coffee and fruit just don't pair well together in my opinion. We will be going back for their cocktail bar downstairs. Overall the energy of the environment was positive and trendy. The customer service was good all around. I would recommend going to experience the food and drinks. read more

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This place was super nice and the downstairs area is perfect with the live music. The food was impeccable and this is coming from a Mexican. Will be back! Brandon was an amazing server! read more

dLeña - short rib tacos - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This was easily one of the best restaurants I've ever been to. We went Saturday night around 8:30 and had about an hour wait but it was SO worth it!! Mike was working the host stand and was so friendly and helpful. He kept us updated on our spot in the wait queue and approximate wait time. Although it was busy, he was so calm and would have friendly conversation with my grandmother while we waited. Once we were seated, our waiter Troy introduced himself. Troy was kind, attentive, personable, detailed, and just amazing! He is a true ray of sunshine. I am positive all of the staff is friendly, but when you go to dLeña, sit with Troy!! We ordered some delicious appetizers: Maryland Crab Guacamole, Hot Stone Wagyu, & Ceviche Amarillo. Everything was truly incredible! In fact, we talked about choosing a favorite and we simply couldn't. It was all just so delicious and special in its own right. We both had Passion Fruit Casa Margaritas with Tajin rims and they were so yummy. A perfect balance of flavors. We also decided to get a shot of Classe Azul tequila (we've been wanting to try it for a while). Troy suggested we try a special tequila they ordered from Mexico in limited quantities (the name escapes me). It was the best tequila I've ever had! Even better than Classe Azul. It was smoky and had a smooth finish all the way through. We wish we could have ordered a bottle to go! Overall, our experience at dLeña was just incredible. The food was outstanding but the staff were even more memorable. They were all so welcoming, friendly, and cohesive! I can't say enough about them. We will definitely be coming back to dLeña every time we visit DC! A true treasure and the best way to end our trip! read more

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Great date spot!!!! I didn't think dLeña could live up to the hype but it did! Great atmosphere, drinks and food. Our group enjoyed the ceviche, guacamole, shrimp tacos, and the tomahawk (which was insanely huge). Our only regret was not going downstairs because the vibes and decor down there is unrivaled! read more

I've been dying to try dLena and I finally had a chance to! When you walk inside you are immediately transformed into a dimly lit, super sexy restaurant! Perfect for date nights, special occasions and girls nights! I didn't have the opportunity to try the speakeasy but I'll definitely do so the next time I dine there. Drinks: ~ Mexican Old Fashioned = 10/10 | My date said this drink was very tasty ~ Passionfruit Margarita = 9/10 | Super fresh with the perfect amount of passionfruit Food: ~ Guacamole = 7/10 | Yummy but not out of this world ~ Crab cake Tostada = 10/10 | DELICIOUS! ~ Camarones a La Diablo = 9/10 | Huge prawns in the most delicious sauce ~ Broccolini = 10/10 | My date enjoyed the flavor and commented on how fresh it was ~ Grilled Avocado = 5/10 | it was ok ~ Baked Potato = 6/10 | The tartar sauce threw me off a bit but it was tasty when all mixed together read more

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We heard so many good things about this restaurant and we had to stop by to the most talked about spots in DC and of course to go for a birthday celebration. We have to say we were very impressed from the restaurant decor to the food everything tasted amazing. Most favorite what the lamb, it pulled right of the bone and the portions were perfect enough for leftovers. The service was on point from any questions we had about the food, any recommendations we took note. And the service of the food was very fast when it came out. We would love to come back again but try for more other dishes or if there is brunch and a lunch menu it would be great to taste some Mexican flare dishes. We are adding this restaurant to our top date night spots. We did post a food reel on our instagram at @Ja.deliciousfoods if anyone happens to want to see our experience. Thank you dleña for a great birthday dinner night we hope to visit you all soon! @Ja.Deliciousfoods (Josh and Anais) read more

I thoroughly enjoyed dLeña's bottomless brunch - the plates kept coming and we could barely keep up! I would strongly recommend bringing your appetite when opting for bottomless!! The vibe was very boozy brunch yet chill. Our server was impressive and the decor amazing. I cannot wait to come back! read more

I recently ordered takeout and got the short rib tacos and the atún tacos. The short rib has been my favorite since they opened. However, I've noticed in the past month that the food quality is slipping slightly. The short rib was fattier than normal and the tuna in the tacos did not taste as fresh as I would have expected for dLena. I also noticed the atun tacos had way too much sauce. Not only did it taste like I was having mayo tacos, it was clearly trying to over power the lack of freshness of the tuna. Please note I have ordered twice within the past thirty days and have noticed the same decrease in quality/freshness. Still a delicious restaurant, but having been to this restaurant since the beginning you can see the slight change. read more

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As I continue to explore DC, I'm always on the lookout for quality restaurants. I stumbled across dLeña and was very happy to have a new tasty restaurant to add to my list. When you walk in, you are greeted warmly by the hosts/hostesses. Once directed to your table, they start you with a hibiscus drink to clean your palette. Once our palettes were clean, of course we went straight to the cocktails. I started with the Mercado which was just as strong as it was gorgeous and tasty. Now let's talk about the food! Warning: you will definitely be stressed by all of the great smelling food going to the tables around you. Stay strong and try not to order the whole menu lol. My friend and I started with the crab cake tostada. I then ordered the Medio Pollo al Carbon which was very nicely grilled chicken paired with broccolini. Even though our stomachs were full, we had to indulge in dessert. We ended our meal with the Mil Hojas de Panqueque Argentino which was a crepe cake topped with caramel sauce and a side of salted caramel ice cream. Although this restaurant is on the pricier side, I left with no regrets. They also have happy hour deals and a downstairs speakeasy that I'm looking forward to trying out. Overall, a great restaurant! read more

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