This is literally my first yelp review I've ever done (because i don't really care to leave reviews) but the experience was so bad i had to leave one. We had a group of six on a Sunday (Mother's Day at that) and we arrived at 12:30 and we didn't start getting food until 1:40. We did the bottoemless brunch and it would take them 20 mins to bring out each item, to the point that we were just sitting there starving waiting on more food. My fiancé and her friend ordered mimosa's and it took an hour plus 3 trips inside just to get them. Once we finally started to complain the waitress AND manager both had attitudes with us like we did something wrong. All the service was unprofessional, slow, and even with them taking their time we constantly had to remind them what we ordered next so that they can bring it. I'll never return back to this place again. read more

My boyfriend & I love to try new restaurants around the area and man... this one was the best yet!!! Let's break it down. Ambiance: very intimate, dark lighting, the decor resembled a speak easy vibe as we were seating in the downstairs lounge. If you would like to sit upstairs I recommend making a reservation. Service: the service was out of this world!! 10/10 AJ took care of us and he was so knowledgeable about the the menu & cocktails. We will definitely be back for his service! Food: THEY DID NOT DISAPPOINT. I usually take a Togo box home because my eyes are bigger than my stomach. But we cleaned the plates this time lol. 10/10 read more

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Dlena is a great place to grab a quick drink, date night or settle in for a nice dinner. The overall design of the restaurant allows each table to disappear into their own worlds. The tequila selection is the best in DC and their empanadas are absolutely stuffed - pro tip, ask if they have any wagyu beef empanadas. If the chef has leftovers after making the main dishes cuts they'll turn them into empanadas which are FANTASTIC. The craft drink selection is also steller, note the bar drinks are different upstairs and downstairs on purpose and you cant take one from the other - they don't have the ingredients so don't bother asking. Paul & Chris at the upstairs bar are extremely friendly and knowledgable. They were attentive to our needs and provided explanation of everything on the menu including all 3 sauces that came with the queso fondito. The prices are a little higher than normal (typical city increase) but well worth it. Also highly recommend getting a reservation as they book up fast or getting to the bar close to opening to get a good seat. Love this place will certainly be back for more read more

dLeña - Mercado Margarita ($14) corona ($7) - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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My first time here with friends who love this place. We didn't have a reservation but were seated after a 20 minute wait. We sat outside on one of the most perfect DC summer nights. The wait staff and our server were very friendly and knowledgeable about diet restrictions. Our group had a gluten and dairy free diner (me), a pescatarian, and a kosher-style diner. But the menu made it easy for us. Collectively we ordered the shrimp, cauliflower, tacos, empanadas, the carrots, the broccolini and the guacamole. Everything came out perfect. They have these gluten free crackers for the guacamole that are better than any chip I've had (although I couldn't taste their chips). The decor inside was classy and modern -a darkened space which gave it a sexy vibe. They have a beautiful bar and I'd come back for a cocktail next time. Definitely recommend! read more

Best brunch in DC. Bottomless food and drinks for around $55 - I only did bottomless food for $39 and it's a great deal. Friends that did drink said the drinks were strong and the options were great. The quality and variety of the food was impressive. We had a number of dietary restrictions and our waiter was able to substitute ingredients for us so we could still try a bit of everything on the menu. Favorites were the enchiladas, chicken and waffles and the guacamole. Would recommend that you get there before 1pm so that you can pace yourself with the food. We had a 1:45pm res and felt a bit rushed since last call was at 2:45pm - but our waiter was lovely and did his best to get everything out in a reasonable manner. Will definitely be going back to brunch here earlier! read more

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Terrific food - well presented, seasoned perfectly! Good vibes from this place all around!

This place is so amazing! It took me about two weeks to get a reservation after 7 PM, but it was well worth it! My friend and I split a bunch of appetizers; everything was excellent! 4.5 stars! We ordered the corn empanadas, and in my opinion, these are a must-have for the table! It was my friend's favorite dish! Our second favorite dish was the Guacamole de Bonito (my favorite), followed by the Queso Fundid, Crab Cake Tostada, and Pork Belly! The ambiance is perfect; this is a place I would go back to for date night or just in general. Oh, and our server tonight, Troy, was top-notch. I would prefer it if he's our waiter every time I go! Troy was knowledgeable about the menu, checked in on us, and was honestly just so personable. This is definitely a place you have to try! I will be back. read more

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dLeña is sceney and a little upscale without losing its fun side. They have a great happy hour, delicious chips and guac, high quality tacos, and great fries too. The cocktail list is mainly mezcal-based, but they are well made and interesting even though I don't love mezcal! read more

This place is amazing for dinner but I just recently found out about their brunch and OMG!!! I can't wait to go back, their brunch is an amazing vibe, the food is beyond delicious, with so many options and flavors. Their drinks for brunch is not to be missed! I mean this restaurant has been great with delivering in every aspect and it has not disappointed not one time. Ohhh and let me NOT forget about our fabulous waiter, it's unfortunate I can't remember his name but he was a great time. Consistently checking to make sure we have drinks, and recommended the dishes we needed to try first on the brunch menu. He knew what he was talking about! YES, YES, YES to this being the best brunch spot in DC! read more

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Finally made it here. Everyone was raving about this place. Food was okay. Maybe we didn't order the right stuff. But wasn't really impressed. The venue is nice thou. read more

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Did the bottomless brunch, food and drink here and it was an excellent experience! Every dish that came out was incredible, I was also brunching with a vegetarian and they were very conscious of bringing her out dishes either changed to remove the meat in them or extras of the options that were by default vegetarian so she could also enjoy. We tried each of the brunch cocktails and every single one was delicious. Our server was friendly and checked on us often and again was making sure we were well fed and that my friend was satisfied with her experience. The restaurant itself had a great atmosphere and is great for groups or date night. read more

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

The food was delicious especially the honey vanilla cheesecake. The restaurant has levels so you can dine in the main dining area or downstairs where it's more intimate like a speakeasy type of vibe. They had live music when I was there which was nice. I liked the downstairs more intimate setting. The tequila selection was excellent. I really enjoyed myself & I will be returning with friends & family who haven't experienced this restaurant yet. read more

Want to cure the Monday blues, go get some dessert (& a cocktail or two)! Not only does @dlena have delicious food, and a cozy speakeasy, they also have some amazing desserts on their menu. I tried the Corn Cake (Pastel de Elote - creamy corn cake / hibiscus-mezcal sauce / agave almond / vanilla ice cream $12) and it divinely melted in my mouth! Highly recommend, alongside the mezcal painkiller. Don't say I didn't tell you so! : taken at Roja (speakeasy underneath DLeña) read more

dLeña - Pastel de Elote** - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This place was amazing! Came here for my b day but forgot to post smh. The food was crack! So much different flavor in everything we ordered! Oysters were delicious, shrimp had a good kick, pulpo al pastor was savory, and empanada de wagyu was phenomenal. Also my girl got a Paloma, and they actually make one of the best Palomas in DC. When they came out with the churro birthday plate, we were about to sing, but the manager stopped us and went to go get a candle and lit it up on the plate, that was very nice of him. The inside is dimmed but very nice and downstairs is like a lounge type of vibe with live music sometimes. read more

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Had a great time during bottomless brunch! Paul was an amazing server and took good care of us at the bar. The food was quite delicious, very flavorful and full of spice. The mimosas were great. My favorite dish was the carnitas skillet and would go back and order the exact same thing. Definitely recommend for any first timers in DC or if you want to experience a fun and flavorful brunch. The atmosphere was very nice and I love the decor. Not too loud or busy either. read more

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The experience was amazing. Definitely be back for a date night. Food was delicious and authentic too! Service was good and restaurant is very pretty. Next time I'll sit near the bar. The vibe was awesome read more

Food was amazing very modern touch to Mexican dishes and really nicely presented beautiful colors and ornate without compromising the taste looks like the chef take pride in his kitchen we were there for the Saturday brunch menu and the food did not disappoint how ever even though it was bottomless brunch food and drinks I feel like the drinks could have been a little more crafted but they were only ok. Service was exceptional when we arrived the hostess was on the phone and she Had a new employee training, well the new employee was very courteous and let us know it was only her second day and the main hostess was going to help us shortly, however one of the employees jumped the rope to help and assigned us a table right the way and they were also very gracious in providing a happy birthday dessert for our daughter. So we can say come visit Dleña and be blown away by everything. To the chef : keep doing what you are doing! read more

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Man this place was phenomenal!! We came here for our anniversary dinner before a concert and it did not disappoint. The atmosphere was lovely and the vibes were great. We got the tomahawk steak and the wagyu which came out to perfection. Our waitress was so attentive and helped with our needs. This place definitely lived up to the reviews. I would come here again and check out their brunch menu. Everything was juicy and flavorful. 10/5 if I could give it! read more

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This is a swanky Mexican place that offers really great tacos, appetizers and drinks. I'd recommend this place for a larger group so that you can share and try multiple items given that the portion sizes are a bit on the smaller side. Highly recommend the cocktails, and I think the service was pretty great considering how busy the place often is. read more

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

I was a bit hesitant in trying out dLeña, as I have never been a fan of other Chef Sandoval's restaurants. Regardless, a friend and I came here with an open mind to try them out for an early dinner when they had recently opened. We ordered the following: +Queso Fundido - melted cheese with grilled beef-cecina, and served with corn tortillas, tomatillo salsa cruda, and caramelized onions +Short Rib taco - with chili de arbol peanut sauce, arugula salsa cruda, and flour tortillas +Atún taco - a smoked chili crusted tuna with pobalno tartar and citrus cabbage +Camarón taco - breaded prawns, jicama tortilla, chili powder, and pickled onions +Wagyu Steak a la Piedra - seasoned with a fajita pepper mix, molcajeteada sauce, guacamole, corn tortilla, and crema fresca +Pork Belly - a chipotle glaze, peanut red pipian sauce, green varieties of pickled veggies +Camarónes a la Diabla - jumbo prawns with a smoked chili marinade, chipotle sauce, and grilled spring onions +Zarandeado - branzino served with cole slaw, charred marinated grilled half of an avocado, and corn salsa +Broccolini - was actually broccoli, NOT BROCCOLINI; the menu stated that it was broccolini grilled with smoked chili, olive oil, and sea salt +Pastel de Elote - a creamy corn cake with hibiscus-mezcal sauce, agave almond, and vanilla ice cream +Mil Hojas de Panqueque Argentino - crepes with warm cajeta caramel, whipped cream, strawberries, and salted caramel ice cream Honestly, each and every one of the items were prepared and seasoned with the same spices (smoked chili), so, besides the protein itself, everything was all similar in taste and there was hardly any distinction. It definitely defeated the purpose of trying out different flavors. The biggest issue I had was that the restaurant and the chef were trying to dupe their patrons with the 'broccolini' dish. There was no note, no signage of saying that the restaurant ran out of this vegetable, nor was there any mentioning from the staff that there would be a substitution. When we raised the issue with both the manager/staff, they laughed it off as it was a joke. It wasn't funny at all. I'm thinking that they couldn't distinguish between the two. To top it off, we were given their cards before they moved on to the next table. Why? It was also a pain to try to get this taken off the check; our server stated that she would take care of it, went to confirm with the managers, still issued a check with the 'broccolini', waited a ridiculous amount of time to flag her down, remind & explain, and receive an updated check. Definitely a 'Broccolini-gate' type of situation. And, no, there was no apology or a follow-up. The restaurant itself is very aesthetically-pleasing, though; large windows that open up during great weather, so it kind of felt like you're dining on a patio. I'm glad I was able to try this place out, but I will not return. Limited metered street parking around the area. +serves broccoli instead of broccolini - why? +same flavor profile across all dishes +inattentive service +limited metered parking read more

Visited dLeña for the first time today. Loved the inviting yet intimate atmosphere at dLeña during lunch. The spacious bar seating looked nice for a lunch or late night drink. The window booth that my gf and I sat in set the perfect tone. The birria tacos and crab guacamole were perfect, paired with some excellent drinks. A highlight was the exceptional service, courtesy of our server Kristyana. Looking forward to returning! Definitely a spot to try if you haven't been. read more

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I came here with a group of friends for bottomless brunch in January! For something that's offered as bottomless, I am surprised on how good the quality of all the food is! I've had a similar bottomless brunch (food only) of the same cuisine in Boston, but the quality of the food here at Dlena is just unmmatched! My personal favorites was the birria beef tacos, cazuelas, and the shrimp enchiladas! Would highly recommend this spot. Also the interior decor is classy! read more

Came here for brunch on Valentine's Day! Definitely my top favorite place to brunch! Highly recommend Apps 1. Grilled street corn: 10/10! Must try. The flavors and cheese is perfect proportion. Entrees: 1. BIrrIa Beef tacos: 100/10. The beef literally melts in your mouth. Amazing! My personal favorite. 2. Chicken & waffles: 9/10! The agave syrup is to die for! Bon appetite read more

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What a treat the dLena experience was. If I could, I would have tracked down the chef and given him a big hug and a kiss!!! We were blown away on so many levels. Ambiance, service, and most importantly food. The flavors were absolutely mind blowing. Everything that we ordered was packed with flavor and creativity, with both the presentation and the use of ingredients. The 2 week wait that it took to get a reservation was well worth it. We were able to get a reservation for 6pm on a Monday evening. Probably the day and time that we will continue to make our go-to time, as it was just the right amount of busy for me. I got there a little early and grabbed a seat at the bar to take advantage of their HH. HH ends at 6:30, so I had plenty of time to grab a couple of glasses of wine and one of the appetizers. Their HH selection and prices were really good. All items on the HH menu less than $7!! We ordered the Barbacoa tacos (2 per serving) and the truffle cotija fries. Both were just out of this world. The tacos nailed the 3 most important components of a taco...the tortilla, the filling, and the toppings. The tortillas were fresh (blue corn), the barbacoa was plentiful and had great flavor, and the sauces gave it the right amount of smoky and spice component. As for the fries, I don't even know how to put my feelings for these fries into words. When you first see them you might worry about what to expect, but after that first bite you realize you just might be eating one of the best order of fries ever. To keep this party going, we went with the Ostiones ala Lena, which were the grilled oysters. I am not a fan of oysters, but these I could eat all day. Once again the flavors are just so amazing and creative. For me, it was the bacon relish and the chipotle mignonette that took these over the top. If you are not a fan of oysters, I say give these a try. As if we didn't already have enough, we kept going, and went with the Ensalada de Kale, enchiladas (stuffed with shrimp and crab meat) and the Zarandeado (the bronzino). The salad was my least favorite out of these items, as I would have liked to have a bit of variety with the greens. A salad with just one green, isn't as exciting as having a mix. I like a bit of crunch from my greens, and in this salad the baby kale was not giving me that. The other components of the salad were fresh and flavorful including the agave almonds...those were yummy. We overheard someone say that the enchiladas were the best thing on the menu, so we had to give those a try. They were pretty spot on. What I loved about these, is that you didn't feel stuffed after eating them. Often time enchiladas can be very filling, and make you feel uncomfortable afterwards. My only suggestion to those of you who like spice, would be to ask for a side of the habanero sauce. The dish itself doesn't pack a ton of spice. Lastly...the Branzino. I really wish we weren't stuffed by the point that this came out. We definitely didn't take full advantage of this one as we could have. The way it is served, you can make mini fish tacos. They come with a side of tortillas, slaw, and a half of avocado that is grilled and stuffed with corn....can I get an AMEN!! LOL. Just phenomenal. Chef Camacho...sending my hugs and kisses to you through this review. Exceptional work! read more

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Recently visited Dlena again with friends, and suffice to say I was shocked by the sharp contrast in food quality within the past 2 months. We ordered multiple items on the menu, but the only edible thing was the chips and guac, which may be the only thing on the menu without salt. A few people at our table had ordered tacos and they stated it was far too salty to finish eating. The same issue occurred with the kale salad. It was genuinely inedible and we had to send it back as the salt content was so incredibly high, I honestly had thought it was a joke. It was not just our table sending food back as well, some tables near us sent multiple dishes back, one even sending back an entire steak! Our drinks were subpar, and the only highlight was our server who was very attentive. read more

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

Another Richard Sandoval hit! I visited for the first time for New Year's brunch and everything was amazing! The mimosas are strong so pace yourself if you're looking a boozy brunch. I didn't care for the margarita. The salmon was the best dish for me but all of the food was good. My friend doesn't eat meat so the chef very graciously prepared mushroom tacos for her. It's not on the menu but they accommodated us and I was very grateful. Can't wait to go back for dinner. Great spot if you're looking tapas style plates. read more

So. Not 5 stars - I'd give this a 3.5 Simply put - while everything we ordered was good its not worth the price point. I'm not coming back. I think our waiter may have been the best feature! There were few to zero Latinos eating here. They don't offer rice and beans - they don't serve them. The carne dishes don't come as steaks, they are delivered as cut pieces. Nothing really wow'ed me - except the broccolini? I'd go to oyamel, presidente, guapos, lauriol plaza or ABI in Arlington. read more

The overall experience during our dining at Dleña was at the top of my list. I had made a reservation in advance per recommendations. We were promptly seated upon our arrival. The seating was very tight which was my only gripe. I couldn't enjoy conversation with my husband because the table next to us had a very loud guest. The ambience was elevated and created a vibe that's hard to match with any other place I've been. The delicious food made up for it. The pictures speak for themselves. The food arrived hot, perfectly plated and mouth watering. I wish we didn't live on the opposite side of the country and could indulge more often. This is a more expensive meal but the quality of service and food are in line with the cost. read more

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I wonder if the kitchen staff knows my name... this is my go to stop whenever I come back from a long week of traveling, and need some consistent, good food. I always get the short rib tacos, those are phenomenal. But I've also tried the corn empanadas which are hefty and delicious, and the prawn/ shrimp tacos. The prawn tacos were surprisingly very good, and I like to persuade myself that they are healthy because they come on a jicama tortilla instead of a traditional corn tortilla. The kale salad is also very good for those looking for something healthy but delicious, and is a nice kick of tart with the pomegranate. I haven't had the chance to try the desserts yet, but I look forward to it! read more

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

The presentation was remarkable! I love a good plating aesthetic.. The tacos were cool, but honestly, i could have eaten the guacamole and chips all day long. Service from the waitress was great, but it seemed like the hostess was having a bad day (at least, I hope). read more

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Follow us: - @AVeteransSuccess on YouTube - @Avetlife on Instagram. ---------- What's up my fellow Yelpee's, Googler's and DMV'er's!!! Let's get right to it! First time visiting this beautiful amazing restaurant in a populated area off K. street in DC and it's popping. If you do not book a reservation you'll need to make one like yesterday bc this place get's crowded really fast. I believe that their list is 3-4 weeks out. Upon arrival, we didn't have to wait long as our table was already waiting for us. Then we met our awesome waiter, Troy who has such a positive attitude and if you have never been here before he's ready to brief you with a quick history of the how it all started and what they are known for. We thought that was fabulous! He is also very comedic and deserves to be awarded for not even having to try hard in pleasing his guests meanwhile keeping it simple. We'd also like to thank Jose the busboy who hooked us up with the Jamaican red water drink he was passing around for all to enjoy. Now to the food! We ordered the crab cake tostadas as an appetizer and it was delish. From the especiales DLeña we had the Waygu steak A la Piedra and 14 Oz. 30 Day Dry Aged Boneless Ribeye. To end our evening we had to have dessert bc everything was going so smooth so we end up having the Mil Hojas De Panqueque Argentino and went out with a BANG!!! Bc everything was as tasteful and savory as how we expected it to be. We appreciate the general manager Josh Gray for actually giving us a tour of the Rosa bar and lounge on a first come first serve agenda. Which was spectacular with a live local band and smooth music. We highly recommend this restaurant! Gen. Manager: Josh Gray Server: Troy Busboy: Jose read more

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Went to The Bottomless brunch Jeff Brought us everything on the menu. He was incredibly kind, made our experience so much better. The food was great I liked a few items that I would have never thought to order had Jeff not convinced me to try it. Best drink was the may may, everything was very clean which was a plus for me and really well priced its definitely an experience worth having. I plan to go back and try dinner soon. Feel free to follow my food page for full video https://instagram.com/eatwithlucydmv?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= read more

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Amazing meal at dLena. Food was amazing, service was great and the restaurant has a really nice atmosphere. We did miss some traditional food items (like rice)... but the food we had was amazing. The surprise hit was the Corn Empanadas... light, crispy and great flavor. We also enjoyed the Guacamole De Bonito was also amazing... especially the crispy tortilla that came with it... almost list lavash bread. Overall a great meal, and we will definitely be back. read more

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dLena is a most go! The food at D'Lena is nothing short of extraordinary. The ingredients were incredibly fresh, and the flavors were amazing. The crab enchiladas were a standout, so much so that I attempted to recreate them at home, but it was simply impossible to replicate the perfection of the original. One noteworthy aspect of D'Lena is its location above a swanky mezcal bar. This combination of an exceptional dining experience with a vibrant mezcal bar creates an atmosphere that is unbeatable. If you're in the area, do yourself a favor and make a reservation at D'Lena. Five stars without a doubt. read more

Best brunch ever, this was so much fun! Our server, Troy was one of the most attentive, energetic, kind, and wonderful servers I have ever had! Food was to die for, and everything we tried was thoroughly explained by our new friend, Josh! Josh and Troy handled of our large party like it was a party of two, we felt extremely taken care of, and was one of the best dining experiences I have had in DC! The food was insane. We did the bottomless food and drink, and everything that came out was amazing--particularly the ceviche and elote! I am leaving so full and satisfied and I would come here for brunch time, and time again! COULD NOT RECOMEND TROY ENOUGH! read more

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Very nice ambiance. The drinks were good but food wasn't the best. We tried the corn empanadas. The tacos de camaron were okay. The the vegetarian enchilas were delicious!! read more

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Had an amazing experience here; the service and ambiance was great. Definitely recommend the tacos, queso, and pork belly. The hot stone wagyu and dessert was okay. Definitely want to come back for brunch! read more

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Missing Tulum ???? Head over to Dleña! Upstairs a full dining experience, downstairs is a dark and sexy lounge area with a beautiful bar! The ceviche was super fresh, the drinks were stiff and the ambience was really nice! More authentic flavor profiles and lots of wood fired options on the menu! Very cute for date night read more

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I went with a coworker on Wednesday August 28 for dinner. Our waitress, Bree, was wonderful. She walked us through the menu, and her suggestions were on point. The appetizers (tuna guacamole and short ribs empanadas) were beyond this world. The tomahawk was perfectly cooked, medium rare, and desserts (crème brûlée and the cajetas) were simply exquisite. I would definitely come back when I'm back in town. read more

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I'd been to Dleña when it first opened and hadn't gone back until this past week and I can't believe it took me so long to come back. The food was spectacular- the ribs are definitely worth getting and so are the oysters. The ambiance was nice and not busy. I would recommend! read more

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