I've been here in DC for 20 years, I've frequented Jaleo now and then over the years, and is it me, or is it slipping hard? Went for Sunday lunch. So... the place is showing some age. The seats and table weren't clean when we were seated. The high chair for my little had multi-colored streaks of stuff on it. But I'm here for food, not hygiene. Got a calamari and shrimp paella, cod croquettes, "Canary Islands style confit rabbit", and some pasta tube thing with force-meat in it covered in bechemel. I should have been concerned when I asked the server what "Canary Islands style" meant with the rabbit, and she responded "it's soft." Ok, it's a confit. I asked about flavors-- sweet, savory, sour? "Not spicy" Ummmm. Ok... whatever, let's go. Cod fritters were great as always. Dig them. Freshly fried, nice texture, aioli on point, great. Then the paella came. With rubbery shrimp and worst of all, salty salty salty. Even after it cooled down, it tasted of salt and little else. Had the same issue at Zaytinya lately, and I wonder what's going on. Had it just been adults at the tables or had the server showed up at the table more frequently, I would have sent it back. But I'm with two littles, they're eating it, we've been walking all day, and we just have to soldier on and move things along. The rabbit. Was indeed soft. And bland. (Or maybe my taste buds were fried from the paella). meh. The pasta was meh as well, theoretically contained foie, but assuming that's the case, the flavor was well disguised. Bummer of an experience. What happened to you, Jaleo? read more

We ate here in their parklet. It had good ventilation and the parklet is well covered and would work even in the rain. This was some of the best Spanish food I've had. I liked the complimentary bread with olive oil, rosemary, and garlic. The orange juice my teens each got seemed like a rip-off for $6 since they only got about 5/12 of a goblet. (I arrived at 5/12 because my notes say between and 1/2.) The best: -Mushrooms with poached egg over potato mash. (I'm not an egg person but this was my favorite.) -Patatas bravas. (Aren't these always the best at a Spanish restaurant? Only quibble: too much aioli.) -Cod and potato croquette. -Gazpacho. (Nicely flavored. My kids were excited to try since it was featured in a particularly memorable "I Think You Should Leave" sketch.) -Fried eggplant chips with honey. The worst: -Hangar steak. -Sea bass with potato. -Potato salad with tuna and pickles and giant crackers. read more

Great flavors! Was in the area and stopped into Jaleo for lunch on a busy Sunday afternoon. Had the Arroz a la Cubana (from the brunch menu), Ensalada de Remolacha (beet salad), Gambas al Ajillo (shrimp) and Croqueta de Bogavante (lobster coquettes) - all good. Definitely worthwhile to try a variety of dishes. Lively atmosphere. read more

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DELICIOUS!! I've been more of an Oyamel girlie for the past several years, but the gang wanted Jaleo! We ordered - Bikini de Jamon y queso 10/10 - pan con tomate 10/10 - patatas bravas 10/10 - salmon - espinacas - some other fish - frittata I like mine better - crisper, and more oniony - virgin sangrias Everything was great, especially the ones indicated above. I can't stop thinking of those dishes! read more

Exquisite foods and taste. The menu was a quite interesting... so many things to choose. A must stop if you're in the neighborhood. Excellent. read more

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This restaurant was packed at 815 pm on a Monday night. I sat at the bar. The staff was was excellent. 3 tapas at this restaurant is enough for 2 people. Think Paula Dean takes over Andres recipe. Over the top rich-everything. If at home you use half a 1/4 cup of EVOO and a little butter--here they use the cup and add some cream too. The garlic in the pan con tamale punches you in the mouth and the bread had an excellent chew. Make reservations. read more

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Good Spanish option in DC. A bit pricey, but flavor is there. The cod fritter appetizer was especially good. Make sure you order extra brava sauce. read more

Jaleo - Hanger steak with great flavor - Spanish Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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We went to Jaleo for the first time last night and enjoyed it very much! Everything we ordered was delicious and we particularly enjoyed the Pan de cristal con tomate, the Jamón Ibérico de bellota Cinco Jotas, the Berenjenas fritas a la Malagueña (this was especially tasty), and the Tortilla de patatas clásica. When my husband suggested splitting the flan for dessert, I agreed a bit unenthusiastically but it was incredible and I ended up eating most of it. :-) We will definitely be back! read more

Went here for a friends birthday dinner in January and ordered the vieiras con calabaza y naranjas (orange puree scallops) and it was really good! It was busy but the decor and ambiance was nice. I liked how their menu was pretty different, not things I see at every single restaurant. The service was good and I recommend it, 10/10 read more

Jaleo - orange puree scallops - Spanish Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I went to Jaleo on NYE with my wife and some friends. We opted for the dinner menu. The food was delicious, service was impeccable and the vibes were 100! I'd definitely recommend this spot for a date night, or a quick bite and some drinks. The other plus side, there's a lot to do in this neighborhood! read more

Regular customer here, but this visit ( Feb 22 @ 1:30PM) was unacceptable. We ordered the paella (as we always do), and the shrimp were mushy and tasted not fresh at all. We told our waiter, who was actually good, then the front desk/manager came over and got instantly defensive, claiming it was "a different species." No. Mushy shrimp = bad quality. She was rude, kept saying we already ate some, and insisted we had to pay for the paella anyway, offering desserts like that fixes it. The server literally took away half the dish because it was bad! then they still tried to charge us for it. That's ridiculous! They only removed it from the bill after a conflict. We still tipped 35% because the waiter seems ok, but the front greeting/manager was horrible and handled this like we were trying to cheat them. If you care about service and food quality, be warned. The quality of the food is clearly going downhill. Low quality food and rude service are not worth the money. I will never return to this restaurant, and I will warn my family and friends to stay away. This restaurant has lost a loyal customer. read more

Jaleo - Spanish Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I'd give Jaleo infinite stars just based on their summertime special watermelon sangria! This drink was my intro to Jaleo and I can't get over how deliciously refreshing this sangria is. I went down the tapas route for dinner and tried the infamous patatas bravas, the chicken croquetas, garlic shrimp, grilled asparagus salad, and the chorizo with mashed potatoes. Every single dish was fantastic and flavorful. I absolutely love Jaleo and in the 3 times I've been, haven't had a dish that's disappointed. The service was fantastic and we didn't feel rushed despite the restaurant being busy. My only bone to pick is how pricey some of the tapas were, but this could just be because it's a José Andrés restaurant. read more

Jaleo - Watermelon sangria - Spanish Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Food and service were great. Patas Bravas were better than many we had on Spain. They were super helpful with our toddler. Excellent overall. read more

Haven't been to Jaleo in over 10 years as Jose Andres has opened more restaurants and we have been gravitating towards those. We came back for brunch before our show at the National Theatre and it really was a great experience. We did the Spanish tasting menu and not only did it include all the foods and ingredients that we would expect and want from a Spanish brunch, but the price of $67 per person was so reasonable, especially in this day, age, and location. Our tasting journey had one opener, nine dishes, and one dessert. I was beyond stuffed after the 6th dish. We ate a little bit of the dessert and took the rest of the dishes to go. The dishes heated up well at home. I loved the salmon crudo, croquettes, airy bread that is imported from Spain (baked on site), jamon, garlic shrimp, patatas, and hardy steak. It was literally the perfect Spanish brunch. What made our brunch such an awesome experience was the wonderful service. Our server was warm and explained each dish with passion and knowledge. The other servers that greeted us and cleared our plates were also very warm. This place continues to shine among the row of Jose Andres restaurants on the block. read more

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Came here for lunch and ordered the set menu. Ambiance was great-- loved the decor! Service was great too. - Endive salad: 100/10 (sooo good! Almost as good as the endive salad I had in Estela in NY) - Croquetas de polo: 10/10 (hot, cheesy, and crispy-- sooo yummy) - Gambas: 5/10 (gambas wasn't... the best. Small portion size and it didn't come with bread) - Flan: 7/10 (good but def on the sweeter side) Overall, I loved the appetizers but didn't love the main course. I'll definitely be back for the endive salad though! read more

Amazing flagship location for Jaleo! My wife and I went here late on a September Saturday night after a Cirque du Soleil show at Capital One Arena. We enjoyed every bite we ate and sip we drank of their extensive food and drink menu and the staff was great at accommodating our food allergies. The ambiance is amazing and we look forward to returning. read more

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Jose Andreas' OG restaurant is a must. Delicious tapas, bright decor, a very playful bathroom...I would love to work through this menu if I had the chance. Knowing that the menu is so extensive, here are some recommendations: -cava sangria (good for summertime) -manchego cheese w/ tiny crunchy breadsticks -watermelon salad -tortilla de patatas -patatas bravas Yes, that's more than one potato dish, but is there such thing as too many potatoes in a meal? I think not! read more

I love supporting Jose Andres Restaurants. They used have this in BETHESDA but it's renamed Spanish Diner. Anyway, This location has my favorite tapas. The salmon roe cone thingy, expensive but so rich and tasty. Definitely must try!. Croquettes.. another must have! Gazpacho... idc what's the weather im having this delicious cold tomato soup. Their Spanish omlette is devine. Come here on an empty stomach... the service is great!! Try coming in the day time...at night it gets pretty packed! read more

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Food 7/10 The manchego and jamon brings me back to my Spain trip, but the portions were a bit lacking. The manchego had a nice little kick to it while maintaining a soft texture. But it literally was one half inch slice. The jamon was solid, quite salty, just the way I like it. We also ordered the octopus, which was extremely tender on the inside and had crunchy and chewy suckers on the outside-the perfect combo. But the seasoning was a little too light and they only gave us two tentacles. We also got this other super cheesy dish that I forgot the name of (but pictured below), which I did not particularly enjoy. Way too much cheese. Atmosphere 7/10 I've noticed that DC restaurants are all very very large inside, including this one. There were so many tables, I bet they made a lot of money. Colorful, with red toned art and light fixtures. I enjoyed the funky vibes inside. Service 7/10 Nice service, although we were a bit confused because we were asked to move to another table because there was a reservation coming to the table we were seated at, but after we moved, we noticed the table we left was still empty for the entirety of our meal (?) read more

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Very disappointing. Was very excited to come here. Good food but not special. VERY gluten free unfriendly. Tasting menu, tempting, but everybody in table must order it... hard to do if one person has Celiac... atmosphere Ok. Service seemed variable, our waiter was professional, but gave the impression he'd rather be elsewhere and my wife's celiac was a disturbance to him. Other waiters seemed better. We were at Casa Teresa the night before... much better! read more

We ordered the Jaleo Experience Menu under their tasting menu with the Wine pairing (big mistake!) ... the wine never came on time with the entrees. We had 14 courses with just 5 glasses of wine. Usually with wine pairing you get a glass of wine with each entree. I suggest to hold off with the wine pairing and just get a pitcher of sangria. The server was nice; however, the food runners need to coordinate the food with the wine pairing. It was rather disorganized. read more

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This is a popular restaurant owned by a celebrity chef. It's very busy and popular.Sometimes places like this fail as a consequence of their own success. They seem to pull off relatively good service in spite of this. Waiter was great if a little busy. It's a spanish tapas format and you should stay with that if you go as they are great. My companions were vegetarian, and they have a good selection of veggie entrees. All good. Get it all on order early and they will pace for you ambience is hip chic but a bit loud read more

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Classic José Andres. Good food, great drinks, and excellent service. Initially we were seated next to the kitchen doors - there really shouldn't be a table there. It is a bit crowded. We were able to move to a large round table. Even on the way to the restroom you had to really squeeze behind someone eating. There was outdoor seating. For vegetarian options - there were multiple egg dishes (which were good) but the bulk of the vegetarian tapas was in the fried section. The fried eggplant was a hit. No dessert is a bad idea - we ordered all of them. read more

Jaleo has a great happy hour, but good luck finding a spot at the bar. Once you do, you receive wonderful hospitality, tasty food, great drinks, and a bill that doesn't break the bank. There's a reason why Jaleo has been around for decades. read more

Jaleo - Ensalada Ucraniana - Spanish Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Overall a really wonderful, wonderful experience. This was our second time visiting DC, first time at Jaleo and we're not disappointed. The atmosphere was cozy but eclectic and upbeat. We started with red sangria and then ordered the Jaleo Experience Menu per our server's recommendation. Really happy we went with this as we wanted to try multiple dishes and this was overall not too expensive for the number of courses. Our leading dish was patatas bravas--tasted just like when I visited Spain. Next favorite was either the goat cheese cone or the endive with orange and goat cheese, such a unique bite where all the components worked well together. The shrimp in garlic were tender and flavorful and the croquetas were deliciously crispy on the outside but creamy and savory inside. Not pictured was the Espinacas a la Catalana (it was too salty and really just couldn't stand up against the rest of the dishes) and the Carne asada con piquillos which was fantastic and nicely cooked. The chorizo and sausage selection were delicious as was the flan. Only other dislike for us were ironically the iberico pork patties--the first bite was great when you got the bacon and all the flavors but the overall flavor was too monotonous and the texture was chewy-ish. If only we lived here, we would absolutely come back. read more

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My husband and I ate at Jaleo yesterday after having it on our list to try for a long time. I was really excited about the meal, because they offer two brunch tasting menus. I love a tasting menu, because you get to try a variety of a restaurant's dishes rather than just one entree and maybe sharing a starter, but I haven't had many brunch tastings (usually, dinner). Jaleo offers two brunch tasting menus. Jaleo Classics is described as "a tasting of the classic brunch tapas" and costs $52/per person. The Jaleo Experience is described as "A tour of Spain with Jaleo's favorite traditional and modern brunch tapas" and costs $63/per person. We went with the Jaleo Experience. The first thing I have to say is it was not a tasting, or at least not what I expected from all prior tasting menus I've had. It was entirely too much food. Rather than small dishes, some of what they brought what seemed like full portions of a dish - a full size Huevos estrellados with jamón ibérico, a full size of two desserts (the flan and the arroz con leche). In total, I think we received 12 dishes (including the two desserts). I thought all of them were too big for a tasting except for the first two that were like amuse bouche starters to the meal. Everything else was too large for a tasting. We were full by half way though and uncomfortably full and ready for the experience to be maybe two courses before dessert. I almost asked them to stop bringing food to be honest (we couldn't take anything to go, because we were visiting for a day trip from Baltimore and were going to be out and about all day). On top of that, I wouldn't say that most of the dishes were that memorable or special. My favorite was their classic Spanish omelet. It's a dish I don't always love (I have often found it a little dry or a little underseasoned, which is rough for such a simple dish). But I thought Jaleo's was great. I was unfortunately too full to each much of it. My husband really liked their traditional chicken fritters and their seared piquillo peppers filled with goat cheese (two more classic Spanish dishes). But we could have done without several of the other dishes. The service was good. The decor is really dated. But what really stands out to me is just how much food there was, and how little of it really wowed us. I certainly would not do a tasting here again. If we return for a meal, I probably wouldn't order many of the dishes we had again. But I'd return and try some new tapas if someone invites us to eat at Jaleo. Honestly, I don't know how they can afford to serve this much food for that price. I would found found 1/3 of the food they served us reasonable for a $50-60 tasting menu. Just a weird experience that didn't make much sense to me. read more

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Tried the classics tasting menu and this was so delish. We had a group of five and had more dishes than we could eat. They accommodated a tree nut allergy and everything came out great. Loved the eggplant, the bread with tomato, the flan, and everything in between. A great way to taste the menu without breaking the bank. read more

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Went for their week for federal employees and props to Chef Andres for thinking of how restaurants can serve the communities they occupy. The lunch menu was well developed, simple, quick, yet still retained the regional inspirations that make Jose Andres's restaurants distinct. The Flauta de chorizo had that great spicy smokey bite, the bread was crusty yet soft and soaked up the grated tomato that was added a good amount of acidity between the cured meat. The Boca de tres quesos was so smart and really highlighted the pantry staples that make this cuisine unique. The sweetness paired with the salty savory cheeses (with a cheese pull) gave such a toothsome bite. Bocata de vegetables was the table favorite with the variety of flavors from the vegetables and the red sauce it sat under. It was fragrant and perfectly toasted. All the breads tied to this dish were really ideal with a crusty exterior and pillowy inside. A lot of Jose Andre's restaurants have some sort of in-house bread, and they really exceed how special house bread can be. read more

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"Top Ten Reasons You Should (Still) Eat at Jaleo by José Andrés" #10: Because tapas beat sad desk salads every time. Let's talk about Jaleo--José Andrés' flagship celebration of Spain's culinary comfort zone, right in the heart of D.C. You want croquetas? You want gazpacho? You want tortilla de patatas (don't ask, just eat)? You've come to the right place, my friend. This isn't your grandmother's Mediterranean food--unless your grandmother is Carmen from Sevilla and trained in molecular gastronomy. #9: The food tastes like Spain. Like, real Spain. Not the Disney Epcot Spain. Not the "Mediterranean-inspired" grilled chicken salad at your local chain restaurant. This is the stuff--the pimientos del piquillo, the ensaladilla rusa, the actual gazpacho that doesn't taste like someone rinsed salsa with water. It's comforting, it's classic, and miraculously, it's also likable to the average American palate. A culinary tightrope act José pulls off like a champ. #8: The service? It's so good it makes you uncomfortable. I've seen fewer people swarm a car crash on the Beltway than the Jaleo staff attending to a table. Friendly, lightning fast, and genuinely helpful. They don't just bring food--they orchestrate a tasting experience. If this was a concert, they're the roadies and Beyoncé is the jamón ibérico. #7: The decor... oh boy. Let's just say: if Austin Powers opened a tapas bar, it might look like this. I don't know who greenlit the Daniel Canogar murals, but I haven't seen that much cliche since I blacked out during a Chili's happy hour in 1998. Also: Capella? In 2025? Really? Feels less "cutting-edge Madrid" and more "waiting room of a Y2K-era dental clinic." #6: The bathrooms. I won't say much here because I'm trying to forget. But let's just say that if tapas make you need to go... maybe hold it. Or run next door. #5 to #1: Who cares?! It's José Andrés. The man feeds hurricane victims, evacuates war zones with sandwiches, and STILL has time to sling croquetas like a god. If his decor choices are his Achilles' heel, well, we'll let it slide. He's earned that pretentious ugly mural. BOTTOM LINE: Come for the food. Stay for the food. Ignore the decor. And bring friends--because tapas are meant to be shared, unlike your opinion of the restrooms. read more

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The salmon with the side salad and mashed potatoes was 10/10. I was too hungry to snap any pictures this time. I definitely got yall next time but the ambience and music was so amazing. It's very floral and tropical on the inside, so this is definitely a great place to take some instagramphotos. I also ordered the sangria and that was delicious. I definitely will come back again. If you're ever in the area, you gotta try this place plus they have a lot of locations so just do your research and enjoy. read more

The garlic shrimp and the fried potatoes were good but we ordered the grilled octopus and the paella style pasta with shrimps, both dishes tasted weird. The texture of the octopus was just not tender and chewy. The shrimp also doesn't look very fresh to me and the paella style pasta has a weird seasoning. Service was okay though, wouldn't come again. read more

Jaleo - Spanish Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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We had a an outstanding dinner here! We sat outside on a beautiful evening and were able to enjoy the sights and sounds of the neighborhood. I love tapas restaurants because you get to try so many different things...and that was definitely the case here! We started with the Spanish mini burger. It was quite tasty, but it only comes with one and we split it four ways, so I only got a small bite. Our next item was the highlight for most of us - the mini cones. I had the tuna, my wife had the tomato marmalade and cheese and my daughters got the salmon - we loved these! The chorizo wrapped in potato was another favorite! Oh...so were the fritters and the potatoes! It was all really good! I can't name everything else but you can see the photos. Our server was really nice and tried to guide us to the right amount to order. We followed his advice, but it was too much. Of course we still ate it all, but by the end we realized we would have been fine with 3 or 4 less dishes. read more

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This restaurant use to very good not anymore the fluta was soggy and crispy like before the cod fritters was good the cold foie spécial serve with small brioche hard like rock cover with something too sweet was blend the mushrooms fricassée was dry and no flavors the calamari with ink was ok little tuff the chicken croquettes use to be creamy the service was not the best just the minimum not something you feel welcome!!! Even when we leave the ladies at the desk don't give good night maybe was too busy day!!! read more

We went to Jaleo for restaurant week and felt like the menu was pretty extensive. We opted for the gazpacho, button mushrooms, cauliflower/date dish, and the flan. The gazpacho was bright pink as it was a beet gazpacho and served in a glass which was fun. By far the best dish was the flan. As someone who doesn't love flan I was hesitant to try it again but i'm so glad I did! Would definitely be open to going again! read more

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Very tasty and amazing service! I met up with an old friend who wanted to go to the Bazaar by Jose Andre's instead, but I convinced her to choose here instead for the sake of our wallets and not being hungry after dinner. BOY were we right! We are our WEIGHT in food for $200. This was after having a couple sangrias at the bar and a bottle of bubbly. Some items that stood out were the mini burger, scallops with butternut squash, and calamari. I read a lot of convincing reviews for their chicken croquettes, but those were just OK to me. We finished it all with the cheese cake and clementines sorbet- delish! read more

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Came to DC for the cherry blossoms and stopped by for lunch. So glad we did! The food was delicious and we can't wait to come back! For our appetizer, we got the fried Brussel sprouts with cherries and almonds (on their seasonal menu for the cherry blossoms) $16 and Cono de salmón crudo con huevas de trucha (Salmon tartare and trout roe cone) $6. Loved the cones and I wish there was more!! For our mains, we shared 2 dishes: Rossejat (paella of toasted pasta with head on shrimp and squid) $22 and Carne Asada con Piquillos (Grilled hanger steak with confit piquillo peppers) $21 The rossejat was definitely the highlight of the meal and would come back for this any day! read more

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Not my favorite place for tapas in DC. The food and service are just okay. I prefer Barcelona Wine Bar or Boqueria. I do, however, like how bright the space is! read more

Jaleo - Spanish Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Still the gold standard for tapas in the DC area. I've been to his Vegas location and several Bazaar locations and Zaytinya, but this one is still my favorite restaurant in his restaurant empire. Make sure you make a reservation as this place is always packed. I've noticed the menu has shrunk compared to years past, but his most popular tapas are still on the menu. Their sangria and gin and tonic are hard to beat. If it's your first time and are very hungry, I would recommend doing one of their tasting menu's. It's hard to choose my favorite tapas, but I tend to always order the Carne Asada con Piquillos, Pan Con Tomate, ibérica ham (this is a must order), Gambas Al Ajillo, Butifarra Casera con Mongetes and Croquetas. For veggies, hard to beat the Setas and Espinacas a la Catalana. Save room for their flan! It is a perfect way to end your meal. For drinks, get the table side sangria- great presentation. Now, if he can convert the Spanish Diner in Bethesda back to Jaleo, that would be fantastic as I don't have to trek it down to DC. read more

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The service was above and beyond, every employee was kind and respectful. The food looked and tasted amazing, with great flavor. The place was well lite and great vibes. read more

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We had the four course meal plus dessert and it was amazing. We left super full, the quality of the food was great and they even catered to dietary restrictions. Everything was tasty! Some things I tried for the first time and were new to me but I definitely enjoyed the experience because we got to try such a wide variety of things. The service was stellar. They were very quick service and very accommodating to last minute changes needed to the reservation. This was for a large party and we probably paid around 200$ per person after tax. read more

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