In a party of five I ordered the guacamole, the pollo taco, taco suadero, taco chilorio, the gaspacho and a salt margharita. The salt air margarita came recommended by two friends, one who used to do public relations on behalf of the restaurant. This is the first time I have been able to order one drink and have it last the whole meal - because there is no ice and its so strong it was a good bebida to kick some of the stronger flavors in the salty chips and the creamy guac, etc. The salt air margharita tastes like the ocean literally. I ordered the fruit salad (gaspacho) and the tacos (picked only chicken and beef) based on her recommendations. I am trying to avoid eating pork. I took a photo of the tacos - they were savory and authentic. Tortillas are made in house. A friend ordered two of the mushroom taco, and another friend ordered the lamb and the brussel sprouts (full of nuts and seeds, but still savory). The deserts - tres leches and cafe de olla postre were both divine. I would come back here anytime but I look forward to trying Jose Andres other outposts. read more

See all

Update, 6 months later: great tacos with eggplant (berenjena). I think were a temporary item, but get them. They're vegan if you don't get the cream sauce. But I had the fish taco (Baja) too, and Yucatan pork, so I clearly wasn't vegan. read more

I've come here a couple times, once for drinks and again to eat. The drink list and bar are impressive-very expansive selection and creative menu. When we ate there, it was around 3:30pm on a Saturday afternoon, so there were only 2-3 tables along with us there. That said, service was incredibly slow. Our waitress was also just very not interested in speaking, as she'd usually just come to our table and stand there (she was American, fyi). So we ordered a couple ceviches first. The red snapper was DEEEEELICIOUS. The tuna was just EH, nothing particularly great. We also ordered a couple tacos: the pulled duck (a little dry) and then grilled chicken with guac (pretty good). Finally we ordered the Papas al Mole, which by the description SOUNDED good....however, it was literally just nuked orida shoestring fries with a really really bad aged cheese over it. I guess I was expecting potato wedges or something a little less.....ghetto. The waitress finally brought out the chips & "salsa" to our table after 30 minutes of waiting for it. Except its not actually salsa, its like some sort of bean puree blend. Really not appetizing at all. We asked for some pica de gallo (or hell, ANY type of salsa) but apparently, they do not have this item. Really REALLY bizarre. Overall, the drinks and a couple dishes blew us away, but the stinky service and inconsistent food quality means I will probably not come here again. read more

Their drinks are yummy. But it kind of ends there. Basically, we walk in on a Monday at 6 PM for a birthday drink/dinner thing and expect about ten people to show up. The hostess was completely confused. "You didn't make reservations?" "What's the definite number of people coming?" "Can you sit by the bar, while I try to work this out?" The place was almost entirely empty and all we really needed was a large table and we would have been fine. After they finally were able to deal with us, we got a table by the door and then our waitress came to serve us. She was not too friendly but not too awful at first, kind of standard. I ordered the truffle quesadilla and the grasshopper taco. Then, things got bad. Since it's tapas, it is expected that food comes out one at a time, we are all going to be served at a different speed, no biggie. But when different waitstaff comes to bring the food, and they're just rattling off the Mexican name (which quite frankly, I forget once it's rattled off my tongue), problems are going to start. A friend got my quesadilla (even after asking the staff which one it was) and pretty much ate the whole thing by the time the mistake was noticed. Although good friend offered to pay for another one for me, the waitress gave him attitude when trying to explain the situation. It's not like we were asking for another one for free, it was basically the same as ordering another item. She pretty much rolled her eyes and walked away pissed and that was the end of that. And the grasshopper taco was definitely lacking in presentation. It was basically a soft taco with a pinch of guacamole and filled to the brim with crispy grasshoppers. Although maybe they were just going for the shock value and trying to give people their money's worth, I was completely turned off by it. The sensation of picking up food and feeling nothing but bugs made me lose all my appetite. I think it's definitely worth at least one visit, especially for the drinks. I don't want to write off the dining experience since it was one mix-up and one waitress with attitude, which may not represent the whole. Everyone seemed to enjoy the experience and had a good time due to the company. However, I left wishing that Oyamel lived up to my expectations, which may have been too high. read more

My friends and I had an amazing dining experience here last night for our first time, even with the restaurant week menu going on. I kind of always felt that many restaurants during this time cheap out on the menu. But in this case, not only was it a great deal for a 5 course menu, but it was one of the best dining experiences we've had thus far in DC. We had our reservation set yesterday for 9PM. Upon getting there, even with all the rain, the restaurant was still packed. Oyamel is a bit on the loud side, so if your sitting at the bar it might be a bit difficult to have a conversation. But it is loud as in lively, so its definitely not impossible to have a conversation. But if you are dining, like we did, then its perfectly fine. The crowd as also older, ie late twenties up. Most of the people there were dressed fairly well. So far so good. The ambiance of the restaurant is very upbeat. Being one of Jose Andres' main outposts in DC, the decor is very Mexican inspired, but with a more artsy twist. I quite liked it, as did my friends. We were seated in the back of the restaurant, which felt like a private dining area. Away from the hustle of the bar, there is a glass wall and door that borders the dining area. Upon seating we get served their in house made chips and salsa, which were quite good. We also order the table side guacamole, which was also quite delicious. The guacamole wasn't part of the restaurant week menu, but for $12, why not? Definitely one of the better restaurant served guacamole we've had. For drinks, my friend Nathan first ordered the Mexican Gin and Tonic, which composed of Bombay Sapphire, St. Germaine, Q-Tonic, cilantro, epazote with an orange peel and micro-marigolds for garnish. He was pleased with it. For myself and my other friend Freddy, we both start with the Mojito Dorado, which was a fun spin on the classic. Basically the rum along with the cilantro and lime was infused in both the drink and as air. Quite good. Onto the food, we all start with the Ceviche verde "El Bajio". Being our first course, it was quite honestly the best ceviche we all have had served in a restaurant setting. The ceviche composed of wahoo with avocado, tomatillo, green olives, and jalapeño chiles. There was just the perfect amount of acidity, sweetness, and freshness of the wahoo, lime juice, and avocado. We had ordered the spicy version. For our second course, my friend Freddy and I order the Albóndigas enchipotladas con queso doble crema, which was meatballs in chipotle sauce with crumbled 'double cream' cheese and cilantro lettuce, chiles and cilantro. The meatballs (no pun intended) just melted in your mouth. The chipotle sauce was also delicious and went perfectly with the meatballs. Just the right amount of seasoning too. Our friend Nathan had ordered the baby cactus salad, which I was contemplating ordering previously. Along with the baby cactus, the salad also contained tomatoes in a lime dressing. He stated that the baby cactus provided just the right amount of sweetness while the acidity of the lime dressing brought along the right amount of acidity along with the freshness of the tomatoes. For our third course, both my friends order the shrimp dish. I believe at this point, Oyamel changed their RW menu from what is on the website because the dish on the website menu is scallops. However at the restaurant, it was a shrimp menu. Just for anyone who decides to go. But even with that, both of them really enjoyed their dish. I ordered the braised short rib, which I thought was quite good. For our taco course, both myself and Nathan order the Cochinita pibil con cebolla en escabech, which was Yucatan style BBQ pork with pickled red onion and Mexican sour orange. Our friend Freddy ordered the Taco de Acelgas, which was swiss chard and potatoes sauteed with onions, tomatoes, salsa chipotle and garnished with crispy shallots. Both Nathan and I loved our tacos. The tortillas were perfect. Our friend Freddy loved his taco as well and stated that even though it was the vegetarian option, it didn't taste vegetarian at all. It tasted like it contained pork, according to him. For the dessert course, we all order the tres leches. I'm sure the flan dish that is also offered is good, but it probably is nothing compared to the tres leches here. It was the best tres leches we have all had. Just perfect. The cream on the side was actually a combination of three different kinds of milk infused with rum. The cake is the usual cake used, but is previously soaked in Coruba rum to give it a stronger flavor. On the side, there was also a pineapple gelatin and pineapple salsa to give it a sweet tart. The caramel ice cream served on top was just perfect. We all just killed it because of how good it was. All in all, with alcohol, the 5 course RW dishes, tax, and the guacamole appetizer, the total was just under $200. We definitely hope to return soon. read more

Let me get these gripes out of the way: I DO NOT like being charged for seconds on chips and salsa. That's pretty weak, Oyamel. The dressing on the nopalito salad was SO SLIMY. The taste was fine, but it felt all wrong. Papas al mole - too much sweet! not enough salt! Now then. The guac is amazing. The ingredients are well-balanced (not too garlicky or salty or lime-y) and I would probably eat the whole bowl myself ... $13 well spent. The cocktail selection was also nice. I had the pi~a y salvia - a margarita-ish drink that was the perfect mix of sweet and boozey. I also tried the ponche (it was ok) and the delectable doble pi~a (you could just make this at home, but I doubt most of us have such good rum on hand). I tasted a reasonably good cabrito taco, refreshing shrimp, wonderful queso fundido (hard to mess that one up), and tender arrachera. I didn't get a bite of my friend's fish taco ... which leads me to believe it was really good. Another highlight? Jose Andres was in the house when we were there - for pleasure rather than business - eating dinner with some family. I basked in the glow of his culinary greatness. A pleasant surprise? The bill wasn't nearly as hefty as I expected it to be. We left feeling stuffed (even too full to gobble up the cookies I got earlier in the day from Teaism) and it didn't break the bank. Snacks and guac at the bar after work sounds pretty nice at the moment. And sometime during the next 2 weeks would be a good time to go ... to take full advantage of the Squash Blossom Festival (7/13-7/26) and check out the new lunchtime taco cart on D St.! read more

"What?! No way!" "Oh, my God! What was that? I can't explain what I just tasted!" "How did they do that?" "I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention to what you said because I just experienced a spiritual food trip." These were some of the exclamations that came from our table during our visit at Oyamel. Let me get the bad stuff out of the way, because there isn't much going wrong at this Jose Andreas restaurant. The pacing of the tapas is a little too quick. The 7 of us ordered around 8 dishes all at the same and we received them almost as quickly as we ordered them. We really could have used the extra time to clear the plates out because it made our table fairly crowded. Also, it's a bit expensive, but you'll get that with any tapas meal really. Everything else was AWESOME!! I had all of their Verduras and every one was exceptional. The most exceptionally exceptional were the Chilaquiles con salsa de tomatillo, cilantro y queso. Wow. The chips were good, but that salsa was incredibly flavorful. It was fresh, zingy, a tad spicy and just the right amount of cheesy. The three different tacos I had were also incredible. The first was the Tacos de Hongo (mushroom) and that flavor haunts me its so good. The second, I believe...my memory was a bit hazy after the first, was the Tacos de Acelgas. It came close the first in terms of flavor, which is saying something because I can't get over the first ones. The last one, and I feel kinda guilty for eating these, were the Chapulines. As a vegetarian, I had mixed feelings about eating this, but figured I would bend the rules for just that night for the experience of eating sauteed grasshoppers. Damn, were they good. They were smoky and salty, almost like eating slightly overcooked ground up tortilla chips in terms of flavor & texture. Their bed of guacamole and the extra tequila/shallot flavor were out of this world. I know I am rambling, but I must include the dessert I ate. Wow, wow wow wow. I didn't think it would hold a candle to the dinner, but it did. I had the Nieve de Margarita de Bayas con Coco, which was a tequila sorbet with fresh strawberries and raspberries along with a coconut foam I believe. So incredibly tasty. I cannot say that enough. COME HERE! NOW!!!!! read more

Oyamel is one of my go-to's for DC area dining, as I have been a patron back to their Crystal City days. It is a great date spot as well. As has been written, it is tapas style Mexican dishes. I personally consider their mole con pollo to be the finest example of mole in the area. Very rich and chocolatey, with complex flavors left on the tongue. The tacos are interesting and have a variety of fillings. The albondigas were excellent as well with a spicy sauce. For lunch, their sandwiches are under appreciated and feature the albondigas in them, as well as the homemade guacamole. For a date, this is surprisingly affordable, with a wide variety of tapas entrees leading to a sub $50 total. Drinks are pricey however, and very ordinary margaritas with smaller than average portions. This is my favorite of the Jose Andres DC restaurants, and is a superior choice to the nearby Rosa Mexicano. read more

This is a review is for the Restaurant Week menu, which I thought was robust and varied enough to allow my date and me to sample several dishes. My favorites were the black bean soup (interesting consistency, great flavor) and the vegetarian tamal. I also liked the squash salad. My date really loved the cactus salad and the mushroom/onion tacos. My least favorite part of the meal were the two desserts we tried, which is strange because I've never encountered a sweet I didn't love. I really liked the service and decor here. Normally, based on the food, this would be a 3-star restaurant, but the atmosphere bumped it up. Oh, and if you don't like crowds, go after 9:45 on the weekend. There were still enough people to enjoy some quality people-watching, but calm enough so that I could enjoy a good conversation with my date. read more

Ok I came back for dinner, but going to stay at 4 stars. Everything was great - no complaints. The whipped salt/air margaritas are really unique too. Can be a little pricey (not uncommon in this area) but most everything was delicious. The only thing that was slightly lacking was the mussels. I love mussels, I have them almost everywhere, but these we just a little on the bland side and the texture a little off - maybe slightly overcooked. All in all, a really pleasant evening though, I will definitely return. read more

My friend and I came here about 30 minutes to closing time, and yet they were willing to accommodate us which was the first awesome thing about Oyamel. We ordered hurriedly -- spicy guacamole in a stone bowl to start, fresh salsa, ceviche de huachinago, nopal agado, queso fundido, camarones al mojo, arrachera, and short ribs (yeah we were hungry). Each came out in rapid succession. I found everything to be absolutely delicious save the nopal (cactus). The cactus had a weird flavor and "squishy" texture. All in all, I can't wait to come back here and actually take my time eating the food. It is a bit pricey, but worth it imo. read more

Oh, Oyamel...where do I start? There are so many things I can say, but I will start out with "Don't go here while hungry." My first experience dining at Oyamel was Saturday brunch with a friend. The food was quite tasty; we tried the grilled cactus, chicken tamale, ceviche and churros. The portions are teeny tiny, and after the brisk walk I took to get there I needed more sustenance! Each small plate I split with my comrade, which is probably while I was still hungry. In retrospect, I know now that their small plates are really only made for one person to eat. Also, you'd go broke if you tried to fill up at Oyamel. Our total bill came to almost $80 and we didn't even order drinks. They have a cricket taco; which is not on the menu -- but offered as an option or you can request it. My friend ate it. I watched his eyes tear up as he somehow managed to swallow. He described the taste as "overwhelming" due to all of the different textures. Said it tasted a lot like sunflower seeds. Thanks for the memories, Oyamel -- but I think I'll stick to spanish tapas at La Tasca...at least they have week long happy hour (4-7pm) and cheap pitchers of sangria! read more

Came here to celebrate the birthday of a friend. While the food wasn't bad, it wasn't great either. I'm not a big fan of the whole celebrity chef opening upscale versions of ethnic food restaurants in DC. Jose Andres is one of those culprits. My mantra is stick with what you know best. Although financially successful, I don't think Jose Andres restaurant ventures in DC are all that great in terms of taste. A lot of style and little substance. Oyamel is the latest example. The idea is to bring fresh, authentic Mexican food to an upscale level. They charge $4-5 for a tiny taco. $12 for a small enchalada. You get the idea. So if you want fresh, authentic Mexican food in DC, you go to Columbia Heights or Mt. Pleasant and pay 1/4 the price of Oyamel. If you want to be in a hip part of town (Penn Quarter), you have plenty of cash to drop and you want to impress a chick, come here. It's simple. read more

Simply amazing. This is one of the best Mexican restaurants I have been to in a long time. The ambiance is colorful, vibrant, and welcoming from the moment you walk in. The front desk is professional and accommodating. The wait staff is are very nice and knowledgeable about the menu items especially Chantel, who expertly recommenced a side of rice with the Camarones al mojo de ajo negro. (Highly recommend!) The food was excellent! If you're looking for great complimenting flavors along with a fresh vegetable taste that is also light, look no further than the Chayotes Guisados. The plate portions are a little small but they make up for size with amazing flavors and colors. I highly recommend for a great sunny afternoon or a fun night in DC. read more

Another great place by Jose Andres - the decor and vibes of the place, loud and lively but never felt like I couldn't hear everyone at my table. Our waiter was great. Guac is a must, and definitely get the house margarita with salt foam. I don't love margaritas, usually because they are too sweet, but this one was great. Highly recommend for a group of 4+, might not be great for couples since it would get expensive ordering a wide range of food for only too people. Order: salt foam margarita pitcher, frijoles refritos con queso suadero taco read more

I like Oyamel. I'm not a huge fan of tapas-style restaurants, usually because of the inconsistency. As these reviews show (along with numerous trips to La Tosca and Jaleo also), if you get the right thing, it can be very good. If you don't, it can be pretty bad (or at least a waste of money, and at these prices, that can be a lot of money). On to the restaurant itself: it's located at the corner of 7th and D in/near Chinatown. Despite several tables being empty, we were told that it would be a 20 min wait (I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt and assuming they had reservations and weren't just being ridiculous), so we just sat at the bar, which was a good thing since the bartender was friendly and attentive. The decor is nice-ish, though the color combinations leave me feeling like I'm in a faux-Mexican cantina as opposed to a real one. The drinks: I've had margaritas and sangria here. Both have been very good. I highly recommend them for this. The sangria, by the by, tastes a bit less like wine than the one at Jaleo. Personally, I'm partial to Oyamel's over Jaleo's (and Oyamel has more sangria options). The food: we ordered 2 each and that, along with 2 baskets of chips and salsa (so good!) was enough to fill us up adequately. Ceviche de atun: fantastic. I hate seafood usually, and I detest sushi. That said, this was awesome. It's very flavorful, with the cilantro and the tuna complementing each other well, but doesn't taste fishy (which is what I hate). Also, not served in the standard little bowl where you pick out the pieces with a fork, but i a sushi-style wrap. Camarones a la plancha: also excellent. The shrimp was well cooked, and the salsa negra on top made it spicy, but I could still taste the lime and cumin. Arrachera con salsa molcajeta y nopales escabeche: excellent, and they provided a relatively sizable portion for a tapas dish. The steak was still red in the center, but cooked thoroughly on the outside and the sauce complemented the meat well. Tender too! Pollo con mole poblano: good, but nothing special. The chicken was juicy and good, but nothing out of the ordinary, and the mole poblano sauce was "meh" to say the least. Tamal verde: also, meh. Given how good the rest of the tapas dishes were, this suffered by contrast, since the dish was fine but nothing special. The tamal reminded me of a mediocre burrito from a cheap Mexican stand. Fine, but has no place in a fancy tapas restaurant unless it's done better. Quesadilla huitlacoche: cheese and Mexican truffle to the rescue! After the chicken dishes, this arrived to save the day. Another excellent tapas, with a subtle spicy-cheesy flavor. Very, very good. All in all, the meal was very good, with the chicken dishes being the low point (though the pollo was better than the tamal if I had to pick). Go for the drinks and the above dishes, and you'll leave satisfied. read more

Finally had the pomegranate margarita last night. Good taste, was a little throw off by the salt foam. I usually ask for a sugar rim with my margaritas, but was able to enjoy the drink without imbibing all that salt. The shrimp and crab ceviche was just as good as last time; the chicken soup was light, but flavorful. Our waitress was really nice, gave good recommendations, and while we weren't exactly flagging her down, there was a bit of a lag time to order and get the check. No biggie; friend and I were chatting away and weren't really in a rush. read more

So over-rated. And the decor, yikes! Some high school Spanish teacher decorated like it was dia de los muertos. How the hell does Jose Andres manage to keep opening up Mexican restaurants in Chinatown/Penn Quarter?!?! Oyamel is across the street from Jaleo and near Cafe Atlantico/MiniBar. Nevermind that competing Rosa Mexicana and a few others are up the street. They all use the same hideous guacamole bowls too. Shows you how bad the Mexican food is in DC. Taco Burrito King of Chicago fame could give them a run. As for the food, disappointing. Ordered the infamous guacamole spicy and I couldn't taste a hint of it. The codorniz special was very salty quail served atop a pomegranate sauce (too bad they wasted that birdie). The chalupa de chorizo verde was just bad... green, chunky, and weird in every sense of the word. The cabrito a la barbacoa (goat marinated in chiles) was an odd combo. The lengua taco (braised beef tongue) tasted as it sounds. On the plus side, the desserts were excellent. The flan de camote was served with honey crisp apple sorbet (honey crisp apples rule the fruit world). The cafe de olla postre was rich and decedent. Overall, the restaurant is pretty cheap for this area. About $60 for 2ppl before tip. read more

Came back Sunday night for a friend's birthday dinner. I've been looking forward to the guacamole and it was off the chain. Also, the spiced hot chocolate is really good, too. For some reason the waiter kept coming to our table with grass hopper tacos thinking we'd ordered them. He must have done that three times that night. I thought it was funny. Grass hoppa!! Some one said that in a move and it made me think of that. Good times! read more

Oyamel was a taste sensation. We went with another couple to have a tapas fest before the Chinese new year parade. The restaurant is really cool looking included the giant wax candelabra thing by the front door. The staff were on the ball and even changed out our silverware as needed between courses. We fell in love with a grilled cactus (nopalitos) salad covered in sprigs of micro-cilantro. We loved all of the tacos, lingua, mushroom, barbecued pork with sour orange stood out among the rest. Tableside guacamole with raw tomatillos folded in was a revelation and I now use raw tomatillos in my cooking at home. Pozole rojo was delicious. Shrimp with black garlic sauce was deep and savory. The only minor disappointment were the mole fries, which were fine for what they were but paled in comparison to the rest of the offerings. I was very impressed by Oyamel and will be back for more. read more

Having been at Oyamel three or four times in the past six months, I figured it was finally time to write my yelp review! Oyamel is a great spot if you're looking for a delicious, strong margarita; a quick bite of tableside guacamole, or some delicious tacos. I have found time and again that the more "snack-y" plates here are the best. I've been consistently underwhelmed by the patatas bravas (lacking flavor, huge dollop of mayo - gross, soggy), and more than a little grossed out by the bits of hard tissue found in my squid (not once but twice). That said; however, Oyamel stands as a solid go to for everything you can eat with a chip, or in three to four bites. The tacos are fantastic and they have lots of options for the meaties and veggies among us. The chips and salsa are addicting -- and everyone order after your first ain't free so beware -- especially after a few of the delicious oyamel margaritas. Tableside guacamole is a necessary order. The queso fresco and squeeze of lime really perks it up into a refreshing treat that'll have you scraping the bowl. Not to be forgotten - and should be highlighted as the best part of any meal i've ever had here - is the out of this world delicious tres leches cake. four dollops of whipped cream, a spoonful of salted caramel and delicious bites of perfectly spongy cake later I find myself in dessert heaven. not to be missed. The service is great, the prices are about standard for DC and it isn't impossible to snag a prime time table. read more

Decent food, awful service. Went in for lunch midweek and it was getting busy so I decided to just sit at the bar by myself and leave the tables to people who actually have friends. I waited five minutes before anyone greeted me and gave me a menu. I waited another ten minutes before the bartender returned to take my order. Meanwhile, there were two other singles and a family of three at the bar, all of whom already had food so I'm not sure what the hold up was. Maybe the bartender was just intimidated by my beauty? Apparently, the food comes out as it's ready here. I ordered queso fundido TO START, as well as a fish taco, a beef tongue taco, and a stewed chicken taco. Shut up, I skipped breakfast! I received the chicken and beef tacos first, the queso five minutes later, and finally the fish taco. Interesting. At one point, a bald woman with a faint mustache came over and informed me that they have hooks under the bar for purses so that the chair next to me would be available if someone wanted to sit down. What? There were plenty of open seats. She's lucky I had a mouthful of taco or I would've suggested she make herself available to get me a goddamn refill. Oh yeah, the food. Stewed chicken with potatoes was blah. The fish taco was average though the green chile sauce on it was delicious. Loved the beef tongue taco- tender and served with a great mole! Only took a few bites of the queso fundido as it was too greasy. Tried the free chips and salsa as well- the chips were super salty but the salsa was smoky, spicy, and very good. read more

The staff at Oyamel are always really friendly. I've never had a bad experience there, even when we had to wait a really long time to be seated. It's a really popular place so it's just kind of expected if you go on a Saturday for brunch ... and it's worth the wait! The food is really good and I just love the atmosphere. Whenever my friend comes to visit DC she insists we make our way to Oyamel. I can't wait to go back again. read more

We didn't try the food while we were here, just popped in real quick for some drinks. We had the traditional margarita and the mojitos and the mojito is absolutely the best one I ever had. Happy hour prices are great and it was just the best cocktails. Can't talk enough about them! read more

Oyamel - Mojito Dorado! - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I was really surprised to read some of the negative reviews here. My boyfriend and I happened upon Oyamel the week it opened and decided to give it a try. We really enjoyed it. The bartender thoroughly entertained us while we waited for our table and we commented that we probably would have had our dinner at the bar if the seats weren't so uncomfortable. The fresh guacamole made tableside was delicious and the tacos were lovely. The margarita with salt foam was nicely made as was my boyfriend's spicy passion fruit cocktail. I've been back twice since and both times have been as impressed as the first time. On the down side, it was kind of expensive for what we got (tapas and small plates can be that way) and the drinks were $10 a piece. That's why I can't give it 5 stars. read more

Oyamel is awesome. I don't say this automatically because I think Jose Andres is a demi-god or because he has an endearing accent. I say this because the food, atmosphere, and service speak for themselves. My wife, our friends, and I ate here a few weeks ago, and we were blown away by the diversity of strong flavors we encountered throughout our eating frenzy. We went on a Sunday night, and I'm glad we had reservations, because the place was packed. We started with some tasty cocktails. My wife had the China Paloma, and I had the Sangre y Fuego (which I didn't like at the beginning, because its tastes were quite strange, but I loved it by the end.) I won't list everything we ordered, and I can't really remember anyway. However, our favorites were the Ceviche de huachinango (better than the tuna one,) Nopal asado con salsa molcajete (fried cactus? Yes!,) Pollo con mole poblano (rich and earthy,) and Arrachera con salsa molcajete. The next time we want a truly great meal, we know where to go. read more

I took my parents here for dinner, as they love Mexican food. I met up with them after work for our 8:15 p.m. reservation, only to find that my parents had already been seated when they arrived early! The first thing my mother said to me when I sat down was, "This is awesome," pointing to the salsa. My mother and I enjoyed amazing margaritas and we had guacamole prepared table-side for us. My father, who also makes his own guac, declared it the best he'd ever had. My parents each ordered tacos -- pork belly and shredded beef -- that they loved, and we also ordered several small plates. The plate rundown was: papas al mole, the refried beans and cheese, two orders of tortillas, shredded beef enchiladas (a special, I believe), huevo enfrijolada, the meatballs and the sauteed shrimp. We split a tres leches cake for dessert. Everything was delicious, but my highlights were the salsa, the mole sauce with the potatoes, the shrimp and the meatballs' sauce. The service was a little spotty after the initial order, but otherwise fine. The decor and atmosphere are great, very upbeat and happy without coming off as snooty. It's also in a very convenient location and easy to get to. Definitely can't wait to go back. read more

There was nothing wrong with my experience at Oyamel, but nothing absolutely changed my life. There's better food downtown at this price point. I feel sort of scandalous giving this three stars--Jose Andres and all--and while I'd like to return I didn't think Oyamel lived up to its considerable hype. THE GOOD: The decor is whimsical and bright, setting a great tone for the rest of the meal. We started out with the guava juice--so so fresh and wonderful--and then moved on to the lunch menu, which had a pretty great selection. The shrimp dish was tasty and memorable (even though it was served in oil, that was kind of weird), and the cevice was decent. The pork taco was also good. The service stood out; every employer from server, host, to busser was bright and helpful. THE BAD: The chips and salsa starter is just bad. The salsa tastes like it has been infused with Dorito mix. THE BOTTOM LINE: Great place, just disappointing considering the formidable reputation of the exec chef. read more

I already wasn't expecting much because Mexican in DC? Come on. But I miss my LA Mexican food so here goes nothing. What we ordered: lengua torta, turkey mole, and sweet potato flan with apple crisp. My favorite item of the meal? The chips and salsa. My verdict: watered down mexican for the uncultured palate. Is this really a Jose Andres restaurant? Eek. read more

Try the grasshopper tacos. New experiences are good for you. Unless you've had them before. Then you're just gross! I won't say anything else because the other reviews sing praises of this place better than I can! read more

Chips and salsa: Top ratings Seating: We made a reservation for 7PM. Arrived around 6:45, told our reservation was for 7:30, but seated immediately anyway. Weird, but works for me. They seated us in a booth right next to the window. It was a cozy little alcove that shielded us from the noise of the restaurant. Very pleasant. Service: very helpful, friendly, patient, and punctual. No complaints. Drinks: A pitcher of margaritas was incredibly expensive (circa $60), however, they were rather fantastic. Instead of a salted rim, they make a salt foam that sits on top. It is like the stuff that washes up from the ocean, but a clean white appearance. I don't know if I made that sound appealing, but trust me when I say it works. Food: The food was very rich. Sometimes a little too rich for me. The ceviche atun pacifico is a great example. The tuna was prepared perfectly and was refreshing, but they added some sort of ground up seed topping that just overwhelmed the taste. While a majority of the dishes were fantastic, some were just carried a little too far. Another case was an alcoholic hot chocolate that we were just unable to finish between us. Save the space in your stomach for the tres leches. A solid win. read more

Oyamel is fantastic! If only it were more in my price range... I'd want to come here at least once a week! As a native Southern Californian, I was truly craving good Mexican food, and I certainly found it at Oyamel. Everything about this restaurant is amazing, from the quality of the food to the impeccable service. The service is fantastic throughout the entire meal. The location is great (so convenient to both the Archives area and Chinatown). The decorations and the ambiance inside are great - the restaurant isn't too dark. It's classy and seems open and airy. Something I found especially unique about it was that by the bar, they have reception-like tables, so that people can congregate and meet others easily. It's the perfect place to come to for happy hour and perhaps meet some new people. I visited Oyamel during a weekday evening last week for a professional event. Our organization rented out the entire back room and we were all treated so well by the staff at Oyamel. We had open bar margaritas and wine. The margaritas are AMAZING! So well-flavored and cool and sweet... just wow! The wine was great too - I had some red wine. I LOVED the guacamole! It was perfectly mashed together in a large stone pot. Even the chips were amazing - so warm and melty. It was all so perfect. If I were coming here for a normal dinner, I would absolutely order some guacamole to go with my meal. I don't think a meal at Oyamel is complete without it. Our meal consisted of a three-course dinner, and we had a variety of different appetizer, entree, and dessert dishes brought out. Some of the dishes that stood out to me were the : ceviche de peto (Hawaiian ono served with fresh hearts of palm and baby cucumber salad, passion fruit, vanilla and rose), the tamal verde (Tamal with green sauce of tomatillo, shredded chicken breast, chile, garlic and cilantro), Col de bruselas estilo San Quintín (Crispy brussel sprouts with an arbol chile sauce, pumpkin seed, peanuts and lime), and this amazing shrimp dish whose name I forgot. I LOVED that shrimp ! I generally don't like sweet food with my salty food, but Oyamel knows exactly how to mix different tastes together to create a perfect dish. Oyamel was the perfect place to have our event. I fell in love with this restaurant and would love to visit again to try their regular dinner. read more

I'll be back for the pork belly taco alone. And the delicious cocktails. And the generous portion of guacamole prepared tableside with hot, salty, crispy tortilla chips. And the insanely delicious Cafe de Olla dessert. I went to this restaurant for the first time last night, and am already planning a return visit! read more

Oyamel - Cocktail from their specials menu that I believe contained tequila, prosecco, cranberry, and pomegranate. Delicious! - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This place was fan-fucking-tastic. We went just at the tail end of brunch on Labor Day. They had a great selection of mimosas and margaritas flavored with fresh fruit purée. I had a classic Oyamel margarita with salt air (sea salt frothed up with a bit of lime juice) and a blood orange margarita. My boyfriend had two of the micheladas (my favorite was the oscura made with the negra modelo). The chips and salsa were delicious, perfectly light and not too thick or chunky. Next we had the tuna ceviche. It was not traditional but it was absolutely divine. The lime juice added the right amount of citrus without overpowering the other flavors and the pecans were perfectly paired with the rest of the dish. We had several tacos, including the chapulines, goat, pork, chicken and slow roasted beef tacos. They were all delicious! Finished up with the chocolate mouse dessert. Light and fluffy with some tart/sweet fruit to balance the chocolate. All in all it was an amazing meal. We will definitely be back and we will definitely recommend this place to everyone we know! read more

The food was interesting and tasty here, on the most part, but it was definitely on the salty side. I shared grasshopper taco, nopalitos salad, chilaquile, brussel sprouts, and a couple other things I can't remember... the food was all tasty but quite salty. I also had a couple of drinks. one was a special that had absinthe in it, and the other was the margarita. Both drinks were pretty decent, however, I have one complaint. the absinthe one seriously smelled like a wet dog (my friend backed me up on that), but once I got over the odor and took a sip, the drink tasted great. I don't know why it smelled like that, but that was an interesting experience, to say the least. read more

Stopped in randomly while looking for lunch in the area on a Saturday and it was quite a treat! The salsa and chips were very good -the salsa was a little chunky, and had a great toasty, roasted flavor. Our group of three didn't eat all the salsa, but I did notice that it would have cost another $2 for more salsa. The table ordered lots of dishes, but we pretty much had our own stuff and didn't share too much. I had the brunch chilaques and beef tongue taco. Mmmm! The beef tonque was tender, had a nice beefy taste and was simply garnished with radishes and a great chile sauce. The chilaques were excellent - baked and served in a stonewear bowl. They were served with a poached egg, which was not-so-poached by the time it arrived - I had hoped it would be a little runnier...but it was good nonetheless. There was a nice amount of cheese and beef sauce - but not too much! My friends had the quail, beef tongue, huevos rancheros, and meatballs. The standout was the meetballs. Great sauce, very well seasoned meat and sauce. Dessert was a fried plantain and then the tres leches cake. The tres leches was yummy - creamy, dense and rummy! Mmmm! The plantain was so-so. It was a little too much for a dessery - basically just a plaintain that had been fried, then sliced in the middle for a few inches with butter poured in. Topped lightly with a slightly sweet crema. Good, but just a lot of plaintain for a dessert. Very nice random stop. read more

Oyamel's lunch menu gets 4 stars!! Great tortas at lunch price (around $10) and a nice ambiance. My favorites are the chicken milanesa torta or the shrimp and avocado torta. Also, the chips and salsa that come in as appetizers are pretty good. The sauce is smoky and mild. The bad thing is that you only get the first serving for free :-( While not on the menu, they do serve horchata! They are legit. But the horchata is not that good. I recommend you go for the agua fresca of the day. It is a great place to meet your business contacts for lunch. It is mild, pretty, and good enough to suit the American palate, but tasty enough to satisfy the Mexican palate. The ambiance is very nice. The decorations are colorful yet tasteful. Great lunch place over all. As for dinner, it may get 3 stars because the food is not worth the high prices. However, they have a 5 star alcoholic beverage made with hibuscus ice that is sure to delight! Bottom line: try it for lunch! read more

I came here with a friend before a Caps game at the Verizon center on a Saturday night and the place was packed. I had called in to make reservations but they were booked. I decided to risk trying to find a table or seats at the bar as walk-in. I was not disappointed; we sat on a counter and stools adjacent to the bar between two other couples. We were intimately close but the strangers were friendly and helpful with the menu. I had the Chicken Mole and my friend had an assortment of tacos one of which was grasshopper; he liked them all. I also enjoyed my entree. We also ordered mild guacamole which was delicious. I think I'll try the spicy one next time. Our service was slow at times, but better than I imagined it would be; as long as we did not wait too long and missed part of the Caps game, I was happy. The prices are a little high for what it is, but worth it. I'll be back. read more

I recently dined at this restaurant with a friend. We immediately found seating at the bar. The bartender was friendly and very knowledgeable about the food, and we completely enjoyed the ambience. Very professional staff and the restaurant has an amazing decor. I'm a huge fan of Jose Andres, and I'm a fan of several of his restaurants. This restaurant is very pricey for Mexican food and the serving size, but it is exceptional nonetheless. The only item I wasn't a fan of was the Pollo con mole poblano dish - the rice was overcooked and the chicken lacked flavor and was bland in taste. They have a great selection of cocktails, but their classic margarita is amazing. Please note: this restaurant is always packed! read more

See all

This place was poppin.... tried to get in for a 8pm reservation on Saturday night but it was all booked up. Decided on a Sunday instead and we loved it. Small plates are their thing. They recommend 2 per person + the large table side Guacamole was jumpin! Lots of options for vegetarians. The mushroom tacos were delicious and the Brussel sprouts were a great side dish. Service was excellent as well! read more