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Xiquet by Danny Lledó

3.6 (108 reviews)
Ultra High-EndSpanish, Seafood, Mediterranean
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Taylor A.

I had to sleep on this before writing a review. I'm somewhere between a 3 and 4. It's an expensive meal so I can understand the frustration many other reviewers have. That being said, it's about the experience, flavors, and passion for the craft -- not the price. I really enjoyed the 1:1 time with Danny plus the personal touch with each of the playing/menu cards; the notes and the interactions made the experience warm and inviting (although, FWIW being followed/escorted to the bathroom is a bit peculiar). We had the tasting menu + wine pairings (didn't upgrade for wagyu or lobster). When we were escorted to the second floor / lounge, we ordered an additional glass each. All in, our bill was about $1,200 for two and we tipped $300, which is optional given the included service charge. Massive highlights: - BBQ frog leg: moist, flavorful, and fun - scallops: a multitude of complex flavors + fun preso | uni, caviar, lime pearls, yuzu vinaigrette... amazing - ham: ok the empanada was lackluster but the heavy handed serving of iberico ham? yes please - wines: many wines I haven't tried / wouldn't have tried. And isn't that what experiences like this are all about? A wee bit of adventure. I'm not usually interested in whites but they were fun most complimented the food quite well - sea bass: the pea puree was delish and the skin was perfectly crispy. I would happily consume a super sized version of this (!!!) - dessert: every single sorbet/cake/delicate bite sized sugar bomb was creative and exploding with unique flavors Lowlights / things that didn't do it for me: - the duck breast + grab Marnier foie cake - it was an odd paring and maybe I don't have a refined palette to appreciate! - pork tenderloin - hard to cut and lackluster, however the parsnip puree and pumpkin sourdough bread were amazing - paella - simply because I've had better, although I deeply appreciated the additional spoon of socarrat (plus it was fun to watch). It's a fun presentation too! All things considered, it was a delicious adventure and I'm glad I experienced it. I was celebrating my birthday and they brought a special birthday dessert out and gave me a card, which I loved. They have a few events / collabs coming up and I'd be keen to try the ala carte experience on the first floor. It's a little hole in the wall with lots of heart poured into it, so I'd recommend a visit.

Large single person bathrooms on the second floor
Danielle F.

Solo diner review (12/11/24): I'd read mixed reviews of Xiquet before making a reservation, but their interesting spin on Spanish cuisine won me over for a fresh off their 2024 Michelin award. I will say that my reservation on a Wednesday night was made and then rescheduled due to a special event they were hosting with a guest chef. Be aware, there is a premium charged on the weekend for the same menu as weeknights. If you can get an early reservation (mine was at 6pm) for a Wednesday night, it's worth it to say almost $80. Highlights of the evening were the Lloborado (Spanish sea bass), Partridge (complete with pear cut into the shape of a tree), Pork Wellington (take a beef Wellington and make it Spanish!), and the Traonja del segle with orange sorbet for dessert. For much of the evening I was alone in the third floor dining room. There was another single diner when I arrived, but he departed shortly and a table of two was seated while I ate dessert. Service was incredibly attentive -- and from light chit chat it seems like they may have been doing some training/shadowing of new staff. Chef Danny came by to great me in the dining room AND again in the lounge as I enjoyed dessert bites and coffee. The open kitchen on the top floor was nice, but I couldn't see much action as they were only cooking for me. Wine pairings were fine, but nothing earth shattering. I did love the menu cards instead of a traditional menu sheet there were playing cards for each course. If you come back seasonally you can complete an entire deck (one suit for each season). Overall, I thought the food was very good and service was lovely. They made me feel at home, but it's not a place I'm longing to go back to.

Dessert
ida s.

Xiquet was a great experience! Booked this restaurant for my husband's birthday and came on a Tuesday evening. It felt like private dining because for half the time we were the only people in the restaurant. The whole time we were there only one other party came, another party of two. This is a restaurant that deserves its michelin star for the food and service. It's not a hyped up trendy place that gets by on liquid nitrogen and lots of cream. They have a great wine selection, we had a really good krug and all the courses were delicious. Would highly recommend this place for a special occasion. I'm pregnant and they also went ahead and adapted the menu which was thoughtful. Desserts were just right and not too heavy. The second area you go to is nice also. I didn't have room for the desserts at the next stop but we took them back and ate them the next day.

Kenneth B.

I have been meaning to go to Xiquet for some time now, but living in California now makes that difficult. Finally made it in DURING A HURRICANE , yes not even a hurricane will stop me from consuming delicious food. Was welcomed with a nice glass of wine and saw the beautiful awards on the wall. Was taken upstairs where the main dining area is and was able to have a few words with the staff. Everyone was extremely welcoming and friendly. I'm not going to go into detail about the food, all I will say is BOOK YOUR RESERVATION NOW!!! This meal will be remembered for a very long time! I don't have a favorite dish but the Paella really stood out. I loved everything, especially the cards that come before every dish explaining exactly what you're about to consume and the history of it. Thank you for having me Xiquet, I'll be back and I'll be telling all of my friends about my incredible meal!

Vera - Scallop, Caviar, Blood Orange, Nyora Pepper
Ken S.

KenScale: 8.25/10 Visit: January 2023 DC has no shortage of the growing list of fine dining restaurants and one of the places that had been on my radar for a while since my wife Jun and I moved from NYC to the DC area was Xiquet. Opened in 2020 right before the pandemic outbreak, the restaurant by chef Danny Lledó has been getting accolades here and there for his innovative and modern take on traditional Valencian cuisine. While Jun and I had been to casual Spanish restaurants in the area, it was our first time exploring a fine dining format from this wonderful country of rich culinary tradition. When we walked up the stairs to reach the second-floor dining space with kitchen next to it, chef Danny kindly greeted us with a few bits before we were seated. The aroma coming from the kitchen was quite pleasant and our expectations for the dinner began to elevate. Overall, our meal at Xiquet was quite delicious with a few really outstanding dishes and without notable misses. When we got the welcoming snacks at Xiquet, my wife Jun was pleasantly surprised to see goose barnacles in the aperitivos. It's not often you see these crustaceans at a restaurant. Another surprise was the assortment of flash cards for each dish, similar to how Atomix had been dazzling diners for years. Each flash card thoughtfully described chef Danny's inspirations behind the corresponding dish, oftentimes sharing his memory in Valencia. The first dish that came after the aperitivos was fresh scallop from Hokkaido, Japan, accompanied by Ossetra caviar and blood orange that gave refreshing flavor. Even if you are not a vegetarian, you would be won over by a vegetable dish like the wonderfully fire-roasted heirloom squash with romesco. Called rèmol in Valencia, the turbot also beautifully displayed its rich flavor with the help of classic beurre blanc sauce. While Valencia is known for the famous paella, Xiquet's rice dish was more grounded in the method of Alicante nearby, accompanied by herb-braised rabbit. It was not surprisingly one of my favorite dishes of the night. According to chef Danny's flash card, partridge is a fowl widely used in Spanish cuisine, and Xiquet's version of the dish that came with foie gras and pear was certainly a winner. The savory part of the course ended with a rib-eye and Iberico pork tenderloin; both were delicious but fell slightly short of the bar set by the preceding dishes. The rib-eye inspired by vaca vieja ("old cow") raised in sustainable manner in Spain was unfortunately sourced from beef nearby in Maryland, and the slightly tough texture made us wonder what the real Spanish version would've tasted like. Iberico pork tenderloin and ham would've been fine on their own, and Jun questioned whether putting it in the puff pastry to create a Spanish version of Wellington was the smart choice. After all the rich savory dishes, an all-orange roster of desserts (from siphon cake to sorbet) provided a nice break to our palate. We wrapped up our meal with some treats at the bar area below the dining floor. Getting a reservation at Xiquet through Tock is not too challenging as long as you plan a couple of weeks in advance. The restaurant also offers wine pairings and has a fairly pricey wine list that skews toward tempranillo-based Spanish wines (although we were lucky to find one of my favorite California producers on the list and ordered a bottle of pinot noir to complement our meal). The small but cozy dining space with minimal décor gives the vibe of a fine dining restaurant without much stuffy atmosphere, making the restaurant a great choice for a date night. At the end of our meal, we were told that chef Danny is working on a new counter-style format that supposedly gives an upgrade from the dining room dishes in a more intimate setting. Jun and I will certainly check out that new format once it materializes; until then, our assessment of Xiquet is a very good restaurant but not quite top echelon yet.

Jimmy L.

Decided to come here for restaurant week. I read somewhere that their regular tasting menu at $265 was discounted by $100, but was dismayed to find out that it was different in that two items aren't included (Iberic Wellington and something else). The Wellington was an optional add on at $40, which I did not opt for. Reservation was a breeze online, and there was a $50 per person non refundable deposit, which gets deducted from the final bill. There was ample street parking. The dining experience was very intimate, with just 7 tables. Service was awesome, and even Chef Danny brought out a few plates and described the dishes! My favorite dishes were probably the red prawn, turbot, and the partridge. The orange dessert also really stood out. The final two dessert servings is served at the mezzanine level, where there is also a bar. There you settle the bill and get a parting gift bag with some sweets. A mandatory 22% service fee is added, which also gets taxed, and this is not a tip. Overall, a very nice dining experience. I was hesitant at first, having read the reviews, which were either hit or miss. I personally enjoyed the food, but wasn't completely blown away at the price point. Luckily, I tried it during RW at a discount. Still, a very nice experience overall.

David C.

This is a fine dining Michelin Star restaurant. I will attempt to segment my review accordingly, as the nuance of such an experience and expounding thereupon is highly divergent in appreciation and applicability. Needless to say, this restaurant is not for every and all tastes. -- 1. Truncated scores for oversimplification, respectively: (1) Compared to other Michelin Star venues: 2.75 to 3 out of 5 stars; (2) Compared to other Michelin (Star or otherwise) venues: 4 stars; (3) Compared to other fine dining restaurants in surrounding area: 4 stars; (4) Compared to all restaurants, regardless of type or class: 4.25 stars; (5) Compared to options in DMV area for a special occasion: 5 stars; (6) Subjective enjoyment as a food enthusiast: 3 stars; (7) Subjective enjoyment as a fine dining enthusiast: 3.5 to 4 stars; (8) Value of experience from a dining enthusiast's perspective: 4.25 stars; (9) Objective value: 1.5 to 2 stars; (10) Aggregate true rating: 2.75 to 3.25 stars, depending on the day. -- 2. Exposition: Xiquet offers an expensive, premium, and highly specific experience that may seem foreign, especially to those who aren't accustomed to fine diving; and even, at some points, to those who have dabbled here and there. Upon entering the unassuming multi-level restaurant, you are greeted by a host who takes a variable amount of time to prepare a table for you. You sit on a couch in the lobby which also has a bar. Upon my visit, the bar was unattended, making for a peculiar dynamic. After being checked in, you walk up two floors to the top floor. You are greeted by the head chef, and partake in a drink and small bite as he and one of his chefs welcome you. You are then seated at your table, one of only a few in the dining room. The big windows on the end of the room make for a good view, especially if you are seated toward them. After being seated, you will be acquainted with 2 to 3 main servers; a sommelier; and a manager. Prior to being served each course in the tasting menu, a card will be presented to you which describes the dish as well as its origins, concept, and personal relevance to the head chef, Danny Lledo. As the dish is being served, the main server attending you will further expound upon the nuances of each dish. Toward the end of your meal, Danny comes to speak with you once more. Upon finishing all the courses (and there are many if you go for the tasting menu), you will be escorted down one level to a bar and lounge area. This floor happens to also be where the restrooms are located. As you conclude your meal, you sit on a couch which is surrounded by another bar area. You are served tea, chocolates, and desserts. Upon preparing to check out, the manager comes by to ask you about your experience. The menu changes several times per year with a certain few items remaining. If this place is your cup of tea, consider revisiting to try different items; as well as different occasions in which the setup may be quite distinguished. -- 3. Critique: Each of the staff are highly trained and very knowledgeable. The experience is very unique and different, and highly worthwhile for a food enthusiast who wishes to experience something new and premium; especially for a special occasion. Many of the items, like with art, are made better by the explanations; as is the whole experience bespoke accordingly. However, some items are better than others; and some are highly memorable while others are perhaps bland. All items, however, do push the envelope; and craft a cohesive story as well as are likely unique. In that sense, I cannot offer any misgivings about the experience. To say I would recommend it, however, is a threshold I cannot truly pass; as much as because of the competition and the price point, as well as the relative expectations and preferences of all people, which are not necessarily in tune with a clientele who would visit this place. Of those who would contemplate visiting such a place, I cannot say with guarantee nor sterling conviction that the experience will be enjoyed, either. Some items did little for me, palette-wise, as well as in invoking any thought, inspiration, or satisfaction. Others, yet, induced a comprehensive resolution of resplendence which reaffirmed why I continue to exist; of why I endure; and of why I strive. My lukewarm score is a function of these two states at conflict; as well as that the exact distribution is not favorable, given the price. But I am at a limbo, in that, in grading a Michelin Star, I ask myself whether I am grading the food or the restaurant; and to what degree I am offering too much or little to either front. In the case of Xiquet, I opine the experience superior to food. Definitely a good restaurant and experience. But is it fitting of its weight? That is the query. -- 4. Recommendations: Try at least once, if you have a lot of disposable funds. Definitely keep an open mind.

David T.

I was very much looking forward to trying out Xiquet for restaurant week. The service and outreach beforehand to confirm menu preferences was great. However, the service all changed upon our arrival. We had expressed dietary preferences, which the host confirmed, but the waiter seemed completely befuddled at the start asking us what we would be having, when we already confirmed the meals. It was a shock to see how expensive the wine options were for a restaurant. I've been to numerous Michelin Star restaurants where you don't have to pay $25 for a half glass pour. It's surprising they don't offer more affordable alternatives as Spain has lovely wines at a more cost effective price point. They also didn't even offer tap water unless you requested it, so going for the up sells right away. The service started off bad with a wrong plating providing a gluten dish to a gluten free diner. That diner was also advised they would receive a normal paella with meat, but the waiter delivered the Vegetarian paella saying that's what they would receive. No explanation was provided on why until we asked the chef when he walked by the table. I did appreciate the chef's explanation and even his return to the table with the meat to explain how it used bread crumbs as binding. However, this should've been communicated by the wait staff. At a Michelin Star restaurant, servers should know the menu well enough, especially when dietary preferences are communicated weeks in advance. A minor note I was also surprised by was the scuffed matte flatware served with the meal. It seemed like it was beyond time for replacement. The overall dining room was very minimalist and narrow making it awkward for waiters to pour water for diners seated against the wall. It was nice to see the kitchen going as you walked up the steps. As for the food, the dessert was phenomenal and my favorite dish of the evening. The vegetarian paella was great, but light on portions for the price point. I think they could've spared adding more than a handful of artichoke hearts. The crudo appetizer was okay, but seemed overall salty. The tostada with asparagus was great. Overall, I can imagine myself being quite disappointed to pay for this restaurant at full price given even for restaurant week it seemed a high cost. I do appreciate the chef's attention to the table after expressing our concerns and they comped a wellington upgrade for the birthday diner, which was a very nice gesture. I don't know if I'd recommend to return here given so many other great Michelin Star restaurants in DC with more attentive service and value for the food provided.

Red prawns, tuna belly, cuttlefish, caviar
Louis A.

I'm headed to Valencia next month so I wanted to give Xiquet a try. It's not the best Michelin star restaurant I've been to, but it's not the worst either. I went on a night when they were still tinkering with their seasonal menu. My dishes were very meat heavy - there was lamb, partridge, and pork. That's on top of the hake and two paella dishes. I was definitely full and had to bring some of the food home. Other diners complained about their meals being too salty - I actually thought some of the dishes weren't salty enough. They could've also added a little more heat to them. I found some of them to be a little bland. The main course (Wellington Iberic pork) and dessert (rhubarb/avocado cake) were by far the best parts of the meal. I was charged $12 at the end of the night for "water service" which was a bit of a surprise. I opted for sparkling water. I don't know if it would've been the same price for still water, but a heads up would've been nice. Honestly, I would've been fine with tap water had I known I was going to be charged for it. They also don't have any soft drinks and no cocktail menu. They have what appeared to be a full service bar on the middle floor, but I was only given a wine menu. It's cheaper to get the wine pairing, unless you want to pay hundreds of dollars (or thousands) for a single bottle. Even a single glass was upwards of $50 so I opted to just stick with my $12 water. They charge you a 20% service fee which they say goes to all of the staff, but on top of that, when you receive your bill, there's also a line that prompts you to tip. It's very confusing. Furthermore, they charge you $50 when you make a reservation (which is eventually deducted from the bill), but I was actually charged $51.75. Apparently there's a $1.75 fee as well which wasn't made abundantly clear. I ended up spending close to $300 with no alcohol. I went on a Wednesday night around 7 PM and I was a little surprised by how vacant the restaurant was. There was just me and one other couple. Their dining room appeared to sit about 20-30 people, though I do have to give them credit for allowing single diners. Many Michelin star restaurants won't even give you that option. Service was great and staff were very friendly. What I found unique was they give you little cards with descriptions of each of the dishes. I'm not sure I'd come back, but worth a visit I suppose, especially if you like paella.

Ryan S.

Our latest experience at Xiquet was less then amazing. We have been to Xiquet before and it was perfect, so I am not sure what happened this time. The service is absolutely perfect, the team at Xiquet is top notch; Honestly it would be hard to find a better service team in DC. The cocktail program is always on point. They serve up some seriously amazing cocktails that's really represent the Spanish influence that the restaurant has. So the food......... Well.... Chef Danny Lledo was not their that night. I am not sure if that was the problem, but I kinda assume it was. Everything seemed a little off,It was good but slightly off. Even the famous Paella was just a few degrees off..... Trust me I hate writing this review but honesty is the best policy. This is a great restaurant, and I still encourage you to visit. Worthy of a Michelin star; no doubt This is my experience, and hopefully not yours.

menu
Landres B.

I had a decent dining experience and I'm unsure what so many are griping about concerning price, service, or quality. 1) Look at the menu: you're paying for rare and treasured ingredients literally cooked in front of you. Yes, you can get supermarket chicken at other Michelins gussied up fantastically. But idk maybe read ahead before you reserve at someplace that's not doing that 2) They're human and mistakes happen. A course can be flawed and things can spill. In the live arts, even the best trip. The food wasn't underseasoned. They quite deftly paced the intensity of seasoning to peak on the meat dishes and be minimal on the earlier dishes. The service was nice but in general overwrought considering they were mostly just repeating what you could read on the card. The cards were a really nice touch in that regard: you got all the info and are able to reference whenever. They should let servers offer personal anecdotes vs recitation of the card. The Chef was in-house and I enjoyed the introduction and ensuing interaction with him. Again, I'm not sure what people are expecting here. Is he supposed to turn around while you eat? Eat with you? Take your wife home??? All of that is said, there were some honest and unnecessary disappointments. -The paella (both times!) tasted scorched and I couldn't finish. This could be a quirk I'm not privy to, but I would have at least appreciated a warning. TBH, I think it was just scorched. Too many restaurants are clamoring for open-fire "live" cooking as an ambiance gimmick. I don't get it - The cake paired with the hauntingly delicious strawberry semi-frio was a miss. I would have LOVED that semi-frio with a crouton of the stale, bland, cake instead. -The final dessert summed up my quibbles: too many courses felt like they put checking requisite boxes (pun intended) ahead of other things. -The Wine selection seemed designed for Rober Parker/publication point hunters and was quite unimpressive given you're kinda limited/forced into wine. Overwrought and heavy wines from recent vintages with inflated market prices due to high scores. That's one definition of rare, but not necessarily the one I prefer. The half-glass options were a nice touch, though -Overall dining experience left only a few memorable impressions. Perhaps too few given the hard work and mentoring on display from the Chef/team throughout the meal.

Asparagus
Molly H.

Many people say that parking here is tough, but we had a 7:45pm reservation on a Friday and there were tons of street parking spots (plus a garage a block away). But onto the restaurant! 4 of us came for my husband's birthday and we started on the first floor with drinks and canapés. I love an egg white cocktail so I ordered their orange cocktail but didn't love it (it tasted like straight liquor). I also wasn't that impressed with the canapés - tuna loin, olives, barnacles were kind of odd. Although the Chesapeake oyster was delicious. Next we moved upstairs for dinner which included 12 courses (including 2 dessert). Xiquet is all about Spanish cuisine and uses a woodfire kitchen to make the courses come to life. We had several fish and seafood courses and we paid extra for the seafood paella which was definitely worth it. It was really delicious and we could see why it was the chef's signature. We also had a squab and wagyu strip loin before moving onto dessert. All of the courses were solid, but my favorites were the paella and oddly enough the pallet cleanser (the best one I've had! I could've eaten a whole bowl). We then had 2 dessert courses before moving onto a third space for dessert bites and after dinner drinks. Overall I was very impressed with the service! They were very attentive and explained all of the dishes perfectly. The dinner was also very good, though not a ton of wow-I-need-to-eat-this-again moments. One thing to note is the seats during the dinner portion were not comfortable. I think these fine dining restaurants forget their patrons sit for 3 hours! I can still see why they've earned their Michelin star though! It's worth a visit for sure.

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Ask the Community - Xiquet by Danny Lledó

Boqueria Dupont - Gambas al Ajillo

Boqueria Dupont

4.0(1.7k reviews)
1.9 miDowntown
$$$
Outdoor seating
Private events

First... man the chairs were UNCOMFY. Theres two types of stools and the padded one feels slightly…read moreslanted forward and small. But anyways Paella was delicious, the flavor profile was super fun. We got the short rib and seafood, and we all preferred seafood as the short rib was a bit heavy. The fish in it was crispy and so good, especially with the green sauce- nice herby and refreshing contrast. The figs were interesting and fun. But not that filling... I did not like the patatas... sauce was good but the potato itself had none of its own seasoning and was tough. Yes crispy but not pillowy inside. The octopus was delicious and super tender. Would come back for seafood paella and charcuterie.

Excellent food, great atmosphere, fantastic service! I wish I had photos of the food, but I was…read morehere with a big group and we descended on the plates like a pack of animals. It was so good. General consensus: the Hugo should just be ordered by the pitcher -huge hit. The Spring Gin & Tonic was excellent. The Iberico Washed Old Fashioned was okay. The Patatas Bravas were a HUGE hit. It's a day later and I can't stop thinking about the sauce. The Escalivada was also a crowd favorite. The Gambas Al Ajillo was universally loved. The sauce the shrimp are swimming in was amazing with pieces of garlic and peppers swimming in oil. Sop it up with the bread that comes too. I heard great comments on the octopus. I also really enjoyed the BOQUERONES CON NARANJA because I'd never seen anything like it. Really yummy if you like a salty briny bite. Our server was amazing and incredibly patient with our large group. Fantastic restaurant!

Photos
Boqueria Dupont - Shishito Margarita

Shishito Margarita

Boqueria Dupont - Paella De Mariscos

Paella De Mariscos

Boqueria Dupont - Brócoli con Ajo Blanco

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Brócoli con Ajo Blanco

Taberna del Alabardero - Paella de Langosta 
 with Lobster, Shrimp, Mussels and Clams

Taberna del Alabardero

3.8(682 reviews)
2.2 miDowntown
$$$

3.5 stars but bumped for 4 for the cocktails, space, and service. Came to Taberna on a Monday…read moreevening and had an overall nice time. Service was great and attentive throughout with multiple waiters serving our table and the space is beautiful and cozy. It wasn't too crowded around 5:30 when we came and wasnt too busy overall. We left a little before 8 and it never got too loud or too crowded. I think walking in without a reservation would be fairly easy. They have a great cocktail list and I really enjoyed mine! It was a unique cherry and almond flavored drink while my friend went for a cucumber type drink. Both great. We shared 4 tapas which were surprisingly quite large and ended up being plenty for the both of us. We did patatas bravas, mushroom croquettes, fried manchego, and calamari. The tapas were good/average but nothing to rave about. Our bill came to about $120 which is probably about standard now but felt overpriced for what we got. They do a 20% service charge with 5% being operational and only 15% going to staff. Not my favorite...I dont mind a service charge but burying an operational charge into it made us confused on whether the expectation was to still tip or not. I wish restaurants were more transparent about this. I wouldn't come back for a full dinner but drinks were nice and service was great so I'd consider spotting in for a happy hour if in the area. Worth a try overall. I hope they consider giving their servers the full 20% of the service charge. 5% for operations should really be baked into the prices or otherwise listed separately.

We came to DC for a long weekend and because I didn't know how the flught would go I didnt make any…read morereservations uoon arrival and decided to wing it. We passed Taberna Del Alabardero on the walk from the subway to the hotel. It looked festuve, pretty and there was outside seating. We glanced at the menu and decided to go back. The staff were friendly, attentive and provided great service. The first place I've been where they poured Gray Goose in my glass in front of me. Fantastic! The decor inside was beautiful and my favorite color, green. The pictures on the wall and the colorful drapes with wood accents made it very spanish and kund of historical lookimg. The food was amazing! We ordered the octopus off the main menu and 2 items off a June experice menu. The octopus tasted smoked to me. I ordered because based on what I read about the restaurant I felt they would do it well.. and they did! The potatoes needed a touch of salt for us, but we are salt people. The Croquetas were so creamy and delicious with the garlic shrimp. The cream cheese on the toast set off the flavors of the carleized onions and whisky reduction pork. The coup de grâce was the Cheesecake desset. It was warm and a combo of airy and dense. The granny smith apples on the side were tart and pallet clensing. So good! We also received shirtbread cookies and a chocolate cookie thing that were delicious! The prices are on the expensive side, but definitely worth it. Great place for sharung and date night.

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Taberna del Alabardero
Taberna del Alabardero
Taberna del Alabardero - Pulpo/octopus

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Pulpo/octopus

Atxondo - Fingerling potatoes and Panfried Salmon

Atxondo

4.8(104 reviews)
2.8 mi
$$

I went to Atxondo hoping to taste the work of a Basque chef, and found out that the new chef is…read morefrom El Salvador, but has studied cookery in Spain. After having a full meal with cocktails, appetizer, entree, dessert and coffee (about $70 per person), I concluded that Atxondo will be a definite future destination for Happy Hour and light bites, but that my full meal dining dollars will be spent elsewhere. The Patatas Bravas (Fingerling Potatoes) were outstanding, with their two tasty sauces and rich, crispy flavor and texture. The Hibiscus Margarita with its salt and tajín rim was good enough to warrant a second one... but the Sangria was lackluster due to the complete absence of cut-up fresh fruit in my glass. The "Crispy Duck Breast" is no longer served whole, but sliced on a bed of sauteed kale... and, sadly, seemed to be only a shadow of its former self. The Lamb Meatballs suffered from being mushy (a coarser grind would have made a world of difference in the texture) and lacked that meaty exuberance one treasures in any kind of meatball. My serving of Basque Cheesecake was almost comically tiny (at $9 per serving, perhaps not so funny after all). But my cup of Americano came out of the espresso machine strapping strong and piping hot, with a gorgeous head of natural crema from the oil of the coffee beans. So I will definitely return for a future Happy Hour to devour the outstanding Patatas Bravas and sip the good Margaritas, and to try the bargain Manchego Burger and other Happy Hour bites. For serious dining, Atxondo falls short of the mark... but for drinks and bar food, Atxondo turns out to be a real neighborhood gem. .

Very solid 4 stars for Atxondo. Just a note that while there are paper menus, the QR code menu has…read morea lot more options. The service is very nice and attentive an adds to the homey feel. Atxondo really strikes me as an underrated gem. It's only about a mile walk from the Petworth Metro, is right on several bus lines and for us, coming from silver spring, the drive was a very easy ~15 minutes. Intrigued to hear how often people in the neighborhood come here. It's mostly a tapas style, so everything but the paella is smaller plates. Everything is wonderfully tasty. The mini chorizo, with the accompanying chips absorbing the chorizo liquid were awesome and our group also loved the cremini mushrooms. I love a good paella and Atxondo's is a standout. really wonderfull flavored and plenty for our group of 5. They say it's enough for 2-4, but unless its your only meal of the day, I fully think a group of 2 would have leftovers. It's definitely on our list to return

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Atxondo
Atxondo - Patatas Bravas (Fingerling Potatoes)

Patatas Bravas (Fingerling Potatoes)

Atxondo

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Boqueria Penn Quarter

Boqueria Penn Quarter

4.2(612 reviews)
3.0 mi
$$
Private events
Outdoor seating

A very swanky place. Me and a date were walking around Galleryplace for a place to sit and when we…read morewalked in and we knew immediately to ask for a table. The dark warm mood lighting, the corrugated wall, the intimate seating, and of course the small share plates makes for the sexy experience tapas is suppose to be! It is typical of Spanish flavors, heavily relying on high-end cured meats and cheeses, and classics such as croquetas. There is something very special that goes into tapas because its suppose to satisfy you based on good taste over quantity. Large shrimp in a generous skillet of olive oil and slow cooked garlic slices and a iberico mac and cheese are some examples of how they elevate classics we are familiar with. We really liked that they learned into garlic and spice. We found dried Aji Caballero in our meal, great attention to source country. They have a very robust and generous drinks menu. Loved watching others not dining alone and embracing that share quality of the menu design. Perhaps it is not the best tapas I had, I would have liked to see a balance with lighter citrus flavors but maybe that was an ordering issue. At some point, since the menu heavily leans towards rich and decadent, its better to plan around that. Our waitress was amazing, she explained the questions we had on the ingredients and was on it with the refills.

We wanted to try it for a while and finally we got the time. It's week day lunch, and it was quiet…read moreand nice. Waitstaff were pleasant and helpful. It's a typical Spanish tapas food, we ordered a few dishes, and we both loved MONTADO DE BISTEC Y CHORIZO. I have been thinking about going back to try other dishes.

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Boqueria Penn Quarter
Boqueria Penn Quarter - Shishito Margarita

Shishito Margarita

Boqueria Penn Quarter

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Del Mar - Paella de Pescado Y Mariscos

Del Mar

3.9(1.1k reviews)
3.9 mi
$$$

I had dinner here and enjoyed the outdoor seating area and water views…read more The Sangria Roja was a nice accompaniment to the tapas and paella ordered. The Croquetas Cocido in particular were very good. It was filled with Jamon Iberico and chicken porcini aoli, very tasty. Additionally I tried the grilled octopus, sobrasada (fine cured charcuterie) as well as the Iberico and Scallop Paella. It's no wonder why this is a Michelin recognized Spanish restaurant as the meal was outstanding.

We were super excited to try out Del Mar! They had a patio for our dogs, and the food looked great…read more Unfortunately we didn't have a the best experience. We got to the patio and we heard one of the waitresses kindly request that couples sit at the smaller tables. One couple ignored her, and I felt bad so we did. But then our dogs were in the way the entire time because the table was against the restaurant and there wasn't a lot of space for the waitstaff to walk by. To make matters worse, the next few groups were couples, and they sat at all the tables that we would have been much more comfortable at with our dogs- there was space to keep them out of the way. I was stressed the whole time. Then, we ordered wine and tapas. The wine was forgotten. In our waitresses defense she seemed very busy and the restaurant understaffed. For tapas we ordered croquetas, pan con tomato, fried artichokes, oysters, and patatas bravas. The croquetas were good but there was only two. The fried artichokes had zero flavor, and no sauce to add flavor. The oysters were good. The patatas bravas were fine, the potatoes were a bit dry. My favorite was the pan con tomato but it was nothing super special, I've had that at other restaurants. I wouldn't recommend heading here.

Photos
Del Mar - Decoration.

Decoration.

Del Mar - Spanish tortilla

Spanish tortilla

Del Mar - Sangria

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Sangria

Xiquet by Danny Lledó - spanish - Updated July 2026

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