Arrels

Arrels Restaurant is a true gem! From the moment you walk in, the ambiance sets the perfect tone -- sleek, inviting, and lively, with an open kitchen that lets you peek into the magic happening behind the scenes. The food? Absolutely phenomenal. The Wagyu slider was beyond expectations -- every bite was pure bliss. I also couldn't get enough of the tender T-bone, which was cooked to perfection.The happy hour and tapas options are a great way to sample the diverse menu, and I highly recommend taking advantage of that. A special highlight was when Chef Pepe stopped by our table, adding such a personal touch to the experience.The location is convenient, right near the FBI building, but keep in mind parking can be tricky depending on the time you visit. Definitely worth the visit -- I'll be back for sure!Special shoutout to our beautiful server Krissia. She was very attentive and spoke about the food very well

We had high hopes for Arrels with its modern Spanish food, tapas, and open-flame cooking. It did not live up to the hype. The inside was beautiful and set up where you could have a nice semi-private event by the large bar in the back corner or sectioned off to the left when you enter. Service was slow and it was clear that there was little coordination between servers as we often had to repeat ourselves multiple times to servers. The waitress did not seem to have a good command of the menu even going so far as to say that she doesn't eat a number of the dishes. The food was good, but overpriced for the portions (yes - even for small plate, share dishes). You can expect to pay $20-$30 for a small plate and it is recommended to have 2 per person with a shared larger dish or two that will run you $60 or so. The food was good, but not close to other tapas places in the city with similar price points like Boqueria or Jaleo (both nearby). We enjoyed the octopus and the rabbit palea was something that we had not traditionally seen on menus, but were far overpriced for the portions. We perked up when we saw the cocktail list as every drink sounded delicious and creative. However, they were severely lacking to the point where we could barely finish them. They seemed to still be working through the right mixes and we tasted several things in the cocktail that did not seem to be an ingredient (it's shocking to get a swig of licorice when you are not expecting it based on the ingredients). We hope Arrels is still working out some kinks and gets on track. We'll wait and see before our next visit.

This review reflects my experience dining out with celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder that requires me to maintain a diet free of gluten (including cross contact).SERVICE: 5/5 starsDRINKS: 4/5 starsFOOD: 4/5 starsAMBIANCE: 5/5 starsVALUE: 3/5 starsOVERALL RATING: 4/5 starsI recently dined at Arrels, a new Spanish restaurant in downtown NW DC. While the menu was not marked, the manager annotated the menu to show food that was gluten-free, options that could be modified to be gluten-free, and items that did not contain gluten but were cross-contaminated. Photos from the manager's efforts are attached to my review to help those avoiding gluten.I had a T-bone steak, which was cooked perfectly and accompanied by delicious sides. My cocktail of choice, a Madras, was made perfectly. I did not experience any side effects from gluten exposure following the meal.The ambiance and service at Arrels made the experience. From the moment we arrived, I felt like a VIP--checking my coat, providing a stand for my bag, receiving service from the manager. I will be back.

4.5 stars for the newest restaurant in the Chef Pepe empire! Yes, D.C. can adsorb more than one Spanish super-star!! In the newly built Arlo Hotel the wine-cave like cement ceilings and low-sat tables transport you out of downtown D.C. and into a beautiful "Old World" establishment. A small bar in the front will certainly get slammed at Happy Hour and don't sleep on the Japanese inspired coffee shop on the other side of the lobby.Inspired by the Chef's home-cooked meals, the restaurant departs from the classic tapas heavy menu and showcases beautiful takes on the fried fish code fritters and patatas bravas (that come in a cone with a smear of delicious dipping sauce)! Even things like the shrimp in oil, that we all remember as a sizzling dish of oil-soaked baby shrimp and garlic slices is elevated into large, perfectly garlic-poached shrimp on a bed of 'grits'. The fried squid are served with a soft egg that you stir into the crispy fried bowl of squid to add a thick texture to a classic dish.The mains are also both rustic and elevated with a pallela based on noodles instead of rice that allows every bite to get that crispy 'socorat' flavor. The rabbit pallela was my favorite. Shredded side-table by our fabulous waitress, the rabbit was perfectly cooked and the rice was so flavorful. We paired our dishes with a beautiful bottle of wine that was actually a great price (yes, mark-up is a thing, it's fine, but this was a great price)! I slept on the cocktails here, but don't worry, I'll be back to hit those up too! The flavors, portions and "weight" of the food were all perfectly balanced and great for all seasons!

We stopped by Arrels on Valentine's Day before heading to dinner and had a drink. The servers were very professional and efficient. Our drinks came out swiftly. The ambiance was nice; they had flamingo dancers doing a live performance. I had the FLOR DE GRANADA made with Vodka, pomegranate, clove. It was very refreshing! The alcohol flavor wasn't too strong, but it was present. I loved it. I would go again and try their food.

Great date spot, no bad bites, great restaurant service, bar service varies.My friend and I made a reservation for 5 PM and met at the bar at 4 PM. They were seating until around 4:55 PM so we ordered some happy hour drinks and food.Our initial bartender was great - attentive, friendly, helpful. As it got busier/closer to dinner time, there were two other bartenders that weren't as attentive and it could be difficult to get their attention to order more.We were seated a few minutes past 6 PM. Our coats had been with us at the bar so I laid them next to me on the booth seat; a few minutes after being seated they offered to take our coats to the coat room and gave us a number to retrieve them after our meal. They brought us the check from the bar along with a stool/basket to put our bags on which was nice (random fun fact/context: in Japan, there's almost always a basket or designated area near your table to set your things, especially bags/purses, so they never have to be on the floor and aren't in the way).----------------------------------------------------Drinks:I asked for the sweetest drink and the bartender recommend the mirame - I liked it! Not too sweet and relatively easy to drink as someone who isn't big on alcohol. My friend ordered the Spanish gin & tonic. I'm glad I didn't order it as I'm not part of the fennel fan club - it's definitely on the herbal side.Food:Highly recommend the oysters, shrimp, and patatas bravas. The short noodle paella was good (flavor-wise, think of a fancy mushroom-based lo mein). I liked the cauliflower but prefer cauliflower more roasted/crispy - I think it's cool that it was prepared three ways but wish that was explained to us before we tried it as I was confused why parts of it was cold (it's because one way it's served is as a salad).----------------------------------------------------Ordered:MIRAMEBlanco Tequila, mezcal, honey, paprikaSPANISH G&TGin, quince, pink peppercorn, fennel, tonicCROQUETAS DE BACCALAOCod, tartar sauceOYSTERSTomato water mignonettePATATAS BRAVASPotatoes, brava sauceGAMBAS AL AJILLOCharcoal grilled shrimp, garlic and lemon puree, chili-garlic crunchCOLIFLORCharcoal grilled baby cauliflower, fried capers, brown butter, lemon vinaigretteFIDEUA DE SETASShort noodle paella, organic and seasonal mushrooms, mushroom aioli

This space is beautiful and the service was phenomenal on a busy Saturday night. Cocktails were great. However I wasn't a huge fan of the food. Starters were good - oysters had a kick, potato bravas were hot and crunchy, puerro con romesco was my fav (leeks). Tried all four paellas: the crab paella smelled VERY fishy which was a turn off, mushroom was good but heavy on salt (instead of rice it comes with noodles), the rabbit shoulder with artichokes was the best, and arroz caldosa was inedible to me. Each paella is small, serves about 2-4 people.We ordered whole fish but what came out was a small filet for 4 of us. I don't even think I tried it.The customer service however was amazing. They listened to our feedback, comped some of the dishes and sent us two orders of churros. Appreciated the chef and manager both coming over to make things right.

So excited to try Arrels, we came after they had been open for only about 2 weeks! Our server Kristia was awesome. She explained the vision behind the menu very well, educated us on the restaurants / chefs history and described the drinks and food in an alluring way. The menu consist of tapas, small plates and some larger plates for sharing. We had so much good food; but the stands outs are the Waygu sliders, the TBone and the croquettes. The menu has familiar items with the chefs personal twist. Everything was flavorful and unique.The ambiance gives elevated casual. The service is great. Our water never went empty and the staff kept our tables clean, and refreshed with new napkins and utensils, as well as constantly removing used dishes and cutlery. I will definitely be back and recommend arrels to others!

I was taken to Arrels for a birthday dinner during restaurant week and I highly doubt the meal and the night could have been improved in any way. I started off with a glass of Cannelita, which came with ice shaped in the mold of a rose. This leaned into creating an atmosphere of romance that did not leave until we did. We mixed a la carte options with those on the set menu to give ourselves more to experience, and our server was absolutely wonderful help in aligning on what dishes would best complement each other. To be fair, I do believe the Puerro con Romesco would have honestly gone well with anything. We tried a couple of different octopus dishes and strongly encourage others to do the same, the flavors differ drastically between but the tenderness of the octopus remains perfect, almost buttery. I enjoyed everything but the croquetas de queso stay at the top of my mind. How they masterfully cooked these balls of cheese to keep the middle liquid and hot astounds me, and I wouldn't mind a future birthday filled with more of these delights. To round out the night, we were treated to the cutest churros and a lovely cake that I wish I had more room for the marvelous meal to enjoy. The chocolate sauce with the churros even had this slight kick to it that complimented the cinnamon of the churros perfectly.

Arrels is an excellent choice for Restaurant Week, and it exceeded all expectations! I had the opportunity to try a variety of dishes, and every single one was delicious. I even added a couple of à la carte options to expand my experience, and I'm so glad I did. The non-alcoholic mocktails were also fantastic--refreshing and creative. The seafood dishes were definitely the highlight. The squid ink pasta was a standout, with perfectly cooked pasta and a delightful mix of textures from the fried squid, raw squid, and tender squid pieces. The octopus dishes were just as impressive--I ordered two, and both were spiced perfectly and cooked to perfection. The chef really knows how to balance textures and flavors, using different preparations of the same ingredient in one dish to create a memorable experience. The desserts were equally delicious, and to top it off, we received a complimentary almond cake with a candle to celebrate a birthday. The service was exceptional--our waitress was attentive without being overbearing, and the pacing of the dishes was spot on. We never had to wait long between courses, but we also didn't feel rushed. The atmosphere is perfect for a relaxed dinner or a fun happy hour with friends.