The Most Scrumptious Spanish in Washington

Botanero Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4.3 (748) • $$

"I love coming here! It's such a hidden gem! Their main menu is served all day, tapa style. And everything you get has such good flavor and is just simply delicious. Not just saying this but HIGHLY recommend!"

La Malinche

★★★★☆ 4.2 (611) • $$

"Still just a good! Good portion sizes. Excellent flavors. The tinta is heavenly but if you like sweeter drinks go with the Cava. You won't be disappointed! Food is almost as authentic as it gets. The only tapa I didn't like was the croquetas de pollo. Taste more like a fish stick. Loved both empanadas but the chicken was the winner. Waitress was excellent!"

Boqueria Penn Quarter

★★★★☆ 4.3 (569) • $$

"Beautiful ambience - highly recommend for a classy date night or just night out.The service was amazing. The servers are working hard, constantly walking around and checking on all customers.The FOOD:- Patatas bravas (no pic) 8.5/10Very crispy potatoes and lovely aioli sauce- Croquettas (jamon) (no pic) 8/10Awesome if you like the texture of croquettas! Mind you, you only get 3!- Seafood paella 9/10Hit the spot for my paella craving! Not too greasy and oily and just the perfect amount to taste! Highly recommend trying this here.- Lamb skewers 8/10Lamb was cooked perfectly and didn't have any of that distinct smell. Went very well with the toppings and sauce."

SER

★★★★☆ 3.8 (504) • $$

"I randomly found this place on open table when looking for a last minute reservation. It did not disappoint! The service was great, the ambiance and decor were lovely and the food was amazing! Items tried:- sangria (red) 10/10- garlic shrimp 10/10- Patatas Bravas 10/10- kale caesar salad 10/10- egg plant 8/10- grilled steak 10/10- octopus(didn't try but my friend liked it)"

Barcelona Wine Bar Cathedral Heights

★★★★☆ 4.1 (430) • $$$

"Loved the one in Pittsburgh and love this location even more. Super friendly and helpful staff especially when making and helping pick the perfect drink. And we got the happy hour specials of calamari... some of the best ever. Breading stayed on didn't fall off when eating and just the right crunch. Def want to get that again and again! The salt and vinegar chips with ham when first reading thought it meant Serrano like the pepper but it was ham which made me love it more. Really nice happy hour treats before diving in. Then I got the guns and rose drink and had to get another so delicious. For small plates we got the prawns which had a nice spice but a bit overcooked for me but loved how they took off prawn heads and I enjoyed those my friend was grateful cuz she doesn't. We also got the thin potato dish with chive cream sauce and LOVED it. It was like a potato as gratin vibes and I'm here for it. Croquettes are always a must super rich creamy great ham flavor and something great to split with friends. I will def be coming back super cute place and loved the music as well relaxed but still party vibes in the neighborhood."

Guardado's Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4.1 (312) • $$

"We just dined here for the first time and my parents have already declared it a new favorite.My favorites:+ Gambas Al Ajillo ($13.95) - This classic sauteed shrimp dish was so good we even ordered a second round and used the bread to mop up all the olive oil in the pan. + Shrimp Quesadilla ($14.25) - I love a shrimp quesadilla but these surpassed expectations--there was plenty of shrimp and the tomatoes added a nice savoriness.+ Plain Plantain ($4.50) - One of the best plantains I've had in recent memory and nice and caramelized on some of the edges. We also enjoyed:+ Calamares Fritos ($12.25) + Pulpo A La Gallega ($12.50) - The octopus was so tender!+ Croquetas ($9.50) - These were just okay and not super flavorful.+ Paella Negra ($44.95) - We prefer our paella rice to be cooked through instead of al dente and was pleased to find it nice and soft. I thought the tilapia was a little fishy but overall we enjoyed it!Despite slight apprehension when looking through the pictures prior to our visit, we were very impressed and will definitely be returning!"

El Mariachi

★★★★☆ 3.8 (248) • $$

"Excellent food! The steak was well-flavored, tender, and juicy. Attentive server. The ambiance is quite bright, authentic, and cheery as well! I'll definitely return! (11/7/24)"

Atxondo

★★★★★ 4.8 (90) • $$

"Dc's new hidden gem. Estadio's old chef opened this spot. He knows what he's doing. Top dishes:- Gambas al ajillo. Wow. Better than other Spanish restaurants.- Pork belly. Incredible. Crispy yet soft and perfect accompaniment. - Crispy potatoes. These kill the Jaleo patatas bravas. Decent dishes:- Croquettas: definitely decent but not wow. - Shishito peppers: v tasty but they could add more seasoning. - Churros: these were just ok. Greasy and needed more sugar coating and cinnamon. - Mussels. Great sauce but they didn't taste very fresh. Great corkage ($15). They need new wine stemware (it's very average) and a decanter. The atmosphere is meh. But the staff is super nice and relaxed - we loved them. Otherwise this is my new favorite restaurant in DC."

Abi Azteca Grill & Bar

★★★★☆ 3.8 (140) • $$

"So I never knew this place existed and I've driven around this plaza for ages... but a quick search for something new... and here we go! It's pandemic time so key facts:Call or online order if picking up. You're gonna have to go in to get it. There is indoor and patio seating.Food: got a pork and cheese pupusa and tamal de Pollo (chicken) and carne asada and large horchata.Horchata- large means large! And not overly sweet so a nice treatTamal - yum!! Best one I've had in the area, and i have tried many... will be back for this. The flavors are complex and on point.Pupusa- good but not the best ever. I would get it again but not my go to thingCarne- thin and cook as specified. Not bad.Overall, will be back but may try other items..."

Irenes Pupusas

★★★☆☆ 2.6 (57) • $$

"I've only been in twice, once for carry-out and once dine-in. Both times the language barrier was a bit problematic (I don't speak Spanish) but each time there was a male employee there who was completely bilingual and was able to bridge the gap. I avoided Irene's for years because from the outside it looks a hole in the wall, and the Glenmont Shopping Center is dirty and feels dangerous. I finally stopped in recently because I was at the Staples next door and was lured by a craving for a pupusa. The restaurant turns out to be cavernous! It's also pretty dark and neither of us used the restrooms, so I don't have much to say about the reviews that lament a certain level of dirtiness, except that my knife had food stuck to it. I've ordered both bean & cheese and spinach & cheese (not on the menu) pupusas, and the man ordered pork & cheese. He also ordered a beef taco. We both ordered rice & beans on the side. Everything was absolutely delicious. The food did take a while to be served but it was all piping hot and flavorful. Neither of us were raised on Latin American food so we may not have great comparison, but we were both very happy with the food. The one thing that sat ALL wrong with me was the tip that's built into each dine-in check. The menu states that, like in many food establishments, a 15% gratuity is added to parties of 5 or more. Well, that may be true, but our table of two had a 20% tip already added to the bill when it arrived. And there's a line for an ADDITIONAL tip underneath. This is sneaky and makes the place seem shady. Many other reviews mention it and the owners should take note that customers don't like this practice and their Yelp reviews reflect this. It's the reason I gave them 3 stars, not 4."

Tarmac Lounge And Restaurant

★★★☆☆ 2.7 (7)

"Unfortunately the food was terrible. We order jolloff rice with chicken, beef and fish and it was the worst. They gave us tiny pieces. The food looked old and overcooked. The meat tasted old and was rubbery. As if it had been outside since the day before. We spent $110 on this food..... and it was the worst. Never again ordering from this place"

Lauriol Plaza

★★★☆☆ 3.4 • $$

"The food here is okay. But it's great for the vibes and drinks. It's large! Tons of seating and windows and it gives you that indoor/outdoor atmosphere.We shared a pitcher of the margarita. Solid! For entrees some of my table mates got steak, chicken tacos, salmon fajitas, tostones, or the taco/enchilada/tamale combo. I got the tortilla soup which came in a big bowl! Delicious!The ingredients were odd. They had a third of a carrot and a huge chunk of zucchini in my soup. And the fajitas also had the same veg and even celery along with the peppers. Interesting touch.I did enjoy the fresh guacamole and the salsa with chips. So good!Service was good. Pretty quick. They kept our glasses filled with the margarita. It's a large restaurant that can accommodate bigger groups. Pretty loud here too. It seems to be popular in the neighborhood. Parallel parking is your best bet. But having a car in DC is a double edged sword."

Boqueria Dupont

★★★★☆ 4 • $$$

"We came here for a girls night out and it did not disappoint. Apologies for the lack of pictures, the food was so good that we dug in before we could get a picture of all the different dishes we ordered. The service is great. We were checked on regularly and our waiter was attentive and made great recommendations. I had the tinto sangria and it was delicious and light. It had citrus fruity tones but it also wasn't overly sweet which I loved. We ordered a bunch of tapas to include the anchovies, pan con tomate, croquettes (different kinds), salad, olives...I'm definitely missing a few. Everything was delicious! The food came out in stages so we weren't overwhelmed to eat everything at once, which was perfect. We got to take our time and try the dishes while sipping on our cocktails and not feeling rushed. The restaurant is very clean, and has a very warm and inviting atmosphere which would be great for catching up with friends, drinks after work, or a date. I came here many years ago and had enjoyed my experience then. I'm not sure what took me so long to come back, but I'm so glad I did. Can't wait to come back again!"

Barcelona Reston

★★★★☆ 4.2 • $$

"First time trying this tapas restaurant and I enjoyed the service and the food. I'm still dreaming about how good the whipped sheep's milk cheese was! Ended up trying different tapas including the shrimp, empanadas, and some other dishes. Loved the selection of wine and the overall vibe of the restaurant."