Del Mar

Del Mar is a Spanish restaurant opened by Fabio Trabocci in DC Wharf. The most worthwhile dishes are the signature seafood paella and seafood tower. The paella is much better than Jaleo!

Del Mar is an upscale restaurant at The Wharf that has been there since the Wharf first opened in October 2017. It's very good but also very pricey.I hadn't been to Del Mar for years, but visited again this January. DC got about six inches of snowfall, keeping people inside and slowing restaurant sales, so Del Mar ran a 50% off promotion for two days. This included both food an alcohol, a very generous offer. I jumped at the chance to try their menu again. I sat with a group of four at the front of the restaurant in an enclosed patio area. I think the main part of the restaurant was more lively, but our corner was a bit dark and subdued, with only a few tables near us and a dark, cold, empty night at the Wharf. At 6 PM, the restaurant was busy but not full; it got busier as the night went on.Service was good, appropriate for a high end restaurant. Our waiter offered a few suggestions and service was mostly prompt. They coursed out our order effectively and cleared plates between courses. They also gave us a small, complimentary amuse bouche: a few sips of butternut squash soup. We started with Jamon Croquetas (four for $22), Pan Con Tomate (two for $13), and Garlic Shrimp ($22). Then the Octopus (one long tentacle, $29), Blue Crab (two stuffed peppers, $26), and Truffle Canelones (one large piece, $26). For an entree, the small size Calamari and Chorizo Paella ($85). To finish, the Cafe con Leche 12 layer cake ($24). Many of these dishes and ingredients are classic Spanish tapas fare. If you've had them before, you know what to expect. Del Mar offered good renditions, but none wowed me. By the end, I tired a bit of all the rich flavors and sauces. The standout dish was the cake; an absolutely delicious mix of chocolate, coffee, and caramel flavors with a bit of ice cream. A few specific comments. I liked the crusty bread pieces with the shrimp that soaked up the garlic sauce. The octopus reminded me of a similar dish served at Bar Spero (RIP) that was flash fried; I wish this dish had been that dish. I was intrigued by the sea urchin sauce on the Blue Crab Peppers and the truffles in the Canelones, but I don't feel either dish really delivered on flavors. By the end of the paella, I tired of calamari; I ended up liking the rice itself best. The paella had a thin layer of slightly crispy rice on the bottom of the pan; it was fairly easy to scrape this up and perfectly fine to eat.Drinks like the Salt & Peppers ($20), Sidecar Named Desire ($20), and Cubo Negroni ($19) were very good. Our meal would have been about $100 per person. We paid half that -- an excellent deal! Ultimately, the discount was the part of the meal that wowed me the most. Del Mar is worth considering but expect to pay a premium for the location.

The food was delicious. Plenty to choose from, all fresh as can be. We shared some amazing oysters from the raw bar, jamon croquetas, and a stunning squid ink/calamari/sausage paella. The sommelier was also terrific--understated, kind, and poured beautifully.The space was nice, but the background music was a bit loud making it hard to heat my friend just across the table. The thing I didn't care for was the very hard sell about numerous things--first the restaurant week menu, then items on the regular menu that were specifically things I couldn't eat since I just told my waiter about a few ket food allergies, then a cart with sliced jamon, then a fish cart. It was all a bit much. Had we asked for any of these things, they would have been helpful. But we didn't and instead, felt pressured by them.

Overall Rating:5/10When a meal is 50% off, you'd think I'd hush up and savor the bargain. But alas, I am not built that way. We went in with sky-high hopes--after all, it's owned by Michelin-starred Chef Fabio Trabocchi. But as the saying goes, all that glitters is not gold. And while it certainly dazzles with its sparkle, the substance left much to be desired.Food: 2/5Appetizers:* Langoustine Crudo & Caviar: It's crudo, people! I've yet to meet a bad one, and pairing it with caviar? Chef's kiss. This dish is a safe win, no notes.* Jamón Croquetas: A Spanish classic that played it safe--pleasant but unremarkable. It's a croquette, folks; the bar is low, and it cleared it.Mains:* Crispy Suckling Pig: This went back to the kitchen faster than you can say "bitter sauce." The pig itself was tender--kudos to the chef there--but the sauce was so offensively bitter it could ruin friendships. So what's a girl to do? SEND. IT. BACK.* Prime New York ~ 12oz: Perfectly cooked steak--hallelujah! However, the sauce divided the table. My foodie friend despised it; I thought it paired nicely. To each their own, but at least it wasn't sauce-gate part two.Paella:* Signature Seafood: Prepare for a 45-minute wait. Yes, it's massive. But the flavor? Meh. At the regular price of $140, I'd be fuming. The seafood was so over-grilled that it tasted like the aftermath of a campfire. This is their signature dish? Hard pass.Sides:* Citrus Salad: I skipped this one because purple cabbage and I are not friends. My foodie companion, however, enjoyed the acidity and freshness--so there's that.Dessert:* Free Bday Slice: I don't do chocolate, so my friend stepped in. It was... fine. For free, I can't complain. And, honestly, neither should you.Service + Decor: 3/5Why did it take three attempts to get a Sidecar with a sugar rim instead of salt? Even the manager seemed baffled. Add in a waiter who acted like we were dining in a black hole, and it was not a shining moment for hospitality.Now, let's talk about the décor: stunning. A feast for the eyes, from its breathtaking exterior to the thoughtfully curated interiors. Full Review on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DE2UsxdxyzZ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==Disclaimer: These are my personal opinions. Please try these restaurants and form your own judgments--it's what I would do.

Everything. Was. Absolutely. Delicious! From the Crudo to the Grilled Artichokes and everything in between was crazy good. The only reason for the 4 stars instead of 5 is because of price. Typically the prices are a bit too high for my fiancé and I to dine at Del Mar but this week for two days they had a special for 50 percent off the whole bill which made it much more plalettable. Wish they either had this special more often or brought their prices down slightly. But loved every minute of our experience!

Great Spanish restaurant in DC. One of the best paellas I've ever eaten. Shrimps on it were huge. Oysters were super fresh. Service was great. Churros were delicious. This was a great election to celebrate our wedding anniversary.

Had a wonderful birthday dinner here. Everything was absolutely delicious, the service was 10/10 and the restaurant itself is tasteful and beautiful. We started with the octopus tapa as an app and then had the large format branzino accompanied by the patatas bravas and the artichoke and my only wish is I had a bigger stomach. The octopus was divine, the right amount of crispy and tender. I've never had better branzino, and the batatas reminded me of Spain, so yummy. We also had a whiskey thief cocktail which was delicious and a bottle of Tempranillo that we very much enjoyed. For dessert I ordered the churros and was surprised that the filling was hazelnut, I was expecting chocolate. Our server gave us some of the horchata ice cream and that was pleasant as well. Overall a great experience. The restaurant is pricey but you get what you pay for. I can't wait to come back for the paella, it looked delicious!

If you're looking for a fancy dinner spot in a great area in DC, look no further. Del Mar has a very chic and aesthetic scene, with good food to match. I surprised myself by ordering a drink with Hennessy Cognac in it, at their waiter's recommendation which tasted pretty good. I was disappointed when informed by the waiter their alcoholic Sangria was not sweet, as I was looking forward to trying it out. I love pairing Sangria with my food, so would love to see maybe a white Sangria on their menu in the future. For food, my friend and I split the Seafood Paella. Don't let the photos fool you, this dish is more than enough for 2 to share. I was skeptical about the price, $140, but surprised that both my friend and I were full and had a bit of leftovers to take home. The only critiques I have is that our dish was lukewarm and I wished it came out hot. The dish was also slightly overcooked, as A LOT of our paella stuck to the pan and it would have made an extra serving had it not been stuck to the pan. Overall, great experience and I definitely added this to my date night restaurant list!

Tried this place for lunch for the first time; have had many successful delicious dinners. I had the fig salad on the express menu and it was ok. I also got the croquettes (amazing, as always), the grilled artichoke (killer- highly recommend) and the Branzino filet (absolute perfection). Paella was a disappointment.

I absolutely love this restaurant! From the food to the atmosphere everything is amazing! The decor is beautiful and inviting yet upscale. Our service was a bit slow but they gave us some free apps to make up for it. :)Spanish Tortilla: 8/10 It was not traditional, but still pretty good. I just personally was not a big fan of the cold crème on top it was a bit too biter for my taste but I still ate every last bite. Octopus: 10/10 This was really food and not too charred but not too chewy. The potato and sauce with it was absolutely delicious and gave a good umami flavor. Seafood paella: 10/10 All the seafood was cooked to perfection and was delicious. The flavors were sooo decadent and delicious and I'm not even a big paella person. Branzino:10/10 The fish was sooo tender and well cooked. The sauce was buttery and creamy and made me want to savor each bite. I eat a lot of Branzino and this is some of the best I've ever had!Lamb Chops: 11/10 These were sooo tender and well cooked. You get that nice crunchiness from the sear yet it's still tender and juicy on the inside. Not to mention the rub almost had a Pakistani flavor profile and added a nice touch of saltiness and spice to it. I tried to eat every part I could off the bone. Bravas potatoes: 11/10 I absolutely loved these. I haven't had this dish so well prepared in such a long time. It was sooo good and the bravas sauce elevated it and the aioli wasn't overwhelming like some places do. Not to mention the crisp to moist ratio was off the charts!Peppers: 9/10 These pepper were really good. They are sweet and have a bit of a bite to them and are super well prepared. You get the crunch and the softness from tje meat of the pepper. I only give it 9 stars because I'm just not a big fan of eating peppers when they're not mixed in a dish. Also the drinks are magnificent! Strong but w/good flavors and lots of good floral gin drinks.