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Categories: Spanish, Tapas Bars
Neighborhood: Penn QuarterArchives-Navy Mem'l (Green, Yellow)
Gallery Pl-Chinatown (Red, Green, Yellow)
Metro Center (Red, Blue, Orange)
Mon. 11:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Tue-Thu. 11:30 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 11:30 a.m. - 12:00 a.m.
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You can tell Jaleo is good by how crowded it is, no matter what time - from about 5:00 on till closing the place is packed. Hundreds of Washingtonians a night can't be wrong, can they?
Jaleo has excellent vegetarian options in their tapas menu (which is now the whole menu; entrees have been removed), but they're not labeled as such - you have to look through and find them on your own. But they are there, and they are delicious! They change their menu seasonally, so you have to stop by every so often to check out the new offerings.
I didn't get anything to drink, but they have a huge wine list. There's only a couple of sangrias listed, so if you are a real sangria lover stick with La Tasca up the street.
Just a few notes about Jaleo DC.
1) Their happy hour specials are only available in the bar area.
2) Their staff and manager did NOT accommodate our group (of 7) well, even though we had reservations - the restaurant might be better suited restaurant for intimate dinner, even though I think tapas and groups go very well.
3) Sangria, probably the worst I've ever had, was so diluted (tasted like half water / half wine). And was overpriced ($28 - for a half carafe, which they call a "Full Carafe").
4) The food is ridiculously over salted - I do tend to eat on the more bland side, but everyone at my table agreed that some bites of food just tasted like salt.
I would not go back to Jaleo off 7th in DC, nor would I really recommend it.
The happy hour special here seems pretty awesome (a varied menu of drinks and tapas for 4 bucks) but our experience was pretty blah.
The night got off to a shaky start when the waiter asked us if we'd ever dined at a tapas restaurant before, we said yes, but he insisted on instructing us that, "everything on the menu is an appetizer." After we ordered, all of our food arrived at once, which I know is pretty standard, but it still ensures that half of your dinner will be cold by the time you get to it.
But most importantly, the food was not so hot. The sangria tasted like slightly watered wine with some diced apples thrown on top, the "chorizo" wrapped in crispy potato was practically tasteless (and what taste there was was pure cocktail wiener), and the Gambas al ajillo were sad little shrimp (not all deveined) sitting in a puddle of slightly garlicky olive oil. We had a few other dishes that were fine, but nothing that really stood out.
Maybe this passes in DC, but compared to basically every Spanish restaurant in New York, Jaleo doesn't fare too well.
Is it just my imagination or has Jaleo in the Penn Quarter gone downhill? Maybe it was just a bad night but the service was so-so and the food was too salty or overcooked or sloppy looking. I used to love this restaurant - and it was always a good place to go before the Shakespeare theater next door. Not sure if I will go back. Hmmm.
Yet another one of those restaurants that proves that a 3.5 on Yelp can be pretty damn good. Yes, I judge.
Stopped by with a group of sixish in the late afternoon. One of the menus they handed out focused on their Iberico pork specials. As a pig lover, I was immediately enamored. But then abruptly disappointed when the waitress swooped by and took the menu away, explaining the delicious acorn-fed pork was only for dinner. Yes, I almost cried.
We ordered a bunch of tapas items, and all were pretty good. I asked about the sea urchin, but no one (waitress, chef, etc) knew where it was from, which scared me away from it. We also ordered the one Iberico pork dish available for lunch: the paella. It was quite delicious, though I would warn anyone from ordering it unless you have a large party or wouldn't want to eat anything else. It is quite enormous.
I especially liked the mushroom tapas, these tiny chorizos, boiled octopus, and the steak (on brunch menu). One hiccup was the fried squid. It was soggy and not fresh (I was eating with a few regulars, so knew how it should taste). When we told the waitress, she took what we didn't eat and refried it. Um, I would think that we would be entitled to a new dish, right?
Overall damage wasn't too bad: a little over $20 each for lots of food, and plenty of paella to take home!
I should start by saying that I studied abroad in Spain for a year and subsequently learned how to prepared a handful of Spanish dishes from tortilla espanola to paella. With a lovely cookbook by Teresa Barrenechea, it was easy to recreate many of the flavors I tasted while living abroad.
Jaleo's best dishes are the stewy meat dishes. I would recommend the pato (duck) listed on the specials menu and the fricando de ternera con ceps (stewed veal) on the regular menu.
Other than that, the food I tried at Jaleo was mediocre. They seemed to screw up the basics. The croquetas tasted like something that I could maybe buy frozen at Trader Joe's one day. The cheese was just a waste of money as they only give you two itty bitty pieces. The bunuelos de bacalao were just EH.
If you really want to try this place, be prepared to spend a lot of money, and stick with the stewy meats.
My wife and I arrived a little before 7:00 PM on a Saturday, and the hostess told me it would be 20-30 minutes before we could have a table. An hour later, after one glass of house red wine (small pour) and a bottle of beer at the bar (total, $18.50 plus tip), we were seated.
The peppery extra virgin olive oil for dipping the bread was sensational. Spanish olive oils are my favorites, and this was a good one.
The cheese plate (chef's selection, $16) was so-so. The soft goat cheese and the blue cheese were really nice. The other four were just OK, and the portions were very small, like two small bites each.
Roasted sweet onions, pine nuts and Picón cheese ($6.50), was delicious. Fried salt cod fritters with honey alioli ($8.50) is one of their signature dishes, and a big winner, recommended. Cold mussels marinated in vinegar, pimentón and olive oil ($6.00) was terrific. I sopped up all the marinade with bread after the mussels were eaten.
Homemade grilled pork sausage with sautéed white beans ($8.50), was way too salty, skip this one. Grilled lamb chops with rosemary sauce ($11.50) was just OK, and only two bites of food on the entire plate. Roasted red peppers, eggplant and sweet onions drizzled with Sherry dressing ($6), was slimy and unappealing, a poor choice (my wife picked this one).
Flan with 'espuma' of Catalan cream (that's whipped cream to you), was silky and delicate, but a bit bland in taste. Apple charlotte with Pedro Ximénez & vanilla ice cream was quite the opposite, mushy in texture, but with intense, tart apple flavor, a good palate cleanser after the pork sausage, lamb, and seafood.
Service was quick and efficient, bordering on rushed, but they didn't push us out after we had finished, and were lingering over coffee, even though they were mobbed.
This is not a stuff-your-face kind of place. The prices are commensurate with a trendy, big city restaurant, so, if you are willing to spend upwards of $50 per person, order carefully, and are not too hungry to begin with, you can have a nice dining experience here.
Came here on a Saturday night and the place was packed, but we only had to wait about 10mins for a table. Heads up, the seating is a little cramped and inviting for others to view what you're eating and hear what you're talking about. I started off with their famous sangria (served chilled with fresh fruit).
Pan con tomate - Toasted slices of rustic bread brushed with fresh tomatoes 3.00 with Spanish anchovies 8.50
Basically an Italian type bread with anchovies and tomatoes that was not worth the price. The (free) bread served before our meals was good enough, so there's no need to order more bread just save it for the tapas.
Gambas al ajillo - The very, very famous tapa of shrimp sautéed with garlic and guindilla pepper 8.50
Our server said this was one of the popular dishes (hint the description above), but it was just OK. There's a good amount of shrimp for sharing.
Setas al ajillo - Organic Tuscarora Farm mushrooms sautéed with garlic and herbs 6.50
Delicious and sautéed just right.
Vieiras con remolacha y pistachos - Seared scallops, pistachios, raspberries and red beet dressing 8.00
Not bad, but you only get 3 scallops.
Cordero a la brasa con salsa de romero - Grilled lamb chops with rosemary sauce 11.50
I don't eat lamb, but I was told (from dinner mate) that it was delicious and perfectly cooked. Two per dish.
Calamares con piñones y Pedro Ximénez - Seared fresh calamari with pine nut praline and reduction of PX 8.50
Excellent! Not dry and not tough to chew. The pine nuts and raisins was a great combination that I would have never considered.
Papas arrugas - Canary Island-style wrinkled baby potatoes served with mojo verde (cilantro, cumin, garlic, sherry vinegar and olive oil sauce) 6.00
We added this as a filler and surprisingly it ended up being one of our favorites. The sauce should be for sale, it was that good!
Flan al estilo tradicional de mamá Marisa con espuma de crema Catalana - A classic Spanish custard dessert with 'espuma' of Catalan cream and oranges Torres orange liquor 7.75
Perfect. Try it with an espresso and leave feeling satisfied!
OK, usually I tend to rate low on restaurants relative to others, but not so here. I am a fan, and give this place 4 stars and change.
This review is based on a weekday lunch. I went with a friend and we shared 6 tapas. (Yes, we can eat. He is a man and I am a horse.) All but one were excellent.
Not so much a strange combo of watermelon, goat cheese and a few other odd things. I asked for it because I thought there is no way that they could make something that sounded so discordant in tastes be the least bit good.
I was correct.
The service was perfect. The setting was open and airy. It was quiet enough for conversation.
The prices have gradually gone up over the years. It is now a relatively expensive place. We actually paid quite a bit, considering we did not drink -- I never do at lunch.
This is a nice place for a nice lunch. It is too expensive to be an "any day" place for most of us.
This place holds a special place in my heart because it was the first place my fiancee took me out to eat at after a Wizards game. Our dinner was nice and intimate because it was late at night on a weekday. However, don't expect peace and quiet if you're coming here any other time.
I'm giving this place 2 stars because of the value I feel I received from the food. The dishes we had weren't anything amazing that would warrant such small portions and high prices.
Even though we lived only around the corner from this place, my fiancee and I always just passed by it to eat at La Tasca instead.
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The above represents my brainwaves at Jaleo. No stimulation. Bland, bland, bland. Service and food included. No wonder it was empty.
This was our third visit, and Jaleo is still our favorite Spanish restaurant anywhere. There was no problem being seated without a reservation at 6:30 on a Saturday evening. Our waiter was very knowledgeable and courteous and service was prompt and the water glasses were kept full. We loved patatas bravas, croquetas de pollo, asparagus in romesco sauce, serrano ham with figs and skewered chorizo wrapped in potato. And then we ordered the chicken and mushroom paella - wonderful al dente rice in creamy sauce with lots of tender chicken pieces and lots of really fresh mushrooms. and then we had to try the desserts - flan with orange foam was out of sight, and the chocolate mousse torte/pudding was exceptionally dense.
Overall, a more enjoyable experience than Cafe Atlantico around the block, and we will return.
We came here in preparation for our holiday trip to Spain. Having never had authentic tapas, I hope it is just as delicious as it's American substitute.
We ordered nearly half of the menu and aside from the gazpacho (I am not a fan of tomatoes) the food was exquisite. The calamari melted in my mouth and the chorizo wrapped in potato was to die for. I would definitely return despite the shady wait staff.
Strictly a Happy Hour review....
4pm - 7pm
$4 Sangria
$4 Tapas
The glass of sangria is pretty small....but good!
chorizo wrapped w/ a potato chip? (7 or 8?) - my fave. not healthy but so good! bc....chorizo is just plain good.
marinated chicken w/ parsley salsa (4 peices) - this was good but small. $1 for each piece of chicken.
shrimp (4 or 5 shrimps) - nothing special. standard shrimp w/ garlic, olive oil, etc.
chicken fritters (5) - chicken? tasted like tuna. my friends liked it but i did not.
endive w/ mandarin orange and goat cheese and almond (4) - if you want something light you can get this. its alright. i can make this easily in my kitchen. or my office kitchen.
fingerling potatos w/ red and white sauce - slightly spicey. generous portion but not that good.
I had a very good experience here for Restaurant Week. With five of us coming from the office, we got to sample every single tapa from the RW menu, and it was absolutely delish.
But, first I have to talk about the ambiance and service, which were both very nice. The floor to ceiling windows make for a good people watching experience and at the same time light the entire place with natural light, and that puts me in a good mood.
The tapas were all very delicately and strategically flavored, and I loved the combinations the cooks came up with. To end the meal, they came up with the perfect desserts, all perfectly textured with just the right amount of sweetness.
I left the place a very happy and full patron.
Long curious to try Jaleo with its charming patio seating, I stopped in to try the awesme-sounding lamb dish. Although the hostess and staff provided quick and attentive service, the lamb here was perhaps the worst I've had. Aside from being a bit too raw for my tastes (I'm more into restaurant-grade medium for lamb--my preference was not asked), the little side salad and the whole dish was soaked with oil. Granted, since this is a Spanish place, perhaps it was olive oil and decent for one's health, my palate was not amused. A meal purposefully unfinished does not bode well for a return visit.
This was actually the second time I've eaten at Jaleo, so I am averaging my rating.
The first time was several years ago, and I did not find the experience memorable -- in a good way. First, I had never eaten at a tapas restaurant before, and I had spent a long time finding a place to park while my wife (then-girlfriend) waited for me at our table. I had to rush through the ordering process, so I ended up getting only one dish I really liked. Additionally, I had walked several blocks in summer evening heat, and we had been seated at a table wedged in between a pole, a wall and a window. I felt like I was eating in a men's room stall (with a window -- yeah. okay, maybe a steam room). Our server was professional, but seemed a little impatient with my tardiness and ignorance. Needless to say, other aspects of my evening colored my judgement of the place.
This time, our arrival went more smoothly, we had my inl-laws with us and we were seated at a table with a little more elbow room. Also, our server was very, very good.
I had the cured pork appetizer, and it was very tasty. I also had the garlic shrimp, the chorizo wrapped in potato and the quail. I enjoyed them all immensely. I also tasted my wife's gazpacho, mushroom omelet and fried shrimp pasta (cooked paella style). I loved them all, but I have a special place in my heart reserved for that shrimp pasta -- I am getting that next time! That stuff is Heaven in a pan.
I ended the evening with coffee and basque cake -- rich and delicious without being overly filling. My in-laws had the flan and my wife had the sorbet. All were very pleased. Desert here is not an afterthought like at many other local restaurants. The coffee was awesome, too!
It is noisy here. Know that going in, and it adds to the enjoyment. It's a lively place to eat. Go with a few people, and plan to lean over the table during conversations.
Overall, this was one of the better meals I've had in awhile. Jaleo is definitely a must-visit in the DC metro area.
On a weeks trip to DC, we actually went here twice! The first time was amazing, with probably the best service we have ever had. Husband got the jlt, and I enjoyed an amazing veggie sand. The second time we came during normal lunch rush, after 1230. Our server was not attentive, warm, or anything. And my cod salad was nasty. It was "cooked" in salt, but unlike ceviche, it was rubbery and actually inedible. I accept some ordering responsibility, but menus should be a tad more descripive. Anyway, gross food was comped and I orders another entrée because I was hungry. All was made right, but that first server was awesome!
Went back for the $4 tapas at happy hour. Quite a few selections compared to Zaytinya's happy hour. Friendly server with efficient service. The tapas were good but not wow. A bit safe, and no heat. But it's fun to hang with friends and down some sangria here.
Dated decor + insulting bartender + waitress with the 'tude of someone's mean stepmother + so-so… Read more »
I mean, the food's OKAY. But portions tend toward the small and pricey side.
I guess it's all relative, though. I used to like Jaleo just fine (probably would have rated them a 4) until I saw the light: a visit to Dali, a tapas bar in Cambridge, MA. Damn that place is good. Easily one of my favorite restaurants anywhere. So after that mind-blowing experience, Jaleo is just never gonna do it for me. Unless they're able to snag Dali's chef.
Jaleo is OK, because there really aren't many good alternatives for Spanish food in the DC area. For a chain, the food has consistent quality. I always get the gambas al ajillo, which is basically a staple of Spanish tapas. The other ones that are usually good as well are the quail and the lamb.
But in general... I don't really think there is anything to rave about.
Jaleo has been one of my favourite restaurants in Washington for a while. I used to go here a lot -- I love tapas, and it's a great food for groups, and Jaleo is a good stand-by when you can't think of anything else, or when you want quality tapas.
I moved away from Washington for two years, and have just returned. I went back to Jaleo for the first time the other night, and I wasn't that impressed. The service was still top-notch, but the food wasn't as good as I remembered it being. Everything was overly salty - the artichoke dish that was the special, the usually-brilliant lamb chops, the calamari.
I'll definitely give it another go, and I won't strike it from my list, but my most recent visit didn't match to my previous experiences here.
In August 1996 my partner and I were visiting D.C. to research whether a move there would be good for us. That's when we first found Jaleo and have been in love with it ever since. Six months later after that first time, we ended up moving to D.C. and going there whenever we wanted a special place to take out of town visitors.
Today, it has changed just a bit but overall it's still very tasty and eclectic which we love. There are so many favorites that it would be crazy to list them all.
I will say that recently we discovered that they no longer provide the little boils of assorted olives (which were such a great way to start the meal). We asked about it and the staff actually mentioned it was a result of the failed economy and they had to cut back on a few things. HUH? Okay, cut back on napkins...get paper instead of cloth, but OLIVES? We were a little miffed after having eaten there for 13 years! But, it's not a show stopper so we'll definitely keep going back (unless they cut the croquette's from their menu)!! :-)
I highly recommend going and having a nice sangria (we LOVE the white sangria) and getting several tappas and enjoy youself!!
This place was my first foray into the tapas world about 15 years ago. My friend and I wandered in and ended up sitting at the bar and having a few margaritas and some tapas and were shocked at the $50 bill.
Fast forward to 2003, I took some friends here to celebrate a birthday, we had 6 girls 3 pitchers of sangria, more than enough food and the bill came to $160. See the pattern here? Stellar cocktails and food, inexpensive *more bang for your buck) and great service. The only problem with this particular location is it gets crowded fast. They have other locations in Arlington and Bethesda that are less congested.
I love Jaleo with a deep and abiding passion. One of my friends swears by this place for first dates, and I can see why. The decor is warm and not too bright and in warm weather, the outdoor seating is great for enjoying the breeze or people watching while you eat. The service is good and unobtrusive, and they're happy to let you linger over drinks or a dessert.
Maybe it's not super authentic but their cava sangria is perfect for a hot summer night. And I have a soft spot for bubbly drinks. Plus, there's so many great tapas to choose from.
I really like to try things from their seasonal menu. One of my recent favorites was the pork belly confit served over a wonderfully savory mound of mashed potatoes and the green bean salad, which was tossed with cooked dried apricots(sounds weird but it works) and bits of bacon. You really can't go wrong with any of the tapas and there's a lot for vegetarians to choose from, too.
I'll admit, I've been spoiled when it comes to great Spanish food. I once dated an Italian-Spanish girl, and her mother, from Malaga Spain, regularly made Tapas style dishes for dinner. Against such formidable competition as Jose Andres' Jaleo, her cooking should have come out the loser. Alas, it was not so.
To the food, shall we? I ordered Calamares a la Romana, Gambas con gabardina, and Salpicón de cangrejo, and sampled three other dishes. The first two dishes both were deep fried, and had enough flour to comprise bread pudding. This is supposed to be seafood, not KFC Extra Crispy! The calamari was plentiful, the one plus of the meal. There were three shrimp (only). The crabmeat salad was about as flavorful as dogfood, and the sherry dressing must have done a houdini. It clearly was not present in the dish.
I must remark also, on the skewed pricing of the cheese plates at Jaleo. Jaleo charges a markup of at least 800% on most of the cheese, if not more than that. Pitiful half an ounce portions of cheese for $6 are outrageous. Advice to the management of Jaleo: Do not try and sell us your overpriced cheeses, the likes of which we can easily find at Balducci's.
If being jam-packed like sardines with minimal space between tables is your idea of a pleasant dining experience, you'll enjoy Jaleo. I'll say the ambiance of this establishment is rather like being at a baseball game it is so loud.
Owing to the horrible seating, overbreaded fried foods, and meal economics, I have no choice but to recommend against visiting Jaleo DC. If you are determined to visit Jaleo though, go to Jaleo in Crystal City Virginia, as that location has far superior seating, and a better interior.
Jaleo is great!
We let the waitstaff bring us a dozen different plates for four people over the course of about two hours (and two pitchers of Sangria.) No one wanted to study the menu, so we asked the waiters to choose a variety of meat and vegetable dishes. Each new round was a surprise, and we enjoyed every plate. I would say its best to go with more of their vegetable plates. The spinach, mushroom, cucumber and cauliflower plates were memorable. Also, the flan is a must for dessert.
I was in D.C. this past weekend and decided to try out this tapas place since I had read such good reviews on it (both from Yelp and outside Yelp). I have to say that this place did not live up to my expectations...
Being from Miami, I suppose we have a better selection of Spanish cuisine down here than in D.C., but this restaurant just does not live up to it's reputation. My friends and I split approximately six tapas plates. The mejillones en escaveche (mussels) came in a can! The manchego cheese was very limited; most places serve a tabla while here we only got about three slices. The pan con tomate was only two pieces! The octupus tapa was better as were the gambas al ajillo (shrimp). All in all a little on the expensive side for the portions that they serve.
Great food!! Nice tapas
They have to improve the apetizers portions .
Visit Jaleo and you see why Jose Andres has yet to reach the star status that other celebrity chefs have (puck, flay, emeril, batali, blah blah). Although this doesn't technically apply since Andres isn't actually a celebrity chef....
No matter how much a chef works on developing his/her brand and branches out into different culinary outlets, he/she can't neglect his restaurants. I think Jaleo is thriving only based on really outdated hearsay. When little people hear your name on the telly and visit your restaurant, the real-life experience should at least ATTEMPT to live up to the reputation. I daresay Jaleo doesn't. Even in reading other reviews, it seems like the only people that are impressed with Jaleo are those that have never tried tapas before.
Sangria was weaksauce (I'm weaksauce, I had 3-4 glasses, and I didn't feel any warm fuzzies!). The quality of the food was not worth the sticker-shock we got upon receiving the bill (well over $200 for party of 4, and we did not eat/drink excessively). Especially considering how long we had to wait to get seated. Indicative of other reviews, service was slow and cold. Frankly, I was a bit embarassed to have brought my out-of-town friends here to give them a taste of DC's culinary vibe. I always thought Jaleo was much better than La Tasca (which I ABHOR) but now I don't really think the experiences are too far removed from each other.
Best part of our dinner-The wait was pretty lengthy so we checked back with the hostess to see how far along we were on the list. She glares at us and says robotically "It has ONLY been twenty three minutes since you have checked in. Thank you."
July 4th weekend and this place was packed but they managed to seat the 3 of us at a window table in less than 3 minutes without a reservation. Enjoyed and recommend the chicken croqs (even ordered a second round), sangria, tortilla with potato/egg/onion, fruit soup, more SANGRIA!!!, gambas al aillio, ensalada de remolacha con citricos, however the pan con serrano jamon on sliced toast ($$$) only came with a few slices so we thought that was a bit of a ripoff.
Service was slow and the food took a long time to come out but then again we were there at peak dinner time. We forgot all about that once the food got to the table and all was mostly forgiven.
3.5 stars
With 213 reviews, it isn't that Jaleo DC really needs another one. However, how many of these reviewers first spent an evening here 9 years ago? I still recall that I was miffed by the amount of money I spent vs. the amount of food I actually got to eat. I was there with a group of 3 or 4 others, spent way more money than I could afford to, and still left hungry.
After a long absence, I returned last night. Once it fills up, it is loud and crowded. When the waiter was talking to the table next to ours, I had to lean to the other side to avoid being sideswiped. The service was definitely unobtrusive as Theresa W. mentioned, but almost a bit too much so. I don't know if the waiter decided he wasn't going to spend much time on us because we were just two women drinking water and ordering a few tapas or what, but I would not be able to pick the guy out of a line-up if I had to today.
With just two diners, it is far easier to actually get a decent and rather filling dinner here. My friend and I ordered 4 tapas, asked for more bread and we were good. I highly recommend the sauteed mushrooms if you're a mushroom lover.
If you are looking for peace and quiet, this is definitely not the place, unless you maybe come at an off-peak time.
First of all, I am from Spain and I have to say that the food served in this restaurant is really spanish (products and recipes) and good, but the quantities are very small and I am afraid that tapas is the excuse used by this restaurant to serve small portions of food.
The truth is that "tapas" in Spain is other thing, let's say more informal. In Spain we normally eat tapas with a cup of wine or a beer (very strange to see a spanish drinking sangria in a bar) and just go to the next bar, never seated in the restaurant because that's for having lunch/dinner with main courses or what we call "raciones" (bigger portions than tapas ). Sorry for my english.
Having read some of the other reviews, I'm genuinely baffled. These might not be the best tapas of all time, but Jaleo is a great Penn Quarter restaurant and not to be missed. If you go in expecting genuine Spanish tapas, you may be disappointed; but if you're looking for a good spot to have a good meal, you can't miss with Jaleo.
The food here is tapas-style, so you will probably order five to six for two people. They range in price from $5 at the low end to $15 at the high end, so the price can vary. Expect to spend about $50-60 for two. There are a mix of traditional Spanish dishes (camarones al ajillo and patatas bravas) to contemporary tapas. Everything is quite good, though not always perfectly authentic.
The service is always friendly, and I've never had to wait more than 10 or 15 minutes for a table.
One caution about the sangria. While it is delicious, it is very expensive, and the half-carafe is about four glasses all told. If you're really hankering for sangria, have a glass or two, or else order the full carafe, but Jaleo is probably not the place to come for alcohol.
My feelings were hurt when I read some of the terrible Jaleo reviews, but I can believe everything I've read. I've never been to Spain, so I can't speak for the authenticity of the food. I love everything I've ever ordered here. I'm also no food critic so I don't know who the head chef is and presentation and variety in dishes is not something I look for. I bring people to Jaleo because, if they are willing to wait for a table or sit at the bar, I think they'll enjoy whatever they order. Yes it's expensive for tapas, but Spain is far and most things in DC are overpriced (hair salons, parking, real estate, toilet paper, gasoline...). When my wallet is a little thin, it just means I can't have lomo buey and sorbet. I love Jaleo. I've always had excellent service and excellent food.
I can't give it five stars because it is pricey, always crowded, and the sangria isn't always great, but I'd never turn down an invitation to go.
Jaleo is sort of hit or miss.
I always enjoy about 3/4 of the tapas and the other 1/4 I think "what on earth were they thinking?!" especially with the "chef's favorite potato dish" which is just greasy fries drenched in mayo. I'm an adventurous eater and like trying new things, but some items will come out cold, congealing, oil etc. and that's just not appetizing to me!
Also their Paella doesn't impress me too much - and for the price you'd think there would be a bit more seafood/meat/etc.
Service is so-so and the seating is just plain weird. You see - they decided to place the bar in the SW corner of the restaurant, and sort of radiate in an arc with bar seating and then the tables are arranged outside of this strange setup. What results is that you are either on top of the other diners near the middle of the restaurant or else you are in a corner all by your lonesome! Strange indeed.
My thoughts are in-between for this place. There are some dishes I thought were excellent, and some I thought were just awful! My 2 experiences have brought me to give this restaurant 3 stars - the half way mark.
I love trying different foods so the times I've come here I ordered dishes that seemed new to me. I'll start with the excellent and end with the atrocious.
The Ensaladilla rusa was yummy. Very simple and full of flavor! The Gambas al ajillo was also very delicious. Its shrimp sauteed with garlic and guindilla pepper. Very flavorful from what I remember. I ordered it both trips. Pollo al ajillo con salsa verde was also good. Its grilled, marinated chicken with a parsley and garlic sauce.
The dish I strongly disliked was the Pulpo a la Gallega!! Its boiled octopus with potato, pimento and olive oil... completely tasteless. The octopus was dry and just awful! Everyone at my table had tried one piece and we ended up leaving the rest to be thrown away. I hate wasting food! =/
For dessert we enjoyed the flan. It had a great consistency, very yummy!
It gets crowded here so come at an off time otherwise you'll be stuck in the corner... and trust me, their corner tables are LITERALLY in like secret corners. Its a bit of an isolating feeling (aside from the noise, of course) but its ok if you don't care to experience the restaurants atmosphere or if you want a little privacy.
Horrible service after a 30 minute wait, they chose not to even try to accommodate another chair when a extra friend came by! Ask if we wanted to be on wait list again for larger table. Did not even try any other way...
WILL NOT be going back !
There's nothing like visiting a city you've never been to and having a great dinner at a cool restaurant with great service! However, since we decided to go to Jaleo, that was not our experience.
Where to start...
Perhaps I am spoiled to living down South where customer service is generally more of a priority than I hear it is up in the Northeast. Sure, I've had plenty of bad service in Dallas, but my whole weekend in DC was full of nothing BUT sub-par to downright terrible service. Our experience at Jaleo was one of the worst. The waiter started out barely okay and was ridiculous by the end. He probably visited our table five times the whole night, including dealing with the check. I guess he was annoyed we weren't spending more on their overpriced menu? We were eating with another couple, and he didn't bother asking if we wanted to split our checks, and when we asked him to split things, he basically whined and said "I can't add this up" or something to that affect. Wow, Jaleo must be scraping the bottom of the barrel if their waitstaff can't even add.
Food wise, I personally was less than impressed. Out of the six dishes I tried, I *really* liked one of them, and I thought two were decent, the other three I thought were gross. Our dining companions said that two of their dishes were really good, and the rest were "fine". The presentations were average in general with one really cute one, and one terribly disgusting plate of limp slimy food that was barely identifiable.
We ordered a "pitcher" of sangria and received a small carafe of it. It was insanely overpriced, and just 'okay' in taste.
We ended our meal fairly early and went elsewhere to drink.
While this wasn't the worse dining experience ever, I certainly wouldn't recommend this place to anyone.
I can't remember the last time I stuffed myself the way I did last night.
I'd recommend making reservations for this place b/c it was packed when we arrived for our 5:30 reservation. We started with a pitcher of of the sparkling white sangria, which was GREAT. The four of us split 9 tapas, a paella, and two desserts, and the portions are pretty generous.
I'd recommend...
-the traditional fisherman's soup (flavorful though the portion was small for four people)
-Patatas bravas (I've always ordered this dish at Spanish restaurants, but the one here is really great)
-the "very very very famous shrimp" - sauteed in garlic
-mushrooms sauteed in garlic (sisters said it was their favorite dish)
Dishes that were just ok...
-Seared scallops - nothing too special
-Roasted cauliflower w/ walnuts
-Rossejat (it was recommended by another yelper, but I'd save room for the paella)
So their paella was the reason why Jaleo got 5 stars.
We got their signature paella (with shrimp, cuttlefish, & monkfish) and it was DELICIOUS. I was already full before the paella came and figured I'd just try it. It's a huge portion for four people, and I probably finished half of it. Even after I was done, I was still picking little rice pieces from my plate.
So this time I was REALLY full...but said I'd try a bite of the dessert.
We ordered the Spanish flan and rice pudding which were both really great. I had about 5 bites of each.
So the sangria and food left me pretttty buzzed and uncomfortably full. Still full when I woke up this morning. Sigh I wish we had Jaleo in NYC...
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