Taberna Del Alabardero
Category: Spanish/Basque [Edit]
1776 I Street NW(between N 17th St & N 18th St)
Washington, DC 20006 (202) 429-2200
- Nearest Transit:
Farragut West (Blue, Orange)
Farragut North (Red)
- Price Range: $$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Dressy
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: No
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
27 Reviews for Taberna Del Alabardero
Best Spanish food I've come across on the East Coast. I flew into DC for a cousin's wedding. Her rehearsal dinner was here. Before I left for DC my mother nagged me to find this 'great Spanish restaurant' that she had been to 15 years ago. Turns out it was the same place.
Don't you just love coincidences? : )
The decor is almost as impressive as the food. You'll think you're in Europe. Well... with enough red wine you will believe almost anything!
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Lovely off-the-beaten-path restaurant in downtown DC. Went to TDA for an early Valentine's Day dinner, and was not disappointed. Romantic and cozy atmosphere. Enjoyed the seafood paella, along with a lovely fruity wine, recommended to me by the very friendly sommelier. Be prepared when eating here to observe Spanish dining hours, as the staff is "leisurely." Very competant waitstaff, but be forewarned about the pace if you are pressed for time.
Free parking in the lot next door is a huge plus.
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One of my favorite places for cool happy hour TAPAS on a muggy DC afternoon..! After-work tapas watching the women and crowds walk by while sipping on some sangria or Spanish beer are extremely refreshing for the soul and the wallet.
NOTE: I have only been here for dinner once, and was treated very well - excellent service, but the prices compliment the interior design - very high. (Even sounds fancy, especially if you can pronounce it for all your friends...but its just a tavern - right?)
My first round is usually the gazpacho and some "croquetas de jamon", which are smaller, but rival northern italian suppli with their simple ingredients of mozzarella, serrano ham, rice - rolled into balls then breaded and deep-fried. I find the gazpacho to be a bit watery and didn't have any of the typical floating peppers, etc. Oh well. It still hit the spot.
They also make a delicious torta 'spanola (eggs and potatoes). If you don't accessorize with the given sauces, it can be a bit bland.
The serrano ham that is served (sliced fresh for each order) is on prominent display by the tapas bar, and typically has very little fat to get in the way of its tough, salty delicateness that your standard prosciutto citterio just can't deliver.
My only complaint would be the flimsy plastic porch chairs that are used outside. There has to be a better alternative.
I desparately miss the "old world" and there's always something at the Taberna to satisfy it. (If I'm not mistaken, the happy hours were from 4-7)
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Ok, the food is delicious. Getting the right menu was a pain in the arse. First, the waiter presented us with the "regular" menu, with no vegetarian options at all, and appetizers priced upwards of $15 (entrees at $29 and up). I had a mini heart attack, to be honest. But he brought us the veg menu (entrees were both $24) and still, I thought it expensive for tapas. THEN he asked if we wanted the tapas menu - to which one of our fellow diners said "we'd like all of your menus. All of them, even dessert." Really.
Since this place is very expensive, we went light on ordering. The three people on my side of the table ordered 4 tapas (our group consisted of 2 vegetarians, one vegan, and 3 meat mouths, so it was a bit complicated for us).
The four tapas I enjoyed were: the cheese plate, served with honey infused with flecks of truffle... YUM; red peppers stuffed with spinach... big hit; roasted vegetable plate... simply spiced and presented so you can actually taste the vegetables; and the potato/egg tortilla.... served with a large dollop of salty butter and it needed every last bit because the flavor was quite bland. Aside from the tortilla, the food was superb.
But the price was stupid high, I think. Across the table, two folks ordered the chilled garlic soup that might have been served atop caviar, and even though they both didn't like it, since it cost $14 for the one bowl, they ate every last bite.
Definitely a place to have someone else pay for you. Funny, one of my friends pulled the old trip to the bathroom/stop by the maitre d' and paid for us, so I have no idea what the damage was all told.
Loved everything about it! The staff's attention to detail is not matched by many and the presentation is very professional.
It's an authentic Spanish restaurant and the food is legit....I desperately wanted the Paella but opted for the lamb which was a great choice...it was simply mouth watering. I also sampled the monk fish and the squid and escargot for an appetizer. All the food's flavors blended perfectly, nothing was over-bearing...very tasty. They also served the perfect amount of food.
Very close to a metro and its clubs along I-street. That coupled with the romantic atmosphere make it the perfect destination for a date night.
It was a bit pricy but for the food and service quality, it was well worth it.
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I went here with a group for Restaurant Week (RW) and it was a great experience.
Food: Half of us ordered off of the regular menu, half ordered off the restaurant week menu, and everyone was very happy with their food. Among some of the table favorites were: the pumpkin and duck soup (RW menu), ham and cheese platter (my friends who recently came back from Spain were so happy), the veal sweetbreads, the beef strip loin with creamed leaks, the chocolate cake, and the strawberry dessert. My boyfriend's RW seafood entree option was on the smaller side, but my beef was so big that I give him half and we were both stuffed. The only dish I found just ok was the lentil soup with the duck and foie gras- a little too salty.
Service: Some chowhound people complained about the snotty service here during RW, but our experience was quite the opposite. The staff kindly took our coats, made jokes while rearranging the table, gave suggestions when we asked, and were very attentive the entire time. One of the waiters even asked my friend if she wanted to take home the other half of her huge dish, which was nice since a lot of upscale restaurants are so pretentious about this.
Atmosphere: When you walk into the restaurant and see authentic Spanish ham on a spit, you know it's a good sign. The dark red walls make this a romantic setting. I also liked how the interior made you feel like you were eating in a (albeit rich) person's dining room. I think this helped everyone feel at home; you could see all the tables chatting over post-dinner coffee and not being rushed out.
Obviously this is not a place that I can afford to go to regularly, but I would definitely come back for a special occasion.
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When I want great tapas, I come here.
When I miss Barcelona, I come here.
When I want to grab a drink at the bar or dine al fresco in a place that is special, I come here.
I'm a bit shocked that a restaurant that has received so many awards (including a DiRoNA as a Distinguished Restaurant of North America) and has the most authentic tapas in the DC area hasn't fared better with the Yelp community. My musings as to why:
1. For those who come to the restaurant, rather than the bar, this is a pricey destination. There are a lot of reasonably priced Prix Fixe options in DC. Taberna is not one of them. Likewise, if you are used to paying Jaleo or Sabores' prices for paella, you might find some sticker shock here. In addition, Taberna's wine list is beyond comprehensive with selections from all over the world. There are decently priced choices for wines by the glass, but the bottles are by and large high-quality and high-priced;
2. Restaurant Week is not always a good barometer for a restaurant's full potential. Should it be? Maybe. But the reality is that a top restaurant like Taberna might not be able offer much for $20.08/$30.08; and
3. You need to work the system at Taberna. Unless your meal can be expensed or someone is willingly taking care of the check, avoid the restaurant and come for Happy Hour. During the week from 3:00-7:00 PM, you can enjoy the best tapas in the area at half price! I almost feel bad eating such wonderful food for these prices! Almost...
I have come here in small and large groups, and have always received impeccable and friendly service. The tapas at Taberna are amazing! Whether I am in Spain or in DC, I always order my favorites:
-Tortilla Espanola (Traditional Potato and Egg Omelette);
-Gambas Al Ajillo (Shrimp Casserole with Olive Oil and Garlic);
-Calamares Frito (Fried Squid); and
-Patatas Bravas (Fried Potatoes with a Spicy Sauce).
The majority of the tapas are regularly priced between $9.00 and $12.00. I try to make it here for Happy Hour prices, but never have a problem paying full price for this caliber of tapas and the beautiful Spanish ambiance of Taberna!
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**I posted pictures from my 7 course chef's menu. Enjoy!
I went to Taberna tonight to celebrate my sister's 20th birthday. She very much enjoys latin food so she picked this place because of the raving reviews from the magazines (which I don't trust at all). This place was overall disappointing.
Service was decent. They were a bit shakey in the beginning but were attentive throughout the meal. I'm not sure who he was but the main guy was extremely considerate and he even gave us free dishes of cured ham just because we asked him a question on it.
Food, on the other hand, was extremely disappointing. All 5 of us did chef's tasting menu (7) and i can't think of one dish that I really liked. I really think that with 78 dollars, you can do so much better than the menu they did today. I gave a lot of my dishes away, which rarely happens. Fish was tough and seasonings, to me, were a little off. Food was the main complaint I had about this place.
Just fyi, when you go to the bathroom, make sure not to fall when you try to close the door at the stall. There is nothing to hold the door half way shut when you push to close it so the door swings and may make you yell out bad words.
I wouldn't go back here. Perhaps I should've just tried their tapas or paellas. Only time will tell whether i'll give this place a second chance or not. I mean, it looks really nice and that's about it for me so far.
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Absolutely delicious.
My friends and I came for happy hour. We got the pitcher of Sangria ($14) and a whole bunch of appetizers. The Sangria lacked on the alcohol content (either that or they make it so well it literally goes down like fruit punch). Their chorizo, calamari, and brazzo potatoes are so yummy. I LOVE ai-oli sauce..I could just drink it!
My only complaint is that just because we didn't look like the rest of the 30+ aged crowd, they carded us. That's def. NOT fun and not cool when they kept calling us little ninas in spanish (girls) every time the bus boys was asking the head waiter where the food that he brought out should go to our table or not.
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Sorry I wrote 2 bad reviews tonight. So, I have to write at least 1 good one. I've been to Taverna Del Alabardero several times for happy hour. I just keep forgetting to write about it.
If you like Tapas, this is the restaurant for you. If you enjoy Jaleo, this place makes Jaleo look like Harris Teeter samples. If you don't enjoy Jaleo, this place still makes Jaleo look like Harris Teeter samples.
The sangria is tasty. the food is good and reasonably priced.
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I went for a friend's birthday and liked it a lot. If you're vegetarian, you need to specifically ask for the vegetarian menu. There are a bunch of dishes on it that don't appear on the regular menu. You can see both online.
We absolutely loved the endive and heart of palm salad. I would come back just for that. It was fantastic. The piquillo peppers were good as was the patatas bravas, which were the best I've had in the US.
The wild mushroom paella was a little boring. I've had vegetarian paellas that had more types of vegetables and I definitely prefer those.
We were full and decided to pass on dessert, but I had mentioned that it was my friend's birthday so they brought a fantastic chocolate cake!
An excellent experience.
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I've been lucky enough to come here twice - once for Restaurant Week and once for Valentine's Day - and they were both amazing experiences!
Both events had prix-fixe menus - and you better believe Taberna sure knows how to prix-fixe their menus! I don't know a whole lot about Spanish food and I haven't tried their tapas, but I just know that this is one of the most romantic and delicious restaurants in DC. The staff are extremely polite, even when I KNEW that they could tell I wasn't used to going to a restaurant that fancy.
I highly recommend this restaurant for Restaurant Week or Valentine's Day.
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Thank God Taberna is close to my office so I can start spending my entire paycheck there. After my first visit this week I'm completely sold on the happy hour, and looking for an excuse to host a fabulous dinner party in the back room (you can see it from the balcony near the restrooms). But back to this happy hour--Taberna probably has the best tapas I've had (serrano croquettes, delicious potatoes and calamari), and they are half price!!! And both the white and red sangrias are wonderful. Now I just need summer to hurry back so I can plant myself in their outdoor seating and have at it.
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Sincerely, authentically, adorably and gregariously Spanish.
First, is the wonderful interior and atmosphere. I often think that restaurants in DC are increasingly mutating into variants of the same bland, good-taste in interior design- the Rachel Zoe effect if you will. Well, Taberna Del Albardero seems to be its own stylist - to charming, flamenco-trimmed, castanet-wielding effect.
Second, a great value tapas happy hour. All your Spanish classics- from patatas bravas, jamon serrano, chorizo and so on, washed down with wickedly good Sangria.
Third, well-prepared food for regular dining. I particularly recommend the paella ( in response to another review I would say that this is a very good sharing option, if you are doing 'proper dining').
However, both tapas and the dining menu are almost too classically Spanish, and lack any of the excitement of seeing a new twist on old favorites. In contrast, the wine menu is not Spanish enough- with only three Rioja's on offer.
All of the above make this a very fun place to hang out for food and a few drinks, when you want to mix it up a little.
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Went there for a RW reservation, but ended up ordering a fabulous meal from their regular menu.
Excellent, attentive service. The sommelier was on point with the wine and we enjoyed a full-bodied Rioja tempranilllo that paired lovely with everything, beginning to end.
As for the food...
- Broad Leaf Chard Greens & Artichokes w Jamon Serrano (me)
- Cream of Lentil & Foie Gras w Seared Duck Breast
- Red Snapper w Quinoa & Squid (me)
- Sauteed Veal Sweetbreads w Spinach, Capers, Potato Confit
- Cabrales Blue Veined Cheese Ice Cream w Walnuts & Honey
I appreciate when quality ingredients and textures are accentuated in a dish. Taberna's dishes are very (very) rich and heavy. I would even go as far to say it's similar to French cuisine. Texture played a small part in each of the items above, though not altogether lacking.
We were given canapes of grilled shrimp and scallop skewers which was very tasty. Both first courses were intense, but good. The tender chard and artichokes were immersed with tons of sliced roasted garlic, but I did not find as much serrano as I would have hoped. The soup was very rich, but to be expected with pureed foie gras and lentils. Halfway through my entree, I began to think the sweetbreads was a better choice, but enjoyed the snapper nonetheless.
The dessert really was the best way to end the meal. First bite of blue cheese ice cream seemed subtle, but wow's you at the finish. The cabrales lingers at the back of the mouth as the brain is trying to figure out what flavors are going on in there.
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Had dinner there again last night.
While last night's meal was a 4 star food experience, the wine and service were wonderful.
My suggestion is to visit during the week for "happy hour" all the tapas are half price. At half price the tapas are about the same or a little less than Jaleo but th equality of the food is easily twice as good.
Staff is friendly and don't hesitate to ask for explanations of food or wine, as Spanish cuisine can be a bit confusing if you've never had it. Others have said it as well bur be warned that this is not an inexpensive restaurant.
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Overall the food and ambience were excellent, although some of the servers were a little bit cocky (not sure if it's because only one of us ordered wine and some of us didn't order appetizers/desserts). They have a comprehensive vegetarian menu available and the vegetarian dishes were well executed. The paella and fried banana dessert were especially good. Still I think it is relatively pricey. I would recommend the restaurant for a special (especially romantic) occasion.
This place smells fantastic. Get there early to grab a seat at the bar and eat half-priced tapas.
Someone needs to take me here for dinner. We will sit in a corner booth and pitch woo.
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I went here two years ago with a friend. It's an elegant restaurant and she showed up wearing a sweatsuit. They deserve the five-star rating at the very least 1) for not kicking us out (their dress code is business casual) and 2) for still treating us wonderfully.
The food was excellent! Though the bill was about 100$ for two people (sans tip), I don't regret it. My red snapper was positively sumptuous. And the chocolate mousse......there are no words to describe something so heavenly.....
Seriously, don't go home without that mousse. Even if you are stuffed, get it to-go. Trust me.
What a wonderful, wonderful place!
Friends and I went to Taberna last night, some of us partaking in the Restaurant Week menu, others just partaking of the menu. I have to say, although the food is good, I can't quite justify the prices. A friend and I split an artichoke shrimp appetizer that was good, but not fabulous, and came awfully small in portion and cost a whopping $16 - I've had better for less. The gazpacho at Taberna is first-rate, but $11 for a bowl? Geez. So overall, good food, great atmosphere, but far more expensive than the quality fo the food and experience would dictate. I'll pay for good food, but once you charge me $11 for a bowl of soup, it had darn well better improve my complexion, make me really, really happy and then wash my car.
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As a foodie saddled with grad school loans, I sometimes begin to feel like dining well in DC is impossible. Happy hour specials at Taberna del Alabardero have changed all this! Being a Spain-ophile, I love a good sangria. The one at Taberna is good, as is the gazpacho I tried just last week. The jamon serrano is also deserving of praise, along with the spread of Spanish cheeses that my dining companions sampled. I hear the King of Spain eats here when he's in DC and now I understand why. Next time I just wish he'd invite me to join him at his table. And though it's nice that happy hour includes the outside tables, there is something so great and slightly scandalous about sitting inside, surrounded on all sides by the restaurant's brilliant, scarlet red walls.
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Three month ago, August 17 2006, I went to have dinner at Taberna del Alabardero with a friend for Restaurant week.
The place is stunning!
Surrounded by those beautiful red wall!
Love what they do with the decor!
With some paintings and some pictures of famous people from Spain!
The food was delicioso!
And the red wine, Sierra Cantabria Crianza was also bueno!
The place is fabulous!
Like a royal place! Feels like a royalty once again!
The red color on the wall bring out the charm on that beautiful night, declare love and compassion.
I wear my red cheongsam tops at that time, makes me feel like a Princess from China inside the Spain Palace dining room!
S'marvelous!
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I wanted to love this place, but I think I just ordered wrong. I mean, I am all about the red wall coloring. However, the service left much to be desired; it was slow and they made me order my dessert when I ordered the rest of my meal (as part of the prix fix). When it came time for dessert, they pretended as if I never ordered it. My paella was watery and not very plentiful or flavorful. I prefer Jaleo big-time. Sorry.
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Went here for restaurant week. The interior has an old european feel (ornate white woodwork and plaster) with a modern twist (red walls). Service was great. I think we had 8 people waiting on us (possibly an exaggeration).
I enjoyed the seafood soup for its unique tomato broth, but the seafood was not very fresh. The presentation of the soup involved first getting a bowl with a few pieces of seafood and noodles, then the waiter pouring the broth over my shoulder. Different. The pea-and- bacon sauce with my scallops was relatively bland. The scallops were fresh, though I expected them to be raw in the middle (just because so many restaurants seem to serve their meats and fish raw these days - and I welcome it) but they weren't. The chocolate mousse dessert was just okay.
I have to give kudos to their coffee. Fresh, tasty, full-bodied and not bitter. Perfect. On the down side, it cost a pricey $4.50 for a small cup. For what it's worth, the coffee cup itself was really cool.
In summary, I'm not likely to go back.
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I went here for dinner one evening with a group of my cousins who were in town visiting. Upon entering, it's clear that the interior is nicely appointed and the atmosphere is enjoyable. Our table (a large round, which is always great for groups) was perfect.
We each had the Field Green Salad (which was extremely good) and all had one version or another of the Paella. Mine was the lobster. I am a fan of Paella. I am not a fan of theirs, as all I could really taste was tomato paste. The lobster was prepared properly, which was a plus, but I wound up picking it out and primarily eating only that with a bite of rice now and again. None of my cousins were terribly impressed either. The only things I truly found truly impressive were their sommelier who was extremely knowledgeable and helpful and the dessert (a marvelous chocolate concoction).
I hear over and over again that people like this place, but I can't join them. Try it for yourself. I'm eager to read your review!
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I have to give this place five stars, as the food is truly excellent. Beware though, it is also very expensive (something which I didn't know in advance). I went there initially with a friend to 'grab dinner after work', but in general it's definitely a restaurant to go for a real occasion and not just like that...the ambiance, decor and service are all great, as is the food. The main course and dessert were beautifully served and tasted really good (I loved the swordfish), but plan on spending $50 per person, without wine. Supposedly it's also a restaurant where Washington's political and business elite gather for lunch and dinner. They've gotten an award by the Spanish government for being 'the best restaurant outside of Spain', and they definitely seemed like it.
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The absolute best happy hour--good tapas, great sangria, wonderful staff, Manolo is the BEST bartender --gracious and attentive. Elegant, quaint environment --yet not stuffy AT ALL...
Cheers to all the staff there.
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