Jaleo – Washington DC
The Spanish restaurant that defined (and continues to define) tapas in the United States
Shifting from three restaurants in Washington to multiple U.S. locations and one in Dubai, Jaleo continues to set the standards by which all Spanish restaurants in the U.S. (and probably any country besides Spain) should be judged. Then-unknown Spanish chef José Andrés opened the first DC location over 30 years ago, helping to revitalize the city’s dangerous Penn Quarter neighborhood, then paving the way for massive expansion inside and outside of the city. Although Andrés subsequently became an international celebrity for his humanitarian work, it was his incredible combination of recipes and flavors – especially at Jaleo – that laid the foundation for his success.
Serving a large menu spanning classic and modern Spanish tapas, plus paellas, wines, cocktails, and desserts, Jaleo magically caters to the hardest-core omnivores, pescatarians, and vegetarians – each with dishes polished over decades to satisfy every palate. For years, the Penn Quarter location’s menu has been at least somewhat distinct from the newer Las Vegas Jaleo’s, and the gulf is now large.
DC’s Jaleo has better preparations and superior plating for everything from gazpacho to seafood (look at that rich red Pulpo a la Gallega), sweet onions topped with a José-backed bleu cheese, flauta sandwiches, mini caviar cones, and desserts. A flight of three gin and tonics manages to deliver distinctive flavors at a reasonable price, while the DC location’s rendition of Spain’s classic chef’s dessert, pan con chocolat, is perhaps the best version in the U.S. right now.
Jaleo was one of the first restaurants outside Spain to import and sell Jamón Ibérico, the now famously aged, best-of-class Spanish ham, where it remains available and highly compelling across multiple menu items. But everything here may seem equally exotic to first-time guests; rest assured, even if you toss a coin on the menu, you can be sure it will land on something good.
Three decades after it opened, Jaleo’s dining room has remained packed during virtually every meal we’ve had – reservations are almost certainly required – and we’ve never left without thinking about the next time we’ll be back.
Stats
Price: $$$
Service: Table
Open Since: 1993
Addresses
480 7th St. NW
Washington, DC 20004
202.628.7949
Instagram: @jaleobyjose