Jaleo

Nineteen years after it opened, Jaleo still turns up on Washingtonian magazine's list of 100 best restaurants (coming in at no. 25 in 2011), a testament to its unending popularity and delicious Spanish cuisine. Lunchtime always draws a crowd of office workers from the neighborhood offices and from visitors to the nearby National Mall. Every evening, the dining room fills and empties according to the performance schedule of the Shakespeare Theatre next door. Executive chef/partner José Andrés (of minibar) may be credited with initiating the tapas craze in Washington in 1993, which is still going strong. Though the menu offers a handful of entrees (including a paella that feeds two to four), you really should consider those tapas -- 60 at last count. These include a very simple but not-to-be-missed grilled bread layered with a paste of fresh tomatoes and topped with anchovies, date and bacon fritters, a skewer of grilled chorizo sausage atop garlic mashed potatoes, and gazpacho. Spanish wines, sangrias, and sherries are available by the glass. The casual-chic interior focuses on a large mural of a flamenco dancer inspired by John Singer Sargent's painting Jaleo.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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