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    dLeña

    4.4 (1.3k reviews)
    Closed 10:00 am - 3:00 pm, 5:00 PM - 10:00 PM
    Updated 2 weeks ago

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    Chilaquiles & Cecina / Cazuela
    K S.

    dLeña: A Wood-Fired Masterclass in Mount Vernon Triangle When it opened its doors in May 2021, dLeña instantly transformed Washington, D.C.'s upscale Mexican dining scene. Helmed by the internationally acclaimed Chef Richard Sandoval, the restaurant's name literally translates to "of firewood"--a direct nod to the rustic, smoke-kissed culinary traditions that anchor the entire menu. The Accolades It didn't take long for the culinary world to notice. dLeña quickly earned a spot as a MICHELIN Guide Featured Restaurant and was named one of America's Top 50 Independent Restaurants by FSR Magazine. Additionally, it captured the title of Best Brunch in DC by DC Magazine, making it a certified hotspot for both neighborhood locals and visiting foodies. The Wood-Fire Magic The heart of the restaurant is its live-fire grill. Chef Sandoval's team utilizes the wood fire to impart a subtle, nuanced smoky depth to everything it touches, elevating familiar Mexican staples into complex, upscale creations. From charred salsas to beautifully blistered proteins, the smoke functions as an ingredient all its own. The Legendary Bottomless Brunch If you want to experience the absolute best of what dLeña has to offer, the weekend Bottomless Brunch is an absolute must. For a fixed price, the kitchen serves up an endless parade of vibrant small plates alongside an exceptional lineup of hand-crafted mimosas and margaritas. Here are the dishes you cannot afford to miss: The Tacos: Brunch features stunning selections like the Birria Beef Tacos (complemented by a rich chile de árbol peanut sauce and green tomatillo salsa) and the Tacos Mañanero, which layer blue corn tortillas with a smoky bean purée, scrambled eggs, pork chorizo, and melted asadero cheese. They are perfectly sized, allowing you to sample multiple styles. Chilaquiles & Cecina: A brilliant take on a comforting classic. The crisp corn tortillas are tossed in a vibrant, tangy tomatillo sauce and nestled alongside a rich black bean purée, crema fresca, and cotija cheese. It's topped with cecina--deeply savory, sun-dried beef--offering an incredible contrast of textures and a wonderful punch of salt and acid. The Churros: No meal here is complete without them. Served fresh and piping hot, these churros boast a flawlessly crisp exterior coated in cinnamon sugar with a light, airy center. They come paired with rich chocolate and decadent cajeta (goat's milk caramel) sauces for dipping. The Verdict dLeña successfully bridges the gap between traditional Mexican flavors and modern, wood-fired sophistication. Whether you're sinking into a plush leather booth for a smoky mezcal dinner or spending a lazy Saturday conquering the bottomless brunch, Chef Sandoval's concept delivers on every front.

    Corn Empanadas**
    Mahauganee S.

    In DC, looking for a memorable dinner experience and chose dLeña. The ambiance is excellent! Because we did not have a reservation, we sat at the bar. I enjoyed my food more than my husband enjoyed his. My favorite thing that I had was the corn empanadas - - I would come here again and again to eat these. They were absolutely delicious plain. They were also absolutely delicious with the chimichurri sauce! I also ate the birria de hongo tacos. The birria gave it a smoky flavor. All of the flavors of the various ingredients mixed together really well, but I would still try something different if I came back here. My husband had the Wagyu beef empanadas. He loved how full they were in terms of content on the inside, but did not enjoy them enough overall that he would want to come here again.

    Salmon Zarandeado*
    Brooke T.

    Was told to try saddity Latin and that's what I'll do! This place is beautiful, a lovely spot to go on date night, if you will. We went for lunch and they have an express lunch menu where you receive an appetizer, main and a dessert; this, in my opinion is the best bang for your buck. Plus, they really try to get you in and out in an hour, should you have to go back to work. I got the lobster tortilla soup, Salmon Zarandeado and gelato. The soup tasted phenomenal, the salmon was cooked to perfection and the gelato (I believe it was salted caramel) wasn't too sweet. I think the presentation is beautiful and the flavors are on point; although, I would not be able to bring my partner as he would leave hungry. The service was nice; although, towards the end of the meal I felt rushed as they needed to prepare for dinner.

    Birthday brûlée
    M U.

    This is a really strong four--almost a five. The food was fantastic!! We got the lobster soup, corn empanadas, short rib carbon, cauliflower, and crème brûlée. All of them were really good--the cauliflower was probably the biggest surprise--it kind of just looks like a big hunk of cauliflower, but it's smokey, charred, saucy, and scrumptious. I'm not a vegetarian, but I could happily eat that as my meal. The brûlée also felt special with a coffee profile. My husband's old-fashioned was very booze forward--I don't think he minded, but it definitely lacked subtlety. The restaurant is beautiful and the presentation is lovely. My only ring is the service. It was attentive, but it lacked warmth.

    Branzino
    Rachelle E.

    I went here a few years ago for brunch and was not impressed at all. I was told to try it again but for dinner. I finally went back for dinner and my husband and I were so happy we did. Dinner is amazing. He got the branzino and I got the American Waygu that came with three toppings and some blue corn tortillas. For dessert we got the espresso crème brûlée. We will definitely go back but only for dinner. I'm not sure why the brunch can't be as good as their dinner.

    Brian T.

    dLena does brunch differently, and it works. The setup: $45 gets you all-you-can-eat, $70 adds bottomless drinks. Instead of ordering off a menu, your server just starts cycling through the entire menu in tapas-sized portions, one after another. It sounds a little chaotic on paper but it flows well in practice, and it means you end up trying things you wouldn't have pointed at yourself. The flavors throughout were genuinely good, a cut above your standard Mexican restaurant. The mole in particular was excellent, the kind that actually tastes like it took some effort to make. Two misses: the chicken on the chicken and waffles was overcooked, and the salmon was too. Both proteins had the same problem, which makes me think there's something off in the kitchen's timing rather than just bad luck. When you're running an AYCE service where volume is the whole model, consistency on execution matters more, not less. Still, those were isolated stumbles in an otherwise solid parade of food. The value at $45 is real. Would go back and would recommend it to friends.

    Seafood Enchiladas April 3, 2026 IG: @pharmingfoodies
    Joyce Y.

    Came last night before a comedy show at the Capital One Arena and OMG...10/10 hands down I have no notes. We went in right as they opened, on a Friday at 5 pm, and there was already a line! The reservations were full, but we were offered a seat either at the bar or outside. Luckily it was a beautiful day so we took a seat outside. They started us off with a sweet hibiscus flavored juice as a palate cleanser which was super refreshing. The left side of the menu had appetizers and shareables, while the right side had entrees. We ordered the short rib tacos, pork belly, wagyu empanadas, and seafood enchiladas. Everything had a beautiful bright orange sauce on it and made it look like it would be spicy but it wasn't! I think it's their signature guajillo sauce and it was VERY good, super creamy. Seafood enchiladas: This was my fav. Might have been because it was extremely hungry and it was my first bite. Definitely best when eaten warm, as the cheese is gooiest and the seafood inside is hot. I wasn't sure how the salad was going to be but it added a perfect refreshing and acidity to balance out the creamy sauce. Wagyu empanadas: Much gooey-er and cheesier than expected, but also a hit! Came with a decent amount of beef inside. Comes with the orange sauce and a chimichurri, which I think was a good idea because given how cheesy and creamy the filling already was, the chimichurri was a nice balance as well. Pork belly: Melts as soon as you cut into it. The Asian in me low key wanted a giant bowl of rice with this so that I could soak up all the sauce and veggies. Pretty fatty so if you're not a fan of that you might not like this. Short rib tacos: These were loaded, not with meat but with tons of crunchy topping (maybe fried carrots?) Could have done with slightly less crunch but overall still good. The orange sauce on the bottom had a peanuty flavor which I thought added a unique kick. Also, we were surprised at how quickly the food came out. We were in and out in under an hour. Our server Rebecca was also extremely nice. Will def be back if in the area. Highly recommend all around!

    La Baja Fish Tacos
    Carli O.

    Love DLeña's express lunch! Great deal for 3 courses - $28. Typically not busy and you get great food and service. We started with the queso fundido which was tasty and flavorful and the guacamole which was fresh 2nd course were fish tacos and DLeña burger. I enjoyed my burger which was seasoned impeccably. My colleague really likes her fish tacos. By the 3rd course we were stuffed but managed to take 2 bites of both desserts which were great. Highly recommend if you have never been to DLeña before or want to grab a 3 course lunch for an affordable price

    Blue corn tortillas were good
    Na H.

    Came here for brunch while on a staycation in DC. I would suggest getting a rideshare, taking the Metro, or finding a nearby parking garage because street parking is VERY limited in the area. Now, dLena was an experience. It's a Mexican restaurant that specializes in its talked about brunch. We made reservations ahead and were greeted by pleasant staff who escorted us to our table. We were presented with the menu...I thought I had to choose what I wanted to get...little did I know that the menu WAS everything we were getting To be honest, there were roughly 17 items (around 16 for us since I am not a fan of mushrooms and that was one of the dishes) with each one bringing a unique, complex, tasting experience. Some I liked, some I didn't, but there were none that I found outright unappealing. The staff were pleasant, professional, and described every item that was brought to the table, which we really appreciated. The manager came to our table due to a misunderstanding with the party next to us and was so understanding and apologized, which we really appreciated. The ambiance was busy, but chill at the same time, it was a great vibe. All in all, I WILL BE BACK to dLena!

    Pescado a la Talla**
    Nik W.

    Been here twice - first was for a happy hour, second for dinner. Both times the service has been great, the wait staff are super kind and accommodating of food allergies. Kind of a dim lights vibe with a wraparound bar and table seating, as well as a basement area with a bar and live music (you can also order food downstairs!). Very vibey, and my friend loved their mezcal drinks. We tried the corn and wagyu empanadas and both were excellent. The guacamole was also great, but I might pass on the queso next time - lovely presentation, but just isn't my thing. The salsa that came with it was incredible, though! My entree was the pescado tacos. They were excellent, though a little heavy on the sauce, in my opinion. I want to try the birria tacos if I make it to dLeña again.

    Tacos
    Andrea R.

    I was very excited to try out D'Leñas bottomless brunch for my boyfriend's birthday trip. We were coming in from NYC and made reservations way in advance. The menu looked astounding and my bf LOVES Mexican. Firstly, the drinks were plenty to chose from. Multiple mimosa flavors. Micheladas called my attention after never seeing that on a bottomless menu. The michelada and the margarita were the best. The mimosa tasted like really cheap bubbles that almost tasted like beer. They were sitting at the bar in jugs not on ice I think maybe that would help. I would approach this brunch soooo differently had I known the way. They bring out everything on the menu. The best items in our opinion were at the beginning. The skillets at the end are huge heavy portions and the flavors get repetitive. Best things on the bottomless menu are the FRUIT COCKTAIL WOW surprised us soooo much. The fish tacos delishhhhh. The Cesar salad was yummy. All the tacos were good. The steak and eggs delicious. The chicken wand waffles was good! Overall the experience was great. They were super busy but we were treated well and the birthday surprise was so nice! Thank u for that !! I'll leave my boyfriend and I's joint review of our favs which was rated in the moment aside from this review which was written a month later lol! : D'leña: Blackberry and basil: mid Margarita: 5/5 Micheladas: lazy Fruit cocktail: 5/5 WOWWW Aguachile and ceviche : 4/5 Campechano taco: 4/5 Birria: 4/5 Fish taco : 4/5 *would get again * Chicken n waffle good Mushroom taco: after thought, vegetarian friendly Cesar salad: 5/5 Patricia was our server

    Lulu T.

    My friend heard so many great things about DLeña, so she made reservations for brunch. We were about 20 mins early and decided to see if they will sit us, and they did. We were greeted by two nice ladies and they walked us to our table. Our waiter was very professional, knowledgeable and attentive. He recommended the bottomless brunch, we got to try all the items on the menu and we did bottomless drinks as well. The restaurant had upbeat music with a stylish decor. The food was ok, they were a few choices on the menu that we really liked. We will come back when it's not brunch to try the regular menu. We had the different mimos and classic margarita which were good. Brunch 3.5/5 Customer service 5/5 Mimosa 4/5 Margarita 4.5/5

    Bone Marrow & Adobo Pulpo* **
    Lauren C.

    Went to dlena to celebrate a birthday. We were lucky to get a last minute reservation since our plans to NYC fell through. Upon arrival the hostess was extremely rude and had an attitude. Not sure what her issue was. Our waitress was extremely kind and on top of everything! Glad to know all the staff doesn't have poor customer service. The food for the most part was delicious. My personal favorites were the oysters and the bone marrow. We also got some drinks but they were not memorable at all, we got a Negroni, 2 Mexican beers and a margarita with mezcal. The beers were good, cocktails were a let down. For dessert we got the crème brûlée and it was pretty disappointing. It had an espresso flavor in there which didn't really complement the dessert. They also brought out a birthday dessert which was a sponge cake. It was pretty good. I was confused why they charged $6 for a birthday dessert we didn't ask for but oh well. We spent about $200 not including tip. The inside is a bit small as well but beautiful inside. The food I would give a 4/5 stars. Customer service 3/5...the hostess really affected this rating. Drinks 2/5.

    La Baja Fish Tacos and Dleña Crispy Chicken Waffles

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    dLeña Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - dLeña

    What is your return policy or satisfaction guarantee for vehicle purchases?

    This is a restaurant. No vehicles are available for purchases here

    Are there any current promotions or discounts available?

    Not at this time but they do offer a bottomless brunch on Saturday & Sunday from 10am to 3pm.

    Is it possible to dine here alone at a small table or a bar?

    Yes, the bar is pretty spacious and theyre are a reasonable amount of small tables

    Can you order food in the downstairs bar?

    Yes

    Would there be space for a party of 8+ or are smaller parties recommended?

    The restaurant has the space to accommodate a party of 8+ I highly recommend making a reservation with advance notice

    Hi, is a COVID-19 vaccination still required for indoor dining?

    No, it is no longer required in DC

    What are some of the vegan options here?

    Hi Adria - We have a few delicious vegan options - including our Coliflor a la Leña (charred cauliflower / chimichurri / red pipian), Zanahorias Rostizadas (roasted heirloom carrot / pistu chimichurri / cashew tofu aioli / pepita), Grilled Avocado… Read more

    Is there any area that's first come first serve (the bar etc.)?

    Hi Areen - our 15 seat bar, our downstairs mezcal lounge ROJA and our outdoor patio are all first come, first serve / without reservations.

    View All 11 Questions

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    3.8(3.5k reviews)
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    This restaurant from Jose Andres was one of the better elevated Mexican restaurants at which I've…read moreeaten. I wasn't super starving so I had a fish taco and the enchiladas. The taco was amazing and was some kind of fried catfish! YUM! And the enchiladas were delicious as well. The green sauce cut through the overabundance of cheesy goodness quite well. I like that you can mix and match tacos so you're not stuck with all of the same one. The menu didn't have a ton of choices, which made deciding a bit easier. They had an amazing bar staff too that was absolutely killing it mixing cocktails. The margaritas were on point and the one had a flair of "salt air" foam instead of a messy, sticky rim. Who wants a messy sticky rim, right?

    Boss pulled up and said "we're going to Oyamel" and that was the right call. Weekday lunch, Penn…read moreQuarter, reservation secured because this place does not slow down for anybody. Pitcher of margaritas for the table: smooth, rich, not too strong. Exactly what a group lunch needs without turning into a whole situation. The guacamole is terrific and they'll adjust the spice level to your liking, which is a small thing that goes a long way when you're feeding a whole office with different tolerances. The tacos are built on house-made masa tortillas and you can taste that they care. I did the Pollo à la Parrilla and the Chilito de Res. Both landed. The beef especially, slow-braised and seasoned like they meant it. This is a José Andrés restaurant, so you already know the room has energy. If you're in the District and haven't made this a regular stop, fix that.

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    El Sol Restaurant & Tequileria - Fajita El Sol

    El Sol Restaurant & Tequileria

    4.1(779 reviews)
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    This place hit the spot, even toddler approved! We ordered take out and it was prepared pretty…read morequickly. The menu is quite extensive, it took us longer to decide on what we wanted. I got the nachos, my husband got tacos, and we got a chicken quesadilla for our toddler. The nachos were PILED with toppings and so colorful - even in a take out container is looked beautiful. They were SO tasty, very full of flavor and spice. My husband said the tacos were delicious and our toddler actually ate a lot of the quesadilla. Win all around. Highly recommend!

    In town for the week, tried to get into Unconventional Diner for brunch...a backup was needed. We…read moreventured down a few blocks looking for anything and found El Sol. Fair sized joint with a smallish patio out front. Having perused the menu on the way, I was looking to try something just beyond "staple of cheap Mexican." Sadly, we were presented with brunch menus, so it was a breakfast burrito for me and the breakfast tacos for her. I was remarkably hungry, so the burrito was eaten (and quickly). But truth be told, it's standard Mexican fare made with breakfast ingredients. No more description necessary - you've had this before and you'll have it again. The service was marginally lackluster- if you're not in a big party, you might get shuffled down in prioritization (or at least I thought we were...once ready to leave I did the 'fidget with credit card' trick to get the staff to close us out. It took frustratingly long. All in all, if I lived in the neighborhood, this would be my cheap Mexican place and more out of convenience than culinary merit.

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