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    El Mercat

    4.4 (21 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

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    Stuart O.

    We had a wonderful large happy hour here a couple of weeks ago. Ordered a bunch of shared plates and drinks. The service was great. We had over 20 people and filled up the bar and a couple of tables near it. The tapas were a perfect to share at happy hour. I look forward to coming back for a full meal!

    Pan con tomate
    Keyin L.

    New to the pentagon row/westpost area, this spot serves tapas and drinks. We came during happy hour the week they opened and ordered a few apps and drinks. The patatas bravas was the best thing we got, delicious fry and the sauce was perfect. The pan con tomate was a bit stale and too salty, but we came around 4 and maybe their bread had been sitting out for a bit that day. Croquets were solid but probably personal preference, it came with a sweet jam that I didn't love paired with the salty croquets. Drinks were definitely good! We sat at the bar and got very good service. Ordered the apple fizz mocktail and the red sangria was delicious. Would like to come back and try some of their mains now they've had a bit longer to get organized

    Inside
    Iva S.

    We stopped in after a neighboring bar was unable to accommodate our small office gathering, and we were pleasantly surprised. The staff was absolutely friendly and helpful, making us feel welcome right away. We enjoyed some adult beverages and appetizers, which was a perfect way to spend a Friday afternoon heading into the holiday shutdown. The bathrooms were clean, and parking was easy to find in the nearby mall area with just a short walk to the location. Overall, a very enjoyable experience.

    Baby carrots and brussel sprouts
    Elizabeth M.

    They have a great variety of tapas options and mocktails as well. I got a reservation for a Saturday dinner but it wasn't super crowded inside. The service was great and food came out fast.

    Food was and has been amazing! I have been here 4 times already. Stellar drinks, food, service and look of the restaurant. I got the steak and my husband got the chicken and both were very good! The winter daiquiri drink is very good, and I highly recommend! Absolutely well done restaurant!

    Absolutely delicious. The chimichury is so tasty on both the steak and roast chicken. The Winter Daquiri is so fresh and crisp tasting, we get at-least one every time we come! Took one bite of my meal and had to post.

    What a fun bar set up

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    AMBAR Restaurant, Clarendon - Cheese pie

    AMBAR Restaurant, Clarendon

    4.3(2.2k reviews)
    2.5 mi
    $$$

    I can't believe I haven't heard more people talking about Ambar in DC/Clarendon! We went to the…read moreClarendon location for dinner yesterday and it was absolutely incredible. They offer an all-you-can-eat dinner menu (plus brunch), and every single thing we tried was delicious. We were a party of two and definitely overstuffed ourselves trying as much as we could Honestly, I think 3-4 people would be the perfect group size so you can share everything and sample more dishes comfortably. The food came out quickly, tapas-style, which made the whole experience even better. Great price for the amount and quality of food, excellent service, and such a fun ambiance. The decor was also super cute. I really liked that they had a large disability ramp as well.

    Came here for the first time on Mother's Day Mother's Day. They ran a special three dish Mother's…read moreDay to their brunch experience for $49.99. When we walked in, we thought it was gonna be packed because there were no reservations on OpenTable however they were able to see us right away. A very nice touch to add a stem of Rose for the women. I would say that I gave it a lower star rating not because the food was bad. It was actually delicious, but probably the experience itself. The restaurant felt chaotic, and even though all the tables were not completely packed of course there were flowers everywhere people gathering with grandmother's mother's children, etc We were seated in a two people table and all the top past dishes started to pile up very quickly. Instead of monitoring, the progress of the finished dishes and removing those dishes due to space constraint, the dishes came from the kitchen, almost on top of one another, and at one point I had to hold a dish in my hand in order to make space to put a dish on top of another flatbread pan/dish, making things super chaotic. Also dishes had to be put on top of the menu because in order to order additional food, you need to leave at least one copy of the menu at the table. Overall, again the flavors and taste were good, though I might have had similar dishes from other places, and my partner commented that some of it is actually very close to the Capital One landing at DCA. I would just say that it was more due to the chaos and just the way that all the dishes piled up on top of us we felt like we were we had to eat super quickly so that we could stack dishes ourselves and create room at the table. Also, when serving the dishes were not kept level and basically was slide to the side of the dish, making presentation off

    Photos
    AMBAR Restaurant, Clarendon - Interior

    Interior

    AMBAR Restaurant, Clarendon - TG-Sudzuk Flatbread

    TG-Sudzuk Flatbread

    AMBAR Restaurant, Clarendon - Croquette

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    Croquette

    Palette 22 - Mushroom pan pizza

    Palette 22

    4.4(2.6k reviews)
    2.0 miShirlington
    $$
    Full bar
    Large group friendly

    The food was excellent, and the ambience had a wonderfully eclectic charm. I especially appreciated…read morethe artwork and the painter's style throughout the space. Our server was incredibly helpful and provided top-notch customer service that made the experience even better. Unfortunately, the hostess left a very different impression. They came across as rude and passive-aggressive, which was disappointing since they are the first point of contact for guests. I understand weekends can get busy and stressful, but a more welcoming and professional attitude would greatly improve the overall experience.

    With the block party outside, Palette 22 was one of the many restaurants inundated with people on…read moreCinco de Mayo evening. I was fortunate to find an empty spot at the packed bar. I couldn't get a real feel for the restaurant because of the crowds of people, but I did enjoy the artwork hanging in the bar area. They had $7 margarita specials, and I really should've ordered 2 because it was exactly what I needed. After devouring one order of chili shrimp tacos, I felt another was warranted. The taco shell was a bit inconsistent, soft in some parts and charred/crispy in others. The flavors were exceptional though, with the heat from the chili sauce paired with the shrimp and peanuts.

    Photos
    Palette 22 - Inside

    Inside

    Palette 22 - Dark Chocolate Mousse chantilly cream, hazelnut crumble, chocolate sauce

    Dark Chocolate Mousse chantilly cream, hazelnut crumble, chocolate sauce

    Palette 22 - Each table was prepared for the small plate brunch!

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    Each table was prepared for the small plate brunch!

    SER - Sardines

    SER

    3.8(535 reviews)
    3.3 mi
    $$

    Food 3.5/5.0 Service 3.5/5.0…read moreValue 3.5/5.0 Decor 3.5/5.0 Overall 3.5/5.0 Interesting neighborhood spot. They were light in waitstaff for a weekend lunch, but the two folks they did have working the tables were very efficient. Food was decent.

    TLDR; this is a lovely Spanish tapas place that might be especially nice for (second and beyond)…read moredates. My first impression of Ser was its ambiance - nice mood lighting, comfy seats, and just the right amount of ambient noise. We had a reservation (recommended!) and were quickly ushered to our seats and given menus. The waiter was courteous, prompt (always re-filling our water glasses), and helpful when we had questions about the menu (e.g., about which wine he preferred). This was our first (but not last) time visiting Ser, and our initial foray into the menu was pretty basic. My wife and I split the jarrete de cordero (lamb shank), three tapas dishes (croquetas, pan Catalana, and berenjenas [fried eggplant]), and two cheeses. My wife's favorite tapas was the pan catalana, which was bright and slightly salty/sweet in flavor with great texture in the balance between the crispness of the bread and the softness of the tomato. I preferred the croquetas, each of which coated my mouth with the warmth of hot cheese and rich meat. The lamb shank consisted of a massive piece of meat on the bone, resting on a bad of mashed potatoes and slices of sweet peppers. The lamb itself was what it should be: thick, tender, and juicy with a rich, slightly gamey flavor. The addition of the mash and peppers made it even better, and I can say that this is the first time that I actually enjoyed peppers - before I just tolerated them, even in my own cooking. These peppers paired perfectly with the mash and lamb, and I relished every bite. I would be tempted to order this same thing again on our next visit, but I have to know what the meat paella is like. Anyway, it all paired perfectly with the Spanish tempranillo (that our waiter helped me select). I would be remiss if I did not talk about our to-go box. The lamb was too much for us (and by "us", I mean my wife, who was not up to the task of eating her share of the main course), and we asked for this to be boxed to take home with us. And I was blown away when the remains of our dinner were brought back to us already deboned (but with the bone included). I found this to be above and beyond, as I was not looking forward to cutting that meat off the bone (to put in my next day's lunch, which was glorious), not the least because I am not very good at doing this. And that we still got the lamb bone meant either stock for a stew or sharing a treat with our four-legged housemate. We really appreciated this!

    Photos
    SER - Interior of SER, looking at kitchen.

    Interior of SER, looking at kitchen.

    SER
    SER - A flight of wine.

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    A flight of wine.

    BARCA Pier & Wine Bar

    BARCA Pier & Wine Bar

    4.2(636 reviews)
    4.4 miOld Town Alexandria
    $$$
    Full bar
    Large group friendly

    Were we on the Spanish coast or Old Town? On the riverfront, on this warm spring day, we could have…read morebeen anywhere in the Mediterranean. We were instead on the pier in retrofitted shipping containers enjoying Spanish shareable plates with a great view. This place was crowded that's for sure. Primarily because there's no closer place to the water than this. (We were lucky-- the day after was rainy!) The food was great--we went for shareable small tapas and we still overordered. Service was great. We had a small wait upon check in but they made up for it by putting us in a nice location. Overall this was a great choice for a weekend lunch with friends.

    This was my experience 1.5 years ago. It was so terrible, I haven't been able to stop thinking…read moreabout it and have to share it. This was the third time I patronized this place. The first two times, the food wasn't great but the location was nice and the service was decent so we came back a third time for the ambiance. We had to send back two small plates--the kabob and the mussels. The kabob tasted like the meat had gone bad and the mussels as if they were sitting in their own excrements for hours. However, we still continued ordering more plates and drinks because we were enjoying being by the water and my sister and I were taking our dad out for a nice day. The manager approached our table with a passive aggressive vibe. She asked why we sent back the food and we explained. She then told us that the chef tried the dishes we sent back. They tasted just fine to him. She let that sit there. I just blinked at her in silent disbelief. The awkward silence made my sister so uncomfortable, she began apologizing for sending it back. I interjected, and reiterated what was unpleasant about the two dishes. This woman had the gall to continue passive aggressively stating the chef tried the dishes, insinuating we were lying or...I don't know what. Keep in mind, we had ordered like five other small dishes, my sister, my dad and myself ordered two alcoholic beverages each. We weren't cheapskates trying to lower our tab by sending back 2 measly plates. I had half a mind to say; "I didn't realize the patron of this restaurant is the chef. Is HE paying for our meal and drinks--or WE paying for his and your salary?" Of course, I didn't say that. I've worked in restaurants for years before, so I continued sternly but politely reiterating we did not enjoy the two plates, asked for the check, tipped well, and never returned. The worst experience I'ever had in a restaurant. Ever. So much so that 1.5 years later, I still randomly think about it.

    Photos
    BARCA Pier & Wine Bar
    BARCA Pier & Wine Bar
    BARCA Pier & Wine Bar

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    Mejana - Mixed grill

    Mejana

    4.1(927 reviews)
    2.3 mi
    $$$
    Outdoor seating
    Private events

    I have been a long time fan/patron of MeJana b/c of the friendly, welcoming staff, beautiful…read moreambiance, and consistent delicious dishes. I especially appreciate the thoughtful presentation, tableware and glassware. One of my favorite go-tos for lunch is the Chicken Shawarma with salad. Light, healthy and tasty, presented on a board. Now that the weather is pleasant, try dining on the patio like I did today. Enjoy!

    9 years later and I am back- I have seen this place very busy on weeknights so I decided, it's time…read moreto go back. They pride themselves as a healthier spot and the food definitely reflected that. We started off with drinks (they only do happy hour at the bar) and got the Mojito and the mediteranean martini. Both were good but the purple mojito was definitely the star of the show. For appetizers we got the "fried" cauliflower and the hot appetizer platter. The cauliflower definitely felt more baked then fried and the portion was quite fair. The hot appetizer platter comes with 2 cheese rolls, 2 falafels, and two kibehs. I will say, for $17, I would love perhaps 3-4 of each item instead of just 2 each. The kibeh were super tasty and so were the cheese rolls, but the falafel were a bit dry. For our mains we got the lamb chops and the steak kabob - both were fantastic. Simple flavors but really well done on both ends, with both cuts of meat cooked to order. I will say, I would love a little bit more side veggies- especially for the $45 dollar lamb chops but I assume they expect you to order more sides like we did. Quick service, Arlington prices, a bit cold inside on a cold day. Will definitely be back to try more!

    Photos
    Mejana - Patio

    Patio

    Mejana
    Mejana - Bar

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    Bar

    El Mercat - tapas - Updated May 2026

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