I stopped by La Malinche for a quick drink last night to kill a bit of time before a concert started. I was seated quickly as I had a reservation. They had a few tables open though so it doesn't seem like reservations are a must. I ordered the mango margarita and chicken empanadas to start. The margarita was strong but tasty, and the empanadas were light and flaky. For entrees, my friend and I split the steak tacos and chicken quesadilla. Both were absolutely delicious and very well-seasoned. The only reason I'm taking a star off is because the bathroom that I used was absolutely disgusting. Apart from that, I'd go back if I was in the area! read more

Hidden gem, hidden gem, HIDDEN GEM! Bottomless brunch includes drinks and tapas and the sangria's strong, the tapas options are both delicious and varied, and the service is quite hospitable. Definitely going to become a regular on weekends. We ordered patatas bravas, plantains, mejillones, huecos rancheros, and dátiles and they were all to die for. Support this local business! read more

This place is so darn good I had to take 2 groups of +10 people here within a week! I made reservations days ahead for bottomless brunch and the staff here is very accommodating. I made sure to try all 4 of the sangria's. Loved the tinta- red wine and cava- white grape juice. The tapas we kept re ordering we're the French toast, pan catalana, bacon wrapped dates, albongidas, calamari and the bistec Mexicano. The steak with the eggs were cooked to perfection and seasoned very well. The menu is not heavy on eggs and they have a nice variety of flavors. The combination of sweet and savory definitely satisfies everyone's tastes buds. Service here is great even with the hectic brunch crowd. Food comes out quickly and our drinks kept getting refilled. This is definitely the perfect bday celebration spot. If you're in the area looking for bottomless brunch this is the spot. Prices are reasonable and the food here is delicious! read more

See all

This is an amalgamation of mostly Spanish and some Mexican food but they understand what tapas plates are and have a fairly large selection of possibilities. I'm very surprised that this place rates as high as it does, however, but let's start with the positives: - They have open air dining on the front sidewalk area which is a nice option. - The restaurant is fairly clean and nicely decorated And here's the negatives: - the cocktails were kind of weak but tasted good enough - the waitresses checked on us once but never offered any drink refills - all the plates, save the octopus, had almost no flavor to them at all. We tried the chorizo sausage, patatas bravas, the pan a la catalana, and the chicken tacos and none of it was remarkable in the least and the sausages, which were supposed to be spicy, probably were the most flavorless sausages I've ever had in my life. Besides one other group, there was no one in the restaurant either, which is probably an indicator of where they are headed. I'm still not sure how they got all these good reviews but I can't say I'd come back. Too expensive for unremarkable dishes. read more

Tapas & Tequila, what more can you ask for on Friday winter evening! La Malinche has been saved on my Yelp for Happy Hour for over a year so I was so excited to finally try it! Brought my friend here who recently relocated to downtown Silver Spring. This place is nestled right on Georgia Ave, a few doors down from the Filmore concert venue. I was greeted by many staff during my arrival, no reservation needed, just took about 5 mins or so to have seats by the bar. We didn't make happy hour time but the prices are still amazing, ranging from $6-13 for tapas options and drinks started from $8 which are their Sangrias. I tried 2 of their 4 sangrias and my favorite was the La Tinta. As for food, there are so many options, we ended up choosing 4 tapa plates to share: Calamari, Ceviche (I requested tortilla chips to go with it), Salmon w/ fingerling potatoes & brussel sprouts, and Gambas (Shrimp in white wine & garlic sauce). Everything was really good, my only suggestion is to fry the calamari a little longer. My favorite of the 4 was the ceviche, very delicious! We spoke to the owner Lucas, who checked on us and everyone in the restaurant quite often. Very nice, humble man who you can tell loves his business and appreciates his staff. The ambiance of the restaurant is really relaxing, light melodic Spanish music in the background. Great place for a date, HH, or to bring the family. I enjoyed my evening here and cannot wait to come back to try their margaritas this time and more tapas! I heard from some of their regular patrons the brunch is amazing so will try that soon as well. Love La Malinche! read more

La Malinche - Gambas (Shrimp with white wine & garlic sauce.. sampled a few before taking the pic), Shrimp & Tilapia Ceviche and Calamari - Tapas Bars Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Food spectacular !!!! Service omg best service ever had in restaurants Thomas is the best Ambiance super relaxing and peaceful really nice restaurant read more

La Malinche is a great tapas place. I have been herr once for dinner and twice for bottomless brunch. The bottomless brunch has gone up a bit in price when my wife and I went on Saturday from what it was pre-pandemic which is understandable but still good deal for bottomless tapas and drinks. You have four sangrias to choose from as well as a mimosas and a Bloody Mary option and we tried them all. For food we had all the non-pork or seafood options and we were even hungry to order more for a second round. They have a great variety of Spanish, Mexican, and American brunch foods. Our favorite items were the beef and chicken empanadas, huevos rancheros, pancakes, French toast, and plantains. In fact, since Matchbox is no longer unlimited brunch and TTT/Buena Vida closing La Malinche's brunch is the only bottomless food option left in DTSS other than the mediocre Blue Pearl buffet. We look forward to coming back! read more

See all

My cousins and I took our grandmother out for her birthday, and we made a reservation for 7. When we arrived, our table was readily available. Food: My sister and I ordered the seafood paella, and my mini ordered chicken tacos and calamari. The cousins ordered lamb chops, vegetable tacos, chicken tacos, and my grandmother had the crab cakes. The paella was decent. It was flavorful and seasoned well, but the rice was a bit too mushy for my liking. The "seafood" paella had calamari, small pieces of shrimp, scallops, and chicken. I could have done without the chicken, especially since the dish is named 'seafood paella.' - 3 stars Service: The waiter stopped by a few times to ask us if we were ok or if we needed anything. He was ok. The timing of the food was horrible. Everyone received their food at different times - maybe within 3 - 5 minutes of each. The paella has a noted cooking time of 45 minutes, so we knew to put that order in as soon as we sat down. Well, it took over an hour; and, when everyone else had their food, they felt obligated to stop eating until the paella came out. Restaurant-goers want to eat together! - 2 stars I don't think I'll be a repeat visitor. Nothing wow'ed me here. read more

See all

I've been here a few times and it's always reliably decent food. We had Montaditos de Jamón y Queso and Tacos de Camarones to start - both tasty - followed by Camarones Cantinero (which were supposedly glazed with tequila?) and Patatas Bravas - the sauces on top were yummy. The service was fine, but the waitress seemed put off by our request for a side of guacamole and salsa to accompany our shrimp dinner (which we made clear we would gladly pay for). She said she'd ask about our (unusual?) request and eventually delivered it to the table (it made a big difference since the special shrimp dish was a little bland). The cocktails weren't great - the "Spanish-style" gin and tonic tasted flat. Overall, it's a fine place to dine. read more

Delicious food, nice ambience, friendly service. We came before a show at the Fillmore. Everything we ordered was delicious. Get the jamon iberico and the pulpa. A nice relaxing meal before the show. read more

The food is great here. We came for brunch and sat outside. They have 4 tables in their doorway and they have 2 heaters. You are allowed to go in for the bathroom. You can do unlimited brunch or order a la cart. We ordered a la cart and my favorite was the salmon. read more

See all

I love this place I come here all the time!! Lucas is my favorite always so welcoming and Brings so much comfort to the place! You definitely need to try the calamari and the gumbas shrimp! The Brussels sprouts and mushroom are my go too! they have happy hour mon-Thu 5-7 pm!! Their peach sangria is my favorite! read more

My partner and I stopped by here before a concert at the Fillmore next door. I wanted to come in for their brunch but I arrived a bit late! It was still well worth the visit. We tried some ham and cheese toasts, ceviche, pulpo, pork chop, plantains, empanadas, churros, and sopapillas. Everything was soooo delicious!! Service was amazing, different service staff came by our table and we found it to be very hospitable. Even the owner stopped by once, he was very kind! We tried two different flavors of the half-pitcher sangrias, the cava and the rosado. They were both strong and delicious, for a great price! Our favorites were probably the pulpo, ceviche, and pork chop. We will definitely be back for brunch! read more

See all

Great really good service. Great tapas the menu had. Of the classic . Ganbas aljillo, albondigaa pulpo a la plancha and on and on. All of the dishes we had were so good. The service by the entire staff was friendly and timely. My daughter love the churros The wife and me have Stella on draft and the glasses went on point. We definitely consider coming back .... read more

La Malinche - Tapas Bars Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

I only had drinks. It was just ok . Nothing strong. I like the ambience more than anything else read more

La Malinche - Tapas Bars Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

See all

I've come here so many times over the years & realized my original review is now 5 years old, and wanted to update it. This is my go to spot before a concert at The Fillmore & I can't tell you how many pitchers of sangria I've consumed here over the years. I finally tried the blush one a couple of months ago and I'm a convert now, it's by far the best one on the menu. The bacon wrapped dates, steak tacos, shrimp in garlic sauce, prosciutto wrapped asparagus, chicken croquettes, empanadas & chips & guac are some of my absolute favorites. I've never had to wait to be seated and all of the staff has always been great anytime I've been here. 10/10 will keep recommending and returning here! read more

La Malinche - Tapas Bars Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

See all

The manager Lucas was very welcoming and pleasant checking up on our table and making sure we were taken care of with food, service and atmosphere. Our server was friendly and very attentive. Food came out hot and fresh. The empanadas were delicious and tasty. We had almost all appetizers on the menu and we finished with some amazing desserts to celebrate our reunion. I couldn't recommend this place enough. Thank you for making this evening so special. read more

Located in a small hole in the wall, this restaurant is not well known, but delivers. A great choice of Spanish with a few other Mexican dishes. Parking is nearby to walk from and the restaurant is not visible. A small menu to choose from but what you do choose not only fills you up but is delicious! Try the Sangria! Enjoy the tapas! Come in for brunch! Come in for dinner but just come check out this place. read more

La Malinche - Tapas Bars Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Had a reservation for brunch on Mother's Day. It is one of those restaurants where your whole party has to be seated before they will take your order. (One in our party of 5 was late so we sat there being ignored for awhile.) I only mention because the brunch menu has "Unlimited" Tapas if the whole table participates (which we did). They could have started bring food out as everything came out at different times anyway. Food was good but I'm not sure everything we ordered came out. However I left feeling full so it was all good. Food really was delicious. Restaurant is small and was packed. Service was okay... so I doubt I will go out of my way to go back. read more

I came here for the first time to Sunday brunch. They have $35 for unlimited tapas and drinks--variety of sangrias. It was a small, but cute place. It wasn't crowded and we were able to be seated right away. The food I had was delicious and so were the drinks. I would come back. My only con was that it was hard to find parking, we ended up parking at the garage, but garage is free on the weekends. read more

See all

Food was very good. Service excellent. Cocktails very good too Great place if you are seeing a show at Fillmore Definitely will go back

I had been hearing about this place for a minute and I finally made it in for their happy hour. I tried the patatas bravas, nachos, quesadilla, calamari and the mussels. The portions are great to get a bunch of things and share with a friend (or friends). The patatas, mussels and nachos were my favorites. We ended up ordering a second round of nachos because they were that good and I feel like they lowkey tried us cause the portion wasn't nearly as robust as the first plate LOL. The calamari was just okay and the chicken quesadilla did what it needed to do. For a drink, I had the rosada sangria and I enjoyed it. Overall, I was very pleased with the food and drink situation at this place. The customer service was good as well. I will definitely be back for happy hour or any other time to try some more things. read more

La Malinche - Happy hour nachos (the 2nd plate, first plate was a lil more piled up) - Tapas Bars Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

26/100 My lovely Yelp ladies and I planned a UYE here. We came here for Sunday brunch. Unlimited mimosas and other bevies lured me here. The place seems kinda of old, dark and in need of makeover. We got our brunch menu and ordered our drinks. I got Sangria Tinta. It was ok but with Sangria I was expecting more fruit in my drink. To summarize most tapas were good, but my bacon wrapped dates were a little burnt. How you burn bacon? The steak ranchero could have been good but I don't like runny egg yolks on my steak. The service was average C-. Borderline D+. We had one asinine waiter who had the nerve to tell me I had to finish my drink before placing another drink order! TF?! Did this fool just talk as if he was my father? Boy did I hold my tongue on that one. So eventually I got my warm mismosa. Mimosas are suppose to be cold not room temperature. The not so nice waiter just seemed agitated the whole time. I ordered my tapas but he keep putting it on the end of the table, opposite of where I was sitting. So I ordered it again. It would of been nice to ask who ordered what because it was 6 of us. Overall the time spent with my friends surpassed the crap service we got. Would I make a trip back here? As long as that waiter isn't there. read more

See all

Went there for a weekday lunch with a friend when they opened (11ish). Only one waiter/bartender there but he seemed competent and pleasant enough (in response to all the reviews about grumpy wait staff) so no problems there. We both went with the "Executive Menu" which is two small plates and a soda (no refills...which is weird since soda is so damn cheap). In order of preference here are my thoughts on the four items we ordered: 1) Albóndigas a La Malinche (aka, meatballs): Okay these were oh so yummo AND they're pretty darn big too. There are four to a serving and they are fresh and original. The sauce isn't overpowering and the seasoning was just right. They weren't overcooked either which can often happen with meatballs at a tapas place. 2) Chorizo a la Parrilla (aka, uhhh, Chorizo): Mysteriously one and a half Chorizo sausages come in a serving (where'd the other half go?!). These were also cooked perfectly and were draped in a delicate guajillo sauce. I tend to like my Chorizo a little bit spicier than this but it was not tough and chewy which it can sometimes be. 3) Carne Asada (aka, seasoned skirt or flank steak): the waiter didn't ask how we wanted this cooked but it showed up medium-rare which is how we both wanted it so that was fine. This comes with a pretty big dollop of guacamole on top of it which was pretty harmless. I found this Carne Asada to be a little bland for my taste but my friend really loved it so I'll leave it to you to decide. 4) Mejillnoes al Vapór (aka, steamed mussels): this was a tough one because the preparation of the dish was excellent. The sauce (the menu says it was lemongrass & sun-dried tomato but it was almost certainly Marinière) was so lovely. We ordered extra bread (which, btw, was also a very tasty rustic) so we could soak up the sauce. The product - the mussels - were the problem; they were massive and a bit fishy. If they were we improve the quality of the mussels that they put in this dish then this would have been #1 by a long shot. So those were the 4 dishes. The service was quick and we were out of there with time to spare. If you're in the mood to try something nice during the lunch hour then this may be right up your alley. ¡Buen provecho! read more

See all

Delicious food . Wonderful sangria . Excellent service . I'll be going back again soon .

Have been here 3 times that I can remember. Brunch, happy hour, and dinner. I feel that's the perfect amount of experience to give a valid review of a restaurant. La malinche is a downtown silver Spring staple. Hidden away in a Colesville Rd shopping strip, but it is not to be forgotten. The food, drinks, and service are all worth a stop in. Some menu items that stuck out in my visits are the patatas bravas for HH and brunch, paella for dinner, and the cava sangria. The cava sangria was one of the best sangrias I've ever had in the states. I highly recommend you give this place a try. Avoid the white sangria, though, as it is pretty bland. Red and cava are good. read more

Oh so good. Just go. Do it! So worth it. Came in Walt on a Sunday for brunch. It's endless tapas with bottomless drinks - mimosas and sangria - for $35. Decadent choices. Lots of Mexican/ el Salvadoran food. Some American choices. French toast, sweet potato pancakes. And then there was bistec and something, papas renellos basically stuffed potatoes, hueovs rancheros and a few more dishes. Favs would be bistec and fried plantains and the stuffed potatoes. Serivice was great. Friendly and attentive. Never a dry water glass or empty sangria. My fav was the sangria cava. Delicioso in my terrible Spanish. My only want is a little more of a food selection. Other wise wonderful. read more

La Malinche - Stuffed potatoes - Tapas Bars Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

See all

We are moderately priced people. We go for places that have $ or $$ signs. LOL. This is not a moderately priced place. BUT we thoroughly enjoyed the food and service here. We had just gotten out of the AFI Theater across the street and decided to come here for dinner. I have had tapas before and I believe the last time I walked out paying $50 per person. I think that's a lot considering I don't drink so my check never includes alcohol. This time, I walked out paying $47 per person. Why do tapas have to be so pricey! We started as a group of 6 and were placed in the back of the restaurant. Two more friends joined and they just added a table. We ordered so much that I can't remember everything. Here is what I do remember. Some I got to try, some I did not. With eight people, it was hard to try everything. Mussels were great, though I thought they were slightly smaller than some I had at other places recently. I loved the broth. Beef Empenadas were also good. Patatas Bravas were potatoes with a spicy chipotle pepper and aioli sauce. Though I liked the potatoes without the spicy sauce (the aioli was just fine), somehow we ended up ordering 4 of these. I think friends on one end of the table had no idea what the other end ordered. Nevertheless, it was all eaten. We also enjoyed the Brussel Sprouts and Cauliflower con ajo. The following were ordered but I did not get a taste: spinach salad and steak tacos. For some of the dishes, we doubled up on the order. I did take a sip of many of the drinks that were ordered at the table. I thought the pineapple vodka was yummy. You can definitely taste the pineapple. Friends who ordered the sangria thought it was excellent and highly recommend it. For dessert we got the sampler. I totally recommend this if you've got a group and want to share. There was plenty to have a couple of bites of everything. The churros were my favorite. The sampler also contained flan, tres leches, and sopapillas. Service: Extremely attentive and friendly. Wait staff constantly came to clear our plates and refilled water. So you know how I said that we are moderately priced people? Well, I would love to come back for samples of their happy hour menu. We like to grab happy hour prices for dinner. Not always easy getting to these places before happy hour ends but we moderately priced people make the effort. read more

I came here with my daughter last night, my daughter was the one who actually recommended it and I'm glad she did! You can easily miss this place, thanks to my GPS it keeps bringing me to the back of the restaurant‍. With enough perseverance we pushed through and found the place. We opted to sit outside and we were immediately greeted by a nice server. He gave us the menu and asked if we needed help (he can probably tell we were newbies) and if we wanted something to drink. I ordered white wine cause I knew I wanted to eat some fish. So as a side note! My daughter and I had been looking for a Tapas restaurant to try, big serving is good, but we wanted a smaller plate in order for us to try and share different dishes. We ordered the: Montatidos de Jamon y queso (toasted bread, tomato spread, sliced manchego cheese with jamon serrano) it was sooooo freaking good! I love that I can tasted how fresh and sweet the tomatoes were, great contrast with the salty/sharpness of the meats and cheese. Chuleta de cerdo (grilled pork chops, mashed potatoes, sautéed spinach) the pork chops were nice and thin which really allowed the flavor penetrate the meat, I can taste the grilled flavor, I didn't eat much of this, my daughter hog the whole plate (she loves chuletas) I didn't even get to try the mashed potatoes. Salmon ( blackened salmon on a bed of brussel sprouts and fingerling potatoes drizzled with guajillo sauce) to be honest I enjoyed the brussel sprouts and the potatoes more than the salmon itself, the salmon was a bit dry and it lacked flavor on its own without the help of the actual sauce; however, I still enjoyed it and be willing to try it again. Mejillones al vapor (steamed mussels in white whine, garlic broth, with toasted bread My goodness! This was the best dish out of all of them! It was so good and they definitely didn't skimp on th mussels! The broth itself was so unforgettably delicious, I would literally sit there all day with my toasted bread dip it on their sauce, it was that damn delicious! Mussels were perfectly cooked, it wasn't the overcooked kind the one that's rubbery, who likes overcooked seafood? Not me! Love love this dish and this place! My daughter and I always get desserts and we can never decide on one, so we chose their sampler. Oh boy was I surprised when they brought big portions of 4 of their desserts: Flan, Tiramisu, Churros, and Sopapillas. All were equally good and all were taken home, cause they were a good portion size and we were stuffed from our dinner. Overall great service, great food, my daughter said 10 out of 10 she would come back! Try it out folks, support your local businesses. You won't regret it. read more

See all

I went here for a last minute brunch on a Saturday at noon. We didn't have a reservation & got a table easily for 2 people. The bottomless brunch for $35 didn't have a lot of items that were on the a la cart menu. We ordered from the a la cart menu. The a la cart menu had mimosas that came in a wine glass which was perfect because the bottomless mimosas had a champagne glass. I tried the shrimp & the egg and chorizo. The shrimp were pretty good. The egg and chorizo had no flavor & the chorizo must have been blended with the egg because it was near impossible to see it. Glad I got to try this place. The service was alright. I wish some of their dishes had more flavor!! read more

La Malinche - Brunch item: Tortilla con chorizo - Tapas Bars Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

See all

I have lived in this area all my life, and for my birthday I usually go to my fave, Mi Rancho, for dinner with my family. This year i went to Mi R with a friend on Friday, so i switched it up and went to La Malinche for dinner tonight. I am SO glad i did! No frills during the pandemic, but MY WORD the food is excellent. We had the lamb chops, steak fajitas, grilled asparagus, scallops, beef and chicken quesadillas, and patatas bravas. Everything was delicious! The service was great, and they had limited soft drinks tonight but a full bar. I will definitely be back! Seriously, I'm thinking about those potatoes and that lamb right this second and I'm not even hungry...! read more

How can I review the best bottomless brunch in Silver Spring!? It's delightful, booze fueled, fast service and the best tapas you will find for miles. What more can I say. read more

Delicious foods, due to Covid we have to order take out and eat at home. Pastas Bravas, Calamari, Veiras a la Pancha, Pulpo, Fish Taco. read more

La Malinche - Tapas and Tacos - Tapas Bars Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

See all

Like this place! The food is great and I like sangria cava! Except the beef empanadas, the rest of the food were all great! read more

See all

Everything about this place is excellent! Food is amazing and the service is spectacular! Lucas recommended the "Tres Leches" as a dessert and it changed the game! Will be back for seconds read more

La Malinche - Tapas Bars Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

A lovely restaurant, clean and well maintained. The music was at an appropriate volume for dining and talking. All the staff were welcoming and helpful. The food was wonderful. I recommend the lamb chops and the garlic shrimp. My only ding would be the 'pan a la catalana', which was a little soggy, but very flavorful. read more

I randomly selected this place because I was craving tapas. This is a mom and pop spot and I enjoyed the calming welcoming atmosphere. The food wasn't bad. The chicken empanada was just ok. It lacked flavor. The guacamole was pretty decent and the bacon wrapped dates were absolutely amazing. This was my first time tryin dates and I'm glad I had them. The bartender was super nice and helpful. It was pretty empty while we were there but I can tell that there were a few locals sitting at the bar with me. Overall if I'm ever in the SS area I'd go back for a visit. read more

See all

Great food and service. Family friendly to boot! The empanadas are great, as is the yuca frita and shrimp tacos. read more

Let's just admit it. The DC food industry is saturated with the following: 1-Cupcake shops 2-Tapas/Mezza/Small Plates restaurants For some reason, DC loves to eat lots of little things on small plates. I wasn't expecting too much when I walking into yet another tapas restaurant, this one located in downtown silver spring a a strip with the Fillmore and lots of carry out joints, and I admit I was a bit surprised. Without a doubt, the fish tacos (Tacos Pescado) are the most pleasant surprise on the menu at this Spanish-Mexican tapas restaurant, so let me start off with singing their praises. This restaurant nailed the creamy cilantro lime sauce. One order was two fully loaded fish tacos (with baked tilapia, not fried), with stacks of avocado and onions on top with a corn tortilla (I would have preferred a flour tortilla, but that's this taco's only sin). The Gambas a la Cazuela (shrimp with wine garlic sauce) did have light wine and garlic sauce, but it had a very very distinct saffron flavor as well, so I loved it. The five shrimp that came with it were pretty meaty and large. The Patatas Bravas were a big heaping pile of potatoes and the spicy tomato mayo sauce to dip them in was pretty good. The serving sizes here defy the small plate phenomenon, and that's just fine with me.The service is friendly and prompt, the only thing lacking was that I was not particularly enamored with the Sangria (I had the original tinto), but others have been raving about it, although some Yelper did label a picture of the sangria as "red nasty sangria". I am in agreement. read more

See all

Loved this place! We went on a busy night, but didn't have to wait long for our food to be prepared. One of the men waiting on us gave us great recommendations and told us about the preparation of the food. It was a great experience at this family owned place! read more

La Malinche - We couldn't get enough of the pulpo! - Tapas Bars Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland