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    Taberna del Alabardero

    3.8 (677 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 10:30 pm

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    TABERNA DEL ALABARDERO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Classy
    Live music
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - Taberna del Alabardero

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    Olivia S.

    This was such a nice ambiance - we ate at 4 so it was quiet, and cozy yet classical. Tables were a generous distance apart which we appreciated. We had 2 tapas - patatas bravas and a manchego cheese with raspberry sauce. We also ordered a paella - all were good. Service was attentive.

    Andrew A.

    More like a 3.5 as the Fabada Asturiana carried the team with a 5/5. The good: they did a wonderful job making the place look and feel like a Spanish Tasca. The service was excellent with attentive and knowledgeable staff. The Fabada Asturiana, which was the soup of the day, was incredibly flavorful and loaded with chorizo and morcilla, I could've had a lot more of it! The bad: the tapas are based primarily around bread, the bread was stale! Came in a basket that was clearly sitting out, uncovered, one slice at a time. C'mon now, bare minimum is to have fresh bread, and don't skimp on it! We had a table full of tapas with 1/2 a slice of stale bread each... make it make sense. It was very pricey, but it was expected given the location. With quite a few other Spanish cuisine options in the area, I'm not expecting to come back.

    Paella
    Rachel B.

    We went to Taberna Del Alabardero when my parents were in town because my mom really wanted paella. The food was good, and the flamenco dancing was fun entertainment, but overall, I wasn't blown away by the experience. We had booked a reservation on Open Table, and I called to confirm the day before. When we arrived, the host was a bit flustered and couldn't find our reservation, and then he seemed to find it and led us to our table. We did have great seats! Basically right up close to the flamenco dancing! The service was okay. The server did her job but wasn't warm or adding anything to the experience. My biggest complaint is that it was so hot in the restaurant! I run cold and always bring a sweater, but I was sweating because there was no air flow at all in there. It was super uncomfortable and really took away from the experience. The flamenco music and dancing was awesome and definitely the highlight of the night! I loved the guitars. We had a great view of the show. The appetizers were all tasty! The food was very good. The paella was good but not the best I've had. We tried two different seafood paellas. I preferred the squid and octopus paella. The servings are very generous! Each portion is about $42. Overall, a mixed experience. I loved the decor of the restaurant and the flamenco. The food was good but not amazing. And I felt the service left something to be desired.

    Flan and cookies
    Lily B.

    We tried to come for happy hour and didn't know this was a white table cloth establishment! I felt a bit underdressed and dissapointed that the happy hour menu was likely not served in the main dining room. Anyways, we decided to order from the regular menu. While the patatas bravas were fine, these are not a must order here. Do order the gambas al ajillo - perfectly cooked succulent shrimp with crispy garlic chips on top. Chef's kiss! The waitress recommended octopus dish and wow I'm glad she did. It was so tender and flavorful and the potatoes paired nicely with it. The flan was not my favorite (a bit too dense, not light enough). The complimentary butter cookies were very good - so maybe that'll be dessert next time

    Amia P.

    Delicious! I went on a Tuesday evening around 7pm. It was fairly empty. I was going to sit at the bar because I was on a time crunch but it was so lovely inside I got a table right away. Bread service was prompt and I tried the black olive bread that was tasty. The waiter suggested a wine (vina otano) based on my preference for medium bodied. It was divine!! I wanted the crusted baked fish but the waiter told me the wait time was 45 minutes. I ordered the grilled option and it took about 20 minutes. The vegetables and fish were cooked to perfection. I browsed the dessert menu but I didn't want to be late to my next destination so I skipped. I will be returning in the near future. Lastly, a 20% service fee is already included so pay attention to your receipt.

    Bill T.

    When we were in Spain last year, we loved having tapas. The small portions were perfect and allowed us to taste a variety of things without feeling like we just ate an entire chicken or a side of beef. Surprisingly, we haven't had tapas since we've been back in the States, even though there are tons of great options in NYC. When we found ourselves in DC, Yelp recommended this place and I read some reviews and immediately said "Sold!" and off we went. And it was delicious...everything was wonderful to me and they did a great job with pacing. We started with a tuna tartare over avocado appetizer which I loved. Then we started with tapas. They brought out 2 or 3 at a time so the table was never overcrowded and we got to enjoy each dish individually. I loved everything and standouts included the crabmeat fritters and the gildas. Garlic shrimp was amazing and the fried eggplant with honey was almost ethereal in its texture, like eating a crispy cloud topped with honey. The rustic bread was also wonderful. I had two rye old fashioneds which were not only expertly made but delivered in the blink of an eye. Very impressive. The atmosphere is warm and cozy and service it top-notch. I would definitely recommend.

    After dinner complimentary cookies
    Lydia V.

    Popped in while visiting DC and was seated right away. The restaurant is very cozy and cute with lots of Spanish-influenced art and decor. The service is upscale and the staff are professional and friendly. They were good at answering questions about the food items. We ordered tapas and the food did not disappoint! We ordered the fried eggplant with honey, the Serrano ham croquettes, and the tuna and potato salad. The wait staff brought us freshly baked bread and they offered a selection of olive bread, white bread, and wheat bread. The table has a small olive oil cruet. The eggplant was delicious! It was a bit different from the eggplant I had in Barcelona last spring. It was still yummy! The potato and tuna salad was amazing. It was fresh and had good chunks of tuna. It was delicious with some olive oil on top and the perfect accompaniment for the bread. The Serrano ham croquettes were delicious!! They were crunchy in the outside and smooth and creamy on the inside. The bread I had was the olive bread and it was so good. It was fresh, had a nice crust and was very soft and pillowy on the inside. Of course I dipped it in the olive oil on the table for extra yumminess. Our desert was delicate and light and packed with flavor! We ordered the lemon tartar with mango sorbet. It was refreshing and cleansed the palate, which was the perfect way to end our dinner! I definitely will come by again and try other items. I have my eye on the duck liver entree! Yum! Enjoy!

    Jamón time!
    Kwame S.

    We stopped by Taberna del Alabardero to celebrate a low-key birthday. First, the service team was very top-notch and left us waiting for nothing. Actually, we had a very personal experience because we were two of 4-6 people in the restaurant. Since we arrived for an early lunch, I think the restaurant is a little more busy for dinner service. Also, the ambiance of the restaurant makes you feel like you stepped into a bar/restaurant in Madrid. For our dining pleasure, we had a nice spread of delicious bite, which included Croquetas de Boletus y Trufa, Gildas, Pulpo a La Gallega, Gambas Al, Ajillo, Tortilla de Patatas, Ensaladilla de Atún, Patatas Bravas, and Paella Mixta. While I do not remember how everything tasted, I definitely remember taking multiple bites from the various tapas. Yes, we had quite a bit of food for two people. All in all, if you want a pretty decent, low-key tasting Spain, this is your spot. There are other (perhaps more popular) Spanish restaurants in the area, but this one seems to be less busy so it might be easier to get a table here. I thought the prices of our tapas and main course were reasonable compared to other Spanish restaurants in the area.

    CROQUETAS DE JAMÓN SERRANO
    Jamie L.

    I came here with a friend for a light dinner and was immediately stunned by the interior -- a beautiful blend of Victorian elegance. * CROQUETAS DE JAMÓN SERRANO: Crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside, and uniquely shaped into cubes. Absolutely delicious! * CALAMARES A LA ANDALUZA CON ALIOLI DE AJETES: Perfectly fried calamari, incredibly crispy, and elevated by the flavorful scallion aioli -- an excellent pairing. * MEJILLONES CON SALSA MARISCADA: The mussels were fresh served in a bland broth. I've had better. Overall, it was a fantastic dining experience. The food and atmosphere, I'd happily recommend it and plan to return to explore more of the menu!

    Alvaro.
    Charles S.

    I swear I've reviewed la Taberna del Alabardero at least twice. Didn't your own review used to pop up first when you went to a restaurant's site on Yelp? Anyhow we had a fabulous meal with great service in a lovely atmosphere. And if you subtract the cost of drinks, it was very reasonable. See started with an appetizer of txiporones en su tinto con arroz. This was a larger than expected portion of small squids in their ink over the most luscious rice I've ever had anywhere. The main was dorada en sal -- a whole fish baked in salt. It was accompanied by roasted vegetables and a wonderful garlic sauce. Our waiter, Alvaro, broke the thick crust of salt, and very carefully filleted the fish. This dish was obviously meant to be shared. The fish was fabulous -- almost a religious experience. This was the best meal we have had anywhere -- since we were last in Spain. We've eaten at La Taberna maybe four times in the past two years. This was the first time we've tried txiporones or the fish baked in salt. Now I want to explore the whole menu. What a wonderful meal and wonderful evening. We'll be back.

    We visited Taberna for the first time for valentines day. It seemed like they bit off more than they could chew. Most reservations were delayed around 30minutes. The resturant has no where you can stand so you just keep getting pingponged around the hostess area. The food was very tasty but the service was pretty bad. To top it off they add a 20% service charge to the checks but explicitly claim it is not gratuity. 15% of the 20% goes to the staff.....so gratuity. While the remaining 5% goes to the restaurant to keep it running. Honestly it was really tasteless and definitely put a sour taste in our mouth. Like I said above the food was very tasty but I wouldn't go back just on the fact that the service was bad and the service charge was bogus.

    Chicken Paella

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    Authentic and excellent Spanish food in the middle of DC. Croquetas de Jamon are a must.

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    Taberna del Alabardero Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Taberna del Alabardero

    This Saturday, will they have music playing during dinner (I hope so)?

    Yes they do

    On which nights does flamenco happen?

    Fridays and Saturdays starting around 8:00pm until 10:00pm. Call ahead to confirm and to reserve a table near the stage.

    Does the Saturday buffet have a vegan option, how about gluten free ? Thanks.

    I don't believe so.

    Do you have parking?

    Yes, it's across the street and you get validated for 2 hours. Be careful as there's 2 garages on Pennsylvania Ave (one way) by Taberna. The restaurant will be on the right, and the garage you want is on the left, directly across from the restaurant… Read more

    View All 5 Questions

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    Taberna del Alabardero - spanish - Updated May 2026

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