Jaleo - BethesdaFriendly service, very goodFriendly service, very good food. It was hard to decide with all of the interesting options. Shrimp, calamari and rabbit were all flavorful and nicely presented. Bacon wrapped dates were great, as was the cauliflower. Rice pudding and chocolate mousse for dessert were both unusual and yummy. Sangria was good not great. I appreciated that the waiter steered us away from a dessert that wasn't so good.6/15/2013 12:00:00 AMEven tho this is the placeEven tho this is the place for small plates, the portions were pretty satisfying and the prices were as much as an entree in some cases. However, the value is terrific because the ingredients are first rate. There was a Salpicón De Cangrejo Con Salsa Rosa tapa which was crab and cuke and pepper with a brandy sauce - the crab was jumbo lump and gently prepared, so the huge hunks stayed in-tact and moist. Each slice of Pan con Tomate was smeared with tomato sauce and had an anchovie that was pristinely preserved - and deliciously simple. This was nothing like the boney salty anchovies used in cesar salad dressing! The service was rushed and too much so for the early evening meal we had, but it was downtown Bethesda, and it was hopping!6/12/2013 12:00:00 AMWe dine at Jaleo frequently,We dine at Jaleo frequently, and love the restaurant. However, at this visit, there were some definite service problems. We were seated for more than 15 minutes before anyone acknowledged us and took our drink orders. It took maybe 10 minutes for the drinks to be served, and then the waiter walked away without taking our food order. He returned in a few minutes to do that, and then it took about 30 minutes to get our first dish. I noticed many of the other restaurant guests were waiting with empty tables as well. The food was excellent as usual, when it actually arrived. One major disappointment was that we were never served bread, and there are so many great sauces on the dishes at Jaleo that are great to enjoy with the bread.6/12/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat TapasGlad we had booked as it was very busy ( friday evening) . Staff were friendly and helpful. There is a wide choice on the menu or you can have one of the tasting menus. Food was good but there was a long wait between ordering and the first plate arriving, also plates came out in dribs an drabs which personally Iam not keen on. I prefer to have it all so I can pick an mix what Iam eating, thats the joy of tapas. Where as here you got 2 plates at a time and new ones were not brought out till the others were cleared. So we ended up with, fish dishes, then meat, then veggie.... it also mean't we were not eating as a couple, as Iam not a meat eater so at one stage ended up just sat watching my husband eat.6/7/2013 12:00:00 AMEnjoyable tasting menuThe tasting menu provided a great selection of different tapas and encouraged us to try some things that we might not have ordered otherwise.6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMSangria & Salt CodThe red Sangria was delicious ... and strong! Also, the salt cod fritters were the most scrumptious little morsels. We'll definitely be going back.5/26/2013 12:00:00 AMI've eaten at this Jaleo inI've eaten at this Jaleo in Bethesda many times, but what I found especially intrusive this visit was the energy with which staff kept coming up to our table to remove plates, even while my friend still had food on hers. They kept interrupting our conversations and eventually I felt like putting up a screen! Otherwise, a good place to eat.5/26/2013 12:00:00 AMalways good food.So many things to choose from, great drinks, good location. Took the folks there and went through 16 dishes, some better than others, but none disappointing.5/26/2013 12:00:00 AMjaleo reviewFood was very good. Ambiance was perfect for a date with my girlfriend. Will be back soon.5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent food as usualThe food was enjoyable as usual. The patatas gravas, quail, and other dishes had their usual great flavor. This is a place for serious eating and the ambience is not really the reason to go to Jaleo. Just enjoy some really tasty dishes, have a carafe of sangria, and go home happy.5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMTops for tapas in D.C.While u may not sample the cutting edge molecular cuisine of Chef Andres, visiting Jaleo allow iris ample many delicious types and styles of tapas. Standouts were the scallop dish an "fried" seafood pasta. Excellent Mojitos and sangria as well!5/24/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat spot for outdoor diningExcellent tapas, paella, and sangria. Good place to dine outside on a nice night in Bethesda.5/22/2013 12:00:00 AMFood wonderful; service not so muchAs always, the food at Jaleo was delicious. We had the patas bravas, always a good choice; eggplant with honey - just terrific; spinach, which was fine; and several other dishes - all very good. The tapas here are always good. Dessert was also great - a chocolate mousse with ice cream. We did miss the hazelnut torte, though. I hope they bring that one back. Service, however, was not up to their usual excellence. While we are used to tapas coming out at various rates, our salmon didn't come until we had finished everything and were really ready for dessert. Several different waiters came around and wiped our table, one after the other. It felt like something wasn't coordinated. Great food, but kind of an off night for service.5/19/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Night Out!!!My husband and I went to Jaleo for our anniversary, and requested specific regional dishes. The chef, who just returned from the very same region, came to our table and personally recommended dishes to try. The level of attentiveness and service, combined with the great food will not be forgotten!5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMYummy Spring Tapas SelectionsMy husband and I stopped in for a late lunch. We ordered several items off the gluten-free menu, including the shaved apple/fennel salad, the goat cheese and orange endive spears, the made-to-order Spanish omelette. Husband ordered a couple items off the brunch menu (10 minutes before the brunch specials ended). Jaleo doesn't offer salt/pepper at the table, and for good reason. Everything was tasty and hearty, with perfectly-balanced flavors and spices. I got a fresh-squeezed orange juice, which the waiter told he made by hand for me because it was so late in the day. It was appreciated, so delicious! My husband was thrilled with the "Moorish Invasion" cocktail, of which he had two. All in all, a good, quiet, late-lunch meal.5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMJaleo was not a "formula"Jaleo was not a "formula" restaurant, despite Jose Andres's celebrity. Very creative food and better than expected. Would recommend highly.5/13/2013 12:00:00 AMAlways excellentJaileo is simply the best in Bethesda if you want great food.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMSolidI've loved dining at Jaleo since dining at it's first location near the Verizon Center (back when it was the ONLY restaurant down there...except for Cafe Atlantico). This location is great too. Good for groups. The food is tasty and the service was fantastic. We had a huge group and the servers were very attentive and had great suggestions. My only critique is of the noise level. It's loud and little bit dark.5/8/2013 12:00:00 AMGood food, good funThere's something about tapas restaurants that makes dining extra fun. The small plates concept lets you sample lots of different dishes, without overdoing it or spending too much $. Jaleo does a great job with this, each of our choices was delicious and the service was friendly and attentive. We were there for a late lunch, so the place was not crowded, so I'm sure about my noise level comment in the middle of a busy lunch or dinner. Highly recommend.5/7/2013 12:00:00 AMBrunch Tapas StyleSeveral of the dishes were real winners: the wilted spinach, apple, pine nut, and raisin salad was fresh, light and satisfying, and I'm a sucker for anything with poached, runny eggs. It was surprisingly quiet for a Sunday lunch, which made the atmosphere a little cold. Were it more busy, I think the ambiance would have been more enjoyable.5/5/2013 12:00:00 AMNicely pacedWhat I like best about Jaleo is that you can order as you're ready. There's isn't an abundance of food brought to the table all at once, so you can enjoy both the meal and your dining partners. The staff is extremely accommodating with this type of service, and we appreciate that. A little slow in getting the bill, but we truly weren't in a rush.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMGood food in a loud environment.Met some friends here thatbinhavent seen in years. They're going to Spain and wanted to experience the food. Food met all our expectations but the noise level was so loud conversation was difficult. Good place for a party atmosphere but not for a reunion of old friends wanting to catch up.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMHallelujah, Jaleo!My mother, 23-year-old son and I had lunch there the other day. My son lives in Boston now, but Jaleo is his favorite restaurant so when he comes to town I always take him. He had learned about Jose's famous gin-and-tonic, so we all had one, and we were delighted with it. After writing down all of the tapas we wanted to have, our charming waiter conspired with the chef to encourage us to do The Jaleo Experience tasting menu. We received everything that we had wanted to order, plus wonderful surprises. A "bad" dish was simply very good; the best dishes were nothing short of sublime. Our dining experience could not have been better; our three generations of family will remember this occasion forever. Of course, we will be back!!4/30/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat mealLunch went as expected...very good food at a decent price. Service was excellent as glasses werer refilled and food brought out promptly. Sever checked routinely to make sure everything was okay.4/29/2013 12:00:00 AMintroduced newbies to Tapasdined with 3 out of town guests, one had been to Jaleo before, the others had never had tapas, they now feel like they can't ever have them again because this was such a superior experience it can't be bettered or even equalled. The menu has changed a bit since the last time we were there and the new items are fun and innovative. The gin and tonic dessert was phenomenal! loved the dates and bacon, the gambones con aljillo were awesome as always. the sea urchin was surprisingly good, we didn't know exactly what to expect but it was great. servers very attentive4/29/2013 12:00:00 AMGazpacho is #1My fiance and I are picky eaters. Jaleo is consistently top notch -- we've eaten here 4-5 times in the last twelve months. Their gazpacho is truly sensational. The scallops are always done just right. The gin and tonic sorbet sounds better than it is -- though, if you are an adventurous type, give it a whirl.
I would highly recommend Jaleo to any foodie.4/28/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent food but a bit noisy!This was probably our fifth or sixth dining experience at Jaleo. We took friends who had never been there and they loved it. The food was excellent (as always), and the server was attentive but not overbearing.The only negative is the noise level (which is considerable), although we were still able to converse, albeit it at higher than normal decibel level.That said, we will continue to return (we have spent birthdays & Mother's Day, as well as non-occasion visits) frequently!4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMAlways the best. The friedAlways the best. The fried artichokes were a delight. The eggplant was a slight miss. Could have used a bit more honey or sauce. Management and staff were truly attentive and a great meal was had.4/25/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was great! JaleoThe food was great! Jaleo was the only restaurant I visited for Bethesda Restaurant week and I'm so glad I did!4/21/2013 12:00:00 AMFood, ambiance, service wereFood, ambiance, service were topnotch. Exceeded my expectation4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMWe had another great mealWe had another great meal here and reasonably price. The gigs wrapped in bacon were delicious.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMFun Fun Saturday NightOne of the best dinners i have ever experienced. My daughter and I were in town visiting some friends & wanted to treat them. We were 3 adults, 3 teens and 1 tween all with varied tastes. From the moment we arrived until we walked out the door a couple hours later we enjoyed impeccable service! Our server was fantastic treating our foodie teens with the upmost respect and she was very patient with our picky tween. The wine list is perfectly matched and every dish we ordered (there were many) arrived beautifully presented & delicious! It was great fun to pass small plates and bowls around the table for everyone to try. Our faves were the mussels, cauliflower, cheeses, slider, & shrimp. Desserts are well worth leaving stuffed!4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMGood choice during Restaurant WeekThe menu is normally pricey for what you get, but the food is quite good. Going during Restaurant Week makes the price much more reasonable, and allows for trying several different items.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMBethesda Row Restaurant WeekGreat restaurant with very high-quality tapas, although not quite Spanish-authentic as prices are fairly high and the tapas don't come with the beer! My party of three took advantage of the set menu for Bethesda Row Restaurant Week and there was plenty of food to go around, as well as great vegetarian and non-vegetarian choices. Wine list is very good (although it would be great if they had more wines from Andalucia)... The bartender even whipped up a lovely tinto de verano.4/16/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food is excellent, andThe food is excellent, and authentic. My only quibble is that the experience is paced more like an American restaurant than a tapas bar. I have learned to "self-pace", ordering only 1 or 2 things at a time. I have not used the bar, so perhaps the experience is different there. The noise level is pretty high, it actually seems quieter in the bar area - but that may be to allow fanatics to watch Barca in peace.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMOur first visit to Jaleo inOur first visit to Jaleo in Bethesda and it was lovely. A very quiet week-day lunch which is a major change from any meal in the DC space which is always slammed. We were very impressed with the fennel, apple and manchego salad and hope to recreate something similar at home. Also loved the chicken fritters, onion and potato tortilla and one of the cheese options that contained just a touch of pimenton and was paired with some bitter orange marmalade - delicious! Our shared dessert of pan con chocolate was truly memorable!4/8/2013 12:00:00 AMJose's places are always excellent.Jose's places are always excellent. Tapas are delicious. Paella was not bad for not made in Spain.4/7/2013 12:00:00 AMBetter than ever!Have dined at both Jaleos for many years and always found it consistently good. My last experience was exceptional. Jose has added some new dishes - or they were new to me. Everything our table of four had was superb.4/7/2013 12:00:00 AMHave been to Jaleo in DC manyHave been to Jaleo in DC many times. First time in Bethesda. Every bit as good but easier to get a reservation. As always the food is top notch. Can't wait to go back.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AM2nd time at the restaurantNever had the Estrella Damm Lager on draft before. Very nice. Light and smooth. The Pan with anchovy was very good and the Short Rib special was excellent.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMThe meal was wonderful asThe meal was wonderful as always. It seemed that the dishes were a little bigger than last time I remember. The atmosphere is always great there and it was not too noisey.4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMI love Jaleo! The food isI love Jaleo! The food is always perfectly prepared and delicious. The presentation is beautiful as well. This is a great place!3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMIf going with a large group,If going with a large group, give the tasting menu a try. The chef will hand select dishes to make based on your group. It was an excellent food experience!3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMWe had over-the-top serviceWe had over-the-top service and food, -- a very memorable experience!3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMNew menu items are phenomenal!Jaleo never disappoints and has always wowed us every time. The new menu items echo the brilliance and creativity of Jose Andres and his culinary chefs Ramon and James. The white asparagus with citrus segments really bring you to the spring season with its wildflower look. These white asparagus spears are much raved and sought after by Spanish foodies. The fried baby artichoke with anchovy sauce will surprise anyone with the combination if flavors and textures. The new Sangria is even more splendid with the cinnamon after taste. Kudos as always! Thank you Diego and Carlos for a memorable evening of personalized service!3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMOnce again an excellent mealOnce again an excellent meal at the Bethesda Jaleos. The menu selection change from time to time, with creative items you wont find anywhere else. The service was top notch.3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMVery Good food - the menuVery Good food - the menu is a bit daunting for guests new to the Tapas concept. Over 70 choices! Hard to narrow selections down to a rational set. The good news is that everything is great so you can't go wrong.3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMJaleo, relative to many otherJaleo, relative to many other tapas experiences, shines for their food and service. Best dish was the Patatas Bravas--cooked to perfection and incredibly flavorful. They paired extremely well with the marinated Chicken and parsley puree (almost like a pesto). We also enjoyed the Red Sangria and manchego cheese with apricot. Plus, chocolate mousse with praline ice cream for dessert was the perfect finishing touch. Very happy for my first visit and looking forward to a return trip!3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMFood was terrific, but stuckFood was terrific, but stuck next to a party of 14. Thus, service was not that good.3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMWe were in town on a miniWe were in town on a mini vacation with our toddler. I was nervous to bring him, but the restaurant was loud and the staff was very child friendly! The food was amazing- def recommend the gazpacho, so delicious! Disappointed that the white sangria doesn't come in glasses, just carafes. The red sangria was different, had some spice in it like cinnamon or all spice. Wasn't a huge fan and a little disappointed by it, but the food made up for it!3/29/2013 12:00:00 AM