OyamelFood was excellent and funFood was excellent and fun spot for small plates. Decor looked kind of tired suggest some update or cleaning needed.6/15/2013 12:00:00 AMCheck It OutOur group enjoyed dinner at this Mexican cuisine restaurant. Food was good. Service was very good.6/14/2013 12:00:00 AMYum!The food is so yummy (and we don't usually like fusion things... this you can still tell is supposed to be upscale Hispanic food). And it looks so fancy--lots of photos. It made our out-of-town guest feel really special in the midst of long weeks of meetings. And they were smart enough to put us in an interesting corner where our toddler could be entertained (mirrors, ceiling art, cool furniture) yet out of the way, and they weren't miffed when Mr. Ancy-pants got out of his high-chair. That to us is a truly classy restaurant--tons of style, fancy food, great bar, and don't freak out about a kid, just integrate him as if he were a grown-up who'd had an excellent margarita.6/12/2013 12:00:00 AMI appreciate the nice smallI appreciate the nice small portions of very tasty high quality food that Oyamel offers, because it means I can have a gourmet lunch and not fall asleep back at my desk. My companion and I enjoyed a selection of the small tacos this time which were all great. In contrast to a previous visit, the service was highly attentive and we were able to be served and pay on our desired business day schedule.6/10/2013 12:00:00 AMgreat mexican food....but beware of the 13.50 USD Guacamala - that's quite a rip off!6/9/2013 12:00:00 AMGood food with a lot of interestingGood food with a lot of interesting tapas-style choices. Service was EXTREMELY slow on a Saturday night when the restaurant was at most 3/4 full.6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMFantasticGreat drinks. Wonderful food. Excellent service. That's all you need to know.6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMDeliciousThis is my boyfriend's favorite restaurant. He took me there for our first date, and we just went back for his birthday. We love the rice with truffles- it's one of the best dishes I've ever had. Their margaritas, guacamole and ceviche are outstanding. I can't wait to go back!6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMLoved the Oyamel margarita.Loved the Oyamel margarita. We were celebrating a special occasion and this was the perfect spot.6/7/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat foodFood is fantastic. Service was great. Tables are a bit too close to each other where it's hard not to hear others conversations and know they can hear yours.6/7/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat for lunch tooOyamel is one of our go-to places for dinner before woolly mammoth. Turns out it is great at lunch, too. And when you take out the delicious margaritas (since it was a workday lunch) it ends up being pretty reasonable. I can't wait for the expansion. That should surely help the lack of elbow space. I hope.6/6/2013 12:00:00 AMNever a bad mealAlways great. Love this place. Spent a lot of time in Mexico as a child, and this place brings back all those tastes and memories from childhood.6/5/2013 12:00:00 AMcelebrated a birthdaymoderately pricey but worth it for the quality and diversity of food, especially recommend the guacamole6/5/2013 12:00:00 AMNice surprise!Although I did not participate in the small plates experience, the lunch tortas that my party had were wonderful. The guacamole and salsa were great too!6/5/2013 12:00:00 AMFun evening, great foodThe food here was terrific. Best guacamole I've ever had. Cute and tasty little tacos. And they had a melted cheese and tequila thing that was take-a-bath-in-it awesome. Fun decorations, good service.6/2/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat FoodBest Guacamole I've ever had!
Love the small portions at small prices.6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMNice find!This is a great spot for a one-of-a-kind meal. Be sure to make a reservation as they're always packed. The guacamole is to die for, as are the margaritas with "salt air." Will definitely return.6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMThe most authentic "real"The most authentic "real" Mexican food (as opposed to Tex-Mex or Southwest) my family has ever experienced in the US. We immigrated from Mexico City 36 years ago and are delighted with your restaurant.6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMFirst timeI would say the food was ok. The guacamole was excellent and the Oyamel margaritas were awesome. Dishes were all interesting but not always flavorful.5/31/2013 12:00:00 AMSuper tastyThe almuerzo rapido is great - both my friend and I were super full by the end - we had 2 of the appetizers and 1 taco. You MUST get the shrimp appetizer on the almuerzo rapido menu - best I've ever had. They also served fresh guavo juice which was fantastic and the chips and dip were also really good. Only thing I regret is that it gets VERY noisy.5/31/2013 12:00:00 AMNice experienceI needed a restaurant to take a friend and a co-worker suggested Oyamel's. It was a great suggestion. The food was fabulous and the environment was fun. Our waitress was helpful and fun. I would recommend this to my friends.5/30/2013 12:00:00 AMAs usual Oyamel never disappoints.The table-side guac was great and the service was awesome! Sadly the Haitian menu item that had been advertised wasn't available but otherwise everything went great!5/29/2013 12:00:00 AMperfect patio lunchGreat service, great food, great experience. Very reasonable prices. Would highly recommend. Ask host Stanley for an outdoor table. Sometimes outdoors means you're forgotten, but Alex took great care of us. Loved the table-side guac, homemade chips, sampling of small tacos, and really refreshing "tonics" made with fresh juices. Hard to believe you could have such a good outdoor lunch in a busy downtown setting.5/28/2013 12:00:00 AMOyamel Sunday brunchThis was our first foray into Mexican food in DC, and although the food at Oyamel was very different to what I'm used to in Mexican restaurants in North Carolina, it was absolutely delicious! I really enjoyed the Blood Orange Margarita and the vegetarian options are also really tasty (especially the brussel sprouts in peanut sauce -- amazing!) This was tapas-style food, so you have to order several dishes, but that just opens up the options to try multiple things! I definitely recommend this for a (slightly fancier) brunch option and I'm sure lunch and dinner are fantastic as well.5/27/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent Pre-Theater brunchWe met friends from out of town for brunch before a play at Sydney Harmon.
The mimosas and guacamole were great selections for starters. The waitress was friendly and helpful, answered all our questions and made recommendations which were all excellent. We will definitely go back!5/26/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat place for Dining !The place was crowded when we reached there but it was worth the wait. The service was excellent and we had the drinks - oaxacan orange and oyamel marharita with 'salt air' - very good !! Then ensalada des palmitos and grilled cactus were delicious. It is place where you can be sure to enjoy the ambience and the food !!5/26/2013 12:00:00 AMOur waiter was outstanding.Our waiter was outstanding. His advice was spot on for both drinks and food. We enjoyed everything we ate. The portions were good: not skimpy and not "oversized".5/23/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food, subpar serviceThe food here is outstanding, especially the tacos and guacamole but the service is in much need of improvement. The servers do not keep track of who ordered which tacos, and always just deliver the tacos and let the diners try to figure out who ordered what -- which can be difficult for the diner to remember (and in any event should be the waiter's responsibility). They also will deliver food ordered by different people on the same plate -- which makes it awkward for business lunches.5/23/2013 12:00:00 AMTasty, But Not Speedy QuickOur food was delicious! Presentation counts, but I think it should not create work for me as the diner. The Ceasar salad did just that -- a lovely fan of whole lettuce leaves, but then I had to cut them all up in order to eat. Service was a bit slow and confused. One gentleman who delivered our food was difficult to understand and twice presented dishes we did not order.5/20/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat table, great service,Great table, great service, great food.
The drinks seemed slow to arrive, but service was good overall.
The oyamel margarita was great!
Desserts were great too!5/19/2013 12:00:00 AMYes, Sir, I Like ItMy family and I went to Oyamel following my graduation last Sunday. We arrived at approximately 8:00 PM and were seated immediately. My family is from out of town, and I thought that they would enjoy Oyamel as a special treat, and they most certainly did. The gratis chips and salsa are much better than any standard chips and salsa. The table-side guacamole is great. Our server was very friendly and knowledgeable about the food, and we all enjoyed our dishes. My only criticism is that there are not many simple dishes that appeal to children's very discerning tastes. (My brother usually orders chicken fingers at restaurants.) I understand that Oyamel is not necessarily meant for little kids, but my brother found little to order.5/19/2013 12:00:00 AMDecided to give it a try.Decided to give it a try. Oh the food! Wonderful! We each ordered a different cevieche. I liked the Hawaiian, better than my traditional, but all good. The smoky salsa is the only salsa that can compete with my bride's homemade.
Our server was johnny-on-the spot. But table busing was way too attentive. I felt I had to defend last morsels by stabbing with my fork. One item we ordered didn't come. But we were too stuffed to insist on it. Not on the bill.
We arrived early for a 6:00PM Saturday night reservation. Had to wait until near our res for seating. The joint was jumpin'. Thus the high noise level.5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderful birthday dinnerThank you to the staff who made my birthday treat for my sweetheart a special event. I've eaten at Oyamel many times and I've never been disappointed. We were seated at the table I requested (thank you so very much), our server's menu suggestions were right on target, and each dish was beautifully prepared and presented. I was very impressed with the sweet potato flan with pear ice cream and caramel-just the right touch of sweet and tangy, warm and cool flavors. Your staff is attentive, inviting, and polite, even the staff who bus the tables--please commend them all at your next staff meeting for their splendid work on a very busy evening. I always was made to feel at home. Can't wait to eat our way through the menu for years to come!5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMOyamel is a special placeI love Oyamel. On my second visit, I was even more satisfied than the first. Their food is wonderfully prepared. They pay great attention to detail in the service, the food, and the ambiance. I was very happy that they gave us a great seat with our reservation, and really listened to our dining needs. This is my favorite Mexican restaurant in DC. As a Mexican who comes from a family of restaurateurs, I hope my opinion sticks with you and encourages you to attend this restaurant. Order what you think you might like from the menu, and they will thrill you.5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Mexican experienceThis is what high end Mexican food is all about. Never mind your "usual" taco's and enchilada's the food here is an experience. All the ceviche's are to die for and the small "two bite" tacos are worth exploring. Some of the mains were less inspiring and my turkey "confit" enchilada was merely ok after the great starters. The table side guacamole is very good but only order if there are 4 or more of you. The first time we ordered this with just two of us, we were full by the time our starters arrived. Finally the house made chips and salsa is always a good way to evaluate the quality and the smokey / spicy salsa is fantastic as are the homemade corn chips.
This is our second time and a "must" stop when we go to Washington.5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMLoved the guacamole and cevichesTableside guacamole was a nice size portion although a bit pricey. It can be made to whatever level of spiciness desired which was a nice touch. The ceviches that we tried were both fresh and flavorful. The grilled cactus dish was a uniques and delicious preparation. Go for the $20 3-course lunch. More than enough food.5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMFlavors as loud as the atmosphere!Be ready for fun, adventurous small plates, but also be ready for noise in this smallish Penn Quarter spot. Great, authentic Mexican food choices. The tamales and chiles rellenos are top-notch, as is the tableside guacamole. Margaritas will set you back at least $12, but they are very premium and tasty. The tacos are also great and only about $4 each, but I come here for the other small plates. Service is great and knowledgeable.5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMGood food great serviceOnly issue I had was that the Albondigas were over salted. I loved everything else about my experience.5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMAlways great experienceWhen I have family in town I always take them here. The margaritas are always excellent and you can not go wrong with the ceviches.5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMIncredibly good taste~Food felt very organic and taste was a sensation....mushroom tacos!5/16/2013 12:00:00 AMSuperbI frequent Oyamel with a friend often. Yestrrday he couldn't join me at our special table; however, Stanley decided to compensate by seating me at the best table outdoors. Needless to say, it worked out famously - it was a lovely day, food and service were excellent.
Thanks to Stanley for always ensuring lunch is an enjoyable experience.5/16/2013 12:00:00 AMLoud when busy, deliciousLoud when busy, delicious tacos, scallops, and margaritas. I look forward to returning soon.5/16/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderful waitress (nursingWonderful waitress (nursing student). Best waitress we had in our three week stay in America.5/16/2013 12:00:00 AMOK, but not great.I expected something spectacular. Food was good, but not great. Way too much salt!. Our reservation was not ready on time, and, having specifically reserved a quiet table, we had to settle for a noisy table. Also, given that we each had to order at least 3 dishes, the meal was more expensive then expected. Kind of a tapas version of Mexican food. Rick Bayless's restaurant at ORD airport was much better.5/16/2013 12:00:00 AMInventive fun and vibrantThe food here continues to be a delight and a revelation each time we go, all consistently luscious and arresting but with enough variety it never becomes routine. The Chiliquiles for comfort, grasshoppers for adventure, corn fungus for the heck of it and carnitas, yucatan barbeque and on and on for the sheer pleasure of it. The tiny plates make sharing a soemtimes complicated thing and more help from the waiters would have been appreciated. In fact, any help from the service staff would have been appreciated. The service was really poor. We waited and waited for everything, but mostly for our waiter to come by, to come back to take our drink order, our food order, refil our drinks. We never did get one grain of the salt we asked for.5/15/2013 12:00:00 AMCreative authentic MexicanThe drinks at Oyamel are absolutely amazing! Many of them use infused ingredients, so you can't even taste the alcohol. The food (inventive, authentic Mexican) is also really good, though I found it to be a bit heavy. So I would recommend eating at Oyamel during cooler months rather than warmer months; and drinks any time of year of course. Great service and first-rate table-side guac!5/14/2013 12:00:00 AMSalt Air a unique hit!I'm not referring to the ocean; instead their signature margarita "Oyamel." No salt rim needed, the foam topping fills the need. Each sip begins with salt air followed by a fabulous margarita. Outstanding! The small pate format allows many samples and overall quality was superior. The only down side was the Papas. Taco choices are varied and exceptional. Salsa was very good and the guacamole excellent. It's a very energetic place where young professionals gather around the bar sipping Drink and devouring the guacamole, while you may see a senator, or two in our case, and a cabinet secretary in dining room. Quite the experience.5/14/2013 12:00:00 AMSimply awesomeOver numerous visits over several years this continues to be our favorite restaurant. Highly recommended, everything is created with such care and explosion of flavors in your mouth, from the drinks to the guacamole. Every once in a while we find a menu item that we personally don't like that much, but since the menu changes somewhat along with the specials there are always new exciting things to try. Can't wait to go back and continue to share this experience with our friends.5/13/2013 12:00:00 AMLove this place!My third visit here (during each of my 3 visits in the last month!). Great menu and drinks. Really remarkable food and overall concept. One of my favs that I look forward to riding down on the Acela from NY.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Mother's DayWe went to Oyamel to celebrate Mother's Day. The Mexican tapas were great - a nice play on traditional mexican dishes. Cocktails were also very good. The staff went out of their way to ensure we enjoyed our dinner, and even got a taxi for us at the end.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AM