OyamelSalt 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 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 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 AMOyamel DeliveredI had heard about Oyamel and decided it was a must visit restaurant while I was in the DC area. Went for brunch on Cinco de Mayo and I was not disappointed. Everything was delicious and fresh. I would definitely visit again if I am in the area.5/5/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderful food!The food was amazing. Our server was pleasant. efficient and knowledgable. A great overall experience.5/5/2013 12:00:00 AMI have dined here many times.I have dined here many times. The food is always excellent. Usually the servers are very attentive and interactive. This time that was not the case but it was Cinco de Mayo brunch and the place was eventually packed.
If you want amazing Latin food or just a few creative cocktails this place is the place to go.5/5/2013 12:00:00 AMDelishFood was delish! Only bad thing was we had to wait about 20 min for our reservation and they put us next to the hostess desk which isnt an idea location, but other than the food and margaritas were fantastic!5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent, AgainAfter eating at Oyamel last summer with my family, I made a reservation for my girlfriend and my good friends. The food and the service impressed everyone at the table, and it was clear from the warm environment that the surrounding diners were having fun as well. Eat here.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMQualityGood food and drinks. A little pricey, but quality food for sure. Make sure to try the guacamole and a margarita with salt air.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMHoly GuacOyamel never seems to disappoint. I highly recommend the Oyamel margarita and definitely trying the guacamole.4/29/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Mexican food in DC.Great Mexican food in DC. It is a very upscale version of Mexican.4/29/2013 12:00:00 AMWhen I arrived, my friendsWhen I arrived, my friends had already been sat, though the reservation was in my name.we ordered margaritas for starters and guacamole! This was the first time that my friends would eat Mexican food at Oyamel (not sure they had had Mexican food at all before). Our waiter gave us helpful hints on how many portions we should get per person and we order the tacos and some meatball. All was very good and also the wine we chose for dinner...
After eating a little bit too much we didn't have dessert.
After all it was a good experience, nothing really outstanding but also all well pretty smoothly! By the time our time was up we were done with dinner and ready to go!4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMRelatively small restaurantRelatively small restaurant with some unique decorations and lively atmosphere. The food was great and the waitress was very engaging. The drinks were great as well.4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderful place, one of theWonderful place, one of the best Mexican food places in town, I love the tapas concept.4/25/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent and authentic MexicanExcellent and authentic Mexican food....served as small plates. It is easy to order 3 or 4 plates per person and share with your table companions.4/23/2013 12:00:00 AMI love Oyamel, it's real problemI love Oyamel, it's real problem is noise. I had to shout across the table for my husband to hear me! It was the only downside to an otherwise lovely meal.4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMBest restuarant in DCI can't say enough about this restaurant. The food was incredible, not your usual hodge podge of tex mex... this is really creative, outstanding fare, drawn from the Yucatan peninsula and Mexican chefs who understand gourmet food... The crispy Brussels sprouts were the best I've ever had. The ceviche are also incredible. The drinks are all original creations and rate very high, not to mention that you can get their margaritas in pitchers. Our server was great, Alex... He was not only knowledgeable about the food but also prepared several tables worth of fresh guacamole. Prices are reasonable, not cheap but the value is high. Meats were perfectly done, we also had fish tacos and a really great cactus salad. Please GO THERE!4/18/2013 12:00:00 AMOne of my two favorite spotsOne of my two favorite spots downtown, the other being Rasika. Very clever menu, all delicious.4/18/2013 12:00:00 AMServer really went out ofServer really went out of his way to point out specials, keep the glasses filled, and was always right at hand when we needed him. Hard to talk, however. Quite noisy. But for very good Mexican/Spanish tapas type food, despite the noise, this is the place.4/18/2013 12:00:00 AMNot my first, nor my lastNot my first, nor my last time dining at Oyamel ... the menu has consistent favorites as well as new food and drink additions every time I visit. The chilaquiles were outstanding at an authentic level.4/17/2013 12:00:00 AMWent here for my birthdayWent here for my birthday and had a blast! Food was fantastic, though small portions, ordering a variety of items was also good in exploring the menu. Im normally not a fan of mojitos but their mojitos are amazing, no mint leaves and all foam!!! A great twist to a traditional mojito!4/17/2013 12:00:00 AMFabulous food and excellentFabulous food and excellent service all in a comfortable, yet lively, environment. Oyamel is one of our favorite restaurants.4/17/2013 12:00:00 AMOyamel is wonderful and theOyamel is wonderful and the staff is gracious and kind. It's one of our favorite places. Thanks Oyamel for making us happy!4/15/2013 12:00:00 AMFabulousFantastic food, fabulous margaritas . A really wonderful evening,4/15/2013 12:00:00 AMOne of my dishes that I orderedOne of my dishes that I ordered never made it to the table. No problem. The waitress apologized and removed it from the bill. Hey, it happens. Otherwise everything else here was awesome.4/14/2013 12:00:00 AMA Must TryThe food is clean, fresh, and the individual components work in harmony to produce an ethereal enjoyment with each bite. The bar concoctions are very clever and equally tasty. Service is good. Whether visiting or a DC native, you should try Oyamel.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was great! We orderedThe food was great! We ordered the tableside guacamole and it was the spiciest any of us had ever had. Food was delcious and very unique. Would definitely go back again!4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMWe went for dinner on a FridayWe went for dinner on a Friday night. Service was great. We arrived early for our reservation and was seated within a few minutes. The waitress was nice. We ordered the Pollo con mole poblano and returned it. The chicken had a burnt taste to it and the waitress, without question, removed it from the bill. If you are very hungry and/or are looking for a large meal, this is not the place for you. You have to order multiple items because the entrees are very small. We will be returning.4/12/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food! We enjoyed everything.Great food! We enjoyed everything...we ordered about 6 different dishes and they were lovely.4/11/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was amazing! LovedThe food was amazing! Loved the guacamole and margaritas and tacos and I could go on...
Cons: it's really loud and the service was just okay.
I will definitely go back again though!4/10/2013 12:00:00 AMFun restaurant with greatFun restaurant with great food choices. Great for a group! Try the grasshopper taco4/9/2013 12:00:00 AMVery good food and service.Very good food and service. On the expensive side.4/7/2013 12:00:00 AMReal Mexican, real goodAmazing food. It's tapas style and the size of the plates really ranges (the tacos are like 3 bites but some items are quite sizable). Next time we go, I'm just going to order 4 tacos, they're the best deal and the best items on the menu. Alcoholic drinks are very well crafted but also pricey. Notable non-alcoholic drink menu: daily lemonade, aqua frescas, authentic sodas, etc.4/7/2013 12:00:00 AMFood was really good. ServiceFood was really good. Service was great. Good time overall.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMAlways great tapasExcellent and imaginative tapas and cocktails. Beautifully prepared. An overall excellent occasion.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMFood was unusual and creative.Food was unusual and creative. Service was excellent. The only downside was that the restaurant was VERY noisy.4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat service. Great food.Sammy held our reservation as we were running a little late. Great service.4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMOur service was OUTSTANDING!Our service was OUTSTANDING! The ambiance was funky and classy, but I didn't feel out of place with my 14-month-old in a high chair. We will definitely go back.4/3/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat time, would definitelyGreat time, would definitely recommend/go back. Ceviche, Margaritas and mojitos were all delicious. I also loved the mushroom taco4/2/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat margaritas, they useGreat margaritas, they use a salty foam that floats on top instead of salting the rim of the glass, very nice! Great guacamole made right at the table. Small portion style restaurant so we were able to sample several dishes. We took the kids and got a seat in the window looking right onto the street, otherwise it might have been a little hard to keep our young kids settled.3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMBest restaurant of our trip.Stand outs were: the Oyamel Margarita with "salt air", Crab and Shrimp Ceviche and Guacamole prepared table side.3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was excellent butThe food was excellent but at one point the restaurant became a bit loud for my taste (perhaps due to the bachelorette party next to us). A VERY energetic place - overall a very fun and delicious experience.3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food...ordered lotsGreat food...ordered lots of small plates and enjoyed it all!3/28/2013 12:00:00 AMauthentic oaxacan with a twistOyamel is my go-to place when in DC. They never disappoint.3/28/2013 12:00:00 AMThe menu offered a wide arrayThe menu offered a wide array of options, and everything was delicious. The waiter made some mistakes with the orders, and was only somewhat apologetic. Overall great find, would recommend.3/28/2013 12:00:00 AMAnother fabulous Jose AndresAnother fabulous Jose Andres spot. Never thought that, as a Texan, I'd go for Mexican food in DC, but this is neither TexMex nor strict interior Mexican cuisine. Only negative is that the supporting waitstaff were in too much of a hurry to hustle our plates off the table.3/27/2013 12:00:00 AMInteresting food; great flavor;Interesting food; great flavor; margarita was ok but not in my top 5; food served as tapas, so be ready to share3/26/2013 12:00:00 AMBest Mexican food we haveBest Mexican food we have had in DC. The tuna ceviche is remarkable and the churros are an absolute treat (only available on the weekend menu, I think). They serve the best margaritas too. It's worth every penny.3/24/2013 12:00:00 AM