Spanish Diner – Bethesda

Name: Spanish Diner – Bethesda
Address: 7271 Woodmont Avenue, Bethesda, MD, United States, 20814
Telephone: (301) 284-3700
Price range: $30 and under
Rating: 4

4.0

3712 Reviews

$30 and under

Spanish

Top Tags:

José and his team decided to bring this exciting restaurant to Bethesda, where José and his family reside. The menu at Spanish Diner is quintessentially Spanish, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find these dishes at any restaurant in Spain as these are the recipes that are found at home, shared around the kitchen table with family and friends, generation after generation.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Sep 28, 2023

7:00 PM

Booked 7 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Cuisines
Spanish, Home cooking, Southern Spain
Hours of operation
Mon–Fri 11:00 am–10:00 pm Sat 10:00 am–10:00 pm Sun 10:00 am–9:00 pm
Phone number
(301) 284-3700
Website
http://www.spanishdiner.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Contactless Payment, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual
Executive chef
Head Chef Daniel Lugo
Private party contact
Sarah Martinez: (855) 821-1980

Location
7271 Woodmont Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20814
Neighborhood
Bethesda / Chevy Chase
Cross street
Elm Street
Parking details
There is street metered parking available and we are within walking distance from a public metered lot.
Public transit
We are walking distance from the Bethesda Metro Station on the Red Line.
Entertainment
Jaleo Hour Sunday - Friday: 4:30 - 7 PM Saturday: 10:00PM - midnight Available at the bar only
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Featured in

100 Washington, D.C. Area Restaurants to Love This Valentine's Day

Popular dishes

What 3,712 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.0

4 based on recent ratings

4.2Food
4.2Service
3.8Ambience
3.8Value

Noise • Moderate

3,712 Reviews

C
Cath
Washington DC
8 reviews
vip
2.0
8 reviews
Dined 5 days ago
overall2food1service4ambience3
This was the 4th time we had dined at the Spanish Diner - and sadly, unlike our past experiences, this one was not good. The place had a nasty smell as soon as you entered which did not help. Our order was messed up (my entree was not ordered) And all the food was incredibly soggy, garlicky and absolutely dripping in oil which, sadly, all in all, did not make it a pleasant dining experience.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Washington DC
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
The food is delicious. I liked the ambience and service more when it was Jaleo and also there was more variety of tapas and deserts then. But overall it’s a good place.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Washington DC
3 reviews
vip
2.0
3 reviews
Dined on September 15, 2023
overall2food2service5ambience5
Service and ambiance were great. Food was lackluster. Tasted like it wasn’t fresh. Not sure if we’d return
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FC
FCom
Washington DC
1 review
vip
2.0
1 review
Dined on September 6, 2023
overall2food4service2ambience1
The AC has been out for weeks, last time we went there was a heat advisory. It would have been nice and honest to disclose while booking this for our daughter’s birthday dinner and we would have changed places
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s
ssarah
Washington DC
2 reviews
3.0
2 reviews
Dined on September 3, 2023
overall3food5service5ambience1
Lack of A/C made it very uncomfortable to eat. Check to make sure it’s been fixed before you go!
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MS
MicheleS
Washington DC
11 reviews
vip
1.0
11 reviews
Dined on August 26, 2023
overall1food1service4ambience1
Besides that there was no air conditioning I really didn’t like the food at all. My soup was delicious but for $7 i literally got one little glass to sip. I can’t say that I will rush to go back. Sorry. My second time there and not a fan.
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JA
JALO
Washington DC
6 reviews
vip
4.0
6 reviews
Dined on August 24, 2023
overall4food5service4ambience3
Delectable food and drinks with excellent service. Biggest disappointment was no AC in restaurant and apparently down for a couple months. Luckily, breezier to be sitting on the patio.
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M
Mahidevran
Washington DC
19 reviews
4.0
19 reviews
Dined on July 30, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
The restaurant is beautiful and the food is amazing.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Washington DC
2 reviews
1.0
2 reviews
Dined on July 28, 2023
overall1food5service1ambience1
Your restaurant had no AC and you didn’t inform any of the guests in advance! In the middle of this heat wave, we we’re not gonna enjoy our meal in a sauna!!! AND On a Friday night, it was difficult to get another reservation elsewhere!!! Why wld you not inform the guests!?!
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D
Davud
Washington DC
4 reviews
1.0
4 reviews
Dined on July 27, 2023
overall1food1service3ambience1
No A/C inside during heatwave, cheese and ham appetizers sweaty and limp from heat, tiny drinks, loud music in empty room, staff one could not hear for music — uninspired food
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BK
BKMLD
New York Area
5 reviews
2.0
5 reviews
Dined on July 18, 2023
overall2food2service2ambience2
A long time fan of Jaleo, I made a reservation at Spanish Diner despite other meh reviews and hoped for the best. I was disappointed. The food was overall fine, but overpriced and with limited variety. Sangria and a seat on the patio - thankfully, as the AC was out in the restaurant on a hot July evening - made the evening bearable, but I won't be coming back the next time I am in Bethesda.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Washington DC
2 reviews
vip
3.0
2 reviews
Dined on July 16, 2023
overall3food4service4ambience1
AC was not working and restaurant smelled like sewer
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MF
MaxFromAlexandria
Washington DC
6 reviews
vip
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on July 16, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great food and an inviting Spanish experience. Service staff was friendly. Interesting dishes not seen in other Spanish restaurants. Good for families
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Washington DC
10 reviews
3.0
10 reviews
Dined on July 16, 2023
overall3food3service4ambience1
There was no air conditioning on a night with high humidity, poor air quality. We werent given a courtesy call to inform, no free hydration or any courtesy for inconvenience. We were concerned too for staff sweating so much. Not same as usual quality.
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B
Backspace
Austin
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on July 10, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Wonderful Spanish foods with an open-air ambience.
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B
Bbbbbbbbb
Washington DC
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on July 6, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Excellent food, service and ambience! It's a great place to go!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Washington DC
21 reviews
vip
2.0
21 reviews
Dined on June 28, 2023
overall2food2service2ambience2
I've long been a big fan of Jose Andres' restaurants -- Zaytinya is one of my favorites -- but the menu at Spanish Diner left us cold. Nothing really sounded appealing, except for 2 long-time favorite tapas dishes imported from Jaleo's menu (garlic shrimp & tuna potato salad). Other than salads, it was hard to find any vegetable dishes to pair up with protein dishes. The food we ordered was ok, but nothing to write home about. I'd rather have Jaleo back in that location.
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C
Cesar
Washington DC
1 review
vip
1.0
1 review
Dined on June 17, 2023
overall1food1service2ambience2
Very disappointing experience. The food was terrible. We ordered the patatas bravas, croquetas de cocido, and mejillones con escabeche for appetizers and only the bravas were OK (but who can mess up aioli sauce!). The croquetas were burned and the mejillones lacked spice. We also ordered the Bikini Mixto and Chistorra HotDog, maybe this was our bad for ordering sandwiches, but I had these in my multiple visits to Spain. Both sandwiches were absolutely terrible: Burned, no flavor and very small portions. In summary: The food was the worst Spanish themed meal I have had in years. The service was also subpar (took a long time to bring our "burned" food). Oh, and they charged for bread (what?) which put the icing on the cake for the terrible experience. We ended up leaving half of our food and walking across the street to get Potbelly sandwiches after our terrible experience - were still hungry!
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S
Sean
Washington DC
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on June 11, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Very solid dinner and typical Jose Andres tapas fare. Would recommend.
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CD
CanDo
Chicago
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on June 10, 2023
overall4food5service5ambience5
Great time in downtown Bethesda. This was my first time going to this place since it changed over from Jaleo. I was pleasantly surprised. All the dishes were very good, but pricey. Portion sizes were generous.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Washington DC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on June 3, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Came by for a late dinner and it was great as always
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K
Kyle
Orange County
6 reviews
vip
2.0
6 reviews
Dined on May 13, 2023
overall2food2service2ambience3
Spanish Diner was without a doubt, a disappointment. I had high hopes going in - and spent over $200 without drinks. The paella was mushy and lacked any crisp and was light and lacking in flavor. The small dishes were OK, but they were one dimensional in flavors. Truly a let down and I expected much more.
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AC
AmaliaC
Washington DC
2 reviews
vip
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on May 13, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
First time dining in the new concept that used to be Jaleo. It was my birthday brunch and it did not disappoint! Hubby and I had the croquetas, crispy chicken salad, and meatballs. Delicious! Service was on point and ambiance was great. Hope to check out the flamenco dancing next time!
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JC
JConrad
Chicago
88 reviews
vip
4.0
88 reviews
Dined on May 5, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience5
The food was tasty and the service was efficient and friendly. I would recommend!
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Washington DC
9 reviews
vip
4.0
9 reviews
Dined on May 5, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
Food is excellent and great service. For Appetizer, we ordered cheese (sheep) garnished with small links crackers and fig jelly, sautéed shrimp in garlic, and flat bread with spread tomato; and for main entree, beef tripe with garbanzo and squid in ink. All are authentic and cooked to perfection. On top of that, the service is exemplary. Servers are continually checking on us. I plan to go back again to try their other delicacies.
1 person found this helpful
PK
PatriciaK
Washington DC
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on May 4, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
We thoroughly enjoyed our low key, middle of the week dinner. The food was, as promised, pure comfort food and excellently seasoned. We relied on recommendations from the wait staff and enjoyed delicious chicken and squid dishes paired with wines. The fruit-based dessert option was a wonderful mix of flavors and not too heavy. The restaurant was not crowded at 6 pm allowing us to catch up with old friends without distractions or noise.
1 person found this helpful
NO
NOYB
Washington DC
13 reviews
vip
5.0
13 reviews
Dined on May 1, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Excellent food and service! Felt like I was in Spain:)
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M
Marc
Washington DC
9 reviews
vip
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on April 23, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We were very careful with what we ordered based on some of the reviews, but everything we ordered was spectacular. Cocktails were fabulous. Will come again.
1 person found this helpful
OT
OpenTableJB
Washington DC
12 reviews
vip
2.0
12 reviews
Dined on April 20, 2023
overall2food5service1ambience3
The food at Spanish Diner tonight was excellent. Unfortunately the service was perhaps the worst I’ve ever experienced in the DC area. I could not leave soon enough. And while I have always liked Spanish Diner it is unlikely I will ever go back. Service really effects the experience.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Washington DC
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on April 7, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Spanish diner is festive and food is delicious - try branzino - and the appetizers are fantastic with great specials. Also, the sangria turns an average date into something special - highly recommend!
1 person found this helpful
l
lou07
Washington DC
60 reviews
vip
3.0
60 reviews
Dined on March 26, 2023
overall3food4service4ambience3
Delicious variety of Spanish foods with options for small plates to full entrees.
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LD
LDubs
Washington DC
14 reviews
vip
5.0
14 reviews
Dined on March 22, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great service by Emma. Amazing food and the paella was delish!
1 person found this helpful
OT
OpenTable Diner
Charlotte
8 reviews
5.0
8 reviews
Dined on March 17, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
This was our first time and we really enjoyed it!!
1 person found this helpful
A
Aaron
Washington DC
21 reviews
vip
5.0
21 reviews
Dined on March 14, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
I miss the old Jaleo interiors. This place is now much less of an experience than it was as Jaleo. Food and wine quality are consistently excellent.
1 person found this helpful
FL
FoodLover
Washington DC
7 reviews
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on March 14, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Wonderful home style food at a very good price.
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BC
BruceC
Washington DC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 10, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
We had a great time with friends visiting from the Midwest. Large round table was a little wobbly and needs to be fixed but other than that the experience was wonderful.
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BF
BethFoodie
Washington DC
44 reviews
vip
3.0
44 reviews
Dined on March 5, 2023
overall3food3service3ambience3
Flamenco Dancing was a little loud. Limited menu. We miss Jaleo, would like that back.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Washington DC
2 reviews
3.0
2 reviews
Dined on February 28, 2023
overall3food3service4ambience3
Food quality has been declining consistently over the years. The menu organization is confusing: the waiter has to explain what is a main dish or appetizer, tapas are there but not identified as such.
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S
Steph
Washington DC
12 reviews
vip
4.0
12 reviews
Dined on February 26, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience5
Good food. Depending on what you order, portions may be small. Definitely challenging for those who are gluten free. They do not offer gf bread and with so many things bread based it makes it hard.
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AG
ArlynG
Washington DC
38 reviews
vip
5.0
38 reviews
Dined on February 25, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Out of state friends get-together.
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Safety precautions

Protective equipment
- Waitstaff wear masks
- Diners must wear masks unless eating or drinking
Screening
- Staff is vaccinated

FAQs

You can order delivery directly from Spanish Diner – Bethesda using the Order Online button. Spanish Diner – Bethesda also offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (301) 284-3700.

Spanish Diner – Bethesda is rated 4 stars by 3712 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Sep 28, 2023

7:00 PM

Booked 7 times today

Order delivery or takeout

7271 Woodmont Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20814

Additional information

Cross street
Elm Street
Neighborhood
Bethesda / Chevy Chase
Hours of operation
Mon–Fri 11:00 am–10:00 pm Sat 10:00 am–10:00 pm Sun 10:00 am–9:00 pm
Cuisines
Spanish, Home cooking, Southern Spain
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Smart Casual
Parking details
There is street metered parking available and we are within walking distance from a public metered lot.
Public transit
We are walking distance from the Bethesda Metro Station on the Red Line.
Payment options
AMEX, Contactless Payment, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Head Chef Daniel Lugo
Entertainment
Jaleo Hour Sunday - Friday: 4:30 - 7 PM Saturday: 10:00PM - midnight Available at the bar only
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.spanishdiner.com/
Phone number
(301) 284-3700
Private party contact
Sarah Martinez: (855) 821-1980

Featured in

100 Washington, D.C. Area Restaurants to Love This Valentine's Day

Spanish Diner – Bethesda

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Featured in

100 Washington, D.C. Area Restaurants to Love This Valentine's Day

Popular dishes

Croquetas de Cocido

Paella Verduras

Flan

Menu

What 3,712 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Safety precautions

Protective equipment

Screening

FAQs

Does Spanish Diner – Bethesda offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Spanish Diner – Bethesda restaurant rated?

Is Spanish Diner – Bethesda currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Featured in

100 Washington, D.C. Area Restaurants to Love This Valentine's Day