Best Authentic Restaurants in Washington

This is truly a one of a kind dining experience in DC. Some of the best service I’ve had. Our server was attentive, but didn’t hover and was so kind. We were able to get great recommendations on both drinks and food options. The beet salad, mushrooms, scallops, and shrimp were beyond delicious and I would highly recommend. For cocktail lovers the 3PM in Istanbul was excellent. We will certainly be going back to enjoy the atmosphere and to eat more of the tapas we were just too full to eat this time around.

This was my second visit to the restaurant within a month, and I'm pleased to say it was a much smoother experience than the first. The service was attentive and helpful, and the food was outstanding. We started with the Caesar salad, which is likely my favorite dish on the menu, followed by the Fritto Primavera. The Caesar salad was crisp and flavorful, while the Fritto Primavera was perfectly fried and accompanied by a delicious dipping sauce. For our main courses, my wife had the branzino and I opted for the pork shank. Both dishes were superb—the pork shank was tender and fell off the bone, while the branzino was complemented by a lovely caper sauce that truly elevated the dish. As for the ambiance, we visited in the early evening when it wasn't too crowded. The restaurant had its Christmas decorations up, which added a warm and festive touch to the atmosphere. We thoroughly enjoyed our experience and will definitely be returning.

So for starters, it’s gorgeous. The architecture was so interesting mainly because it’s so ornate and large, so I had to look up what it used to be, and it used to be a bank and supposedly they preserved some of the original bank features like the vault. I’d love to have a tour of the actual building. I am an escargot snob. Theirs was OK. The strip, Brussels, and Mac were very good. I have leftovers and I cannot wait to eat them.

The restaurant has a limited menu but still offers a range of choices. I had the mussels and my friend had the hamburger. Both were quite good. The chocolate/orange mousse we shared for dessert was excellent. There is a nice selection of wines by the glass, which I appreciated. The place is within easy walking distance of the National Theater, and we ate there before the show -- a perfect spot to do so.

We had been wanting to have dinner at Jaleo for the past few years and finally got to go tonight for my wife’s birthday dinner. Let me start off by saying that it lived up to and exceeded our expectations. We had the mid-range tasting menu with the sherry pairing and every bite was delicious. Our experience was enhanced by our server Carlos’ knowledgeable description of each course and each of the sherries. We look forward to coming back.