Sarah W
The food here is incredible. They have a wide variety of dishes, and the portion size is perfect for tasting the whole menu! Their Flamenco brunch is incredible and the performers are captivating.
The thing that made this restaurant lose a star was generally due to the service. We waited over ten minutes after being seated to order our drinks. We also had a number of dishes missing and the waiter we had was difficult to track down for us to get updates or order new dishes. It’s two hours of all you can eat, and when the orders are put in, the food seemed to be delivered promptly, but the significant gaps in between getting dishes was frustrating.
There was also some variety in quality. Some of the dishes that we ordered again because we loved them the first time were very different the second time. Skewers we ordered because they were juicy and tender came out over done and a little burnt. We ordered two sets of the same dessert and one came out warm and one was cold. We also ordered a slice of the Santiago cake and it came out burnt on the top and bottom.
… moreGabe M (Gabe)
My first DC food review – To start, great spot inside Arlo hotel. Can sit on inside part of restaurant or sit on the outer area (in AC) with sun coming from uptop. Went on a Sunday for brunch, unbelieveable that this place wasn’t packed.. Great tapas: branzino w/green sauce, potatas bravas, lamb, tomato gazpacho were winners. Do yourself a big favor and go this summer. You will not regret it. many folks here agree with me, it will be an instant favorite
… moreAlicia Budihardja
An absolutely outstanding experience at Arrels. Every single dish we tasted was out of this world — from the presentation to the balance of flavors and textures, everything was beautifully considered and executed. You can truly feel Chef Pepe’s love and passion in every plate; each bite was vibrant, thoughtful, and bursting with flavor.
What made the experience even more special was getting the chance to chat with Chef Pepe and understand the intention behind the menu and the stories woven into the food. We left feeling inspired, well-fed, and genuinely grateful for the experience.
If you’re in Washington, D.C., this is a must-visit. Highly, highly recommended ❤️
… moreYJ SchH
Nice atmosphere and very kind service. Some food didn’t taste like it should be maybe because it’s holiday season. But it presented very tasty for the eyes.
… moreCalvin Royster Jr.
We came on Valentine’s Day and was able to enjoy an amazing holiday special they put together that included live flamenco dancing and an unique 5 course meal. The performers did an incredible job, and worked the whole restaurant for hours. The food did not disappoint. Everything was delicious! My only critique was the onion ravioli dish. A substitute for that dish would have been perfect.
… moreRuben Arredondo
Stayed here one night and had a burger with fries for room service, a catalan breakfast in the morning, and octupus with potato foam (yes foam) and shared a beet and citrus salad. The burger was solid. But the Catalan breakfast (butifarra sausage . sautéed white beans . toast . aioli . herb salad) was awesome! The slightly spicy sausage was crispy, juicy and fatty and mixed with the creamy smooth white beans, topped with aioli or dollops of butter was s wonderful combo. I loved dipping the toast into the beans and the salad was a great clean compliment to the richness of the meat and beans. The GRILLED OCTOPUS
smoked potato foam . roasted cherry tomatoes was equally delicious. The best octopus I’ve had has been in Mexico City and Spain and this octopus was cooked as well as those were. Not tough, not rubbery, flavorful. The potato foam was like this foamy cheesy mashed potatoes. I don’t know how to describe it. But it was really good. She the salad was such a unique combo. Loved it all.
… moreMark Benitez
Excited to try this place out. The best deal is during unlimited brunch for two hours on the weekend. It was a vast selection of tapas. Everything we had was great with a couple of exceptions. But even the inferior dishes are high quality. Due to the interest of time and not being to try everything, I will categorize in two bins. The best ones I had were any egg dish, lamb skewers, spinach croquetas, and Santiago cake. Their version of French toast and crema Catalan need some work, but needs a little adjustment. Sorry to be nitpicky. Again these are all high quality dishes. Will certainly return.
… moreWalking with Elaenia
Update: we were invited back in by the management team and this was the experience we wanted for our original reservation. This restaurant is gorgeous and has a sexy vibe. They also have an outdoor covered dining area with a bar that would be great for happy hour. We tried the all inclusive brunch for $45 and it was worth every dollar! The portions were a nice size. Everything was yummy but I just wanted a pinch of salt on everything. Our server was knowledgeable and kept the mood fun, yet professional.
I will absolutely be recommending Arrels and will be back again.
Made a reservation for a bday brunch with friends and showed up to a closed restaurant. Called the restaurant, and they had no idea they had any reservations. They were closed for a maintenance issue and did not contact any reservations to cancel or reschedule. The front desk offered me the option to buy items to go in the “bodega” which was a sorry representation of a new york city corner store, being raised in nyc. They also offered to get pool snacks on the roof, completely tone seaf to the celebratory nature of oue visit. No one seemed to care that they ruined an entire experience for out of town guests. The mood was lazy. They didn’t even want to be there. Nothing and no one said please come again, and so we won’t.
… moreDean Cantabile
Fantastic!
Delicious!
Magnificent!
Great dining! Great drinks! The Bartenders and Servers are outstanding!
Extraordinary attention to detail in everything!
Lovely atmosphere!
We had a wonderful evening!
Chef Pepe came out to talk with us too!
… moreMichael Woestehoff (The Washington Lobbyist)
I had a great dinner at Arrels in the Arlo Hotel. It is a fantastic new concept with a Spanish Mediterranean menu that captures the flavors of coastal Spain. The location is excellent—right next to the National Building Museum and the Courthouse Metro, and just around the corner from L’Ardente. The atmosphere is sophisticated, yet vibey, should be a good gathering spot in DC. Great mock/cocktails, paellas, seafood, croquettes and Basque apple cheesecake.
… more