El Mercat Bar de Tapas is a restaurant that represents the essence of Spanish cultural diversity. A concept of simple and delicious food; serving shareable, seasonal, and house-made dishes. The menu will allow guests to savor different dishes that will take them through a vibrant Spanish culinary journey with the most exciting flavors of true tapas fare.
Yongmei Zhang
We had Sunday brunch here and we’re very happy about the food. Almost all dishes turned out delicious, the eggs are done to order perfectly, the steak was tender and juicy, the brunch paella was tasty and had a unique flavor of green garlic. the duck and octopus were the best I had in the DMV area, the portion was generous and pricing more than reasonable,
… moreJon Doyle
A 10/10 for us and new fav spot for tapas…
Ambiance – fantastic with boss to moorish style tiles and mood.
Service – all were friendly and fun!
Food – every bite was decadent and immpecable… theres a few negative reviews that say “not authentic” but where do they claim it is?? Even chinese food is americanized… but either way this spot is the best out of all 12 tapas spots we’ve visited!
We will be back!
Jon and Chels
p.s. thanks for making our anniversary last night so much fun.
… moreSeray Yalaz
We celebrated birthday here with friends on a Saturday night, and it was a great experience. The staff and manager were so friendly and really attentive to everything we asked for. They made sure the table setup worked perfectly for us and took care of everyone’s preferences. Even though the restaurant is new, it already feels like a place people will love coming back to! They let us enjoy our evening without interrupting, which made the night even better. In terms of food, my personal favorite was the calamari, but the beet and goat cheese tapas also delicious. I would love to see more veggie options though! The place itself is spacious and has a really comfortable & cozy vibe. We’ll definitely be back for a flamenco night soon.
… moreSteph Steph
Food is pretty okay in general but does not have the flavor of authentic tapas. It’s a busy and noisy restaurant, but no big deal.
The paella was very disappointing though so you can skip this one.
They have happy hour daily until 6pm even during the weekend which is amazing. Cocktails were great too! We had many drinks there and every drink was delicious.
Will I come back? Yes just for the drinks or if I want a fusion tapas!
… moreSasha Whitaker
Incredible food! A true gem in the DC area. The taste is comparable to the basque region of Spain’s San Sebastián (food capital of the world). Beyond making Brussels sprouts and broccoli melt in your mouth, their staff are the most caring and lovable people. We love every one of them that we have met. We feel so lucky they picked Rockville and hope they never leave.
… moreSophianna Apergis
Wonderful, elegant, beautiful restaurant! The staff is so sweet and friendly. The food is divine. The ambiance is warm and lively. It’s perfect for a date night or dinner with friends. Looking forward to returning for the flamenco show!
… moreJorge Miranda
I’m from Spain and I have hard time to find authentic Spaniard cuisine but I found already here, at least is very similar!! The food is amazing and the restaurant is located in a nice walkable area!
… moreMarta Szydłowska
We went there for a dinner on a cold Saturday evening and had a great time!
All the staff was very kind and professional, we particularly enjoyed that our server did not bother us constantly, as it happens in any other places.
The food was delicious! We took cod fritters, ham fritters and seafood paella plus some nice white wine. All of it was really good and paella (although I believe it was not 100% authentic) was absolutely amazing- full of flavor.
We had a really nice time and definitely will be back for some Europe-like dinner.
… moreMichelle Shaw
We were a party of 2 greeted with friendly staff. Our server was knowledgeable and helpful.She helped us decide on a drink and tapas to choose from. Our favorite dishes were the shrimp, octopus, calamari, and potatoes. The octopus was uniquely cooked and hands down the best we have ever tried! Highly recommend this gem.
… moreArt Gomez
I enjoyed dinner at El Mercat while on date night with my beautiful bride. We loved the atmosphere and cozy feel. The service was very good and the food was satisfying, but missed in a few spots. The pulpo was good, but overcooked and chewy. The patatas were excellent but slightly heavy on the sauce. The pimientos needed a little more of a char, I felt. Our other food items were tasty and on point. We will definitely go back and try some new things while enjoying some wine or sangria.
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