El Mercat Bar de Tapas - Rockville

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.

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.

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!

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.

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!

El mercat has been a place that I used to really enjoy until my recent experience. The food was good and the waiters are amazing. The problem is one of the managers who made an uncomfortable comment. The waiter got our order wrong and we asked for it to be fixed. The manager soon came with our paella and said we wasted food. This ruined our dinner experience since their mistake was now put on us. We told him we weren’t comfortable with that comment and he gave us a weird apology. I couldn’t even talk since he kept talking over me and blaming other staff members. He didn’t understand that HIS COMMENT was what made us uncomfortable. The rest of the staff is good. He clearly throws his staff members under the bus and doesn’t take accountability. I feel bad for our waiter who probably got yelled at and got docked pay for making a simple mistake. Our paella order was comped so that softened the blow. We feel awkward going back to This restaurant which used to be our comfort food location. We chose el mercat to be our first dining out meal of 2026 but we ended up getting told that we wasted food. We couldn’t even finish our food and took things to go.

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.

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.

Wow!! This is an amazingly cozy and delicious spot for tapas. The hospitality team is excellent--a team of three working the space efficiently with a fourth overseeing operations. The design breathes hospitality with attractive Spanish tile and flair: red and white decorated tile, art, and well-appointed tables. I didn't feel rushed whatsoever, and that is huge for an American restaurant. It was very welcoming, and the team knew the right timing and distance. Nice work! Food? Dang. So good. The top three must orders from a bunch of succulent treats are: 1. Patatas Bravas! Fried Potatoes, Tomato Sauce, Garlic Aioli. So savory and yummy! 2. Datiles con Beicon: Bacon Wrapped Dates, Blue Cheese, Almonds. Sweet and savory and delicious. 3. Coca Caralana: Spanish Flatbread, Braised Beef, Horseradish Cream, Bacon Marmalade, Fresh Basil. Wow. I'm not sure what's going on here other than deliciousness. Why not go Catalonian? Catalonians know traditional hospitality. I highly recommend El Mercat!

The place was nice and a bit tight since they have a lot of patrons coming for happy hour. We had a couple of tapas and drinks. My favorite was the calamari and the margarita was great. The service was good and the whole place is very chill and full, you know people loved going here.

I'm normally not a tapas person. I never know what or how much to order and, in the past, ended up with too many fried food plates. But I really enjoyed our dinner here last night. We got a variety of items: Escalivada - roasted vegetables with yogurt Albondigas - lamb meatballs Datiles con Beicon - dates with bacon and blue cheese Patavas Bravas - fried potatoes in tomato sauce Gambas Al Ajillo - shrimp, garlic oil, chili Calabacin a la Plancha - zucchini and goat cheese Maiz Rostizada - roasted corn with spices We enjoyed the variety and different flavors of the small plates. The garlic sauce with the shrimp and the tomato sauce with the lamb were worthy of repeat dipping. The roasted vegetables with yogurt was finger-licking good. The only item we really didn't care for was the dates wrapped in bacon. I thought the date was mushy and the bacon overcooked. I took one bite and spit it out from the texture. One of my partners didn't care for it, but liked the hardness of the bacon. Only one of the three people at our table ate their bacon wrapped date. The rest we left on the plate. A waste of $9. There is a large selection of small plates at the restaurant, and I will come back to try some of the others, as well as repeats. I'd also like to try the paella sometime. The paella requires a 30 or so minute cooking time, and the server was sure early on to get that under our consideration. Service was good and friendly. The restaurant is small physically, so it is easy to catch parts of conversations from nearby tables. But it's a nice atmosphere and welcoming. Three of us spent about $90 total before tip, and we felt full and satisfied.

Everything was so good love tapas style. The short rib was delicious definitely get! Chicken wings were so crispy. The potatoes were a little heavy but so good. We got the chicken paella which definitely took a long time to come out and we were pretty full by then. It was good but I didn't love the heavy greens on the top very overpowering. Our server was great definitely a great after work place.

5 stars Garlic shrimp - I could eat this sauce with bread all day PEI mussels - almost as delicious as the shrimp 4 stars Shishito peppers - great tasting but would be nice to be charred a bit on the outside Zucchini - wonderful flavors Chicken & chorizo paella - not the chorizo I prefer, but the chicken is well seasoned and their paella is cooked perfect. They allow it to cook long enough that there is socarrat, they probably put it in the broiler after to crisp the top, and the taste of the rice is excellent. It's not tomato based like many other paellas 3 stars Seared steak on bread Mushrooms Calamari Seafood paella - maybe a 3.5 Churros stuffed with dolce de leche 2 stars Octopus - I prefer a long piece that is grilled and charred Lamb meatballs - the taste of this just wasn't my thing Creme Catalana - not too special

We ordered take out and they were super friendly and the food was delicious. We ordered maricos paella and pulpo con patatas.

Bar de Tapas is a gem! The cozy atmosphere, warm lighting, and rustic decor make you feel like you've stepped straight into Spain. Each dish was a little masterpiece--from the perfectly crisp patatas bravas to the melt-in-your-mouth jamón ibérico. The sangria was spot-on, fruity but not too sweet, and the staff was incredibly attentive and friendly, making us feel right at home. We couldn't stop raving about the churros with chocolate sauce, a must-have to wrap up a perfect evening. Bar de Tapas is a slice of Spanish magic, and we'll definitely be back!

Tried El Mercat for the first time during weekend brunch hours! The food and service were excellent! The restaurant itself is quiet and very clean. We were seated right away for brunch, and our waitress was very friendly and had some great recommendations from the menu. I even got to sample their seasonal sangria before deciding to get a glass. There is a bottomless drink option for $25, which I didn't get this time around, but I'd love to go back and try it!The prices are all very reasonable for tapas, and considering bottomless brunch can run up to $60+ per person in the DC area, El Mercat's brunch is a great value. We ended up sharing the duck confit hash, which is a full size entree, and the cod fritters, which was tapas size. Both were delicious! We also got the brunch paella to try, which was also very flavorful. We ended up taking a lot of it home and it was just as good the second time around.

Good folks. Good food. Good service. Good happy hour. Indoor and outdoor seating. All good... #Huzzah.

We went for weekend brunch - bottomless mimosas & sangria, the cheese plate, and pretty much all the seafood tapas. It was all delicious - the grilled octopus is a must! The coco asturiana - flatbread w smoked salmon - was a flavorful mix, definitely will get that again. And even for the lo/no carb dieters - the patatas bravas are worth it, perfectly crispy, with tomato sauce. Now that it's summer, we sat outside & enjoyed the sunshine (a lasting vestige of covid spacing - we can't go back to all sitting inside, all the outdoor seating's here to stay) Stay hydrated - go for the sangria!

I'm honestly a bit surprised at the high rating given the taste of the food. We went for brunch on a Saturday at 1pm, there was only one other couple there but a few others came later as we ate. The ambiance was nice and intimate seating inside as well as some on the outside. The service was also good, given there wasn't much people, food came out quickly. The food was nicely presented but very disappointing in flavors and texture/cooking. I posted some details with each picture. The highlight was probably the basque cheesecake, which I've made before, and this one is on par with mine, except the top seemed to have some olive oil that you can taste and it was odd. We had a lot leftover and I'm not one to waste food and would pack everything with me, but when the waiter asked if we needed boxes, I passed. That says a lot.

Went here for brunch and truly enjoyed sitting outside and munching on the food. The service was good- the mimosas came out a bit slow but otherwise everything was great! We got the Heuvos toro, chicken and waffle and duck. The duck was absolutely excellent. Looking forward to coming back for one of the salsa nights!

5/5. Great service, nice ambiance with themed decor, and everything tasted great! You honestly can't go wrong with any of the tapas on the menu. The portions are big enough to share between 1-2 people, everything is flavorful, and each tapa costs between $8-$20. The paella is big enough to serve 2-4 adults (or just the right amount for someone with a big appetite and wants to take home leftovers). The menu is also vegetarian friendly as well.

Food: 4/5 Service: 1/5 Coca asturiana flatbread: 4/5. Great presentation, freshly baked flatbread, fresh dill, pops of fish eggs, lots of different flavors and textures going on. Costillas de cerdo: 3/5. The glaze was too sweet for me, but the pork itself was very tender and cooked quite well. Would be boring without other tapas that can balance the all-meat. Gambas al ajillo: 4.5/5. Love the oil infused with garlic and chili. The bread to dip it in. The shrimp. Really the oil was the star. Ensalada de congollos: 4.5/5. Super refreshing, generous serving for a tapa, loved the dill and sour flavors, the seasoned bread. Calabacin a la plancha: 3.5/5. Lots of good flavors and textures but needed a little more punch. Maybe I wasn't a huge fan of the goat cheese. Setas: 4/5. Delicious mushroom bowl with a pesto like oil. I came here on Tuesday, sat down at 5:50 p.m. There weren't a lot of people. We decided to sit outside to eat. Service at this time was fine -- a little slower than other places, but maybe expected since I noticed in many restaurants there is sometimes an unintended "penalty" for eating outside in you are forgotten more easily. While it was a little slow then, it was very nice and good, though I would've liked a change of plates among the 6 tapas we got. After we ordered and got 5 out of our 6 tapas and drinks, service tanked. Our waiter had switched with another one, and a lot more customers had come. Our waters were empty for awhile and our plates were dirty from the remnants of the other tapas. Overall we waited about 45 minutes longer to get our last tapa and our check (where I even had to step into the restaurant and flag our waiter to get it for us), so it was past 7:35 by the time we left. Compare with another restaurant in the Town center where we were in and out in 45 minutes or less, 2 days later on Thursday, also from 6 p.m. I overheard from a table near us that they had their tapa order wrong and maybe we're missing another tapa as well, also politely annoyed at the wait (and they had also sat down around the time we did). I don't want to fault the waiters as it was clear they were always busy. Our first waiter also took the time to apologize several times to us for the delay of our last tapa. It seems they were just quite understaffed for the volume of customers. My partner and I did notice that on Thursday the restaurant had about half the number of tables outside, so they must now know their more realistic capacity. Maybe we'll give them another chance later, hoping they get their rhythm down for the coming summer crowds better. .

Stopped in for dinner after seeing the daily happy hour sign and glancing through the menu posted outside. Overall, the food is delicious. I felt the cod fritters (bunuelos) were disappointing and the tortilla was more on the dry side but everything else (patatas gravas, pulpo, paella, lamb meatballs, gambas and calamari) was fantastic. Service was also straightforward. Would definitely go back to try more on the menu.

Good place for a group. There was a flamenco show on the night we came. The performers were really entertaining. Only regret was that we were seated right next to them, so it was a bit hard to chat and hear ourselves. The food was tasty. Between the roasted beets and the roasted corn, I'd pick the corn again. I've had the albondigas and gambas al ajillo before from other places, and neither of these stood out. The coca asturiana, however, was really good. It's like lox on a flatbread. The roe on top was what made it pop for me. Overall, I'd come back. It's a cozy place and our server was nice.

El Mercat definitely has it going it on. I've visited this restaurant on a couple of occasions for happy hour, and I was quite blown away one each occasion. Overal, El Mercat has a decent, moderately-priced happy hour with a wide selection of beverages and tapas. My favorite beverage is the spanish Spritz, which is the closest thing you will come to for a typical Spanish gin tonica. Fortunately for me, it was delicious because it's the only gin-based beverage on the happy hour beverage menu. For our dining pleasure, we went with the 1) pan con tomate, 2) croquetas de jamon, 3) patatas bravas, calamares, 4) gambas al ajillo, 5) paella negra, 6) boquerones con papas, and 7) churros rellenos. All of our dishes were absolutely delicious. I will admit that I was a bit disappointed that the gambas were not head-on shrimp. Also, I thought I was kind of interesting (to say the least) that the paella was served with peas. I don't think I've seen that before. Since we ate at the bar, we had a great conversation with the male bartender. He was chatty (since it was a slow afternoon), but also left us to our own devices. While the restaurant is a bit small, the layout and decor (like most Jose Andres places) were very cool. If you plan on visit El Mercat with a 2+ person party, I'd highly recommend making a reservation. This spot definitely will stay on my to-go list for Mediterranean bites.

Delicious Spanish tapas in an intimate restaurant in town center. Loved the patatas bravas and the montaña paella. Great flavors and great service!

I tried El Mercat's happy hour small plates and drinks last week. Their sangria is less sweet than most sangrias I've had, so I wish I tried something on their sweeter side. I also ordered their potatoes, ham croquetas, and chicken wings. The potatoes were covered in a creamy mayo sauce. They also came out streaming hot, which further perfected them. The croquetas were my favorite among the three, but I wish more than 4 came with each order. The chicken wings were meh, so I'd skip on those. The meat was a little tough and flavorless, and I'm sure they have other better dishes to try.

This was a lovely surprise! We stopped by on a rainy evening for a bite to eat before our movie and we didn't expect much but we really did enjoy ourselves. It's a smaller space so it does get crowded in the evenings. Good wine selection. Hubby loved his lamb meatballs ("just so good, really good"), and I loved the goat cheese and tomatoes with the strong tomato flavor and crusty bread. Patatas bravas were good but a bit salty -- texture (crisp outside and fluffy inside) and sauce were perfect though! Cauliflower was an unexpected surprise because I didn't expect the raisins to work as well as it did with the dish. Word of advice: don't be obtuse like us and order paella if you have movie tickets. Give yourself plenty of time because it's good paella but good things take time. Nice to have this tapas spot in the area!

My husband and I decided to visit this restaurant for brunch, it was our first time here and it was literally on a whim. So glad we picked it cause lawddd. The food was sooo good!! I got the pato confitado, the duck was so tender and juicy. The portions are HUGE and it was very tasty. My husband ordered the steak and eggs, he said he liked it! The chimichurri sauce was very delicious too. We also ordered appetizers or "tapas". We got the patatas bravas, and the pulpo con patatas. The pulpo was sooo yummy, a little on the oily side, but the taste was there. I wished it was a little more charred though. The potatoes are tasty and have great flavor. The only reason I gave it 4 stars is because the brunch drinks were subpar. We ordered the bottomless brunch drinks which included sangrias, cava brut and mimosas. The mimosas were good (he poured heavy on the champ), however, the sangrias were not that tasty. They tasted a little watered down, and like they were sitting there for a day or two. Not fresh at all. I also wish they had more drink options than just those three things. Would definitely come back so we could try the dinner! I'm interested to try the paella

My family took me out there for an early birthday brunch. Food was good in that they arrived quickly. Paella takes 30 minutes so order that first if you know you want it, then be as slow as you want with the rest of the items. For a table of 5 we shared the calamari, the patatas braves, the pan con tomate, lamb albondigas, shrimp with garlic and then of course the seafood Paella. My favorites were personally the calamari and the lamb meatballs. Ask for plenty of bread to soak up all that yummy tomato sauce around the lamb. The potatoes were also really tasty as well. I'd recommend checking them out if you're with a group.

Had a brunch reservation for my sister's bday here. The inside is decorated very nicely and has a good vibe. Once seated, we ordered many items. The main entree was the seafood paella and it was solid (loved the shrimps), but my favorite was the calamari (perfectly crispy), patatas bravas (filled me up in a good way), and lamb meatballs (took me to flavor-town). The bread with tomatoes and anchovies was interesting, and the shrimp garlic dish with bread could've had a bit more oomph. My wife brought home the ham croquettes not pictured, and she said it was the best item there, so I'll have to try that in the future. Happy to have tried this spot out.

I am such a happy hour girl so of course I came to El Mercat for happy hour. Their happy hour is daily from 3-6 pm. They had $6 wines, cocktails from $7-$10 and small plates from $5-$10. I started with the seasonal sangria which was pretty good. I also had the ham croquettes but I did not enjoy it very much because of the sweet guava sauce that came with it. The lamb meatballs, shrimp and Brussels sprouts were amazing! It was also my friend's birthday so we got complimentary churros which were delicious. The service was so very good! Our server was patient and he gave us some good recommendations for food items to order. This place is really cute so I would recommend it for a date or a girls night out. It's also located in the Rockville City Center so there is limited street parking but there is a parking garage across the street that is free!

I have been here for dinner several times and really enjoyed the food. Great tapas for the area! I've had many items on the menu and everything is good. Today we went for brunch (because First Watch was a long wait), and fortuitously we liked it better than FW! We ordered the banana dulce de leche pancakes, jamon omelet (patatas bravas is SOOOO much better than home fries, just saying), and huevos con chorizo. Everything was good, and a nice tapas flavor twist to some classic brunch dishes.

We came here a couple of time for HH, dinner and brunch, and l really liked both the food and drinks. We tried patata bravas, pulpo, negra (squid ink paella) and churros. I especially liked the negra, which taste the same as in Spain, and I haven't found it anywhere else in the Rockville area. churros was very good as well, the pulpo was on the oily side. I also liked it for HH, they had good selection of drinks and tapas. Service was great, and ambience was casual/intimate. Highly recommend this place.

I came back for dinner after coming here for happy hour a few months previously, but I was let down by the food. However, the service and setting was great. I honestly probably would not come back as I do think there are better tapas restaurants in DC (if you're willing to make the drive). Negra Paella- 4/10 A tiny bit fishy tasting and I did NOT like that the squid ink stains your teeth. Pulpo Con Patatas- 5/10 I wish they didn't cut up the octopus into such small slices. Gambas Al Ajillo- 5/10 The shrimp were swimming in a pool of garlic oil, so it was too oily for me. Coles de Bruselas- 7/10 Solid! Albondigas- 7/10 Solid! Plus yummy sauce to dunk bread into.

I was very excited to try their squid ink sauce paella, ended up ordering the Mariscos with an additional $3 for the squid ink sauce (smallsize)for27. Unfortunately, the rice was excessively salty, which really took away from the overall flavor. Understaffed: The entire restaurant only had two front-of-house staff members, including the host. This resulted in a slower service and a generally less attentive experience. :( Lack of Promotion of Specials: I wish the restaurant would do a better job of promoting their specials. For instance, they have a daily happy hour, which is awesome, but they only mention it when asked. Moreover, you have to sit by the bar to order the special. I feel that they should promote these specials more actively when customers walk in, rather than waiting for them to inquire. One Highlight: The only dish that I would recommend from this restaurant is the Bunuelos De Bacalao. It was the only thing that stood out to me during my visit. Overall Impression: I wouldn't return to this restaurant. The overall vibe just a little down in the restaurant

Tried this place for the first time and got brunch with a bunch of friends! It was a group of 9 and I had no issue making a reservation over the phone. While it was a large group, we were the first party after opening so the servers were very attentive. We ordered two of the tapas and both paellas to share among us. Everything was tasty and highly recommend giving this place a try!

Came here with some friends and had a great time. Vibe is cozy and it was definitely busy on a Friday so I recommend reservations. Food was great! We got the lamb, cod fritters, tomato bread, zucchini, tortilla, small veggie paella, patatas bravas, and meatballs. Everything was really tasty! For favorites, can't go wrong with potatoes. Paella was great but takes a while to make so definitely order it first if you plan to get some. I really enjoyed the zucchini. I'd love to come back to try more items :).

We ordered 4 paellas, 35 minutes passed and they only bring us 3, the waitress said just get them a little more time for the 4th paella, 35 minutes passed and the paella never come , according to the waitress' explanation it was that the Owen was very small for cook 4 paellas at the time . her name was Bianca or Blanca I don't remember, we weren't upset , But she told us on 2 occasions that there was little left to the paella be ready , She never apologized, she just passed by our table and never told us anything about the paella , Until another waiter came after 1 hour of waiting, to ask what was going on and we had to wait another 20 minutes, Everyone had eaten except one of us. now we upset but about the first waiter. Who makes us wait around 1 hour and 30 minutes for 1 paella.

Never disappointing ... Their potatoes bravas is by far the most authentic I've tasted outside of Barcelona.

Food was yummy, really can't go wrong with anything on the menu. The place was smaller than expected but still super cute and intimate! Service was all around amazing, had a great visit!

Stopped in for happy hour on our normal walk around the city with our dog. They have a water bowl and biscuits for the dogs outside which is super nice and the waiter was very sweet to our pup. I had the white sangria that was crisp and delicious with big chunks of fruit. Outside on the patio they had plenty of shade and umbrellas so we weren't in the sun at all. Can't wait to make this a more regular happy hour spot! Shots are about $5-7 Wine glasses $6 Pitchers of sangria $25 Other cocktails $7-12 Tapas were cheap too! Excellent service, great food, great drinks, great vibes!

Absolutely the best service and the food is amazing! Everything we tried was so delicious especially the paella! I've had sparkles in Spain and this was just as good.

Great tasty five star qualty food The menu has cappuccino and latte but was told NO HOT MILK Service great. Reservation was easy

Review is based on one visit. Wonderful brunch at cozy and well-staffed bar & restaurant! Pan con tomate y anchoas was perfectly crispy and punctuated with perfect anchovies. Croquetas de jamon, calamares, were delicately fried and perfectly balanced. Datiles con beicon y blue cheese were crispy and delicious! However, the Tortilla Espanola was literally heavenly. Potatoes were lightly layered with egg wrapped in a lovely pie-shaped piece. We had white sangria and a latte. Service was very attentive and never intrusive. Dishes came out of the kitchen hot and without a long wait. We will be back!

Had reservations on Friday (a must have) seated right away as we arrived. Waiter was fast to get us orders, water, bill and everything else you can think of. Inside is pretty small but there's outdoor seating as well. Definitely get the white sangria It tastes like juice and is refreshing. Churro was warm and delicious Ive had better paella but it wasnt too bad. I feel like one or two of the mussels gone bad. Very smelly so i threw it to the side. Park in the garage 2hr for free

Tried this place on a Monday night, because bottles of wine are half off. We got seated almost immediately after entering the restaurant, and luckily we were able to get outdoor seats as well. I truly enjoyed the whole experience from beginning to end. Service was amazing. The server was extremely knowledgeable of the menu, providing suggestions, as well explanation to the amount of food. To add on to that, our server accidentally served us the wrong bottle and poured some out, but instead of asking for the wine back, he gave us the poured wine and provided us the correct bottle soon afterwards. Food and drinks were delicious. The group and I split 3 tapas and the paella. Everything was seasoned really well, the portions were also perfect, and couldn't complain about a single thing. Everything came out quickly and we heated. Definitely coming back to try the brunch.

Tried this place for dinner with my husband and a friend, and we all thought the food was delicious. We shared three tapas/small plates and a paella. My favorite of the three was definitely the one with seared steak (montadito de carne). The steak was juicy and came out medium rare. The Patatas bravas are also a must! Well-seasoned potatoes with a creamy garlic aioli. The medium size paella is shareable. We ordered the Montana which comes with chicken thighs, chorizo and salsa verde. The flavors were on point!! The dish was also pretty filling even when split amongst us. We also ordered a bottle of wine to share--wines are half off on Mondays. Our server actually gave us the wrong kind but he quickly got us the right one when we let him know. He was also attentive throughout our whole dinner and made sure to fill up our waters. I liked how we could eat outside. Highly recommend doing so if the weather is nice! Can't wait to try their brunch menu.

Came here for a date and we enjoyed the meal. The squid ink paella was the highlight for us. We also got some other small dishes but none stood out too much. Everything was solid though and our waiter was super nice explaining the menu to us and making sure we had everything we needed.

Small plates are my favorite way to taste test what a restaurant has to offer and the restaurant definitely delivered. I had the opportunity to try a little bit of everything on the menu. Standouts for me were the Pon Con Tomate with anchovies and the Patatas Bravas. They were so good, I ordered some to go. FOODS FEATURED - Gambas Al Ajillo - Patatas Bravas - Pan Con Tomate with Anchovies - Ensalada De Remolacha

We came in on a wednesday night and got seated right away. Our server was warm and welcoming. The menu items we ordered were very average. We may have ordered the wrong dishes because the brussels sprouts were soggy and not flavorful. The mushroom dish was average also. The paella had good flavor but was pretty hard and burned in some areas.

Great paella and good brunch! Food came out well-paced. Besides the paella, I wouldn't say the other tapas were amazing. The lamb meatball were small and dense. The roast vegetables with yogurt lacked flavor. The octopus portion was very pricey and small, not even two tentacles. Staff was friendly. But I wouldn't go again. Not my favorite place for tapas.

This is a great tapas restaurant. I enjoyed my cocktails, especially the old fashioned. The calamari and croquetas were good. The seafood paella was decent but it wasn't the best paella I've had. Maybe the negra or montana paellas are better. The patatas bravas were good. The potatoes were crispy and I liked the sauce that they came with. My favorite was probably the gambas al ajillo. The shrimp was cooked well and the sauce it came it went well with the toasted bread and shrimp. The restaurant was cute and cozy and the service was good as well.

A relatively newcomer in Rockville Town Center. Smallish interior but complimented with ample outdoor seatings. Attentive staff and quick service. We were a party of five so we were able to order quite a variety of dishes to try including a large paella. The standout dishes are the roasted beets with goat cheese, roasted zucchinis, St Louis style pork ribs and the chicken chorizo paella with salsa verde. The paella has a good seared bottom with the rice which yielded plenty of coveted crust. The Gambos Al Ajillo was a bit overcooked. Nice interior with good acoustic. Patio dining needs more lights otherwise it gets too dim. Price point is reasonable. Definitely an option if you are craving for tapas.

Unfortunately, I had very high expectations for this place -- and El Mercat exceeded every one (I hate being wrong). Honestly amazing food: Calabacin A La Plancha was a great starter, more flavorful than pizza; the Pollo Rostizado shines because Chimchurri is always a sure bet; and the best surprise of the night was the Coca Catalana, braised short rib flatbread that was slightly sweet and amazing. Honors to great service.

Decided to stop and have brunch on a beautiful Saturday midday. The ambiance was nice, quiet and intimate. The hostess greeted us and offered us several seating options. After we were seated, the server appeared quickly and brought water and helped us with the menu (this was our first visit!)...we were trying to decide on drinks. PLUS, we were able to taste the sangria before ordering . As it was early in the day, we postponed drinks until later. Placed our order, French toast, Chicken & waffles, and lamb meatballs. The meatballs were good (per my friend)! The presentation of the meals was great. The French toast looked amazing, I was so excited to taste it; however, to my disappointment it only looked delicious. The taste was bland and the bread was so dry! It appeared to be a toasted piece of Texas toast that may have had some batter brushed on it and toasted on both sides. The flavor came from the caramel sauce and ice cream. The chicken and waffles also disappointed. The chicken was fried perfectly but had no taste! The waffles were just ok. Now, in my honest opinion, this establishment probably has delicious lunch/dinner options! Their dinner menu pics look amazing. I don't think breakfast food is their area of expertise. I'd like to come back during dinner hours and try a dish. But for brunch options, it's a hard no for me. Oh!!! The staff were all extremely polite and helpful...I gave a 4th star for them

Amazing food and ambiance. Service was alright and leaves room for improvement. The paella is to die for