Jaleo

"José Andrés is the unofficial culinary king of DC, and Jaleo is his crown jewel. The Spanish restaurant in Penn Quarter has been open since the ‘90s, and although the food falls squarely in the “just fine” category, the restaurant’s location and huge dining room that’s great for a last-minute group dinner make it a popular choice. With over 50 tapas to choose from, dining here can sometimes feel like an old-school game of Battleship. There are definitely some misses, but every once in a while, you come across a hit." - omnia saed, tristiana hinton

"Take advantage of the great deals offered by José Andrés at the Cosmopolitan. Celebrate Sangria Hour Sunday through Thursday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. with some standout tapas. Andrés rolls out Spanish favorites like patatas bravas for $7, chicken fritters are $7, and the salmon tartare cone with trout roe runs $6. Sip on $7 sangria and $7 Estrella beer. Or split a selection of Spanish cheeses and cured Ibérico meats with a bottle of wine for $68." - Ryan Slattery, Janna Karel

"Jose Andres’ first, and in our opinion, best place in town. Traditional Spanish tapas in a cool, open spot in the middle of Penn Quarter. Come here with a group, come hungry, and come with a reservation so you can sample something from every section of the menu." - zach nerenberg, chris stang

"José Andrés serves a bit of his childhood at Jaleo at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. Andrés describes his mother’s flan recipe: “My mother Marisa’s flan is imperfect, but I love it. Like all good Spanish mothers, she cooks her flan in an oven that gets too hot, creating small air bubbles in what should be a perfectly smooth and creamy dessert. Yet each of those bubbles takes me back to the Sunday lunches of my childhood, when me and my brothers would try to slurp up a flan in one glorious mouthful,” according to OpenTable." - Janna Karel

"It’s easy to feel overstimulated at Disney World. Between the pumped-in scents and roaming princesses, there’s a constant fight for your attention. Thankfully, there are no costumed characters in sight at Jaleo, making it a good choice for low-key dinners and splitting some small plates in peace. Other locations in Chicago, DC, and Las Vegas prove that it’s a reliable spot to graze on crispy patatas bravas and cured meats. But you can also ball out on larger plates like a hefty 16-ounce rack of lamb or a giant paella that’ll prompt the staff to ring a ceremonial cowbell—that’s the extent of the theater-kid energy here, we promise." - Anne Cruz