El Mercat Bar de Tapas

“​I recently took my wife to El Mercado Bar de Tapas to celebrate her birthday, and it turned out to be the perfect choice for our evening. The staff was incredibly welcoming and went above and beyond to make the night feel special for her. They even surprised us with a delicious, complimentary dessert to cap off the celebration, which was an incredibly thoughtful gesture that really elevated the whole experience. ​As for the menu, the food was absolutely great across the board. We intentionally timed our visit to take advantage of their happy hour, and I highly recommend doing the same. The happy hour prices for the tapas were surprisingly good, allowing us to order a wide variety of small plates to share and taste without breaking the bank. Every dish that came out of the kitchen was authentic, intensely flavorful, well-prepared, and arrived at the table with perfect pacing. ​The atmosphere hits the right balance between energetic and intimate, making it a fantastic spot for a date night. Between the high-quality Spanish cuisine, the affordability of the happy hour menu, and the phenomenal hospitality, this restaurant easily earns a five-star rating. We will definitely be coming back again soon!”

“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.”

“I would rate this place 4.5 but I can’t so it’s a 5. 5 stars for 5 reasons 1. The food overall was fantastic! The Patatas Bravas was so good, fresh, crispy and flavorful. The Gambas al Ajillo was pretty good and the sauce so delicious. Solomillo de Buey soft, tender, tasteful, flavorful and delicious! Calamari is fantastic! Sangria perfect! 2. The amount of food you get is quite just right. 3. Price is a tad bit high but I think it’s worth it. 4. Nice waiters/waitresses. 5. The place is quite nice, cozy and small. Minus .5 would be that the steak came out cold.”

“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,”

“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.”