Del Mar — Restaurant in Washington

Truly this place was alright. The check for 6 people broached around 1100, which is asinine for the quality of food we received.

Most of the drinks were utterly phenomenal, with the Autumn being truly spectacular; they were able to make an Improved Brandy Cocktail on the fly, as well, and their Hot Toddy was great. The sangria, alas, was 95$ for middling fruit juice and unplaceable red wine; it was simply a Sangria.

For the tapas, the Brave Potatoes (patatas bravas) were of middling quality. Chunks of potatoes flash-fried and covered in a creamy sauce, but far removed from other Brave Potatoes I've had in the past. The Crema de Calabaza (squash soup) was transcendent-- it was truly special and rich with cream and flavor. The tortilla Espanola was very lovely and light, with a rich multitude of flavors and perfect cheese. Txangurro was alright-- it was simply crab and a pepper, from the flavors. Crab is my favorite food so that was not bad. The raw fish and pickled veggie (on toasted bread) dish was forgettable enough for me to not be able to remember the name, but I do like raw fish.

The main disappointments were the most expensive entrees:

The paella, Pescado y Mariscos (for 4) was overcooked in some regards; the tiger prawns were impressive to look at, but rubbery and overcooked near the tails. The mussels were similarly steamed too long. We had to scrape aggressively to get the rice at the bottom of the big pan they brought out and the flavors, while nice with the traditional saffron on display, were more or less just that. It was a traditional ( though relatively smaller) dish for 200 dollars.

The Parrillada was more egregious. The server asked for our preference, which was medium rare. All the meat came to us cool to the touch, which can be alright, though nearly every bit of it was slightly overdone; the sausages were not particularly crisp and the steaks were all done medium-well instead of medium rare. For 190 dollars, the sizing was small and the quality was severely lacking.

For dessert, we got the cheesecake, the cookies, and the flan.

The Pastel de Queso cheesecake was delightful; it was creamy and rich, with a lovely ginger spice.

The flan was strange, but flavorful; it was not a very typical creme caramel. There is a ton of fruit in it, which is likely to others' tastes.

The Fiesta Galletas cookies, which cost 32 dollars for two, were a mixed bag. They came in a lovely tin, though the cookies themselves were hard and had clearly been sitting out for a while...possibly overbaked. The dulce de leche filling was lovely and added moisture back, though overall they were lacking strong flavors you'd associate with a high-end dining establishment.

All in all, I would likely have to be convinced with a rather large deal to come back; the place reminded me of Arroz in a bad way-- that restaurant was cheaper AND had more elegantly concocted tapas. Jaleo, for instance, has also tended to reach slightly above the quality of this place for less of a hit to the wallet. Finally, we didn't get water for nearly 15 minutes. That's not terrible, but difficult to overlook for this high-level of dining.

I had good food and some truly great drinks, but the price here was just extortionate for the quality...

I’ll start by giving credit where it’s due—Canver was incredibly professional and handled a frustrating situation with empathy and class.

We had a Friday night reservation at Del Mar (Wharf) for me and my queen. We specifically requested a patio table by the window with a nice view, and noted that in our reservation. When we arrived, the hostess had us wait about 4 minutes but didn’t mention the patio was closed due to rain. We were then seated inside, which was disappointing given our expectations.

Inside, the temperature was inconsistent. It was chilly at the entrance, but our table near the kitchen was uncomfortably hot. Some tables nearby had fans overhead—ours did not.

We started off strong with the Sol Amarillo, a refreshing and flavorful cocktail. The caviar bites were excellent, and the Andalusian garlic shrimp was the highlight—hands down the best shrimp dish I’ve ever had. The garlic octopus was decent—not bold in flavor, but the garlic sauce helped carry it.

Now to the downside. Our reservation was at 7:30 PM, and we placed our full order by 8—including the seafood paella, which we were really looking forward to. My partner had been craving it since our last trip to London, and it’s not commonly found in DC.

Nearly an hour passed and still no paella. Our server wasn’t very communicative—he simply said, “It takes time,” when I asked. I requested another drink, and about 10 minutes later, a different manager came over to apologize and offered us complimentary caviar bites, which we appreciated.

The paella finally arrived close to 9 PM. The flavor was solid and the seafood fresh—but as I dug into the rice, I found half the pan was burnt black, not the crispy socarrat you expect. I flagged this to the server, who tried to scrape it off as if it was normal. I had to clarify that it wasn’t caramelized—it was simply burnt. He brought it to Canver, who returned with a sincere apology and offered to remove it from the check. I declined and insisted on paying—I own a business and understand how things can go sideways, especially on busy nights.

Interestingly, another table nearby also complained about their paella, which reassured me this wasn’t an isolated issue.

As it got late, we had to ask another server for the check. Eventually, our original server returned and thoughtfully set the table for a complimentary dessert to make up for the delays.

When the check arrived, I noticed the paella had been removed, which was not my intention. I still proceeded to pay the full bill and left their maximum tip, hoping Canver sees some of that—because he truly deserved it.

Despite the hiccups, the ambiance was cozy, the food (when done right) was outstanding, and the staff made genuine efforts to turn things around. Thanks to Canver’s exceptional service, we’ll absolutely give Del Mar...

Came in early to grab a drink at the bar. They serve Basque cider. I compare sidra to North American cider as kombucha to soda. It is funky and I love it.

Focusing my night mainly on the Basque cuisine from the menu. The ambience of the restaurant is beautifully curated. However the staff; very friendly, were less aware of the cuisine they were serving or offering. To someone else, this experience could be amazing.

We ordered Jamon croquetas, carpaccio, octopus, Spanish tortilla, turbot, piquillo peppers, Basque cheese cake and the Buñuelos.

Croquetas: perfect. Give me more Carpaccio: The dish appeared to be well seasoned but the the oil in the dish did not emulsify with any brine or vinaigrette. Relying on capers for the seasoning. Still fresh fish. Different preference. Octopus, dinning partner said “not bad, I’ve had worse”. I love octopus but this dish was lacking. The spiced black garlic spread was good. No acidity. Spanish tortilla: potato and truffle. It was ok. Mainly a block of potato. Turbot: frustrated most with this one. Turbot is a beautiful fish. Expensive but worth it if done right. Knowing how to serve and display the fish is important. Some of the best parts of the fish were thrown out. They paired the turbot with a butter leaf lettuce on the side and “Bilbania sauce” but the sauce tasted like garlic butter. An emulsified vinegar or citrus in the final preparation of the fish is needed. Drape the emulsion over the fish. The fish is already buttery being a flounder. The vinaigrette used on the butter leaf lettuce would have gone well for that emulsion step. pair the fish with bread. You can scoop up the vinaigrette and butter fish off the dish. Leave the fish cheek, dorsal (crispy fish skin) and cook the fish if possible on a grill to finish in the pan. If you have someone coming in who never had turbot, they are walking away still not knowing turbot.

The basque cheesecake was not enjoyable. Maybe we came on a bad night? Spent $500+ for 2. Walked away enjoying the ambiance but that is not enough to carry the evening or promote a return. Extremely disappointed in the execution of almost all the dishes. 3 stars as I...