If there were founding fathers of DC dining, Jose Andres is our George Washington. The man set the bar for what a great spot in this town should be, and he's still doing it at the original location 20+ years later.

In a city that get’s a bad wrap for being an overly-pretentious and political place, chef numero uno on our proverbial Mount Rushmore has done more to combat that notion than anyone else. Jaleo redefined what DC dining could and should be. It doesn’t have to be a place that requires a suit and tie to get a decent (or in this case, f*cking great) meal. It should be a place where everyone can come together and grab a good bite. Not to get all sappy and patriotic on you, but all that good “USA mixing bowl” stuff. You should see someone in a jacket sitting next to someone wearing a hoodie and have it not matter. That’s what he’s done, completely removing the stuffiness from his restaurants, and there’s no better example of this than his flagship. It’s something we’ve dubbed as the Jose Andres’ Anti-Stuffiness Check MarkTM (Jose, let’s talk figures for this trademark).

All of that atmosphere and vibe stuff is great to have, but even if it didn’t we’d love this place; the food is flat-out phenomenal. These are true tapas style portions, so come here with a few people ready to sample and share a lot. The proteins really shine here, but feel free to round out your meal with some of the lighter options as well. The service is top-notch: don’t be afraid to put yourself in their hands in terms of ordering. Explain what you like and are looking for, and they’ll be an excellent guide.

So pop in after work in your suit, or before a Caps game in your Ovechkin jersey, or on the weekend for brunch in those trendy sweats you just bought. It won’t matter, and you’re guaranteed to get some of the city's best food.