A Spanish Culinary Delight at El Mercat
El Mercat in Rockville, MD, is a Spanish restaurant that truly stands out. My recent visit was a delightful culinary journey, and I can't recommend it enough.
I had the pleasure of savoring the Paella Negra, a dish bursting with rich flavors and the perfect texture. The Pan con Tomate was a simple yet incredibly satisfying appetizer that left a lasting impression. And the Lamb Meatballs? Tender and bursting with savory goodness.
Not only was the food outstanding, but the drinks were also top-notch. The service was impeccable, and the ambiance transported me to a charming corner of Spain.
El Mercat is a must-visit for those seeking an authentic Spanish dining experience in Rockville. Highly recommended for its exceptional food, drinks, service, and atmosphere. Don't miss out on this gem!
Order many of the tapas as they provide a great variety, and also because the paella takes 30 mins to come out!
My party of 4 arrived at 7 PM on a weekday with plenty of seating available for us. We ordered so many side dishes while we waited for our paella to come out that we had nearly gotten full from the tapas alone!
I personally recommend the paella negra (squid ink paella), the croquettes, and the montaditos! For dessert, they serve thin, crispy churros 😋 I’d love to come here again!
My experience at @El MercatBar deTapas was fantastic. The service was exceptional, and the ambiance was delightful. The Mariscos Paella and the Croquetas De Jamón, a traditional dish, was a highlight in both of the dishes I ordered. Upon entering, a host promptly escorted me to my table and provided me with a menu. Will the waiter arrived shortly thereafter with a glass of water and offered several recommendations for meat, vegetables, seafood, tapas, and main courses. Will informed me in advance about the twenty min wait as my main course will take to be cooked. The staff was attentive, regularly checking if I needed anything. I was impressed with their professionalism. The Mariscos paella was exquisite and a must-try for out-of-state visitors or tourists. The staff was not only knowledgeable about the menu but also the alcohol options available. Overall, it was an amazing experience.
All the tapas we ordered were very good (tortilla, croquetas de jamon, calamares, aceitunas, patatas bravas).
However the star of the night was definitely the churros filled with dulce de leche. Served warmed, they were amazing and brought us back home. Had to hold myself back from ordering seconds.
You should do 2-3 tapas per person, if you are hungry and not into dessert order 3.
Service was quick and friendly. We will definitely come back!
They have happy hour every day from 3-5pm. I had all tapas. I enjoyed the lamb meatballs and the fried calamari. The pork ribs were too sweet for me, but they were tender. The roasted corn was good, but not worth $11. And I didn't like the Tortilla Espanola... it was all potato, which I don't normally love. I'll definitely be going back and trying other items.
My husband and I tried this restaurant for brunch yesterday and it was so good! I believe this restaurant is fairly new; there weren’t many people there when it opened, but they start to fill up as the morning goes on. Still, you may be okay if you don’t make a reservation. The food and drinks are very good! They offer some traditional small plates, but they also have entree options as well. I don’t remember our waitress’ name, but she was really accommodating and very sweet. All the staff here were great! They were all very welcoming, and they made our experience great! We will definitely be back as they have great menu options, a beautiful restaurant, and lovely staff.
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.
The service was pretty good, and the ambience was also nice. We came here for a Sunday late lunch, and there were both indoor and outdoor seating. Some dishes were good: tortilla, churro, croquettes, meatball and shishito peppers, and some were okay: potatoes (probably too much mayo for me), ribs (not enough cider sauce - they gave me more after I asked) and bacon wrapped dates (too burn). Overall, it’s still a nice place to eat lunch. Can be a bit pricy with drinks tho.
Came here with friends on a Saturday night. Parking is in a nearby garage which gives you 2hrs free and $1 per hour afterwards. Some street parking but not much.
Staff are friendly, helpful and knowledgeable.
Menu is typical tapas with a wide variety of selections and will have something for everyone. Food was good to very good but nothing I'd call great.
We ordered a pitcher of white sangria which again was good but not great.
Overall a good experience and the restaurant was well managed given a summer Saturday night. Only thing that took time was the paella but staff warned us of the time so we expected it.
Delicious food, we shared 6 dishes, ate outside. Good service and pretty quick too.
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