Restaurants near Smithsonian Institution

I have never been disappointed with Hamilton! The food is always a 10 and the service is always impeccable. I always forget how huge it is in there until I have to go to the bathroom. 😂 I think because we went pretty early before the after work rush, it was relatively quiet, but it can definitely get loud but not in a bad way. Love it here!

I am recently diagnosed with celiac sensitivity and our server was so helpful with the separate menu and then explaining dishes too. He also brought my daughter out a candle for her dessert and we didn’t even tell him we were celebrating an early birthday. We think he saw her license when she was ordering a drink. Not sure but it was wonderful. The food was delicious too!

The coriander barramundi with Parmesan risotto was excellent as well as the goat cheese ravioli with chicken and butternut sauce purée. Emily, our server, was very helpful and attentive.

There were six of us in our party. We were able to sit in the bar area and had only a brief wait for our table in the atrium-which is what we requested. The bartender was kind enough to snap our picture while we waited. Our server was friendly yet professional. The bread was warm and the butter was spreadable. Our food arrived quickly and the hot meals were hot. Three of our out-of-town guests said they would rate their meal as 5-stars. High praise from these world travelers.

If you love tapas you can’t go wrong at Jaleo! There’s a huge range of hot, cold, meat, cheese, seafood, veggies, etc. The traditional shrimp & garlic is loaded with sweet (!) garlic slices, the octopus was grilled and tender, the gazpacho is silky (with crunchy “bread fingers”), the peas were delicious. We shared about 10 plates, and our waitress, Sylvia, was attentive but not hovering. It’s our 3rd visit and we’ve enjoyed every meal we’ve had. Last year we had the chef’s tasting dinner and it’s a “must-do” - at least once!