Xiquet by Danny Lledo

Went for restaurant week, and the food was underwhelming. Been to many Michelin starred restaurants, and I am guessing it was an off night. Had the upgrade with the seafood paella, and it seemed quite salty. Wine pairing was fine, but overall me and my date both agreed it wasn't up to the hype. Service was great, and a friendly staff.

At Xiquet, Danny Lledo personally greets you and you move between a couple of different spaces, which we really enjoyed! Chef Lledo was so unexpectedly kind and warm upon our reception, it felt like he was welcoming us into his home to join him for dinner. You can definitely tell he takes great pride in what he does and it comes through the food and experience. The staff and service were impressively good- for example, they overheard us discussing moving into a home we had just purchased and sent us a completely unexpected congratulatory dessert. If I’m being honest, while very good, Xiquet’s food wasn’t my most favorite. BUT the creativity, warmth and execution of the entire experience were so excellent that I wouldn’t think twice about going again. I would definitely recommend Xiquet to anyone wondering if they should give it a try!

Incredibly disappointed in the flavor and wine for the price charged. I am frustrated with the $$ we spent here for what we received. A friend and I (we have been to many of the DC Michelin star restaurants) took another friend from out of town for my birthday. With the exception of one of the desserts (and the oysters which had some lemon foam) almost none of the dishes wow-ed or satisfied us with flavor and several were overly salty or had meats that were incredibly rare (and I usually like medium rare at least). My friend treated us for dinner and I left so embarrassed at the meal experience for what was paid. All of us were very surprised and disappointed. We also did the wine pairing and felt they were very stingy with the pours and that the first half or so of the wines did not pair well with the food nor were they different enough from one another. We also had an 8pm dinner on a weeknight and did not leave until almost 12:30am as the service was very slow upon arrival. We sat at the table for 20-25 minutes before any first course arrived. There was also a very strange early 90s playlist going in the background for music. While I wish them all the best and the servers were very cheerful and excellent, we felt the quality of the flavor and food composition was not worth what we paid and sadly could not recommend this to anyone. I am kicking myself for choosing this for my bday given what was paid for it…..!

Service was amazing and unfortunately that was the only highlight of the night. We went for the restaurant week, For a 60pp + tip and tax menu, I couldn't believe they only gave me ONE shrimp for appetizer, not to mention it did not look good. The main course: rabbit paella was very tiny and salty, since the portion was so small, we both felt like it was just another appetizer lol What a night!

The service, the food, the wine, and the presentation were all perfect starting from the second we arrived. We were greeted and taken upstairs but were presented with the first bite before we reached our table. Once seated each course took you on a journey, The staff did an exceptional job explaining each bite and wine pairing. It was a delightful experience. After dinner we went downstairs for dessert and a final beverage. This was one of the best meals I've ever had. Be prepared to spend some time there as this is not a short meal, exactly how it should be. I'm not sharing pics as it feels like I'd be sharing art without permission of the artist or venue. You can be confident that they do an excellent job bringing together the meal, the presentation, and the pairings.

The experience was exceptional. We visited Xiquet for an early Valentine's Day celebration and were lucky to get a seat next to the open kitchen. The menu and ingredient selections were outstanding. Staffs were attentive and provided a beautiful experience for the both of us. For a special occasion, or not, I would recommend trying this place out. Definitely deserved the Michelin star they were awarded with. We selected the 14 course meal and wine pairing for one ($850 including gratuity). A few improvements: music and attention to detail. Overall, Xiquet is one of the best in the area. If you are looking for a fine dining experience for your loved one or for yourself, this is the spot.

The food was excellent. I tried a lot of foods I would not usually order, to push my tastes. The food was excellent. Honestly, the scallop was incredible. The flavors all worked together in such a way that made an almost perfect taste that almost had a texture on top of the actual texture. It tasted smooth, like the perfect olive oil. Not heavy, but a perfect bite of every element of flavor. The squash dish was probably my favorite. The flavor on that dish was so amazing. It does feel strange to rank a vegetable dish higher than the other amazing dishes, but it was so good would be rude to ignore its perfection. The chef also made a gluten free pastry crusty for one of the dishes. It was very good. The texture and flavor were as good as I imagine it's gluten counterpart would be. Every dish seemed very personal. That is what I look for in a chef. I want to know the story behind the food. Even things I was hesitant to try, had a complexity and a story. I'm sure this was a coincidence, but the leaves a I was waking, smelled like the sea. It was as if the meal was a part of my senses even when I left. To me what was the most special, was trying something new in almost every single dish. Something I had never had before. I left incredibly full. And satisfied.

Truly superb. We visited for my birthday and every aspect from drinks, to food, to service were exceptional. I could list all the plates as they were all delicious, however a special mention goes to the dessert based around the Valencia orange, the best dessert I’ve ever had. This place isn’t cheap, but you’ll certainly know why, and would be glad that you went. Multiple Michelin stars are surely in the future for this restaurant