Authentic Spanish Cuisine

True to the origin

Since 1989, the longest-running Spanish restaurant in Washington, D.C.
Tapas, paella and a legendary Spanish cellar, served with warm Iberian hospitality.

Years of culinary tradition in D.C

Private events hosted annually

Bottles of wine uncorked annually

Our coming events

The Spanish Journey: A Month of Regional Gastronomy

This October, we invite you to experience The Spanish Journey, an exclusive culinary program exploring the distinct regional gastronomies of Spain. Join our chef on this gastronomic route, where you...

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October05, 2026

Celebrate Sherry Week 2026 in Washington D.C. | Authentic Spanish Tapas & Wine Pairing

Celebrate International Sherry Week at La Taberna del Alabardero From November 2nd to the 8th, we invite you to step away from the bustle of Washington, D.C., and immerse yourself...

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November02, 2026

Our latest post

  • Patatas bravas

    Bold, Crispy & Irresistible Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and smothered in a fiery, smoky sauce Patatas… Read More


Private Rooms

Private rooms and event spaces for every occasion

Private events
La granja
Amalur

Hours of Operation & Location

Lunch

Monday – Sunday
11:30 AM – 2:30 PM

Dinner

Monday – Thursday
2:30 PM – 10:00 PM
Friday – Saturday
2:30 PM – 10:30 PM
Sunday
2:30 PM – 8:00 PM

Weekend Brunch

Saturday & Sunday
11:00 AM – 2:30 PM

Happy Hour

Monday – Friday
3:00 PM – 7:00 PM
First come first basis

1776 I Street NW
Entrance on 18th, between H and I
Washington, DC 20006

Phone:
202-429-2200

Monday – Friday after 4:00 pm
Saturday & Sunday all day
Up to 3 Hours with validation
📍Penn Parking next to 818 18th St. between H and I streets.

Pick-Up & Delivery

Monday – Saturday:
11:00 AM – 9:00 PM

Sunday:
11:00 AM – 8:00 PM


Guest Reviews

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Nick profile picture
Nick
0 days ago
Opentable star 1Opentable star 2Opentable star 3Opentable star 4Opentable star 5Verified
Wonderful restaurant. Really trained waiters in great service. Very recommendable. Menu includes tapas and full plates and very reasonable prices. They have at kleast 2 seperate dining spaces for business groups or fa,mily gatherings. Tablecloth dining.
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berniejorge profile picture
berniejorge
1 days ago
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Great food in an elegant atmosphere. Hope to return many times!
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Thomas profile picture
Thomas
2 days ago
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Having been to DC multiple times, we wanted to venture beyond the typical restaurant experience on our latest visit. Taberna del Alabardero’s flamenco show fit the bill for a Friday night. Not only were we treated to excellent live music and dance performances, but also flavorful, authentic paella. We thoroughly enjoyed the Valenciana dish, served tableside fresh from a paella pan, as well as the tasty piquillo peppers. Extensive Spanish wine collection, too, though I especially liked the tangy-spicy kick to the Matador cocktail. While we initially wanted to order the rice pudding for dessert, our server wisely reminded us that would be a lot of the same rice for the evening, so our table of three ordered the bread pudding and lemon tart with mango ice cream. Both capped off our satisfying meal with a sweet flourish to complement the flamenco entertainment. All in all, a delicious departure from our typical Tex-Mex nights back home.
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Alex Kelly profile picture
Alex Kelly
4 days ago
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Beautiful live music, and better food than many places I tried in Spain
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Cynthia profile picture
Cynthia
6 days ago
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La Taberna del Alabardero is a nice restaurant with a good selection of tapas and regular entrees (paella, etc.). The service is very good as is the food preparation. Our only complaint is the 20% service charge added to our bill (there were 2 of us, not a large party). While we understand that Washington, D.C. has made this practice "legal", restaurants have the choice in the amount of service charge they add to the final bill. We found the 20% service charge excessive and will think twice before returning.
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Travel Lover profile picture
Travel Lover
7 days ago
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Amazing Spanish food! Best part was watching the kitchen make our dinner. Def ask to sit in the back room, you will get dinner and a show
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Frank profile picture
Frank
8 days ago
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Another memorable lunch experience, food, drinks, service and all were excellent and we wish we could come every day! We will be back.
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Adam Graue profile picture
Adam Graue
8 days ago
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That's hospitality
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Matthew profile picture
Matthew
9 days ago
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The entire staff made us feel special on our anniversary. Our waiter (Will) was Exceptional! Atmosphere very authentic/ loved the live music
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Tasty Treats! profile picture
Tasty Treats!
10 days ago
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+9
We shared a variety of tapas: Croquetas de Jamón Serrano, Pulpo a la Gallega, Jamón Ibérico with Manchego cheese, and ordered the Paella Mar y Tierra along with a couple of their Spanish draft beers. Service was outstanding; the staff was attentive and professional throughout the meal. The croquetas arrived nice and hot with a crispy exterior, but the interior was a bit doughy and lacked body—more of a soupy purée than the full-bodied, well-structured croquetas I’m used to. The pulpo was cooked to perfection and very tender, yet both the octopus and the potatoes were surprisingly bland and almost tasteless. I prefer to taste food as it comes, but I had to ask for salt and pepper to bring the dish to life—which, unfortunately, did the trick. On the bright side, the jamón Ibérico and Manchego were delectable. Just excellent! Our main course, the Paella Mar y Tierra, was really good—very flavorful. We ordered it for two at $39 per person (the minimum), so roughly $80 total. For a dish called “Mar y Tierra,” though, I expected more than just chicken added to the seafood. In my mind, a little medium-rare ribeye would elevate it even further. The beers were excellent and brought back memories of sitting at a local bar in Spain on a hot summer night, enjoying tapas with a crisp, cold draft. Overall a very enjoyable meal with clear strengths, even if a couple of the tapas needed a little help. There was live flamenco this night, beautiful performance. Just beautiful singing and dancing that made the night feel as if I was in Spain.

Live Flamenco

Fridays & Saturdays

Performance Times: 7:30 PM – 8:15 PM | 9:00 PM – 9:45 PM

Enjoy vibrant live flamenco that transports you straight to the south of Spain, complimentary with your dinner.

Live Flamenco

meet our team


Meet our team: Alvaro Correas holding a bottle of wine
Álvaro Correas

General Manager / Sommelier

Meet our team: Joaquin Ruiz, chef, in the kitchen
Joaquín Ruiz

Executive Chef

Meet our team: Pedro Ernaidez, chef
Pedro Ernaidez

Executive Sous-Chef

Meet our team: Rosemarie Amaya
Rosemarie Amaya

Administrative Manager / Event Coordinador

Meet our team: Dayana
Dayana Villamizar

Event Coordinador

Meet our team: Ricardo Tena holding a camera
Ricardo Tena

Digital Marketing Coordinator

Meet our team: Dimas Antonio
Antonio Lara

Captain

Meet our team: Glenda Amaya in the pastry kitchen
Glenda Amaya

Pastry Chef