El Mercat Bar de Tapas is a Spanish tapas bar in the Washington DC suburbs with two locations, one in Rockville, Maryland, and one in Arlington, Virginia. Both are the work of executive chef George Rodrigues.
Rockville: the first one
The original El Mercat is at 101 Gibbs Street in Rockville Town Center. Its record describes it as chef Rodrigues's first solo restaurant, with a concept of simple, tasty food: shareable, seasonal and house-made dishes, and a menu described as a journey through Spanish flavours in the form of tapas.
Listed hours at Rockville:
- Monday to Thursday: 16:00 to 21:00
- Friday: 15:00 to 23:00
- Saturday: 11:00 to 23:00
- Sunday: 11:00 to 21:00
So Monday to Thursday is evenings only, while Saturday and Sunday open from 11:00.
Arlington: the second bar
After the Rockville bar, chef Rodrigues opened El Mercat Bar de Tapas Arlington at 1301 South Joyce Street. Its record says the Arlington site brings the same concept to a new community: shareable, seasonal, house-made dishes and traditional tapas.
Arlington's listed hours differ from Rockville's:
- Monday to Wednesday: 15:00 to 21:00
- Thursday to Saturday: 11:00 to 22:00
- Sunday: 11:00 to 21:00
That makes Arlington the one to pick for a Thursday or Friday lunch.
How to order at a tapas bar like this
Neither listing names specific dishes, and we will not guess at a menu. What both records do say is that the food is meant for sharing. The usual approach is to order a few plates for the table, see what lands, then order another round. Our tapas etiquette guide explains the rhythm, and our patatas bravas guide is a good test for any tapas kitchen.
Nearby in Arlington and DC
Also in Arlington, Ser in Ballston describes itself as a family-owned neighbourhood restaurant serving Spanish comfort food in a casual setting. Across the river, our Washington DC guide covers the city's Spanish restaurants, including the Valencian tasting menu at Xiquet.
