Jaleo is the tapas restaurant brand of Spanish chef José Andrés. Its own description says the restaurants are "imagined through the creative lens of Chef José Andrés and his team" and set out to show the regional diversity of Spanish cooking, from traditional dishes to more modern ones, in a festive and casual room.
Our directory lists three US branches: Washington, Las Vegas and Disney Springs. This post covers what their listings say and how to plan a visit.
Where it started: downtown DC, 1993
According to the brand, Jaleo first opened in downtown Washington, DC in 1993. It later added restaurants in Maryland, Virginia and Las Vegas, and says each one tries to fit into its local community while keeping the same roots: a relaxed place to share Spanish food.
The listing also says Jaleo was awarded a Bib Gourmand in the 2017 and 2018 Michelin Guide to Washington, DC. The Bib Gourmand is Michelin's category for restaurants it considers good value, separate from its stars.
The three US branches in our directory
- Jaleo Washington, 480 7th St NW. Listed hours: Sunday to Thursday 11:30 to 22:00, Friday and Saturday 11:30 to 23:00.
- Jaleo Las Vegas, Boulevard Tower, 3708 S Las Vegas Blvd, Level 3. No opening hours are listed yet, so check jaleo.com before you go.
- Jaleo Disney Springs, 1482 E Buena Vista Dr, Orlando, FL 32830. Listed hours: Sunday to Thursday 11:30 to 23:00, Friday and Saturday 11:30 to 23:30.
All three listings point to the same website, jaleo.com. Our records don't list signature dishes for these branches, so we won't guess at them here.
Planning a visit
Both branches with listed hours open at 11:30 every day, so Jaleo works for lunch as well as dinner. Disney Springs keeps the later close of the two, at 23:30 on Friday and Saturday. If you're in Washington for a weekend, our DC Spanish weekend guide includes the Washington branch.
Another Jaleo in our directory: Polanco, Mexico City
Our directory also lists Jaleo Bar de Tapas Polanco at Av. Emilio Castelar 121 in Mexico City. It uses a different website (jaleo.mx), its record names an executive chef, Alberto Flórez, and it doesn't mention José Andrés. The listing describes a tapas bar inspired by different Spanish regions, with croquettes, Spanish omelette, grilled squid with ropa vieja, and mushrooms stuffed with piquillo peppers.
