Xiquet by Danny Lledó

Michelin-starred Spanish fine dining with a multi-course tasting menu, known for its paella and elegant presentation — best suited for small groups celebrating a special occasion in an intimate setting.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Really outstanding experience, great work Chef!

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 5

Welcoming, warm environment from the outset. We were sat at the table next to the kitchen and had a great time watching our food get made. Definitely recommend the wine pairing! Paulina the sommelier is amazing. We were in awe with how much she knows about wine 🍷
Each dish was like artwork- well thought out and with a story. Fresh, vibrant flavors. Gorgeous presentation.
Service was so personable. The whole team was working together to make sure our experience was flawless.
Chef Danny Lledo personally came to our table a few times to explain the courses and the inspiration behind them which made me feel like a celebrity 😂 What a great experience.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Duck paella was pretty good. I honestly expected more. Nonetheless it was a good dining experience .

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 4

Service: 3

$600 for basic food for two. Absolutely the worst experience and I couldn’t wait to leave. Paella was made of salt, can’t taste anything else. The crab and octopus in the paella was like plastic. Frog legs were raw with BBQ sauce. Duck was bloody raw with cold duck pate that tastes like cardboard. Hoped to taste at least some liver but nothing. Only hope was scallops and uni but “lime pearls” tastes like plastic that ruined even the Uni. Fish was burned so not much left to taste. Dessert with the lime was as sour as sulfuric acid. Even the hibiscus tea was sour with the acidity of 1 like aqua regia. I had many Michelin star meals and this was the absolute worst.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 3

Absolutely fantastic experience beyond words. The Spanish food combination in this Michelin Star menu was exceptional. Very creative chef and every plate was surprising in amazingly good ways. I would highly highly recommend. The service was outstanding.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

I was excited and hoping for a good experience but I was let down. I arrived early so I was not sure if the restaurant was open yet but I saw a gentleman and the chef himself come out and start smoking, which was already a turn off. Why would you smoke and have that smell on you when it’s 10 minutes prior to the restaurant opening and you’ll have to start greeting your patrons? When they were done smoking, I asked the gentleman if the restaurant was open yet and he told me to wait outside for 5 more minutes. When I entered, it seems like they had a seating area inside but this gentleman didn’t even bother to offer me to sit and wait inside, instead kept me standing outside getting bitten by mosquitoes.

The food was very delicious, but it felt like there was way too much sweet than savory courses. The portion size of savory courses was pretty tiny. Also, one of the dishes had uni and it gave off a bitter taste indicating it was not fresh and cleaned properly. So much to ask from a Michelin star establishment. The wine sommelier had a foul and off putting/condescending attitude - something I have never experienced in any fine dining establishment I have been to around the world. The supposedly hot compressed towels were cold and floating in water, so appalling haha. I was also charged $12 for 3 glasses of STILL water, which I have never experienced even in the finest of the finest 3-Michelin star restaurants.

I usually write a review only when my experience was bad, and I have to say the negatives far outweighed the positives here.

Atmosphere: 2

Food: 4

Service: 1

By far the most disappointing Michelin starred experience I’ve encountered. I was a bit leery when seated and I noticed the tablecloth was stained, and it was a harbinger of what was to come. A server and sommelier both went over the two upcharges, only to then tell us one was not available, which was very disappointing given that I prefer land to sea and had been looking forward to the steak. It just seemed weird to be given details about something not available. The sommelier was not very knowledgeable about wines - repeatedly mispronouncing Taittinger, for example - but what couldn’t be overlooked was that some dishes were paired with three wines and others with no wines, yet he seemed offended when we would have to ask if there was a pairing. He seemed put off by any questions and clearly was not happy to serve our table. I’m also not a fan of restaurants that refuse to offer tap water, but if you’re going to force diners to pay for bottles, don’t switch between still and sparkling in the same glass throughout the meal. And even with the bottles, I had to repeatedly ask for refills, whereas I expect a Michelin starred restaurant to proactively handle this. The food was fine. Not stellar, but not enough to redeem the service failures. What was perplexing, however, was that some many key items came from the Canary Islands, literally the farthest possible distance from Valencia, including one dish that was called a “taste of the Mediterranean” despite its key aspect coming from the Atlantic and no where near the Med. Finally, several servers asked if we enjoyed our meal. When a guest say “It was ok” you should not take that as a compliment, although here it somehow was. Would definitely skip this.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 3

Service: 1

Food was okay, moy exceptional. The restaurant is in an odd location in a row house, so the environment is okay but not great. The price, though, was just not worth it.

At $2,000 for four people, you can have a MUCH better culinary experience in DC. The menu was advertised at $195 pp with a wine pairing at $195 pp. We brought our own wine and champagne, were charged $100/bottle corkage fee, and ended up paying $500 pp for food. Even with the $45 pp lobster upgrade, we found this really extreme.

Atmosphere: 2

Food: 3

Service: 3

The staff was super welcoming and took time to explain each dish with a fun story. We celebrated our anniversary and it was so special, Chef even stopped by the table. The duck was incredible and my wife especially loved the creative dessert.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Meal was outstanding, Service was great, especially the gentleman recommending our Wine pairing, was very knowledgeable, friendly and helpful

Dining at Xiquet feels like a trip to Valencia totally worth every penny. The elegant atmosphere, impeccable service, and cuisine that honors tradition with modern touches made for an unforgettable experience. We enjoyed an extraordinary paella prepared in two different styles - truly unique. We also tried the premium wine pairing, which was impressive, especially with each wine introduced by knowledgeable experts. Perfect for a special occasion or simply to enjoy high-end Spanish cuisine.

We were in DC on business. We chose this restaurant based on the positive reviews on Google and Michelin. Sadly, our experience was very different. The restaurant disappoints on every level. It is dirty, very tired and had an unpleasant odor. The decor, while minimalist, was cheaply appointed. But the food was the biggest shock. Multi courses of average food and the wine list is shocking expensive. There was only one other table of 2 in the entire in the restaurant, we came to understand why. Do not repeat our mistake.

My wife and I celebrated her birthday at Xiquet, and it was an experience we’ll never forget. From the warm welcome to the final bite, everything felt deeply personal and expertly executed. Chef Danny Lledó’s tasting menu is a stunning tribute to modern Valencian cuisine — refined, creative, and absolutely delicious.

Highlights included the Fruit de Mar, with scallop mosaic, uni, and caviar, and the Arrós del Llagosta, a luxurious paella with Maine lobster and beluga caviar. The dry-aged squab (Colomí) was deeply flavorful, and the Ibèric Solomillo was perfectly tender. Each dish felt like a meaningful step in a thoughtfully paced journey.

We opted for the Premium Wine Pairing, and it was nothing short of spectacular. Eleven world-class selections — including Krug and rare Spanish wines — elevated each course with surprising harmony. The sommelier’s explanations added depth without pretension, making the pairing feel like an experience all its own.

Service was polished, warm, and intuitive — the kind that anticipates your needs without being overbearing. Desserts, especially La Prima Vera Aquesta Aci, were whimsical and elegant, with the final mignardises wrapping the evening in sweetness and finesse.

Xiquet turned a special occasion into an extraordinary memory.

An amazing Spanish restaurant with beautiful details. It was such a pleasure to walk through Chef Danny’s childhood through each course and feel the significance and thought behind it all. The wine pairing was superb and flowed beautifully with each course. Our sommelier helped explain each one and he made sure our wine needs were taken care of. A very well thought out pairing. I would recommend this to anyone who is familiar or new to Spanish cuisine, or just anyone looking for a unique and fun night out!