Xiquet by Danny Lledo

Book This If You Can Get In

Securing a table at Xiquet by Danny Lledo takes real effort. Dinner service runs Tuesday through Saturday, 5 to 10 pm, with no lunch and no Sunday or Monday option. The third-floor room holds only a handful of tables, which means availability is tight and lead times are long. That booking difficulty is not incidental; it reflects the kitchen's capacity to deliver something the larger, easier-to-book rooms in Washington, D.C. cannot. If you've eaten here once and are weighing a return visit, the answer is direct: go back, plan further ahead than you did last time.

Xiquet earned a Michelin star in 2024, an AAA 5 Diamond in 2025, has appeared on the Opinionated About Dining Leading Restaurants in North America list three consecutive years; ranked #94 in 2023, #79 in 2024, #126 in 2025. That trajectory is worth understanding: the slight OAD ranking shift from 2024 to 2025 does not signal a decline in quality; the list's North American field is competitive, Xiquet's sustained presence across three years carries more weight than any single year's number. For a Spanish tasting format in D.C. there is no comparable entry point at this level.

What You're Walking Into

The room itself sets the register immediately. The third-floor space is sparse and deliberately minimal, a small number of tables, enough separation to make conversation feel private, an atmosphere that reads formal without being cold. The visual impression on arrival is one of restraint: this is not a room designed to impress you with its decor. It is designed to make the food the focal point, which is the correct call given what comes out of the kitchen.

The cooking comes from a wood-fired hearth and a smoker, the menu is oriented around the culinary traditions of Valencia and the broader Spanish coast. If you visited before and left thinking the rice preparations were the thing to order, that instinct was right. The Alicante-style rice with rabbit and mushrooms, cooked over the hearth, is the dish the kitchen's identity is built around. For a return visit, pay attention to how the lighter early courses, dill-cured bonito with ajo blanco is a representative example from the database, frame what follows. The sequencing matters more than any individual plate.

Menu's approach to sourcing is sustainability-oriented, the product quality reflects that. For diners returning for a second visit, the consistency of ingredient quality is one of the things you are likely to notice more the second time: the kitchen is not coasting on technique alone.

Service and Whether It Earns the Price

At a $$$$ price point with a tasting format, service is doing real work. The team at Xiquet includes Aaron Watts as both General Manager and Wine Director, with a sommelier bench that includes Polina Jensen, Timothy Larkin, Michelle Perrone. That level of staffing depth in a room this size is deliberate and noticeable. The wine program covers around 150 selections across an 800-bottle inventory, with particular depth in Spain, France, California. Corkage is set at $75 for those bringing their own bottle.

Where service philosophy matters at this price level is in whether it creates friction or ease. A room this small, with a team this focused, should feel attentive without being intrusive. The end-of-meal practice of inviting guests to move to the lounge for coffee and mignardise is a small but meaningful signal: the kitchen wants the meal to have a proper close, not a check-drop. For returning diners, this transition is worth accepting rather than skipping, it is part of how Xiquet structures the experience, it earns the price point more than any individual dish does.

For a useful comparison: at Le Bernardin in New York City, service at a similar price tier is more formally European and less intimate. At Lazy Bear in San Francisco, the tasting format is more communal and theatrical. Xiquet sits between those modes, tasting menu discipline with a quieter, more personal delivery. If you want high-contact service, Xiquet may feel understated. If you want the food to do the talking, it earns the check.

Wine: a Practical Note

The wine program prices at $$$, meaning expect many bottles above $100. Spain and France represent the list's depth, with California rounding out the range. For a return visit, ask about Spanish regional bottles outside the obvious Rioja and Ribera del Duero options, the list's strength in Spain suggests there is range beyond the familiar. The $75 corkage fee is on the higher end, so bring your own bottle only if you have something specific in mind that justifies the cost.

The D.C. Context

Washington's fine dining tier has deepened considerably in recent years, with venues like Albi, Bresca, and Causa each operating at the $$$$ level with distinct culinary identities. Among these, Xiquet is the clearest choice for diners whose priority is a single coherent cuisine tradition executed with technical precision. It is not the most accessible room in D.C. and it is not designed to be. That is part of the point. For broader Washington D.C. dining context, see our full Washington, D.C. restaurants guide.

If Spanish cuisine in a tasting format interests you beyond Washington, ZURRIOLA in Tokyo and Arco by Paco Pérez in Gdańsk represent two very different takes on how Spanish technique travels. Xiquet is closer to the Gdańsk model in terms of intimacy and focus, though the wood-fire emphasis is its own thing.

For other D.C. dining, drinking, exploring options: our full Washington, D.C. bars guide, our full Washington, D.C. hotels guide, our full Washington, D.C. wineries guide, and our full Washington, D.C. experiences guide.

Also worth knowing in the neighborhood: Del Mar and The Saga are nearby options at different price points for nights when Xiquet is fully booked, which, given the room size, will happen.

Quick reference: Dinner only, Tue–Sat 5–10 pm; $$$$ cuisine pricing; wine list ~150 selections, 800-bottle inventory, $$$ pricing; corkage $75; third-floor room, small number of tables; Michelin 1 Star (2024); AAA 5 Diamond (2025); OAD Leading Restaurants in North America 2023–2025.