El Mercat Bar de Tapas is a restaurant that represents the essence of Spanish cultural diversity. A concept of simple and delicious food; serving shareable, seasonal, and house-made dishes. The menu will allow guests to savor different dishes that will take them through a vibrant Spanish culinary journey with the most exciting flavors of true tapas fare.
Based on 205 reviews, the restaurant has received a rating of 4.4 stars. Price $$
✔️ Dine-in ✔️ Takeout ✔️ No delivery
Address:
101 Gibbs St, Rockville, MD 20850
Phone: (240) 403-7436
Social Profile: 
Hours
| Monday
(Labor Day)
|
3–9 PM
Hours might differ
|
| Tuesday | 3–10 PM |
| Wednesday | 3–10 PM |
| Thursday | 3–11 PM |
| Friday | 3–11 PM |
| Saturday | 11 AM–11 PM |
| Sunday | 11 AM–9 PM |
Menu
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Menu Photos
Photo Gallery
Order and Reservations
Reservations: resy.com
Reviews
Elizabeth Kendig
We’ve never been to a tapas restaurant and decided to try El Mercat out. We were seated immediately since we were only a party of two. There is very little space inside and it is difficult to move around the restaurant without bumping into other patrons. The first thing we noticed was the level of noise. We had to shout at each other in order to be heard. Our server was very cordial and helpful. She was also attentive except toward the end of the meal. We ordered a small montana paella as well as the following tapas: patatas bravas, chorizo a la plancha, croquettas de jamon, buneulos de bacalao, and alitas de pollo. The tapas were fine…but not what I expected. They didn’t taste much different than say…popping pre-packaged frozen appetizers in the oven at home. The cod were the best of the bunch (buneulos de bacalao). It seemed like the three main flavors were green sauce, aiolo, and paprika. None of them invoked any sense of memorable taste experience. The paella was disappointing at best. It was overcooked to the point that a large portion of the rice was burnt to the edges of the pan. Even squeezing the lemon juice on top did not rectify the box dinner flavor of the meal. We paid $20 for two small pieces of overcooked chicken, huge globs of green sauce and aioli, and a cup or two of burnt Spanish rice mix? The Mexican beer was the best part of the meal.
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Jimena Gargiulo
All the tapas we ordered were very good (tortilla, croquetas de jamon, calamares, aceitunas, patatas bravas).
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Nadun K
We tried the small plates, and everything we tried was bland except stuffed churros. The only thing we liked was churros. Ribs were very bad in terms of taste. We got calamares, crispy wings (Alitas De Pollo), ribs (Costillas De Cerdo), Montadito De Carne. The outdoor seating and the vibe are nice.
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The Munch Travelogue
Small plates are my favorite way to taste test what a restaurant has to offer and the restaurant definitely delivered.
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Heike Yates
Our first visit and we were not impressed. The ambience was Spanish themed and a cute little layout.
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mary oden
They have happy hour every day from 3-5pm. I had all tapas. I enjoyed the lamb meatballs and the fried calamari. The pork ribs were too sweet for me, but they were tender. The roasted corn was good, but not worth $11. And I didn’t like the Tortilla Espanola… it was all potato, which I don’t normally love. I’ll definitely be going back and trying other items.
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Kitchen Boy
Came here with friends on a Saturday night. Parking is in a nearby garage which gives you 2hrs free and $1 per hour afterwards. Some street parking but not much.
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Syerra Carigo
My husband and I tried this restaurant for brunch yesterday and it was so good! I believe this restaurant is fairly new; there weren’t many people there when it opened, but they start to fill up as the morning goes on. Still, you may be okay if you don’t make a reservation. The food and drinks are very good! They offer some traditional small plates, but they also have entree options as well. I don’t remember our waitress’ name, but she was really accommodating and very sweet. All the staff here were great! They were all very welcoming, and they made our experience great! We will definitely be back as they have great menu options, a beautiful restaurant, and lovely staff.
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Sharon Leiter-Weintraub
The food and drinks were exceptional! The ham croquettes and paella were amazing. We had a vegetarian salad with heirloom tomatoes, cucumber and goat cheese that was so fresh and great quality. The chimchurri steak was so tasty. Seasonal sangria and a smoked sour whiskey that was lit at the table (so cool) had the highest quality ingredients. The servers are super friendly and atmosphere is cute and relaxing. Love the vibe and love this special place!
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Ashwin Shrestha
Loved the food. Highly recommend the paella and the catalan custard.
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