The Most Flavorful Spanish in Boston

Barcelona Wine Bar

★★★★☆ 4 (125)

"What's hospitality? Seriously, ask yourself this whenever you visit a popular restaurant.On a recent Tuesday evening, I dined with a few friends. Despite having a reservation for 8:15 PM, we were seated between 8:30 and 8:40 PM. Initially, we viewed this as a minor inconvenience, thinking it was a typical busy evening.Throughout the evening, Mr. Mathew, the manager, checked in on us, ensuring our comfort and satisfaction. At the end of the night, he surprised us by waiving our entire bill, apologizing for the delay and emphasizing their unwavering commitment to hospitality.Such dedication to guest satisfaction is rare, especially in the competitive dining scene of Boston. I've dined at Barca WB in Rhino (Denver) and DC (14th St), but this experience set a new standard for what true hospitality means. Even bar seating for couples offers a delightful option, showcasing the restaurant's exceptional commitment to making every guest's experience memorable.In an era where customer service often feels like an afterthought, this restaurant's approach stands out. It's a place where you feel genuinely valued and appreciated, making it a must-visit for anyone seeking an extraordinary dining experience."

Taberna De Haro

★★★★☆ 3.5 (372) • $$$

"I can't review the full dinner menu and tapas, as I only came here for the bar, but I did want to leave a review because it was a great evening. From 5-7pm Monday through Saturday, the bar does $2 oysters, and my partner and I had a whopping 24! We went on a Thursday evening and the atmosphere was great - not too loud or crowded, but not dead either. The service was amazing as well - the oysters came almost immediately after we ordered them and when we ordered the Sherry flight, the staff gave us a great explanation of each of the 4 drinks before leaving us to our food and drink.Oysters ($2 each) - I'm not usually a huge fan of oysters, but these were different from a lot of the others I've had in the past. They were slightly briny, but they also had a really sweet aftertaste that made them really pleasant to eat. They were served with lemon and also a little cup of vinegar - both options were good but I preferred the lemon. We started with 12 oysters and ordered a second dozen when we realized how good they were!Sherry flight ($30) - I had never had sherry before, but this was quite pleasant. The flight came with 4 different sherries and 2 croquetas which were tasty and filled with ham and bechamel. The filling was a bit dense, but not necessarily a bad thing. The four sherries were as follows, and my reviews are coming from someone who does not know much about sherry but enjoyed each one:- Manzanilla La Cigarrera - This was a light one with a very light alcohol taste. It paired nicely with the oysters.- Fino el Granero - This one had a slightly stronger alcohol taste to it, but it also paired nicely with the oysters.- Amontillado Rare Escuadrilla - This one tasted like a red blend and was my favorite of the four. It was nice to sip on after eating the oysters.- Olorosso East India Solera - This one was my partners favorite and tasted sweet. It almost had a taste like raisins, but it was quite pleasant.The order also came with bread, though I'm not sure if it was the drinks or the oysters that triggered the bread. The bread was nice, but they did not offer butter with it. Instead, you could have olive oil, but it was a fancy olive oil so there was a charge. We opted to just eat the bread by itself and it was nice - crusty on the outside and soft on the inside.All in all, this was a bit of an expensive night (we did eat a lot though!) but it was well worth it. I do know there are $1 oysters around Boston, but $2 oysters near our home is also a great deal. The sherry flight was nice to try, but I'd also like to try their gin and gin mixed drinks, as they are known for both their sherry and gin. I give this a strong 4/5 and we will definitely be back!"

Barcelona Wine Bar

★★★★☆ 4.3 (1890) • $$$

"Heck yeah this place was delicious. We had a big group and did the prix fixe; small plates kept coming out! Faves were grilled octopus, meatballs, cheese plate, spinach. Cocktails were also standouts.Service was prompt, they missed a few drinks now and again but the place was slammed so I get it. Love the energy of this place. Will be back next time I'm in the area!"

Sophia's Grotto

★★★★☆ 4.1 (436) • $$

"While I never knew this alley existed w/ various shops, glad my friend suggested it. There is an outdoor patio which is lovely. They thankfully have some veg*n options which is good. Good drinks, good food, & good ambiance but pricey. I would say the service was good too but the server spent a bit too much time w/ their resident skunk that comes out every evening & steals the show. I think more time should be spent on customers so we can order dessert, get check, etc. It took longer than it should have so maybe just depends on who & when you go."

Pagu

★★★★☆ 3.5 (532) • $$$

"This was my second time visiting and I loved this visit much more than my last.I went with a friend who was vegan and was so surprised by all of the vegan options. Even their aioli is vegan which we were both happy about. Turns out, 47% of their menu can be veganized!!I do want to go back and get more of the meatier options, but highlights were def the potatoes minus the price and the mushrooms!! I'd come back also because the drinks were good and it's a good tapas style place. I think my one complaint is that the prices are a little high for what it is. We had patatas bravas, five in particular, and it was $12 :("

Antonio's Pizzeria

★★★★☆ 3.5 (90) • $

"This is honestly one of my favorite neighborhood pizza place and one of best in Dorchester. Boston truly has so many amazingly, delicious pizza places and this is amongst the top 20 for me. I always order a Hawaiian for myself. Cheese only is also soooo basic, but soooooooo delicious. I always order here when in the area and I mean it... always!!!!! I grew up on their pizza since it was called Hi Fi's.... I think it's an ownership change or whatever but the food is still as I remembered as a boy."

Atlántico

★★★★☆ 3.8 (104)

"This was a really nice place to get a glass (well 2) of wine after work!We split the bruschetta- I don't always enjoy bruschetta these days as I'm picky but this was good and very flavorful!My first glass:Cava mercat sparking - definitely crisp. A little drier than expected. Not as sweet as I usually like but this was good. Second glass: Txakolina gaintza- chose it because "light effervescence" was very interesting to me. I liked this. My normal teeth shattering sweet wine preference buds weren't disappointed by this also not so sweet wine. I'll drink anything but sauv blanc. Come at me. My friend enjoyed the Chardonnay. Will come back for more wine and tapas."

Toro

★★★★☆ 4.2 (2564) • $$$

"Fantastic. We had so many dishes and everything was so good. The mushroom and potatoes were among my favorites. Can't go wrong with churros as a sweet option. The place itself was smaller than I initially thought but it made for a super nice dinner ambiance. This is a tapas place worth trying out! You can't go wrong!"

Estragon

★★★★☆ 3.8 (526) • $$

"Update 2022! We come here all the time!! The bartender that I previously mentioned has been gone for a few years now. Now we have Sahil who is literally amazing! I love seeing him every time we visit. Our go to items are still the same. Estragon has been super consistent over the years!Gambas Al Ajillo - Big shrimp! Perfectly garlickyChuletillas de cordero - Love this and we order it every single time. The lamb is a perfect medium rare and the cauliflower mash is sooo good! We rotate through a few other things (patatas/croquettes) and will randomly try something new once in a while. We had the carrillada (braised pork cheeks) and it was a great portion as well as a nice change from our typical choices. We've also recently tried the xoxolata (chocolate mousse with olive oil). Omg to die for. Don't forget to mix the olive oil in BEFORE taking a bite."

T'ahpas 529

★★★★☆ 3.9 (335) • $$

"Made an online reservations for weekend lunch; was surprised that it was quite empty upon arrival.Usually an indoor diner but preferred outside in the after-effects of a pandemic; appreciate that it was available (reason we chose this place to begin with). Entered restaurant in the front and was told to loop around the block to the parking space-turned patio. Odd but ok.Interior decor is very nice; makes you feel like you're in a tapas-eating country. Only small inconvenience is that one has to loop around the block again from the outdoor area to the front of restaurant in order to use the restroom. Food:- the whiskey in Old Fashion is very smooth, my friend highly recommended it and it didn't disappoint. - Patata Bravas was ON POINT -- soooo good! - Burrata was not quite oozy as expected, but the plate was great overall with the flavor combo. - the waffle in the Chicken & Waffle a bit too soggy, but appreciate the savory flavors. - Churrasquisto would be the biggest letdown in the meal by comparison -- it was simply too well-done for quality beef, even at medium. Maybe it's a cultural difference in cuisines, but please don't do beef medium and up. If this beef really is Wagyu, then all I can say is that I'm sorry the cow sacrificed its life to become this. *sad face* Despite the hiccups, it was a fantastic meal overall.Service:- attentive and adequate- wait staff friendly and courteous- looks like they want to be there so it's a great plus. Price tag:- $130 for two people's brunch, but take away the 4 drinks (LOL) it'll bring you to $60-70 tab, which is a fair price rangeWould definitely be back if I'm in the area again."

Cafe El Molino

★★★☆☆ 3.1 (17) • $

Bocado Tapas Wine Bar

★★★★☆ 3.8 (254) • $$

"A nice find in Wellesley. Phenomenal tapas with a good array of varied heat. The prices are very reasonable. This place is very loud, crowded after 6, but worth your time. Speaking of time, if you need to use the head, be prepared to wait. They have one single occupancy head per sex, including for the staff. Decor is classic Dali-sequel Madridian. My question is, why is bullfighting so romanticized? It is costumed barbarism, unabated cruelty."

Las Palmas Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4.2 (18)

"Tasty food, but ordering could use help.Be wary if you're ordering ahead online (via Toast)- they have no idea what the menu items actually are, so things will be messed up and you will need to wait for your order. I specifically ordered a standard item (the La Lechonera bowl) with no customization hoping that wouldn't cause any issues, but they weren't familiar with what that even was and were confused when it printed out on the ticket with no customizations noted- so we had to read out what the Toast menu said it contained, wait another 15 minutes after arriving for them to make that plus the sandwich we ordered, and then get an approximation of that bowl's contents (not exact, but close enough). Maybe just stop by and order in person instead, so you can tell them what you want as they build it? (Or maybe just choose 'custom bowl' instead on Toast, so they know just what you want)That being said, the food is tasty: my bowl was fresh and full of flavor, from the rice to the beans to the pork to the potato salad to the guava BBQ sauce (although I could have used a bigger portion!). And it was quite large, making for a very filling meal or even yielding leftovers- all for a very reasonable price."

Boqueria Seaport

★★★★☆ 4 (88)

"Boqueria was SOOOO good and was one of the highlights of my Boston trip! I love how perfectly portioned all of the tapas were - we had a large party of about 10 people and it was the perfect spot for us.Some highlights:+ Patatas Bravas ($13): SO good that we ordered another round after finishing the first lol. The potatoes were super crisp and the garlic aioli was addicting!+ Croquetas de Setas ($9): I love mushrooms and these croquettes were the best! Super crisp and the mushrooms were rich in flavor+ Jamon Iberico de Bellota ($34): A must get! It seemed to be one of their more popular items (hence the star next to it on the menu lol). The ham was packed with flavor!Our server was kind and super accommodating to our group. Try the white peach sangria!"

La Bodega

★★★★☆ 4.4 (231)

"This is one of the best restaurants in the Boston/Cambridge area. They are run by a couple that cares about their cultural representation through wine and food. They are so talented that each little tapas-like dish is an experience.My wife & I come here for two reasons: first, to celebrate birthdays and anniversaries, and second, to impress our friends. We get an Ecuadorian wine that they recommend that goes perfectly with the appetizers and the meal. This is after an ideal little cocktail from their specialty list. For us, it's a neighborhood place, but it is always special.The service is run by the owners, and everything runs like clockwork. This is a very good restaurant that we sometimes just come have an app and a drink at. I feel so privileged that it's located in my neighborhood. We often order the duck two days before required, and it is so worth the wait and the effort. For my birthday I love sitting in the train car! Though I'm a barfly usually, anyplace here is lovely. Treat yourself and come have a dining experience."

Barcelona Wine Bar South End

★★★★☆ 4.4 (1535) • $$

"I may have reached the point of no return where I've become the old man that yells "Get off my lawn, you rotten kids!" I realized that when Jamie W and I entered this darkly stylish tapas restaurant. We were drawn here because the name Barcelona evoked one of our favorite travel destinations. However, this was more of a Gen Z gathering spot given the deafening music they were playing over their speakers.One song that got on my nerves was "Don't Trust Me" by 30H!3 where they repeated the lyric "Do the Helen Keller and talk with your hips!" Ugh. How juvenile. Good thing we were separated from all the cool people who couldn't see me pinching my nose during the song. Fortunately the food was a marked improvement over the cacophonous music. We decided to share four plates since it was a tapas place after all.The rustic sourdough toast sticks and olive oil arrived at our table (photo: https://yelp.to/53BAII0AwY). We started with the $9.50 Grilled Chicken Thigh which was ladled with mojo verde (photo: https://yelp.to/LZ_3TVgz1N). Tasty and tender with a spicy kick. This was followed by a couple of veggie plates, the $9.50 Roasted Mushrooms with a thick scallion chimichurri sauce (photo: https://yelp.to/QfIdSmWRKs) and the $8 Grilled Zucchini with salsa verde and Calabrian pepper (photo: https://yelp.to/f6k8rh_Iv3). Both were just fine.The last dish was the $28 half order of Paella Salvaje where the savory bomba rice was mixed with chicken, pork belly, chorizo, chickpeas, green olives, carrot, and cilantro (photo: https://yelp.to/YGYir71IHS). That was easily the most satisfying part of our meal. Perhaps it was the curmudgeon in me, but the club-like atmosphere just wasn't enhancing our dining experience at all. I might be the wrong demographic to do the Helen Keller.FOOD - 4 stars...paella was stellar, everything else was pretty goodAMBIANCE - 2 stars...there's an audience for dark, loud and crowded...it's just not meSERVICE - 3 stars...they blitzed around usTOTAL - 3 stars...too dark and loud for my tasteRELATED - Exploring Boston? Here's my collection of places I've patronized and reviewed: https://bit.ly/3XtfnFc"

Tasca Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.8 (1142) • $$$

"We haven't been to tasca in forever because it's a bit far from back bay. We went last night and it was great! The food is more of a 4 for me but with service & price it becomes a 5. Always had a great time here!We had the following:Patatas bravas - Good, liked the red kinda spicy sauce Croquettes - SO much jamon. Highly recommend!!Shrimp - Yummy, also a little spicy!Lamb - Loved this, cooked perfectly and the mint sauce was great Churros - Enjoyed these but would try a diff dessert next time No pressure here to hurry and leave. We had sangria and took our time after eating. Will be back!"

Bocado Tapas Wine Bar

★★★★☆ 4.3 (649) • $$$

"We went on a Saturday night to meet our friends. We had gotten a reservation and I recommend getting one. They have valet parking which is really nice and they also validate parking. There are two lots one is free parking and the other is paid parking (validated). The ambience is totally enjoyable. The bar is really nice. They have such extensive seating spaces and they were still packed which says a lot about how amazing it is to be there. The service was impeccable, extremely friendly and super attentive. They have a very extensive drink menu and food menu. They have wine flights and various experience options which I thought was amazing. Don't expect large portions but you can expect delicious food. I would love to go back in the near future."

Solea Restaurant & Tapas Bar

★★★★☆ 3.7 (676) • $$

"Solid 3.5 restaurant had just opened an hour before we got there for lunch so there was plenty of seats to choose from. Our waitress was sweet and although she was the only server on the floor, she got to every table without missing a beat.Everything was seasoned nicely and portions were perfect for the price and to share. The only thing I had to send back was the shrimp in garlic sauce... I'm fairly familiar with traditional tapas and shrimp in garlic sauce is usually flavorful and packed with garlicky goodness. Their version wasn't even sauteed, just swimming in oil and the garlic didn't even look like they tried to date it one bit. Took a flan to go and that was delicious as well. Definitely a solid spot to stop in for a good meal."

Pintxo Pincho Tapas Bar

★★★★★ 4.5 (636) • $$

"I had an amazing time here for Valentine's Day (celebrated day before).It's mostly high top seating and 2 tables, relatively small, but cozy. They recommend getting 3-4 tapas per person, we got 5 and a paella and it was very filling. I think my favorite was the calamari, the batter was light and I didn't feel heavy after eating it. The sauce it came with was the perfect pairing. The service was absolutely amazing, super attentive and was helpful when choosing our tapas Pintxo de Txistorra - homemade chorizo on a crostini - we did the mild and it wasn't spicy at all, would try the hot next time Calamares a La Romana - aioli sauce was perfect for the fried calamari Vieiras Pil Pil - perfectly cooked scallops, came with bread - good to dip it into the oil Empanadas de carne - smaller empanadas than I'm used to, but the flavor was wonderful Pollo al ajillo - well seasoned chicken, would get again Paella Mixta - absolutely loved the chicken in this, so juicy"

Faros Restaurant

★★★★★ 4.8 (5)

"Faros Restaurant opened recently next to the Second Street Market behind Aztec Restaurant. This Dominican restaurant offers takeout and full service dining in a cozy and clean dining room. I stopped by here mid afternoon for an early dinner. The place was not busy and the staff was in the kitchen. It did take a while for someone to come out as I was looking over the menu offerings and I decided to eat here and took a seat at a table. I placed my order for the Empanadas Trio ($9 plus tax) and the Spaghetti with House Cream Sauce ($14 plus tax) and chicken (add $2). I was brought over some cold water and complementary plate of homemade fried crisp tortilla chips and fresh tomato salsa.The Empanadas Trio came out first, very hot, 3 good sized deep fried empanadas, 1 filled with cheese, 1 filled with shredded chicken & cheese, and 1 filled with ground beef. The shell was light and crisp and ketchup and tangy orange dipping sauces were provided. I would say their empanadas are some of the best I've had in the area! Next, the Spaghetti entree came out, a modest portion served in a bowl. The spaghetti was cooked soft with a light cream sauce not too rich and pieces of boneless pulled chicken, some pieces were chewy. After I was finished, I requested the check, but the total was initially incorrect since they charged me an additional $6 for shrimp instead of $2 for chicken. I saw the staff try to fix my check on the computer, but there was no pollo chicken option. I already knew the total with tax should be $26 and change and I paid cash with tip rounded up. Overall, I pretty good meal here and I would definitely order the empanadas again and try some other things next time. They also have a tres leches cake too."