Very popular restaurant with delightful tapas--three of us shared 4 dishes plus bread and that was plenty of food. The highlight was the gazpacho which was smooth and had a beautifully fresh flavor. The place was packed on a Thursday night in September when lots of neighboring restaurants were kind of sleepy. read more

Fun and delicious tapas spot in the lanes! Cozy restaurant and authentic tastings tapas. I loved the patatas bravas, alcachofas con jamon, and garbanzos with spinich. Food comes out hot and quick. The sangria is a must order if you go here as well! Service was friendly. We tested our luck without a reservation but I would consider making one if I come back (which I hope to!) read more

We had dinner at Casa Don Carlos on our final night in town and it was an excellent place to close out the trip. The service was excellent and friendly, the food was fantastic, and the wine was wine. So, no complaints at all. I also want to add that we went in August of 2020 (COVID Summer), and out of every restaurant or cafe we visited in Brighton, this was the only place that the employees wore their masks the entire time we were in the place and wore them correctly. So when it comes to health and safety they get bonus points. But even if that were not the case, this would still be a 5-star tapas restaurant that is on the list should I ever visit Brighton again. As an added note, according to my girlfriend the olives are "the best" I'm not a fan of green olives so I'll take her word for it. read more

This is truly a bizarre little place...it always seems to be crowded, so they must be doing something right It was late on, there was space and we decided to give it a try...general opinion all round that this was definitely a good place to go On their side they had the rabbit mains - it was devoured....the only problem was that they had ordered one each and she only brought one so there was quite a wait for round 2 We ordered peeled gambas with garlic, patatas bravas, I had the grilled sardines and my partner had the chorizo tortilla which was pretty good (had to try it!) The sardines were excellent, dry, crisp and yummy...the weak dish was the gambas...not peeled and none too hot either Service was...sporadic...and seemed to depend on who came to serve...could try harder as they say The house wine it seems was OK read more

Without a doubt, this was the best meal we had in Brighton. We tried to go to several places on the same block (a quaint alleyway), but the wait was unbearable. We walked by Don Carlos, and saw a sidewalk table available and immediately snagged it. Lucky for us too because there were two big birthday parties going on inside and more people came by to ask for seating. In case it's not clear, it's a tapas restaurant, so small sharing plates. I have a love/hate relationship with tapas. While I love trying multiple different things, the price always adds up to more than I want to spend. However, Casa Don Carlos was pretty reasonable in all regards. We started out with the house red (a blend from Alta Vega). It was alright, but our waiter recommended the Crianza from the same vineyard as our second bottle, which was way better. In terms of the food, we ordered: -chorizo "don Carlos" in rum flambe -rabbit cooked in white wine -patatas viejas con mojos (#8) -queso Manchego (#11) -garlic prawns (#16) -mushrooms in garlic (#5) -Spanish piquillo peppers stuffed with crab (#24) That was the perfect amount of food for 3 hungry people. The stuffed peppers were everyone's favorite. The portions were generous, and there was so much fresh crabmeat inside whole peppers. The chorizo in rum flambe was a sight to behold. The table next to us ordered it, and we just had to get it. And when ours arrived, passersby were equally as intrigued. The rabbit was also good, very meaty. The only thing that didn't hit with me was the Manchego (wasn't allowed to come to room temperature first), and the patatas viejas (which were just kinda there, but a good base for soaking up wine). Everything else was amazing. The service was wonderful, and at one point, our waiter noticed that my friend had spilled a bit of sauce on her shirt and he immediately brought her a rag with club soda and some other specialty formula that he said his wife uses all the time. Lovely people! If you're in Brighton and looking for a great meal, you can't go wrong with Don Carlos! read more

See all

Dear lord, Carlos, how do you do it?!! Without a shadow of a doubt, Casa Don Carlos is my favourite restaurant in Brighton...hands down! I have never tasted more delicious or authentic tapas outside of Spain. In fact, I'm not sure I've tasted tapas this delicious in Spain! Honestly, I know I'm gushing, but the food is incredible. The decor is charming and authentic, Spanish through and through- from the red and white checked table cloths to the bread baskets and earthy ceramic-ware, you will truly feel as if you have slipped into another world. What's more, the owner and the waiting staff are predominantly Spanish and incredibly friendly. I recommend the meat balls or the stuffed peppers, as well as the mussels. The patatas bravas are good, but with so many interesting options on the menu, be brave- don't stick to safe old favourites! The specials board is certainly worth a look- there is often chorizo dishes as well as octopus! I would suggest ordering two tapas each and sharing. In the summer there is outside seating and what better place to enjoy a meal on a balmy summer's evening, than the cobbled streets of the South Lanes? I did just that with my flatmate this summer and as soon as the Sangria hit our lips we were overcome with 'that holiday feeling'. Be warned, this place is POPULAR, so you'll need to book at the weekends! I suggest you get yourself to Casa Don Carlos immediately! It's just divine... read more

Casa Don Carlos - Spanish Near Me - Brighton, BNH

See all

This is a lovely, cosy little place serviing up some amazing tapas dishes. It feels like an authentic little Spanish cafe that you might find on the back streets of a Spanish town, with tightly packed tables and plenty of old fashioned charm. The food is served in generous portions ( I find tapas portions are often small for the amount you pay, but these are different), in those little terracotta bowls that seem to be a tapas staple, and the quality is excellent. The staff are friendly too, and this is a great place to go with a group of friends for a drunken evening of sociable eating and sangria - make sure you book, though, it's small and popular. read more

Casa Don Carlos - Spanish Near Me - Brighton, BNH

Casa Don Carlos is much loved by our family and friends alike. It gets very very busy so book ahead or expect to wait a little while but it is worth it. The tapas menu is varied and traditional and doesn't take long to come out. The honey glazed aubergine is a must and melts in the mouth. The classics (albondigas, gambas, potatas bravas) are all done well but head for the specials and Catalan favourites and you'll find the best eats. The staff are ever friendly, welcoming and attentive and you'll find you want to come back time and time again! read more

Casa Don Carlos - Spanish Near Me - Brighton, BNH

Awesome, great authentic Spanish food and atmosphere, the sangria's to die and the waiters are really friendly, If your in a party ask them to bring out the boron. ( Glass vessel with half a bottle of you favourite liqueur try to get it in your mouth and not down your shirt). If your not sure what to order, ask the staff who are really helpful and informative. read more

Casa Don Carlos - Spanish Near Me - Brighton, BNH

See all

Absolutely stunning food, the best tapas in Brighton. I can't think of anyone that doesn't like this place. I have been here a few times, and this weekend we were lucky to get a walk in (usually you have to book as it's so popular). It's very small in the restaurant and quite cramped, but I guess that's part of the appeal? It's a family owned restaurant that has been in Brighton for years and years. You are made to feel welcome as soon as you walk through the doors. As mentioned in other reviews, it's probably a good idea to go in a large group so that you can sample as many of the Tapas as you can. As I was just with Scott, we only ordered a few plates. We had the special roast lamb (probably one of my favourite dishes in Brighton EVER!) - if you like lamb, this is something really special. It falls apart it's so tender. So full of flavour too! You will want to mop up every last drop of sauce. We also had the fried chicken wings. I didn't really enjoy them because I'm not massively into wings anyway, but Scott lapped them up. We had a chorizo omlette which was nice, and also some meatballs which were amazing! Huge and tender, and the tomato sauce was rich and flavourful. We should have got more bread to mop up the sauce. I have had other things from the menu but it was ages and ages ago so I can't really remember what it was like, apart from that it was really good! An absolute must-visit in Brighton. read more

See all

Casa Don Carlos is an incredibly popular Spanish restaurant in the centre of Brighton. Essentially, this restaurant is based on the premise of sharing. They really are tapas experts. The food here is very good indeed. Their menu has absolutely loads of tasty options on it so there is bound to be something for everyone. The food tastes very fresh and the portions are just right. What lets it down a tad is that it is very small and therefore a bit cramped. You almost feel like you are sitting on your neighbour's lap. Additionally, it is a tad noisy which makes it difficult to have a conversation. read more

I was in Brighton for a week with several coworkers and Casa Don Carlos was one of my favorites. The small plates are reasonably priced and the service was excellent. We shared a pitcher of sangria, which was good without being too heavy. The only downside is that the place it rather small, and some groups can get very loud. We have an excessively loud table next to us, but fortunately they left quickly. There is also some outside seating available on the cute street this restaurant sits on. read more

Using the iPhone app I managed to find this restaurants and based on the reviews I managed to have a couple of tapas dishes washed down with some cool bottled beer. Was it worth it? Blimey yes. forget formalities this is a great fun place to hang out and have fun with friends and family. The staff have personalities and are very animated. The food is piping hot and very flavoursome. A real down to earth tapas restaurant with no pretention. If you can, I recommend it thoroughly. I only wish I could have spent more than 45mins in the place. Well recommended. read more

This place is fantastic! Because I didn't get to go to Spain, I decided to make up for it by trying out this Spanish restaurant (truthfully, my friend and i were feeling adventurous. teehee). One of the best decisions of my life, I tell you. The food was great, and the atmosphere was cheery and bright! I ordered lamb kidney and mushroon & garlic with bread on the side. Yeah, you might have cringed when you read KIDNEY, but that thing was delicious! But i eat everything with the exception of chicken feet, so this review may or may not apply to you, my reader. Regardless, don't be afraid to try something new because i'm sure that everything on the menu is yummy-licious! I dipped the bread in the sauce, and a little part of me died from overwhelming happiness. Yeah, it was THAT good. Just couple more comments: 1. the menu says to order 1- 2 dishes to work your appetite. I don't know how big a stomach of Spaniard is, but one dish with bread completely filled me up. I like to say i eat a regular amount for a girl, at least. and you can always order more! It was unfortunately that i didn't get to enjoy everything properly because i was so full. Thank goodness my friend has a blackhole for a stomach 'cause he finished everything! 2. I thought the food was on the saltier side. I tend to like my food slightly on the plain side, this may be the reason why. GO TRY IT! and let me know if you get the kidney and enjoy it as much as i do :) read more

Te amo, Casa Don Carlos. I had a wee adventure in Brighton with Lumberjack, and we enjoyed meandering through the streets and exploring the local flavour. We started to get hungry as we wandered into a wee lane. Luckily, we spotted Casa Don Carlos, which was absolutely heavin'. The atmosphere was cosy, intimate, and lively. As we were led to our table, I surveyed the tables and saw the gorgeous selection of tapas. The fragrant air was intoxicating, and I was getting hungrier by the second. Lumberjack and I looked over the menu... as our eyes were hungrier than our stomachs, we ordered heaps of tapas... only to later realise that their servings are a bit bigger than average Spanish tapas (value!). We pretty much had one of everything, from veg, meat, paella and seafood. The lamb was so tender and juicy, it fell off the bone. We were stuffed to the brim and still had loads left over. The service was friendly and attentive when you needed it to be. The sweet and lowdown: Casa Don Carlos is probably the best place I've had Spanish tapas in the UK so far. They whip up a variety of quality, fresh and tasty tapas. You really can't go wrong with any of them. Moderately priced, and well worth every penny. Because it's so popular, yet quite small, booking in advance may be to your advantage. ¡Salud! read more

One of my all time favourite restaurants in Brighton! Not exactly fine dining - instead it's loud, raucous, and great fun! The food is fantastic - they have a huge tapas menu plus regularly changing specials, and the portions are ginormous so you will never leave hungry. Particular faves of mine are the chorizo cooked in rum, the lamb shank, patatas bravas and the prawns cooked in garlic - it's making my mouth water just thinking about it! You can re-order as you go along but I have never needed to, always ordering too much the first time around! The wine is also good, not too expensive, and compliments the food perfectly! This is a great place to go for a relaxed and casual dinner, and is particularly suited to large groups (that way you get to taste more dishes!). The staff are friendly and fun, and keep the food coming out quickly. Do book in advance though as they are always busy! read more

I absolutely love this place. I have been here I think twice, once for a friends birthday, and once just after I had graduated, and both times I loved the food. The first time I went was in the middle of winter, so we sat inside and enjoyed the cosy feeling that it gives off. Warming Meat and Potato dishes, like The Chorizo stew were the order of the day. The food was amazing, and I spent a lot if the year attempting to recreate that sausagy goodness. The next time was in the middle of summer, and straight from my graduation, in a kind of tipsy haze, of relief and madness generally at finishing. This experience was all about sitting outside in the Laines, white whine, white bait, the octopus and the lighter dishes, though I still managed to stick the Chorizo stew in there! Really simple and beautifully tasty food, I would go back here with all the range of loved one's, platonic, family and relationship ones. read more

Best olives I have ever had, best paella, house wine red amazing , service wonderful, atmosphere fantastic. I highly recommend this amazing place! La comida es maravillosa! read more

Rioja. Yup, these guys have a selection of about six on the menu. so on a short jaunt to the sea side my sister insisted that we went here for dinner. Hidden down The Lanes it screams 'cute' and 'romantic'. The place was packed but some how managed to remain intimate. The food's not cheap but it's not over priced. Make sure you check the specials board as we scoffed about three of those dishes and they were amazing. Warning, this place doesn't do low fat and it crowded so it won't be great for big groups. On warmer evenings it does have a little seating outside but it gets full up quickly. read more

I came last week for a dissertation submission celebration (tongue twister). I've heard so many good things about Casa Don Carlos, and after much searching to find where it is, I located Casa Don Carlos opposite the Font pub, hidden away in the South Laines. When you step inside you can't help but feel 'Casa' is the perfect combination of slightly cheesy and quaint Spanish decoration, with a warm and lively atmosphere. I would second what has been mentioned about the portions, I was really happy with how much you receive for your money. Having been to places like La Tasca, I always felt like tapas was something of a con, but this has changed my opinion greatly. read more

I have been to Casa Don Carlos before but many years ago, I alwasy remember it to be good but WOW it was more than good , it was EXCELLENT food... There was 7 of us & I tasted the best Paella, Batatas Bravas, Chickpeas & spinach, calamari (melt in your mouth), stuffed peppers with prawn & crab, Grilled sardines, Oh & the Sangria mmmmm proper traditional sangria with all the correct ingredients, all the spirits... too good all too good!!! Oh & the service too, was excellent!! & a great & buzzing atmostphere! read more

Just to make sure you know Carlos is a Don, his name is on all the plates. This place down the lanes is lovely. Exquisitely authentic like true unfussy Spanish food that you'd find on package holidays when promenading the boardwalk of Alicante, or even in bars down the back streets of Barcelona. Simplicity, Saffron and plenty of paprika is key to most of the dishes. Flavourful and brightened with a bit too much dried thyme for my liking, but plates piqued my interest with touches of chilli and some of the flavours were joyfully, almost jerked. For my dinner date and I, we teamed through Tapas plates of Morcilla (black pudding) a satiating nutmeggy and well seasoned must, the Cornejo (rabbit stew) was tender rich and tasty, Alchofas con jamon (artichoke sautéed and homely ham) and oh my favourite: perfectly grilled squidgy smokey squid. Sangria was standard stuff, but fine by me! More please. A lucky find in a popular tourist spot. Don Carlos, Sir, due to the traffic and high turnover of tables I almost forgive your wipe down plastic covered table cloths and tatty laminated menus. read more

Lovely food. Believe the waiters and don't over order as you soon fill up and service is fast they soon bring you more if you need it. Lovely when you can sit outside too Always had a good meal there loads to chooses from on the menu too still working our way through it. read more

I'm giving this 3 stars because I am truly ho-hum, in the middle about this place. You know when you are SO hungry that the first few things you eat will always be delicious? It's kind of how my experience with this place manifested itself. I feel my hunger may have over-stated the quality of this food. I've had tapas in various places in the past (but never Spain), so my experience is limited to New York City Tapas. My favorite: Roasted potatoes with Chili Powder and creme. I could live without: The Paella. It was gamey, the rice was soggy/lumpy. The shrimp looked seriously decrepit. The bread: Not warm or toasted, but again, famished = whatever! The sangria: Decent. Had a bit of a fizz to it The location is in a cute sideway-cobblestone alley. It's tough to find if you're not familiar with the area. The service is friendly, I'm just not sure I would run around recommending this place. read more

This feels like home! When you walk in such a fuss is made of you you feel part of the dining family! The food is delicious and portions are ample. Doggie bags are a must and not frowned on as in some places. I only want a doggie bag if the food has been so good I want it for breakfast!! read more

We had just arrived in Brighton for a short weekend away and were feeling peckish so ventured out for a look around and to find some food. A couple of friends has told us about a great tapas place in The Lanes Brighton but we couldn't remember the name, so we used Yelp to see what was nearby and sure enough up came Casa Don Carlos, so we also suspected this was where our friends had told us about. We had a quick look at the reviews, mostly being 4 or 5 starts, and one stuck out with only a 2 star review - read that, but then when we got there is absolutely packed so thought that must have been a random review! Managed to get a table, even though they told us they would need it back within the hour we took it. We still had some shopping to do, so suited us nicely. Was a very nice and cosy atmosphere is there, most staff were speaking spanish so it felt very authentic. We have been to Spain many times for tapas so knew what we were looking for. Started with a jug of Sangria and some olives. Olives were appalling, so don't order, they were just bog standard vinegary and out of a jar. We then ordered 5 tapas, thought that might not be enough, but the dishes were actually large (much bigger than a spanish tapas dish), so even for two people with big appetites it was plenty. We had the house special which was chorizo flambaed with rum, russian salad, patas bravas, deep fried white bait and mixed paella. The house special was absolutely delicious (hence why its probably the special! :-) ), the patas bravas were also good, however the rest could take it or leave it. Waiters & waitresses were polite and fairly prompt with dealing with requests. Probably wouldn't come back except for the house special, would try another tapas place we saw later on that evening, down an even smaller lane! read more

See all

Meatball, slow cooked lamb, sardines, patella, and chorizo were my favorite. The croquette and octopus was bland and didn't have much flavor. Fast service descent portioned tapas. 5 of us ordered 10 tapas but could have ordered 8! Definitely recommend! read more

I personally feel a little underwhelmed by Casa Don Carlos; especially given the amount of glowing reviews on here. Have eaten there twice, and had an unpleasant experience during the latter. About 8 or 9 of us were there to celebrate a friend's birthday. Plenty of bread was placed on the table and topped up constantly, which they didn't let us know until after the meal that they would charge us for. Were rushed out of our seats by the end to make room for another booking. The food is nice enough, but did not offer much to the few vegetarians in our group (though I wouldn't really expect any tapas restaurant to be great in this respect). All in all, it was OK, but I wouldn't go back in a hurry. read more

I have spent quite a bit of time in Spain over the years and have always enjoyed tapas, albeit often free when ordering a beer. Given all the glowing reviews, we were excited at the prospect of eating here. However, walking out of the restaurant, I was left decidely underwhelmed. I really must be missing something about this place that everyone else gets except me. I thought the food was average at best and the tables really are crammed in almost on top of one another. Having said that, the atmosphere was lively and enjoyable. The tapas, the reason you are there, were small and not very tasty. Some of them even looked suspiciously like they came out of a freezer bag and were just dropped in hot oil. My absolute favourite at any tapas place worth its salt, boquerones fritos, were very disappointing. In fact, I was not keen on any of the fish tapas we ordered. Maybe we were just unlucky, but I won't be back in a hurry. I can only think the popularity of this place is based on the fact that most of the other tapas places in Brighton are even worse (La Tasca anyone? - um, no thanks!). The food also repeated badly on all of us all night. If it were in Spain, this place would be just another average eatery. I would have given 2 stars based on the food, but the atmosphere merits 3. I guess you have to factor in the overall experience in places like this. read more

One of the best places to eat in Brighton, Casa Don Carlos is a true Spanish oasis in the middle of Brighton! As this horrible weather had plagued our shores for way too long, the food here is one of the few true antidotes! Flavoursome, hearty and novel, it's a great way to bring some tasty happiness into your life. The chorizo flambéed in rum is a MUST and the rabbit is a delight! Prawns are chunky and delicious and the patatas bravas portions are truly plentiful - unlike other tapas places! I love it! read more

Incredible food at good prices, and the entire staff is warm and friendly from the beginning. Absolutely loved it!

Feels like I am on holiday! Great food with traditional feel, Small venue so I recommend booking. Staff friendly and welcoming .... one of my go-to places in Brighton read more

This place is lots of fun. Nothing like some late night tapas after rolling out of the pub, or before! The food is great. I love the rabbit (out of this world), chili potatoes, and the grilled prawns. Add some house white, and you're all set. The place can get pretty crowded, and sometimes feel a little cramped, but overall there is so much activity, even if you are with a date, you can kind of feel like you're in your own world, which is nice. read more

For those of you familiar with US Restaurant chains, the most accurate way I can describe this place is the Olive Garden of tapas. In fact, the tapas were so predominantly covered in tomatoes and tomato sauce (50%) that I wondered if this wasn't an Italian tapas restaurant? And nothing that was spicy was even remotely close to being spicy, literally not even a taste of chilies. Also beware the offerred bread and olives -- they ask you straight away if you'd like them, but this isn't a freebie and they will charge you. Chickpeas and Spinach -- literally just chickpeas and spinach in tomato sauce, undersalted Chicken and White Wine -- dry, oily, oversalted Octopus -- served on top of new potatoes!? underflavored, barely recognizable as octopus (thought it was a shrimp dish we ordered at first...) Meatballs -- literally meatballs and tomato sauce, the favourite dish of 2/3 of us and the only one I have no complaints about Spicy Potatoes -- fried and almost like chips, covered in tomato sauce, not remotely spicy Shrimp and Garlic -- just what it says on the tin, was supposed to be spicy but no chilies in sight Egg, Peppers, Asparagus, Chorizo, and Peas -- 60% tomato sauce, one stalk of asparagus, no peas!? Roasted red pepper stuffed with shrimp in cream sauce (daily special) -- favourite dish of 1/3, possibly because it was one of the only sauces that wasn't tomato The portions are really very large, and the service is friendly if spotty (we were asked by four staff members what we'd like to drink in a row, but then when it came time for the check it took a very long time to get it after we requested it). The price is not high for tapas, but neither is the quality high. I mean, some people really really love Olive Garden, and if you want large portions for a large group that is cheap and cheerful rather than complex and exciting, I think you could have a great time here. But this is no place for foodies. read more

Casa Don Carlos is arguably Brighton's best Tapas place. The great service, reasonable prices and warm atmosphere contribute to this idea but the linchpin of my argument is the stupidly tasty food. All the meat dishes are cooked to perfection, always appropriately tender. The sauces blend perfectly with each other to create an authentic Mediterranean-style pick n mix of tastes and textures. Highly recommended! read more

Ill have that one, and that one, and that one. For someone as ridiculously indecisive as me Don Carlos does not help by making so many of their tapas dishes so tasty. My favourite here is the Lentil and Chorizo stew, sometimes not available in other tapas'. The Calamari is the best and least like rubber I have had in a long time. The Patatas Bravas are scrumptious. The atmosphere is here is bustling and fun, lashings of Sangria and their very nice and well priced Cava help this. read more

Brilliant atmosphere, brilliant service and brilliant food! Fantastic little place for a good lively eat out and I highely recomend the banofie pie! It's incredible! read more

Food is incredible, waiters have a great knowledge of the beat wines to complement the dishes, intimate yet lovely setting can't wait to go again read more

Such a romantic little place to eat great seafood and paella lovely staff and atmosphere!!! Definately my favourite spanish restaurant in Brighton Its nice in the evening to sit inside and dine, dishes come out of the kitchen bubbling hot and with gorgeous presentation read more

This place is great! The atmosphere was very lively and the servers were all very nice. I have only been exposed to a little bit of spanish food in the past so the menu was a bit confusing to me at first. I ordered the paella and a chicken dish. The food was delicious. The paella was perhaps one of the best I have ever tasted and the chicken had peppers and was cooked perfectly (very well seasoned). The portions of these tapas were also very generous. The menu said 1-2 tapas for appetizers. My friend and I ordered 4 tapas for lunch and we barely finish everything! Definitely a place to try some new dishes! I would definitely order some bread to go with the dishes because some of them are a bit on the saltier side. A basket of bread and a couple of tapas to share with a friend makes this place a must! would definitely come back over and over again! read more