Dali was my first experience with tapas and has yet to be surpassed. My first trip here was a work dinner, a bunch of folks from my office and a few folks from the client. The sangria was flowing freely, and the tapas just kept on coming. Everything we had was super tasty and we just kept ordering more. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Definitely need to make a plan to go back again soon. As a bonus, after about 10 years of Spanish, it was all those jarras de sangria that finally somehow made it possible for me to figure out how to roll my rrrrrrrrrrr's. :) read more

One of the most lovely, lush, cool, sparkly, sensuous and romantic places in the world. Well, at least in the Boston area! I adore this place - everything about it. I've been to it's sister restaurant Tapeo on Newbury and it was quite good. But the ambiance - for me - doesn't compare. Before I had ever been, I remember it being described as the sort of place where - were you on a date - you would leave wanting to rip each other's clothes off. Or something like that. It can be more than a bit crowded. It can be an ungodly long wait. But check out the pig and the naked lady painting behind the bar. Check out the beautiful bathrooms (how often do you hear that?), check out the fountain and all the glitz. Bipolar girl is so happy here! Sangria is lovely - not too sweet. And I don't think I've ever had a dish I didnt enjoy thoroughly. I pretty much always get tapas. Saffron shrimp, crabmeat ravioli (anything seafoody, really), duck, tenderloin, sausage w/figs. Oh my. I wish I had a date for my upcoming trip to Boston!!! I'm getting horny/hungry just thinking about this place! read more

Still have mad love for Dali. Came here Saturday night and was happy to find that the bar had many available seats. You may feel like you can't get in on a weekend night, but most of the people hanging out outside are waiting for friends and are going to sit at a table. So make sure you check to see how crowded the bar is, because it's a fun place to share a meal with a friend or two. Also, I have a new addiction here. The lamb dish is tender tender deliciousness. I still would take the cheese and honey dish over it, but the lamb is a close second. And I don't usually even like lamb. ps: You will encounter 7+ birthdays here on any given night! It's kind of silly, but keeps the place festive. read more

Dark, mysterious and candlelit The tables are cozy at which you sit Small are the plates, but the Tapas are great - If you want to blow her mind, and you want her well fed Come here, you'll be satisfied - and in her bed. read more

I've been to Dali several times now, so I feel qualified to give it an honest review. Here are the TOP 9 Reasons to skip Dali, presented in decreasing Stars... 1. AMBIENCE - 5 Stars - Exceptionally pleasing to the eye, and easily one of Boston's TOP 5 Most Romantic Restaurants. 2. FOOD - 3 Stars - A mixed bag. Some tapas rate 4-5 stars, while many others rate only 2 stars. 3. SERVICE - 3 Stars - The wait staff is very knowledgeable, but not very attentive until they want the table and press you to leave. 4. DRINKS - 2 Stars - Drinks and wine actually rate 3 stars. However, because a Spanish Tapas restaurant should have exceptional Sangria, and Dali's is only quite mundane, I have to demote my rating 1 star. 5. WAIT TIME - 2 Stars - They don't accept reservations, and you can easily wait an hour or more to sit. Considering everything else, It's not worth the wait. 6. BACKGROUND NOISE - 2 Stars - This is a very noisy place which makes it hard to conduct a conversation. Gee, isn't that what it's all about? 7. LIGHTING - 2 Stars - Dim lighting is supposed to be romantic, and it is. But, Dali's lighting is more dim than you'd like, making it difficult to read the menu. 8. LOCATION & PARKING - 2 Stars - Although Dali isn't located in Harvard Square itself, the parking situation is just as difficult. 9. VALUE - 1 Star - Considering the very small portions and very high prices, the only real value in Dali is it's exceptional 5-star romantic ambience. And, since this restaurant falls flat on such a multitude of areas, I'd demote its 2.5-star un-weighted mathematical average to just 2 stars overall. I'm not angry, I'm just disappointed. The only way I'll return is if a group of my friends insists we dine there. * * * BIG TIP: One of Dali's sister restaurants is Cuchi Cuchi in Central Square, Cambridge. Although it's still almost as expensive as Dali, it delivers more value for your dollar. The portions are a bit bigger, the prices are a bit lower, the service, food, parking, noise, and lighting are all better, and the Wonderfully Romantic Ambience is still 5 stars. read more

The food is pretty good and the delivery was spot on time! I had the paella and the chocolate mousse and it was awesome !

A nice stop for tapas, but in my opinion, a bit pricy and not as good as all that. If you want great Spanish food in the US, visit Casa Mono or Mercat in NYC, Mercat a la Placha in Chicago, Taberna del Alabardero in Washington or Rioja in Houston. read more

Auuuuuuuuuuugh!! I know a lot of people love Dali's but this restaurant bugs the heck out of me. All my friends love it. They like the food and you the reader might like it as well. But I hate it. It's difficult to find parking if you are out of town and it twists around one way streets which quickly gets annoying. It seems like everyone goes to birthday parties here which gets on your nerves if you are having a conversation with someone. I am not a cranky person but after the 6th time within an hour of people clapping for someone's party I feel like I am at an adult Chucky Cheese place) It gets super crowded on weekend nights which takes as long as an hour to get a table. Tapas is a Spanish food which is actually provided free at bars in Spain. It's generally a little saltier to have the patron order more beer or wine. The food here, while it's decently made, is small in quantity. So to fill yourself up you will have to spend nearly $30-$40 a person. I had one meal for two that was close to $88 with no drinks (and I don't eat a lot either for dinners). Which I don't have a problem spending that amount but I generally like to have a higher class of restaurant (dressy/formal) once I start hitting the $80 and up range. Don't believe the hype. read more

We recently came here because my fiance's best friend was in town visting and he loves Dali. It was his favorite back when they were in school together and living in Cambridge. Well, Dali and the Border Cafe. But, when his friend called and originally suggested the Border Cafe last week my fiance' actually heard the guy's mother yell at him in the background "You're a grown man with a baby - you can't drink Margaritas at Border Cafe anymore!" I disagree! When you're a grown man with a baby and you're staying with your parents for Christmas and your mother is babysitting so you and your wife can catch up with friends...you should be able to go wherever you want! Anyway, we tried to tell him that Torro is the best place for tapas nowadays (and he was even staying in the South End...steps from Torro) but no, we had to schlepp all the way to Dali. I like Dali, don't get me wrong. But it's the same menu as Solea and Tapeo and I'm kind of over it, at least for now. Plus, it's all been said in the gazillion reviews here. The food (baked cheese, wild boar, seafood ravioli's, artichoke hearts etc.) is incredibly good. The sangria, quite tasty. The atmosphere, loud and colorful. There was no wait which was a bonus. The staff was pleasant. The owner dished out lots of marital advice to our table for unknown reasons. I didn't mind though - it was all about how the woman is always right. But if that were really true, we would have been eating at Torro, not Dali. read more

Long wait times, with no place to wait. Kitschy / unique ambiance. Applebees-Esque birthday songs. read more

Dali makes eating a special occasion. From the dark, romantic ambience to the exquisite scents coming out of the kitchen, Dali's got a great thing going on every time I go. First: the red sangria here is excellent, almost as good as at Tu Y Yo. Drink a lot of it. The cava sangria, a summer special, is also delicious. Then: tapas. Most plates are around $7 or $8; count on two to four per person (though my lovely wife and I have been known to knock down ten plates and leave room for dessert, when we put our minds to it). There is a long tapas menu and with time you will want to try every one. Favorites of mine include: roasted duck with completely insane blackberry sauce which is illegal in six states (note to heirs: I want to be embalmed in it), braised rabbit, squid in its own ink, fried cheese with honey and sweet onions, sauteed "meaty" mushrooms, marinated octopus in vinaigrette... I could go on. You can't go wrong. Onward to dessert. Get a glass of 20-year port and share it with the one you love, and savor the flourless almond cake and maybe an espresso. When you leave, you are buzzed and can't entirely pinpoint why... was it the liter of sangria you made disappear? The food you would gladly eat until Doomsday? The lightheaded aftermath of dropping serious coin on a meal? Who gives a shit, a sense of well-being is a sense of well-being. You can figure out why next time. Dali has a sister restaurant, Cuchi Cuchi. As far as sisters go, Cuchi Cuchi made the cheerleading squad but not the honor roll. She's in the bathroom fixing her hair for an hour and a half every morning while everyone else stands around and waits, yet inexplicably no one has the sense to drown her in a creek for the good of humanity. In the thoughtful words of Rachel J., "There are Dali people and there are Cuchi Cuchi people." I can't help but think the Cuchi Cuchi people deserve whatever they get over there. I'm a Dali person, and with any luck I will stay a Dali person for some time. read more

According to Yelp, Dali is amazing. A lot of people really seem to love the food, the service, and the decor. This review is mostly about the food, but I'll concede that I may just have ordered the wrong stuff or gotten the restaurant on a bad day. But I've been to Dali twice and both times were really, incredibly disappointing. First off - Dali isn't cheap. Three small plates and a pitcher of Sangria and you should expect to walk out about $60 poorer. Anyway, the food. The food is terrible. I do not understand how anyone with a working mouth can eat these dishes and think they're good. They sell an antipasto platter for like $14 that includes roasted red peppers that taste like a can, mediocre jarrred olives, a couple of so-so waxy cheeses, and some cured meats that are the same quality you'd expect on a sandwich at a supermarket deli. Can people seriously try to say that Dali is one of the best restaurants in the city when they don't even do their own charcutterie? Really? or bake their own bread? Oh, and the bread is awful. Completely unseasoned cardboard. It's like a shoe. How can people eat this bread and be happy? Is it possible that on two separate occasions, months apart, I arrived on a special "Dali is serving terrible bread!" day? I can't believe it. Dishes that I've tried, other than the one mentioned... Braised rabbit. Horribly overcooked. Sauced to death. It was like eating an unidentifiable chunk of stewed meat with no character, drowning in an over-seasoned, over-reduced paste. Totally lacking in any subtlety or character. Pork loin in blue cheese sauce. Jesus, what? I like pork. I like nicely seared pork loin. What I got, both times I've eaten this, was a leathery piece of garbage that tasted of absolutely nothing but really subpar maytag blue cheese and cream. It was tough and unappetizing, and totally graceless in its execution of flavors. Paella. Not only was my rice completely dry and overcooked, the two clams perched on top tasted like they had been boiled in sea water for about an hour. It was the texture of a rubber ball and tasted like salt. Not fresh juicy seawater tastes like good clams have. it tasted like a rubbery chunk of salt. This was the one item at Dali I actually spit out, it was so terrible. A mushroom platter tasted like unseasoned button mushrooms seared in butter, dumped onto a plate. Goat cheese and tomato sauce was just that - low-grade chevre with a really marginal tomato sauce that tasted canned. I expected something bright and flavorful, but I got yet another insipid combination of supermarket quality ingredients. Spanish tapas should be simply prepared, high quality ingredients. It should be strong but harmonious flavors with an emphasis on fresh, seasonal ingredients treated with love and respect. Dali is mostly crap you could pick up at the produce area of Stop & Shop, shipped in from God knows where, horribly overcooked and sent to your table at a %400 markup. maybe I'm just really lucky. But reading all these rave Yelp reviews makes me suspect there's some kind of a secret handshake where the maitre'd gives you a special menu that, when ordered from, causes the kitchen to not serve you food that is embarrassing. Maybe I'm wrong, I don't know. But the food I have eaten here is absolutely terrible. Save your money, go somewhere else. new England is full of wonderful produce, and also people who like to treat said produce with respect. If you want to drop $60 on a meal you should probably go to those places instead. $60 is too much money for a line cook to open a can of roasted red peppers and plop them unceremoniously on a plate with some stale bought-in bread. The decor is very romantic, though, and while the sangria is a little watery it will get you drunk. If you want to go on a date and get drunk on cheap sangria, this is a place for you. If you want good food, then God help you. read more

Before anything else, I have to tell you this: Dali opens at 5:30. I did not know this. I showed up at 5:10 and kept walking around and around, trying every entrance, and ended up walking in the door that went straight into the kitchen. Embarrassing much? Lesson learned: do not attempt to enter before 5:30. But with that aside... I love love love the tapas here! I came by with Aaron K before an Elite Event recently. We tried just a few tapas, but it was more than enough to convince me that I definitely need to come back. And here they are: Patatas Bravas: Deep-fried potatoes with piquant tomato sauce and aioli. Simple, but delicious. You can't go wrong with anything deep-fried. Queso Rebozado con Miel: Deep-fried Spanish cheese with honey and sweet onion. This tapa was my favorite of the three that we tried. Maybe that's because I'm a sucker for almost any kind of cheese. Or maybe it was just that it was deep-fried. But the sweet onions were an excellent complement to the dish. And last but certainly not least, we tried the Pato Braseado, which is roast duckling with berry sauce. The meat was so tender, perfectly cooked, and full of flavor. It didn't even need the berry sauce that came with it, but it was definitely a wonderful addition. Expect for this review to expand as I am sure to return soon to try um, well, EVERYTHING. read more

See all

Eh Dali? Que paso? I used to absolutely love Dali, and would arrive just at opening to be able to get a table, in this always packed restaurant. It had amazing, authentic Spanish tapas (I lived in Spain) and excellent Sangria and other drinks. However, we went here the other week (see date of review) and it was very disappointing. The place was half empty and we soon learned why. It just went downhill. We got 6 tapas, and 2 of them were still excellent but the others had drastically declined in taste. For example, the baquerones (white Spanish anchovies) were served on toasts loaded with garlic - this is one dish that does not need garlic as it completely masks the taste of the fish. Also, they used to serve wonderful bread with a chickpea spread..the bread was great for mopping up all the sauces. Now, we were asked "would you like to order a bread basket"? I did not pick up on the word "order" and sure enough we were charged for the bread! This is too much European authenticity for me. Anyway..time to find another regular tapas place. read more

THE place for Tapas in Cambridge! Tortilla, Patatas Bravas, Croquetas...it feels like being somewhere in Barcelona's Las Ramblas! I went there with a group of 6 people (some of them Spaniards), and we had an amazing time sharing tapas and drinking really cold and tasty Spanish beer (Don't miss Estrella Damm, great beer!). I strongly recommend the ham, the octopus and the garlic shrimp, but all the tapas are definitely worth it! Just a word of caution: although we had made a reservation, we had to wait almost 20-30min to be seated, though the service was really good after that. It can also get a bit loud, as there are many big groups having dinner there... The check was $200 total for the 6 of us, around $33 per person, which was pretty reasonable given the amount of food (and beer) we had! As said, this is THE place to go for tapas! read more

Let's start off by saying that if you're looking to get slammed in the face by crazy shit on the walls when you walk in the door, this is a great place to have dinner. It should also be tops on your list if you're dying to learn how to sing "Happy Birthday," "Happy Anniversary," and, last but not least, "Happy Graduation" at the top of your lungs in Spanish. Now that that's out of the way, let's get to the important stuff. Should have known better than to attempt to order a glass of wine without looking at the drink menu. When I looked up hopefully at the waiter, batted my perfectly mascaraed eyelashes, and asked sweetly, "Sauvignon blanc?" He stared at me blankly and then said a firm, "No." Took him awhile to catch on to the fact that I then might need some help ordering. Eventually I got my Spanish white wine, and all was well with the world. Came here early on a Friday night for a dinner date. We mostly drank our way into oblivion, but tried to a few tapas. Dali has a gluten free menu for us Celiac-ers, which is great. Except it has like seven things on it. So, needless to say, we were a little limited. Tried the serrano ham (delish, but it's impossible to mess up charcuterie on a plate), tortilla espanola (needed a serious dose of salt), lamb chops (awesome, although the sauce was not gluten free and apparently also not tasty according to my date), and the ensalata mixta. At around 9:00pm they started blasting random music in the bar area (YMCA? Really?) so we bounced. But, it was pretty busy, and looked like it was getting busier as we walked out. It's worth a try if you're into the tapas scene. I'm sure the regular menu, which hosts a bevy of delicious sounding options, trumps the GF menu any day. But I highly doubt I'll go back anytime soon. read more

I've volvered....and, I like the manchego cheese for the dessert -- or even meal. I tried a lot of other dishes, but nothing was spectacular. We had a nice server though, but overall, I just was not feeling this place. Too bad. Sangria was weak. I am sorry that I changed my mind from the last time I was there -- but I just did not like what we had: Spanish cheese (it was goat cheese and I freaking hate goat cheese) Chorizio -- far too smoky. And lots of hard bits of god knows what. Scallops in saffron -- I didn't try em. I know, I'm a bad reviewer Gazpacho, not bad, but too salty. I don't know if I will return.... read more

I've been here a few times at different times of day. Sometimes it's been packed and others fairly quiet. I enjoy the atmosphere here; it's really unique and colorful. The way the food ordering is set up is great and ideal for eating out. By that I mean; I really like how its "small portions" and so many different options to chose from, a wide variety for a lunch/dinner. It is fairly expensive and the drinks aren't cheap either. The Sangria, I could pass on, not that strong/tasty (I make bomb homemade Sangria and I have trouble finding a comparable beverage) and I usually just stick with a beer but when I go with my girls, the pitchers are what we get. I came here this past Saturday and the overall experience just demolished my previous times here. It was horrible. I understand that it was a Saturday night but the service we received was despicable. I was in a group of six, we had our name in a bit before 8pm and didn't get seated til a bit after 10pm, all while other groups/people would come in after and get seated before us. Not cool. Our waiter, who refused to give us his name; shall be named Pablo (w a bald head and pony tail) for the sake of it.. was at first very kind up until it was time for us to order. He got us our beverages, came back and right as we were beginning to give our order, he cut us off and loudly left while greeting his two friends sitting at the table next to us. Very unprofessional, wow. After what seemed to be ten minutes later, we got our order taken care of (of which he did not write it down and we each got 2-3 items to pick and choose from), and when he brought it all out it was missing a few things, that we got squared away. Once the food was out and we got the bill squared away (spilt on 4 cards and cash), we then brought it up to him that it was very unprofessional to just leave us because we are paying customers and it made us upset he just bounced like that. He fought back with us about how we felt, which was sort of ridiculous! Pablo, it wasn't our fault you cut us off and left a bad taste in our mouth as you left loudly talking to your friends for ten minutes. The manager was not to be found and we all left unhappy and unsettled. My friend is actually writing a written letter to them because it was pretty ridiculous how he treated us during the disagreement. read more

We tried this restaurant while in the area for a college graduation. Being my first "official" tapas restaurant, I had no pre-conceived notions about what it should be, and in the end left happy. ATMOSPHERE: BUSY! We arrived around 6:30 pm, and there was a full house. Thankfully we'd made reservations ahead of time, otherwise there was a 60 minute wait! We had a party of 5, including 2 small children, and the hostess gave the little ones glow bracelets almost immediately after we entered (nice touch, since the room was a bit dark!). The decor looked old world spain, with paintings of matador and women dancing the flamenco. There were also somewhat kitchzy hangings of castanets, maracas, beads, and so on, but overall it lent itself well to the spanish theme. As mentioned, the room was dark, set for romance more than a family meal, with small tables and hushed voices. FOOD: Depending on the dish, it ranged from unforgettable to really unique and vibrant tasting. Served in true tapas style, each order had 3 to 4 small bites on it, not nearly enough to fill you but more to entice your taste buds. Some highlights of what we had: (1) Aceitunas Aliñadas - A cold offering of marinated olives. They were a bit tart / sour, and while decent in flavor, I couldn't help thinking they were not much different than what you could get out of a jar from a local World Market. (and at almost $5 for four olives, it seemed like an injustice). (2) Gambas con Gabardina - Think chicken nuggets in a sherry / ground carrot sauce. Though it may sound unappetizing (my apologies for that!), this was actually a table favorite, especially with children. The "nuggets" were small, flavorful, and the sauce was a surprising and very tasty hit - so much so we sopped it up with the bread which our server provided at the start of the meal. At almost $8, I'd have preferred there to be more on the plate, but perhaps that's just me. (3) Albóndigas de Cordero - Lamb meatballs with a hint of mint. Killer - these and the fig dish below were far and away the hero's of the night. The cost was almost $8 for four meatballs, and they were so good we ordered two rounds of them, even though again the price seemed high ($16 for 8 SMALL meatballs? Really?) (4) Butifarras con Brevas - Pork sausage with figs. The whole "fig" idea seemed way out there, so much so that I had to try it. Totally, absolutely worth it. The cost was also almost $8, but was such a funky unique experience it was the one dish where I felt the price wasn't way over the top. (5) Filloa al Licor - A dessert crepe, filled with fresh, warm fruit and topped with an orange glaze. Perfect way to end a meal, very vibrant tasting, the orange brought out the best of all the other flavors, and although again priced high for a very small portion (almost $8 netted you a dessert that could only be shared by 2, and even that was a stretch), it was good. (6) Sangria - LARGE pitcher. Holy hell, at $40 this was some of the most expensive sangria I've ever had. It was fairly good, and I'm told you can't do tapas without it, but for $40, next time I'm inclined to buy a much cheaper bottle of wine and order a tapas fruit dish, throw it in myself... :) SERVICE: Very good. Our server was attentive, had plenty of suggestions on items to try when asked, made recommendations on what the kids might like, and came by every few minutes to take the next round of orders. At one point we had a spill, and she was there to help mop up almost immediately. VALUE: Slightly poor. I get the idea of tapas, I do - small portions, meant to entice you to keep ordering to try a plethera of menu selections. I would think that along with the small portions, however, that one of two things should happen..... Option 1 - the prices reflect the smaller portions (I've paid $8 for entrees in moderate chain restaurants). I'd have expected somewhere between $4 to $6 per dish for tapas style.... Option 2 - you should either get an unbelievable, life changing experience with each bite on these small plates. For $8 to $11 per dish, the flavors should jump off the plate and slap you. Unfortunately, neither of these happened at Dali. Our bill didn't justify the flavor experience, and at the end of the night left me just a bit disspointed. read more

In a different place, one that does not claim to specialize in Spainsh cuisine, I would not expect a great paella and would accommodate a lower quality facsimile. BUT HERE? Come on guys, this is supposed to be your piece de resistance --in fact the only non-tapas main dish on the entire menu. What a huge disappoinment. Do you need to be told that a paella without a strong-definitive-marked presence of saffron is not a paella? You didn't even bother to add yellow coloring to make it pass as one for the not-too-discerning crowd. This ommission borders on culinary dishonesty. The dish was bland, flavorless, not particularly well served, excessively oily (a very common practice in Spanish cuisine where creativity and flair are replaced by and drowned in oodles of olive oil). A very BIG miss. The place is always nice, been there at least half a dozen times. Wonderful ambience, great decor, can be mistaken for a taverna in any mediterranean town only you step outside and, caramba, you're in Somerville MA. Most tapas are good to very good despite the ridiculously small size at times (give me a break...an actopus tapas with 6 small pieces?). A los dueños: Todos sabemos que el azafrán cuesta más que el oro, pero si insisten en no usar azafrán y en una dosis razonable para conferirle a la paella su carácter distintivo, les recomiendo que no ofrezcan el platillo. Eso lo saben ustedes muy bien, no necesitan que un cliente se los diga. read more

This was a major upset of a visit to a new restaurant. My boyfriend, some friends & I love Tapeo on Newbury Street. Thus, when a couple of coworkers were gushing to me about this place & insisting I try it, I gladly took them up on it. I even got dressed up (in my brand new Prada sandals that ended up SNAPPING the strap when I ran across the street after dinner--but that's a different BAD review, haha) for the occasion! So, it should be no surprise to anyone how very disappointing the experience turned out to be. Let's begin with the decor. I didn't notice it at first, and actually felt somewhat comfortable when I first sat down. However, the worse the service & food got, the worse the decor started looking. By the time I left, I felt like I needed to RUN out of there, before the crazy parrot lady hoarder who I just knew was hiding behind some musty floral print curtain somewhere could drag me into the giant cage she keeps in the back for those who dare question the efficacy of her interior design choices ;-) Of course, the most important piece would be the food & drink. To start this portion of the review off on a positive note, let me just say that there is absolutely NOTHING to complain about when it comes to their white sangria. It is actually one of the better ones I have had. So at least there was a silver lining with the meal, and bonus points for it being alcoholic to help numb me to the pain of the experience. (I suppose you could say it is there that they really did earn the one star, haha.) It is on that point, however, that anything good about the taste experience ended. The tomato sauce in the goat cheese dip tasted straight off a Papa Gino's pizza. Even my boyfriend, who is pretty forgiving when it comes to pasta sauce, agreed that it was too acidic & bland. All of the meat we ordered was over-saturated with unappetizing sauce. The pheasant & scallop saffron sauce seriously made me feel like I was licking a sweaty person's armpit! And then there were the churros... I thought that at least I would be able to enjoy those. Actually, the only time I order dessert is when I am at a tapas place, simply because I LOVE churros so much. My favorite thing about going to amusement parks as a kid was not the rollercoasters (though I LOVED those too, so this is saying quite a lot!). It was the churros! Amusement parks were the only place that I had the opportunity to imbibe as a kid. And imbibe, I did :) Thus, if there is anyone you should consider an expert on the quality of a churro, it is myself. And Dali's churros really couldn't even be called churros. They are thin, oddly flakey and oiley fried strings of bland dough. Nothing like a churro at all... :( And the service was awful, too. Our server would randomly just walk away in the middle of conversations, and he left us at our table just sitting there for over a half hour, until finally one of the other servers came to take our churro order (see paragraph above). Needless to say, I will never be back. Oh, and it was overpriced, too... read more

What's the Spanish word for idiot? I can't believe I thought this place was an Indian restaurant, and thus, passed it by for years without giving it a second thought. It's a la-la-lovely place to bring a date or a best friend, have a quiet, private moment by string lights in the corner, or celebrate your birthday with serenading waiters and bubbles and cake. The food gets more and more delicious with every little bite, and the Sangria? Worth every drop and then some. The decor and food and ambience could have easily stood on their own and achieved the highest of ratings, but that did not stop the staff from being sweet, friendly, and clearly proud to be there with you, as if they are inviting you into their beautiful home and sharing with you their juiciest secrets. Oh, Dali, I simply cannot wait to be with you again! read more

Dali has always been popular and I find that some of their dishes are absolutely wonderful (salad with hearts of palm, cucumber soup, pork tenderloin with mushroom and goat cheese), but so many other dishes come out of the kitchen cold, or just aren't that tasty. And it sure can get expensive. For tapas-style dining I much prefer Atasca, albeit a Portuguese version, located in Cambridge. That said, I think Dali is great for meeting a friend at the lively bar for a glass of sangria and a quick snack. read more

GO HERE, NOW! I came here with my mom. She told me there used to be black bras hanging from the ceiling years ago! Truth? I am sure ...I figure this place has evolved from Cuchi Cuchi over the top to a very chill, rustic and eccentric Tapas place. We ordered a litre of Sangria - YUMMMM So good. Not too sweet, not too tart. Just enough for 2 1/2 glasses each! Or maybe I had a bit more than my mom? We ordered The Egg/Potato/Onion Omelette Squid in its own ink Baked Goat Cheese w/Tomato & Basil Pork Tenderloin w/Blue Goat Cheese & Mushrooms Of course, the portions are small, as with all Tapas Americana, but our order was just enough to eat and not be too full. We got to experience different tastes and we were surrounded by an amazing atmosphere. The service was spot on and never without a smile! Take a look around. Everyone from an older couple with canes, to a group of 20 and 30 somethings coming for after dinner drinks. More importantly this place is perfect to take someone special. From the furniture to the walls, from the dimly lit candles or the crazy decor - this place screams...ROMANTIC DATE...or time with your mom. read more

Moving across the street from Dali was my best and worst decision of 2010. I stopped in several times per week on my way home from work to feed my Dali addiction. Eventually, I spread the addiction to my friends and colleagues. The height of my "problem" was when they had ceviche on the rotating special. Personal favorites are: sopa de ajo, queso rebozado con miel, faisan a la alcantara, conejo escabechado, lomiito al cabrales. But I have not yet managed to find anything on the menu I wouldn't be happy eating. Don't judge me. Like I said, worst decision of 2010. The cocktails are good. Good and potent. Also, you can order wine in a communal drinking bottle. It's a disaster/fabulous. The waitstaff is fantastic. Polite, personable, fun. Give Dali a try (or 3). You won't regret it. read more

My husband, daughter, and I arrived at 6:45 PM on a Saturday night and were told that a table would not be available for 40 minutes. We offered to sit at the bar, but my daughter got very upset, so they found us a table immediately with a wink and a smile. Then they gave my daughter one of those glow-in-the-dark bracelets. That's a restaurant worth talking about! The evening went uphill from there. We ordered six tapas, each one memorable and delicious. The non-traditional bread with individual chickpea spread for each person was a nice touch too. I loved the escabeche, which was different kind of seafoods in an herby remoulade with arugula and avocado. Extremely memorable! I also liked the zucchin rolls with mint, cheese, and tomatoes and the artichoke hearts with slivers of roasted garlic and pine nuts. The aceitunas (marinated olives) were the best I've ever had--even better than in Spain itself! The gazpacho was also quite tasty--it might have helped that tomatoes are at their peak now--and perfectly balanced. I've tried the meat and seafood on the hot stone on another occasion and that is also quite special. They use a lot of garlic, naturally, so a refreshing breath mint would be nice. They do put lemon slices in the water, though, which was delightful. Like the others, I can not say one bad word about this place. It rocks! read more

Ok...here is the deal... when I was straight outta college this place was cool....but this is what is up.... on a Saturday night...the place is loud and obnoxious waited ten minutes after we were seated for water. If you like fine dining go some where else...the food is drenched in oil and butter or whatever... there is no complexity to the food...thus .....enjoyment is minimized..... the Sangria is great.....and this is why I believe the place is a sucess....the bill came to $150 and in Boston, there are plenty of places to visit and get a great experience without the loud obnoxious hootin' and hollerin' as found here with sub-par food. We had to listen to three loud birthday "celebrations' with everyone saying "gracias" to each other...just for show...they don't speak Spanish...it's just not genuine. If you are 23....or an older person .with a limited budget and options and a lack of scope...get the Sangria..and a few Tapas and its a good value proposition...however if you want something just a bit more try Cuchi Cuchi. read more

By far one of my favorite hidden gems of the Boston restaurant scene. I have been coming here for years and always enjoy the additions to the décor, staff, and menu selections. Walking in this place is quite a treat. I recommend making reservations otherwise generally expect them to not be able to seat you until 9pm or so. Tapas meaning little bites lends lovely to the arrangement of options you have at Dali. The staff is always so authentically friendly and helpful when making decisions. I love that I can be formal or casual and fit right in. Not the best for families with young kids, better for a date night or friends night out. Parking is on the street and pretty easy to get. I always go for the garlic shrimp, lamb with poached pears, charcuterie plate, prunes stuffed with goat cheese, almonds and wrapped in bacon, and lastly the churros (get both sauces). Everything I get here is so worth it, you truly pay for experience and quality. Seating is sort of tight so I recommend requesting a table enclosed off to the side to minimize on the noise. Also do expect to order 6 or so plates per two people, more if you're really hungry. 10/10 always a pleasure eating here and happy to come back for those insane churros. read more

Ah, the morning after an excellent b-day evening of spicy garlic shrimp and sangria.... mmmmm.... I'm sure it's all been said, but... I had a wonderful evening at Dali. We arrived around 8:30 on a Tuesday night, and waited awhile in order to get one of the round tables (worth it for a decent size party). The head waiter checked on us often and even volunteered to take photos. Note that although they don't take reservations, if you call ahead of time they will bump your party to the front of the line as soon as you're all there. The atmosphere was great; I loved all the random wall decorations, flowers, interesting light fixtures. The food and sangria were incredible. High on the tapas recommend list: garlic shrimp (this is my favorite at almost any tapas place though), the gorditas (a prune and blue cheese wrapped in bacon.... insert mouth watering here), the short ribs (super tender and delicious), the pork tenderloin (with goat cheese? i think, i don't know but it was awesome), the croquettes, and the garlic quail stuffed with bacon (mmmmm....). We went all out and had a bunch of the deserts as well: the crepe (chocolate and fruit=good), the apricots in wine and rum sauce(delicious, light, with some yummy ice cream), the chocolate cake (or block of fudge.... tasty but somewhat typical), the almond cake, and the rice pudding (awesome surprise! probably the best of the lot, it's not indian style, but rather topped with a burnt sugar crust and just incredible). Yes they sang to me and the other 4 birthday parties that were going on that night, but I can't wait till it's someone else's birthday and an excuse to go back! read more

I was visiting my sister in Somerville and had to get me some tapas before I made the long journey back to New York. Since I know how packed Dali can get on a Saturday, we called ahead for preferred seating at 8. We arrived on time and when we made it to the hostess stand, she wrote my name on the list as if we had never called ahead. And then we proceeded to wait for 75 minutes. Why offer call ahead seating if it means nothing? We got a lovely drink at the bar (The pineapple basil cocktail, which the bartender jokingly complained about making since it's so much more work than the other cocktails.) The front was packed with people waiting for their tables so it was a little difficult to juggle our coats and purses and drinks in the jostling crowd. When we were finally seated we quickly ordered garlic shrimp, patatas bravas, short ribs and the lamb with peach sauce. All arrived relatively quickly and very hot. The patatas bravas are the real shining star here. I haven't had more authentic bravas sauce since eating the dish in Madrid! The garlic shrimp, however, tasted somewhat off. My sister and I have both had the dish in previous visits and it is always very garlicky and very spicy. This dish was neither. When we brought it to the attention of our server he told us that there must be something wrong with our taste buds! Say whhhhat? Not sure why the server reacted this way but it sure was upsetting. Eventually the server told the kitchen our issue and they brought us out a new garlic shrimp that was as garlicky and spicy as it should be. Overall I think Dali has something special - great decor, great food... The service we usually receive is excellent but my most recent experience has left me wondering if I should try exploring other restaurants in the area. read more

I didn't like tapas until I started going to Dali! The food is great! I have tried everything on the menu- including the little bird (pheasant?) and the octopus and it's ALL good. My favorite is this fried honey cheese dish- sooo good and I'm sorry I don't know the proper name but if you read the menu you'll find it. The pork in blue cheese sauce is devine. I reccomend maybe 5 dishes between 2 people. This is a GREAT date place- the setting is romantic and cozy. There is a large wine selection and the pitchers of sangria are tasty. You can make reservations easily- even for groups of up to 20! read more

Sorry guys, but this was a bad experience. It's not Spanish. I'm not saying maybe some of the things I had were OK, but definetely they weren't Spanish-style. Serrano ham was not serrano ham but some kind of Italian prosciutto, garlic shrimps are cooked differently, the mixed plate with several ingredients was poor, and I remember there was a dish made with a kind of fish that's not used in Spain... And it was a bit too expensive, also. Besides, what about the decor?: the restaurant's called Dalí (Catalan painter) but all we have is bullfighting paintings...?! The people was kind but the food was way below the expected (particularly, because people was talking way too good about it). read more

Tapas are too expensive and meh. When we told the waitress that one of the tapas calientes that we ordered doesn't taste right because it was so greasy and cold, the waitress insisted on arguing with us that it was supposed to be like that. Does a cold tapas calientes sound right? This is simply poor service. We had an awful time here and would never come back again. read more

Fried strawberries for dessert - you must go now! Seriously, the dessert special right now (which goes on until the end of June-ish) are these GIANT strawberries in a sherry batter that are deep fried. They were heaven on a plate that came with a tiny scoop of chocolate ice cream. Our server was excellent, Edward C, and totally explained food, gave us bits of info, etc. Like the garlic soup, which was delicious, is dairy free and uses bread as part of the base to thicken it. I love learning about what I'm eating! The sangria of course was delicious. As were the four tapas we tried, and the other dessert. You can't go there without getting the baked goat cheese. And save room for multiple desserts, it was totally worth it! read more

Dali can be a hit or miss but luckily, most of the the time it's a hit. The first time I was there, years ago, it was on the first date with my now-husband. It was cozy, comfortable and romantic but much of that probably had to do with the quiet corner we were tucked into. Subsequent visits have been loud and rowdy (one time we were crammed in between two tables of 12 people each and were virtually ignored all night). The tapas is exquisite. I highly recommend the garlic soup (we both--bravely--had it on that first date!!) and if they have frog legs, oh you MUST get them. I was very hesitant about the little froggies but they were delectable. Every time I go back I hope they have them but I haven't been so lucky. Dali is cozier than its sister restaurant, Tapeo (downtown Boston) and not nearly as loud. It's also a bit more laid back than its other sibling, Solea in Waltham, but not nearly as amazing and funky as its crazy wild baby sister, Cuchi Cuchi. With all these restaurants though, Fernando Leon has managed to take tapas to new levels all over Boston. read more

An enjoyable evening was had by all! Three couples playing grown up steered ourselves towards this delightful place for some tapas and drink (except me, DD that night. boo). The ambiance is very lively and inviting. Lots of couples, lots of birthdays, waiters and waitresses running around with trays of food and decanters of wine and sangria. Our waiter was friendly and helpful with a keen knowledge of the menu. And the food - wonderful. Since there were six of us, we ordered almost everything on the menu. I liked everything I sampled (except the squid). It is a great place to play Anthony Bourdain; the menu unique and well executed. Good for revelry and romance. Great staff, talented kitchen and warm ambiance. read more

I really want to give Dali a three and half. I love the cute decor from the outside. However maybe i have been frequenting one too many tapas places, the decors are all starting to look similar to me. I loved our host and whatever little i understood of his spanish. The food, umm, i have had better. Its not dissapointing, but nothing really jumped out. The meaty mushroom were insipid, not very flavorful, i liked the goat cheese, and garlic shrimp( but the shrimp were tiny), the caulifower cheese balls, were kind of dry. But the atmosphere and our waiter were both great. read more

The wait... oh the wait. Is it worth it? I vote no. I'm a die hard Cuci Cuci fan, and when my boy wonder suggested we try the mother of the cuc, I said okay. They dont take reservations, and even though it was my birthday we waited for an hour and 35 min. They don't have a liquor license but you can get things like frangelico... thankfully I took half a xanax before we went. (*Yes I have a prescription, no you cannot have any) The food was salty (I drank 5 glasses of water), and I have a lot of allergies, and there was not a lot on the menu that appealing to me. The short ribs were sold out by the time we were sat, so I was sad. Also it felt like it was everyone's birthday.. every table.. we must have sang happy birthday 8 times, which was fun cause my table kept yelling out my name when they sang lol.. DONT KISS THE FROG! ew. Our waiter was grumps McGrumpstein and kept correcting our lack of spanish and chastised my boy wonder when he ordered a cappuccino.. heaven forbid. I'm sad to only give this place two stars but I feel like if you love it you love it, and if you dont you dont. And I dont. BUT its a great place to mingle, share, and have a good time. Drink before you go, and expect to wait. Cuci Cuci is much better. read more

Dali can do no wrong. One of my favorite tapas restaurants anywhere, let alone Boston. Fantastic eclectic decor, the smell of garlic and other spices, and the chatter and bustle of a busy restaurant add to the atmosphere at Dali. The restaurant is small and they use every inch of it to house as many people as possible, and you still may find yourself waiting for an hour for a table. The food is wonderful, the service is attentive, the sangria is delicious. Dali is perfect. read more

Like salmon and creme brulee, Dali is something I always get excited about, forgetting that every time I have it, I hate it. The atmosphere is fantastic, with cozy dining rooms that don't get too noisy, even though they are always full. The service is very good, with friendly and attentive staff. The restaurant ought to expand, however, because the wait can exceed forty minutes, even on a week night. However - and I know this is not unusual for tapas - the prices really do not correspond to the food. The point of tapas is to order many small plates, but each plate is so expensive. I am not against spending more than $50 a person for a truly nice dinner, but I always find myself unsatisfied here with an empty wallet. It's a lovely atmosphere for a date, but not for regular eating, or even weekend eating. I would recommend going once for the experience, but once ought to be enough. read more