Authentic Spanish and Portuguese cuisine.Unfortunately my husband wasn't too hungry so we didn't do the paella I wanted. I opted to do Tapas and he ordered a salad that they added 7 shrimp to, which wasn't on the menu. My tapas was also shrimp done in a Mozambique style with coconut milk. Delicious! Also I had the cold octopus tapas which was spicy. It came with 4 spears of Belgian endive to use to scoop it up. I could have used at least 2 more because I ended up eating it straight and it was a bit spicy for me. Service was stellar and the restaurant was clean and nicely decorated. A solid choice for tapas! read more

Came here on Thursday evening dinner for a dinner. We made a reservation and clearly stated that we will be bringing a toddler. However when we came in hostess gave us altitude that we brought a child. Maybe she should have read a reservation better. She kept telling us that we should put a child on a reservation (which we did), but anyways, there were plenty of empty tables in the restaurant, so not sure what a big deal was. Our server was pretty decent, he explained the menu and was relatively attentive. We ordered many different appetizers and a big seafood paella. I also had non alcoholic sangria which was great. Grilled calamari were amazing, we also loved the shrimp, salad and burrata. Seafood paella was amazing as well. Ambience is more traditional with older people mostly around. They also have extensive outdoor seating area. So everything was good except the hostess. read more

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España was a wonderful dining experience! The dishes were full of flavor, beautifully prepared, and absolutely delicious. The service was warm, attentive, and made the evening even more enjoyable. My fave was the escargot. Highly recommend. read more

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Food was amazing! Service was excellent. Ambiance of the old house is very comforting. Will definitely be returning.

Drove an hour for my bday dinner and left a bit disappointed. Came here specifically for the paella and it wasn't good enough to make it feel worthwhile. Paella is meant to have some crispy rice, which really makes it stand out. This rice was all soft and average. There was a lot of seafood in it, which is nice, but just not what I drove to find read more

España Restaurant & Tapas - Paella Marinera - Spanish Near Me - Fernandina Beach, Florida

One of the few places that takes a reservation. The sangria was good and the tapas were ok. I was hoping for more variety but if you have someone in your party that does not eat seafood- the tapa choices are limited. read more

Service was impeccable from Ashley our waitresses and Casey who was part of the wait staff. Drinks were magically always full and clean plates cleared without being requested. I know some restaurants reward their employees when they get mentioned in a review and I hope Espaná does and if not, maybe they should consider it. Ambiance was nice, with both indoor and outdoor seating. We sat inside as we had been out in the sun all day and wanted a cool place to sit. But you want to know about the food: Bevies - wine, beer, soft drinks, teas and house made Sangria. Scallops Ole - my favorite fish of the night, Panko covered scallops in a phenomenal sauce. Order bread with it do you can get all of the sauce. They cut the scallops in half, so you only get two full scallops and four total bites. Ceviche - fantastic, my wife's favorite of the night. Stew - hmm, filled with clams, mussels, octopus, shrimp and a host of veggies. Loved the ingredients but it was very salty, not so salty you cannot eat it, but on the verge. Probably would not order this dish again. Too full for dessert. Again wonderful service, great wine and beer menu, and the food is incredible. read more

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Highly recommend and everything is excellent. Dropped a star because some of our items never came, and we got some we didn't order...BUT ate them and they were excellent too! Portions are a good size! You won't be disappointed read more

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Awesome Tapas place, seafood predominantly but chicken is great. Escargot, Calamari, Tofu, all great ! Always a crowd! But for a reason!

Dining at a restaurant that was a favorite of Mick Jagger and his Rolling Stones entourage when on their concert tour made Espana a must stop. Hey, if good enough for Mick, it had to be good enough for us! Espana did not disappoint. The 3 of us enjoyed a comfortable table indoors this night as north Florida was having one of its cold spells. Too bad, as the outdoor dining area looked great but believe me, it was too cold on this Thursday night and inside was packed. I opted for a glass of wine while my other 2 companions shared a pitcher of Sangria. I'm not a big fan of Sangria but I did a taste and I'm sure you will like it. We started off with a 3 lamb chop special and a Espana salad that was shared between the 3 of us. This was the perfect starter since we wanted to save room for our seafood Paella. The Lamb Chops were simply awesome! I could have dined on them alone. The salad was a fine mix of greens, cheese, ham and olives with a light dressing that was a refreshing finish to the Lamb Chops. Our Paella was served in a large pan and was chock full of Mussels, Clams, Scallops, Shrimp and Fish. Outstanding for me but I have not had Paella in a long time but the presentation, temperature, quality of the seafood, and taste were excellent. Hence, nothing to take home. Our server was awesome, attentive and friendly as was everyone working at Espana. Highly recommend for fun and ambiance. When I return to Amelia Island in May we will definitely return to Espana and hopefully sit outdoors. read more

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I cannot believe with as many visits to España as I've had I never reviewed my experience. There is a reason patrons line up before 5 to enjoy dinner at this restaurant, it's the atmosphere, friendly service, variety of menu options and quality of the food you order. I always make a meal out of tapas and this visit was no different. I ordered a 1/2 carafe of red sangria to enjoy with my meal $25. My first taste was the Cerdo & Higos 4 pcs (Serrano ham with fig jam, goat cheese with a fig & basalmic glaze served on crostini) $10. For the flavor and quality of this tapa it's a deal! I next ordered picadinho (braised pork loin marinated in wine & herbs) $14. You get a small platter with a reasonable portion on pork. Great flavors from the stew which can be enjoyed with bread. Next, I tried their Ceviche (diced shrimp cured with lemon, onion, peppers and cilantro) also $14. You get a reasonable portion of shrimp and the flavors are perfectly balanced. No feast is complete without dessert and I ordered the flan. Great caramel flavor throughout and it's not so rich you cannot finish. $10. I will always drive out of my way to dine at this restaurant. It's my favorite anywhere. read more

Disappointing experience, outdated and caters only to regulars I wanted to love this place based on the great reviews, but our dinner was a big disappointment. We were celebrating my husband's birthday (which I noted on the reservation), but we were seated at an underwhelming table right by the kitchen doors and directly under a loud speaker. When we asked to move to the patio, we were told it was fully booked, yet many tables outside remained empty the entire night. The atmosphere in our section was dark and suffocating. While half the restaurant looks out onto a patio, our side faced the parking lot with the shades tightly drawn. Combined with the low ceilings and dated decor, it felt more like a dingy, old diner than a nice night out. It quickly became clear that España relies on a routine crowd of senior regulars and doesn't feel the need to innovate nor renovate. The menu is stuck in the past; they didn't even have mocktail options, which is standard for nice restaurants today. As for the food, the octopus tapas was nice, and the hot seafood boil for two tasted good, but it was incredibly heavy. It completely overwhelmed our systems, and we felt like falling asleep right after. Between the dated vibe, heavy food, and poor seating options, we won't be returning. read more

España Restaurant and Tapas lives up to its reputation as one of the area's finest dining establishments. After keeping this place on my radar long before moving here, I finally experienced it firsthand - and it absolutely delivered on all fronts. We planned dinner with our friends, and since they have been longing to try them out too, we pushed our luck to secure a reservation. Booking a reservation is essential, as we've heard that it's hard to get a seat when walking in. Book at least a few days ahead either through the Resy app (which is what we did) or by phone. They offer both indoor and outdoor patio seating; we chose the cozy interior dining room which features romantic dim lighting that sets the perfect mood for an evening out. During our visit, we explored their holiday menu and chose to order a few Tapas to share. The Entreme (charcuterie board) provided a lovely start, but the true standouts were the Ceviche and Chorizo Encabollado. We also got the Paella Marinera from the Entree menu, which is a generous seafood medley that showcases their expertise with traditional Spanish cuisine. Our other food selections included the Gambas Al Ajillo, Burrata, and Scallops Ole. While the restaurant's name suggests purely Spanish fare, they also offer Portuguese dishes. While they don't serve hard liquor, their carefully curated wine and beer selection complements the menu perfectly. Prices lean toward the higher end, but the quality of ingredients, preparation, and overall dining experience fully justify the cost. We definitely enjoyed our dining experience, and personally put España on top of my favorites in Fernandina Beach. Looking forward to dining here again! read more

España Restaurant & Tapas - Tapas! We shared Ceviche, Gambas Al Ajillo, Entremes, Scallops Ole, Burrata. - Spanish Near Me - Fernandina Beach, Florida

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The scallops ole sauce was divine. Got two just so we could soak up the sauce with some bread. Everything else was good but not amazing. Gambas, mussels, pork dish, charcuterie board. The service was fantastic. The ambiance was a mix of locals and out-of-towners. The outdoor area was covered and festive. read more

Maybe we didn't order right... we've rated at many tapas restaurants and I wish we liked this more! The restaurant is cute and our server was nice. The sangria tasted watered down--not the hearty red wine & brandy flavor we wanted. The fig & goat cheese crostinis were good and the salad Andalusia was good too--nothing out of this world. The octopus was not at all what we expected flavor or texture-wise and off putting to be honest (the server was kind enough to remove it from our bill). The escargot was a large portion and tender with a tasty sauce and served with two small pieces of bread, not enough for the dish. read more

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I ordered this because I've had it at a different place and it was amazing. We didn't eat there, I just wanted a slice to go and wish I didn't. It was flavorless (except overly charred flavor) and dry. Not at all worth it even if it was free. Maybe it was a bad day, or maybe it's just bad. read more

España Restaurant & Tapas - Basque Cheesecake - Spanish Near Me - Fernandina Beach, Florida

All the small plates were fantastic. The atmosphere was great, service was spot on and they do a fabulous job with their sangria.

If romance had a flavor, I'm convinced it would be saffron because España's paella is basically love served in a skillet. Golden rice shimmering like treasure, smoky chorizo doing the cha-cha with tender seafood, and mussels standing proudly like they own the place. Honestly, this dish deserves its own standing ovation before you even pick up a fork. The rest of the tapas menu? Think of it as a parade of delicious little distractions that try (and fail) to steal the spotlight from the paella. Don't get me wrong crispy croquettes and garlic shrimp are fabulous wingmen but once that steaming paella lands on the table, everything else becomes background singers in your Spanish love song. read more

España Restaurant & Tapas - Spanish Near Me - Fernandina Beach, Florida

Highly recommend making a reservation here. The food is really fantastic and the service is great too. Our waitress was attentive and came by regularly. We were a party of 2 and decided on 2 tapas and 1 larger dish. Both tapas were good - the highlight was the sangria salad, which was fruity, refreshing, light and also slightly cheesy. We also got a seafood Mozambique dish, which was amazing. The coconut kind of stands out (very well) and it was a good portion to shar read more

España Restaurant & Tapas - Mozambique seafood dish - Spanish Near Me - Fernandina Beach, Florida

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Such amazing service our waiter Eddie was so friendly and had a great personality and his recommendations were superb. The food was amazing you can tell the chef has passion and everything was freshly made. The outdoor patio area was perfect and welcoming such a wonderful way to end a beautiful Saturday. read more

España Restaurant & Tapas - Spanish Near Me - Fernandina Beach, Florida

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Español was one of the best restaurants I've visited in a long time. The food was so delicious, and the service was great. I will let my pictures speak for themselves. My husband and I shared the paella and was the perfect amount of two people. Then appetizer with sardines was excellent as well. I definitely recommend trying this restaurant. read more

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Went for lunch this past weekend. We had the Mozambican shrimp and paella; both dishes were very good, shrimp was savory and tender and paella was a generous portion with plenty of seafood and chorizo and spiced on the milder side. Service was excellent. We are strongly against the new city paid parking tax and encourage diners to park on the southern side of Ash St, where you don't have to pay for parking, and walk over to the restaurant, only a couple blocks. Please don't park in the paid for parking spaces and support this unfriendly misguided policy, but come to Espania and enjoy their wonderful patio and delicious food. read more

One of the most difficult reservations on Amelia Island, Espana Restaurant and Tapas is well worth the effort. On a rainy evening, we gambled at someone might cancel. An outdoor table under an awning was available so we grabbed the opportunity. The light rain only added to the ambiance. Our waiter was very helpful in guiding us through this innovative menu. The selections are grand from tapas to paella. We were feeling adventuresome and felt tapas meant we would taste more treats. Normally, we are focused on not over-eating, but tonight we got caught up with great sounding tapas and needing to try many great flavors. We ordered 5 separate tapas and felt lucky to be here. We started with the gambas Mozambique: shrimp sauteed in spicy coconut milk and cilantro, a truly delicious tapas. Caracoles: escargot cooked in brandy, garlic, onions in a creamy tomato sauce, again well seasoned and a delicious sauce. I could of use a straw or more bread for the sauce alone. Our next choice was the Piquillo peppers stuffed with smoke salmon on a crustini and sea salt sprinkle. It was tasty but our least favorite tapas. The nightly special was a beef empanada with a chimichurri sauce. The show stopper tonight was the grilled calamari steak topped with olive oil, capers and balsamic vinegar drizzle. I have never had a better piece of calamari. My hat is off to the kitchen. Get reservations, try the tapas and buckle your seat belt for an true dining experience. The restaurant has great food with a highly educated staff. Treat yourself to a special evening with reservations at Espana Restaurant and Tapas, you won't regret it. read more

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We have eaten here for many years and last night was the first time we were disappointed. We ordered the seafood paella for two. Normally , it's full of seafood and stewed tomatoes , this time it was over cooked , burnt rice flavor that permeated the entire dish , very dry and sticky , hardly any seafood except some muscles on top , 2 shrimp. Server or manager as he claimed was not helpful or concerned , he said he'd talk to the chef but offered no discounts, solution or anything to make up for it. We paid full price and left. Not an enjoyable experiences. Theu would not bring bread butter like in the past. Sadly , we won't be going back to a place we really loved for so many years. We did eat it rather than send back because we were starving, and because no one ever checked on us during the meal . Not sure why the sudden change , new chef ? New management? Just overpriced bowl of rice and underwhelming. read more

While the food here is undeniably authentic--the tapas were fantastic and the paella was hearty and delicious--the service left a lot to be desired. For an establishment of this stature, the overall experience was completely disappointing. Our server seemed to treat us like an inconvenience, ignoring our table while regularly checking in on other guests around us. In fine dining, exceptional hospitality is what makes the difference, and unfortunately, the food couldn't make up for being ignored. I highly suggest management work with their staff to ensure all customers are treated equally and given the experience they are paying for. read more

Great food great service and fair prices. The Escargot were delish and the seafood paella was outstanding. Walking distance to our BnB. We'll be back. read more

This restaurant deserves every last star it's got here on Yelp, and more! The service was excellent. We arrived and were seated promptly, and our server was friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. He also listed off many specials for the day, all of which we tried. The food also arrived quite promptly. Being a tapas restaurant, I'd say that there's two ways to try this place. The first is the standard restaurant way, ordering an appetizer, entree and possibly a dessert. Or, you could just order tapas and share with the table. My party chose to stick to ordering tapas and we all shared everything. The food was nearly cooked to perfection. We had some lamb chops that had a nice sear on them and cooked to a good temperature. We had the Gambas Mozambique, a shrimp dish cooked in a coconut sauce. Creamy and delicious! The shrimp were also tender and cooked nicely. Their Patatas Bravas, a dish of diced potatoes, was also great. They were browned quite nicely and well-seasoned. Their chorizos are also delicious. Along with hot tapas, they offer a range of cold ones as well. We tried their ceviche, a shrimp dish served with sliced toasted bread on the side. Again, spot on. I could go on, but suffice it to say that most of the dishes that I tried were quite impressive. The only one that was good but didn't blow me away was the Scallops Ole, breaded scallops served in a poblano sauce. I didn't care that much for the panko breading in this case, but that just might be my personal preference. The restaurant frankly fires on all cylinders. You'll want to give yourself an extra fifteen minutes at least to account for parking, as they're located in a plaza area with public street parking. It might take a little more time to find parking. I'll also add that to do this right, it's a more expensive experience. However, it is worth every penny. The server said that two tapas equated to one entree, so plan accordingly when you go. The tapas are priced at roughly $14-18 each, and some entrees are priced for two at around $56. My party of three spent about $162 before tip, sharing around 7 tapas and a pitcher of sangria priced at about $40. So you'll spend a bit more for a more upscale experience, but it's worth it! I highly recommend these folks! read more

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I'm still having dreams about our phenomenal seafood dinner at Espana! This restaurant is serving up delicious tapas and the most heavenly paella that still makes my mouth water just thinking about it. We sat under their covered patio that had beautiful strung lights that created such an enchanting atmosphere. The service was delightful and this is truly such a special place that highlights some of the incredible cuisine that Amelia Island has to offer. read more

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11/9/24. We had our anniversary dinner here! Always love their paella; with added white sangria, Andalusia salads and then a nice square of tres leche cake. Everything was delicious and though not the restaurant's fault but the noise level can get very loud inside‍!?! read more

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A great experience. We enjoyed the authentic flavors of Europe and Spain, complete with a traditional asador/hoguera where they fire roast certain dishes. Michael, who took care of our table was knowledgable about European Spanish cuisine. He was fantastic, accommodating, and always ensured our table-side experience was delightful. This culinary experience was well worth the cost for the evening. read more

Great food and service Calamari steak are a must try The shrimp coconut "gambas Mozambique" are excellent read more

España Restaurant & Tapas - Calamari steak - Spanish Near Me - Fernandina Beach, Florida

Easy to get a reservation online. We arrived at opening, 5pm. Keep that in mind. We were seated promptly. The server was knowledgeable and the food was delivered promptly as well My wife had two appetizers , the octopus and a house salad, approximately $36. I had the braised beef with potato and vegetables. The beef was burned on one edge and on the bottom side. I mentioned that we arrived at opening. How long should have this been on the heat to be this badly cooked? $40 and the best part of the dinner was the medley of vegetables that came with it. Two soft drinks and tax, the bill came out to $86. So $100 dinner with tip, yes I did leave a tip. Sadly, another one and done experience read more

No puedo recomendar suficiente este restaurante es espectacular el ambiente, la atención y la comida es excelente no duden en pasar por aquí no se arrepentirán ! mi esposo y yo quedamos encantados read more

España Restaurant & Tapas - Tomando sangría - Spanish Near Me - Fernandina Beach, Florida

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This is my new favorite restaurant on the island. Our waitress was wonderful. We could tell she was overbooked but she was still very attentive and kind. She let us order small plates as we went. We started with the meat and cheese platter. It was amazing. There's an attention to detail that's so wonderful. The almonds and the olives have extra seasoning on them. Next we got the Burrata (a special that night) and the garlic shrimp. Both were incredible. Then my friend ordered the empanadas and I got the garden salad. Both really good as well! My friend ended the meal with the tiramisu. I stole a couple of bites and it was the best tiramisu I've ever had. The restaurant is beautiful. I wasn't super crazy about the house they bought next door. It was a little tight and you could hear everyone's conversations. In fact, I got the hiccups and the entire room got quiet and started talking to me. I would have much rather been in the garden or the glass room looking out over the garden. However, I would sit anywhere to eat this food! I'm glad they've gotten extra space to seat more people because this food deserves to be enjoyed! read more

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This place is amazing, great food and great atmosphere! I was in town for 4 days and ate there twice!

The food here is always wonderful in my experience, but the service can be pretty poor, especially when they get busy. Dining before the 7:00 PM rush would probably be the best bet for decent service. read more

Mushy long grain rice is not paella. Get some bomba, and think about some saffron for flavor. Soccorat? I don't think it's in their lexicon. That's what I get for expecting Spanish in N Florida read more

we have eaten at Espana for many years, until last night. my 90 year old mother ordered flounder that was so overcooked. it needed a steak knife. I told the server and she said "oh you didn't like the flounder?", I immediately pointed to the fish and said "look, it's overdone". she took it with her and never returned until she asked if we wanted dessert. we did order dessert and when the bill came. she never apologized, nor at least comp my mothers dessert. I will not be returning any time, and will not be recommending this restaurant to any visitors or friends. I can spend over $250 anywhere. read more

Went here recently for dinner. The ambiance was great, as we sat outside on a beautiful evening. All staff was attentive, helpful, and friendly. We had the short rib, paella, burrata, and a garbanzo soup. Other than the soup being a comically small portion, everything was perfect and delicious. We will be certainly be back. Would definitely recommend trying it out. Recommend having a reservation, as they do get quite busy. read more

Came in on a week night no resv, but we wanted to sit at the bar anyway so it was perfect. Michael took beautiful care of us. Enjoyed a few glasses of Albariño and an Estrella Lager. Our tapas were just wonderful . Certain try this spot when visiting the Island!! read more