This might be best tapas restaurant I've tried outside of Spain (I think it might even surpass Barrafina). Everything here was fresh and light on the oil, which is soooo important, because sometimes I feel like tapas are completely smothered in oil and you miss the flavors. We ordered the below and loved everything! The wine selection is also amazing. Everyone's really laid back here and it was completely packed but the atmosphere was cozy. Seabream Patatas Bravas Tortilla Boquerones en Vinagre (SO GOOD) Padron Peppers Pork belly read more

Pleasantly uncomfortable and friendly corner "bistrot", with prices from the hights of the City. If you are really home sick, I suggest you buy a Ryanair return to Madrid and splurge for the week-end. You might still have spare change ! Oh-Kay, it's a 4* but probably won't trek to South London(bridge) again for the pleasure... read more

Food is very tasty and when you see what they have on that board you will experience hard times in deciding!! Definitely to try the peppers and the steak with shallots! no booking, but it gets very busy, so don't go if you are a large group! read more

The place is tiny and very packed. The waiters are really helpful and make every effort to find you a small spot to "sit" down. Overall it as a very good atmosphere. The food also stands up. The Jamón ibérico is great, the tomato bread is delicate and the meatballs were amazing with the spicy tomato sauce. Another highlight was the grilled Chorizo. So overall food was really good. The wine wasn't the best, there is some room for improvement there. A negative point are the prices. Tapas cost around £ 8 in average. In total our bill for 2 with only two glasses of wine came to £ 85 with tips. For the type of location and the food this seemed a bit steep, even for London. read more

This place has everything. It's small, but perfectly formed! Great atmosphere, fantastic service, lurverly food and yummy wine! I turned up about 20 minutes after my dear friend, who was bodily holding a seat for me! To their credit, although the place was packed and a line forming outside, the staff were happy to let him sit and drink and take up two stools until I arrived. They even then sorted out a little tussle that I had to have with another customer over who should have custody of said stool! They gave her another place and we were both happy. The menu is written up on boards behind the cooking area - where you can see all that goes on with the preparation of your food. I like that! I'm not germaphobic at all, but I do like a nice clean kitchen! As always happens with tapas we ordered loads and then realised that we had gone overboard when we thought we had finished and even more turned up! They were brilliant about the timing - only giving us a couple of plates at any one time. We had: Tomato bread (actually very crusty bread soaked in tomato juice. very flavourful.) Iberico ham (deep colour and flavour, absolutely stunning, went very well on top of the bread) Croquetas (not my cup of tea - too creamy inside, but my friend LOVED them!) Hake (actually a bit like an upmarket bit of chip shop fish) Clams in white wine sauce (beautiful!) Prawns in chilli (HUGE! More like small lobsters in chilli!) And the best red wine I have had in quite a while! It was absolutely scrummy! This was enough to completely stuff two people with usually very healthy appetites! For the record, the wine (three glasses!) I had was the 2009 Juan Gil SIlver Label, Monastrel, Jumilla at 8.5 quid a glass. That's more than I usually like to pay, but it was worth it. Recommended by the rather sexy waiter, it was the perfect red wine to accompany tapas. It was smooth, fruity and delicious. I think I have found my new favourite little place in Bermondsey! read more

I finally managed to get a table at this place which is so small and so popular that sometimes you feel it's not worth attempted to go into I have to say the food is just extraordinary...everything on the menu is just normal tapas but the way they do it is just so delicious .... I recommend the patatas Bravas, jamon Iberico and hake...all just so delicious The problem with this place is that you aren't going to sit down or have a comfortable meal... It's always going to be crowded and intense ...it's a bar essentially with tapas ... But the food just makes up for it as does the service Highly recommended but not a place to relax, just to have good Spanish food read more

There are a few European, food culture trends that need to be exported to the US, like, now. Besides Roman coffee bars and Danish smorrebrod, the standing room-only, Spanish tapas bar is a must. And while I wait for these things to never happen, I'm so happy I can find it here. Because, ya know, schlepping to Spain for tapas isn't always feasible... if I could export Europe's close geographical quarters to the US, I would do that, too. The food is traditional with small plates of patatas bravas, boquerones, and croquetas all being worthy of a try. I also really enjoy the Iberico ham selection. I haven't partaken in any of the sherries yet, as I can't help but gulp down the ice cold, Andalucian staple, Alhambra cerveza that they keep on tap. It makes a great date spot, if only for the fact that the crowding gives you an excuse to stand (what would be considered uncomfortably close in other settings) to the other person. For a little more privacy try to angle for a spot at the counter on the windows. And while it's not a great area for overall entertainment, it is a nice walk up to Tower Bridge in the evening. Now if only I didn't have to come all the way from West London to enjoy it! read more

Wow. Wow... Wow. I have never been to this part of London hidden away in some side streets just next to the river this is an excellent spot! The yelp map pinpoints this restaurant incorrectly however, the restaurant is just a bit further down the road and can be found on the corner of the road. Going in here with my friend it was not at all what I expected, an intimate bench with just enough room to fit your food and wine on was a smart choice instead of tables to make the most of the limited room in a very small restaurant. The staff are very good at getting to you and getting your food quickly. The tapas here is incredible. We ordered the omelette, chorizo, pumpkin, the filet of beef. These were all incredible It makes me want to go back this week. I also had a very special bottle of Spanish Rose which turned out to be very good indeed. read more

It was all very good. Except the fried goat cheese and honey. That was awesome. Get there early: was already filling up at 17:30 on a Monday night. read more

Met my friend here a few nights ago, he got there first, ordered a beer and was informed he had to order food as well. He explained he was waiting and would order when I arrived, but they insisted. Ridiculous, it's not even a restaurant, but a tapas bar, with tiny tables. When I arrived, I ordered a padron peppers and a glass of wine; prices start at an expensive £5.50 a glass, and quickly go up. Peppers were average, stingy portion. When we went to have a cigarette, we were told to stand on the other side of the street. All this coupled with a small, crowded, noisy room. I will not be going back. read more

Finally!! I got to check out Jose bc we got in!! This tiny place is a great way to meet friends for tapas and drinks. At first we didn't know where to sit but a nice gentleman approached us and had us sit at the counter area. Me and my friends had cava and ordered Jamon Iberia, which was delicious. The pan con tomato I was in love with - way better than even what I had in Barcelona! We ordered the croquettes, which was creamy and delicious. We also had the chili prawns and razor clams - so nicely flavored and fresh. Wasn't cheap but I am SO coming back!! read more

This has to be one of my favorite eating establishments bar none. The atmosphere is great, the food is fantastic and the sherry selection is incredible. I used to live around the corner and would visit several times a week. Now I make a point of stopping by whenever in London. All the staff takes pride in giving you a genuine experience. read more

Must go. Food couldn't have been better and service was attentive and helpful. A definite stop on our next trip. read more

They have authentic Iberican ham. The Iberico Jamon (shaved aged pork shoulder) is excellent. The Pluma Iberica (pork flank cooked rare - a rare find outside of Spain) is amazing. Nice wine list. Great food; great wine; fantastic service especially for London. A must visit. Will come again. read more

Neighbours. Everybody needs good neighbours...or so they say on Ramsey St. And it's no different here on Bermondsey St, with the latest addition to the already thriving foodie neighbourhood (Zucca and Garrison are both on the same street) - we welcome José; a Sherry and Tapas bar co-owned by ex Brindisia Spanish chef José Pizarro and Hervé Durochat, formerly of Hakkasan and the Soho House Group. The food menu is concise with the usual suspects like Tortilla, Patatas Bravas and Jamon Ibérico, along with a daily changing market-menu (the specials), dependent on whatever is fresh at the market that morning. We ordered the special of grilled sardines (£5), and pork neck (£8), served medium rare instead. Both were incredibly tasty, simply cooked with a drizzle of olive oil, yet perfectly seasoned. The Patatas Bravas (£2.50) were quite possibly the best I've had..definitely in London anyway. Crispy on the outside and gorgeously fluffy on the inside, served with a fresh, heavenly dollop of aioli on top. The Jamon Ibérico croquettes were good, but at £6 for some pequeñas bolas, I could have easily gone without. The vibe is great though. Buzzing, yet cosy, reminiscent of the tapas bars in Barcelona's La Boqueria markets. The arrival of José to the neighbourhood is perfectly timed, especially for the summer months ahead. Get there as soon as you can! Olé For full review and pictures, please go to http://www.gourmetbelly.wordpress.com read more

Visited Jose's on a stifling late summer day. It was lunch time, midday in fact, as I'd heard that there is very little space when busy. This was a great move as we got to sit at the window and watch the world go by. There are no tables just ledges or barrels to place your food/drinks on. I ordered cava to drink which was very . Food consisted of bread and oil, tomato salad, clams and morels. There was a slight slip with out order as we had actually ordered razor clams but got clams but was not a problem. The food was moreish and simple. The real star was actually the tomato salad which consisted of the tastiest tomatoes I've had in London (I hope they can be sourced in Borough market!) I will certainly be visiting Jose's again but don't fancy going when it's busy as I like to sit down when eating. read more

By far the best tapas in town. Jamon of supreme quality and same goes for all products. Great wine list, staff is very knowledgeable and helpful if you're not accustomed with Spanish or Latin American wines. Amusing atmosphere, very vibrant and easy going! The restaurant is not big (actually very small) and you might have to wait before getting a spot but it is well worth the wait! read more

The best Spanish food I've had outside of Spain and possibly in Spain! Me and my husband shared about 4 tapas and all of them were out of this world. Beautiful little place in a lovely location. Will be back when I visit London again! read more

José - Spanish Near Me - London, XGL

Execellent flavored food and service. The proportions are small and the pricing is a bit step. Considering how close one is to Spain and the sourcing of good ingredients, I think they could be a little more generous with their portions. The house Grenache is delightful. Check your bill for the Optional service charge. You can decline. read more

Jose is easily one of my favourite tapas places in London. It's tiny, cosy and the food is fresh and amazing. Every time I go I can't get enough of it!! Their prawns are so fresh and you can taste and imagine the salty ocean as you take each bite. The ham on display is smoky and full of flavour. And their tortilla is a classic. Those are the classic tapas I order each time. Anything you order will be awesome there. My favourite spot is to be by the bar to see all the actions. And my final advice is to arrive early to get one of the few spots! read more

Great Tapas menu and wine list. We tried the jamon Ibérica, croquetas, pluma, cheese plate, tortilla and calamares. Everything was delicious. This place is small, but very lively. The host tries his best to get you in to a good spot. If another opens, he will ask if you want to move :-). The wait staff is stupendous. read more

José - It's where to be for happy hour. Their tapas are to die for. Great Spanish wines and beer available too. Lively atmosphere - Spanish Near Me - London, XGL

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Wow, this little gem in the way from my hotel to London bridge underground station was the shit!! Amazing tapas, excellent wine list, incomparable atmosphere, lovely service, need I say more? If in London please go and enjoy yourself, I was visiting from USA and believe me I will comeback soon to savor their tapas and wine read more

Very nice food but terrible service and even offensive waiters (one of the women was particularly unpleasant). Too proud of themselves. I won't repeat, there are too many nice places out there to waste my time in bars that make you feel bad like they did. read more

This is the most authentic Spanish food I have ever tasted outside of Spain, well worth the wait especially at the weekends and don't be shy about the Sherry - fabulous. Maria. read more

Best Tapas in London - Hands down! I have lived in Madrid for a 5 years and Jose gives you that real but upscale Tapas experience. Love the staff and have never been disappointed with the food. Strongly recommend! read more

OMG this place is outstanding! I went here 2 night in a row, which I never do on vacation, but it was seriously that good! It's a tiny little place, but the servers do a really good job at getting people in and to tables or the bar. I tried several different things but my favorite by far was the fried goat cheese with honey!!! It was amazing! The only negative was I felt like they had really small pours of wine, more than other spots in London. That was disappointing, but not enough to not return. I will be recommending this Tapas bar everyone that is spending time in London. Cheers! read more

A speck of a place but I always have to stop in when in London. Delicious tapas. Their Iberico ham is DELICOUS! As in two plates for myself delicious. Most of the dishes are 7-10 pounds (Iberico 14pounds). If you are ever there at closing time - they are obsessive in their cleaning of this place! The staff is super friendly and accommodating. As I initially mentioned, it is small. That will put off a lot of people. This most recent visit we ended up standing to eat for most of our meal. The hosts do a good job of shuffling folks through. I would not recommend this place for folks with children or large groups. Good place for maybe up to 6. read more

We'd finally hit summer. Friday night spent lolling outside the pub and a perky Saturday of sun and fun with walks wearing shirt and no jumper. A continental day ended appropriately with a hoped for but unscheduled aperitif stop in Bermondsey tapas joint du jour Jose. Owned eponymously by Jose 'Brindisa' Pizarro and garrulous business partner front of house expert Herve, it's finishing the job that neighbour (and final dinner destination) Zucca kick started and making Bermondsey, Street at least, a real foodie destination. I have a slight problem with tapas restaurants out of their native environments, and it's that you can't crawl. The joy of tapas for me comes with a gleeful bowl around the neighbourhood and a bite and a glass in each joint. Moderation, exercise and a pub crawl in one. With a little help from Herve, we may have cracked it. Prior to dinner and after a long warm walk, I was ready for a glass of something dry and crisp and cold. I steered us into Jose, keen to have a gander. The white tiled space focussed around the marble slab bar feels uncharacteristically out of place in South London, the heat emanating from it even more so. A combination of the small room, a large stove surrounded by Jose and his brigade, no air con and a sunny day meant I nearly lost the others at the first hurdle. The place was packed, no more than 25 in there, but it's enough not to want to be there when it's busier. No reservations means that like Spuntino you're going to have to come early, or be prepared to wait. As Herve explained, they're not aiming for the (London) bridge and tunnel crowd but hoping to add something to a great little local scene prior to opening larger restaurant Pizarro later in the year. I sucked down deliciously dry sherry while we gorged, an early doors licensing quirk meant no booze without food, on a couple of the delicious tapa from behind the counter. We grabbed a couple of plates judging they would suffice as starters. Sea fresh boquerones, juicy white anchovies, came in a light and sweet seasoned cava vinegar, Murcian speciality pisto, a simple full flavoured Spanish version of ratatouille, came with a perfectly fried duck's egg. Giant yolk flecked with salt looming over the the plate reminding us of the late spring sun. Despite the specials board (cruelly featuring crab and basil croquettes the next day) you'd struggle to make a full meal out of the place, but that's partly the point. Grab a couple of plates, and move on. We admitted to Herve that we were going on to Zucca for our mains; "there you go then! There's your tapas crawl.. start here, mains at Zucca and then on to Village East for a cocktail or dessert." Tapas crawl, Bermondsey style. read more

The tapas was good (as good as many places that are now dotted around London like Polpo etc) but the dining experience is unpleasant - cramped, rushed, squeezed, handbag on hooks right where you legs should go, coat pegs not near where you're be sitting, uncomfortable stools. Just not enjoyable to feel like that, regardless that there are some good dishes. read more

Today I have a special treat for you, a review of one of my favorite restaurants in London. I know I have many favorites, but José is a place with many fond memories. We used to hang out at this place almost every week. It is actually one of the first places my husband took me out on a date. What a way to steal a girls heart, offer her some Iberico pork and get her drunk on Cava. We are now married, so what else can I say than that it worked. José is the small and simple cava and tapas bar from José Pizaro who also runs a more upscale (still rather casual) restaurant called Pizarro down the road on Bermondsey Street. He was also before opening these places head chef at Tapas Brindisa. It is almost always crowded but people do not tend sit for long so often the wait is not that bad. Even if you cannot get a table immediately you can stand around and drink a glass of sparkling. The wait goes much faster with a drink in your hand There are usually three or four good sparklings (Cavas) by the glass. The wines are decently priced but perhaps not cheap, around £5-7 per glass and £30-40 per bottle (the on-going gentrification of Bermondsey Street has meant that prices are moving up). There are also nine different whites, three rosados and twelve reds by the glass. Food is excellent! The menu is not fixed, it is written on two black boards behind the bar and as things run out they are crossed off. However a few things can almost always be found there: some excellent Spanish cheeses as well as Jamon Iberico and chorizo. The Patatas Bravas, Pan con Tomate and Padron peppers are also some of my usual choices. My favorite is however, without a doubt, the flavorful Pluma Iberico (or when that is not on the menu the Secreto Iberico). Mmm, I would almost kill for that dish. All in all, I dont think I have ever been disappointed with a ny dish at Josè's. Service is always friendly and considering that it is always packed things move along smoothly. I also do like the fact that they do not automatically include service on the bill - i am not a bad tipper, but I want to make the choice myself. A tip should be an incentive to provide extra good service, not a part of the normal salary. That's just my opinion and I wish more places would do that. After years of testing the quality of food at both José and Pizarro I can conclude that the food is excellent. I think it's partly due to good quality produce, but also the skill of the chefs. It requires a special talent making simple dishes well. An important element for me is also the no-fuss quality wine list. They rotate the wines now and then so often I find new things to try. read more

After hearing so many good things about this place from friends and reviews we decided to give it a try. We got here just after 7pm on a Thursday evening - it was unbelievably busy! We were lucky to get a standing spot in a corner by one of the bar tables (there were hardly any seats). Between the 4 of us, we shared - meatballs, padron peppers, 2x tomato bread, patatas bravas, prawns, veg stew, tortilla, ham croquetas, squid. The best dish was the squid...the rest were OK. There were just too many people in such a tiny space, and on a warm evening, it got to the point where it was almost unbearable as there is no A/C or any ventilation at all other than the door that was left open. We had to finish our food quickly and breathed a huge sigh a relief the moment we left the bar and had some fresh air. read more

I absolutely loved this place. We came here randomly after looking for a place to eat near Bourough and so glad we did. The place is small and was absolutely packed which is a good sign. The man running the show was really nice - gave us a place to stand and asked if we wanted any drinks while we waited for a place to sit. Once we got a spot, the service was quick and the food was amazing. Absolutely no complaints and everything we had was delightful. Can not wait to go back. read more

The best tapas I've had in Ldn! Their wines are great too. Really wonderful, quality food. The price is not cheap, but you'll be very satisfied. read more

The sherry selection and tapas in this place is fantastic (even if you don't normally drink sherry give it a go here, you might be pleasantly surprised). The atmosphere is vibrant and even though it's small and almost always rammed, it never feels oppressive or overcrowded - the staff do a good job of keeping the numbers just right. Even better in the cold winter months. Brilliant. read more

Great tapas place not too pricey, delicious food but hats off to the staff for great service. Definitely recommend and will be returning.

I have had this place on my list forever but knew I needed to find a time when we could rock up and get a spot. That was about 6pm on a Wed eve and we were able to grab seats at a beautiful marble bar facing the window. It was a great spot because we could have a conversation--it wasn't too noisy and despite the fact we were a bit nudged in the corner our waiter really looked after us. (NOTE: service is not included so don't forget to tip if you do go and get great service as we did). The wine was fab. I was impressed with the tortilla (not as good as Barrafina but probably comes in second on the tortilla ranking). Croquetas were a spicy spinach--surprising but good. Gem salad with walnuts and blue cheese was yummy and the Iberian pork was good. The standout was the asparagus (in season) with romenesco sauce and jamon. I loved the vibe, the food and the wine. I felt like I was in Spain. Salud! read more

Cute, really yummy, affordable, cozy, good service (they were really nice, warm and accommodating). Excellent spot!

José is an incredible tapas bar located in the middle of Bermondsey Street. Although it is very small and almost impossible at times to get in, it really is worth the wait. The tapas are very simple yet wonderful (not as inventive as the ones from Pizarro, the owner's other restaurant down the street). My favorite dishes are the croquetas And pan con tomate. I love Jose and would love to go again soon. read more

Really great tapas! The seafood a la plancha is succulent and full-flavored. The space is intimate and simply decorated. If I lived in London I'd eat here often. read more

Since I'm a diehard fan of tapas, I'm very reluctant to go somewhere in London where it's not done right. And there's a lot of pretentious, snooty tapas bars in London and that's not what real tapas are about. It's the low-key, friendly atmosphere and vibrant, energetic bustle that make a tapas bar great, and Jose is all that. We went on a Friday evening and it was really packed. So we waited for seats to free up by standing, and eventually we started ordering because inevitably you get hungry as the wait can be very long (but that's how they do it in Spain, so I shouldn't be complaining). Everything was delicious. The quality was impeccable.The wine selection also went very well with the food... we got a bottle and finished it pretty quickly. And it's great to stand/sit by the large windows and gaze out onto the humble streets of Bermondsey. But the bill was not as humble (unlike Spain) so can't go here all the time, but was definitely a great experience! Note that you cannot add tip on your card so be prepared to bring some cash so you can properly tip the waiters. read more