La Boca was a standout Santa Fe dining experience. Our server, Jonathan, was exceptional -- he impressed us right away with his extensive knowledge of at least five specials, plus wonderfully nuanced details about the wines and cocktails. That kind of hospitality makes the whole meal feel elevated. I had Le Flor, a gorgeous pink gin and elderflower cocktail that was as lovely as it was refreshing. The mussels with green sauce and dipping bread were an absolute must-order -- we could have made a meal out of that alone. The mango gazpacho with honey drizzle was bright, unexpected, and delicious. We also loved the chicken thigh skewers, which were flavorful and tender without being fatty, served with a beautiful yogurt smudge on the plate. The grilled eggplant with capers and manchego was another favorite, and the jamón croquettes were crisp, savory perfection. Creative food, thoughtful service, and a warm Santa Fe atmosphere. La Boca is the kind of place you leave already thinking about what you'll order next time. read more

La Boca - El Flor gin cocktail - Tapas Bars Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

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This was my personal favorite dining spot we patronized in Santa Fe. I am very partial to small plates and there were plenty to choose from. I suggest mixing in an item or two from each section of the menu so you can experience tapas from each part of Spain. Extensive wine and sherry list adds to the authenticity although the girls reported that their sangrias were outstanding. Service was spotty and the only reason it's not 5 stars. read more

La Boca offers Spanish dishes like Tapas and shared meals like Paella. They also offer selection of wine as well. The restaurant itself is on a smaller side, so if you are planning for a meal with a bigger group, you probably should plan ahead. Even for a late lunch on a weekday, the place was already half filled up. So, I can imagine that on weekends/dinner, you probably want to make a reservation! Personally, I liked that there was many different things to pick. But, I felt the food was a little bit hit or miss. I liked the eggplant tapas, but thought the duck meatballs were ok. I was excited to try the seafood paella, but I think what turned me off a bit was just how oily the paella was. Overall, nice staff, but I don't know if I plan to go back anytime soon unless someone else in my party wants to check it out (note: YMMV, I don't really drink, so it being a wine bar..I don't really benefit from their wine selection!. read more

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The food at La Boca was great (for the most part). The paella was delicious, but took almost 45 minutes to come out. I understand paella doesn't come out quickly, but the wait here was excessive (in my opinion). The soup was pretty bland, which was surprising (wouldn't order that again). I wanted to get a cocktail, but I had to drive a few hours right after this meal so I wasn't able to. I would probably visit again if I lived closer to try other items. read more

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Spanish tapas at the Plaza. Our friend (local) suggested La Boca for dinner on our last night visiting, boy, were we impressed! Delicious cocktails and tasty plates, we ordered and way too much. Tonight's stand outs were the Gambas al Ajillo, NM Flat Iron Steak with the caramel sauce, and the Albondigas. I recommend the Spanish favorite cocktails, Mediterranean Gin & Tonic and either of the Sangrias. Restaurant vibe is busy and entertainment scheduled almost every day. Highly recommend. read more

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If we could rate it a 6, we would! Outstanding - a must visit for a Santa Fe trip. By all means hit Santa Fe's wonderful Mexican restaurants but don't short change yourself by skipping La Boca! Quiet and cute little restaurant just off the square. We've seen many reviews mentioning poor service but in our two visits it was absolutely spot on. To be clear, this is a restaurant that intends and desires for you to leisurely enjoy a high quality meal so the service is not rushed but absolutely appropriate and responsive. The Grilled Pear Salad and the Olives and almonds as well as the baguette and garlic butter were a wonderful flavorful start. We then enjoyed the flat iron steak and potatoes. Each bite was well seasoned and an enjoyable adventure. Worse part of the meal was when it was over! read more

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This is the third time I've ate here, twice with my late with and again today with my new wife. All three times its been fantastic and well worth the cost. We got 3 different tapas to share and all three were spot on and delightful. If we're ever back in Santa Fe this will diffently be a possibility for dinner. read more

Enjoyed the cozy feel and our waitress was an asset to the owners! She acted like one Food was great, Id stay away feom the sherry tastings veey exspensive and very small pours, very small. The highlight was the cherry cheesecake desert. We literally talked about it for several days. We definately go again! read more

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La Boca is a Spanish restaurant that serves tapas and paella. They offer a full bar, but specialize in Spanish wines. My wife and I decide to create a meal of various tapas. We had the anchovie pintxos, eggplant pintxos, gambas fritos (fried shrimp), and yellow fin tuna. All were excellent. The food arrives as it is prepared, so 3 dishes came out at once, and then the tuna arrived. Our server was helpful in recommending the number of dished we should order, and although we didn't order any wine, we overheard the waitstaff explaining the difference between the various wines. Tables are placed closely together and the place can get noisy. We felt a bit rushed, as the restaurant is very popular and in a hurry to turn the tables. Reservations are a must. read more

We had a great New Year's Eve dinner here. The service was great and it was packed! We tried a lot of different dishes though the pintxos were probably my favorite. Everything was great and I would order any of it again. The carrots were my boyfriend's favorite. read more

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I lived in Spain and can safely say this is some of the best Spanish food I have had in the US. The food is authentic with the cooking technique and flavors. The service was lovely and ambiance is very tapas vibe. Small area. The croqueta is the best I would eat those all day with the best mixture of ham and cheese. Eggplant with the capers and cheese was well done. Shrimp was fantastic and just what I expected. The chicharrones are alright I wouldn't get them again. Another amazing dish was the pixtones with Serrano manchego tomato and chile. Please order that. No bravas and tortilla was very disappointing though. I really wanted bravas as they are so typical in Spain but done differently at each tapas bar read more

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good for tapas and pallella. Meal needed more fish. Tapas were unique and all others were satisfied. My daughter tried the sherry flight. Waitress very informative. read more

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I only write reviews right after an experience if it's either really good or really bad. I am so heartbroken to leave a bad review for this spot. It was my birthday and I was a solo diner with a reservation booked by Pack Up and Go. I was beyond ecstatic to go here due to all their accolades. My server was phenomenal at first. He helped me choose a drink and we talked extensively about him pairing some sherries with my food once I decided on what I wanted. My gin drink was brought, it was amazing and I started to put my food order in. And this is where everything changed. My server walked by my table probably 20 times after that and never once stopped. He didn't ask me how my drink was. He didn't ask me how my food was. He was literally swooning at the table next to me and I didn't exist. That sherry we talked about? Literally never happened because he never once came to my table. I was upset, but I wasn't going to let it ruin my night. He finally showed up, I had a solid 30+ minutes with 0 server interaction whatsoever. And when he came over he again never asked how anything was, never offered to pair a sherry like we talked about, all he asked was do you want dessert. I wanted to gtfo at this point. I was sitting there planning on writing you a note on the back of the receipt because this whole experience really upset me. But then I got the tiniest champagne pour and a "happy birthday" without acknowledging anything at all. The food was phenomenal. I had the bacon wrapped dates, artichokes, and steak. I would've ordered another plate and another drink but the server literally never came over to my table AT ALL. I didn't expect any special treatment at all, just the bare minimum would've been nice. I had on my fancy dress and was treating myself to a nice birthday dinner and unfortunately this completely missed the mark and I will be letting Pack Up and Go know that they should consider taking you off their partner list. I live in Philly so will not be back to give this spot another chance anytime soon. Please do better. read more

Good choices for food and drinks. Service was efficient and a pleasant experience. Great ambiance, especially the patio (inside is too noisy). Great place to spend an evening with local and visiting friends. read more

Excellent food and service. We sat in their Taverna dining room in the back and they had a live musician starting at 7pm. His music was not too loud though I was not a fan of his tip jar hustle. Yes it can get pricey if you're big eaters and drinkers but it's such a nice evening. Everything was delicious and our server was excellent. They bring out one thing at a time since the tables are very small. The bathroom always has a line as it's used for both restaurants. We will definitely come here any time we are in the area. read more

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Food was good. Service was questionable. Food that was good - vegetable paella and the chicken kebabs. Service-wise. - The host was on the phone when we arrived at our reservation time. He spent a long time on the phone as we stood there waiting to be seated. I didn't time it, but if I had been the host, I would have asked the person on the phone to hold one for the 10 seconds it would have taken him to show us our table. He did not choose to do that. - Regarding the server - My fellow diner asked specifically for non-gluten and non-dairy options as she has severe allergic reactions. The waiter, recommended a few items on the menu. She ordered one of them. However, it had a think layer of yogurt. (Perhaps waiters should be trained on what 'dairy' includes?) - Regarding deliver of food - We ordered two chicken dishes and a paella. We got one chicken dish, followed after a long time by the paella. We called the waiter over to tell him we had ordered two chicken dishes. Maybe this is supposed to be a 'relaxed' environment for dining. I think the only ones relaxing were the staff. I am giving 3 star because the food was good, but I will not be going back soon, or maybe ever. read more

We shared a wonderful bottle of Tempranillo. There were four of us. We all shared my favorite which is the steak with caramel sauce and blue cheese (which is on the side). We also shared Jamon and olives, yummy sautéed shrimp ((which should come with crostini because the sauce is so good. We had to order bread for the table. And at 16 $ for 7 shrimp they should include bread) , manchego cheese w quince jelly, and yellowtail tuna over caramelised onions. Desserts we shared were cherry cheesecake and a cookie tray. None of the desserts rocked my boat so I would skip that next time. But the savouries were yummy and they did not rush us which made for a very enjoyable evening. read more

"Never Been To Spain".. Well, I've never been to Spain But I kinda like the music Say the ladies are insane there And they sure know how to use it.. They don't abuse it Never gonna lose it I can't refuse it.. We settled into La Boca for an early lunch.. We sat at a nice two top in our own secluded bubble..:) We were entertained and educated w. a Flight of Sherry Wines... All different , but so smooth and nice. We accompanied this w. an "Asparagus Tapas" & an "Eggplant Tapas". Both wickedly flavourful. We then, The Lass sipped, The Lad slurped on a Glass of "Manzanilla Sherry" to accompany a plate of "Shrimp Paella". This dish was a romantic delishee bite. Nice how Spanish Sherrys work so beautifully, to better enjoy this cuisine. A wonderful Father's Day treat..:) A worthy dining spot in this City Different..:) In Santa Fe, not Spain What does it matter? What does it matter when.. La Boca is here to feed you..:) Best, Avram Tredognite Jr. read more

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This was a very good tapas restaurant and I would highly recommend eating here. The service was excellent, and we only had the tapas and did not have the paella however, I'm told that the paella will serve a lot of people we ate a variety of tapas dishes, and all of them were good strongly recommend coming here. read more

Service was on slower side of things throughout the meal, but all servers were pretty nice. All of my tapas were pretty delish, and I really liked their Spanish mushroom soup, papatas bravas and and mussels with coconut milk salsa verde: everything was spot on. Their Spanish negroni cocktail was lovely, too. The gateau basque dessert kinda ruined my meal: it seems to have been sitting in the fridge for the day but it was certainly not made fresh and I could hardly taste vanilla bean in it. A lady manager came by and was rather kind to comp it after I declined to try another dessert instead. read more

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We were attending a wedding in Santa Fe and upon recommendation we made a reservation at La Boca a Spanish tapas marvel They sat our party of 7 right in front of a solo guitarist from Madrid Spain What followed was one on the more amazing nights filled with dishes bursting with flavor paired with one of a kind sherry offerings guided by an amazing beverage expert The singer Jesus, was a blast covering any request including Willie Nelson and a sing along from Johnny Cash as he reverted back to his solo guitar Latin gems But the food and the atmosphere are the headline at LaBoca Chef James made numerous appearances to take a bow Run don't walk to LaBoca and you're welcome! read more

Boisterous Bastion of Tapas... - Overall: 5 - Location: 5 - Exterior: 3 - Ambiance: 4 - Menu: 5 - Food Quality: 5 - Food Portion: 5 - Service: 5 - Prive and Value: 5 - Parking: 2 It was Friday night and I realized we didn't have reservations for dinner on Saturday during the Mother's Day weekend. So I checked online and called around, but nothing decent was available. We finally decided to get a late lunch at La Boca. It was an excellent choice. Pros: - Location: Downtown. Around lots of shops and restaurants. - Exterior: Smaller than expected. You can almost drive by and not notice it. - Ambiance: Small and lively. Chairs and tables close together with lots of conversations. - Menu: Interesting. Tons of creative sounding small plates and a huge list of sherry. - Food: Reminders of Spain. Our server, Sawyer, suggested we order 4 items. He was right. My wife and I shared: - Tabla de Quesos ($28): A variety of Spanish cheeses and condiments - Eggplant Pintxos ($14): Baked eggplant - Bacalao ($18) - Gambas Al Ajillo ($17): Broiled shrimp and vegetables - Half Baguette ($4): To sop up juice from the shrimp - 2 Glasses of Rose Sangria ($15 each): Good, but I'd get the "heavier" sangria Our food was attractively arranged, super tasty and filling. - Service: Sawyer was very friendly, informative and helpful. - Price and Value: The best. The cost for this feast was $111 before tax and tip. The one "overpayment" was for the sangria. Con: - Parking: Not easy. During busy periods like Saturday afternoon, you'll scramble for a space. We drove around and decided to park in the structure next to the Convention Center a block away. La Boca is a super popular place. We essentially had dinner in the mid afternoon and it was great. Whether you'll appreciate the boisterous nature is a question for each customer. read more

We had a great dinner at La Boca. Thankfully we made a reservation because they were turning people away left and right. We were squeezed into a table that felt very tight, but there was a little wall in between so I felt like there was a little more privacy. If one of those restaurant makeover shows made it to La Boca, they could add something to the stark white walls. There were a couple of random paintings, but maybe some texture on the walls would make it feel more like you're eating in an expensive restaurant and not a room with tables. The bathroom situation is also not great. There's only one single stall bathroom and if it's full, there's nowhere to wait without dodging the servers coming out of the kitchen. read more

Serious disappointment. Driving cross country and Santa Fe was our stop for fine dining and a half day off from the grind. Tapas appealed as was the notoriety of the chef. But that won't matter. Arrived to one dining room and sent to the other around the block - you think that could be conveyed in the confirmations sent more than once. Many people waiting at both dining rooms - poor reservation system? Seated and server takes drink order - I order a Sherry and she asks if I had that one before (it's a Sherry heavy restaurant and I'm a Sherry expert) I tell her I've studied Sherry for WSET and love Amontiallado especially. So drinks come and here's where it goes sideways: I clearly present how I want my food delivered: first we will have the Coliflor, the Kale Salad and the Bruschetta. Then I'd like the proteins - gambas and albondigas. She asks if I'd like bread with that and first I say yes - realizing it's an $8 baguette inchange my mind and say you know I'll have the patatas bravas with the shrimp and lamb for the sauce. Ok - first dish comes out. Kale. It's larger than expected tapas but fine - nice flavor. We finish it and nothing else comes for a bit. Then coliflor - pretty bland and unseasoned. Then low and behold the potatoes! I'm like oh I wanted this with my shrimp (which from my order would not be coming next and also from this pacing my potatoes would be cold before they arrive) The runner girl asks if I want her to take them back, when I say yes and explain that I told my server I wanted them with shrimp she gives me an attitude. I tell her I was very clear. Well she takes them and then the shrimp comes out - Bruschetta does not. I call over my server and remind her I was very explicit in the way I ordered. She brings back the potatoes, the meatballs and the bruschetta all at once - ok punished for wanting it a certain way and now I'm over loaded on the table. She tells me "we are trained to send food out from light to heavy" so ignore the persons request? Also - I freaking ordered it from light to heavy!!!!! I can read a menu, I'm in food and wine and know what is going on. No apology. So food wise: potatoes actually sucked. All different colors cooked at same time so with varying Doneness. Not crispy at all. Sauce was Mayo heavy and not flavorful. Shrimp - meh Lamb Albondigas - not expected - two huge meatballs looking more Italian in style. Overly spicy. Bruschetta with mushrooms and egg - lovely flavor, creamy, Sage forward. But the bread was STALE!!! Kale - as above Coliflor also as above - meh Lastly - cleared with a messy table not wiped - service 101? Reason we have many James Beard Nominations and NO wins... hmmm Not happy. Oh and server - stop saying "deal" at every order and request. read more

La Boca - Dirty table that could have been wiped in one second - Tapas Bars Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

Was looking for something else besides Mexican food. This place was awesome! Amazing tapas and great wine.

Came here as part of a birthday celebration and had a nice array of tapas! This is a pretty small restaurant so it gets pretty tight even trying to get in and out of your seat. I'd recommend a reservations as it seems to get pretty packed. I'd say experience wise, this seems to be a restaurant that doesn't quite feel cohesive. To me, it was a strange experience of a casual spot trying to be more high end but struggling due to space constraints. Service was polite and friendly and food came out at a reasonable pace. Food wise, I enjoyed all the dishes with the mussels and chicharrones being particular standouts. The cauliflower was a bit, watery, for a lack of a better word but for something that's supposed to be roasted, it came off steamed. Overall, I think this was a great restaurant to visit and have some good food. There are little things for the price point that bring it down but not a bad choice if you want some tasty food and willing to shell out. read more

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Wow. Fun. Flies. Food and service very good . A real good alternative to Chile Relleno Santa Fe.

Great dinner. Server knowledgeable and made good recommendations. Three of us shared grilled pear salad, GAMBAS AL AJILLO, beef with two sauces, CROQUETAS DE JAMÓN. I thought the shrimp and pear salad were outstanding, beef was just beef. I wouldn't bother spending $8 for bread and olive oil(I thought it was free). A few oddities- there is a front and back patio and you don't have a choice of where to sit. I would prefer the front patio so perhaps call ahead and request. Also my husband ordered a sherry sampler- 3 one oz glasses and was shocked to see it cost $28! I would definitely return! read more

Best salad I've had in my life- definitely get the kale salad. Artichoke and ham croquettes tapas were amazing as well. Paella was very good also but we enjoyed the tapas and salad more in the end. This is one of those meals you look back on and remember because it stands out so much. Excellent all around! read more

La Boca - Paella - Tapas Bars Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

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First time here in a Saturday night for dinner. It took a really long time to be greeted by a server. I actually had to go inside from the patio to ask for assistance. Our server was nice eventually but kind of strange at the beginning. She seemed very overwhelmed and not happy. We saw the manger talking to her in the corner later which we thought was unprofessional. Why not talk to her in private? The food was great but they really need to work on the service. We also saw the bus boy putting his fingers instar a glass when moving it. read more

Another FUN Friday evening eating delicious Spanish Tapas (kale salad, spicy mushroom soup, mushroom bruschetta & basil/piñon ice cream) & listening to Jesus Bas play Spanish guitar. We have been coming to hear him play here for years. Always good food & good times. The atmosphere is cozy, staff are helpful & friendly! We love to sit at the bar (you need to check in... not first-come anymore). We especially enjoy chatting with "our" bartender, Gino. Reservations a MUST. It can be a long wait for a table, but you can enjoy the music & a drink while you wait-- but worth it, if you have the time. read more

La Boca - Kale salad is FRESH & DELICIOUS! - Tapas Bars Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

Fantastic restaurant. This place was so good that we came back two days in a row lol. I loved the tapas style because you could try a few different things. All the food was unique and flavorful. The croquetas de jamon had a savory, delicious filling. The pintxo with jamon serrano/tomato puree/manchego/piparra had a unique blend of flavors that came together so well. Those two dishes were probably my favorite. Or maybe it was the New Mexico flat iron steak lol. It was cooked perfectly and came with a sea salt caramel sauce & a cheesy butter sauce (both tasted so unique and somehow complimented the steak in a way I wasn't expecting. I couldn't decide which I liked more). The paella classica was solid. I got the lavender lemonade both nights--it was floral and refreshing. We sat in different parts of the building each night. Both had an elevated but chill ambiance--dimly lit and warm. I liked how the secondary location had a live musician. It really felt like a cozy tapas spot in San Sebastian. We had different waiters each night, and both were quality. The food came out decently fast. We left a shopping bag there the first night, and the hostess immediately called to let us know. This spot was recommended to us by an artist on Canyon Road, and I definitely endorse that recommendation. I would continue to go back again & again. read more

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Great experience--made a last minute reservation on open table and walked over from the historic plaza. Surprisingly good cocktail and wine list. They even have a wine club. Good service with a table seated by the window. For tapas, I recommend the pan com tomate, the patatas bravas, gambas al ajillo and the grilled eggplant. Highly recommend making a reservation while you're in Sante Fe read more

La Boca - Wine list - Tapas Bars Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

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Set up a request for 4 top on a Sunday night. Showed up and the hostess seated us right away. Soscha was our server and got us acclimated to the small plate way of ordering and also explained any specials while answering our questions about food terms and meanings. We decided to get right into the menu with Estrella Lager, wine from the Duoro and a Jumilla which were all excellent. We started the night with Marcona Almonds/pickle/olives. The Pimenton is a spicy dusting on the almonds...so good with beers. We chose to do round 1 with Fried Manchego w/apricot honey, Artichokes w/goat cheese, and fried pork belly. All were excellent! The baguette w/butter and olive oil served as a springboard into round 2. For round 2, we had grilled shrimp w/ fennel salad, New Mexico flat iron steak w/ caramel sauce...perfect choices for proteins. The big, juicy, flavorful fried chunks of pork were cooked perfectly and served with a semi spicy sauce. Flat Iron NM steak was grilled to a perfect Medium Rare temp---so good! Finishing off with some fresh raspberry sorbet, vanilla tart with brandied cherries, and a round of hot teas. The sorbet was tart, with perfect consistency. The vanilla tart was a flavorful way to end the meal and the brandied cherries added a bit of acidity to the crunchy and creaminess of the tart. The waitstaff was humming as the night was busy early with diners, then the bar patrons picked up the slack after 830pm. The cute decor and excellent flavors made for a great SFE dinner out. Soscha exhibited the perfect skills of wine education, suggesting the next selection, all wrapped with a great smile and sense of humor. La Boca is definitely a "must do" for SFE diners and wine peeps. Can't wait---we will definitely be back for Paella soon! read more

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Everything was fabulous! We started with the watermelon salad, then the Alcochofas and then the Pintxos either Marcllla sausage read more

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Spanish tapas are some of my favorite types of food, it's easy to share with a date or group and you can get as filling of a meal as you want with the number of plates you order! Im glad I found this spot in town while I was in Santa Fe, and have already been a couple times. It's easy to make a reservation on Opentable and they have a great selection and a happy hour! The server guided our selections and helped me find accommodations for my dietary restrictions. I love that their menu has so many small plate options, cocktails, wine and vermut. If you're looking for a bigger meal, the paella is the way to go - even the paella for one was too much for us two after a few tapas! Quick tip, they have two locations in the small area. I've only been to the restaurant location off the street for both indoor and outdoor dining, which is small but lively. I haven't been to the bigger location in the center, which opens a little later so no happy hour but I assume it could take larger groups. It's definitely a good sign that they needed two spaces in the first place! I've only tried one other tapas restaurant in Santa Fe, but this is definitely my favorite. read more

Great food and service. Fun to be outside enjoying the food and ambiance! Fun place to enjoy that is a specialty for Santa Fe! Great Spanish restaurant! read more

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I had the vegetarian paella and it tasted like dish soap. I asked for hot sauce to add some flavor to it and the waiter brought me a small cup of cocktail sauce. Then they charged us $1.50 for it. read more

I am so glad that I gave La Boca a second chance because our most recent visit was spectacular! Everything from the service we received (shout out to Jose) to the spectacular food were on point. We even got the thumbs up from the parents who were trying to compare the food to what they had in Madrid. When ordering, I would highly recommend getting the paella classica for 2 for 2-4 people and a tapa per person. We did that with 4 people and the amount of food was perfect! In terms of the tapas, the manchego frito and the gambas al ajillo were my favorite. Amazing flavor! Definitely add some red wine to go with the tapas and the paella. I can't wait to go back and order more amazing tapas and paella when I am back in the area. Thank you staff for making our experience awesome again! read more

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My friend and I went for dinner and while the food was delicious, the hosts and servers were rude that deserves not even a three star rating. Won't be coming back the next time we're in town. read more