This was my 3rd time time having paella in the East Bay and it was satisfying, even though it was take out. I loved the taste and the size of the shrimp in the paella. I would love to repeat. BB read more

Great tapas bar in Berkeley. Nice selection of tasty plates and cocktails. We were disappointed when César closed down a few years ago, but we're very happy to discover La Marcha as a result! read more

Super delicious tapas. Really enjoy chatting with the staff as well, a fun and perfect place for a dinner date or before a concert!! Must try. read more

La Marcha Tapas Bar - Spanish Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

This place was such a great, relaxing experience. We arrived around 4 PM, we got very lucky to score parking right infront of the restaurant. You will have to pay for street parking but it's free after 6PM. If you want a guaranteed spot inside, I would recommend making a reservation. We didn't make one and were seated out back very quickly. Everything we ordered was so delicious, flavorful and just a full on experience with each plate. Loved the deserts they were so decadent. The music was great, vibes were great. Service was super friendly, I just wish I had more water during dinner that's all LOL, I'm not a huge drinker. I highly recommended this place! Will definitely be back to show some of my friends! read more

See all

I absolutely love this place. The first time I came to this place, I fell in love with the small and pretty outdoor seating, along with the beautiful and colorful tapas they serve! They also have great vegetarian options! The Patatas Bravas are an absolute must, and they have a spicy flavor which tastes awesome. The Piquillos Rellenos are also so good, the peppers are so soft and filled with hearty goat cheese. The Croquetas Championes are also really good, and filled with an amazing cheese and mushroom combination. Would also recommend the broccolini, but less than the other dishes above. Now for the paella- I think it's worth it to come here and get only tapas, but I also thing the paella is a unique dish which really brings the whole meal together, but only if you're willing to wait. The paella takes about 30 minutes to make from the time of ordering, and is a large dish, so I think it's great if you're here with 4+ people, and get fewer tapas initially. The Paella Hurtana was one of the most unique, colorful dishes I've ever seen, and tasted amazing as well. As you can see from the picture, it really is. I would also heavily recommend the churros if you're still hungry for dessert after the meal. The sweetness of the churros combined with the slightly bitter chocolate dip makes for a great contrast. Overall, one of the best restaurants I've ever been to, with great service and high quality food. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a high quality new restaurant to try, with very unique and aesthetically pleasing food! read more

See all

A solid choice for happy hour in East Bay! Came here on a chillier day on a Friday afternoon. They do happy hour until 6pm. We came here for an early pre-dinner and then ended up leaving feeling very full. We went into the front entrance and decided to sit outside, so had to go around the block to get into their beer garden. Thankfully, the outside patio had heat lamps as it was decently cold. The service was a bit slow, but our waitress knew we were seated well before the happy hour deadline and allowed us to put in a bunch of orders. My friend and I each ordered a red and white sangria for $6 (wouldn't get the white again but the red was delicious), and 3 tapas - the chicken croquettes, the stuffed peppers, and the patatas bravas. The highlight was the croquettes, so we had to order another! They brought the squid ink one by accident, so I got to try that as well. It was great and would recommend. Can't wait to revisit this place when over in East Bay again! read more

La Marcha Tapas Bar - Artsy view! - Spanish Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

Sooo let me start by saying the place does have potential but tonight was just-- not it. I was super excited to come here because the food looked amazing and the reviews were raving. We arrived around 6:20 and waited about 30 mins to be seated. We had the opportunity to check out the menu while we waited so when we sat down we knew exactly what to order. We ordered quite a few small plates and waited another 30 mins to get them. The lamb sliders are the best thing on the menus flavorful and just enough to be sort of filling. The chicken croquetas are also amazing. They came out fresh and hot and the aioli they were in was so flavorful. The Gambas a la Parilla had no flavor and were more burnt than they were charred. I also ordered the Albondigas but after an hour and 10 mins of waiting they never arrived so I asked if they could be taken off my Bill because at that point I was ready to go. The Cangrejo croquetas arrived stone cold after already waiting for them for 35 minutes. I asked for hot fresh ones and that took another 15-20 mins to get so by the time they arrived I was over it. It was definitely a busy night but there's no excuse for the wait times and no explanation or apology for it. They apologized at the end when I was paying and asked for the albondigas to be taken off. I'm not sure I'd give them another try ‍ read more

See all

Food was ok, but the service ... They ask you to order on the web, with cumbersome process, with no recommendation from the waitress and no ability to modify the dishes. So we ordered too much and they did not ask us why did not we touch the payea ... Good food but disappointing experience ! read more

See all

Great cozy atmosphere for two or a group. The albondigas are amazingly good. I'm told the jamon croquettes are a menu favorite. That will have to wait for next time. Several choices of paella. Seafood paella was good not great. Next time I'll stick with the tapas. Friendly crowd and staff. I'll be back next time I'm in Berkeley! read more

La Marcha Tapas Bar - Seafood paella - Spanish Near Me - Berkeley, California

This was a pretty solid tapas spot. My old friend wanted to meet up in Berkeley and had found this place. We ordered the usual Spanish fare - patatas bravas, gambas, sangria and the paella. All of the food was tasty and the place got packed really fast. I'd say the server was the low part of the meal. She wasn't really attentive and we had to get her attention a few times which was annoying. But overall, this was a good Spanish spot on the West side. read more

Took my S/O here to celebrate his birthday and I would say we both left happy! They have outdoor dining in a cute back patio (the front entrance of the restaurant is for take out only, you have to go around the building to check in for dine in!) When we went they weren't taking reservations, and it was peak dinner hour so it took about 1.5 hours to be seated (longer than the estimated wait time we were given, but tables are given a time limit to help with the flow- you can also order drinks to sip on in the parking lot area while you wait for your table, so that at least helped kill some time haha.) The dining area has a nice ambience with the string lights & outdoor heaters! To order, you scan a QR code on the table and order online. In terms of food: Croquetas de Champinones- 3 pieces of mushroom + cheese croquettes with a fresh green sauce. Insanely good and crispy, and like most appetizers- left us wanting more Paella Marinera- Seafood + paella: that warm combo makes my heart and stomach happy. However, one order split between two people was *just* enough to make our stomachs content (i would definitely recommend getting appetizers to share as well!) The rice was great but the toppings/seafood were a bit on the blander side so it would've been nice to have some seasoning or garnishing on top. Overall though, still a nice dinner! Remember to order sangria with your meal ;) read more

La Marcha Tapas Bar - Entrance to outdoor patio - Spanish Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

The staff was so friendly! We were running late because I kept making the wrong exit and the hostess was always kind and understanding when we called her to let her know our eta had changed once again. When we got there we ordered quickly and out lovely waiter gave us some strong recommendations! I would definitely order everything again especially the papayas bravas. They were spicy and perfectly cooked. The pork is on the fattier side so if you do not like that texture I wouldn't recommend it however its flavor was amazing. read more

See all

Came for lunch on a Wednesday. The patio entrance is around the corner in the parking area behind the restaurant. It was cute with lots of plants and string lights. Loved the Cangrejo. The Dungeness crab really shown and I like the sauce paired. El Clasico is perfect for people who are a fan of mild cheese and beef. The manchego flavour was strong and this happens to be one of my favourite cheeses. Beef patty had great flavour and texture. Loved the buns for both burgers. Bimi was just okay. The hazelnut-pistachio romseco which came with the broccolini was deep and flavourful. First time having anything like that. I will come back for dinner at some point to try the paella. read more

See all

Came here to celebrate with my friends and we had a pleasant time l, it is a small place but nice and casual! We enjoyed the happy hour specials! Aside from happy hour, I recommend their sangria, Bruselas, Patatas Bravas, Paella Huertana! read more

La Marcha Tapas Bar - Sangria and Beer - Spanish Near Me - Berkeley, California

WOW I'm obsessed with La Marcha. Got a couple of dishes and thought all of them were delicious. - Pollo croquetas (4.5/5) nice crunch on the outside with a soft and fluffy interior. Chicken/gruyere/pepper filling tasted comforting in the best way and paired so well with the alioli dipping sauce. - Costillas (4/5) tender meat that was nicely spiced (hint of cinnamon?) - Paella Marinera (3.5/5) large and gorgeous serving with tons of seafood included. Wasn't the biggest fan of the rice's flavor if I'm being honest. - Pulpo Y Garbanzos (5/5) to my surprise, this ended up being my favorite dish. The squid was cooked perfectly and was bouncy but super easy to chew. Chickpea puree was incredible and I loved the sweet, tart red onions on top. - Hamburguesas Morunas (4.5/5) lamb was incredibly flavorful and juicy and was perfectly complemented by the cucumber and melted cheese on top. Might've been the best lamb sliders I've ever had. I'll be coming back soon!!! :O read more

La Marcha Tapas Bar - Spanish Near Me - Berkeley, California

This place is amazing. Servers are very professional food is delicious authentic and original. The restaurant is super cute on the inside very cozy definitely a 10 out of 10 experience. read more

Tonight Nina, Tammy and Kevin celebrated my birthday at La Marcha. They have opened a patio behind the restaurant, right off the parking lot for the 7/11 on the corner of University and San Pablo. Ordinarily the patio is first come, first served, but Nina was able to make arrangements for them to reserve us a table. Tammy and Kevin arrived earlier than we did and checked us in, then met us in the parking lot to direct us to the patio entrance. The patio is attractive and comfortable. We were seated in a back corner. The temperature was comfortable, neither too hot nor too cold. They have space heaters for chilly nights. The patio is open Fridays and Saturdays. We looked over the menu and decided on the Paella Marinera. To start we ordered several tapas, the brussels sprouts, albondigas, ribs, mushroom croquettas and I think that's all. I had a glass of their red sangria. Everyone else drank water. Kevin and I shared the ribs, which came two to an order. They were delicious. We were both pleased. There was a salad that accompanied the ribs and Nina, Tammy and I shared that. The brussels sprouts were fabulous, as always. The mushroom croquetas come three to an order, so we added a 4th and they were so delicious we ordered another round. Before that came the paella did. It was delicious and definitely sufficient for the four of us, given everything else we had ordered. There was even a little bit left, which Nina took home. It was a delicious dinner and a nice way to spend my first birthday w/o Alan, which made the day pretty sad. If we had ordered dessert our server said he would bring me champagne, but we had dessert waiting for us at Nina's, so we didn't order it there. By the time we left the temperature was dropping, so we really lucked out in our timing and were comfortable. read more

If you like paying for poor service and bland apps, this it the place for you. Went here shortly after restaurants re-opened, so give some slack for that, but outside of the service, the food is not good. read more

Excellent!! Loved the food and service. It is a small restaurant and you need reservations but it is worth the wait.

Very tasty Spanish cuisine. Exceptional seafood and desserts. Relaxed yet still special vibe.

Awesome Spanish style lunch featuring the Croqueta Burgers at @lamarchaberkeley El Classico Croqueta Beef Patty Burger Cangrejo Dungeness Crab Croqueta Burger Gambas a la Parilla, grilled peel-and-eat gulf prawns, garlic, olive oil, parsley, charred lemon Queso y Chorizo, Fries topped with Manchego Cheese, Chorizo & Chives Bruselas, crispy brussels sprouts, grapes, balsamic reduction Rucula, baby arugula, winter citrus, manchego, fennel, balsamic vin & extra fried egg Sangria Red & White Delicious dishes made with fresh local ingredients and great service. read more

La Marcha Tapas Bar - El Classico Beef Patty Croqueta Burger, Cangrejo Croqueta Burger, Gambas, Bruselas, Rucula, Sangria - Spanish Near Me - Berkeley, California

Love the paella and all the tapas I've tried have been delicious. Staff very good. Nice ambience.

Outside of cases where I'm unable to secure a reservation due to last minute planning on my part, this spot is one of my reliable go-to's in Berkeley for dinner, and it has never failed to impress! La Marcha is so consistent, it is my default whenever I'm introducing someone to Spanish food or tapas. Some highlights of the menu: -Croquetas: my favorite here is definitely the Mar y Montanas- with clam and bone marrow. Definitely on the richer side, but delivers on flavor. -Patatas Bravas is, of course, a default order: always crispy potatoes and the right amount of heat in the sauce make this a universal hit with any party I've been here with. - Pulpo y Garbanzos: the octopus is super tender, and any hummus fans will definitely like the garbanzo bean puree each bite is plated on. While not cheap in the strictest terms, I can safely say this spot offers great value to money. I've generally spent about $50 a head for my party to walk out fully stuffed- even with a glass of sangria for each guest. If I HAD to complain about anything, it would be the same things echoed amongst other reviews. It's a smaller space with tight seating, and wait times without a reservation are long, with only Berkeley street parking to rely on. All I can say is it's well worth it for one of, if not the best, tapas spots in the Bay area. read more

See all

I tried the squid ink special, needless to say will not be trying that again. It was too overpowering where I couldn't taste anything else really. read more

everything was great except for getting charged for lamb sliders that never came, we didn't notice till after we had left, we were having a good time. 300.00 for four, with dessert. read more

La Marcha is my favorite Tapas place in the Bay. Everything is so good every single time. Most recently we ordered online and picked up the order. We did the picnic for two which I 100% recommend because you get to try a little bit of everything for only $55. Everyone who works here is so nice too. Anything you order, you won't go wrong. read more

La Marcha Tapas Bar - Picnic for two - Spanish Near Me - Berkeley, California

I've returned several times since my initial review and have to say the service is much improved. It's still a popular and small space, but I haven't had problems getting a reservation since then. The food has been consistently good - particularly the meatballs and brussel sprouts tapas and of course, the paella. I have to give them props for more specialty paella on the menu, including having black squid and even rabbit & snails. We preferred the paella valenciana because the arroz negro was a heavier/oilier dish. read more

See all

I've been here a couple times and food is ok, but what stands out more than anything is how TERRIBLE the service is. Everyone I've interacted with there has such a bad, miserable attitude - pre pandemic and now. I thought I would give it another try recently and although we had made reservation they over booked and couldn't honor it. Which happens but the way the hostess handles it was aweful. She gave us a hard time for making the reservation the same day. Previously we had had servers give us attitude for asking vegan/vegetarian options or asking to hold the meat on dishes. My recommendation is to go elsewhere for tapas - Cesar is way better food AND service!! read more

This review is coming late, but I managed to snag reservations here for Berkeley Restaurant Week only about 5 days in advance last January. I can't speak too much on behalf of the ordinary menu, but our experience with the set menu for Restaurant Week was fantastic! The interior is cozy and not too brightly lit, giving it a very romantic and intimate atmosphere. The service throughout the night was prompt (although that could be because of the prix fixe style of Restaurant Week) and friendly. For $25 a person, we got a lovely range of tapas. However, the plates were quite small and even with eight of them, we ordered some additional tapas to supplement. Still, we had a great experience and definitely will return next time we're in Berkeley. read more

See all

Whether it's for a regular date night or New Years eve, La Marcha has been a part of a few milestones of our family. Most recently we came for my brothers graduation (go Bears) and they were very accommodating for our large party size. It's a lively atmosphere so we were able to celebrate without worrying about disturbing the peace per se. Hard to get seated on the weekends so I do recommend getting a reservation but amazing paella and sangria. Back in the day when Uber didn't cost an arm and leg that used to be my preferred mode of travel because parking is a bit tough. I also like the Tv's in the bar area in case you want to watch a game or even for solo dining. read more

Yoooooo this review is for their new Croqueta Burgers! I had never tried a Croqueta Burger before so this was a treat. I had the pleasure of trying two different croqueta burgers through their prix fixe special during Berkeley Restaurant Week To-Go, which is $15 and includes an option of one of their basic burgers (chicken, ham, or mushroom) and patatas bravas. You save $3 with this deal. My husband and I shared the chicken and ham croqueta burgers and loved them both. Funnily enough I like the chicken more and he liked the ham more (the ham one is definitely for pickle lovers). Both had great tasting sauces and with the right amount so it wasn't dripping all over the place. We had dined at La Marcha once before for their late night tapas and it was a joyous and upbeat night. Service is fantastic, food is delicious, and I remember being intrigued by the film playing with a very young Antonio Banderas. There's a reason it's hard to get a table at this spot (during normal times)! read more

See all

Good food . Cute space and servers were nice. The bathroom is so big compare to the dining place.

La Marcha is my favorite Spanish restaurant in the Bay Area, and I'm so glad that they are open for outdoor dining during COVID! They have an outdoor patio around the corner from the restaurant entrance, with outdoor heaters and 6 tables. We came on a Monday around 6:30 and were seated right away. We ordered the squid ink paella and it was so fantastic (I've had the 3 cerditos in the past and it is equally amazing). We also go the crab and squid ink croquetas which were amazing. For dessert, I highly recommend crema catalana which is truly incredible. I was sad that we had ordered one to split instead of one for each of us, even though I was so stuffed after dinner. I'm already planning my return to La Marcha, sooner rather than later. The food is consistently delicious, and I'm happy to support an outstanding local business during the pandemic. read more

La Marcha Tapas Bar - Covered outdoor patio - Spanish Near Me - Berkeley, California

Although this humble abode is not cheap (50$/person) , the tapas were high quality and the paella was good as well. The croquettes come in a single ball, which is a little teasing. Nonetheless, if you are going in a couple or a small group, the more you try the happier you'll be. Avoid the octopus tapa- very little of this marine animal in the dish. Quality 5/5 Service 5/5 read more

La Marcha Tapas Bar - Goat cheese stuffed tapa. Excellent choice. - Spanish Near Me - Berkeley, California

We ducked in during happy hour. The place was packed! Sitting at the bar we got full service. Sangria was delicious and the tapas were excellent. Our favorites were the mushroom croquettes, patatas bravas, and the pulpo. We can't wait to come back and try more of the menu! Definitely recommend reservations! read more

Caught up with some gfs over tapas and sangria, because what more can you ask for. There's limited outdoor seating (two tables to be exact) in front of the restaurant, but don't let that deter you. The restaurant has a great selection of tapas and during the summer they also have a special fixed meal for two that changes theme weekly. It sells out quickly based on what the owner told us. The one dish we did try from their special menu was their tomato and peach salad. If the rest of the items was anything like the salad, yum o yum! About the set menu, the week we visited last week of August, the food theme focused on a Asian fusion. Next week it'll be a Moroccan theme. Ok back to the tapas: We ordered in total 6-7 different tapas and 1 paella. Here's the breakdown, The portion size for the tapas was around 3 pieces per dish for most dishes. They ranged in prices from $8-12. We ordered: LOVE: 2 Tomato salad w/ fresh peaches (one wasnt enough, we wanted more. It was the perfect compliment to the heavier fried fritters and meats) Wild boar meatballs in an orange delicious sauce with two piece of crunchy toast. Tender octopus served with roasted red pepper and chickpea as garnish over a bed hummus ? Whatever it was, it was delicious. scallops on top a bed of different olive mixture. fried fritter stuffed with shrimp (I'm butchering the description but it was really delicious) mushroom fritters Like: fried potatoes with a white aoli combo paella ( the rice was a bit under cooked) Everything was delicious and we couldn't get enough! the wine kept flowing and our taste buds were delighted by the different flavors, this is a must visit for me; highly recommend. The owner was very kind, great customer service and checked-in on us when he could. It's a small restaurant with limited staff, we really appreciated the hospitality. Lastly, we received free churros with a chocolate dip at the end of dinner; Perfect ending. P.S. they have a huge selection of wine inside for pairing. The place gets really busy and items sell out fast, so come early. read more

See all

Went here with colleagues after work (around 4:30 on a Tuesday). Parking wasn't too busy at that time but we did have to park a block or two away from main entrance along street. Maybe 2-3 other tables had been sat so there was ample space at this time. Initially went here for the good reviews and proximity to our work office. Additionally one of my coworkers husband had been here earlier in the month with clients and had good things to say about the place. Unfortunately, rating is really reflective of our server, a young man, who seemed to have an attitude that day. I joined my group about 5-10 after they had been seated but they had already received their drinks so I was expecting service to be great. I went with the white sangria and also received it fairly quickly. Our waiter disappeared for a while and by the time he returned (looks like they were all prepping for dinner service, rolling silverware and restocking bar) we were ready to order apps. As we decided he just kind of looked at us, uninterested and didn't provide any insight or recommendations. Hadn't asked if we had been there either, which might have helped him in our ordering wait bc we were all first-timers to this place. We finally selected the papas fritas and the meatballs. Both items came out hot and were decent sized for sharing among three people. The sauces for both dishes were divine and the meatballs were good. We all finished our drinks before finishing appetizers but it took him a while to circle back to us. When he asked if we wanted anything else, there appeared to me a miscommunication/mishearing or forgetfulness as two of us said we'd like another round of drinks and one of us declined. He walked away and started looking at what we would order next and continued on with our convo. 10 min later we are wondering what happened to him and our drinks. He wasn't in the main room and the bar did not appear to be making our drinks. Another 5 mins went by and he reappeared, doing stuff behind the bar but not making our drinks. Frankly, I think he forgot. Another 5 min later he came back to us asking if we wanted anything else and by then, all of us were like no. We decided it wasn't worth it to try and order anything else and opted to go elsewhere. As we were closing out, it's like our waiter was reinvigorated and flipped a switch. He was supper kind and then proceeded to tell us his recommendations for food...lol, just a tad late buddy. I would visit this place again but our waiter did nothing to make me want to come back. As we left, we talked about visiting the Acme Bar next time, instead of this place. read more

The paella was so salty. Looks like they want to sell more beers to wash it down. The 2 appetizers in the menu that we wanted, were all out. We arrived just after 4 PM when they opened for dinner. Must be supply lines problems? read more

We had the stuffed peppers (5/5), albondigas (4/5), lamb sliders (4.5/5), pork belly (5/5), and paella marinera (5/5). In short, everything was delicious and service was great. For dessert we had the cheesecake which was heavenly. I thought the sangria was a bit steep ($14 per glass), so next time we have to try to make it for happy hour I guess. read more

La Marcha Tapas Bar - the cheesecake !!! ‿ - Spanish Near Me - Berkeley, California

*3.5 Stars* Not gonna lie... the food here is pretty damn amazing. That service though?! Eh, not so much. Can we blame it on being restaurant week? Okay, I guess... but I still wasn't too impressed since I received great service elsewhere during restaurant week. But, moving right along... I had been dying to try this place for the longest! So many people that I know of were ranting and raving about it, so I finally decided to give it a go during restaurant week. Their restaurant week menu was off the hook, I should add. They're a Spanish tapas bar so it would only make sense for them to put together a 10 course tapas restaurant week tasting menu. The perfect way to taste an abundance of items on their menu. Since there were quite a few items, I'm going to list them all for sake of time: *Aceitunas (marinated olives): Not the biggest fan of olives, but these were marinated pretty well and the green olives had great flavor. *Achicoria (kale salad): A little too bitter for my taste but it did taste fresh. *Piquillo Relleno (stuffed pepper w/ cod): excellent flavor profile and a great pairing! *Tortillita (shrimp fritter): Nice crispiness and a great aroma of shrimp *Croqueta (bone marrow & clam fritter): Crispy but the clam was a bit too potent and the oyster aioli didn't help much. *Artichokes: Just average and probably could have done without the wild mushroom. *Albondigas (wild boar meatballs): INCREDIBLE! Possibly my favorite out of everything. Tender with a bit of spice and amazing flavor! *Bruselas (Brussels sprouts): AMAZING! Another favorite! Basically melted in my mouth *Bravas Estilo Animal (potatoes with pork confit): the pork was tasty but overpowered the potatoes. Still and enjoyable dish *Dessert cookie: really yummy but it was so damn small... I get it; it was Restaurant week ;) ***(Not on the restaurant week menu) **Papatas bravas (potatoes w/ aioli): DELICIOUS! Hearty and perfectly seasoned, and the aioli sauce was delightful! **Croqueta de pollo (chicken croquette): YUMMY! The perfect bake and consistency. The chicken was flavorful and delicious. **Sangria: Decent, nothing over the top and the alcohol was apparent. Food wise: They are generally delicious! Would totally recommend the albondigas, bruselas, papatas bravas, and any of their Croquetas. Happy hour: This is an AWESOME place for happy hour! Sangria and wine are all $5 by the glass and you get a free tapa with each drink that you order. SCORE! Ambience: Wonderful ambience! It's a bit cozy inside but it's equipped with a cute bar that has a few TV's. This is a popular spot so it gets crowded and you'll have to squeeze in between tables and seats because it's quite small. Service: If I was solely basing it off of the night that I went, it needs help. The bartender was really unfriendly and didn't seem to really care about the people who were waiting at the bar. She also seemed hesitant to answer the questions that I had. Someone else brought over all of my dishes and poured my drinks for the entire evening. Why even have a bartender if they aren't going to be around? All in all, it was a good experience but it would have been great if the service was better. I'm planning on coming back again to see if the service will be any different. read more

See all