I am so disappointed with this place after the reviews. I have been to many tapas restaurants in the us and in Spain, this land very close to the bottom. Out first few orders were so dry that they didn't have any flavor. The octopus and the mushroom was just out of the grill with no olive oil no sauce, dry as a bone! Then, we had beans, which were straight out of the can and so salty and not special at all! The clams were so minuscule, 17 dollars for 7 clams that were not overwhelming at all. I am very surprised how bad they were. Do yourselves a favor and go somewhere else, I wish I did! read more

Malagon - 17 dollar clams - Spanish Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Awe man!! I was so excited for this food. The service was great, ambiance great, wine great but the food let me down. I would have preferred the anchovies in beautiful olive oil to have 4 slivers instead of three so I could equally share with my partner. Two little pieces of bread should've come with it to sop up, (and not waste) that gorgeous olive oil. The citrus flavor was good though. We got the octopus which I was so hoping they would have chard after the cook. It was beautifully soft but it needed more texture and a tad of smokiness. The paella- although it looked beautiful was far too salty and I'm like a ram. I could lick salt off the road. I'm not sure there was any saffron in it and the soccarat was burnt instead of toasted.The bomba was the bomba though. Liked that. read more

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Server, Emma, was very helpful in us choosing dishes we'd like and enough but without over-ordering. As for the food, the dishes ranged from solid to outstanding in our party of four's opinion. read more

One of the best meals I've ever had. The wine was delicious and the small plates were all perfect. I think the best thing that we ordered was the potato bomb. We regretted not getting two! The restaurant was pretty empty when we showed up for our reservation and within a matter of 15 minutes there wasn't a seat in the place. It was hustling and bustling and soon on a wait. I HIGHLY recommend Malagon and am so glad that we tried it while in Charleston! read more

Malagon - Spanish Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

We've been wanting to try Malagon ever since it opened, and unfortunately we came away disappointed. We ordered the following: - 3 different glasses of red wine - none were to our taste. - bread - very good but it does not come with anything, it's just dry bread - Jamon Serrano - fine but tasted like something I could have bought in the Publix deli - Etzagarai cheese - very good - setas a la parilla (grilled mushrooms) - pretty bland and unmemorable - sobrasada con queso (chorizo, goat cheese, and honey on bread) - the bread, goat cheese and honey were all very nice. We could barely taste the chorizo, it didn't have much flavor at all. This one was fine but didn't seem worth the calories. - la bomba de la Barceloneta (pork in a mashed potato ball) - we liked this one and would recommend it. - zorza de Cordero (marinated lamb) - this was the only thing that we really loved. It was super tender and flavorful. In the end, we spent what we would on any nice dinner in Charleston, which was disappointing because we've had dinners elsewhere that completely blew our socks off for the same price. Sorry to say that we definitely won't be coming back, as there are just too many other, better places in the area to try. read more

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Four of us visited Malagon for a birthday dinner celebration. Overall, I thought the food was great! However, I thought the service and knowledge of our server was lacking. I'm a pretty easy customer when it comes to service so this was a new reason for the reduced rating. We started with a bottle of wine - the llenca plana red wine. The server didn't know much about this wine but I'm glad we chose it. Really fairly priced for a bottle and went well with our food. Food: Fideo noodles - awesome, recommend Croquettes - came out hot and the breading was nice but pretty bland Sobrasada con queso (soft chorizo with goat cheese & honey on bread) - awesome, recommend La Bomba de la Barcelona (pork and tomato stuffed mashed potato bomb)- awesome, recommend Peppers - really salty, but otherwise good. Churros - yum! wish we ordered chocolate sauce to go with it. I would have liked for them to bring out 4 smaller churros rather than 3 large ones since there were 4 of us, but I understand the kitchen is busy. read more

I'll admit that I'm very particular when it comes to food- especially when it comes to a pricey meal. We came here for a date night to try out the new spot in town. The reservation process was painful (charge to reserve your spot and threaten a fee if you don't appear- this isn't a huge city nor was the place that full). Even after having a reservation, we were seated at the end of the bar despite there being available tables. Unfortunately, that didn't jive well with us. We started with the dates which were ok. I was expecting more salt with the ham to offset the sweet dates. The sobrasada con queso, while tasty, was almost impossible to cut through the bread without the rest of your piece sliding off the plate. The grilled shrimp were cooked well but subtle on flavor. The churros were coated in A LOT of sugar. I'm a fan of sugar but they were so sweet that we couldn't finish them. I do love wine and this place had a great selection including a Rioja recommended to me by a dear friend a while ago. Would recommend for a wine lover looking for a light bite. read more

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WOW! Food and service was incredible. Shocked to see there aren't many reviews for this spot. Def coming here next time I'm in town. My favorites Wine braised Beef cheeks Chorizo honey goat cheese on bread Paella clam and shrimp Carrots with almond sauce Marinated lamb read more

Delicious Spanish tapas! A bit of a weird start.. we had two different waiters come to the table seemed they were starting our table and decided not to take it the 3rd one was actually our server and she was absolutely wonderful. The octopus was tender and crispy charred the labomba to die for sooo much flair inside with a Smokey tomato sauce and great aioli.. the chicharons and bread were bleh.. the bread is cold and served with a tiny bit of olive oil with no spices in it, for $8 i would skip, most free bread in restaurants is better would come back and try the rest of the menu! read more

Malagon - Octopus and Labomba - Spanish Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

I chose this restaurant because it's easily accessible and walkable location to our hotel (Francis Marion) and because paella is on the menu, a meal I seek out whenever I travel as I consider myself a connoisseur - as connoisseur-like as an American can get anyway. Additionally, paella is gluten and dairy free and I am celiac/lactose intolerant (aren't I lucky!?). Well, despite not getting the paella, my husband and I were blown away by Malagon. The hostess and server were attentive to my allergies (I am also lactose intolerant) and our meal needed no recipe changes. The manager also came over to discuss my needs to ensure all was safe. I was able to have an incredible, tasty multi-course meal with everything made as intended! We got the carrots, olives and lamb for the first couple tapas then graduated to rabbit and the crab rice. All were phenomenal and every bite we savored. We didn't get the paella for two primary reasons: the size was too big for two but mostly because we wanted to try so many other things! My husband and I agreed automatically going for the paella would limit our dining experience at Malagon. As celiac, I rarely have a meal worthy of mentioning as I typically resort to a salad or boring old salmon. Thank you Malagon for our welcome to the Charleston restaurant scene and start of our low country vacation. The space is small and cozy, and made me feel as if I was back in time or actually in a little Romantic alley in Spain. The energy was uplifting and seemed a place where locals went also for a nice dinner out. Get reservations for sure on weekend nights, they fill up fast and we booked our 8pm reservations weeks ago. That was the closest we could get to our typical preference of 6:30-7:30ish. Celiac note*: Malagon makes their own bread in house so for anyone who needs a dedicated gluten free kitchen, they can not accommodate. I am able to eat at restaurants despite cross contamination. However, I can't do a shared frier. None of the items I ordered were in a frier but their fish used gluten free flour but in shared frier so those who could do that would have more items available to them at Malagon. Sorry no pics but presentation was great too! read more

We had an amazing meal here. The food is so good and so was the wine and service. I generally will not make a reservation for a restaurant no matter how nice it is if they're going to charge me for it--I make an exception for Malagon. read more

Malagon.. a five star experience of European dining at its finest, from the ambiance to the exceptional service, amazing tapas plates & wines. I truly felt at home here. The decor is typical Spanish bistro style, small & cozy. They try to be Covid aware, wearing masks & asking that customers do while walking around, but it's difficult in such a tight spot. The location is just off of King on Spring St, it's easily missed. Inconspicuous M signage above the door. The food & presentation we're impeccable and I'm not going to bore you with the details of each plate. But, know this we ordered a lot from the menu and each plate was better than the previous. It was amazing. The coffee & the chocolate with salt & olive oil served with crusty bread.. oh my.. decadent. If you want a fabulous night out with outstanding food, ambiance and wines.. this is your spot. I will be back for sure. Make sure you reserve a table. I'm assuming this spot is highly sought out. read more

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We booked a reservation through google to have a table. We showed up and they only gave us the "bar"'option which is squeezed together and not enough for 2 people. Restaurant told us they couldn't give us a table, even though google didn't give us an option to book a table. Disappointed, we were really excited to eat here. They didn't even try to accommodate us. read more

We went to Malagon again over the weekend. They did not disappoint. The food was great! Clarissa the server was great! I can't say enough about this place. Nothing on the menu is bad. If you are in Charleston, S.C. you need to go to Malagon. It's on Spring Street and tucked off the main drag but it's worth finding. We stumbled upon it last fall and have been back twice. Don't miss this gem! read more

Everything was great. The food, our server, the ambiance. Worth the price and a very nice menu truly tasting like authentic Spanish tapas. A little gem. read more

Really enjoyed our meal here. Great wait staff on a not-so-busy afternoon. Really do wish they'd serve some complimentary bread would be about the only negative. The roasted peppers were great, we loved the potatoes bravas and we enjoyed picking out the charcuterie board contents. Great space, even if it's a bit small. go enjoy for yourself! read more

Absolutely amazing! Great food and services. Tapas plates are very tasty. It reminded my days working in the Europe. read more

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Super cool atmosphere: it is a restaurant and a store at the same time. You can purchase anything that is being used for cooking plus so much more. The food was great: we got a few dishes to share and were very satisfied. Squid was my favorite! Great place to get together with friends or go on the date to! Loved it! read more

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Fantastic spot in Charleston. Excellent wine selection and knowledgeable servers with great conversations about the wine. Impeccable food. Don't miss the chicarrones! read more

Perfectly executed food and service. If one were to go to Estadito, also on Spring St, then Malagon? It's like going from McDonalds to Peter Luger. But that's an insult to McDonalds. Jokes aside, this place is what all Charleston eateries should aspire to achieve. read more

So authentic and so delicious. We tried 10 items and loved 9/10. It's quaint and cozy and feels like you are in Spain. The servers are awesome and the prices are extremely fair. read more

This is a unique tapas experience with a delicious seasonal menu. The cheeses, the sourdough bread, the clam special, the duck with parsnips and the roasted peppers were outstanding! Sorry about Barcelona's loss, Chef read more

Everything was great, the service and the food. The paella was different of expected but good. All the tapas were great. The cheesecake was the best part of the night though, super delicious and the main reason for me to go back to Malagón. The churros...the worst ever, too greasy, I wasn't able to finish them, smell delicious but after one bite I was done, the cheesecake made me forget about that ;) read more

Very tasty food and wine but the staff is clearly trained to up sell in a way that makes the customer feel as if they aren't already spending enough money and it was quite uncomfortable. They also are pretty strict about reservations so make one in advance. read more

Get a reservation. They are busy. Be ready to try a lot of things and share. Great wine selection. It's the real authentic kind of place.

Great place to have Spanish cuisine, small plates and wine! Great & Cousy place. Had the octopus Galician style and a table of ibérico ham read more

Malagon - Bread olives wine & meatball - Spanish Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

This place is amazing! The atmosphere is great and the service is excellent. The food here is meant to be shared so it's a great social experience. read more

Out of all of the restaurants I went to in Charleston, I have to say that this is spot is one of the best! I'm very particular when it comes to food and Malagon has checked all the boxes. The service was amazing, my server was very attentive and the food came out fairly quickly. Everything I ordered was amazing in the fact that it was bursting with flavor and everything was cooked well. My must try's for this restaurant would be any of their cured meats, the marinated lamb, and the chorizo with goat cheese on sourdough bread. read more

Malagon - La bomba - Spanish Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

This place is consistently incredible! The flavors of each dish are spectacular. The service is always great. The vibe is great for a date night or just fine night out. Definitely 5 stars! read more

I'd have given it three stars, but, to be fair, we have had some really good food in Philadelphia, New Orleans, San Francisco and New York, so our bar is particularly high at this price point. The wine selection is good. Keep control of your waiter and don't let the him or her pour too aggressively -- they seem to be out to sell you a lot of food and wine here. The sour dough bread is unmatched. Top notch, best I ever had. Their squash was awesome. The olives were tiny, but of good quality. We were convinced to come in because they had paella, something we have grown to love, and hesitated to order other dishes because the staff warned that we might have to take some home. In retrospect, we'd have done well spending another twenty bucks to buy a few more dishes because the paella was a major disappointment. As you can see from the photo I uploaded, there are no shells to add flavor. There were a couple of rare ingredients, one a "nutty" seaweed (it had crunch, no flavor) and the other the cheeks of a particular kind of fish (I'd have preferred larger chunks of any kind of mild fish.) We easily devoured the modestly proportioned paella, happy for the rice, but otherwise underwhelmed. So, it's kind of hit and miss, which is not OK at this price point. I really should have given it three stars. read more

Malagon - This is their version of seafood Paella. Had fancy and, I'm sure, expensive ingredients that still didn't make it great Paella. - Spanish Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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The new outdoor patio space was lovely and our server was fantastic + very attentive. Loved the wine list and enjoed the Case del Arman. Enjoyed the brocolini and peppers vegetable plates, though the peppers do have some rogue spicy ones mixed in so watch out! The Sobrasada chorizo plate was great and I also enjoyed the lamb. The only disappointing part of the meal was the Fideo noodles. I ordered because they were a signature of the restaurant, but they weren't crispy and overall just didn't wow me. Will definitely go back for wine and a charcuterie board/tapas though! read more

A tapas bar for people who don't like tapas. The menu was fun and robust and even served the littlest members of our party. We especially loved the clams, white asparagus, and octopus. BUT the video noodles with squid ink and squid stole the show- best thing on the menu! read more

Must tried at the restaurant: -Almond stuffed date wrapped in a type of ham - grilled shrimp and salt - la bombas - sobrasado con queso - wrinkles potatoes with dipping sauces Things I didn't enjoy as much: - flan - churros (mine were raw in the middle) - pan a chocolate ( the chocolate was good, like a pot de creme but the bread took away from the experience for me) The best wine: La rioja Alta - Tempranillo blend -2014 It was fruity and buttery all at the same time. Multi layered while still being mild. Delicious! Definitely eat here. It is an experience. Kick your feet up, eat slow, enjoy yourself and take a friend. Split everything so everyone gets a taste. read more

This-place-is-a-gem. A cozy little tapas joint that feels a world away from noisy King Street, just around the corner. Friendly service, great wine list, and a delicious variety of tapas, and larger entrees, to share. Stay away from the big, lame, cookie cutter glorified gastropubs on King, and go here instead. read more

Friendly and helpful service, the food is unique, tasty, well prepared to order. We shared several small plates. The soprasata with chorizo and goat cheese was fantastic. The thinly sliced tuna was a little bland but we used the two tasty spicy sauces that came with the wrinkled potatoes to jazz it up. Both Tempranillos we tasted complimented our selections but a bit pricy. Busy with a vibrant atmosphere, but no pressure to move out. read more

Tasty and delicious tapas served by a wonderful waitress in a great setting/ambiance. A definite recommendation!

A small intimate gem on Spring Street open for lunch and dinner. Great tapas and wine.

Heaven on a plate!! Fabulous lunch at Malagon. Ordered 6 dishes which was probably one too many for two people, but we finished it all! Every dish was better than the last. Order the sobrasada - soft Chorizo with goat cheese and honey, the best thing I've eaten on this trip. Great wine list. Don't miss this gem if you're in Charleston. read more

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Delicious tapas and wonderful service. All of the staff were welcoming and inviting. I met there with friends, and we tried quite a few things. Everything tasted authentic and delicious. Can't wait to go back. I think it's my new favorite spot in Charleston. read more

Almost gone iberico ham. The potato omelet was great so we did another. Then we ordered 2 plates of the eggplant, pulpo, cava, peppers, meatball, gambas. Was in Barcelona last summer and the kids (food snobs) said this was better! Very quaint spot top up from our VRBO in college housing. read more

Malagon - Iberico ham and potato omelette - Spanish Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina