So, I'm biased, because I already know I love Mexican food (or Tex Mex which is apparently what we…read moremostly get in the UK. Fine. Whatever. I love it). Having tried other bits and pieces of Latin inspired cooking I figured a Cuban restaurant would probably be a pretty safe bet. Having wandered past Poco Havana a few weeks back, it went straight to the top of the "to try list." So, at around 9pm on a Saturday night we arrived to a quiet-ish, but not totally empty restaurant. We took a seat, ordered a jug of frozen margaritas (yes!) and looked at the menus. The first impression we got was that the restaurant was warm and welcoming and that the smells coming from the kitchen were awfully promising. The second impression we got was that for a restaurant named for Cuba's capital, it serves an awful lot of Mexican food. About half the menu is given over to burritos, tacos and enchiladas. Perhaps that's no bad thing, but I was kind of surprised. Anyway, I ordered the hurrachas con chorizo to start. It's a kind of corn meal pancake which was served really crunchy and topped with chorizo, potato, avocado, mushrooms and sour cream. My braver partner went for the almost death wings. I tried one - they're hot. I mean, I could probably have eaten one, if provided with sufficient water, but not the 5 he was served. We decided to stick to the "Cuban Corner" of the menu for our mains. I chose the Pernil Relleno cos Moros y Christianos - a garlicy, citrussy and lightly spiced dish with huge juicy chunks of tender roasted pork shoulder, served with rice and peas. My goodness that pork was good and it's nice to get a change from the ubquitous pulled pork that seems to be everywhere right now. My partner chose the Ropa Vieja, a slow roasted, chipotle spiced, shredded beef dish, again with rice and peas. A delicious as it was, after his 5 chicken wings he struggled to finish it. Fortunately the staff didn't mind at all that he wanted to take the rest home with him and made a point of wrapping it extra carefully so it didn't leak. We finished the meal with pisco, a kind of brandy I hadn't tried before, as a digestif. The whole meal came in under £60 which, given how much we enjoyed it, I thought was a great price. While we were there we noticed that they clearly also operate as a bar. You can just sit with a few drinks, maybe a bar snack or two, and while an evening away. Chatting to the staff we were told that they're open until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays, which is good to know. As well as a favourite new restaurant, I think we've found a cool new place just to hang out.

So got an itison voucher for 2 burritos and 2 beers for a tenner, can't argue really. Used to dig…read morebo kantina so was surprised it had changed hands to recently... We got pork nachos to start, stone cold. The pulled pork tasted just like shop bought pork smothered in bbq sauce, was cold and stringy and far too sweet. The guac was Brown, and the tortilla chips of the lowest quality. Got steak burritos for main, easily the worst attempt at burritos I've ever encountered. Filled with what seems like microwaved rice and pea mix with rare steak. Couldn't taste anything else I would expect to be in a burrito, like guac or sour cream or cheese, or beans. Just rice, peas, and raw steak. Now I feel like a philistine for complaining over rare steak, normally if I order a steak I would ask for it medium. But you just don't expect to be picking bits of raw beef out of the rice in yer burrito. I can't imagine this place stays open for long serving that grub, if you want tapas style Mexican food - go to tooplabamba.

This was part of our International Food Night arranged by our very own International Yelper Man of…read moreMystery Rocco G. It sounded like a nice wee change and a visit to deep south of Glasgow. This was indeed a special wee Yelp outing as these don't happen very often. I was looking forward to my Caribbean treat and meeting up with my fellow Yelpers. I managed to find the Southside by train to Queen's Park Station and it's only a 5 minutes hop, skip and jump to The Rum Shack. I was unfortunately in still a bit of pain from the Kiltwalk so think I didn't get to enjoy the experience as much as I had hoped. We were seated on stools at 2 separate high tables. I think I was craving a normal seat, which are available by the way. The menu had a fairly nice varied choice of Caribbean dishes, some with a Scottish twist. So I opted for the Haggis Balls to kick off this food night. The starter was absolutely delicious, the sauce wasn't too hot and with a pleasant amount of sweetness to compliment my balls. Oh yeah! OK, so they were actually "fritters". I felt some of the menu for me was a bit on the spicy side so opted for the vegetarian dish of Cuban black bean and rice with fried plantain and sweet potatoes. I have to say it was very different but quite palatable. It was lovely décor and the staff could not be any more helpful, they were very accommodating and polite. I'm not sure I would venture back here as I felt there was nothing else on the menu I would really try, I think it would be nice to swing by for some drinks as they have a fully stocked bar and I'm sure there's a rum lurking in there somewhere that I may like. Try for yourselves, for me I just wasn't blown out my boots.

Popped in for lunch on Saturday after having it on my list of places to try for a while. It was…read morequiet and when walking in to the main bar for the first time there were no menu's on the tables. We weren't sure where to sit or the set up of the place but after finding a seat the staff were welcoming and helpful. We were in for food more than drinks, however I did have a tasty dark rum and ginger beer or two which was as nice as you'd hope. The service was quick and after ordering the waitress brought over a bottle of their house chilli sauce with a warning that it was incredibly hot - she wasn't lying! It was lovely though, not sure if they do, but they should sell it by the bottle. The menu was small which I find a welcome sign, I always hope this means the kitchen have perfected the few dishes they list and I was not disappointed. To start we had Accra and Popcorn Prawns, the prawns were nice and came with a tasty sauce but the Accra was the definite winner for the starter. For our mains we had Jerk Pit Fish of the Day and Jerk Pit Pork belly, both came with corn on the cob and rice and peas. The jerk seasoning was great, and had a good heat to it, as you would expect. The rice was well cooked and well seasoned and the fish tender and flakey. I could have done with an extra corn on the cob - that dipped in their hot sauce was a highlight for the veggie lover in me. Not eating meat personally, I never tried the pork belly, however I was told it was delicious. It's not far from a top rating for me (I'd give it 4 and a half if I could), the only downfalls I found were the atmosphere little a lacking, probably down to the time of day we visited, between lunch and dinner. I think it would be a great evening trip. I found the material of the plates a little distracting, it felt a little like eating off of paper plates. Over all I'd recommend it, I'll definitely be back to eat here again!

First impressions are odd, unlike Oran Mor, this still feels very much like a church when you walk…read morein. Turn right for the bar, left for the theatre. The main bar space is smaller than I thought it'd be but it's spacious enough to have two fireplaces with real fires, will be a nice cosy place during the winter. There is extra seating round the back of the bar so if it looks full be sure to check/ask the staff (it's not signposted at all). Still relatively new I'll put some of the little niggles down to teething pains - having the lunch menu board out when it's not available (cos it's the weekend) for example. As it was the weekend, the brunch menu was available so I plumped for French Toast with bacon and maple syrup. As always, I asked for the bacon to be crispy. And lo, it was crispy! And damn delicious with a fine sprinkling of caster sugar to up the sweetness even more. Price wise it's pretty reasonable/average for the area, the staff were friendly if a little inexperienced (or that's the perception they gave) and the food arrived pretty quickly which was handy as I was starving! Not so sure about the benches as they aren't particularly comfortable but that's easily fixe I think I'll be back to try the menu but a good start for a new venture.

We stopped here our first day for a beer and came back for lunch. Great service and I loved the…read moretomato and lentil soup with a Cuban sandwich. We also had a steak sandwich and salmon sandwich in our order. The bread is wonderful. Service is personable and friendly.

Damn, this place is cool…read more Revolución de Cuba was one of many bars on my list that I needed to visit while I was in Glasgow. Located on the bustling Renfrew St. this place is hard to miss. The minute you walk in you feel like you're walking into a modern Latin American restaurant - sexy, dark, colourful are all the adjectives that are popping out at me. We came in on a Saturday night and it was busy, busy, busy. People were dancing, professional dancers were in full costume, every table was full, and all the guests looked happy taking down their fancy cocktails. The one downside of it being busy? It was hard to get a drink from the bartender. But once we got his attention, he was quick to serve. Our trip was short and sweet, since we had many other bars we wanted to visit this night. One drink and we were out of there. I would definitely come back for more drinks and dancing though. They also have a food menu that looked quite good, but unfortunately I didn't try anything. Good music, good vibes, good drinks. What more could you want?

I wanted to love this place, and maybe it's because it's just out of the womb that it isn't quite…read morethere yet. The décor is okay, functional as much as interesting, there is a nice selection of spirits, especially rum, and I suspect that the tables can be cleared for salsa, gigs etc. The food and service though was slightly disappointing. Not that our server wasn't chatty or pleasant, the exact opposite in fact, it's just that the food took a while to arrive. Again, the menu is slightly disappointing too, there is very little on there that is specifically Cuban, in fact most of it would not be out of place in a Spanish tapas bar. I ordered albondigas (meatballs in tomato sauce), sticky chicken skewers, and the roasted chorizo. It took a while, when it did come though it was all tepid, it just wasn't warm enough, unlike my partner's, hers were all fine, but then again she didn't get the Gambas Pil Pil she wanted nor the tea at the end because it was taking too long! The roasted chorizo was great, a nice smooth chorizo with a really tasty red wine, honey and onion sauce. I also had some of my partner's Cajun cream mushrooms and they were creamy, spicy and properly warm. Nice large olives too. The meatballs were not bad, quite tasty, although I personally like them firmer, and the tomato sauce wasn't broken down enough, meaning it was separated and it certainly didn't coat well. The skewers weren't "sticky" enough, making them a little drier and the lime and honey flavour not as intense as it could have been. I'm sure it'll get better, these are no doubt just teething problems, but on the basis of this visit it's a three.

We enjoyed an absolutely wonderful meal at Ox and Finch. Walking in to the restaurant there is lots…read moreof wood and it feels like a neighborhood place. Located at a corner, there are also a large number of tables outside. On an evening with agreeable weather, they were all occupied. The menu is designed as a sharing menu with a wide variety of choices-vege, fish and meat. And the size of the offerrings range from snack to a dish that is large enough for one person to enjoy as a full meal. We chose the trout, crab salad, spiced cauliflower (really good), sea bream (delish), and crispy haddock (nice). I chose the salt baked beatroot for my dessert-flavorful and not too sweet. My wife had the chocolate cremeux that she really loved. Our server was such a friendly person and her way of communicating definitely added good feelings to our experience. It was graduation time for the University of Glasgow and we saw many families with their students. For me, that's a really good sign. I highly recommend this restaurant.

This was an incredible spread, the staff was knowledgeable and the flavours were unique and…read moresurprising while maintaining high-class flavour palettes . The potato gnocchi with artichoke, bacon, chestnut, and pickled walnut was a precocious dish that delighted. Would 10/10 come here again.

I was staying in the area of La Casa on a recent trip and tried the restaurant. The food, wine,…read moreservice, and atmosphere were so nice that I returned for dinner a few nights later. The server was the same as my first trip and remembered me and was incredibly welcoming and friendly. The two meals here were among the highlights of my time in Edinburgh.

Do yourself a favor and don't skip this place. Honestly the best meal I've had in Europe so far…read more The atmosphere is loud but fun and inviting. Staff was great and whoever was working the grill knows it what they are doing. Overall great drinks great food and great people.

The service was incredibly attentive and friendly and the food was even better. Can't recommend…read morethis place highly enough.

Not really quite a 4 but I'm not going to mark them down just because I'd been to Madrid last week…read moreand ate some of the most heavenly Spanish food on the planet. So 4 stars it is. I'd wanted to visit here for ages and had never made it - even though I'm a south sider, I don't end up in this part of Glasgow very often. I'd heard good things though, so made a booking for a Monday night and arrived excited. I was seated at a table I couldn't quite get into - the restaurant is large, but the tables are pretty close together so it's a little squishy. I can't imagine what it's like on a busy night! We went for the lazy option when ordering, the Chef's Recommendation (£26.95 for two people): salad, patatas bravas, sauteed mushrooms, sauteed chicken, lamb in white wine sauce, chicken croquettes, battered prawns and meatballs. The food arrived pretty much all at once which was great initially but it did mean some of the dishes were cold by the time we got to them! I didn't have a huge appetite and we didn't manage to finish it all so I'd definitely say it was good value for money! Stand out dishes for me was the battered prawns (although it was served with sweet chilli dip, sad times) and I also really liked the croquettes even though they were a little stodgy. I was happy with the food but my Madrid memories from the previous week were perhaps too strong of an influence as I wasn't really wowed by anything we had . The service was really warm and friendly and I felt like we were really well looked after. All up the meal was about £30 including a wine and couple of soft drinks which I think is pretty good value seeing as we couldn't even finish it all!

This is a Spanish/Tapas restaurant owned by the same family that used to run the renowned La Ducal…read morein Cowdenbeath. The high standards that made La Ducal so popular continue here. Just around the corner from the Andrew Carnegie Birthplace Museum & the Dunfermline Glen Park, the restaurant is well located. With the park so close by, you can have a stroll either before or after dining, especially in the summertime. Dunfermline Abbey is also less than five minutes walk away. The restaurant itself is very welcoming with a very pleasant owning family and great waiting staff. The food is absolutely superb. I've just returned home from dining there this evening and four of us ordered the Paella portion for two, eight Tapas dishes plus drinks and desserts and it was an extremely tasty and satisfying meal. In true tapas style, we just shared everything. If you have a hankering for Spanish food, I can highly recommend this restaurant.

Got to Fino early, a bit too early, the plan had been to grab a drink in a new bar "The Round" -…read morealso in the Rotunda - but typically I got to the new bar before it had actually opened for business. Doh! Anyway the Fino staff were quite happy for us to be there at 5pm so that was fine. The space is really unusual, it's the very top level of the rotunda and is a complete dome. Until last year it was a small casino, but I'd never been, casinos for me are just a way of extending a good night! The glass roof of the dome is covered by a rather rubbish mural of a starry sky, if it was down to me I would remove it so you could see the real, actual night sky, but maybe they're scared of customers seeing pigeon poo. That said the place feels really comfy and welcoming. It has a better whispering gallery than St Paul's though. The guy across the room from me sounded like God booming behind me every time he quietly whispered to his lady friend. Man, it took ages to get served, luckily we had a little appetizer of tasty olives, almonds, and bread with a yoghurt dip given to us when we came in. I have a habit of deliberately not catching the eye of slow -serving staff, just to see how long it will actually take them and how irritated I will get. It did take a while, but just as I was winding up to a sarky summoning one of them appeared. He appeared a bit confused that we hadn't even ordered a drink at this point. I asked to try the North 28 house lager before ordering a whole pint, a request that seemed to confuse him even further, but it was duly tried - it was ok - and ordered. The menu is interesting, with a different slant on some old tapas standards, as well as some very cheffie sounding options. We ordered Albóndigas (meatballs, but this time haggis and black pudding meatballs), Pimientos del piquillo rellenos de carne ( small red peppers filled with meat), Huevos con patatas y chistorra (which are chorizos with potatoes and a fried egg on top to you and me), Crujiente de ternera estofada con puré de boniato (a large beef filo parcel with a sweet potato mash), Gambas al ajillo con pasta brick y salsa romesco (garlic prawns in a filo cone) and Ensaladilla rusa (tuna salad with egg again). Before the food came a probably-Spanish waiter asked us if we knew how tapas worked, and how it could come at different times. We said yes and were immediately hit by the full whack of our order. I complained about the initial service in the review, but once they got moving they really got moving! It came so fast I really wonder how freshly it was prepared. The food itself was slightly underwhelming. My partner commented that the tuna salad was really bland, and the prawns were "nothing exciting". I thought my haggis and black pudding Albondigas were unusual but not quite herby enough, the sauce being rich, but really quite plain, and that pretty much goes for all the sauces. The "solids" were all well-cooked though, and fairly tasty. Particulary noteworthy were the beef filo parcel, I liked that and it was large, and the small chorizos were well-sourced, they were very tasty. All-in-all I would go back, its very early days, and maybe so it was a slightly average tasting for a Glasgow tapas bar, but the creative menu and comfortable surroundings push it easily into the threes. It could become very good.

My family and I celebrated Christmas Eve dining at the Bon Vivant. Pre-fixed special menu was…read moreamazing! Service top notch and nice ambiance (pub). You will have a nice time!

Ambiance - 10 stars. The vibe is dark, candle lit and cozy. Great spot for a date night and…read moreintimate chat over drinks. Some tables have curtains for extra privacy. Most of the food wasn't that great. But the truffle fries were to die for. The whipped sweet potato, grilled octopus, tortellini were not good. I would go back just for drinks and fries.