Finally made it to Esteban for dinner on our recent trip to Monterrey. The food is wonderful and…read moreloved the abundance of seafood in the paella. Our server is attentive and prompt. Outside seating is a plus especially on a nice clear night.

I probably should take some time to gather myself before writing this review but here we go anyway…read more Made reservations as out of town guests for our anniversary. We ordered the Calamari, Sourdough, Parm fries and Pepperoni pizza. The Calamari was delicious. I'll just say the rest was okay. Not bad, not great. My husband ordered a beer and we had water. We saw the waiter 3 times until we got our check. Once to take our drink order, once to take our food order and he checked in after we had been sitting for a while. Long after finishing our meal. He had been standing in the doorway and also bringing another table their second drinks, so he had ample opportunity to check on us and our drinks. Never got refilled waters until we asked. When we mentioned that my husband would have loved another drink he made it seem our fault that he didn't come at the right time. Also being in the service industry, we know this is the worst response he could have chosen. Even after he knew we were not too happy, he never tried to talk to us or apologize. Just disappointing. Anyway, we have 7 more reservations around Monterey and Carmel for this weekend to maybe make up for tonight's disappointment!

very good. exceptional service from Lina. will be back! Take your time and order a paellaread more

Everything was amazing, but the bread and dessert completely stole the show!…read moreThe Pan Tumaca con Jamón Iberico was incredible! The rich ham paired perfectly with the crispy tomato bread. You also MUST save room for the Torrija; the warm brioche with ice cream was absolutely mind-blowing. The Paella Negra and octopus were also super flavorful. The only average dish was the Cachopo (fried steak). It wasn't bad, just tasted exactly as expected and nothing special compared to the rest. Def will be back!

S'Aranella is a very nice bar and restaurant in a great location right off the downtown square. It…read morewas recommended to us by a tasting room attendant for great cocktails, so we dropped in about 5:00after a day of tasting and roaming the shops and took two seats at the bar. The cocktails did not disappoint and were very creative and delicious. The O So Sabroso is an interesting take on an Old Fashioned with just a hint of Iberico ham. The El Bulli, Taragon Fix and Honey Honey were also fantastic. Since it was getting towards dinner (and we were a bit tipsy) we decided to cancel our other reservation and stay for tapas. All of the tapas were expertly executed. The jamon and mushroom croquettes were both delicious as was the Moorish Lamb. The carxofa was next level. The papas bravas were also delicious and were somewhat different being small potatoes with the skin on. Service was excellent and very friendly from the two ladies working behind the bar. The were fun and made excellent suggestions for cocktails. Highly recommended!

Nice place with friendly professional staff. We came for dinner recently and found S'Aranella to be…read morea well run restaurant with Spanish dishes which are good to very good. They bring you a little dish with a generous amount of olives after you sit. We asked for bread and were brought 4 small slices of a baguette which were overly toasted and too hard to use to mop up the various sauces. Plus, they charged $4 for the 4 small pieces of bread. That's petty and not appreciated. The octopus (pulpo à la Gallega) appetizer was served with a sort of mashed potatoes. The pulpo was a little tough, not as tender melt-in-your-mouth as pulpo can be. We also got papas bravas which is a potato dish and found this to be very good. Finally, for appetizers, we also got some roasted mushrooms. All of the dishes had a sauce, and the sauces were all very well done. For a main dish, we got the paella mixta with rabbit chorizo. This was good, if perhaps too heavy on the red peppers, but that is a minor point. We found the paella to be good and we finished it, which says all you need to know! Service, again, was very good. Waters stayed full. Staff repeatedly and courteously checked on us. Ambiance is just right, with just the right level of lighting. The place was busy, and the energy was positive.

Always a great experience at La Catalana. The food and service never disappoints. I love this…read morehidden gem in our neighborhood. We came here to celebrate my birthday on a Friday night. Made a reservation a few days before and were seated right away. We ordered the squid ink paella. So delicious. Our server suggested we order it for 3 people even though we had 4. He was right. It was the perfect portion for the four of us accounting for the other dishes we shared. Everything is always good here. I don't think we've had a dish that we didn't like. We will slowly work our way through the menu because it is so delicious. The perfect, intimate spot for date nights or special occasions. You will be well taken care of. They did sing happy birthday to me but they asked if it was ok before hand. They also brought a special birthday dessert.

Great place and the food is amazing I really liked the…read morearroz negro. Service is great Want to come back and try more tapas

we came last night for lunch and Sergio was our server, the service was excellent. He served us the…read morepaella, and explained every dish and took care of us during tte time we were there. We will repeat.

Came for a celebration and they definitely did not disappoint! As close to being back in Barcelona…read moreas possible. Food was amazing and the tasting menu was a fantastic easy choice. Our server Victor N. was great as he was polite, helpful and quick. Would definitely come back again

Junction brings elements of Spain to you with flavors and tapas that just hit the spot…read more The restaurant has both indoor and outdoor seating, they allow dogs in the back and provide them with water bowls. The restaurant has romantic and has a very rustic environment. Service was amazing, Luke was absolutely amazing and great with suggestions, he was overall just an amazing person to host us. He made sure to be check on us as often as possible he could and brought out the food in great timing. The junction paella- was very delicious, the depth of flavor was amazing and the Spanish chorizo was delicious and the chicken was really good. The rice just had these amazing flavors and had some heat as well. The mushroom empanadas were just amazing, the dough was crisp and buttery, the mushroom mix was so very delicious and the sauce they gave was such a perfect complement to the dish. The patatas bravas was my favorite to be honest... it's such a simple dish but it's just so good. The sauces and crispy textures of the potato were just delicious. Me and my wife came here at the end of our roadtrip And it's about 4 hours from where we live lol... but we enjoyed it so Much we would make the trip just to eat here again.

Off the beaten path and a great spot if you're trying to avoid the tourist crowds of the downtown…read moresquare, Junction is nestled in a train station compound. Unassuming from the outside, this hidden gem brings a blend of Latino cultures to the literal table. We've been here before and loved it, but they've since elevated their menu and added many more items. The wine list is overflowing with small-batch, boutique local wines--either Latino-owned or featuring Spanish varietals. I started with a glass of Victor Hugo Merlot, which was fantastic, but let me tell you about the Caelesta Cab/Mourvèdre. This sexxy red (shoutout to my girl Sexxy Red) was velvety, incredibly well-balanced, and perfectly complemented the paella fideuà. Junction serves fideo, or fideuà, sourced from Etto Pasta, and it's always nostalgic for me. This comforting yet stylish dish hugged me like it hadn't seen me in years. I teared up (yeah, I did...what about it?) and actually paused to consider: do I want to eat this whole dish in one sitting? Should I reconsider post-date-night plans because I might be too full? Nah--bring it on. The calories can be worked off later. The seafood paella fideuà got better with every bite. The shrimp, squid, rockfish, and mussels were cooked to perfection. I found myself clutching my linen napkin, wishing the dish would never end, hoping that my wife wouldn't notice that I'm about to make this paella my bitch, wishing I could endorse this paella to run for president and run more than two terms! Splooosh! The food and wine are the kind you'd tell your grandkids about around a campfire--meals that inspire the next generation of food lovers. But the staff were just as much the stars of the show. The space is on the smaller side but thoughtfully laid out. They were slammed--in the best way. It's the kind of place where you know whatever you order will be great, yet you worry service might slip with only two servers and no hostess. Both my wife and I have worked in service, so we appreciate a well-oiled machine--and I'm not talking about myself here. I'm talking about the legends who ran the floor that night. Too often, diners overlook the staff or don't fully understand the intensity of a Friday night rush. Major kudos to the chef and kitchen team, but may the odds forever be in favor of the front-of-house crew for flawlessly navigating the chaos. Luke Estrella was definitely getting his steps in, along with his teammate, but they always made time to pour wine, share insights, and connect with guests--all while smiling and putting out fires left and right. Bravo. 4 stars cause everyone could use room to grow.

Very charming French Country farmhouse electric menu…read more Incredible menu with varied entrees. We ordered stuffed mushrooms and Gnocchi for appetizers. The Mussels were delicious so was the Cannelloni. Authentic artisanal flavors food made from scratch. Enjoyable atmosphere very relaxed and very pleasant. The service was incredible..

Tried out Casa Nostra over Memorial Day weekend…read more I ordered the mushrooms as an appetizer really tasty but for $25 you would expect a bigger portion. 2/5 I ordered the 8oz New York steak ($85) honestly super bland and definitely not worth the price. The steak was very chewy and the texture was tough. Came with spinach and baby potatoes. 2/5 My lady ordered the salmon with green peas, carrots, and a mustard sauce/dressing (around $65). Unfortunately that one wasn't much better either. 2/5 Only thing that really stood out was the Vans Old Fashioned cocktail that drink was actually really good. 5/5 Ambiance was decent, just really busy for a Monday because of Memorial Day weekend. Overall, probably wouldn't go back for the food. Total came out to roughly $250 after dessert!

one of few restaurants I've seen on TikTok that exceeded my expectations…read more we tried 10+ dishes and all of them were tasty, some better than others. It's dimly lit, the ambience and decor are perfect for a romantic dinner date. for 6 we got: apps- - croquetas de jamon: crunchy shell with an salty, creamy, potatoey inside, - ensalada de patata: literally tasted like potato salad, couldn't taste much of the crab, the other flavors overpowered; would skip this one - empanadas: the tuna belly was so tender, wasn't dry at all, and paired well with the sauce (reminded us of the orange sauce from Spartans), somehow thought there was chicken in it too but apparently not - mini cornetos de atun: my favorite app, tuna was super tender and flavors melted in my mouth, it was slightly fruity, crunchy from the cone - oxtail canelones: one of the not as memorable menu items, it was oxtail stuffed in a pasta shell but didn't really stand out to me - abuelitas meatballs: sauce reminded me a lot of beefy stock of beef bourguignon sauce, the meat balls were tender and great with the sauce - april special calamari: not really different from other calamari I've had, didn't really taste anything different, it was crunchy and not too oily which was nice main- -pulpo à la brasa: octopus is super tender and paired with a creamy sauce, but not really a standout imo compared to other dishes paellas each came with lemon and side of cream to add to your liking- - paella negra con vieras: extremely creamy squid ink paella, seafood is fresh and this was my favorite - normal paella no squid ink - same as above - paella campestre: this was a slightly less creamy paella with a slight tomatoey flavor with juicy pork belly and chicken overall the paellas were sufficiently creamy and tasty with a variety of meats, they also came out ~20 min rather than the 35 minutes wait time they specified desserts- - tiramisu de melindro: big portion, circular piece of tiramisu in a cup, very creamy, breading is slightly moist, not too sweet - saquets de crema: a few pieces of tasty fried pastry filled with gooey chocolate and cream inside - gorgonzola cheesecake: they put a lot of raspberry puree on top, it wasn't super super cheesy, I think the raspberry puree kind of overpowered the cheesecake but it was still pretty good would come back~

What a pleasant surprise! We were genuinely wondering how we hadn't discovered Macarena sooner…read more The restaurant is beautiful--the interior design, atmosphere, and overall vibe immediately make you feel like you're stepping into a charming Spanish restaurant. More importantly, the food is incredibly authentic. We ordered the jamón, oxtail, and octopus appetizers, and they were very close to what we had during our trip to Spain. But the real star of the night was the paella. OMG. It was SO good. We ordered the squid ink paella with scallops, and it was absolutely outstanding--perfectly cooked, rich in flavor, and easily one of the best paellas we've had in the Bay Area. Looking around, the other paellas coming out of the kitchen looked amazing as well. The special suckling pig did not disappoint either. The skin was extra crispy while the meat remained juicy and flavorful. Drinks were also on point, and the tableside sangria experience added a fun touch. What made the night memorable, though, was not just the food--it was the service and the restaurant's commitment to taking care of their guests. Our server, Alma (hopefully I got her name right), was incredibly attentive and offered excellent recommendations throughout the meal. As the restaurant became busier, it was clear she was juggling many tables, and we ended up waiting a bit to get our leftovers boxed and later to receive a dessert menu. Before we even had to say anything, both Alma and the manager noticed the delay. They came over to apologize and even treated us to a complimentary key lime pie. Honestly, that wasn't what we expected or were looking for, but it spoke volumes about the restaurant's culture and their genuine desire to make things right whenever something falls short. Great food is one thing. Great hospitality is another. Macarena delivered both, and we'll definitely be back

Came for the first time after seeing it on social media and it lived to its hype. Good place to eat…read morewith family.

Food Service ambiance all wonderful! Expensive but worth it…read more beautiful building Great bar!