We were in spain last year this time for three weeks , and I have been telling people that we never had a bad meal. Well the food we had last night was every bit as good as every bit of food we had in spain, We had potatos with Aoli , asperagus, fried artichokes, squid a la plancha and octopus the same, and every bit was delicious. And the good news is ,there are more sea food and vegetable items on the menu. We drove in from Marin, but was worth it. It is my new touchstone restaurant. Get in there. Also read Irene X's review. read more

Tldr: tasty tapas, sangria pitcher, relaxing afternoon I would definitely recommend this place for anyone looking to try tapas! The inside is spacious and has skylights making it a nice and bright place to eat. The service was nice! Now the food! The complimentary bread and dip was amazing, well seasoned with spice. The octopus tapa was very delicious! The paella was also good but felt like it could've been seasoned a bit more. Would definitely come back to try other items on the menu! Also, sangria pitcher during happy hour, super worth it!! read more

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We've been there with family gathering a few times as well with my partner for the past 8 yrs. Great seafood paella. Super flavorful, small plates for are nice add ons.Conscientious wait-persons through out our meal. read more

We came here before the New year and it was awesome. Good atmosphere, great service. They cleated us even though we had no reservation. Food was absolutely amazing! I loved the sauce that comes with bread! Paella with seafood is a must try!!! read more

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Service was very nice and ambiance is intimate. I've been here a few times and sometimes they have live music playing which is cool. Wait was quick on a Wednesday night - almost no one but I've been here on a Saturday night and I remember waiting only about 15 minutes for a table. This place definitely has 1st or second date vibes We started with the calamari and it wasn't anything to write home about but the tartar sauce kinda bussin . Oh, I also forgot the have free bread w the spicy sauce they put on top of the patatas bravas. FREE BREAD! Paella was yummy - made to order and comes out hot hot. It has shrimp, peas, calamari, and clams! I can't really describe the flavor but it took me to flavortown trust. Squid ink was funny too because it kept getting stuck on our lips. One small order fed 2 people and we had plenty of leftovers for another meal. read more

City prices will prepare for just about anything. This foodie city will make you go broque and leave you with an international food baby to show for it! But, I was not prepared for this... At Picaro, seven dishes...three of them being seafood including lobster...enough food to feed three people (maybe four if you load up on their free bread)... FOR ONLY $60 (pre-tax and tip) - HELLA CHEAP!!!! You can barely get a sandwich for $20 at some places. With that being said, I think you get what you pay for at Picaro so you need to choose your dishes wisely to have a good experience. After dranks at ABV, I was looking for something close and affordable, and Picaro fit the bill. Picaro is open for takeout, delivery, indoor dining, and outdoor dining. Dog-friendly. We came early enough that we were seated without rezzies but def make them during primetime dinner time and on the weekends. This place was poppin' on a weeknight. M E N U Extensive selection of Spanish tapas - Sausages, cheeses, soup, veggies, seafood, meat, paellas, combo plates, and desserts. Beer, wine, and sangria only. No full bar. HH Special - $14 Sangria Pitchers on Sunday-Thursday: 4 PM - 7 PM and Friday-Saturday: 1 PM - 6 PM F O O D ***Food spread: https://tinyurl.com/bdhbf66f * Complimentary Bread w/ brava sauce The sliced french bread was light and airy with a chewy crust. Served with a mildly spicy, tangy, and creamy dipping sauce. * Champinones: Mushrooms sauteed w/ garlic and olive oil ($7.25) Best item of the night! The sauteed button mushrooms were earthy, meaty, and garlicky. * Rabo de Toro: Ox-tail stew ($10.75) The oxtail was soft and tender but bland. * Calamares Fritos: Fried calamari ($8.25) Dry and rubbery. * Gambas Plancha: Grilled jumbo shrimp ($8.50) You can tell the shrimp wasn't fresh and was previously frozen. It needed a seasoning/sauce to mask the staleness. * Langosta: Grilled lobster tail ($9.50): https://tinyurl.com/4v84rdfc Again, just like the shrimp, you can tell the lobster wasn't fresh. I wanted to dunk it into a phantom pool of garlic butter. * Morcilla: Sauteed Spanish blood sausage ($7.25) I usually love blood sausage (esp Soondae, the Korean version) but this one was no bueno. They deep fry the morcilla before sautéing it, and it seems they left it too long in the fryer because the morcilla was dried out. * Chorizo: Sauteed Spanish paprika sausage ($7.75) Not sure what regional chorizo they use but it was sour. =/ S E R V I C E Cordial but bare minimum (I don't mind when prices are this low and so this has no bearing on my rating). Our order was taken, food delivered, and we had to flag someone down for the bill. Food service took awhile then everything came all at once. Wished they coursed out some of the tapas. A M B I A N C E Very low-key, lively, and festive. Lots of large groups were dining indoors. Front patio tables and tables in the partially covered parklet were separated by curtains for privacy. The line for the restoom (only two toilets) reminds me of the club days; just not enough for the volume of customers. P A R K I N G Very difficult street parking. Best to Uber/Lyft it here on the weekends. Overall, I can see why Picaro has been a Mission staple for yeaaaarssss (since 1982). With inflation hitting hard, they've managed to keep their prices low. For tapas, I prefer Cha Cha Cha (cuban) but wouldn't be opposed to returning to Picaro for budget tapas and their outdoor seating. Again, you get what you pay for so next time, I would skip the seafood and stick with veggies, carbs, and non-sausage meat dishes. read more

Picaro - Champinones ($7.25), Chorizo Salteado ($7.75), Morcilla ($7.75), Gambas ($8.50), Calamares Fritos ($8.25), Rabo de Toro ($10.75) - Spanish Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Came here with a friend with a Yelp reservation which was super convenient! Good: - Fast service - Fan of their patata brava - the potatoes were so crispy and the sauces it came with were great - The paella seafood was huge! Lots of flavor and I liked the overall composition and quantity of it. It did end up being too much so I had to take some home Bad: - Their bread was sort of meh - classic sourdough and it was also kind of cold when we got it - Casual place Overall solid paella and it is somewhere I could see going again if I'm in the area. Not the best I've had. read more

Picaro - Papas Patatas Bravas - Spanish Near Me - San Francisco, California

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The service was great and the food was amazing! We tried several different things and everything was so good, can't wait to try more! Will definitely be going back! read more

Good place to go with a group - easy to get a reservation. We got a bunch of appetizers and the seafood paella -- it was solid, though by no means the best paella I've had. We also got a pitcher of sangria, which was tasty. Easy place to swing by in the Mission, right off Valencia. Atmosphere was cozy. read more

Picaro - sangria - Spanish Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I cannot WAIT to go back! Everything was quality quality! Rich flavors, good portions and don't forget the desserts! The atmosphere vibrant and relaxing simultaneously. The server was on point and the wait staff very attentive. This is a must go to place. Interesting enough, even neighboring tables were friendly. After all, you want to know what they have so you can try next time! Food looks so scrumptious! There was even a table of a triple date! Ah! L'amor! Love in the air! Compersion for everyone's great experiences! read more

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An authentic Spanish restaurant in the heart of Mission with great food. The restaurant is beautiful and it makes you feel like you are in a cute cafe in Spain. I visited Picaro on Saturday for a date night with my husband just before 6 pm and I am so glad I made a reservation in advance because the place was packed. This restaurant is good for a romantic date, as well as an outing with your family and friends. Our server was very knowledgeable and informative, she kept checking on us and even made some good recommendations. Both of us got the red wine sangria and it was delicious. For the food we ordered the following- Croquetas de Pollo- These chicken croquettes were flavourful and I loved having every bite of them specially when that burst of cheese hits your mouth. One of my favourite dishes of the night. Chorizo Cantimpalitos- I have always been a fan of sausages and these sausages were absolutely delectable. This dish had the perfect balance of flavours. Oysters- My husband had these and he told me these are some of the most fresh and delicious oysters he has had. Patatas Aioli- I love the potatoes but I didn't like the Aioli sauce much. Will stick to the spicy sauce next time. Free Bread with sauce- Omg they serve the best sauce with the bread. It's so addictive and mouthwatering. Overall we had a great time here. When we were about to leave a few men started playing beautiful Spanish music which lit up the ambience even more. Would highly recommend this hidden gem for a great Spanish meal. I will definitely going to come back to try their Paella and have more Sangria. read more

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They always say everything happens for a reason. ¡Hasta la vista! to things that no longer matter and hello to rekindling friendships. Happy Birthday to my dear friend as we celebrated over good times, sangria, and delicious food. .:: Food ::. Gambas al Ajillo $8.50: Garlic shrimp. WOW. SOOOOOOO good. I dont know what they did with it, but it was addicting Paella de Carne y Mariscos $35: chicken, meats, and seafood paella for 2 people. Pretty good as well. So tasty with the mix of seafood and meats. A super well rounded dish. And the size was PERFECT since we were sharing so many other dishes. Patatas Bravas $7: fried potatoes with homemade spicy sauce. Crispy potatoes with a good kick from their spicy sauce. Tortilla de Patata $7.50: potato and onion omelet. very unique experience. Its like a THICCCCCCC potato omelet which paired greatly with the sauce. Croquetas de Pollo $7.50: chicken croquettes. gives me cheese stick vibes. Fresh Oysters $10.80 (6): my friends enjoyed this. Alcachofas a la Plancha $7.50: grilled artichokes. my friends also like this. Salteado de Carne Asada $9.50: Grilled Arrachera steak with green onions and mushrooms. OOOF, good mesh of flavors for the steak. moist and cooked to perfection Sangria Pitcher $19 (-$5 during happy hour, 7pm-5pm Sun-Thu): we went with Picaro's Original Red Sangria. Pretty good balance of sweetness. .:: Service / Ambiance / Parking ::. Service was good! Friendly waiters. We made reservations so we were seated immediately. Food all came at the same time in a timely manner, paella came a little later. The ambiance gave me tapas vibes with unique little paintings/ sculptures/ decor. A good noise level, not too loud at all to where we have to scream to hear each other. Parking seemed like a nightmare, so we uber'ed *Can I just note? I was expecting a $200-$250+++ meal... but the total was $154 WHAT??? Maybe I have gone super jaded by the SF inflation but this was so worth read more

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My partner and I have been craving jamón and overall Spanish food ever since we returned from Spain. I thought Picaro was a great place to satisfy said cravings. They started the meal with complimentary bread and brava sauce (rich and slightly tangy sauce consisting of tomatoes, garlic, chili peppers, vinegar, and other spices) - brava sauce was soooo good! We got a sangria pitcher, a jamón appetizer, paella de arroz negro, and stir fried calamari shared between two people. Would definitely return for the same dishes. We also got garlic aioli sauce on the side and additional brava sauce to mix in with our paella, and they gave us so much sauce (at least a decent bowl sized amount each). The restaurant is a bit noisy with a lot of seating and tables, so I'd recommend sitting in the back if possible if you'd like to get a quieter spot. read more

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This is a great place to do a group dinner! The sangria is delicious and the small plates were all decent servings and pretty good. We got the Paella de Carne y Mariscos serving for 6 and had more than enough. They definitely give you more seafood than meat if you lean either way. Our waiter was quick to check in on us and made some great small plate recommendations. I'll be back for their sangria for sure! read more

Picaro - Paella de Carne y Mariscos - Spanish Near Me - San Francisco, California

To be honest I'm not a big seafood person nor do I have much experience with paella, but I thought the seafood paella was pretty good! I came with a big group and the staff were very accommodating. We sat in the back outdoor area which had heaters. We split the medium sized paella recommended for 4 people amongst 5 girls, and we had leftovers, while a table of 5 guys we came with split a 6 person paella and could still eat more, so honestly it just depends on how much the people you come with can eat . There was complimentary bread that comes with this garlicky spicy sauce which was really delicious as well, and the menu says they charge for extra baskets, but the wait staff told us as long as the number of bread baskets is not unreasonable, then they don't charge you extra, which is nice! Good vibes and a good meal all around! read more

Picaro - seafood paella - Spanish Near Me - San Francisco, California

Very crowded and takes a while to be seated and you're seated so close to the others. If you don't mind sitting close to others, this is a place for good food and good tapas. The Sangria is delicious. The place isn't fancy, just a simple restaurant with old chairs and nothing is updated. The staff is friendly. read more

We made reservations but ended up walking in earlier and were seated quickly without issue. Food Seafood Paella tasty but I've had tastier paella, however they didn't skimp on the seafood Bread Whatever sauce it came with was incredible. Drinks - pitchers of white sangria which were delicious. The service was top notch. Our server was very attentive and helpful. Parking was treacherous on a Sunday night. We drove around multiple times for parking but I would think that's expected considering the neighborhood. My friend that suggested coming here during the week when there is a live band. I will be back to experience that and the happy hour specials that look promising. read more

Picaro - Seafood paella - Spanish Near Me - San Francisco, California

The food is yummy and the prices are great! Our little group goes out a lot for food and drinks and this place is right up top read more

The food is always on point. Flavors, amounts, presentation and more. We've been going there for the past 3 to 4 years and so far no disappointment. Great place read more

So we came here on Valentine's Day, the service was pretty minimal, not bad l, but considering they were busy, I won't rate them on that. The food was good, maybe more like three and a half stars. But it just wasn't very unique. The mussels were great. Also had a Salmon and Clam that was good. I found the tortilla to be tasty and hearty. I had never had fried anchovies before and I liked them. Overall my husband and I enjoyed the meal. But in no rush to return, if we do go back, probably just to try the palle. read more

Picaro - Tortilla De Patata savory and satisfying - Spanish Near Me - San Francisco, California

I came here with 5 other people for dinner. We had 7pm reservations and they did not allow us to sit until we were all here. It was fair considering how busy it was. Once everyone arrived we were seated right away. We were given complimentary bread with a butter sauce. The sauce was so good. It was all our first time to Picaro and the waitress gave us some recommendations. We ended up getting the following and its description: Patatas Bravas- This was recommended to us but we probably could have done without it since there was potato in almost everything. It was basically fried potato chunks with the same butter sauce on top of it. Nothing major. Beet salad- This was good but a portion was small. I wish the waitress told us that it was more for at most 3 people not our large group of 6. Honestly, it was my favorite thing there. Calamares Plancha- This was a very small plate of sauteed calamari. Again, this probably feeds about 3 people at most. It was okay. Tortilla De Patata- This was like a tortilla stuffed with mashed potato topped with some sour cream. It was okay to me. Nothing that special. Paella de mariacos- This was the seafood paella and what we all came for. We got an order for 4 people because we knew we were getting other stuff. It was the perfect portion but was very underwhelming in terms of flavor. It was bland. There was shrimp, mussels, calamari and clams. It looked good when it came out and was nicely presented. Unfortunately my cousin's husband burnt has hand touching the skillet. We never got a warning it was pipping hot. Parillada- This was the meat platter. It contained chorizo sausage, chicken, pork kebabs, carne asada and a whole lot of potatoes. At first look it looked like it was all meat but I would say half is potatoes. We were pretty potato out and all agreed it was too much potatoes. The food overall was okay. The pricing was good though. The service was cool until my friend burnt his hand. Also, I didn't like the sloppiness of the place. There was a large puddle of water right behind us. We had fun but probably won't be back. read more

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My absolute favorite place to go to for paella!! My friends and i always come for the paella, tapas, and sangria. I love the homey vibes of this place and is definitely one of my too go-to places in the city! read more

Picaro - Paella for 2 - Spanish Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Excellent paella! Many variations. Seafood,meat, vegetarian. Many choices of Tapas also.

Picaro is located on 16th street and street parking can be difficult to find but there are a couple parking structures around. Our group made a reservation prior and thank goodness we did because when we arrived, it was a full house. For 7, we ordered: - Paella De Mariscos/seafood paella: 4/5 - Salteado de Carne Asada/grilled arrachera steak w/ green onions & mushrooms: 5/5 - Champinones Al Ajillo/sautéed garlic mushrooms: 4/5 - Paella De Carne/meat paella: 4/5 - Alcachofas A La Plancha/grilled artichokes: 3/5 - Patatas Bravas/fried potatoes/ 5/5 - dozen fresh oysters: 5/5 - Calamares A La Plancha/sautéed calamari: 4/5 - Pollo Al Ajillo/garlic chicken: 3/5 Food was good and service was good. Ambiance was nice and lively but the tables were so close to each other, literally seats back to back. They give you a complimentary basket of bread (the first one) and you can get more but at a charge. read more

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I visited Picaro for a friend's birthday dinner on a Friday night, and fortunately we had a reservation for our group of 12 - the place was packed! When I arrived around 7:30 PM, there was a line out the door, and a Mariachi band was entertaining diners at their tables. Upon being seated, we ordered a Sangria pitcher (a must at this establishment), which was sweet and fruit-forward. The menu offers a variety of reasonably-priced seafood tapas and plenty of vegetarian options. The papas bravas were a standout - crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside, and drizzled with flavorful sauce. I was initially skeptical about the vegetarian paella because I had always thought paella got most of its flavor from shellfish, but I was delightfully surprised by the aromatic and fluffy rice, combined with hearty asparagus and mushrooms. The service was friendly and quick, and overall, we had a fun and memorable dining experience. read more

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Food was good, Saturday night took us an hour to get our table ready, Stuff working fast and efficient. Good place to enjoy food drinks and good times with your friends Surrounding is a little old but it has its own charm read more

Picaro is a great place for a casual night out and for a great and fulfilling meal. The seafood paella is flavorful and the tapas are plentiful. Some of the tapas we ordered include patatas bravas and the pan con tomate dip. There wasn't a specific standout, but service was fantastic and we had a band play for our table for a friend's birthday which was a nice touch but slightly weird that they charged us for it. read more

One of the best in terms of price & taste! Highly recommend this tapas restaurant. The neighborhood itself doesn't appear to be the best but it's full of wonderful people. Service here is prompt and friendly. We ordered a variety of tapas and squid ink paella. I can't really determine what my favorite was - so so worth it. The bravas sauce is absolutely delectable and very much addicting! Feel free to dip bread, potatoes, calamari, etc into it! They will give this sauce and bread to you for free and will do refills! as for the sangria we tried the red and white and I'd recommend sticking to the red. It has more flavor and profile. Overall, solid mix of tapas (veggie friendly And not) good service and affordable! If possible make a reservation ahead & try to use public transit to get here. read more

Picaro - Spanish Near Me - San Francisco, California

Since it was just my first visit I can only share a bit of it although I will start it by saying it out loud "Picaro is a must try" eats! I like this type of place that offers a variety of grilled food so my wife and I ordered the grilled asparagus which was really tasty and pork kebabs which I wasn't impressed very much. I was hoping for a marinated one not just seasoned w rub so it was just ok for me. The sauted clams w garlic parsley and olive oil was my favorite really tasty and cooked perfectly. My wife who ordered a combination plate had carne asada which I tried a lil bit and this one is better than the pork. I will definitely come back here again try out some of those in the menus and come back for their fresh oysters and sangria which really gave me a good buzz read more

Mr & my girls LOVE IT HERE!!! The food is ALWAYS BANGING & it smells amazing walking thru the door. We always get pretty fast service even when it's busy & the staff is always so friendly! It gets pretty loud in here so be prepared to have to yell a little bit or sit closer to your party to hear. Overall, my go to dinner spot with the girls, get the pitcher of sangria & thank me later. read more

Favorite place to get tapas in the city! Tapas are $6-7 for vegetarian and less than $10 for fish/shell fish. My favourite is the Calamari (grilled version) since the toss it in a garlicky aioli type sauce and the brings out how tender the calamari is They have several large tables inside and outside so great for large groups. Service is fast when ordering 5+ dishes , just be sure to put your paella order in expecting 30min for it to cook. Pro tip: Sangria HH is Sunday - Thursday until 7pm , Friday & Saturday until 6pm, for $3.75 a glass or $16 pitchers. Such a great deal for SF prices!! read more

Picaro - Calamares A La Plancha Tortilla De Patata - Spanish Near Me - San Francisco, California

Reservations are required to eat at this restaurant even on their off days. They get exceptionally busy on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday evening. I have a really good paella The chicken beef and pork is the best Service is very good and very attentive read more

Really good tapas in the Mission. I've been going here for years and love the variety of options on the menu. We did notice prices recently increased, which is somewhat expected due to prices increasing almost everywhere, but were also disappointed since they seemed to have gone up quite a bit in just a couple of months. Also, they've recently updated their menu to include a price per item when paying via cash vs. credit card. I understand businesses need to pay a fee for credit card usage, however everyone uses credit cards these days so I hate to see this expense passed on to the customer. All in all the food and service is really good with one note - the garlic shrimp were the tiniest shrimp we've ever received here (see picture for shrimp size compared to spoon/lemon wedge); if/when prices are raised I expect to receive the same quantity of food as before. Lastly, the restaurant is very spacious and we've never had to wait to be seated. It also seems to be good for larger groups as they have an area with large tables/seating. read more

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Picaro is a staple in The Mission food scene that has been able to maintain its festive atmosphere, great service and delicious food.

Was really looking forward to trying out their Paella de Mariscos, but it was not as great as I thought it would be. Overall, it was dry, the flavor was lacking, and the shrimps were so small. However, I did enjoy the sangria and most of the sides we ordered. I really liked the Salteado de Asada, Patatas Bravas, and the Croquetas de Pollo. The Almejas a la Marinera was nothing special. read more

Picaro - Salteado de Carne Asada, Patatas Bravas, Croquetas De Pollo, Almejas A La Marinera, Sangria - Spanish Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Food and Service was very good. Enjoy different dishes, sangria is algo good great service all the staff was really nice read more

Warning: The tangy, orange sauce that comes with the bread and patatas bravas here is highly addictive. Have no shame in gorging in all the garlicky goodness. The tapas here are perfect for sharing family style. Our group of 4 ordered five dishes in total (including a paella) and it was the right amount of food for everyone. PATATAS BRAVAS (4/5): A solid appetizer BLOOD SAUSAGE (4/5): Reminded me of a crispier version of Korean blood sausage (soondae) TORTILLA DE PATATA (3/5): Nothing spectacular; just a potato and onion omelet as advertised GARLIC SHRIMP (5/5): The star of the show; simple but sooo good SQUID INK PAELLA (3/5): Unpopular opinion but it was just ok Picaro has a lively environment, reasonable prices, and attentive service. This place is good for groups or a casual dinner date, especially since you can make reservations on Yelp (which we love). Parking in the Mission is a pain in general, so either Uber or be prepared to search for parking on the outskirts. read more

Picaro - Paella De Arroz Negro - Spanish Near Me - San Francisco, California

Stopped by here for dinner with my girlfriend last night - I had walked by Picaro several times and decided it was finally time to give it a shot. The restaurant itself seemed nice - we ended up sitting outside as it was fairly crowded indoors. For our order - we got a pitcher of Red Wine Sangria, Patatas Bravas, Manchego, Espinacas Bechamel, Pisto de Calabacina, Champignones Al Ajillo, and the Jamón Iberico. The food was all perfect - it came out very quickly and portions were really good (was expecting less seeing as this was a tapas spot) and everything was very tasty. The Garlic Mushrooms and Spinach Bechamel were highlights for sure (as well as the house sauce) The only complaint I have was that some of the service was a little slow. It took about 10 minutes to get our bill after we had asked for it. Aside from that though I'd highly recommend anyone to visit this place for date night or with a bigger group. 4/5 read more

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Super cute interiors with lots of unique trinkets all around. Made a reservation for a Wednesday night, but wasn't necessary. For a group of four, we ordered four tapas and the seafood platter, and that was plenty of food! Loved all the dishes! The red wine sangria was delicious. Overall super great value, as other tapas places tend to end up costing a lot more. read more

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Amazing The parking can be tuff if your willing to walk a few blocks It's absolutely the most authentic spanish food i have eaten since I left Spain read more