Came for dinner just my fiancé and I and we're charged a 20% gratuity charge on a bill. I asked the blonde waitress about it and she said they automatically added to all bills, not sure how true that is because I understand some restaurants will do it for larger parties of up to 5 or more, mind you it was just my fiancé and for dinner, there was no need to do it. The experience was completely ruined. Do not recommend and will not return. read more

T'ahpas 529 - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Melrose, Massachusetts

Decided at the last minute that we wanted to go out and have tapas. Didn't feel like going into Boston so decided to try something new in the burbs. The Medford / Melrose area restaurant scene has been rapidly improving and decided to come here and try the food. T'ahpas location is a bit out of the way from Melrose center where most of the restaurants are located. In a sense, it was a blessing in disguise as it was relatively easy to find parking and get reservations a few hours later ////for dinner despite it being a Friday evening. Suspect it being the weekend between Christmas and New Year's helped. Getting there, it was packed. Without our reservation, we would have a wait. The menu online looked interesting and the food did not disappoint. In fact, we liked it so much that we decided to come back two days later for Sunday brunch. Outside the food, the service was very nice. The staff was friendly and helpful. Both Friday night and Sunday brunch featured live music, which I am personally a huge fan of. The only slight negative was the inability to customize the dishes. It seems like a lot of the dishes are pre-prepped and they can't be changed. read more

I've been coming here for years and always loved the food and service. Last night I was extremely excited to get some of my favorites off the menu and found out that they changed them completely. The food was hardly edible, the service for one person at the bar was sad, they forgot to place all my items and after over an hour I got an item that was basically reheated. They were empty on a saturday night and now I know why. Unless they change the menu back I won't be returning. Also, they add the 20% tip without mentioning it to you until they hand you the check. I tip well over 20% when it's good, but this was a slap on the face, so so disappointed. Try paying your staff accordingly instead of passing the buck to the customer for mediocre service. Ridiculous. read more

We arrived as they unlocked the door, so we got super service! All the dishes we ordered were done well and delicious. With 4 drinks the price was reasonable. I hadn't been there in quite a while and was SO disappointed that the dish I craved above all else (the mango covered calamari) was no longer even on the menu! I understand there is a new chef involved and would sincerely hope he watch the Phantom Gourmet's review touted on his own website and bring back a few of the highly praised items that seem to be missing. read more

False advertisement. We went in for the oyster special that was posted on Facebook. It pretty much stated that it was all day "until they run out." I called in just to make sure that's true, the hostess or whoever answered seemed confused and had to ask someone but eventually said yes. So we go there sit at the bar and waited a pretty good amount of time for the bartender to say no it isn't during brunch hours?? After we told them we called he just said yeah they don't know what they were talking about. ........ok? And your Facebook event post? read more

This place is much more expensive than similar places. To start the portion is small so you do have to order a lot. When you get the bill, and if you look at the bill, you'll notice the owner decided to add 4% kitchen appreciation fee, and tip options are 20%, 25% or 30%. So that's about 25% to 35% of tip to every bill, regardless of you have 2 guests or a large party. The owner should pay the chef and kitchen staff better, instead of forcing the additional fees on the customers. read more

I love the casual bar, great cocktails and shareable plates at T'ahpas. Been there a bunch of times and it never disappoints.

Last minute decision to come here for dinner. I'm so happy that I did!! Firstly, I picked the Pasco drink- deeeelicious!!! The service was quick. I ordered the Plato vegetariano so fresh and great! The hummus was blended with pistachio (I think). Platos bravas - the sauce was yummy! Next was Castilla de Ras and Arroz negro - both superb! I enjoyed every bite!! read more

a bit too loud; server was very pleasant, professional and engaging; paella did not have a single thread of saffron but it had plenty of seafood; my grilled octopus was spectacular; the cauliflower was also excellent; the lamb was delicious but no hint of the harissa! I have no problem with a restaurant adding the gratuity in advance but the server should mention it. I normally do not look at the itemization but did because the total seemed a bit high. I still left a little extra. read more

T'ahpas 529 - Paella with no saffron. It also had no trace of socarrat. Aren't lemons more appropriate? - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Melrose, Massachusetts

This is a solid dinner experience, all fronts. The pros that run and operate this place deserve an award for exceptional attentiveness...and your tips. I do wish more NorthBurb restaurants had the same level of service awesomeness. That said, I am betting percentage of tips and dinner engagements would increase with subtle decreases to dish prices. I feel I make great money but future family dinners for four will likely be turned into date night dinners for two :).. Either way, excellent spot worth visit. Take your spouse here. They'll love it. read more

Great variety at food and nice bar. Staff was friendly. Got the mussels they were great But Innmdon't think I read the complete description, meat was in it and it kind of turned me off. My son loved them nothing was left. We went with a toddler and it really isn't kids friendly no children's menu which is totally understandable, but we'll know next time and go alone and get a Totally different experience read more

What a pleasant surprise! Went there for dinner last night, the hostess nearly dashed from cleaning a table to greet/seat us (which was nice). I like the look of the place, tho the table for two is a bit small (was very crowded when our numerous tapas plates started arriving, and no room to leave a bottle of water). Our waiter came over promptly to take our drink order. We needed a bit of extra time, it being our first time there and unfamiliar with the menu. Lots and lots of options, which is good! My wife has a seafood allergy, so that cut about a third of the menu out (sad for me). We ordered 5 dishes, including the cheese board, and everything was delicious. Our favorite was probably the bruselas, followed closely by the cheese board. Ambiance - It's a new place, I like the look. I've driven by the place numerous times, and the tinted windows often give the appearance they're not open, and it's hard to tell how busy they are on a casual drive-by. Service - Everyone we interacted with on staff was great, upbeat attitude. Hostess did a great job, especially cleaning the glass that fell off the table when we shifted it away from the wall. Waiter was a bit unpolished, but very friendly; checked on us regularly, and kept our drinks topped off. Quantity - The portion sizes were quite plentiful, which is contrary to my experience at most tapas places. Often times I'm left wanting more of a particular dish, but they hit the sweet spot on price/portion. Quality - We enjoyed every dish we ordered. The setas mushrooms were a bit bland, but it's hard to pep-up mushrooms. Really enjoyed the bruselas (mmm, bacon) and cheese board. I liked the flavor of the chorizo, I'm not sure what temperature it's supposed to be (hot or cold), it was kinda room temperature. My wife ate both the chicken empanadas (a favorite of hers), and she had good things to say. Value - Covered a bit in the quantity section above. Each plate was around $9, which is quite reasonable considering the portions. We ordered 5 dishes, which was more food than we could eat, next time we'll probably go for 4, which should be perfect. Overall - I live in the area, and saw them working on the space for a while, and I looked forward to trying a new restaurant out close to home. Knowing that it often takes a restaurant a bit to get situated, I figured a month was about right, and think that it worked out (having read some of the early reviews). If you're a fan of cultural food, sharing small plates, and a local feel/atmosphere, give these guys a try. I'll definitely be going back to try some of the other creative dishes they have. read more

Okay, date night again and tapas was the choice, and with T'ahpas as it's first name, what better place to go, right? Yes, outdoor dining, in a tent that was wonderfully decorated with plants and lights, with a guitarist playing Spanish songs. Greeted by a pleasant staff, we enjoyed delicious tapas, guided by our waitress, Tina. European ambience, and terrific food and good wines. Wow. I have to say that they have a wonderful craft beer selection too, and the paella looked amazing. A couple of notes, one of the tapas we ordered, Calamari, just did not come, Tina explained that there was one order left and someone else got it. Okay, that happens. Dessert and coffee? Lukewarm cappuccino and key lime pie that took half an hour to deliver. Coffee was gone well before it was delivered, and we were flagging Tina to ask her to forget the key lime pie, when she ensured that it came. Disappointed to realize that the waitress we complimented to her face and thanked profusely earlier in the evening would just blow us off. Readers, I am writing this off as an off night for Tina. The food and experience at T'ahpas 529 is worth another trip, hoping for the staff to hit the home run that the food and ambience did. THAT will make them earn five stars from us. read more

It's so exciting to have new restaurants in Melrose, and this one has great potential. The menu is very interesting, the place is well decorated, the wait staff was very friendly, and even the waiting area in the front is much more practical than Giacomo's. It took a while for some of our dishes to arrive, but that's because they were confusion over the table numbers. I'm assuming that those small kinks will be ironed out over time. Overall the food was pretty good. It just wasn't great, and like others, we found that some of our dishes were bland. A couple suggestions for improvement: one, the place is pretty noisy. I didn't notice any curtains or sound deafening materials. Secondly the lighting. The pendants are great and so is the lighting around the bar, but the bulbs they used are those energy-saving ones that cast a dull gray light. As you'll see in the attached photo it looks sort of like a factory. We will definitely be back though, and hats off to the owners for making Melrose even better! read more

T'ahpas 529 - Great crowd but dull lighting - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Melrose, Massachusetts

On T'ahpas's second night we braced the snow storm so we could try the newest addition to the Melrose food scene. Knowing the owners also run La Qchara across the street, things were bound to be good. Overall, this place nailed tapas and modern ambiance. A great menu collection of traditional and nuevo tapas with high quality ingredients and good service. The food execution was spot on (and we ate a lot), with the star of the show being the perfectly cooked and seasoned churrasco. The drink menu was also a highlight with several local IPAs, though Trillium would be a welcome addition. I know this was the second night so many kinks to work out, but the food was not one of them. Otherwise, the lighting was a little bright and the electronica could've been brought down a few RPMs. Plate refresh would be nice - we kept the same 4x4 plate through every dish that came out. Coat hooks would be great, a kids menu and some drawing stuff for kiddos. When either the front or back door is opened, arctic air blasts the closest tables - maybe a thick drape near the door would help? read more

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First time we dined here was summer 2021, our outdoor tent seating felt safe and pleasant and the table service was cheerful and reasonably attentive. We went with another couple who suggested several of their favorite tapas to share. That was months ago but I know we all enjoyed everything immensely; especially liked a dish with dates and another with short ribs, so good we ordered another round of both. The bill was on the expensive side (to be expected with the variety of plates) but the experience was worth it! Eager to go again. read more

A great restaurant. it's been a while so I can't remember the exact items but drinks and food were very tasty

We tried T'ahpas 529 last night, and would say it was a descent place for dinner. We really enjoyed the vibe, great salsa music in the background. Made me wanna get up and dance. The service was good, our server was attentive. The food was alright. We really enjoyed Queso De Cabra, it was a perfect combination of salty and sweet. We also liked the tuna tartar. The skirt steak with chimichurri sauce was a bit chewy. The sauce itself was delicious. We also tried meatballs, I enjoyed the sauce, the meatball itself could have used some more seasoning. After the four dishes, we were still a bit hungry, and tried the shrimp (Gambias Al agillo) and bread with fig spread and cheese (Pan De Higo). The shrimp was spicy and buttery with a descent taste. The bread with fig spread was average. Would have preferred different kind of cheese and more sweetness to it. Lastly, we realized there was live music starting at 7 pm. We were very excited, being live music lovers. However, it was a let down as the vibe went to a bit more slow and sleepy. We only stayed 15 minutes for the live music, it could have picked up as the evening went, but we did not have the patience to wait. Overall, we enjoyed our experience and wouldn't mind coming back. read more

Service is always good. The bar is amazing. The sauces and spice are spot on. Great looking bar. I hear the bloodies at brunch are incredible read more

We have been here several times and been always had a positive experience. Great food and service for a very busy night. Truly enjoyed the evening, will be back soon. read more

My husband chose this place blindly since we were in the area for an event. Having food allergies, I normally prefer tapas/small plate options so we are very familiar with the concept and enjoy tapas/wine bars pretty regularly. The ambiance was nice, looks like it could be a fun place but it was an early dinner on a Friday and still pretty quiet. The cocktail selection was pretty creative & versitile, our coconut margaritas were delicious....small, but delicious. The tapas however were just OK. Good at best but definitely overpriced for portion size. I normally see tapas in the $7-$16 range but many of the options were over $20. We ordered 4 tappas to start with (for 2 ppl with pretty standard appetites), including some of the pricier ones. The octopus and steak were literally 5 bites, and the frittata was served cold, which I feel like I should have been warned about since it's normally a hot dish, so I didn't enjoy that at all. Had the small portions been incredible, I might have been able to justify the price but we were pretty underwhelmed & still pretty hungry. We stopped at the 4 tapas since I didn't feel the establishment warranted another $100 in tapas to satisfy us. Our bill also included kitchen fee that we didn't appreciate especially since we already felt like we were overpaying for food. Overall I definitely wouldn't go back but not knowing what other options Melrose has to offer I would say if you are stuck in this area it's a good place for a drink & 7 dollar single empanada. read more

We often enjoy dining at T'ahpas 529, La Qchara and in the past, the original Coffee Tea and Me. We decided to have T'ahpas cater our 75th birthday celebration (150 combined). Knowing that half the guests considered Chicken Parm exotic, we knew what we wanted. Emily Tenreiro helped us discover the correct amounts and combos. The Veggie Paella, salad, Venezuelan beef and chicken empanadas, plantains and Albondigas (Spanish meatballs) were great hits. Service delivery and set up were much appreciated. Those Chicken Parm eaters came back for seconds! We will continue in restaurant dining, but, as usual, T'ahpas 529 helped us celebrate well. read more

Myself and my fiancé came to T'ahpas 529 for the first time the Sunday after Valentine's Day as the first part of our Valentine's Day adventures for brunch. I can't even begin to describe how happy I was with our experience there! There was live music, the food was superb, and the wait staff was so friendly and welcoming! I couldn't have imagined a better experience! read more

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My wife and I were nervous about going out to eat for the first time in the pandemic, but we gave it a shot at T'ahpas, and we were pleasantly surprised. Not only was the food delicious as always, but the staff was super careful and followed the safety guidelines (we had heard horror stories from friends who went to other restaurants where the rules had been bent quite a bit -- that didn't happen in our visit to T'ahpas). Plus, the outdoor seating is spacious and the lighting was cute. read more

Love the food and the people who work at t'ahpas 529. Everyone is super nice. My only complaint is the bar seats. The barstools are not comfortable and we love to sit at a bar. Even a foot rest "step" across the bottom of the bar would make a huge difference. We'd come more often but some nights I just want to sit comfortably and it's hard to do there! read more

Went on a Saturday night. Seemed to be helpful that we had a reservation as it fills in quickly. The food was amazing; plenty of tapas options even for those who are vegetarian or have other restrictions. Prices might be a tad high, but the quality and atmosphere deliver. read more

Excited to come. From start to finish service was terrible. Not attentive at all. Wasn't greeted for at least 10 min since I was seated. Few staff came over telling me they'd get the server. Food was tasty but I can't stand terrible service. I was thirsty the entire time. Staff was at the service bar laughing and talking. 20% gratuity included. Didn't deserve it. Won't be back. read more

The food is always delicious and the service makes everyone feel comfortable. The ambiance is casual.

I've been twice, and had about half the menu. Literally every single thing is tasty, and I hope to go back soon to try the rest! It's a small spot; if you're going at a popular time it's worth calling for a reservation. Definitely try the Croquetas de Jamon, Queso de Cabra & Patatas Bravas. read more

T' ahpas 529 is such a dream. EVERYTHING hit the spot, and I mean every sing item we tried on the menu. This is definitely a go to spot for cute date nights read more

Checked this place out and walked away with mixed results. We decided to order 2 tapas per person. The hummus plate was just BAD. The hummus was just ground chickpeas ... I think they forgot the tahini! The beets were plant and unseasoned. The Brussel sprouts were a hit and the garlic shrimp was so so. The vibe there is nice and the staff were friendly. They offer a tequila flight on the menu, but the menu doesn't specify anywhere that certain brands are excluded. For such a prominently featured menu item it took several consultations with management for the waiter understand how it works. None of the tequilas have prices either. We spent $200 with tip for everything. read more

The food is unbelievable and the service is unmatched. I find it to be relaxing and romantic for a date but also could see myself bringing friends here. Will definitely be back. read more

Visited for a casual dinner. The atmosphere is very hip and upbeat. Loved the lighting, bar space and overall decor. We sat at the bar and the bartender seemed very unhappy to be there. We asked for a few recommendations and she had nothing to say but it is all good. We tried a few different things, and she was right- they were all good, but I would've appreciated a little bit of guidance. Would recommend the Patatas Bravas and the Meat & Cheese spread. Little pricey, but worth it. They do have $1 oysters on Monday that my husband really loved! Will visit again. read more

Nice local Tapas Spot if you don't want to drive into the city. Great variety of food and drinks - friendly service. read more

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Love this place! Have been here a handful of times now and each time it has been delicious. Live music some nights which is great! The bacon wrapped figs are our favorite ! read more

First time here and before I even describe the bland food, I am beside myself that I paid the 4% upcharge they added to my bill for the kitchen staff. An appreciation charge they called it. If I didn't want not to embarrass my dinner guests I would have raised hell. Not an option, just added to my bill. $7 added to my bill for the kitchen staff. What did they do? Their job? Maybe the young lady at the door should get 4% for showing me to the table. If I thought the food was over the top maybe at my discretion if asked I would palm the kitchen staff or chef but for a $140 bill for 3 people for average appetizers, that's what they are, no way. Get the idea, I will never go back there. Good luck to you if you do and don't forget the 4% coming your way whether you like the kitchen staff or not. read more

They have great food. It's expensive given the portion sizes but everything I had was great. Mussels, steak skewers and something else that I can't remember. A good atmosphere and the waitstaff was great. Parking on the street and there's a parking lot across the street. read more

Paella does not contain onion. Period. Spanish people flip the ---- out whenever anyone suggests that it does. The paella here not only has onion, it has an overpowering amount of onion. Good tapas. Good cocktails. Terrible "paella" that isn't actually paella. It's just rice with stuff. read more

Went here for a girls brunch recently and everything was outstanding! Will be back again soon :)

Great neighborhood spot. Gets crowded quickly - I hope they are able to expand to a larger space soon! Amazing menu dishes: Bruselas Patatas Bravas Stuffed Mushrooms Chimichurri Steak Goat cheese + pear dish read more