So consistent - great place for a date night especially on Friday and Saturdays. Have been a million times now and have never had bad food, not even once! The Valencia paella and bread service is always my go-to, but all the tapas are bomb as well. Could not recommend more! read more

Tapas Papa Frita - Valenciana Paella - Spanish Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

We made the reservation to celebrate a special occasion and we were looking forward to visiting what USED TO BE one of our favorite restaurants in Scottsdale. The weather was perfect and we were seated in the beautiful patio where we can hear the music and see the live flamenco dancers. Then..... it all went downhill from there! We were ignored by multiple servers for more than 20 minutes to the point where I had to walk up to the host desk to ask for a service. Once we were assigned a server, the service was rushed and hurried. Very transactional and not welcoming at all. The food was mediocre. The octopus was tough and rubbery. The peace and quiet of our patio table was quickly destroyed by a large bachelorette party that was seated right next to us. We had Amazing experiences (yes, multiple) at this place in the past and I wanted to be fair to the restaurant so I sent them a message via Open Table to let them know how disappointed we were. They never responded! Unfortunately, this restaurant has become another Scottsdale tourist trap. All hype and no substance. read more

We came in very last minute right before closing, and despite that, Trevor still provided truly top-tier service. He was welcoming, patient, and never once made us feel rushed or like an inconvenience. I do want to apologize for coming in so close to closing time, but this was a place I really wanted to bring my mom and aunt to experience before they left Arizona. From his thoughtful menu guidance to the overall attention he gave our table, the service elevated the entire experience. We're very grateful and will absolutely be back. Highly recommend asking for Trevor. read more

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Authentic Spanish Tapas and Cuisine are the highlight of this view restaurant in the Old Town Scottsdale area. They have live Flamenco shows and Spanish Guitar add to the ambiance of Tapas Papa Frita, they serve Catalonian, Basque and Andalusian cuisine along with the largest selection of Tapas. Chic space with a patio seating. We sat on the patio and the beautiful weather to right now. We got seated right away. The host was very friendly and nice. We were greeted by the server pretty quickly. We ordered drinks first, then decided to chat. We got a few tapas ordered and shared. Then decided on the main courses. We ordered a LOT of dishes and shared: Pastel a la porrusalda, Tortilla de patatas, Almejas al ajillo, Valenciana, Branzino a la pipirrana, Rabo de buey, Cordero burgales, Pollo a la cazadora, etc. The paella and the fried fish was the best and stood out to me. The other dishes were full of flavor and delicious as well. The service from our main server was awesome. The other staff helping were ok or they had an attitude. One lady told us she did not speak English but did not send it over to someone to help. The food runners were all confused, just dropped off the food and had us decide what was which dish, or we asked for a spoon three times and just ignored us. read more

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Kevin was our server tonight. Had an early reservation with the elderly parents. What a wonderful experience. The wines were great. Malbec, Pinot Grigio and Pinot Noir were all from nice vintages. But let's talk about food! Beautufully presented, each item was delicious and the clams tapas was actually a pretty bountiful serving. My parents are seafood lovers to the core. They were blissed out. All in all, this was a beautiful, enjoyable evening in Scottsdale with good service and great food. If there was one thing to improve on, the pacing of the meal could have been better. Not Kevin's fault, this was the kitchen. We had barely nipped into our tapas course when the paella and beef arrived. read more

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We've walked by Tapas PaPa Frita so many times, and we finally decided to give it a try. We asked for outdoor seating, thinking it'd be nice to enjoy the lights while we ate. Our server was friendly, and we started with some cocktails and a few appetizers, Champiñones al Jerez, Caracoles Aioli, Tortilla de Patatas, and Pastel a la Porrusalda. For entrees, we had Branzino, Paella, Pollo Cazadora, Cordero, and Rabo, and shared everything family-style so we could try a bit of everything. The food was good, flavorful, tender meats, and the sea bass was perfectly crispy. We genuinely enjoyed it. Unfortunately, not all the staff were great. While our server and the guy who helped with pictures were nice, some of the food runners and assistants weren't. One food runner seemed annoyed when my friend politely asked for a serving spoon, and another just dropped napkins on the table without a smile. It made us feel uncomfortable. Overall, the food was amazing, but the service left a lot to be desired, so we probably won't be coming back. read more

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We stopped here for a quick snack and were so happy with our experience. The customer service was friendly, and our tacos came out quickly. They had lots of interesting and fun menu items, we'd like to come back and try. The tacos we did get had great flavour and were very filling. The bathrooms and seating area were very clean. Great spot in downtown Scottsdale! read more

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What a cool spot in Old Town. Flamenco show on Fri and Sat nights. Unfortunately I couldn't view the stage well from where we were seated. We had the Taste of Spain special with some of their classic tapas and their amazing paella. So good! We shared the platanos Fritos. Not worth $20 but still tasty. read more

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I visited some old friends that were local to the area and wanted to treat them to really nice dinner. We chose a tapas spot as we are all visiting Spain this summer and thought it would be fun. First impression was the venue had a really good vibe with live music and was nicely decorated. The food-- We each chose the chefs fixed menu. The tapas were not good and paella was very average. The presentation was so so. The large plate with multiple options of stuffed peppers, filet on a skewer, cheese option and bacon wrapped dates were cold and had very little taste. My buddies piece of filet was all gristle . Then came the paella. It was very so so. It was hot but not freshly made. The service was average. They did fill our water frequently. A clean small plate as we tried the various tasting options was only offered when the paella came. All in all it was very disappointing. I would not recommend this restaurant based on our experience. read more

This place was kind of a big disappointment. From the moment you walk in the whole front door interaction is totally awkward. There was a whole team of staff sitting there with a miserable look on their face no warm greeting just walked us to the table. I was a little surprised there wasn't a specialty cocktail menu. The paella was OK The service was mediocre. The only reason I gave it three is because of the place is really cute decorative wise. I hope they get their stuff together cause the location is awesome. read more

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Several plates of food covering the table is my kind of dining. The small tapas plates here are perfect for sharing and trying the various Spanish menu items. The flavors were mouthwatering good as I tried the pollo al ajo negro/chicken tenderloin with black garlic, datiles con tocino/bacon wrapped dates, rabas/fried calamari, gambas al pil pil/spicy sauteed shrimp, solomillo moruno/beef tenderloin, and patatas bravas/spicy potatoes. The shrimp was my favorite and the complimentary bread with garlic dip. The bread rolls were warm and fluffy. So good. I sat out on the patio enjoying the food and a cocktail. Great patio area to people watch while dining. Service was fast and the waiter was helpful with the menu. I look forward to my next dining experience to try other tapas. read more

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Live music, twinkling lights, and outdoor seating on a nippy Arizona Sunday evening absolutely perfect. Unfortunately, this is where the experience started to go downhill. We asked for the drinks menu, and to our surprise, there wasn't one. They only had a wine list - no cocktails on tap, no printed options. When we asked about cocktails, the server said, "You can think of one and we'll make it." No, thank you. I'd actually like a menu to choose from - isn't that the whole point of dining out? We ordered croquettes, chicken skewers, and gambas pil pil (shrimp dish). The croquettes were dry and overly potato-heavy -- not the creamy, melt-in-your-mouth kind you expect from a Spanish kitchen. The gambas pil pil was just okay four shrimp for $15, without much flavor to justify the price. The sweet and spicy chicken skewers, the dish I was most excited for, were tough, dry, and chewy enough to risk a jaw workout. To make matters worse, our bread never arrived until we reminded the staff twice. It was supposed to be a date night, but the experience honestly ruined it for us. We had planned to stay, try the paella, and enjoy more food but after that start, we decided to leave early. The service team didn't seem to care either. When we tried to share feedback, the server cut us off mid-sentence, sighed, applied a "discount" as if doing us a favor, and dropped the check. No manager ever stopped by. My husband has worked in Spain and knows a thing or two about authentic Spanish food and hospitality this was neither. A beautiful setup let down by careless food and colder service. Sadly, we won't be returning. read more

Great place! I brought some friends here over the weekend, made sure to get in early before it filled up and take advantage of happy hour. I have been here probably half a dozen times over the last few years, and the food is always so good. In addition to the tapas menu, they do have entrees for those who don't want to dabble... The paella is very good, and there are quite a few varieties. There's plenty of seating both inside and out, they have live music as well. You can park right underneath, so it's very convenient. Staff were friendly. There is a variety of foods to choose from, and something for everyone. I am not as adventurous as others, but we did try a good variety of things, and they were all delicious, and as good as I remembered. read more

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Beautiful decor and romantic ambiance. The acoustic guitar music and low ambient volume was nice. We tried the six tapas with paella. The tapas were delicious with each item pleasuring our palates. We also learned that we don't like paella. The salty sausage was overpowering. The food was a bit overpriced ($166 for two of us with tip and no drinks.) They do not offer a veteran's discount.( read more

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What a great restaurant! Great service! Wonderful atmosphere! And amazing food. And to top it off, on Friday and Saturday nights there is live music and flamingo dancing!!!! read more

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Great place for tapas, flamenco and cocktails, in a central Scottsdale location. I love the concept of ordering lots of small plates and everyone sharing and this place has a ton of options to enjoy! read more

We had an amazing first visit to Scottsdale, thanks to Casa Frida and our wonderful server Braulio . We sat on the patio with a beautiful view of the river walk, and the experience was perfect from start to finish. Braulio was incredibly friendly and recommended the Relleno De Langosta (his favorite) and Branzino & de pollo which was so good. His drink suggestions didn't disappoint. the sweet rose and red Sangrias. Marco "Polo" also went out of his way to greet us and make sure we were seated comfortably. Fantastic service, great food, and a beautiful setting. We'll definitely be back. read more

Tapas Papa Frita - Red Sangria De Pollo Lenguado a la Gabardina - Spanish Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

Food is really good! Ambiance middle of the week was ok service was a little slow at first but food came out pretty quick. I've always wanted to try this place and overall am glad we did read more

This place has been on our list for awhile and we finally went with a group of 4. We heard that it's an old town Scottsdale staple. We went with the Mediterranean menu for $89 per person because we imagined it to be easier than trying to decide what to order from the extensive menu. Bread was brought out first along with a white sauce. The white sauce wasn't explained to what it was but as we looked around we saw people dipping their bread in it. It tasted like garlic ranch dressing. It was good. But it was different to serve with bread vs butter or olive oil. But okay. First up was the braised mushrooms with garlic and sherry. The portion was perfect for the four of us and the mushrooms were cooked well. Next was the stuffed peppers, dates, and cheese. There were 4 pieces of each item and all on one plate. I would have preferred if they played each taps separately. Then was the shrimp and garlic wine sauce. This came with enough so each person got 2 pieces of shrimp. Next was the grilled tenderloin skewers. Four small skewers with one bite of beef. Next was the lamb chops. Again 4 chops Finale was the lobster paella. Now this was the star of the show. It had 4 large lobster tails and other seafood. The portion was large. I have only had paella once before and this one was good but there wasn't a crispy bottom you would expect for paella. Overall I am giving them less than 5 stats because 1- the server never explained what the dishes were. They would just put it on the table and walk away. 2-the portions made me wonder how much more you would have received if you just ordered a la carte. 3- there wasn't much flavor on everything. I am not familiar with traditional Spanish cuisine to know if that's normal or not. For the price at $89 per person I guess I just expected more. read more

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Music and dancers are amazing! I normally go for a drink, an appetizer and the music!! I love this establishment it is so underrated! Staff is so friendly and the bartenders know about wine! Love the Spanish Sauvignon Blanc. Will be back for the great food and great music. read more

I ordered a soda water with lime and mint and they charged me $8.00 for it as a virgin mojito LOL. When I asked about it they took it down to $5 and told me all soda is $5. Which whatever. But I'm pretty sure club soda should be free. Not returning here on pure principle of that being a way to just raise client checks to increase tip percentage. Seems like a dishonest establishment who is not willing to make it right & values $5 more than their reputation. Food was alright, nothing impressive tho. read more

Tapas Papa Frita - Spanish Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

The food was fantastic. The service was impeccable. The entertainment was so fun. We had a great time. read more

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Confused, slow service. People seated after us had their orders taken as we sat waiting. Actually, the waiter came, started to take our order and left as we were still ordering. The food was terrible. The shrimp was fishy. The appetizer we ordered came AFTER our entrees. We asked them to not bring it at all. The paella was SANDY and the clams unopened (as pictured). I was chewing on literal sand. The music and flamenco was the reason we came. But it doesn't come close to making up for the terrible experience. Go anywhere else but here. As I was here I remembered I had an equally terrible experience about 4 years ago. I thought maybe I was remembering incorrectly. But no. It's terrible. The best guess I have is that it's a tourist trap at best. Avoid at all costs. read more

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Excellent food, service and ambiance. The night we were there they had a Spanish guitar and flamenco dancer.

This isn't really my thing. Severely overpriced food that was okay, nothing spectacular, but nice location and atmosphere.

Great food and great ambience with trees and lights at the side of the canal. They were busy and accommodating. All our food was delicious. Owner served dessert and sat with us talking about restaurants and his history and family. What a great time! read more

Jorge was the BEST waiter! Exceptional service and great food..Lo quiero mucho!!! We will definitely come back again

We hadn't been here in four years (before Covid) and we were hoping the vibe and atmosphere hadn't changed since we last visited. It didn't. It's still the vibrant and fun restaurant we remember. Highly recommend making reservations ahead of time since it's always packed, especially on weekend nights with the live music and dancing. Our waiter, Braulio, and Chef Joseph were amazing and so kind. Chef Joseph is not only the owner but the chef, and he was so fun to talk to. I think it helped that my husband has the same name haha! We cleared out the garlic dip and basket of bread (they should bottle up and sell that sauce...it's so good). We also ordered the paella de pollo, the ox tail and the flan. All were fantastic! With two drinks, a tapa to start, two dishes, and a dessert, we found the prices more reasonable than we anticipated, which made the night even better. We will be back again soon! read more

Tapas Papa Frita - Paella De Pollo and Ox Tail - Spanish Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

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Maybe it's just me? Maybe I don't like Spanish food that much? We sat in a lovely table outside with heat lamps overlooking the water. We always see this restaurant during Canal Convergence and it's always packed so it's been on my list for years. I made Open Table reservations and indicated my husband's bday but they didn't acknowledge at all. Why bother asking? I left not being totally amazed but spent $170 with tip (no drinks!). We both ordered a Spanish tasting menu. I ordered the vegan one for $48 and my husband ordered the regular for $59. The kid meals (one Mac and cheese that tasted only of butter--she wanted the pizza but was informed it was tiny so...). My son got the chicken strips and fries, which were sizable. Both good portions for kids at about $10 each. One order of free bread but then you have to pay $5 for additional baskets which I had to do because the tapas needed bread (who eats a bowl of roasted red peppers without something to eat them on?!). Tapas came all on one plate. We would've preferred the come separately. Our kids got their food first but they are 10 and 12 so definitely didn't need early meals. Paella was just okay. I've had better. My husband's was incorrect; he got the $60 super seafood one but he would've preferred the one with a mix of seafood, sausage, and chicken. He ate it anyway because he's not one to turn back food but it was preferred (despite being more expensive on the menu). Would've ordered wine but it was listed generically for the glasses and they were about $15 per glass still. Who wants to order a $15 glass of "North American" merit? Also no draft beers. Other than the ambiance and nice server we had, I wouldn't call this one a win. Just okay all around. read more

Where to begin... I came in with low expectations based on other reviews, but unfortunately, the experience was even worse than I had anticipated. The patatas bravas were essentially frozen hash browns with a bland tomato sauce--I know because I've used the same in the food industry. The croquettes were served cold, and our waitress was incredibly slow, failing to ask if we wanted bottled water and not replacing our silverware after the appetizer. The main course was the biggest disappointment. For $59, i received a meager plate with five cold items: one date, one mini skewer, frozen garlic shrimp that were still cold, and some sautéed mushrooms. As for the paella, it didn't even come close to being authentic. The rice was soggy, overcooked, and completely flavorless, with no sign of the crispy bottom that defines a proper paella. Overall, it was an underwhelming and overpriced experience for more than $200.... read more

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I really think there should be more tapas spots. I love to taste everything, and sharing tapas is such a great date night or friend night out. We were a party of eight and chose the special "taste of spain" menu for $54 per person. It included the six most popular tapas and the amazing seafood paella. (See photo of descriptions). Every bite was amazing and unique. We all enjoyed talking about the flavors and our favorites. We didn't have room for dessert, but we finished the night with a digestif. Licor 43 is a golden drink made of secret ingredients only known to the Zamora family. It was a nice and interesting end to the meal. To make it even more special, you are entertained with lovely singing, guitar playing, and Flamenco dancing. The interior of the restaurant is colorful and bright with string lights. It is a lively and louder environment. The patio is romantic with lights above and the canal running alongside. I'm not the one to ask, but from what I read in reviews, this is considered a very authentic Spanish restaurant. I can promise you it was beautiful, delicious and fun! read more

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What a fun restaurant! The decor is beautiful! They had live music on the patio (surprising for a Sunday night) which we were able to enjoy inside the restaurant as well. We started with the sangria - had both red & white which were delicious. They also serve a rose and sparkling sangria, and have an extensive wine list. Just to make things easy, we ordered the chefs special menu at $59 per person. We especially enjoyed the shrimp, roasted, stuffed red pepper and the bacon wrapped date. Other included tapas were manchego and marinated mushrooms. We used the delicious bread to soak up the sauce. The dishes were beautifully presented. The special included paella - chicken, sausage, shrimp, clams and mussels. The portion was huge! Ended dinner with a shared serving of flan. The service was very good - the chef and owner even came out to our table! We were able to score free parking in a garage right next to the restaurant. Highly recommend Tapas Papa Frita. read more

Food is overall decent, we have been multiple times and have tried multiple tapas even Paellas (which took sometime to arrive as any paella), the ambiance is nice considering is right by the canal. They also have good drinks and great music. Servers are very attentive read more

Tapas Papa Frita - Flame-broiled lamb chops - Spanish Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

Five stars is for the fantastic service! We stopped in just to grab a drink and a light appetizer while waiting for family to arrive for a special event that was going on along the canal. We were seated on the outside patio where we had a perfect view for "people watching" and our server was very prompt in taking our order. We explained we wanted something light and she recommended the Garbanzos Matxcados, which is a hummus served with this amazing bread! The hummus was absolutely delicious! It did have a spicy taste to it, but nothing overpowering. The bread was served warm and the only downside was that we had a lot of hummus for the amount of bread that came with it. Our server was willing to bring us more, but we knew we wanted to keep it "light"... Since this restaurant is a tapas place, we were hoping they carried imported beer from Spain (Super Bock), but unfortunately they do not. My husband settled on his usual and I got a glass of the recommended sparkling Sangria. I must say, I was not disappointed! Unfortunately, we didn't try anything else on the menu, but from the looks of it and the crowd that was building up, the food must be good. We will surely have to try more the next time we are in Scottsdale. read more

Tapas Papa Frita - Garbanzos Matxcados and some sparkling Sangria - Spanish Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

My husband and I walked in just as they were opening for the day and they were wonderful. The chef/owner was there and was so kind and enthusiastic about the food. The tapas we had were outstanding - definitely get the lamb chops, tortilla española, and the croquetas. The sangria was also delicious. This was the most authentic Spanish food I've had since I spent a year in Spain. We will definitely be back the next time we are in Scottsdale! read more

Can't go wrong with this place. Food was incredible, atmosphere was amazing and the flamingo dancers were so entertaining.

Very delicious food and good service!The entertainment was very good,love this place. read more

Tapas Papa Frita - Best paella - Spanish Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

We sat out on the patio on a beautiful Scottsdale evening. The paella and the pork tenderloin was very good. Nice date night atmosphere. Definately sit outside. read more

I absolutely love this place. The service is absolutely amazing. I dropped in for a light snack with a friend. We shared a couple of small tapas dishes that absolutely hit the spot. I didn't even think to take a picture before I ate it because it was so yummy looking. I will definitely be back read more

Very noisy and the service was bad! Our waiter rushed through the meal, delivered our check while we were still eating, and before we had a chance to ask about dessert. We felt rushed and unappreciated. read more