I came here with a group of 6 and we ordered one of everything on the tapas portion of the menu, and one arugula salad to share. I did not try anything with pork or seafood, but my fellow diners loved the Caramel Ginger Shrimp and Drunken Clams on Fire. They said they could do without the Maple Braised Slab Bacon. My favorite dish was the Beer Braised Beef Short Rib, it had great flavor and salt level; it was pieced on a skewer so it was easy to eat and share (as were all of the dishes). I could have done without the Hummus and Chips, it was good, but it was a LOT of food, even with the items I had ruled out. Fried Olives were quite interesting. The Chicken Lettuce Wrap was also good, but would rather not fill up on a dish I could get at a chain corporation restaurant. The Jalepeno Rasberry Beef kebab was cooked to perfection. For dessert we shared the Fruit Crisp a la Mode and ice cream flight. I loved the peppermint ice cream, but didn't care for the microbrew beer and blood orange flavors. The wait staff was just the perfect amount helpful and friendly. The atmosphere was a cozy, happening basement bar that attracted a happy and pleasant crowd. The only negative was that parking around dinnertime on a Saturday night was a pain, but very worth it. read more

Tapastre - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

I really don't understand the great reviews of this place. Perhaps it was an off day? Came with just a couple friends to catch up... the host didn't greet us and when I asked for a table, he acted like there weren't any. This was prior to 6pm and 95% of the place was empty. He sat us after hemming and hawing over where we could fit but was nice enough. After good drinks with an average meal, the host told us we had to get up because the table was reserved. When he sat us, ALL he had to do was say, hey guys I'm really sorry but at 7pm this table is reserved. OR when he was acting awkward when we walked in, he could have explained nicely that they are packed with reservations tonight and so sorry they just can't fit us in. Almost anything would have been better than telling us to get up after purchasing drinks and bunch of small plates. I think the host did feel bad about the situation, but I don't get why he wouldn't have said something at the beginning of the dinner. You're a small place. I get it. Just be upfront with customers. The waiter was nice but gave us the wrong cash change on the bill. Nearly cracked my tooth on a pit of a fried olive. ALL the olives were pitted except one... read more

Two couples met for food and drink here on a spring Saturday night. We had a round of drinks at the bar while we waited for our table. The bartenders were attentive even though the place was standing room only. Well mixed cocktails but how hard is a cosmo and a vodka/soda? Incredible: The Maple Braised Slab Bacon (Thick-Cut Applewood Smoked Nueske Bacon, Maple Reduction) was incredible. Let's just say I think we ordered it 4 or 5 times throughout the evening. Very good: Drunken Clams on Fire (Littleneck Clams, Crushed Red Pepper, Jalapenos, Beer & Tomato Broth). Good: The Chicken Lettuce Wraps (Seasoned Chicken & Mushrooms, Toasted Peanuts, Hoisin Sauce, Julienned Cucumber & Carrots) Our server was personable, he understand were where there just to "hang out" (drink and nosh all night)...we must have ordered 4-5 rounds of drinks and 4-5 rounds of tapas - no rush, chill evening. read more

Really great brunch menu and service was quick and efficient. Would love to come every Sunday!

I came here over span of 4 years with my husband and a group of friends. First time was really good, hubby loved his flight of beers and I really enjoyed my fig martinis. we ordered a bunch of different tapas which were good. Second time was with friends. Same outcome. Another great night outing and I remember telling hubby that we were lucky to live near here. However 3rd and last trip wasn't good. We went on a Friday evening, leaving our kids at home with babysitter. Entered the place that was empty which I thought was strange for Friday evening, and remembered a horrible foul smell. It was coming from the floor/carpet that made us leave immediately. I really want to like this place, so will return soon this summer to try one more time. read more

Food is really good here as are the drinks. Great beer selection, and interesting cocktail concoctions. Service was on the questionable side in my opinion. To be specific our waiter Colin was good, but we generally didn't feel welcome from the moment we got there. A group of us walked in to a half empty restaurant and asked for a table for 12. We were greeted with "do you have a reservation?" to which we honestly replied that we did not. I get it, a party that size should call for a reservation but there were several tables available including one that would accommodate us. After some discussion we were seated at one of the tables. Long story short, we were made to feel like we were inconveniencing the staff by asking them to seat our party. Also it appeared as if the staff was constantly looking over in our direction and making comments to each other. read more

Sat at the bar for happy hour. Our team tried most of the appetizers. Best bite was the truffle pizza. Otherwise pretty unremarkable food. Three star only because the bartender was great. He kept it fun while drinks were flowing read more

Food was fantastic! Susan, was fantastic, very friendly, informative, and made my family very comfortable. I would say that Susan made our week! Thank you Tapastre for the amazing food. Thank you Susan for the hospitality!!! read more

Waited almost 30 minutes for someone to come and take our order. They only have one cider available and don't even offer American cheese for the build your own burger option and I wasn't asked how I wanted my burger cooked. Had to wait another 15 minutes for someone to come by so I could ask for the check read more

Definitely recommend the beer flights. Great selection. Apps were great too. Calamari n ginger caramel shrimp.

Great spot for a beer or cocktail after work. The patio provides a welcome space to relax when the weather allows. Hands down the best craft beer selection you can find in the area, and the taps rotate frequently to keep things exciting. read more

Some of these reviews are ABSURDLY harsh. Tapestre is one of my favorite places in the area. Beer flights with an incredible beer list. Amazing food, (try the IPA soup), and cozy interior with mood lighting. I come here to hang out with friends and sip craft beers. I saw a review that stated they thought it was absurd a craft beer would be 8$ and they would rather drink a bud. LOL. Craft beer always costs more in comparison to garbage beer. If you are someone that thinks it best to drink Bud, then this place is not for you and you will not understand the dynamic of a restaurant/bar like this. Anyway, keep doing what you're doing! Love you guys. read more

This place really had the potential to be amazing; but I was unimpressed. Romantic atmosphere (despite being a little dark), with a legit beer list; tons of great craft beers on tap too. Service was EXTREMELY PAINFULLY SLOW; (the bar was packed, so beers took a while to even be poured) but the waitress always made an effort to pop by making sure we were okay- even bringing us an order of fried olives 'on the house' after it took an upwards of 40 minutes for our food to come out. We decided to go the 'tapas' route, even after eyeing the burgers and sandwiches at the next table over. Pulled Pork Sliders: tangy bbq sauce, dry stale buns, flavorless pork Scallop Wraped Bacon: we thought it was a typo, but indeed it was a scallop stuffed with bacon? not even sure how that happened but the scallop was rubbery and the bacon was soggy and.. just... no. Cajun Crab Cakes with with 'Dirty Rice': the crab cakes were lacking the lump crap meat I crave, but the dirty rice was the perfect pairing with the remoulade drizzled over it. Duck Crepes: (Shredded Duck Confit, Spiced Almonds, Micro Basil, Cointreau Reduction, Caramelized Fennel & Onion) I had to order these, and they met my expectations and the perfect balance between savory and sweet. Maple Braised Bacon Slab: exactly what you'd expect. Thick cut bacon with delicious sticky maple-ness with each bite. A little fatty; but hey- it's bacon. Our friend also ordered a burger and he claims it was 'the best burger' he's had in years. I would like to return here to try our hand at some of the other tapas; but I wish they had a smaller selection done right; rather than a huge list of tapas that are just 'so-so'. read more

I have been here more than 5 times for work and recently found this place! I wish there was a neighborhood place like this in DC near me. $10-12 craft cocktails. Good atmosphere, great upscale bar food and top 3 ever for french fries. Colin and Steve created some creat cocktails each unique and delicious. If you are ever in Somerville/Bridgewater area you have to come here. read more

Was looking for so long for a Tapas place and I think we finally found our match. Good small plate options to share with the table! We had the crab cakes, short ribs and beef skewers. All very good. Service was attentive and cocktail menu was very diverse as well. Definitely will be back to this Tapas spot. read more

Dee-lish-us! :) Went here with 5 people and after reading others' reviews, we ordered 9 dishes for us to share (2 were doubles, as we were told the portions were particularly small of them) Pimientos Rellenos (Roasted Piquillo Peppers stuffed with Rice, Serrano Ham and Manchego Cheese) - 2 came on a plate, so we got 2 orders...VERY good, little oily, but taste was yummy Truffled Pork Pizza (San Marzano Sauce, Fresh Mozzarella, Slow Roasted Pork, Shaved Black Truffles, Truffle Oil and Scallions)- very thin and crispy crust, pork was an unusual topping for me but very good. I would've eaten it as a meal and been satisfied. Tapastre Trio (Sundried Tomato Confit, Hummus, Tapenade, Warm Onion Pita, Crudites)- I'm not a big fan of tapenade, but everyone else who likes olives loved it. The hummus was very tahini tasting and was great on the fresh fluffy pita Ouzo Glazed Boneless Beef Short Ribs(Cucumber -Tomato -Feta Salad with Tahini Vinaigrette)- we had 2 orders of this, very very soft meat, almost like a stew. The salad was exceptional Dolmathakia (Rice, Feta and Spinach Stuffed Grape Leaves)- I'm not usually a dolmathakia kind of girl, but these were great. The feta/rice balance was spot on and the grape leaves weren't too salty. Chermoula Beef Kabob (Certified Angus Beef, Algerian Style Chermoula Marinade, Fruited Pearl Couscous)-mmmmmm, cinnamony Moroccan flavored beef and couscous. The couscous was so sweet and creamy, I'd love to get a recipe! Falafel Salad (Crispy Chickpea Patties, Baby Mixed Greens, Tahini Vinaigrette, Tatziki, Harissa, Onion Pita) - Fabulous falafels and pita, could've done without the vinaigrette but it was good. For dessert we had the Triple Chocolate Bread Pudding and Banana Chocolate Chip Cake. The bread pudding was a little dry for our tastes, but the cake was wonderful, just needed another 10 minutes out of the fridge to warm up. The dinner far surpassed the dessert, and even though I sampled so many types of food I didn't go home overstuffed. Yay! I would definitely go back here and try more! read more

Whoa! They weren't kidding when they said $$$!! I went with some friends the other day for something different. Three of us were eating so we got 4 dishes and split them. Seared Scallops, Bacon Pesto, Pine Nut Pancetta Sandies - The pesto was amazing, the scallops melted in your mouth, but were very tiny (looks like they used one scallop and cut it in fouths). The sandies were weird. I don't think I've ever wanted to eat a shortbread cookie with my seafood (nor will i ever want to) Cassoulet - White Beans, Duck Confit, Bacon and Housemade French Garlic Sausage - This dish was OK. My first bite into the sausage reminded me of camping. VERY smoky. Not my favorite dish of the night. Truffled Pork Pizza - San Marzano Sauce, Fresh Mozzarella, Slow Roasted Pork, Shaved Black Truffles, Truffle Oil and Scallions - This dish was good. the sauce was tasty, but I still have no idea what a truffle tastes like. Fried Olives - Stuffed with Gorgonzola, Panko Breaded - YUM! This was my favorite dish. I love dirty martinis and I could eat these all day! Luckily i was the only one that liked them so i got them all to myself. We also had dessert. Banana Chocolate Chip Cake - dense. blah... Lavender Creme Brulee - mmmm I would go back just for this (and the fried olives) Of course, if I did ever go back i wouldn't be drinking. Our food bill for 3 came to a little over $65 (not HORRIBLE but not enough for our money). Our drink bill came to over $85 WHAT?! House wine... House vodka... and we all walked away stone cold sober?! I'm glad we got out to try something different, but next time I think I'll stick to my good old standbys! read more

Loved it! My husband came here one night for drinks and he was bummed that the kitchen was closed. So, we checked it out he recommended it. It was 8pm on a Saturday night and we had our 10 month daughter with us. I have never been so I was hoping it wasn't to fancy especially with a kid. It was beautiful inside & everyone was soooo friendly. Some of the items we tried: Calamari - good (would skip next time) Pulled pork sliders- good Bacon- AMAZING Short ribs - great! Brie- Delicious! - my favorite I has a glass of Sangria and it was perfect. Not to sweet but delicious! There is a huge amount of beers on tap and can't wait to come back and try some more food!! read more

Love this place- great vibes, great atmosphere, great service, great mixed drinks & great food. I really like how their food & drink menus change and they always have interesting selections. They are constantly coming around filling up your water glass & you can tell all the food is fresh and cooked to perfection. I went with a group of 9 people last night & we were all extremely pleased. read more

See all

I can only review about the drinks, since we were there for a happy hour last Saturday, but I thought they were excellent. We arrived at the bar at about 5:30pm and the place was empty, so it was easy to find a seat. I started with the dirty blue martini...and man, it was good. Just the perfect amount of olive juice taste for me...and it came with Gorgonzola stuffed olives that were extra yummy. My friends had everything from beer and wine to Manhattans and martinis, and everyone thoroughly enjoyed their drinks. Even though we didn't eat, the food that was coming out of the kitchen smelled great...and I definitely want to come back to eat sometime. If you're looking for a place with a spacious bar, and great drinks, definitely head here. read more

Love that their beer list is always changing and the staff is knowledgable. I can't speak about the entrees as I've only eaten dinner once, but their appetizers are wonderful. Where else can you go for a pint glass full of bacon?! Thank you for keeping your BeerMenus app up to date as well! read more

My husband and I had a great dining experience here. We ordered tapas and every plate was delicious. They have a great beer selection and unique drinks. The service was very good. We didn't realize this place was in Somerville because we are so use to just eating directly on the Main Street, but glad we found it! read more

See all

Great place, food, drinks and bartenders! I have been there lots of times and it feels warm and cozy. Very friendly staff! Highly recommended! read more

This isn't your standard Spanish Tapas restaurant...this place is your go to place for SMALL....very SMALL DISHES place. Price is high for a very small amount of food. Menu is so limited. I suggest looking at the menu before sitting down and looking at the prices. When they serve you a shrimp tapas for $11 - expect there to only be 2 shrimp. Damn good shrimp but very pricey for ONLY TWO PIECES even if they are the big shrimp. Be ready to spend a lot. Some dishes are delicious but waaaaaaaaaaayyy OVERPRICED even if you want to have some sort of filler like a rice or vegetable ( which i don't recall them having). No kids menu. read more

We've been looking for Tapas restaurants since I moved back from Washington DC and finally found this one! To be honest, the day had been pretty horrible (I was rear-ended about an hour before our reservation), so honestly, we were all just thankful to be out to dinner. The atmosphere was great, very beautiful and I love the couch-like seating in the booth we had. Our waiter was extremely attentive and came over right away to take our drink order. We ordered about 7-8 dishes to share among 3 people. Then we had some issues. It turned out two of the dishes we ordered were no longer available. Also, it was taking a long time for the food to come out (a fact we didn't notice due to earlier events!). The manager of the restaurant came over to apologize and said he would take several of our ordered dishes off our check. Very nice of him, but he probably wasted the good PR on 3 people that weren't going to complain anyway! All of the food that we actually ordered that we got was excellent. The portions were much smaller than other tapas restaurants I've been to, so I would recommend at least 3-4 plates per person. Everything was excellent, and dessert was great too! Our favorites: Brie, Pita Pizza, Pretzel-crusted crab. Definitely a place we'll return to! read more

When we first moved to the area, we had tried this restaurant... and were really impressed with the food. it was a little pricy, but good. Having not gone there in a while, we decided to buy a livingsocial deal for a tasting menu. When we arrived at the restaurant, We were seated at one of the tables against the wall. The decor seemed a little dated, but it was clean. Our waitress was just a little strange, and we really didn't like her at all.. and we really did try to give her the benefit of the doubt. Things did not change. We were allowed to order 3 tapas dishes to share, and 3 wine/beer drinks each. We asked if we could just have some soda instead of the wine, and were told no (no substitutions)... then we asked if we could order Sangria... and were told yes. Having enjoyed the White Sangria, we decided to ask for our 2nd glass... waitress told us that she gave us a bigger glass in error before, and that we could only have one more glass, that was the tasting size. Again, not really the customer service i would expect, especially since the server made the mistake... plus, 1/2 of a sangria glass is ice.. and the other 1/2 is juice.. how much wine is actually in there? As for the food, we were disappointed to see that my wife's favorite dish (the Lamb chops) was taken off the menu. We ordered the trio of sliders... they were ok. we also ordered the scallops.. this came with 3 scallops, one of which literally looked like the size of two quarters stuck together. Having watched enough hell's kitchen, we complained... and were told that they are natural, and come in different sizes. i didn't buy it, but didn't push it. Flavor was ok... although, they were overcooked. Finally we ordered a cheese dish with Arugula salad... it was huge, and just too much cheese for a tapas plate. I think the waitress was tired of us at the end, that when the she came over, she even told us that we had a desert included with our meal.... and that even before we said we would take it home, she suggested that they could pack it for us, if we didn't want to eat there. Unfortunately, we purchased 2 of these livingsocial deals... maybe we'll just get takeout one of these days, and get it over with. With so many choices in the area, i would really not return here anytime soon. read more

Another hidden Somerville treasure! I am a Tapas nut so this place was such a wonderful surprise. The menu is a "Tour of the Mediterranean" which ranges from Spain, Italy, France, The Middle East, Turkey & Greece to North Africa. I would say you can easily order 3-4 plates per person and full. If you go on a Thursday night they have a live Jazz Band playing :) Tips on what to order: Love the Octopus, Brie, Veil Loin and Grilled Filet Mignon Kabob.. yummmm read more

This review is for the bar only. They have amazing bartenders that are always attentive and courteous. The happy hour isn't as discounted as I would like it to be, but the drinks are fabulous so they're worth the money. The ambiance is great for an intimate drink for two or drinks with a few friends - both work perfectly here. The Figenza Cosmo is out of this world. I do also love their craft beer selection that is continuously rotating. Rumor has it that the upstairs may become a brewery! NJCB discount is available here. read more

See all

I found this place online, and it delivered on its promises. The pricing is reasonable, the food is good, and you can get a flight to try all of the awesome beers! Definitely recommend this place for anyone looking to try somewhere new. read more

I brought my girlfriend here for a few drinks after dinner at another Somerville restaurant. Multiple drinks on the menu were not available.... this became extremely annoying and we left after 1 drink. Maybe they should cross out what's kicked and erase it off the board so people know. read more

All of the tapas that we had were quite good. The duck confit crepes had a little touch of sweetness, and the bacon-wrapped quail special was nice and crispy on the outside but juicy and tender on the inside. The reason for the lower score is that the menu says to order all selections at once to allow them to serve your choices in courses. Despite this, all 5 of our tapas selections were served at the same time. As we were a party of 2, this left no room on the table for us to eat, and frankly it was embarrassing to have so much food on the table at once. Not to mention the fact that some of it was cold by the time we got to it. We could have easily staggered our ordering, but the waitress specifically said we should not do it that way. read more

Tapastre has been a regular lunch option for us folks working in the surrounding somerville and bridgewater locations. The spot is definitely low key and plays into the theme of being a basement unit restaurant... With that said, it's executed well. The wait staff and bartenders are all not only friendly but extremely knowledgeable on their beer lists and menu and always have suggestions readily available. They seem to actually enjoy working there. The breaded chicken sandwich and Tapastre burger are both absolutely ridiculous. I would argue Tap has the best burger in somerville AND bridgewater... Extremely flavorful, juicy and you have lightly salted chips (or if you're feeling fat and sassy:Fries) to accompany it. The bacon deliciousness is exactly what it sounds.. Delicious. I love this place. The wait time can be long at times (especially odd since half the time were the only ones in the restaurant) but the food typically comes out amazing. read more

If you are a craft beer lover than I would suggest going here very often! It consistantly has different beers on tap, and I am always amazed at them. Food is way over priced and very small portions even for tapas. If your hungry I wouldn't bother even though the food is very good. If your thirsty, go there immediatly!! read more

Date night - great apps and beer selection The fried olives were great, as were the braised short ribs. read more

If you are wearing jeans and sneakers Don't go to this place. We just came from there and it was 80% empty and they told us that they didn't have a table for us. read more

I have been here a few different times and every single one has been exceptional. Delicious, innovative food and a great atmosphere make this the perfect place for a fun date night or a group gathering. The cocktails are super interesting (I got one that changed colors as you pour it!) and the beer and wine list is usually pretty varied. It's always fun to share a bunch of tapas, and this is the perfect place. Plenty of meat free options as well. I will definitely be coming back in the near future. read more

Great beer and small plates to share. I almost always end up getting a flight of beers (five for $14, with occasional specials). The selection rotates frequently and is eclectic. The menu had two sides for two different experiences: one side is small plates to share, while the other is individual entrees. Most recently, my wife and I had duck crepes, patatas, and one of the specials. Burgers and beers at the very long bar is equally good. Reservations on the weekends (or any time to be safe) is a must as it gets busy. I've almost always done this through their website and never had a problem. Tapastre also sponsors several events in Somerville, most recently the Ocktoberfest street fair, which was lots of fun. The bottom line? I've been here many times and have no real complaints. read more

Great food. Loved the beer selection. Our server Brooke was awesome. Helped us move when the jerk at the next table couldn't stop throwing F-bombs and worse around with literally every sentence. Thanks Brooke for helping us feel comfortable despite the jackass at the next table. read more

Great local Tapas place with an amazing craft beer list and a bar that can make almost any cocktail Reasonable in price, delicious food but a bit slow for service so just relax pretend you are in Europe and it will all be fine! Particularly good on summer Fridays when you can get away from the muscle car traffic on Main Street in town for dinner after getting your fill of old cool cars. Must have unique dishes. 1-caramel shrimp 2- duck crepes 3-hot Elvis sandwich Enjoy read more

Came here on a LS deal. It took a few minutes for the wait staff to warm up but after the first interaction the service was more attentive and inviting. My friend and I ordered drinks first. We were surprised to see no vodka or gin, just whiskey, beer and wine on the menu. The wine sections were limited to essentials, California, Spain, French, Italian, German and our tasting limited us to 3 half glasses each, but the pours ended up being almost full glasses which was pleasing and appreciative. Our order was taken by the bar tender who memorized everything and got it right. We ordereed a Tapastre Trio of Hummus, Baba Ganoush and mixed marinated olives. The dish was artfully plated and the hummus and baba was some of the best Ive had at a restaurant. When we ran out of pita slices the waiter asked if we wanted more, very appreciative of his service, we did need more because no bab or hummus would be left on the plate that night! Fried Olives, a gigantic portion (from a tapas perspective) of tiny, pitted, fried olives that exceeded my initial expectations. These olives were not mush, but firm and flavorful, lightly breaded and easy to eat. The olives came with a delicious and satisfying remoulad. The crab cakes were very good. Sauted blue claw crab with hints of fennel and pepper next to a nicelty paired jicama salad and a Meyer Lemon Puree sauce. The patatas were crispy Yukon Gold Potatoes fried and served with a delicate saffron Aioli. I love a good hearty crisp potato and the portion was good enough. Tongue in Cheek was a braised veal cheek paired with a grilled Beef Tongue sererd with a smooth and flavorful stone ground polenta. Again the dish was artistically arranged taking into consideration the respective parts. Each bite was arrainged in respective order on top of a good portion of creamy polenta. This dish was a big hit with me and I want to order it again the next time I go. Finally, The Harissa Barbecue Glazed Beef Hanger Steak was another big hit, nice portion, 2 pieces of perfectly grill steak with deliciously crispy potenta fries and a unique and exciting mushroom fricassee. We finished our tasting with dessert and espresso. I ordered the "Fresh from the Oven" Madeleines, which when I ordered them the watier kindly asked if I could wait about 18 minutes, because the tiny little cakes of joy were indeed made to order fresh from the oven. Im glad I waited! The madeleines were excellent, so hot and fresh, lemony and buttery, dusted with powdered sugar. What a surprising portion, at least 10 cookies nicely arrainged in a backet! So many cookies I took a few home for Elisabeth C. to try. My friend ordered the Lava Cake, which he reported was good and I tasted, but was not my favorite. The espresso was hot and delicious served with a thin garnish of lemon peel. We were able to enjoy the entire tasting starting at 6 pm and dining until about 9 and at no time were we rushed. The dining room started to fill up around 7:30 and the whole time service was consistent. Food was delicious and plentiful, the service attentive. I will be back again! read more