Great food, wonderful atmosphere. The seafood paella is our favorite dish. Definitely recommend

Very nice restaurant with amazing food. We ordered a few different dishes to try, and we were very satisfied with our selection. Finished off the great meal with the dolce de Leche cheesecake, which was amazing. Plan to return to Boca next time I visit Hickory. read more

Consistently the best in Hickory. Moved here in March of 21' and been here 4 times. Always great service and great food. Whatever they are doing they are doing it right. Wait staff is excellent. They always provide knowledgeable and friendly service. Food speaks for itself. read more

This restaurant has one of the best desserts in Hickory. It is the best dessert in Hickory. I'm not going to tell you which one it is, you will have to try all of them. Just kidding I will give you a hint... It's not the one you may expect when you read the dessert list. read more

Visiting with my favorite love of my life we took a blind chance eating out in a unknown place. We were dressed for a special occasion the atmosphere was lovely, I chose the Paella my favorite as it's rare to find anywhere, having the best many times, I was horribly dissatisfied, it was more mush taste was nothing, vegetables were smashed chicken was little to no on mush. No flavor, the pan was full and would of been plenty. It was disappointing to say the least. Grateful to go to a live music event that brought more pleasure than food. For $26 for a dish that is worth it with effort I feel horribly robbed. Today a paella dish popped up and it was worth $26.00. If your steaks are priced up to $50 I would not gamble on that now. read more

The manager is very nice my husband is Cuban and close to home cooking service was always great

Food, service, ambience are all great. One of Hickory's best places. Recommend to everyone.

Great Tapas restaurant. Newly changed menu. Started with piquillos... just wonderful with goat cheese stuffing Roasted cauliflower was quite good Moroccan chicken was great. Well spiced and rich Pulpo a la gallega was an excellent preparation of octopus Rabbit sausage over white beans was also very good Overall an eclectic and deep menu Great service Great presentation Interesting wine list at about 2x retail but great choices $20 corkage Worth a visit read more

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I've been to Boca several times and never been disappointed. Tapas and several large plates on the menu. Good salads and some very good tapas to try without drastic financial risk. I had a delicious wedge salad and a lamb shank that was not fatty with Lima beans and arugula. Interesting combinations all good. Can get expensive if everyone orders large plates. Very good wines but only a few by the glass. read more

I'm only an occasional visitor to Hickory, but I know enough to say that this establishment is a welcome addition to the local restaurant scene. My understanding is that it is owned by the former owner of Youssef's (now the Rule Cafe and Wine Bar). The theme is a fusion of tapas and Morrocan foods, and the results are delicious! The atmosphere is very modern and stylish, with the setting in an old factory. The menu is primarily (but not exclusively) tapas. I've tried just about every one, and they are consistently excellent. Among my favorites i the fave beans and rabbit sausage, the shrimp tacos, and the kebabs, but they are all winners. I also want to mention the excellent cocktails...we tried both the old fashioned and the manhattan -- both with oversized ice cubes of different shapes. Expertly crafted. The wine list seems comprehensive enough, although I only tasted the Bordeaux blend by the glass, which was excellent. Finally, the desserts are each outstanding. They disappeared before I could write down their names, though ;) read more

We went here for my husband's birthday dinner. Sadly, the food was NOT what we were expecting. Super disappointing.

Amazing food with great service. Great atmosphere with knowledgeable staff with recommendations for your tastes

Another shining example of a Great experience in a great place. Youssef and the crew at Boca set a standard that so few can approach. The tapas never disappoint and the service exceeds exceptional! read more

We go there regularly and love it. Awesome staff, service and food. Just a wonderful place to dine. You can eat anywhere but you dine here. read more

Went on 5/12/2023 for a special occasion. We were seated promptly (had reservations for 7:30) . After waiting for 20 plus minutes at our table with no acknowledgement from any staff we left. Staff did not even look our way...I would guess that the staff working in the area did not consider our location as their assignment. Anyway the food is usually excellent here and the service much better than what we received on this date. read more

This is a really solid tapas place in Hickory. We had a multi-generational dinner here and I was pleasantly surprised that everyone was able to find something that they enjoyed. The portions were really large for tapas (considered small plates) and there were some great items for adventurous eaters. Between 4 people we ordered 10 menu items and it was WAY more food than we could finish. The one downside was our service was REALLY slow. The entire table went 5-10 minutes without water TWICE during our dinner, which seems odd since the place only had about 6 occupied tables. Server was nice but inattentive. Pro tip: Stagger your ordering to make sure that you have a good flow of plates (you may want your veggie dishes to come before your hearty meat dishes) and it will also help you prevent over-ordering. read more

Love the food; by far my favorite restaurant in Hickory. Service is impeccable and the atmosphere is lovely.

Words can't describe. Perfection. Every plate is astonishing.. but the hidden gem and off the menu special plate is the red snapper.

Boca is in a nice location with nice decor & ambiance, with upscale prices. I've been here twice now, in both cases the restaurant was lively and very busy. The menu consists of small plates & a selection of large plates, with a selection made to meet the desires of everyone. Seafood, meats, cheeses, and vegetables. When you're seated, water carafes are supplied and generally kept full. This is unfiltered city water. Tonight we ordered a variety of plates including roasted cauliflower, brussel sprouts, sliders, edamame, soups, and more. Brussel spouts and cauliflower came out first. The brussel sprouts were notably undercooked and tough, without any interesting flavor-just brussel sprouts . Cauliflower was unremarkable in flavor and grilled but not undercooked. Edamame was served in a tasty zingy Asian sauce but also notably undercooked. Sliders were served on buns that were cold, as in refrigerated. Perhaps this was intended but I found it unusual. Drinks ordered were served within 5-10 minutes and were quite good. Both creative and well crafted. Their cucumber gimlet is excellent. A jalepeno infused margarita is also a great choice. Other cocktails were ordered at the table and they did not disappoint. Regular drinks at the table were fine though not-sweet tea was frequently refilled with sweet. Drinks do frequently go empty for extended periods of time. Our party did not try deserts tonight, though on a prior visit they were excellent. Overall, the preparation of signature tapas and large plates leaves much to be desired at these price points. This is not an inexpensive restaurant and a dish as simple as brussel sprouts at almost $10 for a small plate should not be undercooked. The cocktails are consistently excellent, regardless. read more

Food was FANTASTIC! We had the grilled Caesar, tomato basil soup, naan, spicy edamame, and the cheese tray! The service was terrible. Waiter was nonexistent. read more

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Wow. Again, wow! If you're looking for a place that doesn't serve burgers or chicken fingers, then this is your place. For those of you also wondering about this restaurant, tapas are small plates of food. They also have regular portions but the majority of the menu is all small portions which means you get to try several foods like rabbit sausage and Naan. Yes, it was all delicious! The servers are top notch so they can help you through the process if you're new. The ambiance is amazing and the food is high quality. It's on the pricey side but well worth it. read more

The best ambient and food in Hickory! I have been at Boca several times and the food is consistently outstanding.

Great food. Love the restaurant ambiance. Good menu variety. Portions were just right.

I thoroughly enjoyed my first visit to Boca last night. I love the Moroccan and Spanish flavors that are found throughout much of the menu. The Moroccan calamari was not what we were expecting as calamari tends to be deep fried around here, but I loved the complex Moroccan sauce it was in, mildly spicy and rich. The spicy edamame were delicious. The Moroccan lamb shank was amazing. The meat was so tender and again, the sauce was dark, complex and flavorful. The desserts were incredible, both the beignets and the limoncello cake. The drinks were great, the atmosphere was nice and our server Brittany was excellent. I look forward to trying many other items on the menu and am already planning a return trip. In full disclosure I should mention my wife didn't necessarily share all my enthusiasm, only because she doesn't get into international flavors like I do. If you're like her you're in luck - there are plenty of other restaurants around that serve the same old steak, burgers, chicken and shrimp & grits you've eaten for years. Go to Boca's website and look at the menu. If you like what you see (as I did) you will certainly enjoy the experience. The Moroccan flavors were delicious and complex. read more

Absolutely amazing menu with excellent food. Service was great (but we were also the first dinner party seated). Will definitely return.

Stopped by for dinner Friday night. I had looked at this place multiple times, but they were always booked when I was checking it out. They had one spot left Friday and n I took it. It was a 8:30 appt. We were seated promptly, and the hostess was nice. That was the last bit of kindness we experienced. Our server was crap, to say the least. An older male, on the smaller side. We ordered cokes to start. Not really a date night nor were we in the mood for drinking. We were just looking for a quick bite. We ordered a bunch of different tapas. Street corn, mushrooms, sliders, tacos, naan... all were pretty good. We watched our server walk by multiple times and never even bother to look our way. Perhaps because I had a hoodie on and ordered a coke... not really sure why, but it definitely felt like he assumed that we were a different type of customer than we actually are. Like he felt we didn't deserve to be there. Maybe we weren't big spenders. Maybe we didn't look like the type to tip well. He's clearly mistaken. Last weekend we ate at Steak 48. If you're unaware of what this is-- look it up. Maybe 3-4 weeks ago, we ate at The Cellar. These are some of charlottes top, most expensive restaurants. We ALWAYS tip well and spend quite a bit eating out. We never got a refill. Never asked how we liked anything. Never once said can I interest you guys in some dessert? We have an excellent ... NOTHING. Honestly, I couldn't wait to get out of there. So unfortunate because hickory's food scene is severely lacking. I'll keep to my charlotte eats if this is how you guys treat people. Don't make assumptions about the type of customer you have. The people you would look at sometimes and think they don't have a dime, have more than you could ever imagine. I hope he sees this and takes into account how he made us feel. Super disappointed. read more

Really delicious food (highly recommend the Brussels sprouts and paella) and great atmosphere! Really unexpected how wonderful it was - keep up the great work! read more

a beautiful restaurant that is both elegant & cozy. The lighting is perfect as many restaurants are too bright. Excellent diverse menu options that range from classic items like paella to creative twists tike Morrocan calamari. We had a few items & all were excellent and when one item was slightly overcooked it was whisked away no explanation needed. The bartender is a true master of his craft and so friendly we made our night. We dont live close but would make the hour ride to eat here again. read more

I hadn't been to Boca in quite some time. The atmosphere is very pleasing and later in the evening a solo guitarist provided enjoyable background music. While our wait person was very pleasant, the waitstaff attire was quite unappropriate for the "feel" of the restaurant. The cocktail menu was varied and my Grey Lady was quite tasty. Someone in our party of 7 said the reviews of the paella were all the rave and so I chose that for my entree along with a nice glass of Sangiovese. I was soooo disappointed in the paella. The peas were so overdone they looked like they had been cooking for days. The rice was not the traditional saffron golden yellow color but a drab grey. If there was chorizo in the dish, it was so ground up that it was indistinguishable. A traditional paella, while it varies from area to area in Spain, usually has some pork in it also. The chicken in this dish was mush. It really did seem like it had been made days before and was reheated - sticking to the dish- prior to being served. There were absolutely no distinguishing tastes in the paella. Having said that, the dessert, my pot of creme, was thick and luscious and the hazelnut crisp was a scrumptous bite inside. Unfortunately, a tapas restaurant, based upon Spanish tradition I believe, should not be caught without and esspresso machine. The bar, while well stocked for the variety of cocktails, did not have Sambucca that would have gone so well for an after dinner esspresso. Another person in our party ordered the special fried lobster tail that came on a small plate with no garnish and a plastic cup of honey mustard sauce. The shrimp tacos another person had were very enjoyable and the kebob was also quite tasty. Our side of mushrooms were so overcooked and almost black looking. So, some good, some bad, and some down right ugly. Not sure if I will be back again. Connie from Hickory. read more

A wonderful treat! Always delicious and relaxing. I love the tapas. Service is exceptional too.

The tapas are awesome! We had a party of four recently and enjoyed sharing numerous tapas and desserts. Our waitress was very helpful and attentive read more

Drinks were great food super delicious Amazing servers Simply the Best restaurant in hickory NC read more

We loved this place, nice quiet spot for a romantic dinner. The food was amazing, we went with the house made pub chips with blue cheese, the Moroccan beef sliders and the chicken paella! We even had dessert, the limoncello marscapone cake was incredibly light and moist with the right amount of lemon! We will be back! read more

What a great surprise! I met a friend here for dinner and was thoroughly impressed. The ambiance was fantastic as well as the food. We had the bruschetta to start with, which was very tasty. My only critique is that the bread was a little hard for my taste, but it's supposed to be crispy. Then we had the traditional paella and mac and cheese for dinner, both are highly recommended. Our waitress was Ariel and she was so super friendly and outgoing and made the experience. Thanks for a great Friday evening! read more

Always top notch food and service. I constantly recommend this place. It can be a bit expensive for big boys like myself though. You have to order a lot of items due to the tapas style serving. The entrees a large portion though. The paella is good for two meals. read more

Great food, Great hospitality, Great atmosphere and the manager honored me on my birthday. How awesome is that! We left with our bellies' full and my heart full! read more

If you're from a large metropolitan area, want to skip the heavy southern favorites, and find yourself in Hickory, I encourage you to go to Boca. This menu was a lovely mix of Spanish and Mediterranean style tapas, some regular sized entrees and a couple of pizza options. There is a nice wine list including a generous selection of wines by the glass. They also have a nice craft cocktail menu. We were a party of 16 and the service was on point. We shared several tapas options as appetizers-- the naan is a safe choice, as well as the meatballs, and roasted cauliflower. I chose the halibut with lemony risotto and sautéed spinach as my entree. The halibut was cooked perfectly. The risotto was a nice texture though a little buttery for my taste. We didn't have dessert, but a few passed by our table and they looked delicious. I would return if in town again. read more

Went for Valentine's Day with my wife. The interior decor is awesome and they had some live music which was nice. We got the cod fritters which were awesome! We also got the naan with the three dips and I loved the babaganoush! My wife had the Brussel sprouts and loved them and I had the Moroccan beef sliders and they were good as well! read more

Service and food is excellent. Terrific cocktails and wonderful live dinner music. Perfect for sharing and trying new things. We loved the sausage plate and the authentic chicken tangine. read more

My husband and I came in last night for dinner. It was amazing. We ordered 7 different tapas! It was too hard to choose one or two. He loved the bruchetta and I was obsessed with the brussel sprouts. Also a hit were the shrimp tacos and chicken tagine. We didn't like the macaroni and cheese at all. It was bland and largely untouched. We also felt lukewarm about the Mediterranean sliders, which were a bit dry and needed more of the sauce. That was ok with us though! Service was great and prompt. We will definitely be back soon. Those brussel sprouts though... read more