Tapas, more than anything else, is an eating style. And it's one that revolves around small plates and plenty of wine. That said, I think it's totally fair to bring a restaurant's wine list into the conversation when talking about a place where "Tapas" is in the name of the business itself. While I have nothing against a short wine list, there was only one Spanish wine on the list of whites. There are were two on the reds. With prices hovering around $30 a bottle, the wines were modestly priced. However, none of the vintages were included on the list, which made me concerned. But when our bottle of Albariño arrived, it was thankfully a current vintage. I've never had a waiter cast doubt on my wine selection before, so that was new to me. He thought we might be happier with a red. However, he wasn't privy to the food we were going to order. White was definitely the right call for the night. We were there as the first snow of the season began to fall. So maybe that's why the place was understaffed. The news really likes to hype up snow fall. Perhaps the best thing we ordered was the guacamole, which was billed as being prepared at the table. However, last Thursday ours was not. The waiter did make a display of chopping at the bowl with the serving spoon as he walked it over to our table. But that's not quite the same thing. Still, that was the best thing we had to eat that night. The company was great, and I actually enjoyed the more relaxed pacing of the meal. Although my suggestion to the waiter about the order in which we would like to food to arrive was rebuffed. He told us, to let him know what we wanted to eat, and he'd take care of the rest. In the end, that worked out fine. Minus the hiccups of dropping off the wrong food at the table, twice. Well, and the food being mostly satisfactory, if unremarkable. Beyond the guacamole, there isn't really anything I would order again. Maybe we ordered wrong? Perhaps it was a mistake to go for Spanish dishes at a Mexican restaurant. I really don't know. All told, the four of us ordered six dishes, a bottle of wine, and split a flan. We all left feeling sated, and enjoyed our night out. The whole experience came to just over thirty bucks per person, including tax and tip. Which isn't bad. Especially since the waiter treated three of us to tequila shooters, which also included a bit of sprite and coffee liqueur. I abstained, since I'm not the best at driving in heavy snow on unplowed roads. Still, it was a lovely gesture. read more

Great authentic food to match the amazing and friendly customer service. The octopus, fundido, and drinks were amazing. read more

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Albany had just been approved to reopen for indoor dining during the pandemic. We were couldn't wait for a little bit of normalcy. I hadn't been to a restaurant in months, but finding one that was actually offering indoor dining seemed nearly impossible. Then, my husband and I noticed that El Mariachi Tapas was open! I think we were the first customers for lunch. The plastic curtains near the bar would take some getting use to, but the world had changed. I had sangria and fish tacos. It was all so delicious! Our server was great. She was friendly and helpful in offering us food suggestions. The decor is festive and welcoming. We were all wearing masks and practicing social distancing. Before we knew it, two more couples came in. Everyone appeared a little hesitant at first, but then one couple sat down near us, while another couple chose to sit outside. Things may never be exactly as they use to be, but El Mariachi Tapas offered us a bit of normalcy. Thanks so much for reopening and for serving up an awesome lunch! read more

El Mariachi Tapas - Great sangria. - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Albany, New York

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We came in at 6pm on a Friday. The bartender greeted us when we came in. Devoured the chips and salsa. We ordered the guacamole to start and the waiter made it fresh in a big mortar and pestle. So fresh and soooo good! Ordered the chicken burrito and the pieces of chicken were well marinated and grilled. So tasty. Ordered the chicken tacos and they were the "street taco" kind which we love. The portions were reasonable, the presentation was nice and the service great. We will come back. read more

I passed by on a Saturday around 4:30pm with my son for having an aperitif with a starter. We saw the very high ratings on yelp. Nice ambience. So we took a place at the bar for having a glas of wine and some tapas. Nice thing is - they give you the wine for tasting first also if you order by glas. Bad thing most of the wines by glas are far to long open and they do not vacuuming the bottle / so the wines are oxidizing fast. My son a chef and sommelier tasted 3 wines and decided after the 3rd to just go with a beer. I had the Ergo - a Tempranillo - it was just ok but not really good anymore (no nose). We than had the guacamole - they make it fresh / that was really good. A good spot to go - but please, please take better care for the wine -also with a limited selection you can get a lot out of it doing it the right way. read more

El Mariachi Tapas - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Albany, New York

Yes, please and more. The homemade guacamole is where it's at. You need to order this immediately upon entering. The space the tapas bar is in has always been small and cozy - so best for dates or 3 friends at the small tables. Definitely intimate. Great food and wine selection and all at good prices. Often when I'm at El Mariachi around the corner, I feel like I don't get enough value out of the dishes there. Or flavor. Here though, everything just comes together. The one ding of a star comes from one of their salads - Ensalada de Nopalitos. It came with cheese which wasn't listed, which is fine. My fault for not asking. The real issue was the dressing it came with was a pretty basic balsamic. I guess I was expecting something else and not just balsamic dressing on top of a cactus salad. This is becoming a go-to place for suggestions when meeting up with friends. Can't wait to make this more of a regular neighborhood spot. read more

El Mariachi Tapas - Delicious tacos. Shrimp & Pork are the best. - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Albany, New York

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This is a Tapas-only restaurant! It is not the place to go if you haven't eaten in 3 weeks (though, you could order two tapas if you are hungry, they're reasonably priced.) If you're already familiar with El Mariachi's main restaurant, think of their appetizer menu, slightly expanded. Portions are still adequate. With that out of the way, it's a very fun, mature atmosphere. Compared with neighboring bars, it's great for meeting with a small group of people to have Mexican and Spanish snacks over drinks. You'll be able to hear each other talk without shouting over loud music. This is a place to go when you want a good mixed drink, namely margaritas, and want to eat something that's not going to weigh you down all night. Very good place to begin your night, if you're planning a bar crawl. If you want a more expansive menu, visit El Mariachi's main Restaurant a few blocks away on Hamilton street. read more

Tried this place out on a whim and wouldn't mind coming back. The staff was very attentive and the food came quick; however the food wasn't very warm which was strange. The restaurants pretty tiny and our table was too small for the amount of food we ordered. Overall, my favorite dish was the marinated pork and pineapple tacos. Those were delicious. Other than that the rest of the food we ordered was mediocre; almost like the taco/Mexican trucks in the city. Pretty good prices though for their food. read more

I don't normally write reviews but the service and my dish, Seafood Paella, was so bad that I couldn't let it go. It was a disaster! 5 couples came into our area sat down were served and left the restaurant. We were told that it takes extra time to prepare the Paella. I don't know why, it was at best, a very under par meal, I don't suggest it, especially with a price tag of $26....rip!I've never taken issue with this resturant and hopefully this was a first and last but today was a strike out! read more

This was our first official tapas experience! It was amazing from A-Z: the ambience, music, decor and food was top notch. The service was incredible, drinks amazing. Definitely get the sangria- and the tacos! Get the Guacamole too! Oh- the staff was so accommodating and gave little snacks to our two year old. The food was authentic! read more

The first time I came here, I loved it! Fun, warm funny bartender, great food and lots of fun. Last night it was not as wonderful. Bartender seemed tired, drink was not as good and he ignored that I asked for no salt. While other patrons had bar snacks, we were not offered a nibble. It was a bit warm, too. We headed to the main restaurant, where the drinks, service, and temperature are more consistent apparently. read more

My second time visiting, and it was just as great an experience as the first time. The tacos are a phenomenal deal. Filling and delicious. If you are a slightly adventurous eater, indulge in the octopus (pulpo). It is tender and sweet, and the paprika seasoning accents it beautifully. Thanks to my bartender, Jillian, who provided excellent customer service. Attentive and very accommodating to a solo diner. read more

While visiting my parents over Thanksgiving, my friend suggested we meet up here and try it. I was excited because I love the El Mariachi on Hamilton. For a small space, there is a LOT of seating (and I didn't feel like it was crowded but maybe it's because I live in New York City and all the restaurants are tiny). The bar was really nice too, but we sat at a table. We went on Friday around 5:30 and it wasn't very busy - but that is most likely because it was the day after Thanksgiving and most people were off of work/traveling. The staff was extremely friendly & efficient - I recognized a couple of them from either the El Mariachi that used to be on Washington Ave or some other local restaurants. This place is strictly tapas - don't plan to go if you want a full entrees. They have "Mexican" and "Spanish" tapas and a decent selection for both (I would say 8 to 10 tapas to choose from each cuisine). My friend and I ordered the enchiladas, meatballs, tacos, and queso fundido (we were starving!). All was delicious and quick! We both ordered two drinks as well - I had the white sangria and she had the mojito. We were very happy with our drinks too. I think with tip for all of that food plus drinks, we paid about $35 each which I think is very reasonable. Overall, really enjoyed the atmosphere and food. I will definitely be back when I'm in Albany over the holidays! read more

Great food and great service. Tried 5 different dishes and they were all really delicious. I look forward to going back and trying every menu item. Such a nice different option for dining in the neighborhood. Excellent for a date night! read more

My husband and I had a lovely dinner at El Mariachi last night. His large bowl of squash soup was well-spiced. My melon wrapped in serrano ham tasted like tapas in Barcelona. The flan was a perfect egg custard, not vanilla pudding in a flat dish like you get in some restaurants. The wine list was diverse. The service was great. We will return! read more

Such a good variety of tapas. A new take on the authenticity and greatness of El Mariachi. read more

El Mariachi Tapas - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Albany, New York

Absolutely the best and most authentic Mexican/Spanish food in this area and probably also the best that I've ever had. What I love about the tapas location is that they make the guacamole fresh right in front of you! The menu has a beautiful selection of authentic dishes from tostadas to paella ,made from homemade recipes passed down through the family who owns the restaurant. The recipes are so specific that the head chefs are immediate family members. Also, they just recently opened a beautiful back patio for the summer! Great place to enjoy a drink and sample some delicious authentic dishes! read more

I couldn't wait to try this tapas version of one of the best Mexican restaurants in Albany. We got a few plates to share and every single one was delicious. From the cold drinks to the warm service, everything was perfect! Can't wait to go back! read more

Definitely a different vibe than the original el mariachi. I would recommend going to the original if you are looking for great Mexican food with a cool vibe. This seems like a smaller date spot restaurant that doesn't seem like your typical Mexican restaurant. read more

PLEASANTLY SURPRISED! Usually when one hears "tapas" you think, "paying for food and leaving hungry." This was NOT the case at El Mariachi Tapas!! Not only were the dishes decent portions for the price, but they were DELICIOUS! We ordered from the Mexican and the Spanish side. The Spanish Octopus dish and Shrimp dish were savory and had such depth of flavors. The Mexican steak tacos were simply yummy. In a party of 10 others, we all had bites of eachothers' plates and each bite was better than the last!!! It loses a star because service needed to get its act together and the drinks weren't the perfect cocktails we were hoping for. The jalepeno margarita and mojito were decent but nothing special. They also never asked if we wanted another round...Overall, we would absolutely return. read more

Absolutely delicious! The staff is super friendly and the food is incredible. I highly recommend their blackberry margarita, it's amazing and ginormous! I cannot wait to eat here again!! read more