Had a great first visit to Elia a few weeks ago. We had a large family gathering in town, and were looking for an early light meal before later activities. Tapas it is! Elia accommodated our group quickly and guided our tapas selections with a skilled hand. All were well-received and devoured -- particular favorites were the croquetas, the sauteed shrimp, and the dates. Atmosphere here is upscalish but casual. We had some wonderful live music on our Friday night visit. Drinks and wine selection is excellent, and our service was outstanding. We look forward to future visits and exploring the main menu. Definitely recommend. read more

Elia Cafe Tapas Bar hosted our Beef Team dinner in College Station. This restaurant was located in a historical red brick building. We were seated in the dining area that could accommodate our large group of over 100 people. We were given drink tickets and I tried the margarita and the watermelon sangria that I had customized by adding black cherries. I also had some water and a soda with my meal. The waitstaff delivered several tapas to our table to start off the meal. These included empanadas de carne, patatas bravas - roasted potatoes in salsa brava and ajo aioli, albonidigas - meatballs with roasted red pepper sauce and ciabatta bread wirh tapenade spreading. We got a choice of a salad, entree and dessert. I tried the beet salad with goat cheese that was very balanced and the beets had a good flavor. It was hard to make a choice from the entree selection, but I selected the Chuleta de Lomo which is the ribeye steak on a bed of peppercorn demi glacé with loaded mashed potatoes and asparagus. The ribeye was cooked to perfection and was very tender and tasty with the sauce. For dessert I had Pastel de Chocolate which was a cake served warm with strawberry sauce. There was a man playing the piano during dinner and several people in our group went to sing along with the songs he was playing. It was very entertaining and enjoyable to have this piano sing along. The staff was able to serve all the courses within the 2 hour window without any major issues or delays. They handled our large party and the service was efficient and friendly. This establishment did an amazing job at hosting our Beef Team dinner and the experience was a memorable one.! read more

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Excellent food and service. They were extremely busy and even though our table was a little late they went above and beyond to make our experience wonderful. The lamb, empanadas, and the paella were all exquisite. read more

Four of us had been looking forward to this dinner having never been here. Quaint upscale non stuffy place. Formerly Maddens. Our food review had some plusses: Milanesa de Tenera, Beet salad and Cod fish dish. However, Caesar salad tasted as if dressing was mayonnaise with parm. We didnt enjoy that especially for the price. I had the Crocante De Nuez which I always get at Luigi's (the sister restaurant ) Chicken was good, brocollini was rubbery and mashed potatoes were dry and tasted weird. One of us had to get the larger Caesar with chicken due to diet issues. Wasn't that great. Piano player was great along with the creme brulee for dessert. The choc cake looked great but was dry. Lots of people streamed in for drinks and tapas and seemed to enjoy. When we entered, we weren't told anything about the dishes even though we'd made mention that this was our first time. Enjoy but it's expensive and we won't be going back. read more

We had a wonderful date night at Elia. Our server, Alix, was very charismatic and made the evening special. She was attentive and made us feel welcome right away. We're already looking forward to our next date night here, especially to eat more of the delicious scallops! read more

Elia Cafe Tapas Bar - Charcuterie board - Tapas Bars Near Me - Bryan, Texas

Elia Cafe was beautifully designed and the atmosphere with live music was wonderful! My favorite appetizers were the Brussels sprouts and the empanadas. The lamb chops were fantastic as a main as well! Our server Aidan was awesome and we will definitely be back! read more

Elia Cafe Tapas Bar - Crème brûlée - Tapas Bars Near Me - Bryan, Texas

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When in downtown we wanted to try something new. Had been to this location prior as Madden's but enjoyed the new feel of Elia's! They had live music on the Saturday night we were there. Service was good with recommendations that were good. Try the Croquetas De Jamon Y Queso...different and tasty! Also liked the empanadas. Cheesecake experience was fun but flavor was average. Will definitely go back! read more

We were so excited to try this place - new restaurant openings are few & far between 'round these parts. We stopped by on a recent Saturday after snagging a reservation on Open Table & we seated pretty close to our time. The bar service was on the slow side - we ordered our tapas and drinks at the same time and got the tapas first. The tapas were tasty - we had the empanadas and patatas bravas. Our main was a small paella which i was really looking forward to but was sorely disappointed. I expected the paella to take at least an hour so we asked the waitress to put the paella in at the same time. The actual dish came out pretty quickly but it was so uneven - somehow both over and undercooked, some bites were salty, others missing flavor. The seafood at the top was seriously overcooked- the mussels and clams were shriveled bc they were over baked so much. the other seafood in the fish were tough. At $120+ for 2 people, I'm not sure how to rate this place. I would likely come back *just* for the tapas but definitely watch my bill! read more

Awesome first experience!!! The server was perfect with great recommendations. The space is cool and tasteful. And then the food!!! So many tasty looking choices it was hard to decide. I had the tostadas and my friend had the quesadilla. Both big portions and both were incredible. We each had a beverage from the cocktail menu. Equally impressive. For what we had I felt the prices were reasonable. Can't wait to come back and try more items!!! read more

FINALLY got to try out elia cafe tapas bar! We made the mistake and went on thursday before graduation without making a reservation and it was very busy- which of course i love seeing a local restaurant busy. They did an amazing job accommodating us and had excellent customer service. The ambiance is great- i have always loved this location and they did a nice job changing it up since clementines closed. We started out with trying the sangria flight which was fun- It was milder on the alcohol for sure which all had unique flavors. Ok now onto the food- we tried the beet goat cheese salad- something was missing- the dressing needed a little something, maybe it wasn't tossed well- not sure but i would pass on this salad. We also got the charcuterie board which was ok- I've had way better in town. The cheese quality wise wasn't that impressive and didn't have the usual variety i appreciate. There was not one soft cheese on the charcuterie board which to me is a problem- you need multiple types and you need multiple textures- one of the cheese they included looked like those cheap charcuterie board cube cheeses you get at the grocery store... They did include some sweeter elements which could be other people's cup of tea but i prefer the savory charcuterie. Also, it came with literally 5 crackers.... i mean how can a board only include 5 crackers when its advertised as being sharable. Each person can have one cracker? If you asked for more, like their table bread it might have been an extra charge haha. it was almost laughable to me- way more cheese than crackers. I enjoyed the table bread with the olive dip- note that if you want more than the 4 thin pieces, it'll be an extra $3. It's the same type olive dip as at their sister restaurant so it was tasty and enjoyable for the whole table- just wish there was more of it. We also tried the escargot which was my first time ever having it- there was good flavor but again, wish there was more of it- honestly, i just think we might have ordered the wrong things. I mean when you're sharing the escargot with 3 people, you each get 2 snails and each snail meat wise is about the size of 1 mushroom so it's just small and that's the reality of it. Just have the expectation of small portions and you'll be good- order more and would be easier if you're not really on any sort of budget so you can leave more full. I did try the garlic soup which i thought was tasty and unique- i've never had anything like it but if you like garlic, definitely give it a try! We tried their cheesecake dessert which was tasty and also had a fire display but also again, note the size of the piece, very small- not really sharable at all. The desserts aren't on the tapas section so I would expect a normal size. Each of us maybe had 2 bites. I say all of these critiques with true hope that they can make some good adjustments and do better because i honestly love local restaurants and am a huge foodie and advocate for all things local! I would honestly like to go back aometime and try other things because i never discredit a place after just one visit and there was truly so much potential! read more

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My boyfriend and I visited Elia on 12/15/23. We had a reservation and were seated fairly quickly. The restaurant is cute and quaint. I personally liked the decorations on the wall and the informational pamphlet on the table which explained the history behind "tapas". I visited Barcelona in the Summer and had been earning to have some of the food I tried there again and this was the perfect opportunity to do so. We decided to pick out appetizers mainly which were all great and well priced in my opinion. The only bummer was that they were out of paella and didn't have some of the items on the menu that I had seen when they originally announced their opening. At the end of our meal one of the owners came and spoke with us about the restaurant and was honest about some of the struggles when they first opened, which explained the missing menu items. He was very kind and friendly and encouraged us to come back in the future and that they hope to have more on the menu by then. They also had the cutest older couple playing live music which we really enjoyed. We do not live in College Station but frequently visit as we are both Aggies so we will make sure to return in the future! read more

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We had an anniversary reservation at Elia, but they called to let us know they had accidentally missed it due to a private event. Once I explained it was a special occasion, they kindly offered to set a patio table with complimentary champagne. When it looked like rain, they didn't give up -- they offered a reservation at their sister restaurant Luigi's (with Elia's food) or home delivery. We chose delivery, and they made it so special. We received the patatas bravas, empanadas de carne, croquetas de jamón, dátiles rellenos, albóndigas, and bistec de solomillo -- and everything was incredible. The steak was especially tender and flavorful, even after delivery. They also thoughtfully included a vase of roses, a handwritten anniversary card, and a $25 gift card for the trouble. We were blown away by their care, professionalism, and amazing food. We can't wait to visit in person! read more

What we liked: -the service - the perfect combo of hands off and hands on -the shrimp in garlic wine sauce was cooked and seasoned perfectly - the blistered peppers had a lot of flavor - the patatas bravas were flavorful, although I wish they were crispier What was mid - the cocktails - the empanadas - the serving size What we dislikes -the albodigas- the sauce is flavorful, but the texture and taste of the meatballs were not great - the paella - it was very fishy and the proteins were all extremely overcooked read more

Excellent staff!! Food was excellent. Very attentive and courteous. Ask for a "mocktail" surprise. It will not disappoint. Bartender is working on her certification as an herbalist. This place is very unique and has a very unique interior!! read more

The food was absolutley wonderful, with a beautiful variety of drinks. The sangrias were refreshing! The service was friendly! The venue was so gorgous. Great ambiance. read more

Booked a reservation online and the online booking tool allowed us to book right before they closed. They kept the kitchen staff and a wait staff and served us an amazing celebration lunch in spite of it being after closing. The food was amazing. The service was fantastic. The atmosphere is so precious and we were thrilled with our experience!! Will definitely be back! (This time during regular hours lol!!) read more

Elia Cafe Tapas Bar - Almond lemon ricotta dessert! So good and light and fresh!! - Tapas Bars Near Me - Bryan, Texas

Maybe we tried it for first time on an off night. I had such high hopes and was disappointed. It has great reviews and I always love tp try everything new in town. First, it took about 20 minutes from being seated to a sever coming over to get our waters. They said there was confusion on whose table we were... in fine dining that shouldn't happen. We order drinks, me the LA Playa, it was heavy with alcohol sitting on top, unbalanced and no flavor. My husband had a lemondrop martini, it was same, super heavy alcohol like a college bar and was medicinal. We ordered scallops app, the scallops were rubbery. We ate them but they were not good. The only thing we liked were the Empanadas. We left and went somewhere else. I was so hoping I'd love it. read more

Our first visit was a hit. Guided by our knowledgeable waiter Hassan our meals were a 10. Ask for Hassan for a great experience.

This is a new Tapas restaurant created by the owners of Luigi's in College Station. It's the same setup as other previous restaurants that have lived here (e.g. Madden's) but the decor is updated with some Spanish flare. We came on a Saturday night to celebrate a friend's birthday. I made reservations for 7pm and we were promptly seated. I will say it wasn't packed but it might be bc the students weren't back yet. The menu isn't overwhelming and you have the option to go tapas bites or get a larger entree, or both. I will say, by the 3rd or 4th visit, you will probably have tried a majority of the items listed, so I'm hoping they update the menu at least once or twice a year to add a little variety. Also, the tables are close together (you can easily hear and talk to you neighbors), but what irked me the most was the waitstaff bumping the chair or me multiple times as they tried to get by with dishes. For the evening, we opted to go the Tapas route. Our waitress took our drink orders and brought us some complimentary bread with green olive tapenade (seriously the best stuff). We shared the beet salad (a good sized entree or shareable between 2), meatballs (came 5), empanadas (4 half sizes), escargot (served in shell , total 5-6), the scallops (served on shell, 5 total) and the potato's. My favorites were the empanadas with their crispy exterior and the escargot. The potato's were also nicely spiced and I'd order them again. I'm biased on meatballs and the scallop sauce wasn't my favorite but the presentation was on point. I had let the restaurant know we were celebrating a birthday and asked if they could do anything special. The waitress let me know they write happy birthday on the plate of whatever we ordered and I thought that was fine. Dessert was limited to three options so we went with the burnt basque cheesecake (a famous style cheesecake in Spain). I wasn't aware they were going to do this but loved it...when they brought out the dessert, the musicians made an announcement calling out my friend and then they led everyone in singing happy birthday to him (it was tame but still something nice that could slightly embarrass him, lol). The cheesecake is presented table side and then they pour over some alcohol and light it on fire. It was a nice presentation and a great birthday dessert, although he wasn't allowed to blow out the flame just in case it blew my way. Will definitely be back to try some of the entrees. They have a paella dish, and a few fish entrees that sounded good, and they have a play on a schnitzel dish that was intriguing. read more

My wife and I lived in Spain for 3 years and love Spanish food. It was a nice surprise when we discovered the Elia Cafe in downtown Bryan. We've been there multiple times and have never had a bad dish or service. They are great and we look forward to our next visit. read more

An incredible location with absolutely amazing food. The service there was amazing and very helpful in our selections for food and drink . The server was knowledgeable and incredibly pleasant. The location can fit a couple on a romantic date night or large parties for a family night out or a business dinner. We tried just about all the appetizers and would highly recommend each and everyone of them including the escargot. The drink menu is both strong and delicious, and I highly recommend the Hemmingway which was one of my favorites. I will have to return for the actual meal, because we just did appetizers and desserts during a progressive dinner. It is on my list of places to continually visit. . They are recently new in the last two months, but this place will be incredibly busy as people begin discover the detail they pay on their craft. We will be back. Bryan /, College Station has found a restaurant that is affordable and pleasing to the taste buds. I highly recommend the crème brûlée, cheesecake, and the chocolate cake. You will not be disappointed. See you soon, and see you often. If you are looking for a place to impress, look no further. If you are looking for a romantic place to dine, here it is. If you are looking for an incredible atmosphere with some of the best food in BCS, here it is. Go, you'll be glad you did. Stop reading here, this is the place, go. You'll want to try here. We tried 5 restaurants tonight and this was our number one! The best restaurant in downtown Bryan! read more

First I will compliment the ambiance and food. They were both amazing. They were out of the croquettes so we opted for the calamari instead which was still good. The server did comp. the tapas as it came out late which added to my experience. The service was extremely slow- which was not due to our server but I think the restaurant as a whole. Bar service was good but food service was slow. The bathroom could have been cleaned up a little bit more, but it was still a nice vibe. I would go again on a week night when it is likely to be less busy but the food was very tasty and the serving sizes were huge! It came out to $85 without tip for 2 people, 2 entrees, and 2 drinks. read more

I have been here 4 times. Every. Single. Time. the service has been impeccable, the food delicious, and I just love the warm inviting atmosphere. Originally Maddens Restaurant, Peter would be proud of it. Congratulations Elia for bringing this to downtown Bryan. read more

Amazing tapas restaurant and bar with live music Wednesday- Saturday! The goat cheese beet salad is the best I've ever had! Sister restaurant to Luigi's and the staff is over the top welcoming. I highly recommend this place for ladies luncheons, birthdays, business networking and dinner dates! read more

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Friday night is a busy night, but especially the first Friday of the month when Bryan downtown is closed off for Street Fair. But a Mojoto needs to be made properly. And over an hour wait from ordering till the food shows up? Needs work. Good wait staff. Clean bathrooms. Food was good. Bring your own salt and pepper. read more

This was an amazing restaurant. Every item I had, from the cava to the pecan crusted chicken was absolutely delicious. The service was wonderful as well, very polite and attentive staff. The vibe of the restaurant was calm and luxury. I will definitely be back as well as recommending it to anyone looking to go. I specifically recommend the scallops, the pecan crusted chicken, and the bread they provide in the beginning! read more

If you're in Bryan-College Station, Elia offers a cozy ambiance, live music, excellent service, and delicious food. I will continue to come back. read more

We had the BEST experience at Elia! From the host who seated us to the engaging waiter who recommended perfect tapas and mains to the creative bartender--a DreamSicle sangria!, the service was excellent. We had the scallops and mushroom tapas, the snapper and chicken for mains... each prepared beautifully. To top it off, the ambiance--in a historic building in old town Bryan--is charming. We will be back SOON! read more

Elia Cafe Tapas Bar - Snapper with white wine cream sauce--perfectly prepared! - Tapas Bars Near Me - Bryan, Texas

Food was good. Out of some things and unable to make paella and failed to remove from bill. What appeared to be the owner was drinking in the entrance. Waited 20 minutes for a bottle of wine after asking for a wine list. Not my first choice for a two hundred dollar dinner. read more

My wife and I were very excited to try Elia in Downtown Bryan. Sadly we made a reservation were sat and waited for 10 minutes not so much as even an offer of water. While we were sat anxiously awaiting to place even an order for drinks we were walked by 15 times at least by wait staff. We will probably never know how the food is a Elia since we most likely won't be back. read more

The food was well prepared! Excellent choices on the menu with excellent recommendations. The ambiance for a date with your special guest was perfect. Very few restaurants make the mark for food, drinks, service, and ambiance! A must go to experience! read more

We went during grand opening and loved it. The tapas were delicious and the paella was great too. A little pricey for our particular budget to make it a regular thing but definitely great for a special occasion date night. Very cozy read more

Very kind staff, and even better food! Went there for a girls night and had so much fun. Such a pretty and intimate environment. They had a pianist playing the night we went and it was so fun to listen to in the background of our conversations. read more

Elia Cafe Tapas Bar - Cup of Tomato Soup - Tapas Bars Near Me - Bryan, Texas

Tried quite a bit of the food while there and was all very good. Server was nice and attentive with everything. First round of drinks were very quick but the second and third were slow, which I found weird since it didn't seem crowded. Was such a nice place to just sit and look around. read more

The environment, live music, hostess, drinks, appetizers, entrees, desserts and service was amazing! Phenomenal experience!!

If you like really small portions of mediocre food at an exorbitant price...this is your spot. I know that the concept of Tapas is small portions, but when you get six very small shrimp and they charge you 16 dollars it is kind of ridiculous...and they were way over cooked. We also did the Empanadas...which were great unless you actually wanted something inside them. There are not too many places where you can take a date, spend 100 dollars before buying drinks and still walk out starving and disappointed...but this is the place. read more

Came to visit Bryan during first Friday and had a terrific experience at Elia. This is a wonderful, family-owned restaurant serving authentic Spanish tapas. We loved everything we had, but especially the shrimp, croquettes, empanadas, and beet salad. The prices are very fair and they have a nice wine variety. Not sure if they do it every weekend, but they had a live band that really added to the already nice atmosphere here. Our server was super friendly and helped us pick great dishes and wine. The owners even stopped by the table and it was lovely meeting them. We'll be back for sure. Gracias! read more

Wow, this place is fantastic! My wife and I celebrated Valentine's Day at Elia Cafe Tapas Bar and we're so glad we did. The food, service and atmosphere were amazing, but their willingness to accommodate my wife's allergies was incredible. Before we arrived, Madison had already briefed our server and the kitchen about my wife's limitations. While the Valentine's Day menu was prix fixe, my wife was able to substitute to accommodate her diet. Based on experience, we've learned that this kind of service is rare on a normal night and exceptional on a busy night like Valentine's Day. Incredibly, the food and atmosphere were just great as the service. All four courses were generous and delicious. The paella mixta, grilled salmon and pastel de chocolate were particularly good. Our server, Chase, kept the perfect pace with just the right amount of time between courses. We highly recommend Elia Cafe Tapas Bar and we'll definitely be back. read more

Food was good. Our server Gio was great!!! Veal was a good choice. And try the dessert too!!

Have been here twice. Had tapas the first time and it was very average. Extremely salty! But good service. Tried again a few months later (last night) and horrible service and food not good. Waiter didn't bring bread we asked for, we were never checked on after given food (never asked if wanted another drink or how food was...), didn't pour our wine... I had the paella. Could not have been a smaller serving. Came with 3 pieces of seafood and the clam was only a shell. And again, so salty--was nearly inedible. read more