Excellent atmosphere, great music and super variety in tapas. We are only 2 people. I wish we were more to try all of them. Great place to have dinner, small or big and you try different dishes. I had the churrasco tapa with chimichurri . Amazing totally recommend read more

The drinks are extremely over priced and although the place looks clean and up to date it doesn't mean much when you can't fill it with people. Watch out the managers and security guards think they are black-ops. For a place that isn't crowded they throw people out left and right. And they charge for a glass of water???!!! read more

NO WATERFRONT VIEW. Period. Just like Colombo's down the street, this otherwise fine restaurant is several blocks from the water and has ZERO VIEW of anything except the busy downtown Hyannis Main Street. Having said that, the food we have had here at our company parties has been some of the best on Cape Cod, especially their roast beef. So....yes, go for the food... but Yelp has blown it again by advertising this as a "waterfront" restaurant. Wrong. Just wrong. Yelp.. are you listening? Try looking at the map you have and see all the places you've listed like this with NO VIEW AT ALL. read more

We went for half off oysters at 5pm which was in their daily happy hour range and my boyfriend ordered a small plate which was also supposed to be half off. When we got our bill....it was all full price. We asked about it and the waitress was very vague and then gave us $1.50 off a dozen oysters when we were charged $18. The little necks were charged as the same rate as oysters which differs from the menu. The plate was great, but completely misleading. Will not be returning for such high prices, small plates and misleading "happy hour" read more

Love the food and bartenders, BUT, can't understand why a Tito's dirty martini is $19 when the signature martinis are $15???? Really??

My boyfriend and I adore tapas restaurants. I do a lot of restaurant reviewing, so whenever we travel we scour the local restaurants listing to find a place to enjoy good food and a few coctails. It didn't take long for us to decide on Embargo. They open at 3:30, then happy hour (which includes half price tapas) runs from 4-6. Our experience was as such: We arrived at 4:30 and stayed until 6. We each ordered a coctail: the "Elvis Lives" and a Classic Manhatten. The coctails were fantastic (and the menu was extensive). Then we ordered the Lamb Meatballs, the Bacon Wrapped Scallops, and the Lobster & Chouriso Stuffed Quahog. I was underwhlmed with the flavors offered in these dishes, which is an experience I don't find often in food. I was alsovery put off by our waitress who was clearly annoyed with us. She stopped by our table at least a dozen times to offer my boyfriend another drink, which he decined after the first one and each time since then. We both already had coctails and we were about to drive over an hour home after being in the sun all day. We would have stayed and ordered more tapas except by that time we were both too uncomfortable as she seemed too annoyed that we were not ordering enough. Another point that I would bring up was that, athough we arrived in time for happy hour, we only recieved half price on one of the tapas we ordered. I thought that odd. When I went back on the website, I saw the disclaimer that says items marked with an asterisk are not applicable for half price on Tuesdays. We dined on a Wednesday and there was no such disclaimer on the printed menu because my boyfriend and I were scouring the print to find out exactly what the asterisks mean. After finding nothing to answer our question, we assumed that meant the food was spicy. My take on this place was that the food was okay, it's a little cheaper than most of the restaurants in the area, the food is really not children friendly, the bar is exceptional, and the patio area is quite nice if it's not scortching hot outside. read more

Swanky but really bad food. We thought that the food was much too salty and expensive considering the portion sizes and the fact that it didn't taste good. read more

The tapas here are REALLY good but unless you go when they are half price, some of them are ridiculously priced. I'm talking 2 bites for about $20. Also, the first few tapas we ordered came out one after the other but the last one took about 30 minutes to reach us. About 20 minutes in, I asked the waitress about it but still had to wait 10 minutes for the seared tuna. I also heard the waitress apologizing to the table next to us for their long wait as well. She was great but I do not understand what happened in the kitchen that caused such a wait all of a sudden. read more

After a less than friendly greeting at another local restaurant, we decided to follow some other diners who left and try another random dining spot. We ended up finding a great parking spot in front of Embargo, and relied on mojo to lead us in. What a great experience! From the exceptionally professional and welcoming host to the very attentive and friendly server, we were so happy to have stumbled on to this gem. I was really looking forward to some delicacies from the raw bar, and I wasn't disappointed, I ended up ordering another dish of raw littlenecks- fresh and tasty. My wife enjoyed a tapas plate of sirloin tips and coconut shrimp, while I dug into Guinness braised short ribs, scallops wrapped in bacon and, lest I forget, the 2 best dirty martinis I've ever been served. Greatest dining experience, service and food in our short trip to the Cape- we will definitely return on our next visit. read more

This place is dirty and the service is horrible. The bartenders look like they need a bath!

My mom and I went to Embargo last night for dinner before a concert at the Cape Cod Melody Tent and were expecting great food, service and most of all oysters based on everything that we read about it, both on yelp and other places. When we arrived around 6pm there were two tables available in their outdoor dining area - one a two top and one a four top. We were told though we were the only ones there getting a table that we could only have the two top which was in a less desirable portion of the outdoor area because you need at least three people to grab the four top table. Fair enough right? Well we are then seated next to a couple that is sitting at a four top which contradicted all reason the host provided, not cool, but whatever we were hungry and got over it immediately. Next came the waiting game to see if anyone would come to serve us. We experienced many waitresses walk by us and help other patrons but for some reason we were neglected. Finally after two or three forays past our table over a span of 10 minutes we were greeted, if you call it that. No name given and noticeably less vigor than the same waitress had shown the multiple tables she was serving prior to greeting us. We immediately ordered oysters knowing we were hungry and that the onslaught of the $1 oyster happy hour had ended so we would be in good shape to get our dozen relatively quickly. The reality was that our oysters took longer than one would think possible to shuck 100 oysters let alone 12. Our drinks came with no mention of timing on the oysters which was fine and at the same time we ordered tapas. After the order was placed we didn't get as much as a glance our way, but about 20 minutes later our scallop tapa arrived, again with no mention of the oysters. We had to ask her if the oysters had been rung in as it was now about 30 minutes after we ordered them and no oysters were seen. The scallops were absolutely amazing! They were perfectly seared atop parmesan truffle basmati rice with honey drizzle. Looking back I'm so glad this came first, and you'll see why in a second. We cleaned the scallop plate and just as that was done our oysters finally came out, and so did our Kobe beef sliders. When the oysters were set on the table they looked like they had been mutilated. The normally beautiful plump oyster meat was all cut up and shredded by what I think was an attempt to shuck and detach them from the shell. Needless to say not an appetizing site. Then when I was about to try my first one, it started moving! At the top of the oyster shell masked by the shredded oyster meat was a reddish figure that's legs we're trying to break free. There was a live crab in the oyster! I'm not a skittish person especially when it comes to food but when Mr. Crab was a short leap from my tongue, my stomach turned. I told the waitress of the little critter and in true fashion, she laughed. And then said I'll get an extra one. Let's take a step back here, there is a live animal in my food and there is no concern, no apologizing, but there's laughter. And to clarify its not extra since I won't be having the crab laden bivalve. To end this story that I guess has become more of a rant, we didn't even finish the oysters because they were so disturbing to look at let alone slurp down - besides the fact they tasted off, we're gray and extremely gritty. We ate our mediocre sliders and were done. My recommendation is if you are in Hyannis looking for oysters, Embargo isn't the best option. At least last night it wasn't. The drinks were good and the scallop dish was amazing, but the service and raw bar left much to be desired. read more

waited an hour for my salad while everyone else at the table got their hot tapas right away. as many other mixed reviews say, the plates are SMALL and the prices are steep for the amount of food you get. my salad tasted like nothing and the dressing was inedible. they were very understaffed and it showed. everyone else at the table felt they did not get enough food for the price but they said the flavor was not bad. read more

This is easily the best Tapas place in America. I have been to Spain- I've had good Tapas. This restaurant has GREAT tapas! The place gets busy, so make a reservation or get there early! It's worth it to wait though as you won't get food this good in many places (anywhere!). The lamb lollipops are my favorite ($3 a pop). The edamame is also delicious! The sangria is amazing!!! I'm a huge fan of the sparkling sangria and white sangria. So wonderful tasty and fantastic! Best I've ever had! The atmosphere is palpable in a great way. The place is hectic, but has a nice vibe. The wait staff is wonderful and very attentive! Yes, it's pricey, but you most certainly get what you pay for and so much more. read more

Security was terrible. Let us bring a bag in only to kick us out for the same bag hours later. Very hostile and overzealous about the situation too. Tried to be very friendly but got no where. Also left my jacket outside because they wouldn't allow us in with it, but let the bag in when we first came in. Owner was outside cussing in my face as well. Terrible service and the dj was bad too. Never would go back for this b.s. read more

This place used to be one of my favorite Hangouts. Good food and drinks were always accompanied by amazing friends and folks that made the place a ton of fun, a place you wanted to be. I looked forward to my weekly visits, like clockwork. Over the last couple years or so, while the food has remained on par, the management has continually portrayed a more and more stuffy and unwelcoming experience. Every single time I've been there in the last year, someone in my party has been approached and harrassed about one thing or another. Whether it be taking off a hat, wearing the wrong shoes, having a zip hoodie instead of a jacket, sitting in the "wrong place" and having to move seats, and in some cases asked to leave or not permitted entry, there's always something to cause disruption. The servers and bartenders repeadetly apologize for the actions of management and their cronies (aka bouncers with bad attitudes), hoping it won't kill their tip (which it hasn't, I know it's not their fault). My friends and I rarely go here anymore as they don't want to have to deal with the drama that has become an annoying constant. I know and like the owners, they are good people who contribute to the community and go above and beyond to help make the cape a better place. It's super disappointing that this is what's going on in their business. The sign outside the front door says it all and it starts with a big giant NO!!! read more

Embargo - Make sure you read this welcoming sign before attempting to go inside! - Tapas Bars Near Me - Hyannis, Massachusetts

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Embargo is nicely decorated with a very interesting and flavorful menu from Tapas to Big Plates. We really enjoyed the Scallops with Duck Bacon as well as the PEI muscles (amazing broth for dipping!) and the seafood casserole in sherry sauce was very good! The highlight was our server TJ who is the ideal spokesperson for the restaurant. He knows the menu backwards and forwards, made excellent recommendations and was very attentive to our table. He was a real pleasure to have as our server! read more

Nice ambiance. Ate outside because it was a nice night. We ordered ahí tuna and fish tacos. The fish tacos were delicious. The ahí tuna was just okay. We also ordered lobster Mac and cheese. That was delicious. I should've had 2 orders of that...lol. I had 2 white sangrías. I think maybe they changed bartenders halfway through our meal because our drinks weren't as tasty the second time around. For desert we had the mango creme brulee and it was a little piece of heaven. I love creme brulee though, so maybe I'm biased. The service was good. It started getting busy, so I think the servers started to get overwhelmed. This place turns into a lounge/club after 10 pm or so. Then they start charging a $10 cover charge to get in. So I was happy we were able to catch dinner before then. read more

Food was average. The service is awful. we got in before 6 pm when it wasn't to crowded. I believe our server served only three tables but we were waited to order dessert and check for a good 20 minutes or so. read more

On the cape for a short vacation and found this gem near our hotel. Went there based on distance as well as the yelp reviews. The place itself is simple and clean with adequate lighting ( I hate how some nicer restaurants dim the lights to create ambiance). They have a great menu full of exciting things to try and a diverse drink selection that makes me wish for a higher alcohol tolerance. The food blew my husband and me away. He had a sirloin well done which was juicy and flavorful and I had the flatbread pizza, totally recommend!! The waitress was pleasant, patient and gave great suggestions! Ask for Janet :) Overall a wonderful place I look forward to returning to. read more

The martini and tapas selection was abundant. However, I wasn't impressed with the orders when I received them. Felt they were overpriced by far. The martini didn't even give me a buzz which generally it should and the crabcake app was small, breaded and burned. Not what I should be getting for a $9 app. I wouldn't recommend to come here. read more

I would not go here again. I went in last night with some friends and each one of our drinks was made absolutely horribly. The drinks are expensive so you'd expect them to be somewhat worth it. Also the menu does not offer a wide variety of options. read more

So I went to the happy hour with 99-cent oysters and half-price tapas...who could resist? Even with the discount I found the prices rather pricey, but then again I am cheap. There really aren't options when it comes to tapas on the Cape. As a matter of fact, in winter there aren't all that many restaurant options at all. Everything we had at embargo was very good. My favorite was probably the lamb chop lollipops. The brie filled dates with prosciutto were interesting and I think I liked them. They oysters were right on, and the waitress' suggestion of using the wasabi from our pepper encrusted ahi with them for a change from horseradish was mighty smart. There were three kinds of sangria available, and the sparkling version I chose was made with Cava and fresh fruit. It went amazingly well with the food! I plan to try Embargo again this spring or summer with a new atmosphere and some new cash. read more

The good - Urban, slick decor - that's pretty much unheard of in these parts A real chef cooking great, fresh, inventive food-scallops, bibb salad, beef, rare tuna, lamb, crab, truffle fries (for dessert!) - all deliciously presented and sauced Good drinks - nice beer on tap assortment, as well as killer mojito's Small plates menu - my fave, so you can taste away Entertainment - Excellent jazz trio playing until about 9pm (weeknight) - I was skeptical when we entered, but they were fantastic Clean bathrooms - enough said The not so good - Pricey - but you do get what you pay for Our service died after all the food was served. I really dislike it when this happens, especially when I've got somewhere else I need to be - it's a busy week, sister, and you lost 5% by going into slo mo on us. Fried blond, *enhanced* waitrons - ick. Where on earth did they find so many on the Cape? Bottom Line - I'd return happily. This place is a great addition to the street, which is looking pretty good right now. Pickings are very slim in these parts and this place seemed consistent, espec give the other Yelp's done over the winter months. read more

It's somewhat of your typical Cape Cod in-season bar/restaurant so your level of enjoyment will directly depend upon what you're looking for and what time you go. Go early and it's a quiet establishment, with families enjoying a meal. The best time to go is when the oysters and tapas are half price (4:30 - 6:30), so sit at the bar and enjoy a martini with your apps. As the evening progresses the crowd get younger, the place gets crowded and loud with DJ music and dancing, and a line to get in. read more

I'm sorry we only order a bottle of wine and she took 25 min to bring it.. it wasn't busy so we had to leave because the service sucked I wish I can give a better review but sorry guys this places sucks!! read more

I've only dined here once but I loved the atmosphere and nearly perfected food in optimal portions. The service was decent but lacked warmth. I will likely go back and try another dish. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for finer dining. read more

Had a great night at embargo last weekend for my friend's bachelorette weekend night out. We got there right when the band was packing up on Saturday night. Ordered some oysters and drinks. The drinks tasted great and were reasonably priced for a trendy restaurant. We got in before they were charging a cover. It was a very popular bar, as evidenced by the fact that there were 6 other bachelorette parties there!! Once the DJ started we couldn't help but get up and dance, returning to eat our food intermittently. The DJ was very good and mixed in some classic songs with current top 40. The dance floor was packed. 90% of the patrons were chill and in their 20's or early 30's. The older ones were not as cool but they weren't plentiful and retired early...as most older folk tend to do. Here are the two major things that impressed me... 1) early into the night some creep obnoxiously pinched my butt cheek. I was annoyed and disgusted and promptly slapped him across the face. He didn't seem to get that I didn't want him near me and kept hanging around. So sad. It was totally ruining my night. Now the impressive part: I went up to a bouncer and asked if he could kick the guy out for what he did, I pointed the offender out and minutes later he had been removed from that facility. Thank you! 2) at closing time/last call they did not kick anybody out early. In fact, as we were leaving the employees held the doors for our and said "thank you for coming! Have a great night!", "drive safe", "come back soon!". I'm used to getting yelled at by the bar employees in CT. Never have I experience such a polite and accommodating staff. This was such a pleasant experience due to the customer service! read more

Embargo - Hopping dance floor at 10:40 on a Saturday in June - Tapas Bars Near Me - Hyannis, Massachusetts

So after many months of living in Boston, the wife and I decided to drive down to the Cape for the first time. After reviewing a bunch of restaurants in Hyannis, Embargo had one of the best deals: 1/2 price tapas from 4:30-6pm. We went around 5pm and saw a few couples sitting around the bar. The atmosphere is very modern and clean. But it was a little odd facing the flat screen tv's above the center bar area showing a muted movie on TNT, however, I have to say, the food was exceptionally good. Just for reference, everything we ordered was off the tapas menu. We started off with flat bread and hummus which was a little bland for our taste and had way too many olives (but I dislike olives in general). Then we had the chicken lettuce wrap which I can only describe as yummy. Next was the scallops which we thought were some of the best scallops we've ever tasted cooked in a delicious balsalmic vinegrette sauce. Then we had the short ribs which was tender and marinated in a tasty dark sauce. Next came the shrimp and grits which had a nice spicy kick. Lastly, and unfortunately the most disappointing dish was the Kobe Mini Burger sliders. Now I've had Kobe steak before, and maybe Kobe wasn't meant to be served as a burger, but we thought the they were dry and a bit salty. But after all that and a diet coke, our total bill was only $26. Not bad for a 7 course dinner for 2 (this includes free warm bread in the beginning which was also delicious when dipped in their garlic olive oil). We'll definately be visiting the cape again and most likely Embargo as well. read more

This is deff my new favorite place to eat and grab a drink in Hyannis. Food is very good and the atmosphere is perfect. If your looking for a good place to go, either casual or dressed up, you won't feel out of place here, and if there is a game on worth watching you won't miss it. If your in Hyannis check them out. read more

Embargo - Huge round center bar. - Tapas Bars Near Me - Hyannis, Massachusetts

Horrible customer service. Told us we could wait after accepting and booking a reservation for our family. When asked for manager she and the hostess were Awful!! read more

3rd time here and I'm always impressed ! Our bartender Louise was AMAZING drinks were so so so good and he knew his stuff.... he made our experience a perfect 10 ..love this place !!!!! Food was good per usual ! Great night :) read more

Embargo - Watermelon Martini - Tapas Bars Near Me - Hyannis, Massachusetts

Atmosphere was great. Service great. Place itself was great. But I think my coconut shrimp was frozen and it was not so jumbo as described. Flatbread was delicious. Tempura was a little heavy. And last but not least the hot wings. ...... ok but not great. Sitting outside was very cool. Jazz band was Jamin. Glad to see a nice tapas place in town esp with a really cool looking large bar area. Definitely will be going back. read more

Embargo - Outdoor patio looking in. - Tapas Bars Near Me - Hyannis, Massachusetts

Awesome place. Atmosphere is great. Our waitress Kayla was attentive and very nice. Tapas Menu was half price from 4-6 pretty good deal! Place was hopping by the time we left. read more

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Fast food and yummy! Saturday nights are like a club in Boston. Fun fun! read more

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My friend and I checked out Embargo on a recent Saturday night. When we got there it wasn't too busy and we sat at the bar. Embargo uses the word tapas loosely -- these are small plates, not traditional Spanish tapas. But the tapas were super delicious -- we got the cheese plate (goat, Brie, and Manchego with fruit chutney), the sirloin with the fruit sauce (so good we got a second order of it), the crab cake, and the orange ginger creme brulee. We also had martinis made out of their pineapple infused vodka -- delicious and *strong.* When we left around 10:30 it was beginning to get kinda loud in there. I can see how other reviewers might have become tired of that kind of atmosphere. read more

DO NOT GO HERE!!! I had friends from out of town and decided to show them embargo. Only to be so embarrassed for showing them such an AWFUL place. We arrived at 8:15 and a waitress did not take our drink order until 8:40. When the drinks arrived fifteen minutes later we did not see our waitress for another 30 minutes. We then proceeded to wait over 45 minutes until our food arrived. When we talked to the manager about the situation he did not appear to be apologetic at all. Not a thing was comped on our meal and I have never been so furious for having to go through an over two hour process for the lowest quality restaurant I've ever seen. Again, DO NOT GO HERE!! read more

Reading the other reviews and comparing them with my experience indicates this may be a kind of Jeckyl / Hydey place. We arrived in Hyannis on our way to Nantucket on a Tuesday afternoon, nice warm sunny day so we elected to sit outside (the inside is kind of dark and cavernous). The young Estonian(?) wait person was at the table immediately with water and a smile. Good start. IMPORTANT: Tuesday is half price tapas! And half-price oysters till 6 pm! Which made everything deliciously cheap. The local Cape oysters were an unbelievable $1 each. They make a sushi roll called the Fuku Mah (hmmm ... I said this a lot growing up) with tuna and mango for $3.50 and it was delicious. A nice plate of braised ribs for $5. 4 large sea scallops in a delicate sauce for $7. Cod tempura for $4. We were stuffed. Go on a Tuesday. read more

We had a really great time here. Don't be fooled by the slightly cheesy fake palm trees on the outside. My gf and I came in at about 8:30 on a Saturday night in August. There was about a 20-minute wait for the outdoor front patio, and no wait for the inside, so we took a table in there. We got a spacious, semi-circle booth and had a clear view of the sleek-looking bar and restaurant area, where a live jazz band was playing. I very much enjoyed the modern, upscale, festive atmosphere of this place and the fact that it's not a stereotypical Cape Cod restaurant. Our server was super friendly and knowledgeable but appeared slightly overwhelmed. I think we were seated at a lull, because it got busy pretty quickly after that. The tapas menu looked amazing, and eating the food backed up that assertion. We ordered: (Cold Tapas Menu) Ripe Avocado Wedges with Tomato, Bacon, and Crumbled Bleu Cheese; (Hot Tapas Menu) Baked Mushrooms Stuffed with Manchego & Goat Cheese; Lamb Meatballs; and Pulled Pork Toastadas. For drinks, I had a ginger mule-type thing that was excellent. They had a great cocktail list. Beer list is all very standard stuff though. Aside from the food and drinks, what I really liked about this place was the atmosphere combined with the great location being in downtown Hyannis, and walkable to everything. read more

GREAT server Sean - honestly, 100%. However, we got 1/2 priced oysters (27 of them!) in addition to $40+ full priced food but got charged FULL PRICED OYSTERS because we used a Groupon for $40 worth of food, even though it wasn't applied towards them..were told after we could have closed out the oysters & started the Groupon tab but would have had to get a new table... P. S. The restaurant was EMPTY (on a Saturday night) so I don't understand them not being willing to work with us on this. 2 stars for overall customer experience. read more

I dont get the reviews that are under 4 stars, Very Clean and modern vibe, Friendly staff and excellent bartenders, drinks a little expensive for what you get but the fact they have happy hour and lots of 1/2 price apps including raw oysters for $1.25 each makes up for that easily! The Apps we got were all delicious, raw oysters, stuffed mushrooms and pan seared scallops. Def a great starting off point to your night with a few drinks and apps. I cant speak for the actual Dinners but based on what I got, I will be back to try dinner, Nice Place! read more