We came here for dinner/happy hour while staying at Casa Munras during winter break. Super convenient to walk from the hotel to this restaurant. It's also dog-friendly if seated on the patio area, otherwise dogs not allowed inside. Unfortunately it was really cold and rainy when we went so we were freezing outside. We got the table that was half outside in the rain - not sure why we weren't given the other table on the other side that has been covered. We got reservations and were seated almost immediately - took at least 5 minutes for them to get our table ready. We started off with happy hour items which honestly was only $1 cheaper for most items relative to the normal menu. I had the tequila cocktail and husband tried the sangria. We got the crab clam chowder, patatas bravas, and one of the special (forgot the name, it was a ball with beef chunks inside). The drinks and foods came out in a decent amount of time, pretty quick actually. They were tasty... however the patatas bravas took over 30 minutes to come out! We were sitting in the cold and rain wondering where it was. Our friendly server left us for at least 20 minutes, we were getting really impatient and cold. Scared to get sick from the environment, we moved to another dry table towards the end of our dinner. Finally our patatas bravas came and we decided to pack it up to-go and just leave. It was an uncomfortable experience, probably due to our dog, but if I had known the happy hour prices were almost the same price as regular, we would have skipped this place and gone elsewhere warmer. The foods were okay, patatas bravas were the only thing we liked because it was flavorful and delicious. Everything else was underwhelming and overpriced. We wanted to order paella but it was going to take 45 minutes and no way would we wait in the cold for that. The upsetting thing was the long wait to get our patatas bravas and server left us for more than 20 minutes. Think it triggered my husband's cold since he got sick a couple days later. Also we got seated in the crappiest place relative to the two other couple. We felt uncomfortable and awkward. read more

a RAT ran up my leg during dinner!! My wife screamed, but we tried to be nice and tried to not make a scene so the other customers don't run out. We obviously told the waitress. That was the last we heard of it. Neither the manager or anyone else came up to us. No one came to check and see how we were or if our night was ruined by the fact that there was a RAT in their restaurant which actually ran up my leg!! With that said, I do want to add that the food was delicious. And the waitress and hostess were both nice. read more

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Amazing staff, dog friendly, great location. Esteban's took care of my family and I during Christmas dinner. Thanks you guys! I recommend this place. read more

A revisit to Esteban's with my oldest friend and it's even better than our last visit!! It was FABULOUS! The patio is so much fun!! We also noticed they added intensive heaters for the fog! We came with our doggie and truly this restaurant brought us so much joy! Esteban's keeps improving in such a tough tough business!! Paella Tuesdays are a very good deal. For $38 you get a beautiful 3 course meal. It included a good sized Caesar salad, veg mini paella and a crème Brûlée to die for!! We ordered 2 other tapas on their happy hour menu- potatoes bravas done to perfection and their clams/mussels on the happy hour menu. The sauce was incredible and we ordered more bread. None of us could get over how delicious it was! Chef Ben Hillan is TOPS! He's inventive, low key and his amazing energy comes forth in every dish!! I watched all the plates and very happy customers! Kudos also to Elimar Acosta, the food and beverage manager! Clearly he was working overtime serving tables and seeing to it , everyone was comfortable! Service is interesting here as all the servers pitch in ! All friendly & accomodating! If you haven't been yet I say RUN to my most favorite dining establishment. Please don't tell too many others as we want to keep it so very special! To everyone there- who added to our amazing memory! KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK! YOU ALL ROCK!!! read more

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We were visiting Monterey and made a Christmas dinner reservation, intending to partake in the special prix fixe menu. The regular menu seemed far more interesting so we decided against it, and are so glad we did. Everything sounded good, it was hard to choose just a few dishes. We went with the octopus, short rib, and pork belly. They were all amazing but our favorite was the octopus. It was so fresh, had good flavor and prepared perfectly. Cocktails were great too, and service was good. Next time we're in Monterey we will be back! read more

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My wife and I are traveling in California and stumbled into this wonderful restaurant. We didn't have a reservation, so we were offered the option of sitting outside on the patio, or at the bar inside. We elected to sit at the bar. The outside area is very pleasant, and heaters were provided, but coming from Florida, we are both hypersensitive to cold weather. I believe this is the best meal we have had on the entire trip. My wife and I are both retired professional chefs, and former restaurant owners, so I suppose we tend to be more critical than most diners. Chef Mario Garcia was working the line himself that night, and each of the dishes was really impeccable. We selected a nice array of Tapas style dishes for our meal. We started off with the Chef's Harvest Salad, a daily special which on this night was composed of bib lettuce, lardons, green zebra tomatoes, torn whole grain croutons, and French feta, with a light vinaigrette. All of the ingredients were as fresh as could possibly exist, and assembled with a thoughtful and skilled hand. My wife remarked that this might have been the best salad she had ever eaten . Next up , was Wagyu Bone Marrow. This was served in a a bone which had been cut lengthwise about 8" long. The marrow had been removed, combined with the perfect combination of fresh mushrooms, herbs, garlic and white wine, then returned to the bone and dusted with parmesan cheese, before a trip to a very hot oven. The resulting dish is served with crusty artisan bread and could not have been better executed or more delicious. The flavors were dense and rich, and we had to restrain from the urge to lick the precious remaining juices. After this we moved into the Crispy Pulpo. This dish was presented with two sizzling perfectly charred legs. Each leg was carefully draped over a bed of sautéed Yukon potatoes, radicchio, and chorizo. The entire plate was drizzled with a chili rosemary olive oil. I enjoyed this dish very much, but I would have been much happier if the chef had offered a fine mince on the chorizo and used this as an accent flavor like a caper say and sprinkled a few on as a garnish. The way the chorizo pieces were sliced, in 1/2" moons was just too much in your mouth, like sucking on a big crystal of sea salt. There is a little range at the bar and a flat top grill, I was wishing that Chef Mario would have prepared some dishes there. I'll be back, maybe we'll see you there. read more

Esteban Restaurant - Crispy Pulpo - Spanish Near Me - Monterey, California

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The interiors here are very nice! Cozy atmosphere on a windy night. We went here nearing Christmas and there was free hot apple cider, Christmas trees and decorations. The restaurant is a part of a hotel with a living room when you enter. The workers are very nice and the women restroom was sparkling clean. Both were aesthetically pleasing when brought out to us! The lamb was tender, juicy, and the cream sauce complimented the meat well. The bell peppers and carrots added some needed texture to the overall meal. The seared ahi was good but not as great as the lamb. It's tough to put a knife through as the bacon strip is thick. Overall, the ahi a was a good bite but nothing crazy to rave about. Our server was very knowledgeable in the menu and knew what he was talking about. If you want something to snack on, with tapas style food, this is the place to go.. read more

Esteban Restaurant - Lamb - Spanish Near Me - Monterey, California

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The food was good. The wait staff terrific. We are a large group that like to try different places. When choosing this restaurant we were assured they could accommodate us without a reservation and separate checks were no problem. The manager was rude and begrudgingly cooperative in the beginning. We were seated at three separate tables. When the check came it was evident the entire tab was put on one check and divided by the number of tables, so that each table was presented with the same amout due, regardless of what was ordered. Some items were charged at regular price when they were ordered off the happy hour menu. Discussion was not allowed. Manager basically refused to mediate the situation or admit the folly. It was too bad this dinner had to end in a loud heated exchange with fifteen unhappy customers walking out the door. read more

Enjoyed eating here on our anniversary. Cozy feel, great service, and tasty food. Sad they no longer have lamb chops, but had the empanadas and sliced steak. Very flavorful and satisfying. We will return. read more

Esteban Restaurant - Spanish Near Me - Monterey, California

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We arrived on Sunday for Brunch, and sat outside. The day was perfect weather for outdoor dining. We ordered the Mescal Bloody Mary and wagyu beef. Service started a little slow but soon picked up considerably. By the end of our meal we were so engaged in the ambiance it was hard to leave. read more

Beautiful place with the great service. The drinks were amazing. A food place to visit in Monterey. read more

Esteban Restaurant - Oaxaca Old Fashion - Spanish Near Me - Monterey, California

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Incredible dining experience. Great vegan options that show passion for the food, not just ticking a box. Awesome staff, super kind. Beautiful venue at a reasonable price. Will definitely be back. read more

service was great! Most of the food was great- brussels sprouts, carrots, and octopus! the seafood paella on the other hand.... 2/10... the bottom wasn't crispy. the paella was more like a risotto. we ended up just eating the seafood and left the rice alone.. still had to pay $59 for it. and i wish/hope they bring back the bacon wrapped dates. read more

A fun tapas joint close to the Monterey downtown with great ambiance and fantastic food. The menu changes every so often and the diversity of food is great. I highly recommend the octopus, empanadas, and the grilled pork--it's amazing! read more

The empanadas off of the tapas menu are AMAZING and the servers were incredibly nice. Can't wait to go back for their amazing happy hour menu! read more

We had reservations for dinner . Sat us at a corner table , very difficult to get in and out of . Were told our server would be right up . Waited 15 minutes to be told by the manager (?) that our server is a bit behind and he would take our drink order, he was very informative on the menu selection as it was our first time at Estebans. We order our tapas,, first the bread with olive oil , the bread was burnt. Then we order the empanadas, which my daughter really enjoyed. We also ordered the Cesar salad , patatas and another order of empanadas. The patatas and empanadas were brought to us in a timely manner but we didn't get the salad until we finished eating the patatas and empanadas . As for drinks , the red sangria was ok. My husband and daughter ordered diet Coke's and had a tough time getting refills. The server kept forgetting our refills yet we saw the other customers getting theirs . We ordered water as well and that took such a long time . As for dessert we ordered the chocolate chips cookies and ice cream trio. Well you can see in the picture those cookies do not look appetizing or handmade . The only ice cream flavor we enjoyed was the strawberry. The other two were awful. I understand that right now many restaurants are short staffed and we were very patient BUT it was not a busy night . read more

Esteban Restaurant - Spanish Near Me - Monterey, California

We have been cautiously optimistic about our experience here since our last visit in July to celebrate our Anniversary at which time we had a nice experience especially after our Spain trip. This time we came to celebrate our Birthday and we had a mediocre time primarily due to the service. The wait time to be seated and get table service is frustratingly long despite reservations. The food is good though and this time we focused on the vegetarian tapas. Their cocktail menu is just okay and deserves an upgrade. Overall, they are understaffed and service is slow. read more

tl;dr: Chicken came out raw and service was bad. Please reconsider going somewhere else like "Catch" in Carmel. After a long and tiring day of driving, eating at the Esteban sounded like a perfect dinner to the end of our trip. Little did we know that we were wrong. We arrived a little early to our reservations (5/29/21), around 8:45pm. They couldn't accommodate us right away, but Olga graciously let us know that our seats were ready at the appropriate time. I would like to note that Olga was one of the best staff at Esteban! She was personable and gracious, and truly hospitable! This girl deserves a raise!! Perusing through the menu, the food sounded so great! It was hard to choose but we planned to order the: 1.) Bacon wrapped dates 2.) pork belly 3.) pork empanadas 4.) chicken with mojo verde 5.) paella 6.) short rib We had to flag down our waiter (no names listed because I don't want to publicly berate him), and once we did he said "hold on, I'm really busy and have other orders to take care of." As a former waitress myself, I understood the haste and brushed it off as a one time occurrence. Once we ordered, around 30 min in we received half of our food. Paella takes about an hour but we were willing to wait. The bacon wrapped dates and pork empanadas were pretty good! Everything else was kinda blah. THE WORST PART WAS THAT THE CHICKEN WITH MOJO VERDE WAS RAW! Gordon Ramsey himself would shout out "it's f***** RAW." We flagged down our waiter and informed him that it's raw, and he started gaslighting us!! I was completely shocked! He told us that the "chicken is the freshest, most organic chicken and that if it's a little undercooked it would be okay to eat even if it's a little red inside." OKAY???? We were taken aback at his tone and response to us as he kept defending the chicken. At last, we just asked him for to swap it out for short rib. The whole encounter was just off and felt a little condescending. If a customer is uncomfortable, try not invalidating their opinion. At the end our experience was soured and our once ravenous appetite was gone. We paid the pretty steep prices for a 3.5 star restaurant and left a 20% tip for The waiter albeit his behavior. We went on our merry way never to look back at this truly horrendous experience. read more

Esteban Restaurant - Spanish Near Me - Monterey, California

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Service was awful on our Mothers Day brunch. We got greeted by our server 40 min after being sat. We had to repeatedly ask for water, plates, straws, and drinks. The table adjacent to us had the same complaints we could overhear. We wanted to give them the benefit of being busy on the holiday, but they weren't that busy. Food was okay but i think the poor service overshadowed the entire experience. Honestly, I'd never come back. read more

My partner planned for a short birthday weekend getaway to Monterey by booking two nights at Casa Munras Hotel. The first night we arrived we had dinner at Estéban-- to my delight I found the food delectable and the staff to be extremely amiable and professional. We loved it so much we had dinner again the following day. The Pulpo Frito is our #1 choice but the Del Mar Paella is not far behind. I loved my Virgin Mojito (I have pathetic alcohol tolerance) and my partner enjoyed his Sangria. We look forward to many more visits to Estéban. read more

Esteban Restaurant - Pulpo Frito (front) Patatas Bravas in the back with sauce on the side and a Red Sangria - Spanish Near Me - Monterey, California

Very slow service. Planned our Thanksgiving meal here- ran out of bread and steak. Didnt seat us on time- didn't take our order until 25 mins of sitting down; didn't have light on the table and forgot our water. Basically stayed and ate because other places have closed by the time we were sat andinformed of everything they were lacking. Halibut was overcooked and salty. Probably will never comeback. read more

Excellent food and service might return again. Thank you Salome for a good service.Short RibPulled Pork Empanadas read more

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We had the most wonderful dinner here. All of the tapas were excellent and service was 10/10. Out server, Lisdel was amazing, so nice and welcoming. Also very personable and very knowledgeable about the menu, gave us same great recs. Will definitely be coming back. read more

Esteban Restaurant - Spanish Near Me - Monterey, California

Crispy pulpo, Red Sangria and vegetable tagine. Big portions. They must have fed the octopus in the picture very well. The potatoes in the jus of the pulpo, the soft, well grilled pita bread, the cuscous with raisins and roasted pistachios... oy..we ate till the buttons popped. Salome was awesome in the way he described the catch of the day. You should have /make reservations. Ambience: they ask you very nicely to mask up, in case you are forgetful like me. Outdoor gas heaters and an open fireplace. read more

Esteban Restaurant - Spanish Near Me - Monterey, California

The four of us in our party started with tapas. The excellent prawns were very flavorful with a little spice. The roasted carrots were quite tasty, but there weren't enough petite carrots for the delicious sauce. The Mediterranean salad was good, but needed more toppings. We shared a perfectly prepared and delicious roasted mushroom pizza. We wished that the Del Mar paella was larger and little less soggy, with a little more flavor, but it was good. The group enjoyed a pitcher of sangria. My margarita was nothing special (was that store bought mix?). The Creme Catalana was an excellent Creme Brûlée-like dessert! and the fresh baked chocolate cookies were a good idea - warm and moist inside. Overall it was a very enjoyable dinner with excellent service and nice ambiance. We sat inside, but the outside seating looked nice. I would give this place 4 1/2 stars if I could. We would return here again when we're in town. read more

Five stars if I was rating the restaurant off of their staff, ambiance and tapas. Hands down the best Brussels sprouts I've ever had. 3 stars only because we planned the reservation to ensure we could head home at an appropriate time. We called ahead of time to pre-order a paella since they took 45 minutes to cook. The friendly hostess on the phone ensured us that they would start cooking the dish at 3:45 so we could be in by 4:30 to eat. We were seated upon arrival told the food would be brought out soon which was great! We ended up waiting an hour for the dish to come out which was really frustrating. We understand if placing an early order is not possible, but misleading and lying about it isn't ok in my opinion. We had even asked after waiting 20 minutes and the person told us it was only 10 mins from being ready. If we knew we would have to wait that long, we would've cancelled the order. read more

Esteban Restaurant - Roasted farmers market vegetables. So yum. - Spanish Near Me - Monterey, California

My family and I loved everything! The patio is beautiful and fun to enjoy on a nice day. The service was attentive and helpful. We loved the farmers market salad, pulpo frito, and the paellas. Great to share. Cocktails were fun and innovative. I'd definitely recommend checking Estéban's out! read more

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I had the best time here. Our service was amazing. We sat outside next to a fire! It was very romantic. The feta empanadas were spectacular. I'm also a big fan of mussels with chorizo. The waiter must have thought I was silly for insisting I take the rest of the broth to go to enjoy with bread later. My dog even made friends with a cat in the courtyard. How cute is that!? Dangerously good sangria too btw! read more

Esteban Restaurant - Fire pit in the outdoor seating to keep you nice and toasty. - Spanish Near Me - Monterey, California

Very casual place. Only came for breakfast two days in a row because of the $25 vouchers I received for staying at Casa Munras but I'm glad I did because it was delicious! I absolutely loved the build your own omelettes. It was fresh and delicious. The breakfast burrito was good but I prefer the omelette! I wish I could get some now!!! Service was friendly and the outdoor patio was very cute and dog friendly. Breakfast ends at 10AM. There are two cats that chill near the fire pit that don't disturb anyone. Very cute. read more

Esteban Restaurant - Breakfast burrito substitute chorizo for mushrooms and build your own omelette - Spanish Near Me - Monterey, California

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My wife and I arrived to the hotel later than we planned on due to a storm, the very nice woman at the front desk suggested the restaurant, and man are we glad we decided to take her up on it! Drinks were perfect, my wife loved her espresso martini and my Smoked 1842 old fashioned was killer. Estéban Restaurant has a special whisky collaboration with Markers Mark, like their own special whisky that isn't available anywhere else and it's smooooth. My wife said she didn't want any Tapas, just her burger, but I wanted to try the grilled octopus. Now she is not the biggest seafood fan, she's starting to branch out but slowly, definitely not octopus lol once she saw the face I made when I took a bite she decided she would try... She darn near ate the whole thing with me! The octopus was cooked perfectly, potatoes, chorizo and the chili oil complimented the whole dish, it was fantastic! She ordered the burger and me the Bavette steak, both of which were cooked just how we asked. We both felt the same, that the char on the meat overpowered the rest of the flavors. That was our only complaint of the whole meal. She loved the fries and I loved the artichokes and pickled onions. The desserts were amazing, seriously amazing lol she said her flan was some of the best she's ever had, and I know I got boring ice cream but each flavor was crazy good, especially the strawberry! 10/10 would definitely eat again read more

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Started off bad . We had reservations and the wait was still ridiculous . I love sangria, but there recipe was horrible, whomever came up with it should be fired.. I told them it was a horrible recipe. I gave it back to them it was that bad. It then ordered a margarita no salt. Of course it came with salt... then my paella came. It tasted nothing like Vaca which is the best I've ever eaten. Will never go back agian when I'm in Monterey. Sorry but I rate this place a 1 out of 10. Our waitress was Lisdel and she was cheerful and friendly and really good I had to hide that I was disappointed because she was so nice.. read more

Esteban Restaurant - Thanksgiving dinner - Spanish Near Me - Monterey, California

If you like Spanish food (or just good food) this place is pretty special. A little gem in Monterey Bay at the Casa Munras hotel, I stumbled upon while looking for a spa (also good- I'll review that separately). So there's a bartender/mixologist by the name of CJ that created their cocktail menu and he's extremely talented. We had The Siesta Thyme and the Cinnamon Toddy. The wine and bubbly list here is impressive but the cocktails are where it's at in my opinion. Our server, Salome was attentive and knowledgeable about the menu. We had the Arancini (I was SO glad to see them vegetarian, so often they have meat in them! MAJOR plus for this). They were fluffy and crispy and the sauce was just perfect. I also had the Vegetable Tagine. It was loaded with flavor and so very filling. For dessert I had the creme catalana. It was just right. The brûlée added the nice crunch and the citrus/orange flavors really came through in the custard. Overall this restaurant is exceptional for vegetarians and meat eaters alike. I feel like there's something for everyone on the menu and it's not insanely expensive- we felt everything was priced just right. We can't wait to go back to try more! I can pretty much guarantee you will leave this place full and happy. read more

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This was such an AWESOME choice for our Valentine's Day dinner! Richard, our lovely server, was so personable, knowledgeable and had the BEST suggestions for pairings of wine with the 3 course Pre-Fixe dinner. There was a heater next to our table because they could only offer outdoor dining at the time, but it got the job done. The lights, decor and set up of the restaurant is CUTEEEE!!! Gah, very romantic. We started off with the roasted beet salad with feta, pickled red onion and pecans, and I don't usually like beets AT ALL and neither does my husband, but the salad was BOMB with it and wouldn't have been the same without it. I'm pregnant so had water and Sprite all night, but my hubby got Cava with this dust. We then had their Wagyu beef and scallops with roasted carrots and potatoes topped with brave sauce. 10/10 omg! Richard recommended the Falcon's Perch Pinot for this meal. The hubby was VERY happy with this choice. Fruit forward and delicious. I smelled it and saw the coloring, and it was not too deep (which was great for the meal we were having). The night ended off with some yummy, sweet Caramel and Chocolate Pot de Creme. Richard recommended my hubby have the Graham's Tawny Port 20 year. We love to end off all of our desserts anywhere with a dessert wine and my hubby said this hit the spot! Overall, it was a WONDERFUL experience, the food was amazing and the service was great. Will definitely consider eating here again for big holidays, occasions and anytime they have a pre-fixe menu. read more

Great food! Great service. Outdoor seating was nice and cosy. Ambience outside is nice (we were seated outside) read more

Esteban Restaurant - Pork empanadas, potato bravas with fried egg, mushroom flatbread with cheese, and pork and cheese fried balls. - Spanish Near Me - Monterey, California

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Wow this place is great and really cares about their food quality! We had the most phenomenal paella and Caesar salad. There was so much fresh seafood in the Paella Del Mar, and the flavor was fantastic! Also what a beautiful thing to say about food, even when it's to-go. I will 10/10 recommend this restaurant and will be back! Thank you for making my birthday delicious! And what great customer service, they called to follow up on how we liked the meal!!!! You guys are fantastic!!!! read more

Esteban Restaurant - Spanish Near Me - Monterey, California

Estaban was a great place to dine during the pandemic. We were staying in Montery for the weekend and Estaban made such an impression that we decided to eat there both nights so we could try more things on the menu. The atmosphere outside was super cute with heated lamps and a fire going. We booked reservations in advance. The first night we did a tapas style meal. The heirloom beet salad it was nice and refreshing. We also tried the arancini and the grilled octopus with an ink sauce with truffles had a nice smoky flavour to it. The second night we tried the Boquerones. I had never had fresh anchovies before. Highly recommend trying these, the plate comes with two slices. Then we had the Del Mar Paella which did not disappoint. The white sangria was a little lacking in flavour, but the red sangria was amazing and paired well with the food and atmosphere. Would definitely go back again to try more. read more

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This was a recommended restaurant from a friend. We made resos and chose outdoor seating so we could bring our furbaby. They had heaters and fire pits outside which kept the husband warm. They also had a doggie menu serving various options. We ended up getting the beef patty for our doggo. The paella was so good and was worth the wait. It did come out piping hot. The waiter was extremely nice as well. Definitely will come back again for the food. read more

Esteban Restaurant - Seafood paella - Spanish Near Me - Monterey, California

Had dinner here last night and it didn't disappoint. Great outdoor seating with heaters next to the table, which was much appreciated given the cool evening breeze. We ordered the flatbread, cheeseburger, and spare rib. All were delicious. Prices are high but It was our anniversary so didn't mind paying it since the food was so good. Woke up this morning craving the spare rib again, so who knows maybe we will repeat dinner tonight. read more

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The restaurant is exceptional along with the service. My husband, my pup and I had a outside patio dining experience for Thanksgiving and we enjoyed every moment of it. The ambiance was nice and the food was great! We shared the empanadas, the local fried chili peppers and for the main course had the pollo asado and seafood paella. All was cooked to perfection. So grab a glass of wine or two and bask in the ambiance of this cute little restaurant. read more

We are staying in the hotel and have had several different plates. The restaurant is very nice. The hostess is lovely, very welcoming. We have had the cheese with prosciutto(very good) & the paella, it was good. Also, the olive plate, not a fan. The service is great! read more