I'm commencing this review with the disclaimer that our visit took place on a hot day in mid July…read morevacation season so perhaps it was not at its best. However I'm compelled to write because google seems to have given this spot a whopping 4.3 stars. Unfortunately, those stars don't resonate with our experience. This food is pretty much only to be enjoyed if you like your dishes deep-fried (as many do!) and served without the merciful respite of any sauce whatsoever. Everything came with a serve of french fries which was about the only thing we could eat. The croquetas with jamón had a slightly disturbing, tangy meat flavour while the baccalo was effectively just deep-fried fish - thickly battered and bland with dry, white flesh inside - and no salt. The berenjenas con miel (aubergines with honey) were incredibly overdone, with the honey used so sparingly that it just felt like eating the world's saddest tempura vegetable. Half portions are huge - so we would at least advise starting with one plate before proceeding further. As for the coffee: the cappuccino was served with whipped cream on top - unusual even for a country which gets overly enthusiastic about froth, yet this was probably about the only palatable thing about an otherwise bitter brew. The accompanying bread offered no solace (nor was there any sauce to dip it into, anyway) - mere white toast bread, and dry at that. Allowing for the fact that a lot of Spanish tabernas serve cheap, simple coffee and deep fried fare - this seemed to be particularly tough to stomach. However the place was busy with many people enjoying the place, and it was situated in a gorgeous little square in central Gaucín. Here's hoping we only caught it on an off day.

I have the same experience as the other customer who ordered and it was horrible! I can't believe…read moregoogle let them slip off like that. Last time I went there it was horrible. I'm sorry but this is the truth

Really, these people have sacrificed decor for no-frills eating. But service was great with…read morebountiful AND spectacular seafood alongside the beach and Estepona's Port on the other. No Paella here. La Escollera is strictly seafood from what I saw. Because of Escollera's popularity with tourists AND locals alike, it gets busy so have a few things in mind: (1) give your name+last name to the host inside (2) if you can grab a high-top outside, go for it and get a Starter bite while you wait, (3) someone will yell out your last name, then (4) you're in. Attention from all the servers is definitely here and each offered individual tid-bit on what we ordered. Dozen oysters (or "12 pieces") were meaty and juicy with the right amount of oyster liquor. What's more, I know the oysters hubs and I have been getting on the East Coast in the States are good- but these here in Spain's Southern Coast are mind-blowing. Horseradish and mignonette? They're obsolete in these parts. You will get Tabasco as an alternate (for hubs) and some individually-packaged red wine. It did just fine. Prawns were good but the Sardines were excellent with a slightly crunchy-garlicky exterior. The oysters took it a bit over from what we've experienced during our stay. But come to think of it, comparing the quality and straight-from-the-sea catch to the East Coast, they were worth the €54. Skip the juicy-flavored sangria and go for a red or white instead. In essence, it's all about the seafood here.

Best seafood I've ever had!!…read more We arrived mid afternoon and the place was crowded. We put our name on the list but ended up just getting a bar table outside (which has service anyway). We ordered a lot of small plates and everything was fresh, perfectly cooked, and well seasoned. While we usually prefer sautéed seafood, the fried squid was exceptional. Don't miss out on this spot! Right by the water, beautiful view.

Review of El Refugio in Benaocaz I dined at El Refugio on…read moreMonday August 29,2016 while visiting family in Cadiz. It's a rustic looking restaurant located in Plaza San Anton in the town of Benaocaz, Province of Cadiz, Spain. Benaocaz is up in the mountains in what is known as Sierra of Grazalema or Sierra de Cadiz. The restaurant also occupies the space around the plaza. Their specialty is charbroiled meats and Iberian Pork and all meats are charbroiled in wood stoves/ovens. We were welcomed by Santiago (Santi) who immediately gave an excellent explanation of the menu, methods of cooking, different types of meat cuts and even wines! We dined four different cuts of Bellota fed Iberian Pork from Valle de Pedroches which is best known for raising the Bellota fed Iberian Pork. Santi is very knowledgeable about what he offers at his restaurant, from each one of the Spanish wines and regions he offers to his customers; to the quality of the meat, vegetables and local grocers/farmers in the local area and Spain. This was a real "Farm to table" experience. We dined different cuts of Iberico Pork cuts: "Lagarto", "Secreto Iberico", "Churrasco Iberico" and "presa Iberica" a complained by home made and hand cut it potatoes and freshly made vegetables. Nerveless to say, these were all different cuts and were cooked beautifully, tastefully and to perfection by Veronica, head chef and wife! Desserts are homemade- we had locally made Payoyo cheese with freshly made mermelades. Santiago emphasized all their desserts are made at the restaurant and the cheeses are from local farmers. El Refugio is a small family owned restaurant, a dining gem up in the mountains ( Sierra Andaluza) that is worth a trip and a visit. It has beautiful views of the Sierra/mountains. I give his place a five!

I would suggest making a reservation well ahead of time. They squeezed our group of five in when we…read moreentered at their 7:30 pm opening time. They just asked we be done by 9:30 pm for the next party. Mix of regional dishes but primarily Middle Eastern. We also had chicken shish tauk which is a kebab. The rice pilaf contains almonds so be aware for those of you with nut allergies. I had the lamb kebabs which came with roasted potatoes. All the food was very good. We sat on the lower level and inside which was cozy. Please note the stairs are steep and the head space as you are going down or between rooms is low.

The location is amazing and it's garden is beautiful. Everything we ordered was delicious. The…read moreserver was very attentive and gave great recommendations. We had a great experience and if we are in the area will definitely be back. Make sure to make reservations in advance. Also to give your self time to see the beautiful town. One last recommendation is after dinner, visit the "teteria" where you can enjoy drinks and desert on the rooftop terrace.

Great seafood restaurant on the beach. Slight language issue as clams and scallops were confused on…read morethe menu Clams were fresh and excellent, just weren't scallops as advertised no complaints, all good fresh fish and seafood. If in Estapona Spain a fine choice for dinner

Lovely restaurant on the beach in Estepona. Initially we had a grumpy waiter but when we insisted…read morewe needed more time to order he was replaced by two younger men. The artichoke hearts were wonderful. We had grilled vegetables and fish (rape) and our friends had grilled octopus (pulpo) and a skewer of fish shrimp and veggies over a wonderful rice base, with the smallest rice I've ever seen. All excellent. Confusion reigned when we ordered desert as the waiter knew the word fruit but not sorbet and my husband ended up with fresh sliced fruit. He was happy with it. My order of lemon ice cream was not available but instead of telling me it was not available and letting me choose something else, he brought me something he thought I wanted, which I didn't. When I clarified that I was ordering chocolate and vanilla ice cream, he brought me a desert that was neither and told me it was the only ice cream they had. It didn't take like ice cream, it was vanilla and chocolate but wasn't creamy. When I asked another waiter about it, he said it was an Italian dessert. It was good. When they realized the confusion, they sent a complimentary bottle of limoncello and four chocolate covered ice cream bites. So all was well. The restaurant is not expensive by North American standards but is for this region of Spain. We had a magical night with our first views of Gibraltar and the African coastline at sunset. I would come back.

Watching the sun go down from a table outside Ian and Laurie's bar is an experience not forgotten…read morein a hurry because the views are absolutely stunning. Inside the reception is always warm and friendly and the food that comes out the kitchen is first class. If you're passing through and only have time to visit one bar in Olvera, make it this one!!!

Popped into Bar Valentinos Olvera to say Hi to Ian and Laurie and to wish them well on their new…read moreventure and recieved a very warm welcome. The Bar is tasefully decorated and has viwes to die for. Having tried a few of the many Tapas dishes I must say they where very tasty indeed, and also the Special Chicken or Fish Paella which was so yummy I had seconds. Really looking forward to my next vist

Fabulous beef steak and wild boar stew.Even Kobe beef not as savory. Lovely food and ambiance…read more Reservations recommended, at least on Sunday when we got the last available table.

We visited Cádiz el Chico while on a guided tour and we were very happy with our choice. It was…read morevery comfortable inside and the service was excellent. We all enjoyed our meals very much: Spanish tortilla , mixed salad, ratatouille, and vegetable lasagna. The prices were also reasonable and the sangria was tasty!

We had lunch here. 4 tapas plates, a small beer, and a water -- all for under 16 Euros…read more The octopus salad was pretty good The pork cheek was very tender and cooked well The stuffed mushrooms were delightfully cheesy and had some seafood in the stuffing The pollo relleno was pretty good as well, very flavorful

Friendly people, good service, locally sourced produce, fresh fish, good desserts. We had an…read moreafternoon snack and liked it so much we went back for dinner.

Solid find. Some of the best tapas we've had between here and Madrid. Truly special. As gourmet as…read morethese tapas are, my heart was taken prisoner by their hamburguesa tapas. Two simple sliders that hit all the right notes. Simply brilliant. The rest - tuna tataki, grilled octopus, and fish tacos (amazingly made from cod baccalao) were all top notch. I cannot recommend enough.

Arco Tapas Bar is a very cozy and charming tapas restaurant located in the Old Town historical…read morecenter of Marbella, Spain. The owner, Anita, was so friendly and invited us to sit wherever we preferred. My husband, sister and I chose a table in the back room next to the fireplace since it was a chilly night in January. We were dehydrated from drinking wine all day during our wine tour in Ronda so we immediately ordered several bottles of water and soda to accompany our wine. I was dreading the bill after ordering so many beverages, but prices were very reasonable and this was one of our cheapest meals in Marbella! The menu at Arco Tapas Bar consists of a variety of hot and cold tapas and small plates. The Iberian ham, fresh buffalo mozzarella, sliders, and goat cheese salad were some of our favorite dishes. We later found out that Anita's husband is the chef. Anita's husband is from Italy so you will notice some Italian influences on the menu. This was the perfect spot to relax with friends and enjoy some great wine and tapas. Would highly recommend this spot. Unfortunately, they are not open for lunch or we would have returned the next day!

The foie and solomillo I MUST have at least twice every time I'm in town. Sooooo yummy with a…read moreglass of grenache.

Ambiance is wonderful. Food is delicious and original. Service is wonderful. I ate at this place…read moremultiple times, will go back again and again.