If you're wondering how to get to the bathroom from the kitchen, follow the decorated shelf until the end and take a left -- we only heard these directions 30+ times since we were seated directly next to the kitchen. I'm disappointed because I specifically requested a table with a view, however we were seated at a booth directly next to the kitchen with no view at all. Our service was warm and timely & the food was fairly priced and had good flavor. I'm docking this review a full two stars because of the lack of attention to detail and disregard of guests' requests when it comes to seating. read more

-Food: 7/10. Without a doubt this is some of the best food you can get in Grand Rapids. Unique dishes. Nice menu w a lot to choose from. Meat was cooked the way we ordered it. Still room for improvement tho- eg the chips that come w the tartare are straight out of the bag I buy at the store. -Cocktails: 6/10. The cocktails on their menu cocktail list are weak and too sweet. You are better off ordering a normal cocktail yourself or getting wine/beer. -Service: 3/10. sub-par. Made a reservation far in advance for our anniversary. Was surprised we were seated in the lounge area w no view/next to the bathroom. Also our server made the meal feel very rushed. She tried to take away cocktails and dishes before we were finished. Also told us we needed to make a decision quickly on dessert because it was getting close to kitchen closing. I ordered a dessert. And then it was brought to our table literally 60 seconds later while we were still eating our main dishes. -Value: 7/10. Prices are not exactly justified imo. Main dish portions are what I'd expect for tapas actually. Overall a good experience. Crowd was interestingly casual last night. There were kids running around in pajamas at 10pm which I guess happens in hotels. Didn't exactly meet my expectations but will probably be back bc GR doesn't have great restaurant options and this is still one of the best. read more

And friend and I went to MDRD for a girls night. The decor and view were excellent, the service was top notch, the drinks were delicious and the food was beautifully plated. The dish that stood out to me most was the salmon con trufa. I keep thinking about it and would recommend it to anyone planning on going to MDRD. The potatoes and sauce that came with the pulpo a la gallego were also excellent. The rest of the food was good. The only dish my friend and I were disappointed in was the tartar de atun. I definitely would go back to try more of the menu. read more

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We have enjoyed meals here many times before but this evening the food was less than what we would expect. The octopus appetizer was extremely over cooked and chewy. We sent it back and was told the chef agreed. The croquettes were cold and mushy. My husband's steak was over cooked- he ordered medium and it had no pink inside. My paella was mushy- no crusty bottom! Rice was way over cooked as well as the chicken, with the shrimp looking pale white. It was very odd for a paella. We hope this isn't a sign of the quality diminishing at this lovely restaurant. read more

MDRD is my husband and I's new fancy night out. The food is incredible. Plus we love tapas anyway, so the addition of a main course and dessert was everything we could have asked for. The staff at MDRD was fantastic as well. read more

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The food is so delicious. The steak is perfect! Although I dislike seafood their lobster was to die for. The service is perfect! They ask about the meal the explain your order. The Ambiance is the best part. The decor is breathtaking, they play good music to. It's worth the price for sure! read more

They do not offer a free desert for birthday celebration's or anniversaries. For being high end the service was not great and the food was way over priced for the portions. read more

We were disappointed this time around at MDRD. We had the AJO BLANCO CON MELÓN and it lacked flavor and was gritty. Kind of like drinking melon just with corn meal floating in it. We also had ENSALADA DE PEPINO, which was good but again lacked any interesting flavors, although the presentation was nice. The SALMÓN CON TRUFA was the best item we had all night. Interesting mix of flavors. The VIEIRAS AL AJILLO were nice. The TIGRES was inedible, and was supposed to contain muscles, but tasted like bland rice pudding fried on top of a muscle shell. We did not try the entrees. Cocktails were good. Overall, the food did not merit the price. read more

Amazing tapas, incredible drinks and fantastic service! Great for a nice date night or a ladies night, guys night out, etc.

Great atmosphere, great food, great service. I love this place I want to come back ASAP. We shared like 5 tapas and got the dessert that looks like a tree, it was amazing. read more

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Favorite restaurant in town. Atmosphere + drinks + tapas + view = perfect night! Definitely recommend

Five stars is not enough for this place. Not only is the food incredible but the customer service was amazing! We got all sorts of tapas and entrees and desserts to share for our table. We definitely had a one of a kind experience and it was incredible. Our server Shirley, was one of the best servers I've ever had! Hands down this is an incredible experience with the most beautiful views of the city! read more

Went here for our 30th anniversary. We were treated well from the minute we pulled up to park. We were given a warm greeting by the hostess and had a wonderful night. Our server was spot on with the menu. He was aware of how things were prepared. The space was wonderful and we had a great desert. read more

Highly recommend! Our waitress, Bre M was incredible and ensured that our experience was fantastic. Great food, and the view was the best we've seen in Grand Rapids! read more

MDRD - Pulpo a La Gallega (Galician style grilled octopus) & Tartar de Ternera (angus beef in bone marrow) - Spanish Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Great food, ambiance and service! Unusual entrees and cocktails . The view is spectacular. Loved it!

Grab a seat at the bar if you cannot get a table. The views alone make it a memorable experience.

I've been trying to make reservations for a week now at MDRD but every time I attempt to through the "Open Table" app it says the system is experiencing technical difficulties and to try later. Now the reservation I want to make isn't available because it was reserved by someone else. I tried calling the restaurant to state my dilemma but they NEVER answer the phone. If the issue is with the app, that's one thing and probably not MDRDs fault but not answering your phones and saying it's because you're tending to your guests at the restaurant to me is unacceptable. Especially if you're a "AAA 4 diamond" restaurant and might miss out on potential guests. Will update my review after we get a reservation. read more

Pricey? Sure. Great view of the city? 10/10 feels of Chicago-y atmosphere. Good drinks

Everything was great, and some things were excellent. The ambience, view, and dessert are what made our first two visits to MDRD special.

Actual real donuts! Excellent! The people are friendly and helpful. It is always clean and neat. Go early for the best selection!

Everything is amazing here. The view, the ambience, the service. The best part is the food! We enjoyed several tapas plates, the drinks were unique and of course the dessert "tree" was so creative and tasted fantastic! read more

The food and service were spot on. Scallops were probably the best this Florida girl has ever had. Loved the drinks. Loved the ambiance. Definitely will go back. read more

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I don't give MDRD a full 5 stars because I think it's very over priced for what it is. My family lives in Madrid, Spain and we travel back and forth often and although the food comes close to true Spanish food, flavor wise, it's not there. I don't think you can claim to be a Spanish restaurant when the "Paella" a staple of Spanish food, is not good at all. The croquettes were delicious and so was the lamb but of all the items on the menu that I've had, the croquettes are the only thing I would say is spot on. The octopus is very over cooked and tastes very charred. The shrimp is very over salted/dry. I'm just disappointed because I thought we'd finally get to have real Spanish food closer to home. I would return for the great cocktails, excellent service and magnificent views. read more

Amazing fine dining experience. Food, environment, service, wine, all AMAZING! We tried several tapas and had 2 of the 3 desserts. The menu is authentic to popular Spanish dishes. Definitely will be back! read more

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This was a wonderful experience! We had an assortment of tapas. The hands down winner is the salmon- holy cats are they amazing! The preppers weee fabulous, and the shrimp were perfect! So much food- I'm missing some but just wonderful! The specialty drinks were yummy & gorgeous! The desserts .... well see the photos! As lovely & creative as the were scrumptious! Overall superb service & a wonderful evening!! read more

Great bartenders, great drinks. View was amazing. Our bartender helped get us into a very hard to get into restaurant, they are the best!

Seem to be creating a vibe instead of catering to customers who really end up paying. Bar could care less that we were there and seats were being saved for customers two hours out. Great views, good food. Great location otherwise, but customer service is pretty poor read more

Penthouse bar- great cocktails and friendly staff.

We had such a great experience tonight! The food was fresh and amazing. Our server, Brandon, was fantastic. Start to finish we had a fantastic experience. Definitely a repeat! read more

A great atmosphere and kind staff. The food was underwhelming but I'd still give it another chance. Most likely to return for drinks and appetizers. read more

I was sad to see Cygnus 27 go away as it was one of my favorite restaurants and experiences here in Grand Rapids. The service was second to none, the views (especially at sunset) are unmatched, the food was untouchable with what is found in Grand Rapids. I am happy to say that MDRD is just as good, if not better, and the renovations are amazing. Still the best spot in Grand Rapids! read more

Wow. This is a place to go on a special day for some delightful Spanish cuisine. And don't even get me started with that beautiful view. I love it. read more

Have dined at MDRD twice in the last 18 months and thoroughly enjoyed the experience both times. I love the vibe in the restaurant and the variety of seating options. Of course the views are breathtaking, and extra lovely during sunset. Most recently enjoyed the octopus - cooked perfectly and so delicious, the puff pastry salmon small plate, and scallops. The desserts are incredibly creative. My favorite is the chocolate tree with cotton candy - beautifully done and so good. read more

I was excited to return to the top of the Amway for a special anniversary dinner. We had previously eaten at Signus, and I anticipated an equally fantastic experience like we had before. I was extremely disappointed! The host staff was friendly and knowledgeable and the food was absolutely amazing. That is the extent of the positive points of our visit. Our server was lack-luster and did not have the skill or personality to work in a high-end restaurant. He did not take our dinner order until we were nearly finished with our appetizer (at which point, he took the remainder of our appetizer), but he did ask if we wanted dessert when we were two bites into our entrees. The restaurant definitely has a club vibe versus a fine dining vibe with very loud and awful music. This vibe was confirmed when a group of very drunk girls was seated next to us. Not only were they permitted to carry on and be loud and obnoxious, but the staff was apparently trying to appease them by bringing extra food in to-go containers which one girl promptly began eating from the containers with her fingers. Classy. If you are looking for a fine dining experience, keep looking! This is NOT the place. But, the food was really amazing, so if you don't mind super expensive take-out, you may consider ordering from here. read more

We were so excited to dine at MDRD this week. We had read spectacular reviews and believed we were going to be blown away. We dined at 7:30, so in summer the dining room was very bright, filled with sunshine and glare. We sat as far away from the windows as possible because of the glare. The ambiance was sterile, to say the least--no softening touches of fabric or soft lighting or comfortable chairs. Ther the food. The potatoes bravas were tasteless. We had to ask for an extra order of aioli to make the potatoes edible. My husband's four puff pastries with salmon on top were nondescript and very erxpensive. Five dollars a puff for four of them. My entree of the chicken breast was quite good but not enough to save a mediocre dining experience. And it was $250 for two people! We will not be back. read more

This is a wonderful addition to downtown Grand Rapids. The location and view are excellent. The vibe is great and the menu is really interesting with a lot of good options. Everything came out plated beautifully and warm - you really can't go wrong with it comes to ordering. It's a pricey place so an excellent choice for a special occasion. For us, it just happened to be a random Tuesday that they had an open reservation but the meal turned it into a special night. Our only complaint was the lengthy wait times in between getting our food and drinks. It was nice that it didn't feel like they were pushing you out to get a new table in, but still just made for a longer experience than I would have preferred. read more

Went here a few months ago for dinner, and it was pretty bland. Beautiful and fantastic service though.

Service was excellent, the dishes were absolutely outstanding, the dessert was incredible artwork at its best. My favorite was the octopus, my wife's favorite was the fillet, my sons favorite was the scallops read more

The dessert and cocktails were very good. I wasn't blown away by any of the food I ate, enjoyed the octopus the most but it was an extremely large piece of octopus. I would go back with friends for cocktails anytime! read more

Overall an excellent experience. We made our reservations two months ago. The restaurant is beautiful. The service is superb. The Gin and Tonic was very refreshing and a unique take. The Pan Con Tomate was my favorite. We opted to add Iberico ham and it was well worth it. The Costillas de Cordero was perfect, they accommodated a rare order. The Croquetas de Jamon were my least favorite, they were burnt on parts and very mushy. The rosqilla de flan was ok. The chocolate covered pop rocks really detracted from the dish and the flan had little to no citrus flavor. The donut was very dense and so was the flan. It made for a very heavy ending to a light meal. Would not order again. The Arbil de Caramelo was very unique. The spin sugar was possible made of coconut sugar. If they sold the strawberry gelato by the pint we would have taken two to go! Overall we would absolutely come back to try a few different dishes. read more