I absolutely enjoyed my time and the food at Meson Don Felipe. Expect this place to be busy, loud and a Spanish Guitarist appearing randomly on a high chair close to the ceiling. But it has to be seen and believed, I actually really liked the additional touch! The wine choices are extensive and between the two of us shared a bottle of wine (or two, can't remember now!), batatas bravas, calamari, octopus... And for desert, the cheese board of course. The bill came up to around £60-66 which we were content with considering how fully satisfied we were. Great location, great food and we had a helpful and patient waiter (considering how busy they were). read more

WTF?! HOW DID I MISS THIS PLACE?! I used to work right by Southwark tube station and have tried just about every darn restaurant on the cut. YES, even the pret. eeww.. Anyway, I have somehow managed to miss The Meson! BUT I'm glad that a friend and I went last night. She introduced me to probably the most addictive tapas food I've had in London. We had the Pulpo (Octopus) which was really really good, albeit the fact that a few pieces had a tad bit too much salt on them. We also had the spinach with pine nuts and raisins, the patatas bravas (which had a good spice to them, but could use a tad less water in the sauce), the peppers with aubergine (amazeballz) and probably my favorite dish of the night, the deep fried whitebait. Blown away by the atmosphere, the lone flamenco guitarist, the "so bright your eyes have to adjust later" red walls, and the good food. This place is a 4 out of 5 mainly dinged because while the food was good, it had some clear misses (the rest of the octopus was fine, but y'gotta be able to make the whole dish work, not just 90% of it). And with all my reviews, I ask myself the question... Would I go back? YES! The Meson is an experience, come prepared to wait and be amazed. read more

Meson Don Felipe - Mmmmmm from left corner clockwise, Patatas Bravas, Pulpo, Whitebait, Spinach with Pine Nuts, and Baked Peppers with Aubergine. - Wine Bars Near Me - London, XGL

There was nothing nice about this experience. We arrived around 9pm on a Friday night, there were busy but no unreasonable for the amount of staff they had and for a restaurant in Waterloo. We were handed menus and weren't approached again for over 10mins. We ordered 5 dishes and 2 drinks. The cold meats arrived fairly quickly, but it took a good 15-20 mins for the 3 of the dishes to arrive. We were never approached again. Eventually my bf got the attention of a waiter to check where our other dish was and if we could have some bread. The calamari came and it was greasy and kinda gross to be honest. We paid our bill only to discover they charge £1.50 for 2 small bread rolls, a further £1.50 for aoili and 12.5% service. The whole experience was very underwhelming, the staff were unfriendly and inattentive, and the food was really overpriced. read more

This bar is amazing. If you like Tapas you should definetly go to Don Felipe. This place looks basically like a huge bar with a long counter. People sit around this counter and order tapas and drinks and get served after a while. You can choose between lots of different little appetisers and they all taste fantasic. There is always a man sitting on a kind of ladder and plays his spanish guitar. The music, the food and the drinks create a wonderful atmosphere. Since this place is always crowded it is useful to book in advance. read more

The winning point here is that while the commercialisation of The Cut continues with more 'run of the mill chains' progressively lining the street, Meson don Felipe stands proudly as a fairly old and established standalone tapas bar. The place was packed with diners when we got in at 7:45pm on a Wednesday evening. It took me almost 5 seconds to spot my friends, although they did get a table without a reservation. The waiters were friendly and aplenty so we didn't have to wait long to order. Live music. Loud music. A bit too loud for my 40 year old nerves. Between three of us, we shared the patata bravas, chorizo, calamari, tortilla and the croquettas. A glass of Rioja for each diner. At £17/cover this seemed like something of a steal. This is no barrafina, or even close. But it's a minute's walk from both Waterloo and Southwark. Not sure why more people don't know about this place. read more

Spanish / Portguese cuisine is a BIG thing in London at the moment: Polpo, Jose, Barrafina... which is excellent for me because I love it. A thing that stands out about this tapas place is that it's very old school - not all "trendy-exposed-brick-n-stuff". You actually get a seat (yessss) and a waitress who smiles at you. A perfect place to grab a snack before going to the Old Vic. read more

Before I begin this review, prepare yourself by thinking of a cozy, boistrious Spanish tapas restaurant. As you enter the door, you'll be serenaded by the flamenco guitarist. It's a bit parculiar as he is placed on a perch halfway up the wall. How he get there? Who knows - but the guy was very good! Meson Don Felipe is great for a evening of a lot of wine, great chirizo, squid in ink and a various assortment of Spanish tapas. The atmosphere is very bussly and loud, so definitely recommend going for an evening of fun versus an evening of romance! If you work near Waterloo, this is a great spot to hit on a Friday evening after work. It's located fairly close to the station in The Cut. read more

Small and crowded place but a great selection of tapas and some of the nicest Sangria you will find in London. Try to book ahead if you can. read more

A short walk from South Walk, (popularly known as Sudduck by Londoners, don't ask me why..) Meson Don Felipe is a gem in disguise because you will never imagine it is so huge when you see it from outside. I am in London for work and decided to get a drink with my friend after work around 9 pm somewhere close to South Walk (that is where my hotel is, yeah I know I am selfish :p). We kept walking down towards south bank and literally every bar we went to was over crowded with the London YUPPIES. We saw Meson Don Felipe on Yelp and I immediately wanted to go there as the name sounded fancy (I love to try places with complicated names , just a little pet peeves :p) Like I mentioned before it is a gem in disguise because when we saw it from outside we thought it must be a small Spanish Tapas place, but we were completely wrong because this place is huuuuge! There are two floors and an outdoor terrace (I would love to come back on a sunny day) with ample seating area. It was crowded too but may be because of its size it did not look that crowded and we managed to find a table. The beer selection is very diverse and interesting because you can find some really unique lagers here from all over the world. I got a strawberry and hazelnut cocktail which was absolutely delicious and we just paid 10 pounds for both drinks (win). Verdict : Definitely coming back here if I am in the area! read more

The first time I went to Meson Don Felipe was great. It was full, noisy with lots of energy and busting staff. On a tiny elevated platform a lone flamenco guitarist plucked away on his acoustic guitar. I am not a big fan of tapas but there's something quite fun about ordering and tasting a range of dishes. The have all the classics - patatas bravas, green beans, fish balls, fritata. The wine was pleasant and fruity which complimented the dishes. I went back a second time. I had booked a table and was a bit late but they kept it for me. Unfortunately the food was very unspectacular. Tuna balls were greasy, patatas lukewarm and the guitarist had fled his stage. It was still as crammed as ever. So I am wavering on going back - I have heard there are much better tapas bars around read more

The food is sure good here but don't expect much of service. the waitress decided to seat me at the bar between two groups cuz i am only one. I have to ask to seat at another seat at the bar. I yelped for a dinner place which is not too far of a walk since it's raining and got this. the place is not too far from southwark station. the atmosphere is great here with a guitarist but it can be a bit loud. If you are on your first date, then it would be a bit difficult to hear what your date says. i got three dishes and they were all good. Ham, octopus and potato, cheese, mushroom on top of zucchini. it is recommended and i will be back next time. read more

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Definitely not as good as I had hoped. The food here is bland and/or overcooked, and even the sangria is disappointing. We tried several things, the pimientos which were flavourless, the chicken with "aioli" (it's just mayo, yech) the cooked-to-death chorizo and the lamb kebab. All of the dishes were a disappointment. The place has a great wine selection and service is very good, but I was really disappointed by the food. I suppose that it's possible we ordered the wrong dishes or whatever, but you'd think at least some of what we ordered would be interesting and it just wasn't. read more

Loved this place. Super nice atmosphere, if a little noisy. Okay very noisy. Food was good - I recommend the grilled octopus, the fresh anchovies and the tortilla. Patatas bravas were quite pricey. The meatballs were quite disappointing. Mushrooms cooked in garlic - very delicious. Desert was not bad either, nicely presented and the sangria was pretty good. I like it when there is more fruit but it had a nice flavor. read more

Oooh hello! Aren't you a little cutey! I'm in awe of Masion Del Felipe. I've always avoided it because I've been told that it's very pricey. But, after looking for nearby tapas joint Mar-i-terra last night and getting lost (entirely my fault), we wound up here. And you know what? It's not that expensive at all. It was packed when we got here, but honestly, this is the kind of place that I imagine would be packed all the time. There's tables around the bar, but it would have been nice to sit at the bar as well. We were lucky that a table for two left just as we got there, so we didn't have to wait. If there's a lot of you, i'd suggest booking though. Perfect perfect stunning place. Great atmosphere and we were happy before we'd even ordered. That a good sign. We have the usual tapas - Gambas, chorizo, meatballs. We have about six dishes and all of them were fantastic. I'm impressed. I think if we were being greedy, we could have squeezed in a couple more dishes, and the rest of menu looked fantastic. Was it pricey? Well, with two beers each, the meal for two came in at just under fifty quid. So, it's not going to make you cry into your wallet, but it was maybe a tad more than we wanted to shell out mid week. Still worth every single penny though. Great date place too. Cosy, but still fun and busy. There's even a little guitar dude playing Spanish tunes. They put him high up on a weird little stage though. He needed a little ladder to get there! That said, as lovely as the food was, and the style and buzzy feeling about the place, it's still not knocked Rebato's in Stockwell off my top spot. It's going to take a lot to do that, but if someone took me here again, I'd be very happy indeed. read more

The place itself is quite cute, looks very traditional and has that vibe.. However, the food was average and the staff weren't very friendly. A musician started playing and though this gives it a nice touch, the music was a little loud and not too melodic. read more

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All Pictures at The London Foodie (http://www.thelondonfoodie.co.uk ) Twenty-three Years of Spanish Food and Wine in London's Southbank Meson Don Felipe, opened in 1987 on The Cut near Waterloo Station, was one of the first restaurants I visited in London nearly twenty years ago, and is one of the few I keep returning to after all these years. A real Spanish institution, Meson Don Felipe is a great place for good and unpretentious tapas, live flamenco music and great atmosphere. The place is nearly always heaving - I love sitting by the bar, starting my evening with a chilled bottle of bone dry Manzanilla Sherry ('La Goya', Delgado Zuleta - £10.50 for bottle) , and some "Almendras" (Toasted and salted marcona almonds) £3.50 and "Aceitunas" (Marinated Spanish olives) @ £3.25, while I peruse the tapas menu. The menu has hardly changed in the 18 years I have been a patron but "daily specials" are always on offer so there are always a couple of new dishes that can be ordered on any visit. Last month, I went back to Meson don Felipe with Dr G, one of my oldest friends Gary of StartSpace on Columbia Road (see blogroll), and his partner Pablo who is a Brazilian artist. We ordered a selection of tapas which were as good as expected - hardly haute cuisine but tasty and the perfect accompaniment to the Spanish wine being ordered. "Pescaditos Fritos" (Deep-fried whitebait) @ £4.95. "Bacalao frito con alioli" (Deep-fried fresh cod with garlic mayonnaise) @ £5.75. "Higaditos al jerez" (Chicken livers in Sherry sauce) @ £4.95. "Patatas Riojanas" (Potatoes cooked with chorizo) @ £4.75. "Champiñones con Setas" (Mixed mushrooms cooked in oil and garlic) @ £4.75. "Habas con Jamon" (Broad beans with cured ham and mint) @ £4.95. "Chorizo Castellana" (Hot and spicy Spanish sausage) @ £4.95. "Jamon y Queso" (Plate of Spanish cured ham, manchego cheese, quince conserve and grapes) @ £5.95. "Croquetas de atun" (Tuna fish croquettes) @ £4.95. Meson Don Felipe's Spanish wine list is one of the most comprehensive I have encountered in London, and also one of the most reasonably priced - there are many choices of wine by the glass from £3.65 while bottles start at £13.25. We ordered a 2005 Muga Reserva @ £26.75 which was a blend predominantly of tempranillo and garnacha, aged for 30 months in oak (6 months in large vats, and 24 months in small barrels), and had deliciously soft tannins, lovely dark berry fruits and a long finish. This was a complex and well balanced wine. Meson Don Felipe is my place of choice whenever I go to the Young or Old Vic theatres or the Royal Festival Hall on the Southbank. It can get very busy, so I would recommend booking a table (tables can be booked until 8pm only) if more than two people are coming. Alternatively sit by the bar and soak up the wonderful atmosphere while watching the staff and other customers going about their business. Service can be erratic at busy times and level of English spoken varies a lot - there have been times when I have not been able to book a table (even though I can speak Portuguese) as people taking the bookings could not communicate in English, but it is worth persevering. Cost: Around £30 per person including food and Spanish wine. Likes: wonderful live flamenco music, great atmosphere, and lovely food. Meson's wine list is excellent and very good value. Dislikes: service can be erratic at busy times and English is not always tip top which some might say adds to the charm of the place. Verdict: Meson Don Felipe is a real Spanish institution on London's The Cut, serving consistently good, unpretentious and familiar tapas dishes at reasonable prices. The Spanish wine list is also excellent. One of my London gems. I cannot wait to return. Meson Don Felipe 53 The Cut London, SE1 8LF Tel: 020 7928 3237 read more

Recently re-visited Don Felipe's after a long absence. Luckily nothing much has changed. The food is still good, it's still busy, and yes, the guitarist the night I was there was sandwiched between his raised platform and the ceiling while he flamencoed to the noisy diners. The chicken livers (higaditos) were particularly tasty, and of course the tapas means you can eat as much or as little as you like. Great Spanish wine choice, and the sublime Pedro Ximenes sherry for a post-prandial. Bliss! read more

My husband and I joke that we tend to only go to restaurants in a ¼ mile radius to our flat, but then we're lucky in that a lot of restaurants in that radius are wonderful. Meson don Felipe is no exception. The octopus is so fantastic here, it's flavored beautifully and isn't too chewy. Also, surprisingly enjoyable is the artichoke salad it is a great complement to some of the heavier tapas. The place can get crowded quickly, the bar is fun to sit at, but isn't totally comfortable (expect to bang your knees a few times). It's a nice place for a twosome or a small group to have dinner. read more

A really good Spanish bar. I didn't feel like I was in Spain but there was good energy, the right food and loads of wines and sherries. The wine list, while big, wasn't super creative or interesting and omitted some outstanding and, by now, established high quality areas (e.g. Ribera Sacra). Just the same we had fun with it. And the sherry list? Just having 20 or so on the menu is a good thing...another plus. As for food, we didn't have much: jamón y queso and almonds. Both were high quality, satisfying and generous. We'd return anytime. read more

I recently found this little tapas restaurant when I went to the New Vic, and was looking for some pre theatre food. Now, I love tapas, and have sampled a good few restaurants, and have to say that Meson Don felipe was a great little place to go to! The atnosphere was great, you feel like you could be in Spain, as everyone seems crammed in! The food itself offered a good selection of tapas, torilla, patatas bravas, and although it seemed a bit pricey to start with, we managed to eat 5 dishes and have a bottle of house white for £15 each, which i thought was fair. I would recommend a visit if you are around Waterloo! read more

Sometimes, people move jobs. I know, shocking philosophical statement to start this review with... And this is sad, but is always a great excuse for a 'sorry you're leaving, let's drink wine in the middle of the day' lunch. Well, in this case, sangria We only get an hour for lunch so had to find a speedy place and this was it. The service was direct and to the point, slightly cold but for this occasion we weren't fussed. We decided on a selection of tapas to share amongst 7 of us and got about 12 in the end, a perfect number for lunch considering we got 2 paella dishes and these were pretty filling. Lovely selection of food here in this quirky restaurant/ bar. It's small, and the tables are really crammed together. You go in and the first thing you notice is that the eating and drinking areas are combined, with the main (and frankly oversized) bar popped right in the middle of the space. Having to squeeze round this was frankly a pain, if it were busier it would be easy to knock over other table's food/ chairs/ casual handbag-to-head as you try and convince yourself you're a size 0 so you can walk through freely. But lovely food - paella, chorizo, patatas bravas, croquettas, prawns and other sumptious little dishes were shared with much laughter and a bit too much sangria. Bill time, £15. Bargain! read more

A very busy authentic tapas bar. Lively atmosphere as people pack in around the central island bar. A fun place to catch up with friends over good food and wine. read more

This place looks unappealing on the outside but once you get in it has a fantastic atmosphere with good food to go with it! The staff here were great and super helpful recommending how much we should order and a great wine. The tapas dishes are a good size, so you don't need to order too much.There is a good selection of meat, fish and veg dishes to please everyone. Will definitely be going back! read more

I have been to this little gem about half a dozen time now with friends, family and my partner. It's great for all occassions and I love the bar in the middle. It has a really authentic Spanish tapas atmosphere and even a guy playing a guitar, although I can't say I like the music but it adds to the character of the place as he sits on a little platform towards the end of the bar. The food here is great, a great menu to choose from and all the dishes are top class. It's far removed from the horrible chain tapas restaurants and feels fresh and well prepared. A must vist. The Cut is a great little area as well with some nice bars to vist pre and post a great meal read more

Very authentic Tapas place in Southwark that is a tapas lover's heaven. The sangria is fab and the food is yumm. Very simple atmosphere like you're in a village in Valencia. Thoroughly enjoyed it. read more

We have been there for the first time and ordered two different chicken dishes and it tasted.. boring. The atmosphere was not very nice and the drinks far too expensive. No, we would not go there again. read more

I am a frequent tapas eater and in SE1 there are the best of both Meson Don Felipe and Brindisa in Borough. Meson Don Felipe always has a special resonance as when one enters it is very much like walking into a Galician tapas bar. There isn't a great deal of physical comfort except that gained from the constitutional bar stools and high chairs where you can sit and chat and eat. The wine list is good with wines from many of Spain's emerging regions. I like to start with a half bottle of cava or an Estrella Galicia and then maybe punt for some alborino followed by a bottle of something unusual like from Navarra. Food wise, the croquets are a must as is the pulpo (octopus) in paprika. Really worth a visit here but beware of the "especial Spanish coffee".. the waitress returned with two normal coffees and a saucepan of flaming brandy. We needed zimmer frames to get back home! Overall this is a fun and characterful place and one I will always go back to. It has the speak easy Spanish vibe with good food to boot. Gracias! read more

Their tapas dishes are definitely hit and miss, but I would definitely go back because the ones I did enjoy were absolutely delicious. For example their garlic prawns and battered calamari rings left a lot to be desired, but their sardines, deep fried whitebait were excellent. The bar in their seems nice although we were sitted at a table due to us not have a booking, so I would definitely book next time. read more

Excellent tapas bar with a real local feel just opposite Southwark tube. It's cosy, so be prepared to breath in while people try to get past where you sit. The food is great, and the staff are well informed and are not shy of letting you know if you're making the best choices or not. The only issue is they've don't seem to 'quite' understand vegetarian. So if you ask for paella 'without the chicken' for example, don't assume it's going to happen. A lovely little find that I'll definitely be going back to. read more

Viva Meson Don Felipe! Arrived without a reservation about 7.15pm and got a little table...minutes later there was a queue of about ten people. Hearty, tasty food - generous portions of anchovies and whitebait, great & garlicky chorizo, slightly over-salty squid rings (but still worth having), really good patatas bravas. Lovely and brand new waiter (said my Spanish was good - flattery always works!) and an all-Iberian team, it appeared. The live guitar music from a man who brought his own stepladder to reach the 'stage' was somewhat lost in the healthy din of civilised chatter of happy diners. Two people - £52: two beers, a soft drink, six dishes and a shared dessert (inc tip for saying my Spanish was bravo). This place beats the pantalones off anywhere else in the area for good, hearty grub and lively atmosphere. Next time, I will book as I'd hate to miss out. read more

good place for drinks and talking, good atmosphere and especially good deserts, tapas I thought some were excellent whereas others were only so so, no wait for seating was a plus also even though the place was full read more

What a fantastic little (and I really do mean little!) place this is! Amazing atmosphere and the guitarist on a platform is something that has to be seen to be believed. The house red wine is excellent and the food is amazing especially if you've got adventurous tastes. It's a little bit pricey but well worth it, the staff are lovely too, I had the best night out with a couple of old school friends in here and I can't wait to go back. Definitely book your table in advance though as it does get really busy. read more

Great place, great electric atmosphere, great food and great service. I have eaten here a few times since I have been traveling back and forth to London; I just love this place and they have a great wine selection. The food is amazing; I have not had a bad food experience as yet and I think I have pretty much ordered everything on the menu by now. When I travel to large cities I pretty much look for Spanish Tapas type restaurants. read more

dudes. how on earth does this have such great reviews? my boyfriend and i went here for dinner on my birthday last year, and the atmosphere could have been fun.. but the waitresses/bar staff scowled the whole time, and the food was mediocre at best! i dont consider myself a great cook, (perhaps average) but i definitely could have done better. wouldnt recommend it to anyone. read more