We came here right after the official lighting ceremony for Christmas in St. Augustine, and right after proposing to my future wife.....soooo, I might be on a bit of a cloud nine with how much I enjoyed this place. BUT, I will say, I think they would have gotten a 5 star regardless. Starting with no reservation, then they offered us to sit on the couches in front of the live flamanco guitarist...um, hell yea. SCORE. They brought out a complimentary glass of champagne for the 4 of us, not asked, totally on point. The food was outstanding! The light tapas food we dined all were all a huge success. This place will always have a special place in my heart, and I think if you go, you might as well too. read more

Went here based on recommendation from Isabella's next door. They were booked, but based on the referral, they managed to squeeze us in. Excellent house sangria, not too sweet and very smooth. Excellent choice of tapas. Blistered shisito peppers, scallops arepa and charcuterie board were all excellent! read more

After years of walking by we finally made it our destination. I was blown away as soon as we walked in, very chic for St. Augustine. I recently moved here from South Beach FL, and one of my main complaints are the restaurants here don't make it "an experience". The tasting room delivers that experience with gorgeous decor, the wait staff was very informed and professional, beautiful mood lighting and lovely tables. Jazz trio was set up and rounded out the experience. I was overwhelmed by the wine menu, it is extensive and there is something for everyone. I got sidetracked when I saw the Peach Sangria and ordered that. The size was generous and I Loved that it wasn't overly sweet or "themey". Just a simple white wine with a hint of liquor and peaches. We didn't order very well though, for our tapas. We ordered the marinated mushrooms, which were just ok. the croquettes which were alright, although I found them to be missing something. I did love the Drunken Goat, which was the most delightful goat cheese with marinated onions and peppers. That was Amazing. Over all I am looking forward to going back and trying more of hte dishes and perhaps a wine flights. I highly recommend the Tasting Room, but go dressed up, there were entirely too many people in there in just shorts and a t. Its Friday night - put some pants on :) read more

We thoroughly enjoyed our recent dinner at The Tasting Room. In fact, there really wasn't a thing to criticize, so we're going with five stars here. Thanks to Daisy D for her recent review, which helped this place pop up on our radar. Our reservation was ready upon arrival. We had a small table for two next to the large booth in the front room. The art and interior design give this place a very comfortable feel and our servers were friendly and attentive. The food and wine selections we had were all delicious and arrived promptly. Meal highlights included: (tapas) the mahi bites, Spanish olives plate, and mixed greens salad with roasted beets; (entrees) the seared ahi tuna and vegetarian paella. LDC loved the paella. Even the bread and oil were a step above the normal complementary fare. LDC believes it was a hint of salt baked into the crust, plus Spanish olive oil, which apparently has a bit more flavor than many Italian versions (like the olives?). She's the chef; I'm just an eater but I'm willing to take her word for it. We also had two flights of white wines from Spain, with excellent SB, Pinot Grigio, Albarino, and Riesling. Great mix and pairings with the food, and a nice way to sample the larger wine list, which others have raved about already. Only downside? We didn't save room for dessert. Random notes: There are some parking spots available around the restaurant, which is rare for places in the historic district. And they do take reservations via OpenTable. You can certainly dress casual, but be aware that the servers will be more stylish than you. ;) We will surely return and would highly recommend The Tasting Room, especially for an evening with friends, as the tapas are perfect for sharing. Highly recommended. read more

Came here due to a Groupon for the 4-course "Ultimate Dinner". Overall, it was a very pleasant experience. When you sign up for the Ultimate Experience, you're taking quite a chance, since you don't know going in what's included in this meal. When we got the menu, we were fairly pleased with what we saw - except for the dessert - which was described as "grapefruit tart". The 1st course (appetizer) was tuna tartare, which was pretty darn tasty. My boyfriend, who normally doesn't eat raw fish, actually enjoyed this dish. The 2nd course was some kind of broiled (or baked) fish, served over rice & black beans. This one, although NOT BAD, was not particularly awesome either. It was "just ok". But you best believe I ate every grain of rice. (I love rice). The 3rd course was hanger steak, which was pretty decent. This cut of steak is normally served medium or medium rare - which are both "too rare" for me. I asked (ahead of time) if they could cook mine medium well, and they graciously obliged. We were anxious about dessert, LOL. Throughout dinner, our party of 4 made cracks about dessert - how we were SO not looking forward to it - and we should just go to McDonald's to get a sundae, LOL. To our delight, however, this grapefruit tart turned out to be quite good! There was nothing "grapefruity" about it. It had a very "clean" taste, very refreshing, and not too sweet. It was basically whipped cream on a butter tart. We went on a Saturday night. There was live flamenco music, which I really enjoyed. Service was good. One of the friends who dined with us gave this place only 3 stars due to the price of the food (no doubt - it is a pricey place). For that price, she expected to be "wowed" by the food. I agree with that sentiment. But I'm making an exception and giving this place 4 stars due to the fact that I enjoyed food that I did NOT choose for myself. I will certainly go back, and try other items on the menu (that I will pick for myself, LOL). read more

Incredible! There is no better way to describe this place. We went during lunch and had very few people there but we loved it because we got VIP treatment. Our server was very attentive and friendly. We had a 1 yr old with us and she was very patient and even catered to him. We ordered sangrías, a red and a white one. The red (pomegrante) was my favorite, the white was guava flavored. We ordered 2 appetizers, crispy pork belly and clams Jerez that were delicious! Our entrees were even better! The arroz verde was creamy like a risotto. The shrimp and grits didn't disappoint either! We all loved it. . And I mean the1 year old too! He is a future foodie and yelper! read more

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We went to this restaurant Friday night as it was recommended by our hotel valet. Our taxi driver also said she heard nothing but good things about this restaurant. We ordered a number of items: Marinated Manchego - Garlic, rosemary, olive oil, Marcona almonds and sun-dried cherries. This was absolutely delicious. Patatas Bravas - Crispy potatoes with spicy aioli and sea salt. These were so good we placed a second order. When we saw the aioli on the 2nd order we realized there was none on the first. The server insisted we were wrong. "ok" It didn't matter because it was better without it. However this was the best thing we ate. DELICIOUS. Gambas - Fiery garlic and paprika shrimp with sautéed peppers onions and extra virgin olive oil. This was fine but there was no "fiery." It would have been much better with some heat/spice. Pollo al Ajillo - Sautéed chicken with garlic and smoked Pimentón and a touch of lemon. This was disgusting. No taste. We correctly identified it as thigh meat. No taste. The server at least took it off our meal which was not our intent but was nice. Costillas de Cerdo - Roasted pork spare ribs with membrillo-pineapple glaze. This was our last item. We were totally stuffed at this point and realized we didn't need it. Good because it wouldn't have been missed. I tasted no glaze or actually any taste at all. It was completely bland. I would have given this 4 stars if it wasn't for the service. There wasn't a bit of a warm greeting or feeling when we checked in. Even though our server removed the one item she was without much personality. Other servers gave no special feeling of concern for guests when they brought the food. The restaurant has a cute setting and they had a decent duo playing music and that was a nice touch. My server for some reason gave my friend a bad feeling in that her hair was in her face and that made her feel like she didn't have a polished clean look. If they worked on the service and fine-tuned the food a bit more this could be a home run. But for now it is average and I wouldn't make a point of coming back if in town. They really need to work on training the servers and hostess. read more

What, I cant hear what your saying.? What were the specials again ? Excuse me - waiter, I did not order this dish. I ordered that dish. Perhaps you had problems hearing me ! Get the idea? The food is consistently good. This is not my first time here. The music however, could not be any louder. The band must have been thinking that they were playing in a concert hall. Management was asked to address the situation, but never did. I suggest you bring ear plugs if you go to eat here. It totally ruined our dinner plans, and have to think hard before going again. What a shame. read more

Fabulous! Stopped in earlier this year when it was freezing out and enjoyed a bottle of wine and tapas in front of the fireplace, listening to live music. Returned for round two tonight. Enjoyed an amazing bottle of Spanish red wine. We ordered 4 tapas for dinner. Started with the salted cod bacalao. Not my cup of tea, but my Lovie enjoyed it very much. Next came the Lobster and Serrano Ham Pintxos with cauliflower purée. Absolutely amazing flavor! The smoky ham complimented the lobster perfectly. The third plate we got was my favorite from the last visit. Marinated Manchego Cheese with Macona almonds (almost like a macadamia and almond nut combined) and dried cherries. I've never tested anything like it! Went so well with the wine. For dessert we decided to order the Sautéed Date Bonbons wrapped in smoked bacon and stuffed with goat cheese. UNREAL! So tasty! Service was amazing from our waiter David. Will definitely return!! 5 star flavor and service! read more

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Update: the owners contacted me with wonderful customer service. I have given them one additional star just for "great customer service." My husband & I plan to go back at random to see if the portion size is more within the normal range. A $14 app was ordered. When the app came out only 3 small slices of cheese were on the plate with some nuts. Every tasting order was like this. Price verses portion was horrible. The food is Amazing and so is the wine, atmosphere, entertainment, & music. I would have rated this 5 Stars. They need to step up the portions or lower the prices on the tasting menus. We came for the tasting experience after $160 bill we left hungry. read more

Great atmosphere. The waiter was very knowledgeable and the food was delicious! I had a steak and the butter trio that comes with it was yummy. Would definitely recommend. read more

This is by far the finest food in St. Augustine. The tapas are amazing and should be paired with one of their delicious spanish tempranillo wines. The mussels are a must have. All their fish is great actually because it is brought in fresh daily!! They have a beautiful garden patio with a fountain that just sets the vibe. Allison gave us incredible service. Thank you! This is a meal I won't forget!!! 5 stars tasting room!! read more

I am loving the improvements here at Michael. The environment and for food is so much better. I was here years ago when it was just an average Tapas place. But now the scale of food and service are excellent. So glad we gave it another chance. Make the trip you will enjoy it. read more

3 out of 3 local über drivers agreed, Michael's Tasting Room was the place to go! So thankful that our first über driver let us in on the best kept secret of Saint Augustine dining. We had tried one of the cliché tourist trap spots which was good for lunch but he said Michael's had the best food. He mentioned their great tapas, informed that it was pricier and upscale dress, (judging us millennials by first glance, perhaps?), which actually made it sound like the perfect place for my date and I. We were surprised that in the pursuit of all the usual stops in St. Aug that we had walked around every single corner and block EXCEPT Michael's earlier that day. We made it a goal to stop there and get a reservation for that night to celebrate my 27th birthday and have a nice romantic splurge night with great food. To our luck, we made the reservation with the owner, Michael himself!! Very down to earth but worldly at the same time if that makes sense? We were looking for 5:30/6 but ironically as we all joked, that's apparently everyone's ideal reservation time so we came a bit later, 8:30/8:45. The lighting is the ideal complimentary dim mood lighting in every girl's dreams. We had an obnoxious table next to us because the hostess for some odd reason actually moved us from the one we had booked but we actually preferred it in spite of the rude frat boys double date behind us. We actually joked that he or I should/could propose all over again, THAT is how perfect and intimate this spot was. Most of the men worse button-down dress shirts but khaki shorts. My date went the polo and slacks route and I had a fun sequin and marabou black cocktail Guess dress. Delicious red sangria and he liked his dark ale. Complementary rosemary bread roll and what seemed like fresh, home-made butter with my favorite Himalayan pink salt as an olive oil I wasn't really a fan of. Beautiful views of the wine room from our table in the middle and plenty of space around us while still feeling intimate in a smallish room. We weren't 100% satisfied with our server, she seemed a bit preoccupied and honestly a bit pretentious. Very kind and courteous, just not our cup of tea. Thankfully we paid and tipped in cash so we could get on with our night when it was time to leave. Special was Mahi Mahi, encrusted with breadcrumbs and a very fresh parsley-cilantro blend. I hate cilantro but didn't taste it, and the sauce was too spicy for me but I'm a wuss. The fish was to die for perfectly flaky and delicious. My significant other prefers steak 99 percent of the time but we ordered to share both entrees. One taste of my plate and he preferred it!! We traded on the spot. He ordered what we had eyed from seeing the menu on the street, wagyu steak with foie gras... (duck was something we tried together for the first time on a previous date, throwback!) I for some reason pictured the "marbled potatoes" as a blend or whipped or mashed potatoes. However they were delicious petite multicolored varieties. The plates and silverware helped further set the mood and it appeared to have 2 speciality tables for a chef's tasting, bigger groups or the best anniversary or proposal set up. Will definitely keep in mind. The checks arrive in old cigar boxes. Very cool! Aside from the typical Millennial obligatory foodie photos, we simply had to get some shots in front of the wine! Michael and his staff made sure my birthday was extra special but I won't spoil the surprise for anyone! Much to our luck, we got to speak with Michael after the meal, get a photo together taken by his gorgeous wife, and leave out the side door to the parking lot with Los Gatos and O'Hara's about a block away. Michael's Tasting Room truly encompasses the romance and intrigue of Saint Augustine and the food cannot be beat. I dare anyone to find a more decadent and expertly crafted meal in the area! I should mention, the entire meal cost much less than we anticipated. Worth every cent, and then some. We will absolutely be back. read more

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I was a little skeptical of this place since it's located in tourist central, but it ended up being an awesome meal. We came here on a Saturday night at 5 and there was only 1 other group eating, but within an hour the room started to fill up quickly. Tapas - amazing! We ordered the shrimp/scallop ceviche, duck flautas, artichokes stuffed w goat cheese, lamb lollipops, and they were all very tasty. The lamb was my favorite, even my friend who doesn't like lamb thought it was delicious. We also ordered the chicken and chorizo paella-which was good, but the tapas is what you should come for. This restaurant is located in Old St Augustine, so don't bother trying to find street parking. Google St Augustine visitor center to find the parking structure which is a few blocks away from the restaurant. read more

Oh My GoD!!! People you have to try this amazing place!! What can we recommend ? Everything is soooo goood!! We will definitely come back!!!

Parking? Good luck! After three trips around historic old St. Augustine looking for a parking spot we finally stumbled into someone backing out. Recommendation, be prepared to pay with cash for parking. Location? On a side road off of a side road. This place is just the thing GPSes were made for. Its quaint, not to foo foo, but dim and noisy when the band is playing and the patrons are at full volume. Taste? Tapas is what people call eclectic foods in small portions for silly prices. With that being said, the skirt steak is a must, the paella was very disappointing considering it is the staple dish and the wine list is extensive and broad. Overall recommendation, if your in St. Augustine and you already have a parking spot and you want tapas, by all means. Otherwise, forego the trip and try all appetizers for dinner. read more

As my friend and I found a wait of over an hour at The Floridian, we sought out another restaurant of equal quality in historic Saint Augustine for dinner. A clerk in a wine shop suggested The Tasting Room as it was near-by and in her words, a very good place to go. Walking up to it, we were encouraged: though it appeared somewhat overpriced, the menu was fairly vast and the wine list was superb. Neither of us wanted any wine however and didn't order anything more than Coke to drink, which seemed to puzzle and displease our waiter--a first sign of his indifference to us. When we approached the hostess, incidently, I asked if we were underdressed as it seemed most the crowd there (but certainly not all) were older and better-dressed. She insisted we were not and seated us. If the waiter treated us with indifference (hardly speaking to us, putting our drinks on the table with a thud and literally not a word, slow service and not checking up on us to see if we needed more water or how we liked our meals) because we were young, underdressed, or didn't order alcohol, then shame on him. We still spent enough for the time period we were there that the restaurant didn't lose money on the table--wine or no wine. Moreover, if underdressed, the hostess never should have seated us. Once she did however, we deserved the same caliber of treatment as other patrons. Perhaps it was just this waiter: a waiter serving the couple behind us seemed to be doing a fine job of things. The food--my two tapas of roasted potatoes and stewed chorizo and my friend's salmon and green beans--were ok but unimpressive. My friend did like the beans rather well but the fish was not exceptional he said. The chorizo was good, but no refill on the bread was provided with it until I asked which always should be done in a place considering itself a tapas bar/restaurant: "tapas" literally means "lid" and was a tradition that came out of placing pieces of cut bread atop wine glasses in Spain to keep flies out. Always bread with tapas: always. Also, the food took an exceptionally long period of time to come out to us. Longer than even what you'd fairly expect at a busy restaurant on a Saturday night. The live band in the indoors portion of the restaurant doing their best to roar through some Gypsy Kings-style songs was piped out to the patio on speakers and was far too loud and the lead singer was either too close to his mic or the mic was turned way up on the mixing board. Either way, it was far too loud and contained a lot of feedback. The Tasting Room overall has good reviews here and I'd say a lot of what we experienced was due to one inept waiter. The wine list here is comprehensive, to say the least and their atmosphere--except for the music--was lushly romantic. However, you cannot rate a place on if's, but's, maybe's and such. It's fair and even generous I have given them two stars per our experience. read more

This was a very pretty restaurant with a nice wait staff. We started out with some really good red sangria followed by some Spanish Caesar salad along with bread and dipping oil. Things went a little downhill from here. With the exception of the mushrooms, which were a little bland, every tapa we got was extremely over salted. Salted to the point that even my wine started to taste salty from all of the salt in the food. The bill was a lot higher than it should have been in my opinion. I have no problem shelling out the cash for good food, just didn't feel the food matched the price. read more

We had an amazing experience at this gem of a restaurant celebrating my dad's 80th birthday. We were a group of 9 and did the tasting menu. Every dish was prepared flawlessly. The chef is incredible. You can tell she loves her craft. We were a loud bunch. I apologize to any diners that may have been looking for a romantic night out in this charming restaurant. I am definitely coming back. read more

What a sweet little restaurant. A few days prior, we'd been told that we didn't meet the dress code to eat inside (faux-upscale restaurant in Buckhead, ATL). So I called to ask about their dress code and the woman that answers the phone say "Yes, we have a dress code.....please wear clothes!" The restaurant itself is just as laid back. We arrived to hear Ajamu Mutima singing and playing the African instrument, the Kora, similar sounding to an acoustic guitar/banjo and equipped with a small flute as well. As a musician, its always nice to hear some authentic sounds being delivered well by another musician. We chose to eat outside, and on a beautiful night in St. Augustine, this must be the place. The menu features wines from around the world and tapas. Bottles and flight options are available, and the wine list is certainly one of the most extensive I've seen in a restaurant. I was a bit indecisive on the wine, so I went with the 3 Kings of Spain flight. The tempranillo seemed to blossom the best as the night went on. I found both the 3 oz flight size and a 6 oz glass size to be rather generously poured. Appreciate that. While I've heard good things about the paellas on the menu, we went with the tapas. Every dish was outstanding. From the mixed green salad (mandarin oranges and beets work well together!) to the amazing bread pudding dessert. Wow. I'd recommend all of the following choices equally: mahi bites, potato and egg frittata, ricotta and goat cheese terrine and the sauteed calamari (grilled, not fried). The only good-but-not-great tapas choice I had was the jerk chicken skewers. The service was above average and the ambience, as mentioned, was absolutely perfect. Definitely plan on spending some money here, but if you're like me, you'll feel like it was money well spent. read more

I'm so glad we decided to try this place on a whim. Great tapas, great service & great ambiance! Everything was great! Loved their outdoor seating area. I would suggest anyone to try this place if you like great Spanish/Portuguese food! Least fav: Bunuelos de Bacalao and the Tabla de Enbutidos Espanoles. Fav: (Tapas) Tuna Cruda, Chorizo al Vino, Mejillones con Frittas, (Entrées) Camarones Rellenos & Cochinito!! I had the carmel bread pudding w/ espresso icecream, amazing dessert!!! read more

We got the roasted peppers app and the carrots app, filet mignon, and sides of risotto, French fries, and mashed potatoes. The appetizers were not very good and lacked flavor. The steak was great. The sides were underwhelming and too rich. Overall, we felt the food was unrefined, lacked flavor, and was not up to the standard of similarly priced restaurants compared to Washington DC which is where we are from and usually go for fine dining. read more

Joined a group of friends for dinner and my first impression of the establishment was 4+stars. However the tapas I ordered were just okay...the empanadas were overcooked and dry and the tuna was ordinary. My gazpacho was excellent! In all fairness the others in the group all opted for traditional plates and all seemed very pleased with their meals. They were extremely busy on this particular Saturday night and after we had dessert and after dinner drinks, the hostess came over to state she needed the table for other dinners and we were ushered out the door in short order. read more

Michael's Tasting Room was our favorite St. Augustine restaurant! The menu contained very authentic Spanish cuisine and a rather extensive wine list. The ambiance and live music were perfect for a romantic evening with my wife. Our server was very attentive. He made some good food suggestions and kept our water glasses full throughout the night. The one downside about the waiter is that he he didn't have answers to several of our questions about the menu like what cheeses were part of the Chef Selection of Iberian Cheeses. He also made a wine suggestion that wasn't to our liking. However, because of the fact that we loved everything else about this place, I decided to stick with the 5-star rating. My wife and I ordered the following dishes for dinner: Jamon Serrano - The traditional ham of Spain aged 18 months was delicious and exactly what were were expecting. It paired really well with the cheeses and crisps. Chef's selection of Ibérian Cheeses - This sampler contained a delicious and creamy Mahón, an exquisite semi-soft Valdeón, and a firmer cheese for which I couldn't catch the name. All of them were great. They came served with membrillo, Marcona almonds, crisps, and a warm tomato conserva. The blend of flavors was superb and if you wrapped them with the Jamon Serrano they tasted even better. Gambas on Chorizo - The sautéed shrimp paired with chorizo, roasted piquillos, and garlic oil was succulent and left your mouth watering and craving more. Cochinitos - What's not to like about crispy pork belly mixed with pineapple cilantro slaw all over crispy plantain tostones. This treat had an amazing combination of textures and was very juicy and flavorful thanks to the pork belly pineapple pair. Another dish we loved and would surely order again. All in all, the place was fantastic. Its the perfect place to go in St. Augustine for a nice romantic dinner with wine and authentic Spanish cuisine. We'll definitely be back the next time we're in town. read more

I wish I could give a negative rating as you ruined a perfectly good mood. We had spent a few hours at Isabela's enjoying a cigar a few glasses of wine. It was 6:30 pm , We were a bit hungry and they recommended we stop for a quick tapas and some wine at your place. There were 3 empty bistro tables on the patio and we walked in to the host, a young boy and the inside restaurant was also fairly empty. He asked if we had a reservation, I said No but we just wanted a quick tapas and a bottle of wine and he said "we don't take walk-ins". It's a sad day when a local place doesn't want our money. Your loss, we will never be back!!! We are from Ft. Lauderdale, have eaten at fine establishments and our money has always been good. Disappointed!!! read more

The tasting Room is a casual and intimate dining spot that features a diverse Spanish-influenced tapas menu . This restaurant is located in the downtown area of the historic district in St. Augustine. With over 100 different wines to choose from and being one of the only dining spots open until 11pm, patrons have the ability to eat, drink, and enjoy the nightlife for all it's worth. Young and old alike would enjoy the ambiance of live music and pleasurable atmosphere the Tasting Room has to offer. I rather enjoyed their Hanger Steak. It was moist, juicy, and cooked to perfection. I paired it with one, of their many, fine merlots. And the glasses are big and they are quite generous. Over all i liked this place and plan on going there again. read more

Went here with my wife last night and had an amazing time. The live music was fantastic. The food was amazing. The wine list was outstanding. The ambiance was perfect. What more can I say? We loved this place. read more

The first time I came to The Tasting Room I brought my sister-in-law for her birthday. We were very impressed with the wine selection and even more with the amazing food! There was a live band playing and the atmosphere was very cozy and almost surreal. After sharing tapas and a few glasses of wine a gentleman named Meraux asked if he could join us and explained that he was a mentalist. I can't even find the words to describe how amazing this guy is. You have to experience it to believe it. We couldn't believe the things he did - he's truly a master of his art! We have since been back to the Tasting Room for birthday's and reserve the "red room" in the back when we have large parties. The food is always amazing and we have never had an issue with service. I am looking forward to our annual get-together there in a couple of weeks! read more

We weren't sure if we could get a seat since we were told they were booked on the phone. We walked in anyway and we got so lucky that they moved us from their patio to inside! Great food, we definitely loved their kurobuta black pork. Nice live guitar music and very nice customer services. Coming back for sure! read more

Michael's - Seafood Near Me - St. Augustine, Florida

I wanted to take my handsome man out for a good meal for Valentine's make-up. He is a chef, so spends this very romantic night in the kitchen making other people's nights special. So, we celebrated a week later. I made a reservation for a Sunday night at 8pm on Open Table. In the notes, I asked for the most romantic table and explained it was our "make-up" date. We got a phone call around 4 pm telling us there would be live music from 6-8pm. In all honesty, I couldn't tell if she was trying to get us to come in earlier or just letting us know about the music. When we arrived, we were actually a little earlier than planned. I mentioned the phone call and she said, "Oh, yes, it's been hard to hold your table." I didn't really understand why, because I'd made the reservation over a week in advance. Oh well. We were seated and someone came to see us right away with two glasses of complimentary champagne. I was so happy I'd made that notation on Open Table - it was so thoughtful of the staff to provide us with this treat. For an appetizer, we had goat cheese terrine with pesto and a sweet glaze. It was delicious. However, in the spirit of full disclosure, you should know I have an affinity for goat cheese. An EXTREME affinity. For dinner, I had the olive oil poached salmon with a romesco. It came with creamy polenta. Um num num. The boy had lamb with truffle fries. He wasn't very impressed with it, sadly. Dessert was a warm bread pudding with raisins and chocolate chips. The boy did comment about how half of it was warm and half of it was cold, so I kept asking him questions about how to make bread pudding. That way, he could talk and I could eat. Heh. So - 4-stars for thoughtful service (minus the confusing hostess - I'll just assume she meant well), yummy food (I didn't eat his lamb, but I'll take his word for it), and relaxed atmosphere. read more

How do you say yummy in Spanish? My cousin and I chose this tapas spot because we thought it would be apropos to have Spanish cuisine in this once Spanish city. We walked in and were instantly impressed. What a beautiful restaurant. The ambiance was warm and cozy, and made you feel right at home. I started with the deep fried artichoke stuffed with goat cheese while my cousin had the salt cod fritters. Both were good, but the fritters were best. To drink we each had sangria. She had the white and I had pomegranate. I loved my sangria, hers wasn't quite sweet enough, it is fruit after all. All the food was good. My cuz had the mini chicken and chorizo paella, and the I enjoyed my pan seared scallops. Matthew, the chef came over more than once to ensure we were enjoying our meal. It kinda sucked that we never learned the name of our waiter, but not enough to deduct a star. We would definitely go back. read more

I chose to go based on my fellow yelpers reviews and they did not let me down. We had a party of six for my sisters birthday and none of us had been there before. Franchot took care of us and was ON IT! Probably butchering your name dude, sorry. Knew his wine, knew the food, fast, helpful etc. We sampled a variety of hot and cold tapas as well as several of the entrees and then all shared which is a great way to go if you can. Well, we shared everything up to the desserts, when my brother in law and sister literally inhaled their passion fruit cheesecake before we even noticed. They said they would drive back to this restaurant just for that cheesecake and some port. very nice wine list, something for everyone. Looking forward to going back. I see some reviews where people had some issues with service or say it took too long between tapas. Things like that will happen, I think it's worth giving it a shot. I'm sure they are always striving to get everything perfect, whereas some places you go are clearly not there when it comes to the effort. read more

First time here. My husband and I wanted to try this place on a friends recommendation. Joel was our server. He was excellent!! We ordered a few appetizers which were delicious, a fish dinner to share, and desert. Everything was great. The ambiance is lovely. Unfortunately, there was a table of 6 intoxicated ladies, who were extremely loud. I think they thought they were at home in their living room. We will definitely go back!!! read more

A great find in St. Augustine ! Fantastic wine bar... great patio ( we dined outside) .. fabulous staff. We come to St. Aug several times a year and this past Sept.2010 we happened upon the Tasting Room. We did alot of plates... for just the 2 of us... Rack of Lamb with Manchego Onion Tart, Grilled Frisse and Port Reduction, spinach empanadas, ricotta & goat cheese terrine, roasted potatoes and then the cheese & guava pastry.. One was more fantastic then the next. And then fresh coffee... brewed into your cup at the table. Outstanding !!! read more

Came here for a late lunch looking for sangria and tapas. Wow! Super cute and chill courtyard. Delicious tapas. Had the goat cheese, pork belly and croquettes. Come eat here you won't be disappointed! Service was great too :) read more

Fantastic!!!! Fantastic!!! Best food we have had in st. Augustine/Jacksonville. Such a cool vibe with the velvet chairs and the outdoor patio. The food is traditional yet with a twist that makes everything an amazing surprise. We have been twice and will go back over and over to try it all and the specials. read more

Everything we had was great! We sat outside and forgot we were! The ambience was exquisite. They serve the finest foods and pay attention to detail. If you are looking for fine dining in st Augustin this is the place you need to be! The service was great too. read more

My wife and I were celebrating our anniversary and this was our first visit to Michael's. The ambience was as expected but we were left a little disappointed with the food. I guess we set our expectations too high. That's not to say the food was bad. We both ordered steaks and the quality was about the same as what you would expect from a medium-priced steakhouse. The wine list was deep with a great selection. Our experience was also diminished by a waiter who dumped my glass of wine onto my meal and clothes. Accidents happen.... read more

Based on high reviews from Yelp, we were disappointed. This place had good wine and we enjoyed their selection. This was the only aspect that we liked about this place. We originally asked what was included in the tasting menu. The waiter had no idea and said the chefs make up their mind for each course. We were reluctant ordering this without knowing what was included in each course. We opted to order specific items from the menu. We ordered gazpacho soup with shrimp - the shrimp was absent in the soup. The waiter apologized and brought the shrimp about 10 minutes later. The onion soup was brought while we were reading the dessert menu. It was watery. The chocolate cake was undercooked - and tasted like we were eating a brownie. The food overall seemed a bit bland. This may be partly attributed because we love eating at Jose Andreas restaurants in Washington DC. Jose is well known for his delicious tapas. read more