What a fantastic restaurant! Every element of every dish was perfect, faultless and world class. The service was impeccable and we had the best meal and night out for a while. I wish we had places to this standard in our home town read more

I'm so sorry to give just 3 starts, but i was expecting way better. I mean Staff is awesome but Prices are so so so High, never seen something similar in melbourne. a 8cm diameter tortilla $12 or a mini tapas (like 2cm wide for $8) . spend $30 for a dish with 4 mussles, 2 clamps and 2 prawns. Quality is not bad, but not even the best. I thought this place was the closest representative of the real spanish tapas, but sadly is not... well i enjoyed my time anyway... p.s. i liked the spanish beer from barcelona..very nice...but i discovered is brewed and bottled in South Australia.... read more

I'd heard about this place for ages, and we finally got a booking (it's busy). We had a really nice time as two couples ordering a whole bunch of tapas plates, small and large. The dishes come out one at a time too so you can savour them and discuss each strange but tasty plate. The items might sound strange, but take a plunge and you'll be very happy with most things :) I personally loved everything we ordered from anchovies to croquettas to steak tartare to the mushrooms. However, while the food and location were great, the drinks (we had sangria/cocktails) were tasty but really weak and the service left something to be desired. Particularly considering how in demand and well rated this place is. I'd say this review is a 3.5, but I'm putting a 3 (rather than 4) to balance other reviews that led me to believe there was something exceptional about this place, besides the food. I'd definitely return for tapas, but only because its one of the few good tapas joints, and not because of any other remarkable characteristics, in the same way I'd go to mamasita if I wanted mexican in the CBD. The two places are very similar in style, just different cuisines and mamasita is walk-in rather than reservations. read more

Wonderful tapas dinner; one of the highlights of our holiday. We'd missed Movida last time round and were glad to finally make it when we came back. My wife is addicted to the green olives! I got to enjoy Jamon Iberico which is a rare treat for me and of course was amazing. I really liked their squid-ink croquetas as well. For dessert, we split their churros which were fantastic, and that's coming from someone who can buy one just about anytime here in LA. Will definitely come back when we're in town! I also loved strolling into the alleyways after dinner to admire the street art; it's sanctioned by the city and you'll sometimes see street artists creating new work. read more

Simply outstanding! Great quality tapas at very affordable prices. Awesome venue with brilliant staff. What else can you ask for? I tried about 7 different tapas and was happy with all of them. Will definitely be back next time I'm in Melbourne. read more

I hate to be a nay-sayer, but I have been less than impressed with my dining experiences at Movida and am ambivalent about coming back. First, I'm just not a fan of the ambiance. It's always felt cold and a bit stuffy to me; I much prefer the fun and low-key vibe of their walk-in bar with a more limited menu, Movida Next Door. Second, I've had a couple bad food mix-ups here. I have a dairy allergy, and was initially excited when I was brought a special menu indicating which items were dairy-free or could be prepared as such. I ordered, and when the first few tapas came out the waiter confirmed each time that the dish was dairy-free. Then, a lamb cutlet came out and I was told that this was NOT dairy-free. I politely replied that I had only ordered it because I was under the impression that it could be prepared dairy-free, to which the waiter replied, "oh, the chef wasn't able to do that after all". OK, that's fine, but then why bother putting the order through since the waiter knew about my food allergy? My dining companion was vegetarian (something our waiter also knew), so it got sent back to the kitchen. In retrospect, it was pretty obvious he'd just made a mistake and didn't want to fess up. I had a similar episode the second time. We weren't charged either time, but that kind of mistake seems a bit sloppy for a place that supposedly qualifies among the city's best. Don't get me wrong, the food here is very good and Movida's status as a Melburnian institution is warranted. Nevertheless, this is more of a place I tend to take overseas visitors after a laneway tour. If it's just me and my local friends, I'd prefer to go Next Door. read more

Heavenly Tapas and dishes to satiate the most demanding of palates. The menu is as unique as there could possibly be, and created with an amazing attention to detail that is of the highest possible order. Not a lot of sunlight coming in through the windows if you are there mid day, but the ambience and internal lighting is great and give a warm and intimate feel to the place and the overall experience. The main dishes (recommended 'To Share' rather than 'touch my plate and I will bite your arm off') are moderately sized, but combined with a few tapas and you will be full before you (and your pocket) know it. The waiters and waitresses are so friendly; I felt like I was a regular from the first time I walked in and seated - constantly attending to your needs, recommending plates as well as making sure everything is in order with a friendly and genuine smile, as well as making sure your coat and jackets are stored in a happy and warm place as sokn as you walk in. The service is also really quick no matter how crowded the place is - it almost defies belief how small that exposé kitchen is... The place is very busy in the evening and so I highly recommend you book ahead if you can, even for an ordinary Tuesday it was a full house. This instantly has gone very high up on my list of places to go to in the city - I highly recommend you go there at least once. read more

This is a pretty cool place where you will share tables. great service and a really cool ambiance. Pretty noisy so dont expect to have intimate conversations with anybody but probably going to have to scream or talking to you partners ear. that said good wines great beers. A little bit upset that the food was a little bit of a disappointment because I ordered mackeral and what I actually got was a tin that's probably $2.50 at the supermarket in Adelaide . $15? I think you could have done better than guys read more

MoVida - Spanish Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

So awesome! I think we tried all of the bite sized tapas offerings and a couple of the bigger sized portions. Everything was fresh and delicious. If you come, take some time to check out some of Melbourne's best street art in and around hosier lane, which includes some very famous rat stencils...! read more

So disappointed We sat at the bar ordered the Broccolini, clams' olives' anchovy, potatoes leek First off the bartender delivered our dishes never really explaining what they entailed when delivered, given the high prices this should have been automatic The broccoli I was limp and over cooked The potatoes and leeks were mushy. They were staked in oil. Should have been crispy and the jerks were blah The anchovy was wonderful Overall overrated overpriced over cooked and lacked any good customer service read more

Might I dare say my favourite restaurant in Melbourne. I'm not sure how this restaurant doesn't have a Michelin Star! The anchovy with smoked tomato purée certainly is worthy. I was weary at first as I am with most anchovy dishes, however, the waitress advised us that it was their signature dish an I had to oblige. The chef somehow captured my childhood memories of campfires in this amazing dish. The layers of flavour so complex, your brain goes into sensory overload! This dish was so good we ordered another round. Our next tapa was the wagyu beef tartar with quail yolk. WOW! This dish was so good I could have eaten a tub of it! Grilled pulpo was next. The pesto sauce that accompanied this dish brought the octopus to the next level. Then came the Grilled asparagus with a nut sauce. Yum! The portobellos were a mushroom orgasm. And the roasted quail... No other word but amazing! If you are a foodie, I highly recommend MoVida. read more

MoVida was and is the perfect place for a team building and welcome to my world experience. Our group of 5 was forced to have the chef's selection. When booking this annoyed me as I felt my food freedom was being torn away from me. Oh how wrong I was. The chef's menu took away any form of debate and decision making. Allowing us to relax and enjoy each surprise course as it arrived. Dish, after dish rolled out onto our table. The staff taking the time to explain to us what was what and more importantly how to eat it. The highlight of the meal was the Air-dried Wagyu with Poached Organic Egg and Truffle Foam. It was such a hit on our table that we convinced people next to us to order it as well. This dish is served with extra bread so you can really enjoy the truffle foam. Our only small issue was the booking times. Happily we took a 6pm booking but at times felt rushed with two dishes served up almost on-top of one another. On such small tables it did at times make it a little crowded. The menu here was very fish orientated. With 4 courses having fish as the main star. You might want to discuss with your server if you're not a huge fishy dishy fan. Despite almost being in a food coma we did manage to devour a flan. Glorious, golden delicious flan. My mouth still tingles at the thought of that delicious flan beauty. I just want all the flan from here. Don't forget to leave lots of room for at least one flan. #flanclub read more

Love love love it. Not just because of it's location (I insist on showing Hosier lane to every visitor). Staff is friendly and nice (Hear that, mamasita) Food is delicious. Desserts are heavenly (Do try crema catalana and the one with plum sorbet) Wines are fabulous. So what you forgot to book at main Movida. Head here for nice drinks and chat. read more

My all time favourite dinner place! This place is always crowded. They do take bookings but they're always fully booked. Menu is written on blackboard and you'll require your waiter's assistance to understand each dishes. They used to have deep fried eggplant chips but it's not there anymore? :( I tend to try a lot of their seafood dishes everytime when i pay a visit and never had a disappointment. oh and they have the best Crème brûlée in town! SERIOUS! Highly recommended if you wished to have a special dinner date or simply a treat to your VIP guests visting in town! read more

I think we tried EVERYTHING on the menu and every dessert except one. Everything was on point legit good stuff. This was between 4 people, we were the first seated and last to leave the restaurant when it closed. No sense of rushing us or anything, super friendly service. Would def return. read more

I dashed off to Movida last Monday like an excited figure from a fable, full of merriment. On the assumption, that I hadn't actually visited before. But then when I entered, I realised that I had in fact been. The evening progressed very well, as we made our way, and perhaps even over indulged quite a bit of first some stand out Albarino and also some Lanzaga 2009. Then onto food, smoked mackerel bites, Very good Beef tartar, lamb fillet, pates, Cheeses and a few other fantastic dishes dutifully selected and then brought out in mystery via my other companions. We did the whole choose one dish thing to the waiter and but I was not aware of all the other choices, so the table was abounds with magnificent surprises. If there is one thing I do have to complain that the services is far too fantastic, friendly, full of knowledgeable advice, and exactly what it needs to be. You can even get a walk in table IF you are super careful about selection your time and day to visit. Even so they tell you right off the bat when they need the table back. Great food Great wine and Great company punctuated by great service. As my friends put it so aptly; "Hugh, this is your big night out." Indeed it was. Now I'm still slightly hung over from all that fantastic wine we managed to drink. Movida is on its game. Oh and that Jamon, So good i can't even write properly. read more

Overpriced wank factor food. Got the 'pork' which was actually ham and chunks of pig fat inside a crumbed parcel filled with cheese, nothing special. Also tried the spiced chicken, which was just glorified cold chicken salad which tastes better at an average suburban charcoal chicken store. The staff also seemed a little gruff that we didn't spend more money or give them a tip. If you think charging lots of money for hardly any food which doesn't even taste that great is koscher then come here. read more

I think it only gets this rating because it didn't anywhere near live up to the hype.. I came here for a bday dinner, there were about 20 of us and we all had shared tapas.. I can honestly say that about 2 out of the 10 dishes actually tasted good.. I couldn't believe it. Grossly overpriced for what we got. Sangria was filthy too. Service was fantastic and ambience great but food a big let down. You're better off going to Portello Rosso on Warbuton Lane if you want good Tapas.. Their food is tasty!! read more

I'll be honest.... I have flown to Melbourne with the main purpose being a Movida dining experience. I mean, yes, OK, there were other "trivial" reasons to go there... a birthday, seeing friends... but the Movida reservation was made before the hotel or flights were booked. To be serious though, Movida is a gem and once you visit, you'll find yourself occasionally reminiscing and plotting your next visit. On my first trip, I made a cold call and we were lucky enough to get seats at the bar on a busy night. The bartender was excellent, engaging without being intrusive, happy to make recommendations and explain menu options and pairings. The food was amazing, we indulged, in a big way and in honesty, of the 10 or so plates the worst I could say about one of the dishes was that it was nice, but not as good as the rest. I still finished it :) My subsequent trips were all bookings in the main dining areas. I didn't want to risk missing out. Again, great service, great food and an excellent wine list. Really I can't really think of anything to say that isn't gushing, so I'll just say go, you won't regret it. Oh, one more thing...if you do go.... order a glass of Piedra Luenga to finish..... you'll thank me later! read more

Basically everybody on this site has given Movida five stars and I ain't gonna argue. They do the best tapas in town. Hell, they're my favourite restaurant in town if I want a special treat for visiting folk of an anniversary or something. The food is exquisite, the wine list is extensive and they know nothing if they don't know how to match a good drop with some food. This is the kind of place that you savour every ounce of flavour and make your meal last. Good advice is to take their suggestions and let them steer you through some flavour country. Anything with fish or game here is going to be exceptional, and keep an eye on the specials as they'll be mind blowing also. I'm the kind of dude that never remembers the name of the restaurant, but Movida has kept me going back for years, and it'll keep me going back for more to come. read more

We had an amazing time and the food and service was excellent! Highly recommend the Caballa Ahumado, Anchoa and Atun. The signature dish Cecina is awesome and I'd expect all the other dishes are the same!! The Sangria was devine and well worth a try. read more

My favourite Melbourne eatery. We showed up at 5.30 pm without a booking and were seated at a table in the bar section within 30 minutes. Our waiter was friendly and helpful and even kindly suggested that we not order one particular dish because we had already ordered something quite similar to it. The dishes came out in rapid succession and each one seemed more delicious than the last. We walked away happy and full and grudgingly conceding that this was one thing Melbourne had over Sydney: an outstanding, top-class tapas bar. Sorry fellow Sydneysiders, but Bodega doesn't even come close. read more

MoVida - Angus beef - Spanish Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

I have a top three in Melbourne and it occasionally changes but it has stayed the same for over a year now. My top three fail safe dinner options in Melbourne. Movida seems to always stay in this top three. The food is always spectactular, the service always friendly and there is tapas. Tapas means I get to eat loads of different things which is good for the indecisive amongst us all. I can always recommend the croquettes of any description and then the beef cheek, lamb shoulder and churros. I never have left movida unhappy and I don't think you will either. read more

MoVida - Quince paste and goats cheese cigars - Spanish Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

We were very lucky to snap up a table for four on what seemed to be an extremely busy Monday night, but this appeared to be the norm and the vibe was great! The staff were very attentive and offered suggestions for all menu items. They even whipped me up a deliciously refreshing mocktail (pregnant) which i thoroughly enjoyed whilst my fellow diners sipped on their wonderfully smelling red wines and beers. The food was yummy and the menu covered all food preferences. Definately an ideal tapas venue right in the heart of the cbd :) read more

If you are at the bar and Houston is your waiter, you will enjoy your service. Such a sweet guy!!! First time coming here and eating at a Spanish restaurant so Houston noticed that and gave me some recommendations. I ordered the Zarzuela (seafood stew). It wasn't too bad. (In my mind, I would want some carbs, like rice, to go along with this). This is my second time eating mussels and my conclusion is mussels don't suit my palate. It was the least tasteful food on the plate. After that meal, I ordered the queso (Quince Paste Cigar with Whipped Goats Milk Cheese) and it should be sold for cheap. The taste was superb!!! Wish I had more. It was pretty busy in the sitting area as well as the bar. I gave MoVida 4 stars primarily for friendly service. read more

This is a great place to graze over a variety of modern tapas while sipping down something you cannot pronounce. There are actually two seating areas one is at Movida - which is a little up the laneway and has a dark intimate ambiance - and the other is Movida next door which is on the street facing federation square. Both are the same identical drinks and food but you don't generally have to wait as long for a seat at Movida next door and to be honest it is brighter and has a more social atmosphere which I prefer. We overdid it here ordering dishes more than once and downing Spanish wine like water - but next time I'm in Melb I'll be coming here first. read more

I love this place so much. The slice of tortilla is a must, and if you get lucky it can be still warm from the oven. A glass of sangria is refreshing and satisfying as a starter. The specials are always changing and are always fantastic. One of my faves is the seared sliced rump on cauliflower purée which turns up from time to time. The bread is THE BEST in Melbourne and last but by no means least the staff are the most friendly and helpful in town - and I've seen them deal with a difficult customer in the past. A great place to go on your own, sit at the bar and people watch. I've even been on a Sunday night where two loaves of bread were lovingly wrapped for me to take home. And it's not expensive for the quality of everything provided. read more

Had only 24 hours in Melbourne so I had to plan my meals carefully. I decided to visit MoVida on the recommendation from a friend who used to live here. I walked through an alley with cool graffiti on the walls to get to the restaurant. I walked in and was promptly greeted and seated at the bar. Super friendly bartender. The food there is amazing!! I wish my stomach was bigger so I could've eaten more. Starters: - Cogollos - Bocadillo - Caballa Ahumada Main: - Cecina Dessert: - Can't remember what it was called but it was a slice of chocolate bread with what I think is olive ice cream Everything was so flavorful and delicious. read more

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I had worked for them at Bar Pulpo for a year so Im very familiar with their food as well as their influence all these years. The price hasn't been changed and that's humble business value. Anchoa is still crumbly thin, to tinkly smoky, brings out the very unique taste of a salt little fish (anchovy) I would suggest, even it is probably comprised in the eyes of food safety, to leave beef tartare warm up to close room temperature - one will find more distinguished elements in the raw beef mince mix and feel true to its (iamginative) natural spanish climate I was looking for patatas bravas but it's not on the menu, in stead they have "boiled" version of potatoes where rosemary and leek were in sight. For croqueta, I have learnt that it's been filled with different fillings along with different menu, with the coating that is so delicately made, i will always pay attention for "what's in" each time and I will always recommend to melbourne visitors. 我觉得，來到墨爾本可以是試一下這家店的菜，雖說是西班牙菜，但是我相信也是融合了很多墨爾本特色的味道。菜單不是很容易懂，但是我在微博有寫過這裏的點評，所以可以建議各位華人朋友們去微博搜一下這家點喔！ read more

Great atmosphere and service. The food was fantastic for the most part. Although the Leek dish was definitely a miss. Couldn't fault the other dishes though. The fitout, branding and overall vibe of the place were as top notch as their food and drinks offering. Will defintely be back. read more

I was surprised by this Spanish gem! I was expecting a generic tapas restaurant, as this restaurant has multiple locations. What I did find was exceptional service, friendly staff, and exauisatw Spanish tapas with a modern twist. The croqueta is fantastic, while the mussels and also duck empanada special should become a permanent fixture at this modern classic. read more

What more could I say that hasn't already been said. Simply fantastic. The cold smoked fish!!!!!! I will be back and back and back. read more

I'm not usually into tapas but this was a go-to for ladies night. So yummy!! This is a fun place for a larger group. A must try.

Don't believe I could ever visit Melbourne and not have at least one meal here. Probably one if my favorite tapas joints in the world. Location, ambiance, staff, the food.....it's all there. Imagine a beautiful Tasmanian Pinot Grigio, accompanied by beautiful cheeses, cured meats, a perfect baby sardine, a Valenciana salad with greens that must have come from the earth only hours ago.....I could have lunch here almost every day.....if only I didn't live 9000 miles away! read more

MoVida - Spanish Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

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I loved this place. Great service, amazing food and a great ambience. Highly recommended and a fantastic location for a night out in town, or a quality date night with your partner. The sliced beef tapas (can't remember what it was called) is highly recommended. 5 stars from me! read more

We tried a few different dishes and enjoyed them but the service was incredibly slow. There was a mix-up with one of our dishes which delayed things even more. The ambiance and service were good but hopefully the delay we experienced was a one-off. read more

I love the kind of place that makes you forget the time, day of the week, and all the other things that you were supposed to be doing with your day. This little incarnation of Movida does all of that quite well! It's on the best graffiti alley in Melbourne. So great, in fact, that brides will insist on having their pictures made in it. Go on a weekend and see for yourself. I find this highly amusing. But the menu just screams to order it all, one by one, making little notes in your brain about which ones you will repeat if you get to the end and are still hungry. And their wines? Well, I'm a sucker for bubbles, and anything red, bold and spicy. They've got it all. Not the cheapest, but you won't begrudgingly pay. It's a good balance of 'there's nowhere I'd rather be' and 'I shouldn't have another, but fiiiiiiine why not!' read more

I have been told to go here for years and my lover decided to take me here for date night whilst in Melbourne. A friend that used to work there had booked us in, which is not common practise, and when we arrived and saw how many people were there and the 2 hour wait, we were very grateful indeed. Nothing like special treatment to kick off a splendid evening. We were seated at the bar which lover wasn't too thrilled about, but I revelled in. I love how you can chat to bar staff and the people next to you and being Melbourne, that is exactly what people did. Some were there eating alone so it was nice to strike up a conversation. Gone are the days when eating by yourself deemed you a loser, now it is tres chic. We let the waiter make his suggestions and started the evening with Hand-filleted Cantabrian Artisan Anchovy on Crouton with Smoked Tomato Sorbet tapa (individual portion). I honestly wanted to vomit! However, this is about personal taste as my friend 'A', thinks it's the best morsel she has eaten. Then came the Pyrenees wet roast Lamb Breast with Fino and Paprika sauce. This was unbelievable! My mouth waters when I think of it. Very rich but exsquisite. We then had the Slow cooked Duck Shank with Hazelnuts, Raisins and Onions which was beautiful also. Then we moved on to raciones (bigger plates to share) of Spicy Steak Tartare of raw, grass-fed Wagyu Beef, a Valencian salad of Endive, Orange, Palm Hearts and Manzanillo Olives and Sautéed Spinach with Chickpeas and Spices. I feel we ordered perfectly. The wagyu was exceptional. The salad fresh and interesting and the chick peas filling and warming. Our wine was beautiful, the atmosphere buzzy and the staff as cool as you expect from Melbourne. I adore this place tucked away in the graffiti lined laneway. A perfect date completed by the perfect glass of Pedro Ximenez sherry. They got it so right. read more

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To describe MoVida as a tapas bar is probably underselling it. While it does indeed serve the standard bite-sized Spanish nibbles like patata brava, croqueta and Jamon, it's menu offers much more eclectic and exotic dishes. I tried three of the latter for Saturday lunch today. First up was the Pate de Pato; cubes of duck liver parfait and Pedro Ximinez foam served with little squares of toasted brioche. Both the main ingredients work by themselves -the foam was, not surprisingly, light and quite sweet and the pate pretty much but what you'd expect - but in combination they work really well together. Also quite a generous serve for $15. And what better to wash it all down than an icy cold Moritz beer all the way from Barcelona. Next up was crumbed Pheasant flamenqun, rolled with Jamon and cheese, deep fried and served on a spicy red mojo. Very good - like a slightly gamey chicken cordon bleu. I had this with an organic Luenga Pedre Ximinez; sweet and syrupy but also very good. To finish I had Caballa Ahumada - smoked mackerel with pine nut and gazpacho sorbet. This was served refrigerator-cold in a little metal dish. The fish was firm, subtle and very tasty, without the over the top saltiness that you often get with smoked salmon or trout. And sorbet complemented it beautifully. This little gem was the pick of the courses for me. MoVida's never disappoints, and their constantly changing specials means you'll never want for something out of the box to tempt your jaded taste buds. The service is fast and friendly, and the staff know their food and wine. Not the cheapest tapas in Melbourne, but arguably the best. read more

Amazing delicate dishes. Love the Waygu with egg and smoked mackerel. Walked in at 6pm and ate at the bar. read more

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