Pestiscos do Cardeal is a tapas restaurant in old town Santiago de Compostella. It conveniently…read moreopens for dinner at 7:00 p.m. rather than the customary 8:00 p.m. Spanish dinner hour. The menu is full of temping items. Be aware that each tapas item portion is sizable enough for sharing. (We had tapas in Barcelona where a selection was an individual serving. Perhaps the Catalonian and Galician ways with tapas differ.) I think three selections here would be sufficient for two people. The menu is in Spanish. One of the waiters could interpret some of the selections, but even a limited ability to read and order in Spanish was a definite plus. We ordered bread (Plato de Pan), Flauta Lomo con Queso, Flauta Bacon-Queso, Tapa de Chorizo Ibérico, Tapa de Jamón Ibérico and Huevos a la Cazuela. This order was delicious! But, it turned out to be a feast and would have been enough for four persons. Still, it was quite reasonably priced at about 33 Euro. The Huevos a la Cazuela was the most interesting. It is what I would describe as a skillet dish or a casserole with a baked egg on top. Very shareable or nearly a meal in itself! The Flauta in Spain is a sandwich made on a thin baguette. (Similar to, but shorter than a Bocadilla.) A Spanish Flauta is a sandwich, not the same as a Flauta in Mexican cuisine. Arriving at 7:00 p.m.there was lots of seating. By the time we left, the restaurant was quite full. Highly recommended, but come early!

Excellent service. Excellent food we had a group of eight people. The food came fast and hot. The…read moreportion sizes were appropriate and the flavors were excellent. Recommend the red wine will definitely return when in town. You can't go wrong eating here very enjoyable

Be prepared to use google translate if you don't speak Spanish, but also be prepared for an amazing…read moreexperience. The staff were patient and friendly. The restaurant was perfectly located near the Cathedral, but not in the main hustle and bustle. The restaurant was clean and had a welcoming exterior with both indoor and outdoor seating. The food was absolutely amazing. Their pizza was so thick and the pepperoni were cooked to the perfect consistency. We tried the local dish, octopus cooked in olive oil and paprika, and again we were so impressed. There is a small brewery on site and the beer was phenomenal. We also got great bread and tried an empanada, which is not prepared as you would expect in the USA. The food portions were large and we couldn't finish what we ordered. Fantastic experience!

We started off one morning here for coffee and free churros as we awaited a guided tour. They had…read moreseveral options for breakfast but we were just in the mood for cappuccinos. The service was so good we came back for a light lunch. We sat on the patio and had the ham and cheese plates and the best croquettes. We also had a glass of wine and 0.0 beer. I highly recommend this place.

Reasonable prices, Excellent Value for Food and Great Service. Located on an alley on the back side…read moreof Santiago Church.

This restaurant came highly recommended by a local. We parked on the main road into town and walked…read morethe narrow streets to the water. Once we got there we realized we could have driven and parked in the parking lot there--oh well, it was a nice walk. We entered and asked the Ann at the front for a table for 5. He gestured and said to go in and sit down wherever. Unfortunately we didn't realize the restaurant was divided up into 3 areas: restaurant, bar/taberna (pictured here), and deck. We picked the first table we saw open with 5 seats and sat down. Unfortunately we picked poorly! Sitting in the bar/taberna meant we could only order from the bar menu and not the amazing whole fresh fish on display. We didn't realize this though until we had already ordered drinks. Our waiter was rather gruff (as were others around us) and despite our efforts to speak Spanish and determine what was listed (partly in Gallego), he was not particularly interested in taking time to try to convey what was on the menu. We ordered the kids seafood tacos (drippy with sauce but tasty) and burgers (good meat but the kids were not impressed) and got ourselves the calamari starter (comes cooked with caramelized onions and pickles in a small baguette--unique and pretty tasty) and sardine dish (the only whole fish dish we could order in the bar area...just feet from others being served whole fresh porgy and more, came with 3 large sardines over bland, greasy potatoes with green peppers--ok). In addition to the table being very low and the stools being too high (leaving the grown ups to feel hunched over and uncomfortable, not unlike sitting at a kiddie table), the food was just okay. The service was rather slow and not very attentive or friendly. We enjoyed walking on the pier and waterfront with the kids afterward. It is a lovely spot.

Excellent tapas and wine selection. Ask Sergio for the house special. The sardines were to die for.read more

They coaxed is in to watch Euro cup. We had eaten already but they offered deserts from the…read morerefrigerator. Restaurant was empty. Advice to owner:remove plastic table cloths, offer fresh baked desserts from neighboring bakeries. Add tapas. Decide if you are a sports bar or restaurant. Put tv on bar side instead of restaurant side. A big eh on this one! Create experience!!!

I promised myself not to write a review while on vacation, but I can't keep this restaurant to…read moremyself. As many good meals as we have had on this trip, and we had some good ones, this one stands out. Establishment appearance: good. Unassuming exterior but pleasant and comfortable on the inside. Service: excellent. From greeting to farewell,  the staff goes out of their way to make you feel welcome, and satisfied. Quality of ingredients: couldn't be better. Most still alive when you walk in the door. The waiter proudly shows some of them for your approval before they are cooked. We decided on the "Mariscada Especial" a large seafood platter for 2. A large (approx 32" long) platter layered with every shellfish you can think of, and some you may never have seen before; they even threw in some "percebes" (barnacles) a small crustacean mostly found in northern Spain and part of France and considered a delicacy, with a price to match it's reputation. Before the meal arrived, we ordered a local beer. A large basket of bread was delivered with the customary olive oil and vinegar, and a dish with  cheese, sliced toasted bread and the freshest olives I have ever tasted. We had some local wine with the food, and I'm unashamed to admit that as large as it was,  we finished our meal in its entirety. Everywhere you walk in Santiago de Compostela almond cookies or cake is offered; so we tried the almond cake for dessert and even though I had it before, it didn't disappoint. But the dinner wasn't over yet; when I requested the bill, the waiter said that we couldn't leave without trying one of the liquors they use to celebrate a special occasion. On the house, of course. He returned with 2 shot glasses and 2 bottles of liquor: one sweet and creamy, the other more tart and stronger. In my mind, we were getting a shot of our choice and then be in our way, but, after explaining the difference between the two, he said: "try them both and enjoy". He left the table and didn't return until several shots later when I hailed him back for the bill again. The next time I find myself in the area, I know where I will go for dinner, and maybe you should give them a try as well; there is a good chance you will be as satisfied as I was.

This review concludes our Camino de Santiago saga. After our Finisterre/Muxía excursion, our last…read moremeal in Galicia would be at A Noiesa. For our party of seven, we had to split into two groups so we could be seated with minimal wait. Alcachofas Crocantes Con Labras De Xamón Ibérico - Sometimes we had to order a veggie dish and it becomes an easy choice when there's meat involved. Can't go wrong here with the Iberian ham. The crispness of the artichokes was amazing. Fideos Negros De Sepia Da Ría Con Alioli - This was our first time having fideo and we were glad they had the squid ink variety on their menu. I would have preferred it to be a bit drier, but it was enjoyable nonetheless. It had plenty of cuttlefish and green peas and a nice dollop of aioli. Zamburiñas Á Prancha - These were the biggest scallops that we've had all week. They were grilled and torched at the top for an even better char flavor. Solombo De Vaca Premium (200 grams) Con Verduriñas Salteadas E Patacas - A 7-oz. cut of their premium beef tenderloin, grilled medium, and lightly sprinkled with coarse salt. Very soft and tasty that made it a sin having to split the meat four ways. It was served with sautéed vegetables and potatoes. Entrecosto De Vaca Premium (300 grams) Con Verduriñas Salteadas E Patacas - A bigger cut of their premium beef sirloin and came with sautéed vegetables and potatoes also. It came out precut into bite-sized slices so it was easier to share. It was perfectly grilled too, but the texture of the solombo got my vote. Food this good was the fitting end to our once-in-a-lifetime accomplishment. The mom-owner was very kind and accommodating which made our final Galician meal even better. Our group of seven had to part ways early the next day so we said our goodbyes after dinner. It was Lisbon and Porto for the others while my wife and I were headed to the Andalusian region. Fun times... Good adventures... Great friends... ¡Hasta pronto!

Love the menu choices and reasonably priced. Frequented by a lot of Pilgrims. Sit down service and…read moretake away available.

This restaurant far exceeded my expectations. If I could rate it 6 stars, I would…read more Let's start by discussing the service. The waitress was wonderful. Although I didn't speak Spanish she was able to switch to English and explain everything to me, and even offered to translate the menu for me. The food was the selling point though. I firstly adored that the restaurant offered fresh bread. I have a soft spot for places that immediately provide appetizers before the customer has a chance to order. Likewise, my main course was incredible. Without a doubt, the octopus dish cooked in a orange garlic sauce was one of the best foods I've ever tasted. The dish is served on a huge plate and plated beautifully, but the helping is more than enough. A steal for the price! The octopus melts in the mouth and the orange sauce was soft and savory. THe cream ring was very flavorful and was surprisingly not heavy. I loved it so much that I finished the sauce before the rest of the plate. Every detail of the dish, from the potato's to the finely chopped onions complemented each other and was cooked to perfection. Fantastic place, and I wouldn't hesitate to visit again if I get the chance.

Incredible value for gourmet seafood course (12€ for 5-course lunch tasting menu)…read more  I was visiting Santiago de Compostela for the weekend and our Airbnb host recommended this gem. My friend and I decided make it our first lunch. The unassuming exterior led to a brightly-lit, cute, marine-themed restaurant. The restaurant was half-full, seemingly of locals from the friendly banter with the waiters. We were warmly greeted and offered the menu. What!? 12€ for a five-course tasting menu? Yes. The whole table must participate, but for the price, you get 5 dishes (mostly seafood, but also other meats), as well a glass of wine or beer. What a steal! And the portions were exceedingly generous. We ordered an additional octopus dish since we both loved octopus in Spain. Needless to say, we couldn't finish everything. But not for lack of trying!   = Tasting menu =   1. Ham croquette: a heavy start to the meal for my tastes, but perfectly-golden and crunchy. 2. Mussels with white wine sauce and goji berries over asparagus: the asparagus was softer than typically prepared in the US, but otherwise this dish was spot on. The mussels were fresh and flavorful. The goji berries threw in a surprising burst of sweetness and color to the plate. 3. Pollack a la Gallega: fresh, flakey white fish with a red tomato oil/sauce. Blend of sweet-savory and melt-in-your-mouth fish. 4. Turkey over potatoes and camembert sauce: moist turkey breast over aromatic matchstick potatoes, with a cheesy white sauce over. We were too stuffed to appreciate this dish unfortunately. 5. Chocolate and vanilla ice cream topped with mint jelly cube: we were full, but who could say no to two scoops of classic ice cream? Not particularly innovative, but nonetheless a fantastic end to a great meal.   = Separate order = Octopus a la Mugardesa with orange aioli (€13): fat and juicy tentacles, perfectly cooked to tenderness. Topped with finely-chopped caramelized onions. One of the best octopus dishes I've had in Spain. The citrusy aioli complemented the meaty octopus. We may have gone overboard by ordering this dish in addition to our set meals, but we have no regrets. = Verdict = If you're in town and looking for seafood lunch - stop. Mama Peixe is the best deal I've encountered in my travels around Spain. The same course in the States would be triple the price. I highly recommend this restaurant!

Service: excellent. Food: great…read more I went there for a "pilgrims'" lunch, so the menu was set and began with wine and bread and a lovely soup, followed by all things pig that I couldn't eat because I may be more of a vegetarian than I thought. The meal ended with a delectable almond cake. Bottom line: I have no clue in pricing but the food was done well and served with grace.

What a wonderful dinner. Had dinner here courtesy of Tauck tours. My wife, another lady in our tour…read moregroup and I ordered the rice and lobster main ( it required a minimum of 2 people to get it). Based on the menu description, we expected some creamy white rice and chunks of lobster. But, NO! We got a small paella pan of marvelous red rice very similar to a paella, but stickier and with more tomato flavor. Each of us also got (embedded in the rice) half a lobster. OMG! A dinner to die for. This would have been a 5-star rating save for the incredibly loud atmosphere and the signature dessert of chocolate covered chestnuts which were delicious, but mealy. Still, I highly recommend Enxebre, especially if you are staying at the parador.