I love tapas. And I love Spain. I'm also willing to forgive a less than perfecto restaurant experience if a. the waitstaff are friendly and professional or b. the food rocks. This was neither. The food was pretty good - not amazing - not awful. Our patatas bravas were good. The rabbit was too salty. The quail was very good. The salad with tuna and anchovies pretty delicious. But my friend and I ordered a glass of cider - and we were literally poured a glass that was ONE QUARTER FULL. We asked the waitress whether she mistakenly thought we had ordered a bottle. "No," she replied, "this is how they do it in the Basque region." Right. $9 for 3 gulps of cider. The food came and the food went. But as we were chatting and about to pay the check, we saw a little mouse poke its head out from under the stove - not once, but several times, and run right across the kitchen floor. Is this how they do it in the Basque region also? I mean, I'm sure many places have mice, but this sort of sealed the deal for me - why spend my money here when there are much better places in Boston, with better value for money??? I won't be returning, and I think that unless you're up for second rate tapas and a jip on the bar tab, you might find better places elsewhere. read more

You CANNOT find more authentic Spanish food (yes, Spanish as in cuisine from the country of Spain) in Boston - or even NYC - apart from Taberna de Haro in Brookline! My husband is from Andalucia, Spain and has declared this place as having not only the most authentic Spanish cuisine in Boston, but in the entire northeast. EVERY SINGLE DISH is something that is served in Spain. If you don't like the food at Taberna de Haro, then you simply do not like Spanish food, period. Don't kid yourself with the so-called tapas served at other famed restaurants that claim to be Spanish, whether on Newbury St, Somerville or the South End. The Croquetas and Black Paella at Taberna de Haro is incredibly delicious and the chocolate truffles for dessert, simply divine. So if you're looking to live in 'fantasy land' and pretend that you like Spanish food, go back to those other 'pretend' tapas bars and order American-Asian-Spanish fusion tapas. But, if you're like us and you appreciate authenticity... then Taberna de Haro is the place for Spanish food in the northeast. (btw - we have no connection to the owners of Taberna de Haro - we simply like eating authentic Spanish food). read more

We went to Taberna de Haro last night and have been coming here for years. This restaurant is one of our favorites and did not disappoint. We had a Catalan variant of Paella made with salt cod, which was new to us and delicious. Also some old favorites like shrimp with garlic, mushrooms and artichoke hearts. All accompanied by a very nice Rioja. The atmosphere is casual with an open kitchen, but festive and the staff are warm and knowledgeable. Deborah, the owner, is there most nights (her daughter is now working at Taberna too). The menu has many old favorites, but also has interesting new and unusual dishes including game (venison, rabbit) and interesting seafood. There is a nice full bar, a great assortment of wines focusing on Spain. Desserts are limited, but there is a good flan (of course), and chocolate truffles with olive oil and salt. This is the most authentically Spanish tapas place in town, serves consistently good and interesting food at prices that are not cheap, but not outrageous. The three of us were well fed for under $100 last night. read more

Did not like it, the food was overcooked, and very dry. The servers are really nice though.

Nice atmosphere, relaxing vibe. Fabulous food, service and drinks. At least 200 Spanish wines on the wine list- all good stuff! The black rice is amazing! read more

Very underwhelming. The servers were nice but sluggish, and not super knowledgeable about the wine list. Several Tapas we wanted to try were unavailable, but the ones we had we all liked. The fava beans with Spanish ham was particularly tasty. Ambiance pretty forgettable, basic storefront box with a woodfire oven thrown in for rustic feel. All in all not a terrible dinner, but why bother when Tapeo is right down the street and clearly superior at a similar price tag? read more

Ever since I traveled to Spain, I have been a great lover of Spanish food and I've tried several other tapas bars in Boston, but I must say that this is the best. The main problem is that it is a very small restaurant and always crowded and they don't take reservations, but the staff is still very nice and friendly. As for the food, it is very authentic and absolutely stunning. My favorite dish is the alcachofas salteadas (sauteed artichoke hearts) and it is amazing. Also delicious is the queso de cabra (warm goat cheese with EVOO and oregano on bread), espinacas a la catalana (sauteed spinach w/ garlic, pine nuts, and golden raisins), setas salteadas (sauteed cremini mushrooms w/ garlic), the bocatin de morcilla (black sausage on grilled bread w/ roasted red peppers, and many others. Aside from those, the best dish I ever had here was a special of scallops in a saffron cream sauce. As far as drink goes, this restaurant has an amazing wine list, but I can never decide if I chose one from it or if I should drink their delicious sangria. This place has a very Spanish atmosphere and you can see the kitchen so it feels very casual, as it would in a Spanish tapa bar. All in all, I plan to come back more often. read more

So As my rating may indicate, I love taberna! It's a really wonderfully rustic traditional spanish tapas place with a staff that is not only knowledgeable but attentive. Our waiter helped us pick out a fantastic traditional rioja that was a reserva for under 40 dollars which was absolutely amazing! Once we ordered he then brought us over some complimentary potato salad which was creamy and garlicky and good. We then started with the queso de cabra which was creamy goat cheese and toasted bread which was amazing then we got the tortilla espanola (traditional spanish omelet with potatoes and onion) the potato flavor was light and flaky and beautiful. We then got a house salad with a red wine vin and tuna which was light and refreshing. We then continued on with artichokes in garlic and olive oil, Mussels in a tomato broth and Pollito which is marinated hen grilled and served with fries which was absolutely amazing so moist and packed with flavor i was practically sucking on the bone. What i love about this place over some of the other tapas plates is that there is a nice range in price from about 4$ to 20$ and they all differ in size based on that price but we got six dishes a dessert and a bottle of win for a 100 i don't think that's all too bad, albeit we were going for an anniversary dinner so i was expecting to spend a little more. All in all though this is a wonderfully authentic place with a beautiful atmosphere which is a lot quieter than Tapeo with good service and food and an amazing wine selection. I recommend this place to anyone who loves spanish cuisine. read more

Delicious food in a cozy setting. This time, we had the grilled asparagus, gambas al ajillo and queso de cabra and all were great. Our waiter was fantastic and did not rush us, even though the restaurant was full. Oh yes, their flan is excellent! read more

the wine list here alone is really great. many options with great descriptions. the owner is very pleasant and frequently coming to the tables to check in and make sure everything is ok. the gazpacho is really great in flavor but light and perfect for those really hot days. the patio is wonderful for the summertime and the inside is nice and cozy like a neighborhood place should be. all the food i have had is wonderful. when a place is steady on a tuesday night, you know they have something special read more

I've been here before several times and I loved it, but last week my husband and I decided to go again for a quiet Friday night dinner and I was truly disappointed. I made a reservation for 8pm the day before and when we got there one of the servers told us that there are three couples on the list before us and we have to wait about ten minutes to be seated. Around 8:20 the three couples were all seated and she seated a party of three, which came after us. When I asked why she said that the table they sat on was for three people, not for two. I asked whether the fact that we had a reservation mattered at all for them and she said: "No, not really. These people have made their reservation a whole week ago and they come here all the time!" I was ready to explode, but decided to suck it up. They seated another two couples before us who claimed to have called to put them on a list before they came. I thought that a reservation has a higher priority! When we sat down the service was actually good until the end when I asked for the check and it took about 30 mins for the server to come and pick up out card to swipe. When she came back she threw the check on the table and walked away with an attitude and without saying anything. Food was relatively good. Most of it was unusually salty, but bearable. However, I did spend most of my night in the bathroom if you know what I mean! I don't know if I'm going back anytime soon if at all. read more

Really really fantastic. We didn't have a reservation because it was a Tuesday night, and even though the restaurant was packed, they found a spot for us. The tapas were outstanding, especially the grilled artichoke hearts and the mixed olives. Also had the shrimp and tortilla espanola. Wonderful. Service was great and the owner checked in with us several times. One of the best dining experiences I've had in a city of great food, but usually poor service. This place had great food and service! Atmosphere is cozy and creative, too. read more

makes justice to tapes great for get together with friends food is rich with flavors and interesting to make you try what ever you can put in - wine list is rich and tempting to try it all (go by the glass) will come back read more

I went here last night with two of my girlfriends. The place was just renovated and they added another whole room with a nice bar area. It is much bigger and nicer than it previously was. The atmosphere is great. It really feels like you are in spain when you walk in. The tapas are delicious. I recommend the tortilla espanola, gambas, and the croquettas. It is a bit pricey like others have said, so I would not go regularly, however it is definitely a good place to go every once in awhile and I am sure I will be back. read more

Great food, great sangria, nice staff. We had an awesome dinner there.

Taberna is a bastion of truly authentic Spanish food - the best of several Spanish restaurants in the Boston area. Great atmosphere. Affordable. My husband and I have been going there for 15 years. The meal last night was sublime - roast suckling pig, artichokes as a main. Grilled peppers stuffed with brandarde andgrilled duck hearts for starters. Best meal we have had in Boston in years. Looking forward to trying the baby goat on Thursday nights. read more

I was really excited to show my boyfriend tapas and when I called to make a reservation they were pretty much all filled up so I was expecting it to be amazing! However, I was extremely disappointed by both the service and the quality of food. They made us wait 20 minutes after our reservation and then sat us at a tiny table near a doorway. Once we were seated we waited a half hour before our waitress even greeted us. It was only 9:00 pm and they were out of sangria... at a SPANISH restaurant. We finally got our food, which was all burned and very bland. We noticed we never got our tortilla espanola so we had to hunt down our waitress and ask her about it, to which she said "oops I meant to tell you a half hour ago that we're actually out of it." Out of tortilla espanola... AT A SPANISH RESTAURANT?! If you're looking for authentic Spanish food, DO NOT GO HERE. We both left starving and picked up something to eat after paying $80 at Taberna for dinner. Also, the place is mostly for people 50+ and older. My boyfriend and I were definitely the only people there in their 20s. read more

Nice restaurant...but charging $4 for olive oil to have with your bread?? Seriously! That is so wrong!

One of the best meals/restaurant experiences I've had in a very long time. I came here with my brother and his friend on a friday night, after having passed by it many times before. We got the griddled cuttlefish, the tortilla, stuffed fried peppers, and the daily paella. We wanted to try new things, and the cuttlefish was surprisingly spectacular. Our waitress was super nice and attentive, and our meal was made even better by the fact that the owner of the restaurant was present and extremely nice. She even offered to have a chat with me about the restaurant, which was pretty incredible. I plan to come back and try everything on the menu if I can! Oh, and our meal would not have been complete without the amazing dark chocolate truffles that were dressed tableside by our server with flaked sea salt, cocoa powder, and olive oil. What an amazing experience. Definitely a place to try. read more

For the most part, food was very good. Multiple service issues. The food: ordered four tapas - the grilled mushrooms were fantastic, great depth of flavor. The eggplant with ricotta in a honey sauce was unique and quite tasty, although the honey flavor really dominated. Patatas bravas were good - what you would expect. Shrimp with garlic was a disappointment, as salt had been completely forgotten in the dish. This leads us to the service issues - First, we had an 8 oclock reservation. When we arrived, our table was not ready, so we were asked to take a seat at the bar. No problem, this is not unexpected, but to wait 35 minutes until the table is ready is. For a prolonged wait such as this, I would expect a drink or snack to be comped, but no such policy here. After finally being seated and ordering, our food came almost all at once, which is not generally what I would expect when getting tapas. Our server then disappeared, so when we tasted the unsalted shrimp, we were not able to flag someone down to request salt (none is provided on the table). Eventually, we resorted to going to the kitchen and requesting. Our sever reappeared as we were finishing the meal to see if we would like another drink - which we would have if she had returned twenty minutes sooner. read more

thier Sangria beat everything wine list is really good after two jug of sangria then try to finish with custard I don't know how to walk back home read more

One of favorite restaurants in the St Mary's neighborhood. Truly exceptional selection of Spanish wines. Nice people. Only drawback is that tables are very tight for four if you're sampling a variety of the delicious tapas. read more

Most authentic Spanish food in Boston. Never had a bad meal here. Great wine list and fantastic service. Make a reservation, it gets very busy. read more

Staff is nice. Food is bland, often dry, and overpriced.

I wanted to like this place, but agree with some previous reviews that for neighborhood spot that's been around for a while, it can do better. The reviews about the waitstaff are correct - the host was a bit all over the place, and our server forgot about our table after we set our cards on the bill, for so long that we actually considered just getting up and leaving as it seemed like they didn't want our money. Onto the food.... Seems like such a promising menu. Started with the cheese plate and jamon - not worth the $$ for such tiny portions. Go to Barcelona for cheese/charcuterie. Ordered patatas bravas, a favorite tapas dish.... what came out were homefries that looked and tasted like OreIda frozen food, in a way too spicy sauce. Everything else we ordered (mussels, grilled eggplant, anchovies, frogs legs) were covered in so much oil and butter that I felt sick. Just got to Barcelona for bigger portions, better quality. The ONLY reason I would be back is for the sangria, which was actually one of the best sangrias I've had. read more

Tried this restaurant because of the high rating in Zagats and was thoroughly disappointed. My husband and I ordered four tapas, all of which were extremely bland and uninspired. First the razor clams, a special, had not been purged and so we munching on sand. Not pleasant. Second were the mushrooms, swimming in oil and not a hint of salt (read: flavor). Onto to the mixed plate which consists of dried out pork sitting on top of soggy, greasy, tasteless fries with fried eggs on top. And lastly, the grouper. Had to send it back because it was so underdone that it was still translucent and couldn't even be cut into. The owner explained that they don't like to dry out their fish but this was clearly raw. They cooked it some more but honestly we could barely choke it down. The description sounded delicious but what we got were a few pieces of grouper sitting in some hot water with a few peas floating on top. I can only describe this dish as hospital food. The place was packed and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves and the food so I am at a loss to explain why our dishes were so terrible. The space is very nice and we enjoyed our wine but we'll never be back. read more

I wanted to like this place, as I enjoy Tapas restaurants in general, and DD had previously had a good experience here when seated at the bar. But this time we found the food and service to be sub-par. Lara M our server was a disaster. I asked for a wine suggestion based on my description of my preferences and she brought something that was the exact opposite of what I'd asked for. She grudgingly offered a second option that was ever so slightly better, but gave me attitude that implied that I didn't know what I wanted or how to ask for it. Later DD and I googled the descriptors I used and it affirmed that I was spot on in what I had asked for, revealing that it was actually she who didn't have a clue about their wine list or wine terminology, but had demeaned me, the customer, in her ignorance. Tapas we started with were just okay, I've had much better. I was in the mood for paella, but all they had on the menu was black paella. It's not my favorite, but I've enjoyed it elsewhere so we ordered it. Yuck, not a good choice. It was gummy and unpleasant, and while we were told that it would have both shrimp and calamari, there was not a single shrimp in the batch. Server never checked back with us, and when we were done we couldn't even get her attention to get our check because she had sat down to eat with a group and had clearly punched out mentally from doing her job, even though it was not yet closing time. DD lives in the neighborhood, but with so many wonderful restaurants to choose from in this part of town, we won't be going back to Taberna de Haro. My receipt includes the note "Best of Boston '99" under the restaurant name... hmmm, that was 12 years ago, time to stop resting on their laurels and pay attention to what's going on in the restaurant today? read more

i ordered a trout and a chicken dish here. absolutely horrendous. they were both drowning in oil. yuk. i felt like i was just eating straight up oil. so i didnt even finish 1/8 of both dishes. however the sangria is good but its up to the quality where i could that anywhere else read more

My coworkers and I came here for a celebration after work on a Friday. It was our first time there. We had a large group and were excited to try tapas. We were greeted by our waitress, Katie H., she was very helpful (at first) and recommended some items to us off the menu. We ordered some delicious tapas and a few drinks. Later, she asked if we would like to try some more dishes. We said yes. She didn't inform us about how many extra dishes she ordered. She did not tell us how much each dish cost. We mentioned to the several servers that we did not order them and that we did not want it. They wouldn't take it away. We were told that the kitchen could not stop making it because the orders had already been placed by the waitress. We had to DEMAND that the dishes stop coming. Because of this, when we received the bill it was SO much more than we had anticipated. We felt VERY taken advantage of by our waitress. I went to another tapas restaurant this week where they only recommended 2-3 tapas/person. Katie H. ordered WAY more than that for each of us. We are very disappointed and will not be returning. read more

Love this place - some may debate about the authenticity of the tapas, but the combination of food, wine selection and atmosphere makes this a 5 in my book. In terms of tapas, favorite dishes include the garlic shrimp, pisto and chorizo ala cidre. The lamb chops are more expensive but are nice as a larger dish - and the accompanying fries actually taste like potato! In addition, you get a small dish of potato salad at the beginning that is always irresistible. The wine list is wonderful, and the owner/sommelier is always helpful with recommendations. In the winter, this place is absolutely cozy (there's a wood fired oven behind the bar, and in the summer there's great outdoor seating. The service has always been solid - in the past, reviews have mentioned poor service, but we haven't really found this to be the case - not all the servers may be smiley, but they get you your food and drink. Bonus - I believe they're on OpenTable now - read more

I went in hoping to taste some good tapas, and have always wanted to go since the menu looked great. Unfortunately, I didn't even get to try a glass of their extensive wine collection, let alone food. I was seated pretty quickly, but nothing much happened after that- I waited for twenty minutes without even getting asked for a drink order. There were plenty of staff around (some just plain socializing, and free to take orders that simply didn't do anything), but after attempts of getting eye contact and waving for waitstaff attention, no one served us. The table next to me also seemed pretty annoyed at the lack of service, and had to literally grab someone in order to get their check. After waiting for over a half an hour, we just left- it shouldn't take 30 minutes for a table to get a drink order in, and as a result I probably won't be visiting again any time soon. Bottom line, the food looks great, but the service is pretty terrible. read more