I have only eaten once at Taberna El Panduro. I am inspired to write a review because I have geographical insight that might help those who struggle to make a restaurant decision and need final inspiration to get out of tourist trap areas. Taberna El Panduro is on Calle Baños, between two other restaurants that I like. I didn't eat before today at Taberna El Panduro, in spite of walking along Calle Baños almost daily for five weeks, because it doesn't have the patio space that other establishments have. This makes the restaurant a little harder to notice. Don't let the plain storefront deter you. Taberna El Panduro is excellent, and after just one meal there, I know I need to return the favor of the recommendation to the Yelp community that writes in Spanish and led me there. I'll write in English and compare restaurants, in case that is helpful.
So...for the competition. I have eaten multiple times at Nazca and Dos de Mayo (or perhaps it is listed on Yelp as 2 de Mayo). Sadly for the person who really can't keep track of the time, all three restaurants close between lunch and dinner service...except for weekend afternoons at Bar Dos de Mayo. Yes, it's true that several other restaurants are located on this same street in the same area. I actually ate at the wrong place the first time I tried to find Nazca. I'll stick to a review of the three best here.
The waitstaff at Taberna El Panduro is excellent. I cringe as I write that sentence because the servers at Nazca and Dos de Mayo also knock it out of the park. However, Taberna El Panduro is a bit different in that the all-male staff exude a kind of self-conscious and foodie/knowledgeable vibe that the other places lack. By contrast, the chefs at Nazca actually are more international, and Bar Dos de Mayo is thoroughly local, in terms of staff and menu. Here are more details to help you choose...
Bar Dos de Mayo: the self-service can be confusing to a foreigner, although like all three places, the menus here do come in multiple languages. The waitstaff in Dos de Mayo is traditional. They love what they do, but they might not let you know that, because it wouldn't be professional. If you can wrangle it out of them, they will help you with a recommendation. That is how I tried the Bacalao de la Viuda at Dos de Mayo. I don't rave about potatoes or a tomato-cream sauce, much less breaded fish, except here. The fish was simply excellent and piping hot. The staff sometimes do double duty behind the counter and assemble a few of the less heat-intensive plates. Getting these waiters (they are all men) to help you with the order is like pulling teeth, so don't expect too much help and be grateful if you get some. (Maybe look for the waiter with eyeglasses, who gave up the bacalao recommendation.) The crowd here is lovely, with a mix of disoriented "is-this-the-best-restaurant?" tourists and happy locals who evenly spread between between patio and indoor seating. The patio on the plaza really is a pleasant spot.
Nazca is consistently excellent and keeps fewer hours than Dos de Mayo, especially as concerns weekend afternoons. In the reverse of the all-male Dos de Mayo staff, Nazca chooses only women for that job, as far as I saw at least, although the chefs are men. Outdoor seating at Nazca seems less breezy than at Dos de Mayo, but I always eat inside so I can't vouch that the temp is actually higher outdoors there. I like the staff at Nazca. More or less only two people work as servers there, and they really know the menu, which is small but ranges beyond what you might expect. I don't think you can go wrong with any dish at Nazca, at least not if you like limited-menu fusion. If you want an emotionally warmer service than Dos de Mayo provides, Nazca is your bet. I only saw locals eat at Nazca, although the food is def not an appeal to Spanish culinary routine.
Finally, Taberna El Panduro is a quirky place, in between Dos de Mayo and Nazca in so many ways. The bread is outstanding at Taberna El Panduro, outpacing even Nazca. The wine is perhaps more limited at Nazca, and perhaps the most careful selection (absolutely the choice for curious specialists) is at Taberna el Panduro. The food at Taberna el Panduro is probably the best in terms of chef flare. After all, with only one meal... I had to write this review. That said, I really like the house red at larger-scale Dos de Mayo.
I can't make the choice for you, but I can offer the following rule of thumb. Tired of tapas should lead you to Nazca. New to tapas might direct you to Dos de Mayo. Ready to take tapas for a cosmopolitan spin is Taberna El Panduro. Need to impress on social media might be Taberna El Panduro. Need to focus on food might be Nazca. And an inability to watch the clock for opening times (at least on weekends) is Dos de Mayo. All three places merit the walk away from the overpriced and much less tasty places that cluster around the Cathedral and the University of Sevilla. read more