Hm, I have seen it go from "ok" to "mehh", to "nah", and back to "ok". Called tonight for pickup around 1030pm and Ron on the phone said Greg, and Anton were in the kitchen and he was new (less than a week) and the senior kitchen guys told him the kitchen was closed. Weird, hours online say 11. Thanks anyway. read more

This place is a terrific Tapas bar attached to the Charles theater making it a great find for dinner and a movie. The tapas are inventive and delicious. However our pork tenderloin came raw and we had to send it back ( the final one was great). The sherry list is very disappointing for a Spanish restaurant. read more

Great place if you bring lively and adventurous friends to enjoy the little dishes and drink the wine. The energy flows here and gets more intense when the weekend crowds are thick, esp. when the nearby Charles Theater empties its contents. There are many ways to like this place, but certainly the service, food, and parking will vary with the seasons and times. Don't judge it by one visit alone. You need to come at least two or more times to form a decent opinion of this place. We never expected great food here, just filling and fun options to add to an otherwise enjoyable night out with friends. But TT will not make a bad night out better. That is your problem, not theirs! read more

Baltimore has become a breeding ground for Tapas - Spanish style restaurant such as Pazo, Kali's Court, Meli, and Mezze to name a few. If you venture away from Harbor East/Fells point you will come across Tapas Teatro, located next to the Charles Theater. Tapas Teatro doesn't have the notoriety as Pazo or Kali's but the food definitely delivers without breaking the bank. The menu at Tapas Teatro seems to be a seasonal, constantly changing the compilation of ingredients in season and whatever is on the chef's mind that month. The menu is broken down into six categories - hot starters, cold starters, cheese & charcuterie, vegetarian mezze, meat mezze, and seafood mezze. There are a lot of options on the menu so be prepared to study the menu before ordering. I finally decided on the serrano ham (a Spanish classic), grilled sardines, and the lamb chops. Let me just start by saying that Spanish ham is the best-cured pork you can eat. In fact, on a recent travel to Spain, Italian chef Mario Batali mentioned how even Italian ham is not as good as Spanish ham. The ham at Tapas Teatro is a bit similar to prosciutto, but has a more spiced, rosemary aroma to it. When you eat it you notice the rich, lusciousness of the pork and is accentuated by the drizzling of Spanish EVOO. I could have eaten three portions of this alone. My second favorite thing I ate was the grilled sardines, which was a portion of three incredibly fresh 6-inch whole sardines. The char from the open fire gave the fish a smoky salty flavor, which was wonderful. Eating the sardines is a bit of work because you have to fiddle to get the meat away from the small bones but the reward is worth it. The last item I ordered was the grilled lamb chops with a rhubarb barbeque sauce. This dish was good, but was probably my least favorite of the evening. The lamb wasn't as tender as lamb chops usually are. I also felt that the glossy bbq sauce was very over powering and tasted too much of ketchup. I would likes to see the lamb possibly prepared with sprigs of rosemary and shavings of raw shallots, maybe with a demiglace - now that sounds good. I also had a chance to sample the gazpacho, which was perfectly refreshing on a humid Baltimore night. The service and attentiveness of the staff was very good. When I dined at Tapas Teatro the restaurant was slammed with theatergoers trying to have a quick bite before their show at the Charles. Despite that, our food came out very quickly and everything was the appropriate temperature. Also, as a part of their ten-year anniversary, Tapas Teatro is offering pitchers of Sangria for $10 for the rest of June. All in all, I always enjoy my dining experience at Tapas Teatro; the food is authentic and unpretentious. Usually I am not a fan of tapas, but Tapas Teatro seems to have a winning formula. read more

I've been to a lot of tapas restaurants, and the menu here is unlike any other tapas menu I've seen. they have most of the "staples" I see at every other tapas place, but then a lot of very unique items. (With a Mediterranean influence in many items maybe?) We tried the following which our waitress recommended: -watermelon radish salad - very delicious, fresh. -littleneck clams (in a bacon sauce, very smokey and flavorful) -onion rings battered in a garbanzo bean flour ... unique, a bit falafel-tasting, quite good. -fried Manchego .. lightly battered cheese fried and drizzeled with honey... slightly squeeky! good. -lamb meatballs... Mediterranean inspired, with cumin and a nice sauce. The food overall was extremely good and well prepared. The uniqueness of the menu is probably what stands out even more though.. The hostess was really annoying, though. She probably would've told anyone who walked in that there was a wait and to go to the bar... there was a table open outside when we arrived and 45 minutes after we had sat down, it still sat empty. we asked about sitting outside and were told however there would be a 20 or 30 minutes, and the inside would be "a bit" ...she told us to go wait at the bar, and before the drinks we ordered arrived the table was ready (which is good for timing perhaps, but bad for their servers when the bar is taking the drink tab from them). we were sat in what seemed like the worst possible table in the whole place, a verrrry small two top right next to a stairway to the theater. for some odd reason, they sat the plates on the two adjacent sides, apparently not wanting me to sit in the aisle-way facing the stairwell. The table was very odd, and once the pitcher of sangria went on the table there was barely room for 2 more plates. not a good setup for a tapas place. (more troubling, while we sat at least one group came to get a table outside and they were immediately seated there). The prices were averageish for tapas. the pitcher of white sangria was too sweet. Our waitress Molly was right on point with recommendations, and the service we received from her was great. the food was amazing, too. Outside of the odd hostess who gave us the oddest table option, the place is nice. read more

Finally had a chance to dine here post-movie with my lady. Overall impression was, "yah, that was decent enough, but not worth the money." The two of us split four plates-- endibia salad, plato de espana, fritter things on the daily special list, and the paella. Truth be told, I found the plato with its quality cheeses and meats to be the most appealing. The salad was king of boring, and trying to eat it while maintaining a civilized appearance was a challenge for me! The fritters were shockingly very greasy, as if moved straight from deep fryer to plate. The grease taste overwhelmed the dish. Parts of the paella were good - particularly the shrimp - but the other shelled fish stuff was lean and not real tasty. Service was very good, and some of the drink options are pretty cool and creative. I'm truly not a super big fan of the interior layout, however, where couples are squeezed into tightly packed tables for two, need to squeeze by adjacent tables, and have no choice but to be fully aware of neighboring conversations. My idea of an intimate dinner doesn't involve persons from the next table(s) over! Will probably check out other tapas and small plate places before giving Teatro another whirl. read more

Loving the intimate vibe and dark lighting except 2 out of the 3 of us had spilled wine glasses. One was our server's fault but she was apologetic and hooked it up with some free sangria. Sangria was good... like juice! We ordered so many dishes but my favorites were the chicken croquettes; I haven't has anything like them before! I also liked the mussels, Chile relleno, and lamb chops. My least favorite was the paella. You can really skip this since it's so big and I'd rather fill my stomach with more of the small dishes. I'm on the fence about the grilled calamari (good flavor but salty) and octopus (really chopped up and I kept thinking it was chicken). Wait was only 15 minutes on a Friday night and service was great, although I would've liked a little more comp'ed for sangria on my white shirt. read more

Other than the fact that they don't take reservations and it's almost alway a long wait on weekends, I absolutely love this restaurant. The tapas are yummy (I get crab meat and spinach and try different tapas every time I go) and the red sangrias very good. (They are a bit on the sweet side.) The inside is dimly lit with some art on the brick walls. The ceiling is high in the kitchen area. Al fresco dining here in the Station North area is great if you like people-watching. It's a cute place for a date and the Charles Theatre right next door would be a perfect place to go after a satisfying meal. read more

To be honest i went to this place twice and the first time I went I wasn't pleased with my food. To me the dishes were very nefarious to the point they were lacking hue and brightness. The first time I tried the sautéed spinach with garlic, the dish was bland,barely tasted the garlic and it was swimming in olive oil. The only highlight of that trip was the shrimp in garlic. That was the only appetizing thing I ate that night. The second time,the only reason I stopped in was the Lost City Dinner was packed as usual with the hipsters and it was standing room only. So Tapas Teatro got a second chance and they bombed yet again. This time I tried their squash dish because it was over powered by paprikia. I am not a fan of that spice. Just like a vampire hates garlic. The one plus of this place they have moderately priced drinks and great sangria. I can only recommend this place for drinks unfortunately. read more

Good drinks, great food and the best friends. When you combine all three you have an amazing experience. Always crowded and yet you never feel rushed. In the summer the doors are opened and you are treated to an outdoor cafe experience. The small plates are creative and original and always changing. I really enjoyed the seafood stew and the tomatoes and goat chese. The sangria is light and refreshing. I'm a huge fan. I met my fiance here, and proposed at the very same spot. Need I say more. read more

I should start by saying that I would give TT 3.5 stars if possible, but I can't justify 4 stars. I came here with my girlfriend for the $10 Sangria pitcher Tuesday. Like many say, the sangria here is great, sweet, and not too weak. Definitely the highlight (also I like good deals). I've seen how busy this place can be on a weekend (we looked in before going to the attached movie theater--The Charles), but there was no crowd or wait at any time while we were there at peaks hours on a Tuesday. The ambiance here is cool (small, cozy feel), but everything is a bit tight to the point where you're basically eating with strangers. Also, there wasn't air conditioning, so we were eating in a warm room with a fan blowing on us. We ordered a steak dish, an eggplant dish, and fried calamari. I haven't had true tapas before, so I didn't really know what to expect. The tables were small though, so I just figured they'd bring us our dishes one at a time. Much to my surprise, all 3 came out at once. Our table was covered inch-to-inch by plates of soon-to-be-cold food. The prices here aren't cheap, so I figured they would at least be patient enough to let us finish our dishes (which did, inevitably, get cold before we got a good taste). Aside from that, the food was pretty decent (4/5 stars). The calamari was the most well-cooked I've had in a long time! The dipping sauce was also very tasty. The eggplant dish was so-so. I know eggplant can be mushy, but usually a good place will creatively cover up that fact...not so much here. Tastes like you expect it to taste. The steak was well-cooked, a little underseasoned, but overall very good. If you can find parking on the Charles (most of which are free after 6) then go for it! But on a crowded night, best to park across the street at the parking garage for $2. I was a bit disappointed in Tapas Teatro, but I can see where someone would give it 4 stars. They're so close to making this place really awesome, but just missed the bar with the little details. read more

Wrong wrong wrong. I used to look forward to eating here while I wait for someone to pick me up from the bolt bus stop - but totally disappointing. My favorite dish ever was the pea fritters which have somehow turned whack there. I also loved the spinach tapas dish which doesn't exist on the menu anymore. The sangria is decent and I still like hanging out at the bar with the knowledgable bartenders, but the food experience has diluted down to standard and unspectacular. read more

The best place in Baltimore for the Sangrias. The service is good; interior decoration is quite good, and the mood is pretty dive-y.

Been here several times and I'm never disappointed. Their sangria is wonderful and the pitcher is a great size for two people to share. My faves include crab and spinach, two tomatoes, chicken with cumin, and the lamb chop. For dessert I suggest the goat cheese cheese cake.... AMAZING..... The ambience is also very modern yet intimate. Great place for a date or gathering with friends. read more

Absolutely awesome. The menu is creative and all of the food and drinks were fantastic. Our waiter was really cool, knowledgeable and didn't rush us whatsoever despite the line to get in. Prices were very reasonable and the atmosphere was modern and inviting. You should definitely try Tapas Teatro out if you haven't already. read more

Bad service, slow uneven service. Waitress inattentive. Been there before and never had any problems. Waitress tonight has me never going back. Tables too close together. Music too loud. Overcharged, then adjusted. Done with this overpriced bullshit. What happened to customer service and satisfaction? read more

Went here for a date last night, and loved it. Great date atmosphere, casual, relaxed, but nice too ya know? Good glass of wine, food to linger over... perfect place for some good conversation. The food was ok - I got all the available veggie options that didn't have cheese baked in, etc, and nothing was perfectly memorable other than the sauteed kale, which was some of the best kale I've ever had. Sauteed with pine nuts, raisin, garlic, olive oil... perfectly done. Everything else was certainly fine, but it's the atmosphere that rules here. read more

this is a great great restaurant with a friendly staff. never fails I end up driving around with my wife after 11PM looking for food (we both work late) and this is one of the only higher end places open serving excellent, non-diner food. I highly recommend the green pea fritters & the paellas. also, top notch tapas for baltimore, and relatively affordable. Similar to, but WAAAY better than Jaleo in DC, personally. read more

This place has a very good atmosphere. You wait in the quaint and homey theater next door. The wine selection is great. Looking forward to lounging around with a $10 pitcher of sangria on Tuesdays during the summers. The food has rarely disappointed. On occasion food has been slightly overcooked or undercooked but was also dealt with gracefully by the wait staff. I wouldn't bring a million people here... Definitely better for a more intimate dinner. read more

this is by far one of my go to tapas places and the day to go here is Tuesday, a pitcher of sangria is $10, always order from the seasonally inspired specials like the pumpkin soup in the fall, hair co vert in the spring, etc.. Although, save room for a few staples like the calamari, kale salad or the creamy crab & spinach. And the Teatro Sunday is extraordinary - especially with the honey gram ice cream. read more

Tapas Teatro is one of my favorite places (and my husband's favorite). My rating of this restaurant is more likely a 4.5, but I round down because seating can be a bit of a hassle (but no reason to denouce the quality of the food, which is impeccable). While we live in Arlington, we attempt to frequent Tapas Teatro as much as possible. The small plates are delicious and hit the spot. Over our several trips to this restaurant, we've had the pleasure of sampling the following: 1-Croquettes de Pollo: A MUST have. These are flaky, yet tender and flavorful croquettes that melt in your mouth. The sauce that is served with this is money. Pure money. Take it to the bank. Place 2 orders of these. They go very quickly. My mouth is watering right now as I type this. 2-Costillas de Corderos: Tender lamb, succulent meat. Flavorfully finished with a BBQ sauce. 3-Calamari: Fantastic. Again flaky breading and perfectly cooked calamari 4-Seafood medley: I can't find this option on the menu online. However, it's a collection of salmon, fried shrimp, and calamari. Served with a spicy dipping sauce, it's really delicious. Tip: Order the house sangria and hang out with your friends awhile. You'll want to stick around and try as many plates as you can. read more

I've come here twice for dinner - once with a group of friends, once with my mom on her first trip to Baltimore. Both times the food was delicious, and the service and atmosphere were a total treat. I would heartily recommend Tapas Teatro to anyone - and while it does get crowded on weekends I haven't had problems getting a seat for an early-ish dinner (7ish). On my most recent trip we had the catalan kale (amazing!), a salad off the specials menu, the "plata de espana" (cheese, various cured meats, bliss), lamb meatballs, and grilled calimari. So delicious, my mom was raving about it days later. I haven't done the tapas tetro / charles theater combo yet, so that's next on my list. read more

(08/25/2012) Still great after all these years, they maintain excellent food quality, robust flavors, intoxicating cocktails, and a polished atmosphere. Stopped in late on a Saturday night, most movies over, dinner crowd gone. Seemed like the perfect time. The patio doors were thrown open, the night was mild, the place was sparse (perfect). We sidled up to the bar, had a couple rounds of delicious summer cocktails (fresh with flavors of summer: basil, cucumbers) and some small plates. Most impressive were the whole grilled sardines; huge specimens, briny, slight char, well-seasoned, delicate meat, with a squeeze of lemon for acidity to cut the fishiness, perfection. Mussels are sometimes hit or miss, tonight they were a hit; not overdone, no grit, piquant tomato broth. Croquetas always satisfy, but you can't really go wrong with a deep-fried ball of something: fresh peas making up the Pea and Cheese were sweet, bright and vibrant in color and on the palate; Spicy Chicken was indeed spicy, but melded with a creamy Boursin (and somewhat superfluous accompanying aioli). A visit here always feels special, no matter the occasion. read more

See all

We went to Tapas Teatro in the middle of the week (spur of the moment dinner out) and I was pleasantly surprised by how delicious everything was. My one major complaint was that the food came out reallllllly quickly - the pacing was off which made us feel a bit rushed. It was hard to choose what to eat (everything looked so delicious) but here's the breakdown (there were 4 of us which is why there are so many lovely dishes listed below) Salmon Mousse (B-)- by far the least successful dish of the evening, though that's not to say it was bad. The dish was served too cold so it wasn't as flavorful as it could've been. Green Pea and Cheese Fritters (A+)- Yum yum yum. These were delightful. I loved the surprise of melted cheese in the center. Spicy chicken fritters (A)- These had the texture of a chicken mousse! With a lovely spicyness. Butternut squash special dish (Calabasa) (A++) - Yeah, we liked this dish so much we ordered another one. This was definitely a team favorite. Fried Fennel (B) - Meh, I wasn't thrilled with this dish. The sauce was okay but I would have preferred a crispier fennel. Quail egg on crostini w/ chorizo (A)- Delicious simple Spanish dish. Great chorizo and the egg was cooked perfectly, just runny enough to be saucy. Mussels (A++)- This was another crowd favorite. There were oodles of mussels in a truly delicious sauce. This dish turned out great! And we were all surprised by how large the serving size was. Sausage (A-) - this dish is heavy but tasty and simple Tuna on Crostini (B) - I wasn't super pleased with this dish. The tuna was just a little chewy and I was hoping for a more succulent bite. All of us had a lovely time and would definitely return. I was pleased with the bill as well - tapas tend to be on the more expensive side but I found this to be very reasonable. read more

I just absolutely love this place. Ive never had a bad experience and the food is always great. You couldnt stop me from going a couple times a week. love. love. love read more

Sexy sexy sexy. After 20+ years of dining in this city, Tapas Teatro is in my top 3 of go-to dependable spots when I want to count on being wowed. Waiters are sophisticated and discreet without being stuffy. Lighting is low but not gloomy. Lots of little alcoves yield privacy enough for intimate conversation, but not isolation. Views of the street or bar - your choice, both are exciting. Portion sizes are perfecto especially if you like to nibble and maintain your size 6. On the important matters - food and wine - let's just say it's one of those restaurants where every bite makes your eyes roll back in your head, like if you were to die right here, that would be enough. read more

So we blew in like a tornado MINUTES before our movie and they still accommodated us at the bar. The menu was pretty extensive...if you're a carnivore. And it's a little heavy on the fried foods. But the kale dish was FANTASTIC! Unfortunately everything else we ordered ended up being fried. The drinks were great, strong. And we got a to go cup of sangria to take next door to the movies. Great spot with pleasant staff! read more

Yes, it is a convenient location attached tp the best theater in town, and yes, the setting is modern and cool.... but the food is marginal at best, and the service has been down-right atrocious at times. I was ruined by being a fan of Jaleo's in DC before this place opened in B-more and Tapas Teatro can never really match that. But even going in and knowing not to expect Jaleo quality, I still leave disappointed. For better tapas, I'll take Pazo's or Mezze any day of the week and save my true Spanish tapas cravings for trips to DC. read more

My experience here was pretty decent . The food was delicious. The chuleta was very good as well as the short ribs. A little pricey but thin pork is hard to do right and this was done well. It was artscape weekend so I'll cut them a little slack on the painfully long wait for a table. All in all a good place in a very competitive market here in Baltimore. read more

This is definitely one of the better tapas places in Baltimore. It's location is great - it's a block from Penn Station, is close to circulator stops, and is right next to the Charles Theatre, making it a great place for a pre- or post-movie dinner. It's on the pricier end, with smaller portions than some other tapas places in the area. I had the pollo a la brasa, gambas al ajillo, queso murcia al vino, and the espinaca y cangrejo. Everything was great - nothing was mindblowing, but overall it seems like this would be a reliable place to eat. read more

This place was delicious! the drinks were good, the food was good and the wait staff were all very friendly! I had a delicious pomegranate martini, the croquettes, the fried mushrooms and the paelle (i shared with a friend) and it was all incredible! I also loved the location and enjoyed being able to sit outside. read more

A much needed update. I have since gone back a few times specifically for their grilled sardines. They are divine!! You have an option to get them fried or grilled, definitely go for the grilled. You get whole sardines, so ask for the heads to be cut off before they bring them out if that'll make it easier for you to eat them. You can eat all of it, bones and all, and it is really, really good. read more

Came here for dinner with a friend last night after a movie. I really like this place! The food is soo good and the Pama cocktail was on point. Our waitress Alice was so friendly and accommodating. Looking forward to my next visit. read more

My girl-friend and I have been to Barcelona a few times and have experienced authentic tapas in the many tapas bars there. When we moved to Baltimore a few years ago, we were thrilled to find Tapas Teatro when we went to see a movie at the Charles Theater next door. You can actually enter Tapas Teatro from the lobby of the Charles Theater. A word of caution....when the movies are ending at the Charles is the busiest time here. Hard to get a table or find a seat at the bar. We are huge fans of "the little dishes of Spain". We have spent three new Year's Eve's there and had a fabulous time. The tapas are delicious, the sangria and wines are delightful and the service has always been exceptional. Once you settle in, it's hard to tear yourself away. Tapas Teatro is the best tapas bar outside of Barcelona. read more

My wife and I dined before a performance at the Lyric Opera House. Because of the weather, which was very cold and blustery, we were a little concerned we would not be seated as they do not accept reservations, but they have a very high turnover rate with surprisedly a lot of seating for such a small area. Exposed brick and beams in an old building set the perfect mood for tapas - very romantic and friendly vibe. Because you are so close together, you invariably have to smile and say hello to your fellow diners. I am second generation Spanish from Catalonia. One glance at the menu showed that the cuisine was from that region. My wife and I ordered five dishes - probably two too many - but they were so hard to resist. We had Morcillas (Spanish blood sausages), Fritura de Mar (Fried Seafood), Papas Bravas (spicy fried potatoes with aioli), Fried Bacalao (Salt Cod), and Spanish Tortilla (akin to a French frittata but without the cheese). All cooked just like I remembered them from Barcelona. The portions were just right. My only minor criticism was the Spanish Tortilla was a tad bit salty. The wine and beer menu specialized in Spanish produced libations, but the bar appeared to be fully stocked. I had the Spanish Estrella Damm beer on draft which harkens from Barcelona - so you can get away with saying that you want a "Damm" beer when you order ... sorry, could not resist....! Service was excellent. Connor was knowledgeable on the menu and the restaurant. I assumed that the restaurant was owned by someone with a connection to Spain, but to my surprise, one of the owners was former Afghan President Karzai's brother, who also owns a number of restaurants in the area. The waiter commented that the owners really did their research in selecting, cooking and presenting the dishes. A nicely executed Tapas bar with a great hipster, trendy feel to it - saw all ages. Fills up fast, but has a nice turnover. Saw several people standing and eating at the bar. We will definitely be back....! read more

One of the best dining experiences I've had in a long time, and this is coming from a server. Every staff member was accommodating, polite, attentive, and full of care. The food was great, the sangria was awesome, but above all, the service was amazing. My boyfriend spilled and broke his glass of sangria and every team member rushed to help. All of our dishes were remade just in case a shard of glass may have landed in it. Great value, great food, great service. read more

One of my my favorite restaurants in Baltimore! The plates are delicious, and the specials menu is always changing with new seasonal dishes, so I can come back often and always have something new to try. My favorites from the permanent menu are the grilled lamb chops with rhubarb BBQ sauce, the potato and cheese fritters, and the mussels in white wine sauce. And the jamon iberico de bellota is definitely worth the price! The ambiance is romantic, with candles on every table, but a bit on the noisier side when the restaurant is packed. The tables are a bit small, especially if you're sharing many plates, and the tables are pretty close to each other. But it feels true to the Spanish tapas experience. The service has been excellent. The waitstaff is knowledgeable about the menu and make trustworthy recommendations. The will bring fresh plates if they notice our plates are covered in sauce from a previous dish, and they will bring extra bread to eat with cheese plates. On weekend nights, the restaurant can be very busy and you may have to wait for a table. But while you wait, you can bring a drink from the bar into the lobby of the theater next door, have a seat and order some theater popcorn! It makes the wait quite enjoyable. read more

What an unfortunate way to start and end a Friday night! I am aghast by the service and general vibe of a place that has mediocre food and drinks. The servers come off unhappy and are blatantly rude to paying customers. Their standards of running a business are underwhelming to say the least. I requested that the manager hear me out and he was unable to apologize to us for the rude service. They will not being seeing our faces again. read more

How have I lived in Baltimore for all these years, gone to the Charles a bunch and NEVER stepped a foot in Tapas Teatro until last weekend. I am totally kicking myself that I've missed out on years of eating/drinking/movie pregaming at such a cool place. I can't comment on dinner because we only stopped in to get our movie wine, but this place is just really cool. It's very dimly lit and there was a pretty large bar that we were lucky enough to get a seat at because someone was getting up to go into their movie. I got a SLIGHT snobby vibe from the crowd there, but to be expected right? The bartender was super friendly though and that's really all that matters in my book. Will be back for dinner so I can update my reviewage soon! read more

Get the grilled cheese stuffed calamari nom nom