A beautiful late winter/early spring day in Somerville, and brunch at Tapastre was just what the doctor ordered. My Caesar salad was crunchy and garlicky, and my dining companion enjoyed hers as well, although she would have liked more dressing. The coffee was superb, better than all of the local diners put together. Service was good. Only issue would be the atmosphere--which is to say, the downstairs space has little to none. Feels a little like the gadtropub craze of the 90s never went away. read more

Tapastre - Caesar! - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

This was in a downstairs cellar with a good-sized bar and a number of surrounding tables and booths. They had appealing menu options along with a couple of specials too. The service was friendly while the food came out quickly. I had the Philly cheesesteak ($20). I had a side of hand cut fries, which were excellent. They seemed to be double fried just based on how crisp they were. They were appropriately seasoned too. The cheesesteak was stuffed and the bread held up even with how much filing there was. There was thin sliced ribeye with cherry peppers, onions, and cheese. The meat was tasty and flavorful while the cherry peppers added a slight kick. I would have actually liked a few more. The cheese was melted throughout, which I enjoyed too. I also tried the caramel ginger shrimp that came with peanuts, scallions, and some coleslaw too. The flavor and crunch on the shrimp were very unique. The caramel was definitely tasted and at times was too sweet, but the flavor was so interesting that it made me want to keep eating. The cook and crunch from the panko on the shrimp was the key. Will I go back? I would. read more

Tapastre - Cheesesteak - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

Quite a hidden gem! It was a cozy, unique, and flavorful experience. We walked in and lucked out finding a table (I'd suggest reserving if you can). The menu offers a great variation of tapas and large plates. The flavor profile of the dishes like the homemade ricotta, were delicious. We were intrigued by the fry board and it was definitely a great choice. The Mac and cheese was rich and creamy. I definitely had leftovers. We enjoyed our drinks from the seasonal selections. Our server was attentive and knowledgeable. When my husband asked for a drink recommendation, our server gave genuine feedback based on my husband's taste preferences. I would definitely return! read more

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We had a wonderful brunch at Tapastre!There were quite a few of us but the waitress was really nice and patient ! The food was delicious. I could see why it's hard to get a dinner reservation there. We shall return! read more

My husband and I visited this location a long number of years back. At that time, the menu was odd, it was 'this is what chef is making today", and it didn't thrill us. We've stuck to our favorites in Somerville each week there, until now! lol We recently picked up a Somerset County Brewery and Distillery passport booklet. We need to get it stamped at each location and this was on the list. We wanted to get out of the house on Saturday night and decided to give it a try. We, of course, looked up the menu and were pleasantly surprised by the offerings. We made online reservations for 5:30, outside. Fair warning, they have a $10.00 per person on the reservation charge if you cancel with less than 2 hours notice. So you have to reserve with a credit card. We parked in the municipal lot adjacent to the building. Looks like there are a few stops directly behind the place, but I assumed those were for staff. We were greeted upon entering by a gracious hostess who walked us to a table on the large wrap-around veranda. I loved it already, the porch gives air of of being some place else, maybe down south. All the needed was some hanging plants to brighten up the view! We were given a bottle of water and two ice filled glasses. Our lovely waitress, Evie, told us the specials and let us sit with both drink menus' and food menus' for a bit to decide. Everything sounded so good! They have a plethora of gin drinks, which I love seeing as so many places focus on vodka which I can't drink. But I wanted to go light, so I asked what the Seasonal Sangria is. Strawberry and watermelon sounded so refreshing, I asked for a 1/2 pitcher. Michael decided to try their Prohibitionist - a bourbon with lemon. Evie brought our drinks and was sweet enough to pour the first glass of the sangria for me (most places dump the pitcher and glass on the table and leave). Michael's bourbon drink was aromatic and tasted of a nice caramel bourbon mix. My sangria exploded with bright watermelon summer-fresh flavor! Perfectly done, not overly sweet, but sweet enough to be a great refresher! We headed into the food menu, again, bursting with options. The potstickers sounded good, as did the drunken clams, but i went with the Caramel Ginger Shrimp and Michael loves Deviled Eggs, so he went with those. WOWZA!!! The shrimp were sooooo good! Seriously - napa cabbge and crushed peanuts and scallions with detailed small shrimp, panko crusted and fried with a caramel glaze and spices. This was simply outstanding! Michaels Deviled eggs were done perfectly with the filling whipped so lightly. I enjoyed 1, but found the pepper afterbite too much for me, although the flavor was wonderful. I ordered the Pulled Pork Sliders and Michael got the Beer Mac and Cheese. My sliders were served on a board with a small cup and 3 pickles. I didn't enjoy them as much as I would have liked - the rolls were a bit on the hard side,, and there just wasn't enough coleslaw or bbq sauce to keep these from being dry. The pork was tender, and cooked well, and the sauce they did have had a nice tang to it. I would have preferred if it was served with extra coleslaw on the side, maybe extra sauce, so the diner can dress as they please. Michael's Beer mac and Cheese was yummy! Creamy and has a nice bite of the beer flavor. Served super hot too which is a nice change from other places we've tried the mac and cheese at. It was paired with grilled (griddle charred maybe?) asparagus. They were done to perfection, crisp on the floral ends to give a nice crunch and tender for the stalk. After enjoying our food, we sat for a time to finish our drinks. i headed in to find the ladies room. Again, same lovely hostess not only pointed the way, but walked me to the restrooms - so kind! The ladies room was impeccably clean and bright. All in all, we loved it and we're sorry we've missed going there. Would like to bring friends over to sit out on the veranda for dinner one evening. We both were stuffed - very generous portions. I'm craving that shrimp again! read more

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On Saturday night, my friends and I went to Tapastre for dinner. I had been upstairs in project pub, but never downstairs. The downstairs location was excellent. They had so much good food options. I couldn't decide on what to pack, although I eventually pick the chicken sandwich. The fries that accompanied it were delicious as well. They even had a fry board that I really wanted to try, but was so full. I went with friends and everyone enjoyed their dishes as well. The servers were very accommodating and kind. I highly recommend going to Tapastre. read more

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TLDR: Great value happy hour menu with some hits and misses. Came here for happy hour and I was pleasantly surprised by the reasonable prices and quality of food. The bar pizza was fun - crispy, chewy, cheesy, and pretty big. The burger was juicy and well cooked, but the duck fat fries weren't worth paying extra for. The potato wedges (Happy Patatas) were soft and unpleasant to eat. I'd come back again for a happy hour read more

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Pretty yummy food, nice ambiance and plentiful parking. Went here for a brunch and was happy with the food and service. Service was prompt and food was good as well. Look forward to visiting again. read more

PROS: Amazing place that was built in the 1840s and was a home, school, prison, and more throughout the years. Looks old in and out of it while the restaurant extends to the basement as well. nice food, well priced, good variety, atmosphere is amazing, staff is friendly CONS: Parking is extremely scarce as their lot is only 6 spacious. You must also make a reservation for dinner otherwise you're gambling to get a table OVERALL: You must come here if you're in the area. This is THE place to come to, to eat! read more

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Along with Project PUB, TAPESTRE has created its own space with a unique drink set up, as well as what I like to call a "speakeasy vibe." I love their food and service! @rissyjayeats read more

Tapastre - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

I came here with my wife, sister and brother-in-law. I'm really surprised I never written in a review for here as I have come here many times. The downstairs atmosphere is really chic, and just feels like a cool place to hang out. The staff here is always friendly which is an added bonus, because sometimes places like this they can be a little snooty. The food we ordered was really good and as a point of reference they will let you order stuff off the upstairs menu if you really like. My brother-in-law was hoping to have something from the upstairs restaurant but didn't remember which restaurant had it, and they told him it would not be an issue. They're cocktail list is on point, I ended up going with two of the same drink just because I really enjoyed it. The name escapes me, however it was very likely a gin drink with italicus in it. If you're perusing their menu It was the only one with those two ingredients. All in all I always love coming here. If you're in Somerville you should definitely check it out. read more

Why isn't Project PUB and this place just called the same name already. It's downstairs. Same menus. The vibe downstairs is more dark and date setup. The people who work both upstairs and downstairs are nice. The food to me screams pub aka upstairs. But the food is good no matter where you eat it. read more

Great Cocktails and the food is amazing. Love the seasonal drinks menu! The wings may be the best in town.

The food was so tasty! I got a Reuben and it was delicious. I also got a glass of seasonal sangria and it was so good! Our waiter and waitress were great, and it was a very cute and cozy place! read more

Stopped in during Tiki night. Had our tikis and had a blast. They had live music planting great music. Great summer night place to stop in with friends! read more

I went there with a group of ladies. This was the second time going and i was going to order the short rib pot pie again. They said they didn't have it again even though it was on the menu. So I settled on a cheesesteak sandwich which was ok. The chocolate martini was great. read more

Service was excellent. Enjoy splitting the appetizers. Enjoyed the calamari, crab cake sliders, plus others. Good drinks. Casual atmosphere. Paid parking lot till 7 pm. read more

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Not Tapas. Finger sized bar food. There is a difference. Everything was pretty bland. read more

Great mixture of various types of food served in unique ways. I like that they offer shareable portions that the whole party can try. The drinks for the most part were tasty. Our waitress was very attentive and informative. read more

Tapastre has always had great beer and drinks. When dining was outdoor only, they had a nice setup on the patio. It felt really spread out and service was still friendly and efficient. Menus are digital and adjusted to a combined service with the upstairs restaurant (project PUB). When beer flights are available, they're your best bet. They have so many good beers available on tap that you won't want to have just one. I haven't been back in since indoor dining has returned, but the food and drinks are as good as ever. read more

Love the atmosphere. Definitely need to make a reservation on a Saturday night to get a table. Drink menu was fantastically seasonal and tasty! Downside here was that it isn't a tapas place. The food was good, but not what was expected - sandwiches, pizza , soups, etc. I would go again l with that in mind. The winter fashion cocktail was delicious. Lobster bisque was fine- not my favorite- and the salad was good. Dessert was yummy a crème Brûlée and bread pudding. read more

3.5 stars. We came here for the donut and beer pairing event between The Good Donut Shop and Six Point Brewing. Tapastre is located below Project PUB in a cute building. It was decorated for the holidays and had a very warm and inviting feel. When we walked in, there weren't any open seats at the bar and the hostess informed us the tables are all booked up. We had to wait about 10 minutes for someone to leave, then we got a spot at the bar. We ordered our beer and donut flight and it was incredible- DELICIOUS!- but that's more a credit to Six Point and The Good Donut Shop. The service was lacking but it was busy to be fair. Deducting a star for service and being slightly overpriced and for the hummus being probably one of the blandest I've ever had (more on that coming up). We then ordered our meals - the 3 alarm vegetarian chili was fantastic. Loved the spice level and flavor! Husband ordered a chicken over black bean dish and loved it. I ordered the hummus and olive app as my meal. Was disappointed in the olives- they weren't the big gourmet ones you can get at places like Whole Foods at the olive bar. They were smaller ones like you get in a jar. The hummus wasn't very flavorful- it was rather bland- so that was disappointing too. Bleh. Took a while to get refills on our waters and put in another beer order and to get our check. I have mixed feelings about this place but would return for another event or to try a sit down meal. The vegetarian chili is enough to get me to go back and try again. read more

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Came here for weekday lunch and we all got cheesesteaks. The place has a unique ambiance, I guess you could say very cozy...it is downstairs in a basement. I liked the cheesesteak, but it came with an assortment of vegetables inside so it wasn't like your traditional cheesesteak. My fellow diners agreed. We were the only ones dining so it felt very private. read more

Tapastre - Cheesesteak - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

My family and I thoroughly enjoyed our experience here. Their seasonal drinks are tasty, but their regular menu cocktails are not to be missed, also. My husband was happy with their lengthy and diverse beer list on tap. The service was timely and helpful. We decided to share roughly 6 shareable plates between the four of us, and it was a generous amount of food. We enjoyed the Calamari, the Peach and Prosciutto salad, the caramel shrimp, and the the Beer Mac n Cheese, the Ribs plate, and the slab bacon. Every morsel was tasty and fresh. I would describe the dishes as comfort food with a twist. Aside from the peach and prosciutto salad, which was definitely a Summer dish, I think I would enjoy the menu even more in the Winter - though that might just be due to the dishes we ordered. In any event, I look forward to returning and trying all the other items on the menu! read more

Amazing place , they had great cocktail selection , If you are Bourbon lover don't forget to try Winter Fashion cocktail (Seasonal) and Great Tapas and cozy vibe , Our Service was great and very friendly staff. read more

Tapastre is definitely an under appreciated spot. The vibe is chill, the staff is super nice and on top of their game and most importantly the food and drinks are great! The fried calamari was delicious ( i get fried calamari everywhere I go) so from the start i was content. Next up i got the ginger honey shrimp, which was a little sweeter than I remembered it last but still yummy! The patatas are amazing. Just get them, and thank me later! The drinks were tastefully created and not shy of booze which is how I prefer my drinks. Overall, great spot in Somerville that will quickly become a top favorite! read more

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Great place! Food n drinks excellent and atmosphere too! Service was ok nothing amazing but everything else spot on.

First timers recently. We both had the margarita flight which was an amazing deal for 18$. I'll rave over the Beer Mac and Cheese and the shrimp we had but we won't be back because of the short rib. The entree was 20$ and it was not good at all. It tasted like nursing home food. No seasoning even on the vegetables. My boyfriend told the server that it was not good and he couldn't eat it and she just brought us the check. We tipped 20 percent anyways because we're in the middle of a pandemic but they've lost our patronage for the future. read more

This is was, by far, one of the best places to eat and drink. The archive is very excellent and you feel that you are in a cozy basement. Keep in mind that this is a place to eat tapas, but the proportions are very generous. To finish you have to try one of the delicious dessert that that can offer.... All are veo good! read more

Tapastre - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

Fun place to go any night of the week . (Well maybe not Monday, might be closed). Reasonable prices, tasty food, good beer selection. I like their servers, but at times they are stretched thin. The pork truffle pizza is a go-to for me. read more

Of all the years of bartending in Somerville I never took the time to explore the area. Me and my friends came here on Friday for a birthday party. This place really is a hidden gem, and it took me a couple minutes to find it. The food here is pretty good and the they have a full top shelf bar. For a group of 7 we got 4 tapas small plates. And the entrees. For my entree I had the balsamic chicken wrap with mozzarella, a side salad and side of sautéed vegetables. I definitely would've been fine with the tapas. The portions are surprisingly big and I couldn't even finish. I will definitely have to come back so that I can try their large selection of beers. read more

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Tapastre and Project Pub have always been favorite places for us to eat out locally, but we always thought of Project Pub as the craft beer place and Tapastre as the basement successor to Il Pomodoro. Now, post COVID the lines are blurred, the hostess and seating are likely to be the same ( non basement!) for both, and the bar has moved down. It's a wonderful improvement! The small plates formula works really well w the drinks. Seasonal Old fashioned'sare very classy. We were 5 on a Saturday night, it was an occasion - ok my birthday- and everything was just so. Low key perfection! All the dishes we ordered - Duck fat fries, salad and dumplings for starters, followed by 2 orders of the caramel ginger shrimp, braised ribs, crab cakes, maple bacon, beer Mac cheese, and apple pie w ice cream for dessert- hit the right spot - all plates returned clean! Two tapas dishes per person is the norm, and we ordered a total of ten, and it was exactly right for us. The pie came out with a lit candle for me! The service was fabulous. Highly recommend! read more

We stopped in for a bite before a movie. The place is in the basement of a building. Well it definitely wasn't an indication of things to come. Also not an ethnic tapas place. Just small plates that crossed ethnicities. We were greeted and sat quickly. We had reservations for 6 and got there early. They had interesting specialty drinks. Water was brought immediately. Loved the attention as after a sip or two it was refilled every time. The place was filling up, but that didn't stop the attentiveness. Kudos. We went for the tapas, but there is a nice selection of other, larger plates too. Each tapas selection looked wonderful, but we asked and the waiter said that maybe 2 each would be more than enough. We ordered 5. I had the wedge salad. Not overly dressed, a good amount of large bacon chips, quite good. As for the tapas we had the chicken lettuce wrap, pulled pork sliders, Long Island Duck confit crepes, potatoe wedges served with a mayonnaise, and fried olives. Each was hot and delicious. We had to catch a movie otherwise the desserts sounded great. A homemade Napoleon, but we rushed off. This place was found as we needed a place near the theater, but at 45 minutes from home it will definitely be a place to return. At least to try the rest of the tapas and desserts. read more

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I came here with my husband on a Saturday night for some drinks and tapas. We had been here once before for happy hour and loved the drink specials and the cozy lounge atmosphere. I got this fig martini and it was outstanding. We really wanted to come back and try their tapas. I started with the blushing berry martini. This was probably one of the best drinks I've ever had. It was so fruity, refreshing, fragrant and not too sweet. Even my husband, who doesn't like girly drinks (for lack of a better term), enjoyed it. It had a nice citrus/sour component. I also had the pineapple jalapeño margarita. It was good but a little too spicy for me, so our waitress, who was very friendly and helpful, added a shot of pineapple juice with simple syrup. This helped cut some of the hotness. My husband is a craft beer fanatic, and he thinks the tap selection and variety at Tapastre is the best in the area. He loved the beers he ordered. For food, we shared the Long Island duck crepes, truffled pork pizza and rosemary grilled salmon skewers. We were blown away by how delicious and well executed everything was. My husband doesn't like salmon, but really enjoyed the skewers because they were cooked so well. They're cooked on an actual rosemary stem (pretty cool!), and the lemon puree was really tasty. The duck crepes were out of this world good. The sauce kind of tasted like a gelled, sweet, chicken broth. I've never had anything like it! The truffled pork pizza was one of the best things I've ever put into my mouth. The pizza crust reminded me of a thin, buttery pastry and not like regular pizza crust. It had a little tomato sauce on it and was covered with cheese and crispy pork. The dish had a very powerful truffle flavor, but it didn't overwhelm the other ingredients. I felt that this dish was a little greasy, but I didn't really mind. We had an amazing experience at Tapastre and can't wait come back and try more tapas and drinks! The drink menu is always changing, and we look forward to trying their new creations. read more

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Tapastre is in my somerville rotation of where to stop for a drink before or after dinner since this is a town with many BYO restaurants (which I love - but sometimes you don't want to commit to just one place on a night out). That being said, it really isn't where I would recommend having dinner. The atmosphere is amazing. Basement style bar with ample seating and an ever-changing list of beers on tap + even more bottled selections. I enjoyed the Zombie Killer cider while my fiancé tried a flight of beer so he could sample many. Some hits, some misses but you rarely find the same thing here on subsequent visits since once the keg is empty, they replace it with something new. I love the food concept here - small plates and bar pies and some heartier salads and sandwiches. I have tried many of the tapas but nothing I would return for. On our last visit we had the truffled pork pizza which was phenomenal - thin, crisp and flavorful. I would have given this place 3 stars if it weren't for that pizza. I will probably try one of the sandwiches next time since people really seem to be happy with them. I wouldn't miss this place when in Somerville. You won't find a better selection of beers anywhere around here and you certainly won't be disappointed in the atmosphere. Jury is still out on all of the food for me, but I will certainly be back for more. read more

Tapastre - Truffles pork pizza - a must! - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

Tapestry has an amazing sense and feel to it. When you get downstairs into the dining area, it has a vintage feel mixed with a modern bar area. Bartenders are amazing and intelligent in their staff is very friendly and knowledgeable. Their hours aren't the best for the nightlife, as they are not open on Sundays or Mondays and they often close fairly early (10ish) during the weekdays, in my mind. read more

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The name of this place should give you a hint, that it serves "Tapas." I found this place with the help of my Yelper friends, giving this place a solid 4 stars. This was truly a great find. Tapastre is situated in a basement of highly reviewed Italian restaurant. The atmosphere is something you would find of a slow Speakeasy bar. They don't offer beers on tap, but bottled beers are around $2. The bartender, John, is very crafty with the drinks. This guy gets it, and he makes the best Old Fashioned with a squirt of home-brewed nectar sweetener. The Old Fashioned was perfect; similar to something you would pay $15 for at a busy bar in Manhattan and probably the best I've had in a long time. He seems very passionate about his work, so make sure you ask for him. For food, don't miss the Gambas Al Pil-Pil and Ouzo Glazed Short Ribs. Especially the ribs, it is very tender and rich in flavor. Enjoy! read more

Tapastre - Old Fashioned with Makers - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

I came here with a group of 6 and we ordered one of everything on the tapas portion of the menu, and one arugula salad to share. I did not try anything with pork or seafood, but my fellow diners loved the Caramel Ginger Shrimp and Drunken Clams on Fire. They said they could do without the Maple Braised Slab Bacon. My favorite dish was the Beer Braised Beef Short Rib, it had great flavor and salt level; it was pieced on a skewer so it was easy to eat and share (as were all of the dishes). I could have done without the Hummus and Chips, it was good, but it was a LOT of food, even with the items I had ruled out. Fried Olives were quite interesting. The Chicken Lettuce Wrap was also good, but would rather not fill up on a dish I could get at a chain corporation restaurant. The Jalepeno Rasberry Beef kebab was cooked to perfection. For dessert we shared the Fruit Crisp a la Mode and ice cream flight. I loved the peppermint ice cream, but didn't care for the microbrew beer and blood orange flavors. The wait staff was just the perfect amount helpful and friendly. The atmosphere was a cozy, happening basement bar that attracted a happy and pleasant crowd. The only negative was that parking around dinnertime on a Saturday night was a pain, but very worth it. read more

Tapastre - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

Stopped by Tapastre last night after hearing about it from a coworker. Nice outside seating leading downstairs to a cool bar/dining area. I was greeted by Susan one of the owners and lead over to the bar area. First glance the place is very cool. Great craft beer draft selections $14 (5 beer flights) on Fridays. Mina was an excellent bartender. She made a top notch Old Fashioned. Happy hour was almost up so I ordered from the bar menu $5 "Bar Pie" (Thin Crust Cheese Pizza) for this southern boy. $4 fried olives and $3 Glass O Bacon (Bacon in a Glass). I mean you had me at bacon. Very reasonable prices cool atmosphere and family owned spot. Look forward to trying more things next time. read more

Tapastre - Outside Area - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

A local favorite for my friends and me, the rotating tap list and food is what draws us in but the loungy atmosphere is what gets us to stay. The rotating tap list always has something uncommon and delicious, they had a Neshaminy Creek Blitzkrieg Hops on tap a few weeks ago! I also had a burger with a side salad and both were great, the salad is not something to pass on, they dress it well and give you a healthy portion, the burger tasted fresh and was cooked to how I ordered. In addition to the beers on tap, one of the bartenders makes her own infused vodka, I'd highly recommend tasting some of this on the rocks. I recommend coming here for an early weekend dinner or a cocktail meet up with friends. I'm looking forward to warmer weather when we can sit out at the tables on the sidewalk out front. read more