We tried Tour de Tapas for the first time, and it was such a great experience! We were planning to eat at a nearby restaurant but saw this one. We took one look at the menu and knew we needed to try it! The service was wonderful! We sat at the bar and the gentleman that served us was friendly, attentive, and welcoming from the moment we sat down. The place itself was very clean and had a really nice atmosphere. The food was delicious, especially the patatas bravas, which were flavorful and perfectly cooked. I also tried both types of sangria, and they were delicious....refreshing, well-balanced, and definitely worth ordering again! Overall, it was a fantastic meal from start to finish. We're already looking forward to coming back and trying more of the menu! I MUST try the paella next time!!!! read more

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Great food, great service. Because of its location, parking can be tough. I met a guy for a business mtg and brought my son. Why -2 star has been a debate in my head ever since that day. Everything started great, they even had my favorite beer Schmidtwick's. The food was delish and presented well. Our server was attentive and kind. The place was neat and clean, great for a mtg... The general manager came over and chitchatted with our table. I was the one who called the meeting, I chose the place via Yelp reviews. However, when the GM found out it was all three of our first time he proceeded to hand out his card. The guy that met me there was handed one, then my son who lives in Irvine was handed one. However, when I reached my hand out, he hesitated. I told him we don't live together (speaking of my son who was sitting next to me) and he started to hand it to me, but then pulled it back. He informed me it's in case we come back... funny, our topic of conversation that day was how hard it was for women growing up in my era and working their way up the ladder... how times have changed. Upon leaving, my guest laughed and said his wife would've gone ballistic at how the only woman at the table was treated. The GM appeared to look like we were the same age. I was quite insulted by his behavior. I hope something can be learned for my honest review. I did get a card, but I don't think I'll be back. read more

Another restaurant lined up along La Mesa's business district trying to compete with all the other restaurants. The ambiance was delightful, however the same could not be said for the food and service. *FOOD* Patatas Bravas: This dish was comprised of fried potato wedges in an earthy tomato sauce. It was a nice appetizer and a change from all the other buttery and rich items. Calamari: The octopus was soft and melted in my mouth. The calamari is another decent appetizer option. Mussels: The mussels were bathed in a very rich buttery sauce along with some baguette slices. The mussels were very small and the sauce completely overwhelmed the taste of the mussels. Paella: There was not much seasoning on the rice and seafood. I would probably get another entree. Creme Brûlée: The Creme brûlée base was completely lacking in vanilla flavor and was very disappointing. *SERVICE* The service was mediocre. I ordered a cider drink which the server handled with little care. The server ended up spilling a little bit on my menu. Despite the cider spill though, the service was adequate and the pots for the mussel shells were a nice touch. I would not come back as there are other restaurants along the La Mesa business district that are much better. read more

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Finally stopped in & was not disappointed!! Very cute shop, very nice staff, and very good bites. First off the beer & wine list was excellent & imported from all around including Ireland, Germany, Spain, etc. The menu & options for food is small & limited, but that's how you know it's quality focused. Definitely stop in!! read more

Tour de Tapas - Bruschetta - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - La Mesa, California

I have visited twice in April, taking friends here. It has a lovely ambiance - quaint and quiet. Not the noise level of so many restaurants. The staff is super friendly and attentive. The menu is not large, but has interesting and tasty selections. Both times my friends and I enjoyed our food. For dinner, I had the a salad and filet which was served with potatoes and a vegetable. For lunch I had the beef sandwich on sourdough bread. For dessert the chocolate mousse was delicious! The portions are the perfect and reasonably priced. read more

Tour de Tapas located in La Mesa. Parking can be challenging as there is only street parking. They offer indoor and outdoor seating and appear to be pet friendly (outdoor seating only). Ambiance was nice. Customer service from a particular employee (Steve we later found out) was UNPROFESSIONAL and RUDE! It was our first time coming to Tour de Tapas. As we were walking in, I made eye contact with Steve a couple times and not once did he speak. I saw no sign stating "Please wait to be seated". As I walk up to the counter where Steve stood, I said hello and informed him this was our first time dining and asked do wait to be seated or so we seat ourselves? With a rude tone he replies "NO" and chuckled to himself. Then came from behind the counter to show us two dining tables to choose from. We were a party of 3 and all of us felt his rude and cocky attitude. My son wanted to leave and just go to another restaurant but, I informed him I refused for that person to ruin our dining experience! Thank goodness out waiter Benjamin saved the rest of the evening! Ben was absolutely AMAZING! Ben was professional, polite, informative of the dishes, and had amazing table service throughout the entire dining experience! We ordered: Bread service/Baguette - bread was perfectly toasted Calamari Fritti - perfect crispiness and lightly coated Pulpo con Chistorra - Tender octopus and flavorful sausage Spanish Paella - Delish Costillas de Cordero - Tender and cooked to perfection Ribeye steak special - Tender and cooked to perfection Typically, when the food is good as a Yelp Elite, I promote for all to give the venue a try! But I do not promote rude customer service! Usually when there is no signage for seating at the front of the house of a restaurant and you make eye contact with staff, they will address the customer and let them know "I will be with you in a moment". Sadly, this is not a practice at Tour de Tapas. read more

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Instagram brought us to Tour De Tapas. Never really been in La Mesa area and the little area that this restaurant in is so cute. We were a group of 7 on a Tuesday night. The place was empty, which was perfect for us since we are a loud bunch. The menu had a range of everything and so, we sampled quite a few dishes. Ordered the following Bruschetta x2 Calamari x2 Mussels x2 Paella x2 Grilled octopus x2 Ribeye (comes with truffle fries) Rockfish Patatas bravas x2 Four cheese pasta Bread board Wow. Everything was delicious. I think the winner was the mussels in creme sauce. Something about the sauce made it so savory, we were dipping everything in it! The portion was the right amount for our group. We probably would have been good with one paella as this was the only thing left over, and a small portion of the pasta. The service was great. Its a cute spot, definitely make a reservation if you have a big group. Marcos was great! There is free parking on the street. Definitely would come back here just for the mussels! read more

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So happy to have this option in La Mesa. Overall we enjoyed our time and the food but there is some room for improvement. We came on a Tues with a group of 4 at 6:30 and didn't have a wait. The menu has a variety of smaller plates that are Italian and Spanish inspired. We tried the fraise salade, patatas bravas, calamari fritti, pulpo con chistorra, penne Alla arrabiatta, pesce Alla livornese and the mousse au chocolat. Also ordered a bottle of rioja wine to split and the price was VERY reasonable! So appreciated nowadays. Hits: - fraise salade (light and refreshing with a nice savoriness from the serrano) - calamari fritti (perfect breading and good crunch) - pesce Alla livornese (never had rockfish and we enjoyed the firmer texture that held up well to the delicious sauce. No flavors were overdone and their were in good balance) Misses: - patatas bravas (potatoes were not crispy at all and the sauce flavor too mild) - mousse au chocolat (mousse was not set AT ALL. Was a soupy pudding that literally ran off the spoon) read more

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Finally a good Tapas place in my neighborhood. I love good Tapas and of course we had to try this new spot, and we will certainly be back. They had a good overall menu, and were friendly with out 5 year old. We tried many of the menu items and they were all delicious. Prices are reasonable and the wait staff was excellent. Looking forward to the next time. read more

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Tour de Tapas is a creation from the owners of City Tacos who took over this space in downtown La Mesa Village. It's a quaint suite with some countertop seating out front, but everyone was inside during this cooler weather. I sat at a two-top table across from the bar which had about eight spots. On the marquee sign, it stated "Euro Small Plates & Sips" which was a succinct description of what was being served at this new eatery. A two-page food menu listed cold plates, hot plates, and soups on one side. The flip side showed pasta & rice, entrees, and desserts. The best thing I noticed was that except for two items (filet mignon, paella), everything was priced at $20 or less. It reflected the smaller portion sizes that is the heart of tapas. If I was hungrier, then three items would have been feasible. I settled for one hot plate and one entree in the Pulpo con Chistorra and the Costillas de Cordero. The first was described as sauteed Spanish octopus & chistorra sausage in a delicate wine sauce with sundried tomato, green onions, and fresh herbs. I have seen places serve octopus with chorizo, however chistorra was a faster cured version of Spanish pork sausage. I found that the sausage flavor was potent and overshadowed the octopus that was served as several chopped pieces. The entree was two panko crusted grilled rack of lamb lollipops over a rich rosemary demi glace & buttered potato. I loved how a couple of sizeable chunks of potato served as the base to hold the lamb above the savory sauce. For the price point, the lollipops were perfect as I would have ordered another round if my stomach had more room. Some of the staff was in training as they were learning the ins and outs of the handheld ordering units. All were very welcoming and polite during my dinner at Tour de Tapas. read more

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OMG!!!!! La Mesa finally has an absolutely perfect restaurant. First the ambiance is just lovely. The tables are nicely spaced apart. The music is beautiful and not too loud. The lighting is dim but not so dim that you can't read the menu. The service is top notch. The owner greeted us and made us feel welcome and special. the waiter was attentive and helpful but never intrusive. I had to make a substitution and he took care of it without blinking. Of course the best part of this place is the amazingly delicious food! We ordered the bruschetta, french onion soup, rockfish and lamb chops with green beans instead of potatoes. The soup and bruschetta were the best I've had anywhere in San Diego. The lamb was absolutely divine and juicy and was accompanied by an amazing rosemary sauce that I simply could not get enough of. They bake their bread in house. The owner was kind enough to give us some which i used to dunk in both the soup and the lamb sauce. I never eat bread but I had to make an exception because it was so delicious. And get this....prices are very reasonable!! I do wish they had a couple of additional salad options like a simple mixed green salad or a salad lyonnaise but not a big deal as I found plenty of food to enjoy!!! I'll definitely be back- maybe every week. Yes it really is that good! read more

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Wow! What a great find. The food was amazing. Flavors were amazing. Spices were perfect and blended well. We had the French onion soup, bruschetta, paella and shrimp dish. Sangria amazing! Service was top notch. If you have not tried it, please do. You will not be disappointed. read more

First off, the service is incredibly slooow. To get water or for them to clear your table you basically need to light yourself on fire to catch their attention. Secondly, even for tapas, the dishes were tiny -- incredibly small. Third, I don't love salty foods but there's a difference between like salt and no seasoning whatsoever. This restaurant for me fell into the latter category. And lastly, the paella was meh. No crispy bottom. It was just rice with like one piece of chicken and some seafood. Really disappointing. Would not recommend. It was fun when the general manager asked me multiple times if I had a reservation and I felt like I was in Groundhog's Day answering the same question over and over read more

Lots of potential and great ambiance but the seasoning needs work. We came at opening and were seated immediately. The servers were very friendly but we weren't checked on frequently. There was an affordable wine and beer menu along with the chef's ribeye special during our dinner. My sangria and bruschetta came out almost immediately while the entrees took some time. However, our dessert took noticeably longer to come out so we sat there for an extra 20 minutes. *Sangria: massive glass topped with some citrus. Refreshing. *Bruschetta di Pomodoro: the bread and olive oil were the best parts. Unfortunately the Roma tomatoes were bland despite the generous inclusion of garlic. This could have benefitted from a sprinkle of salt, sugar or balsamic glaze. The bread was toasted perfectly and offered a stellar crunch. *Moules a la Creme Et Au Vin Blanc: mussels were properly cleaned and they swam in a rich white wine sauce. The seafood was naturally sweet and it paired well with the creaminess and onions. The herbs weren't too prominent so this tasted a bit heavier but I enjoyed savoriness. *Ribeye Special: 12 oz ribeye covered in a red wine demi glaze and truffle fries for $32. Reasonably price given the portion size although the ribeye was on the thinner side. 1/3 of the steak was closer to medium than medium rare but it was cooked well overall given the thickness. The steak however lacked a good sear and seasoned crust. The red wine demi glaze was underwhelming in flavor. The consistency was velvety but it lacked beefiness, aromatics and spices. The fries were cooked perfectly. Not oily in the slightest, crispy with a fluffy interior. I wished the truffle oil was applied more heavily though. *Crema Catalana: executed poorly. The sugar top was so smokey and burnt that we couldn't taste the custard at all. There was a mention of lemon zest but the smoke penetrated all the way through. Overall, I liked the feel of Tour de Tapas and I found the portions to be reasonable despite them being tapas. The servers were great although the process was on the slower side. I hope to see some improvements on food preparation and execution so for now it is at 3 stars. read more

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01Apr2025 Once upon a chill evening in SoCal .. Oh my, a new tapas restaurant with European small plates and fine bottles of Spanish wine. We started with oyster mushrooms & chorizo.. yum Calimari stuffed with octopus, rice and sun dried tomato in a white wine herb sauce.. Umh Still looking for adventure, we tried the French onion and also the herb cream soups.. yay At last it was time for port and cream Catalan and chocolate mousse.... I'll try to recover... Please.. the service was most excellent. The atmosphere and ambiance was fresh, creative and punctuated with most pleasant surroundings . Most reasonable and affordable.. Hope you enjoy as much as we did.. read more

Tour de Tapas - 01Apr2025. date # 1111 Our new friends Ben, Marco & Randy @Tour de Tapas - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - La Mesa, California

I wanted to love this place because I'm always looking for a great local spot but it was just ok. I think they were short staffed the night we came in which probably didn't help, but they seated us right at the back by the toilets even though we had indicated it was a special occasion. They did move us to another table on our request (there were no other groups that came in so it wasn't reserved. The menu was a bit limited (the only IPAs was sold out) and I didn't feel like it was true Spanish tapas in terms of flavor / menu range. Hopefully they find their groove once they've been open a bit longer. read more

I've been here a few times and really enjoy it. The service and food are always very great.

5 stars I had a great experience at Tour de Tapas! My server, Randy, provided excellent and friendly service from start to finish. I ordered the bruschetta--one of the best I've ever had--and took the French onion soup to go. The prices are very reasonable, and the overall atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming. I especially enjoyed sitting on the patio with my dog, sipping sangria and people-watching. I'll definitely be back! read more

Tour de Tapas - Chapo and I sippin on Sangria at the farmers market - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - La Mesa, California

Wow! I just found a really nice place. They have a unique menu. The lunch smoked salmon sandwich was excellent. I can't wait to return for the dinner menu and try their tapas. LM village is a nice area. The restaurant is welcoming and cozy. The gentleman that served us was very helpful with suggestions. He does a little 'game' when he brings the bill at lunch. OMG what a pleasant surprise. read more

Just back from dinner at Tour de Tapas and I totally wish I had come here sooner. This is a great addition to the neighborhood. Ambiance was cute and quaint. Service was great, welcoming and attentive. The restaurant was almost full (which was very nice to see) and our food still came out hot and at a nice pace. We ordered the pulpo, salad, patatas bravas and the two specials which were beef bourguignon and a sort of crostini. I forget the name of the crostini but it had a cheese, pesto, tomatoes and prosciutto and it was quite good. All our dishes were flavorful and I thought the portions and price were reasonable. The beef bourguignon was actually one of the better ones I've had in SD. The paella was a big portion and it was loaded with seafood. Overall a very nice experience and we look forward to going back. read more

Tour de Tapas - Beef bourguignon, and yes I a bite before I snapped the photo. - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - La Mesa, California

Me and my boyfriend weren't super hungry but wanted a glass of wine and some light food so we settled on Tour de Tapas. We were a bit hesitant as we are not big wine drinkers, but we quickly became comfortable. Our server Alex made us feel welcome, and gave us suggestions on the wine list and food. He checked on us several times and was very helpful. The restaurant is small, and intimate but very beautiful. The food was great and everything tasted fresh. We will be back soon! read more

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Beautiful Place. Very Cozy. Food was amazing. The coffees and desserts we're awesome. Crepes Suzette, yum! The chefs and servers we're all on point. One of the best dinner out we've ever had. Everyone had a great time. read more

Very cute and cozy. I came in with my husband about ago. We have an ongoing joke about Tapas and portion sizing. I have been to several cities in Spain and understand the point of tapas. However in the USA I feel it's not the same feeling/thoughts. We got the patatas bravas, shrimp tapas and calamari tapas. In any case, my review: Pros: food selection, location, decor, staff friendliness, atmosphere. Decent flavor and well cooked. Calamari was very lite and not that deep hard fry. Patatas were ok but needed more sauce, see shrimp review below. Cons: some of the portion sizes and price ratio- the shrimp tapas only has 4 medium sized shrimp for about $12. I think this dish should come with bread to soak up the garlic/oil sauce. I also feel a little finishing salt would go a long way as none of the flavors were particularly bold- not sure if they were trying to be. I didnt try the entrees but they looked good. I also didn't get any alcohol however people seemed to be enjoy the options. I would say the this is a great place to connect with close friends and enjoy a food with the intent to not get full, rather enjoy the experience. I would return to try an entree. read more

A great addition to downtown La Mesa! We came here on Friday night, and it was packed, but we got a table after about 20 minutes of waiting, so we just walked around the farmer's market. The place has a cozy and warm atmosphere. They have a bar and many tables inside and a few chairs outside. We ordered French onion soup, bruschetta Spanish paella, patatas bravas. The flavoring was good, but more seasoning could be used in some dishes. The bruschetta was excellent, tasted fresh, and had great flavor with garlic, and we ended up ordering another one. The paella was good but could use more saffron and seasonings; it had a lot of seafood, and the portion was great for two people. My least favorite was patatas bravas; the potato wasn't crispy and felt undercooked. Typically, they are deep-fried, but this one wasn't. It had lots of sauce, tho. The service was excellent, and despite they were busy, we got our food pretty fast. I would come back to try other dishes. read more

Tour de Tapas - Spanish paella and patatas bra as - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - La Mesa, California

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My friend wanted to try this place so we got there for early dinner. Nice decor, and not too loud. We ordered the charcuterie board and the special short rib with cauliflower mash. The cheeseboard was not impressive at all, the bread was not fresh. There was nothing sweet on it like honey or some type of jelly. There was a couple of slices of pear, and apple. The 3 types of cheeses were good. For the main course which we were going to split, it was so small. The meat was about 1 ounce of meat and the rest was the Cartlidge of the short rib. The portion of the cauliflower mash was about a cup, but still, the Cauliflower mash was good. The three young ladies sitting to our left were also very surprised about the portions, they were so small. The entrée portion was not even big enough for one person, more like an appetizer. The wine was delicious, service was nice. Also we were there two hours. The entrée took about an hour to get to our table so I might give this place a second chance, but probably not? People are hungry when they go to restaurants. I don't wanna wait an hour for a tiny little entrée. read more

Had a great first time dining experience here. Shared a few tapas and a dessert with a friend. Crema de Serrano was my favorite part honestly! We also had gamberreti e pinoli and pulpo con chistorra. Ended with crema catalana ‍ . Service was attentive and friendly. It was crowded, so arrive early or expect a small wait. read more

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Food was great. Service wasn't. Walked in waited forever to even receive a glass of water. Not sure if it was because we were Mexican but everyone else was receiving wonderful service. I was excited for this restaurant for a while. The chefs did an amazing job with the food. The customer service was definitely not acceptable. read more

From the moment you walk in from the quaint La Mesa Street you immediately are greeted like you are the guest they have been waiting for! Feels very friendly, great art pieces nice ambiance. The wine recommendation by Jerry was amazing. I thought I was in Napa or Paso Robles... We ordered Soup, octopus, four cheese pasta, mussels, rack of Lamb, Patatas Bravas!!!! 5 star restaurant eight in the heart of La Mesa! Amazing taste and super delight for your taste buds! Bring the family, fun for date night, stop and come inside YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT! Love it.! read more

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Very bland. Had 4 dishes, the calamari was most ok. The water that came with cucumber was the most flavorful part. Had to eat something else somewhere else to redeem the lack of flavor. Music and ambiance was nice. read more

This new little place is nestled in the heart of La Mesa, and offers a delicious selection of food, wine and beer. The service was excellent, and the ambiance was nice and comfortable. It's a small restaurant that is perfect for date night or to enjoy with friends (like we did). We ordered the calamari, patatas bravas, pulpo con chistorra, and I would order all 3 again. The spicy potatoes were especially delicious. We also ordered the ribeye special and the wine sauce was to die for. The desserts I was told were delicious. I'm not a citrus dessert lover, but I was told the crema catalana was very good, kind of like a citrusy zesty creme brûlée, and the crepes Suzette were also very citrusy (orange) but paired well with the vanilla ice cream. I would highly recommend this place, and am definitely coming back to explore more items on the menu. read more

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My husband and I went to Tour de Tapas tonight and had a wonderful experience. RJ, the general manager, was our server for the evening and he was very friendly and timed the meal perfectly. We enjoyed the caprese salad and calamari to start. My husband had the ribeye and it was a perfect medium rare. I had the rockfish, which was delicious. We will definitely be back. read more

This is the second restaurant on La Mesa Boulevard we have eaten at in one week! The village is becoming a culinary hot spot! We just ate at Tour de Tapas tonight, and it was fantastic! We had octopus and sausage(a Spanish dish) as well as Rockfish with vegetables and an order of great bread. We also had an apricot crepe with vanilla ice cream for dessert. Everything we had was fresh, handmade, and delicious! The service was impeccable, and the ambiance, though casual, was delightful. We also had a very nice conversation with the general manager, who was friendly and warm. I also love that when you eat tapas, you get such a variety of tastes. It had been awhile since I had had tapas, and it was a great experience! This is a wonderful place, and I highly recommend it! read more

Great food and service. Price is just right. We had both soups, cordon blue, mousse, and rock fish. Looking forward to coming back! read more

This is a fairly new place that opened up along the. Main strip of La Mesa Blvd. we came in for some wine and tapas and ordered the paella, the calamari and ended with the chocolate mousse. All were good! read more

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Short Answer: Wouldn't recommend Long Answer: Had high hopes for this place as this Suite hasn't had success in the past. The ambiance is great! But the food quality and presentation absolutely doesn't match. We ordered Calamari Fritti and the sauces came in a plastic container and you can taste the chalkiness in the batter. The Patatas Bravas presented and tasted like boiled potatoes with a basic sauce. The Filetto al Vino Rosso steak was tender, but the potatoes and veggies lacked flavor and look as if it came from a lean cuisine. The mussels were very salty and broth was quite simple with onions. Customer service was nice. I'm hoping this place can pull through because we need more great restaurants in our La Mesa Village! read more

Amazing tapas, cute ambiance, and great service. Competitive pricee...would definitely come back

I absolutely love every dish I try here. The service is top notch, the handsome friendly wait staff is personable and once and a while give you little extras. The restaurant is well decorated and plenty to look at (besides your phone) if you're dining alone. My favorite dishes are the Filet Mignon and the Salmon, both come with a small portion of vegetables . The tomato soup is also amazing. Previously only a dinner place, I am happy to report they are open for lunch! read more

Tour de Tapas - Slamon Dinner - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - La Mesa, California

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Beautiful and intimate setting. The food and wine were delicious and the service is exceptional! We will be back for sure!

This is one of our favorite places. The good is excellent, the portions are good but not excessive, the prices are great, and the service and staff are outstanding. read more

Outstanding new tapas place in downtown La Mesa. Service was welcoming and on point. Despite an almost full house, the kitchen kept the food coming. We tried 6-7 different things from across the menu, and everything was delicious. The patatas bravas and the penne all'arrabbiata were standouts. A wonderful meal with excellent service. Highly recommend -- we will be back! read more