On Tuesday evening my family and I had the pleasure to try Valencia Restaurant in Covington and oh my what a treat! I had heard it was owned by the same family who owns Empa Taco which is our favorite spot in Madisonville so I couldn't wait to celebrate my birthday at Valencia Restaurant. When we arrived we were greeted by the hostess and the manager. We did not have a reservation, which was not a issue and they asked if we preferred inside or outside dining. I said I'd love to be outside but there are no tables open and the manager said give me one minute. When then watched him rearrange some 2 tops to make a larger table and set us up nicely on their front deck. Our server Christopher was quick to stop by, fill our water glasses and introduce us to the menu. He explained because the meal is all made fresh it is their preference to take the entire order at once and explained the paella (which is why I was there) could take 30-40 minutes to prepare. (Having eaten Spanish food around the country I was well aware good paella typically takes that long). To start we decided to have their red sangria and it was sooo good, the fruit in it was fresh and yummy. For our meal we decided to have the Creamy Goat Cheese & Pork Belly Bites. Keep in mind I had my children with me (11 & 13) who are typically picky eaters and I ended up having to fight the kids for the pork bellies which have an amazing sauce on them and beg my wife to share the creamy goat cheese with me. The orange marmalade on the goat cheese was to die for! After we finished our appetizers our server Christopher kept our glasses full and made sure to check on us while we enjoyed the ambiance of their front deck while awaiting our paella! I would say Christopher or the manager would come by at least every 5 minutes to check in and provide an update on the progress of our entrees. We waited maybe 10 minutes between courses but that wasn't a surprise as they told us from the moment we sat that the paella was made fresh and would take some time. Yall..... it was soooooo worth the wait! For our main entrées we ordered the Charred Grilled Spanish Octopus, the Paella Valencia for 2 and of course some chicken nuggets off the kids menu. The octopus came with 4 large pieces of meat and was served over a grilled pineapple with capers and bed of grilled potatoes with a great sauce. Everyone at the table enjoyed this dish and my wife, who doesn't typically finish a plate made sure not to leave anything on this one. But people, the Paella Valencia was the start of the show! It was cooked to perfection and every bite was scrumptious. The pan was filled with large shrimp, sausage, chicken, prawns, calamari, mussels, & andouille! Even my children enjoyed this dish because they were able to pull out the meats they enjoy and just avoid things like mussels. As much as I wanted to eat the entire pan, last night I was very happy to enjoy this paella as leftovers and it rewarmed just a good! Overall, I would say: Atmosphere = A+ Service = A+ Food = A++ Would I return and dine here again? Hell I texted a group of 10 people on the way home saying we MUST all come here because it was so good! ***I did not think to take photos, I borrowed these from other reviews to show some of what we had. read more

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DEFINITELY the most authentic tapas restaurant on the Northshore!!! The food was so ON POINT. We had the Warm goat cheese with honey and orange marmalade with some pistachios and some Crostini, the the manager, Brain, who ROCKS, let us try some of the Fabada and the Mofongo (Puerto Rican) in the duck gumbo. We also had the Patas Bravas and we shared the vegetarian paella. Folks, let me tell you, R U N don't walk to this restaurant, it's authentic as tapas gets!!! Plus, Brian mentioned they would be adding g 15 more tapas to the menu. I will officially be moving into Valencia very soon!!! read more

The food was amazing! We had a family meal over the thanksgiving break, and the server (Josh), the manager (Bryan) and the owner (Efrain) made us all feel at home. The ambiance was cool: a clean modern decor with some traditional Spaniard accents; jazzy type music - not too loud; and perfect lighting that gave our evening a superb experience. We will return as there are many dishes we didn't get to try, and prices are reasonable enough that we can frequent them without worrying about a high bill. read more

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Great ambience, authentic tapas. Plates were larger than we expected, and we actually ended up ordering too much food. Great service, great place for my birthday. read more

The food was amazing!!! Service was top notch and a visit from chef Stephanie to our table was awesome! The Valencia Paella was the best paella I've ever had. My friends didn't care for the mussels which was great because there was more for me We also had a pitcher of the red sangria which paired well with everything we ate. We all left with our tummies very happy and had leftover paella for the next day. If you love paella please visit Valencia you won't be disappointed!!! read more

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Beautiful restaurant with great ambience and great food. Our service was fantastic. If you haven't tried this place and you are in the covington area, you should definitely put Valencia at the top of your list. read more

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The Valencia Burger is the best burger on the Northshore. Hands down! My wife loved the Valencia salad. Service great too....

Service was great food was beyond amazing! Great for lunch on the patio or a date night! Highly recommend if you haven't tried yet!!

One of my favs in Covington. Staff is attentive, knowledgeable and accommodating. Food is best in town.

One of the best restaurants we've ever gone to, the food was so delicious and the staff was beyond the best, everyone made us feel like we were one of the regulars, I just hope we get a chance to get back to the area so we can visit again. read more

2nd time here for lunch and they have updated their menu to now include paella!!! Woohoo!! The menu was much better today than it was before - last menu was a little generic, but new lunch menu was fantastic! Paella Valenciana, beef short rib sliders, burger, flan, & churros we're ALL amazing!!! Best burger IMO I've tasted in a long time!! read more

Beware of the price on the Paella Valencia. In large print, it says $31.00. We just dined there for lunch today and the server told us it was a dish that could only be ordered for 2 or 4 people. So we said that was fine because we both wanted it for lunch. We were going to share it. Not once did the server say that the price of $31 would be DOUBLED for 2 people. We were in shock when the bill showed $62. If you can't order a single order of paella, then don't put a single order price on the menu! The prices should show paella for 2...$62 and paella for 4....$124. BE HONEST, FOLKS! Have some integrity. WE GOT DUPED ONCE. We will not eat there again. The manager said "the server tried to explain it to you," but obviously he dIdn't. My partner and I have dined in fine dining restaurants all over the world and have never experienced this. read more

Valencia - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Covington, Louisiana

We have eaten here before and the Seafood Paella was excellent for $68 for 2, a bit pricey! We went back Saturday and one of us has a Gluten algae, so the food choices are limited. We tried the Cajun Paella, shown on the menu for $16, but it is for 2 and the price x2 =$32. I really wanted a hamburger, but they wont serve a Paella portion for 1, although the menu quotes a price for 1. Once the Paella came out, it was so spicy we both struggled to try to eat it. We told both the waitress and bartender, but no one seemed to care. Bottom line is we spent @$100 for a dinner we couldn't eat( note this included 3 drinks ). Since we had to pay for the Paella we brought it home and tried to add rice and vegetables, but it got hotter. Drinks are good and the atmosphere is pleasant, but the food and menu is overpriced and misleading. We probable wont go back. read more

The food, the service, the ambiance- all so perfect. So glad I looked out of my window of the Southern Hotel and saw this little spot across the street. read more

Valencia - Ceviche and sparkling-the perfect combination - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Covington, Louisiana

One word to sum up this place, out of this world!! Okay, maybe that is four, lol. Some of the best Spanish food I have had in a long time!! Presentation was amazing. Atmosphere was what you would want in a Spanish restaurant. Definitely have to bring a date here in the future. Patio was on the east side, so it was perfect in the early afternoon. The servers were on point and made me feel like I was among family. Brian the manager, came by to talk to our table and had us laughing so hard. Emily was one of the nicest servers I have had in a while with a genuine smile. More than impressed with everything this place has to offer. Efrain the head chef, was nice enough to come by our table to say hi. Can't express how much I thoroughly enjoyed my experience. Looking forward to coming back and trying all the food I couldn't stuff in my face tonight. read more

I had a terrific lunch here today. Top notch food, great server and friendly atmosphere. The food was spiced perfectly and presented elegantly. Wonderful hidden gem in Covington! read more

Food and service were great. Make sure you have reservations for Friday and Saturday nights. I think the patio will be great atmosphere when the weather gets cooler. read more

Very pleased with our first experience here. We did tapas, and it was all very good. My favorite were the Spanish meatballs (a special) and the ceviche. The whipped goat cheese is also a must. The flan was the best I've had anywhere. And very nice service for a busy Saturday evening. We will be back soon. read more

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My first visit to Valencia was a standout, a truly perfect dining experience. Our party of three of ordered three of the tapas plates and a salad. All were delicious and just the right amount of food. Our waitress was outstanding; attentive, personable, knowledgeable and efficient. The dining room was very comfortable and we were actually able to carry on a conversation and hear each other. Ican't wait to go back. read more

We've been here a few times now and haven't had something we didn't love. We've ordered the Valencia Burger, the Cubano, the Jazzy Chicken Panini, the Duck Grilled Cheese & the Patatas Bravas. Everything from the service, to the atmosphere, to the food has been nothing short of fantastic. We will continue to come back. read more

Valencia never disappoints! From the food, drinks and staff, it's simply top tier! It's my go to place when I'm in town. read more

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A friend and I went to lunch yesterday. We started with the pork belly. It was delicious. I had the smoked chicken panini, the flavors were awesome, just the right amount of spice. The lemon vinaigrette dressing was awesome on the side salad. My friend had the cubano, also fantastic. The bread was perfectly crispy too! Definitely give it a go, the patio is beautiful too, gonna be even better in the cooler fall weather. read more

I've tried their dinner and lunch menus and neither disappoint! Great variety with friendly staff and the food is amazing!

We went tonight and it was ok Service very good . Not a big selection of entrées. Don't think will be back there's betters places to eat. read more

The paella Valencia, pork belly, and flan were all amazing. The staff was top notch as well.

We have been wanting to try Valencia and finally did for a random date night. We got the Carajita and El Jefe to drink and got a bunch of tapas to eat. Gambas al Ajillo, creamy goat cheese, Valencia roll, Panceta and the beef empanadas. Everything was 10/10. Sooooooooo so good. We can't wait to go back and eat outside in spring! read more

My wife and I visited for the first time and were blown away by the level of service provided by our server, as well as the manager. The atmosphere is relaxing. The drinks were wonderful. And best of all the food was nothing less than perfection. We cannot speak highly enough and will be making this a consistent date night locations :-) read more

I have spent a lot of time in Spain. This restaurant is the real deal. Absolutely amazing. Food is very healthy and flavorful. Service is so friendly. read more

I was really excited for a Spanish Restaurant to open in Covington. My grandmother was from Spain and she cooked some of the dishes on the menu. Two of my favorite Spanish restaurants are in Tampa (where my mother is from) and Miami and no these are not Cuban, but Spanish restaurants. After eating at Valencia, I am left wondering if I will go back. The staff, ambiance, service was good. The couple with us did enjoy their paella and the person who ordered the burger was happy with their meal. However my meal and another diner's meal left much to be desired. I got the Vallencia rolls and they were different, but I liked them. The dipping sauce was very good. I also got the Tortilla Espanola. This is a dish my grandmother made and I happened to eat at a Tapas Bar and Restuarant in San Diego a few days before. This dish is supposed to be an egg and potato "tart", but I'm not sure what I got. It was not very good. I tried, but I couldn't eat it. The last diner at our table got the beef empanadas and he ate them, but wasn't very impressed. I can't recall the name of his other dish, but it was a "hash" with pulled pork and fried eggs. The hash was terrible, but he did eat the fried eggs and bread. I guess for someone who has not had much Spanish cusine Valencia would be impressive, but I wasn't. I sincerely hope the owners keep improving and we might try it again. read more

Incredible food. There's lots of great food in Covington, but Valencia delivers consistent perfection every time. Very unique delicious meals. #1 burger in Covington as well. Very pleased. read more

me like but cost too much money. beautiful place. pork belly and flan the best and the music good too

Great Spanish tapas on Northshore. Live music was relaxing and enjoyable! Staff was pleasant. Will go back.

The food was good. Especially the chargrilled octopus. Empanadas were great. Recommend removing the carrots from the paella valenciana as it was a bit too busy and the carrots didn't add to the dish. Great service and good wine. Flan and churros were fantastic read more

Pretty nice with it. Huge patio. Can't go wrong with paella, sangria, and tapas. Very welcome addition to the restaurants in downtown Covington, hope they stay around read more

This was an amazing restaurant. I've been to hundreds of New Orleans restaurants over the years and on the North Shore...this by far top shelf, excellent service and most importantly delicious food. If you want to have a duck grilled cheese sandwich like you've never had before... then you gotta come try this place out!!! read more

We had an amazing evening at Valencia. The food and the ambience were great and the staff was eager to accommodate.

Weird just weird. No soul to the place very cold. Bar sucks because the bartenders are the waiters running around making the drinks for their tables too. Yes great Paella which is Spanish jambalaya let's be honest for $50 for one serving two. Enjoy! read more

Went with friends for one of their birthday. Ordered a Cajun rice dish for 2 and the chicken in the dish was old and reheated. Won't be going back!! read more

Giving an extra star because they were able to fry up an egg roll appetizer. Couldn't pay me to try their entrees again. Tastes like fish bile. Would not recommend to anyone read more

Exceptional! Great job on renovating the building. The food was amazing! I can't wait to try everything on the menu.