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Mon-Sat. 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Mon-Sat. 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sun. 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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3.5 Stars, rounded up, so far! We dropped in without reservations and opted for bar tapas. The owner was very charming, and the restaurant reminded us of our vacation in Spain. They also brought over the European practice of including service, fyi.
So, the food? Very tasty. We ordered at least eight tapas for the two of us, as well as dessert. Spent over 80 dollars! The bartender who also took our order was very helpful in locating some gems on the menu such as the lamb. We also quite enjoyed the tres leches dessert.
Stay tuned; we want to try the paella and other sit down options and will revisit this review!
Alrighty, update time! Yes, the manager contacted me. He was thorough yet not verbose in his explanations, which walked the line of, but did not cross, making excuses. It was a polite and appropriate communication. He also correctly pointed out that my bill was $42, not $50. I had exaggerated; my bad. He sent me a $50 gift certificate and invited me to come back and try again.
Last night, I did. I got to see a different area of the restaurant, and I have to say that Iberia is probably one of the most authentic restaurants I've ever been to. The smaller outdoor-garden area is just beautiful. The dining room/lounge area you pass through to get there is laden with dark wood, candles, and black leather seats. I can totally see myself stopping by after getting off the train and just relaxing with a drink and some snacks. Well, actually, that's pretty much what I did last night.
Anyway, the food was, once again, great. I had the bacon wrapped dates, tomato, onion, and chorizo turnover, shrimp and chorizo skewers, fried baby artichokes, and the "el pepito" steak on toast. All were great, with the exception maybe of the turnover, which wasn't bad, just sort of plain.
The service was prompt and friendly. I had 2-3 different servers waiting on me, and all were amused (in a good way, I hope!) and helpful as I practiced my Spanish while ordering. The dining room started to fill up with somewhat-rowdy Thursday night fun seekers at about 6:45 p.m, so I bet this is a pretty awesome place to spend an energetic yet low-key evening out.
I still maintain that it's expensive, but now I don't need much more convincing that the expense is worthwhile.
I walked into Iberia at 1:30pm. No one was around to seat me, so I poked my head into the dining… Read more »
I had been wanting to come to this restaurant for awhile, but had never got around to it. I read the reviews, so I felt that I had some idea of what was going on before I walked through the door. Basically, I knew I wanted tapas, and to ask to be seated in the bar area. That seems to be everyone's biggest qualm.
So, Saturday night rolls around and we hit up the place. Having spent time in Spain, I was immediately attracted to this place. The inside was very authentic (at least in the bar area where we sat), right down to the high backed little booths for two.
All of our tapas were fantastico, and I would personally recommend you try "el Pepito." The sangria was not the traditional variety, so purists take note. But, that being said, for a hot Indian Summer night in the Peninsula I was not turning down any well flavored, iced beverage.
Our server was prompt, and she made some excellent suggestions for tapas. The owner, Jose, came by and checked in on us, and was very cordial. All in all, this was a very pleasant experience, and I enjoyed myself immensely. The only qualm I have is the mandatory 19.6% gratuity they tack on the bill. Don't get me wrong, she deserved every dollar of it, and they let you know on the menu to expect it, but for two people seated at the bar it seems a bit excessive. But, truth be told, after filling my belly with delicious food and plowing myself with over half a pitcher of sangria I was more than ready to pay whatever they asked!
We had some tapas at the tapas bar.
The bill came out a bit on the expensive side for what I'd expected for tapas, but the food was pretty good. I liked the cozy atmosphere at the tapas bar too.
Haha, I am laughing as I update this because I can not believe this owner! Someone needs a vacation,...or probably more likely, should be in a business that does not involve hospitality and receiving critiques,...
Nearly every negative review is followed by a BLAST from the GRINCH trying to discredit the review or personally insulting the reviewer. Fact is, anyone who has suffered through a negative dining experience here knows, there is little thought of service or hospitality. Iberia is almost like the lyrics from the Eagles song --HOTEL CALIFORNIA. You can check out anytime you like, BUT YOU CAN NEVER LEAVE!
STAY AWAY. Responses like those telling reviewers to "Go to hell and don't come back!" should be enough to cause one to stay away. I can only imagine how good this place would be if MR. SCROOGE put as much energy into his restaurant as he does his responses here,..
With any justice he'll close the doors someday and a nice little mom and pop diner will open in the space...
Wow! Probably the worst service we have ever experienced. This is the first thing I can think to say… Read more »
First, let me say this- I would have never wriiten this if I hadn't read Jose Luis comebacks to his customers. This is all very interesting to me. I have enjoyed seeing the old adage 'what comes around goes around' play out 20 some years later. I used to work for Jose Luis at Iberia when it was in Portola Valley and their other restaurant Garden grill. JL was not a nice guy then and sounds like he hasn't changed. Hey, Jose, a little advice from one restauranteur to another - never break the cardinal rule 'the customer is always right" and you are only as good as the last customer says you are. I now own my own successful restauant and know not to piss off my customers and be grateful they chose to put their dollars in my till.
Hope Jessica is still around she was a sweetheart.
Well, I've been waffling over whether to write this review for almost 2 months now.
The bottom line: I enjoyed my first experience here. Now I will do my best to prevent anybody from ever patronizing this restaurant again. Read on to understand why. My beefs here are not so much about the food as they are about the service, honesty, and value of the restaurant. They are dishonest and criminal. Just read all the 1 star reviews.
I have been to Iberia twice - once with a friend and once I organised a large group to go there. Let's tackle them one by one.
The first visit - we ordered an appetizer or two to share (I don't remember what it was) and paella for dinner. All were quite tasty, right down to the crispy bits at the bottom of the paella pan. Yum! The service was a bit slow, and I was definitely put off by the 19% service charge, but it was a nice enough experience that I decided it woudl be worth trying their tapas. Especially since they don't normally serve them in the dining room.
Fast forward a few months, and I'm organising an outing for some Stanford grad students. I realize this is the perfect opportunity to head back to Iberia and explore their tapas menu, especially since the student group was paying for part of it. I emailed the restaurant to ask the possibility of having a group of 15-20 people, and although he made it sound like it would be a bit of a hassle, we worked together to find a time that would be good (a Tuesday or Wednesday night) and settled on a menu. The danger signs should have been evident at this point:
-Just the food was already coming up on $25 per person (+ service), just for tapas. Hardly "el cheapo" as mentioned by somebody else on this site.
-We were being charged a package price that worked out to be *greater* than the menu price. The owner rationalized it somehow, but I still do not understand nor do I agree with this practice. Economies of scale should rule here.
-We are a group of Stanford graduate students. Tons of potential future business here. I would think bending over backwards to give us the best possible experience would be the rule.
Now on to the meal! We arrived roughly as a group and were shown our table area on the patio outside, as requested/pre-arranged. We had a small debate about whether it would be ok to move the tables together ourselves so that we could all sit together. We did. A little annoying, but no big deal.
Then the food started coming...there were supposed to be 20 of us and we had worked out a price per person. When I found out that there would be fewer of us (I think we ended up with 17 total) I let the owner know, but he refused to alter the total price, saying the kitchen was already cooking everything. This was the morning of the dinner scheduled for 7pm or so. Sketchy. But I had no recourse at this point.
Anyhow, I digress. The food come out and was promptly devoured by everybody. Jose Luis had assured me multiple times that there would be sufficient food for everybody, and given that we were all still hungry after all the food we had pre-ordered was out, that was clearly false. The food was tasty, though...no doubt.
Then our waitress (who was, commendably, fairly attentive) asked us if we wanted more food. Thinking we had exhausted our pre-ordered supply, we decided to order dessert. This is where the fireworks begin. While I suppose the dessert prices are average for the area ($6-8), it's a lot to add to the bill when you've already spent 20 people's worth of money on 17 people (a 17.6% increase for you math folk). But we were still hungry, so fine. Tasty dessert, although not spectacular. Again, a little low on the value by my scale.
Aiya...this is getting long. To make a longer story short, an argument broke out between some folks in the group and the waitress after the bill came and we'd paid it all. People thought we'd been swindled on the amount of food we received. My uncertainty of this is what caused me to hold off on the review for so long. Either way, we felt cheated. That is never something you want to feel after a dining experience. Through the course of the argument, I attempted to phone the owner, who was very very surly to me over the phone, castigating me for "questioning his integrity".
Eventually we left. The waitress filed a false police report saying we'd left without paying, causing me three days of headaches dealing with the police. Not even remotely cool. No apology from the restaurant or anything.
Service is the last concern of Iberia Restaurant, and the owner and staff have proven themselves dishonest and criminal. They have also somehow taken down people's 1 star reviews of that night. Previously there were 4 or 5, now there is only one.
Dishonest. Criminal.
Mediocre food and service. The host failed to tell us tapas was served in the bar area, so we were reseated from the main dining room to their patio.
The sangria was watered down. You had to ask for plates, utensils, lemon, napkins by piece meal. Our server, Rocio was pleasant but couldn't really make solid recommendations.
Their version of tapas lacked flavor - much needed salt and spices. Sauces were flat-- especially the albondigas. Gambas Ajillo had a 2 order minimum and at 13.75 each-- it lacked the garlic and spice. It can be skipped. The octopus was tender, but we had to ask for lemon to add a bite to it.
Rating borders to 1.5 to 2.0 stars. Our server was friendly, but was not worth the automatic 19% gratuity tacked on to your bill.
If you are in search for tapas, you can skip this one. It left us flat.
After my previous review, Jose Luis (the owner) contacted me to apologize for the less-than-ideal service and to offer me a gift certificate so that I would try them again.
I am pleased to report that when I returned Fri. evening with some friends, the service was SO much better than last time.
The sangria was still delicious, and I finally got to try the croquetas that they ran out of last time. They did, however, run out of 2 other tapas ('El Pepito' and snails that we wanted to try). Oh, well.
Here's what else we had:
- 2 orders of datiles endiablados -- bacon-wrapped dates -- since we couldn't get enough of them last time. Just as tasty this time.
- albondiguitas -- little meatballs in saffron and onion sauce -- pretty good
- aceitunas y almendras -- olive and spiced almond plate -- a crowd favorite
- tortilla de patatas -- another crowd favorite
- empanadilla de chorizo -- caramelized onion, chorizo and tomato turnover -- I wish it were larger because it was tasty
- I think we had another meat dish, but I'm having trouble finding it on the online menu -- also pretty good
So, I can happily give Iberia Restaurant one more star based on the consistent food quality and the fact that the server -- actually multiple servers -- were much more attentive this time around.
We also managed to save room for dessert that was a little pricey in my opinion -- the flan was like it is in Spain, the tres leches was melt-in-your mouth delicious. I was so-so on the lemon dessert, since fruit-flavored dishes are usually not my preference.
Overall, a much better and more enjoyable experience than last time. I'd consider returning again if I'm craving tapas or at least some tasty sangria.
¡Muchísimas gracias!
If you say "tapas" or "sangria," it might take me a minute to respond because those words… Read more »
one star for the owner. have only been here once and that was a few years ago - it wasn't very memorable. i was considering going again for lunch tomorrow but some of the responses from the owner has completely put me off. i also like to reserve the right to decide what the tip for service is and it's based on attitude and delivery during the meal.
yup - gonna skip this place. thanks yelp!
I'm pretty much torn here. Overall I enjoyed the dining experience at Iberia. The dining room has a quiet, homey feel. The tapas that we ordered (Spanish tortilla and fried clams) were quite tasty. Unfortunately, two strikes against it: 1) the $56 paella (two huge portions served in a paella pan) was full of overcooked shrimp (not cool, since I love shrimp) and we didn't find much crispiness on the bottom and 2) despite the mandatory 19% gratuity we found ourselves out of water towards the end of the meal.
I'm willing to give Iberia another shot though, which is why I've rounded up to 3 stars. Maybe next time we'll come in a bigger group and stay on the tapas menu.
Wow. I was going to write a review, but I think the owner's negative comments on yelp towards its own customers speaks for itself. There are many options for great food in the Bay Area. Visiting a restaurant that values its customers is a wise choice.
I attended a 10-person birthday dinner last night at Iberia's. Bottom line: The food was terrific, the service was the worst I've experienced in a Bay area restaurant in a decade, and the location and atmosphere of the restaurant also left a great deal to be desired.
So taken aback by our experience that I felt compelled to share it with others, I come to this site, and lo and behold, many, many others have had the same terrible, one star experience so this was not an isolated case. More dismaying is the fact that the owner is apparently aware of the problems and refuses to do anything to fix them.
The excellence of the food may be the ONLY reason to visit Iberia. Everything we tried was tasty, creative, and satisfying, as many other posts have pointed out. They didn't have everything on the menu (they were out of Pimientos del Piquillo Relleno), the outdoor tapas menu of six items had nothing interesting, and the food was overpriced, but the table went silent when the food finally arrived, always a good sign. But, then again, I found the tapas at Picasso's on Santa Clara in San Jose just as good without having to endure the absolute indifference of the service staff and ownership to their paying customers.
Let me make some recommendations:
1) Don't go with a group larger than four people. While our group was the first to arrive, we were the last to be seated (in a terrible location but more on that later). The three service staff seated and took orders from the three other smaller parties who arrived after us, before even coming to us for our drink orders. It was clear from the first half hour that these smaller groups were going to be given priority and they were served their food before they took our orders, a clear sign that there was only one cook in the kitchen and no other table was going to wait for a party of ten's food to be cooked and served. Let the party of ten wait - we're getting their $500 and $100 in tips already! Our evening took over three hours, long even by Spain's standards, even when having to cook paella for 35 minutes and all the other parties were long gone before we even got to dessert.
2) Boycott this restaurant until they remove the mandatory 19% service charge. Tips should be earned and not demanded. It encourages mediocrity and a lack of caring for the customer and is a slap in the face to Iberia's clientele. Tips should reward good service - I often give 20% and above in this economy - but this service staff earned about 1 to 3%. They were totally non-responsive to our requests for an estimate of when our food would arrive, we had to ask them repeatedly to come take our order, they were stingy on the bread, drinking water and ice, and they would not send the manager (if one even existed) out when all other requests failed. The service people were not knowledgeable or helpful and were colder than the Sangria.
3) Don't sit outside unless you're willing to put up with the noise of CalTrain engines stopping at the Menlo Park station 50 yards away for a minute or two every twenty minutes. We simply had to stop conversation at our table until the trains pulled out of the station. Another problem we had was that with hundreds of square feet of space to seat us, they put our tables in the only spot in the courtyard where half of our table had to wear sunglasses and visors to see into the setting sun.
Have you wondered why you hear all the advertising on KCBS and other radio stations when no other restaurant in the Bay area does radio advertising? It's part of Iberia's business model. If you can use radio to expose yourself to lots of new potential customers, and you charge them an average of $50 per person with a mandatory $10 tip, then it doesn't matter if they come back as loyal customers. Cellular service and cable providers have successfully used this model for years - it doesn't matter if your service is good if you can ensure a steady stream of potential new victims coming in the front door. Hose them for as much as you can get from them before the contract (ie dinner) ends.
With all the excellent restaurants in the Bay area you would think that Iberia would realize that the consumer's dollar is discretionary and they've got LOT's of competition. If the ownership wants to see how an ethnic restaurant with excellent but pricey food should present themselves to their customers, I'd suggest Morocco on Market in San Jose. There recently, we spent just as much money on food that was just as good, but the ownership and service staff treat you very well, answer any questions you may have, and by the end of the evening you walk out thinking you're part of the family.
If you have unlimited money and patience, and poor hearing, then Iberia is the place for you. Otherwise, as good as the food may be, it's not worth the demeaning experience
OK so being Spanish I can tell you that there are no authentic "tapas" restaurants in the Bay area except for Iberia!
First to clarify ; In Spain a "Tapas Restaurant" does not exist, there are Tapas bars where you get small plates with your drink BEFORE you go to dinner or restaurants such as Cal Pep where you can get tapas at the bar or sit down and get raciones (larger portions) and/or entrees.
So those that complain that they don't serve tapas in the restaurant part of Iberia should understand that tapas are NEVER served other than at a bar and/or standing up at the bar while you have a drink!
FOOD: The tapas (that's all we had-at the bar-duh) were as close to authentic as is possible outside of Spain and were excellent;
Tortilla de Patatas as authentic as it gets along with Croquetas de Jamon, Patatas Bravas, Boquerones, and I can't remember all that we had but all at very reasonable prices.
Note: I did order what I thought was a racion of Canelones (which is served only in the restaurant but it was late and they were very accomodating) However it was only one Canelon, Jose Luis por favor que disgusto me lleve, siempre son dos... It was excellent and I wanted another but not at $10.75/canelon!
SANGRIA: Excellent and authentic not that sweet Hawaiian punch crap they serve everywhere else.
DECOR: Traditional old school Spanish with a nice lounge area next to the bar (although I think it's only for drinks) and white tablecloths in the dining room.
SERVICE: We sat at the bar (which again is where you sit when you want to have Tapas) and were very well attended by the bartender and when he had to leave (again it was late) he did not tell us to leave or hurry but kindly passed us off to the waitress who was also very attentive and knowledgeable about the establishment and the food. We totally did not have any issue paying the fixed service charge and the two of us drank and were stuffed with tapas (and the lonely canelon) for less than $100!
I only give it 4 stars because of the Canelon issue but we will definitely be back and hopefully next time we'll have the opportunity to meet the owner and try the paella.
I have been to Iberia twice and both had been a great experience. It's interesting that when I first "found" this place on yelp. the rating was actually 4 or 5 stars...then..it keeps declining...interesting.
I can't speak for others, but I had great times here. Yes, I do agree that 19% gratuity directly added to the bill is not cool (both times I came as a couple) and yes, the service is VERY slow. In both visits, the tapas come one every 15-20 minutes, untile towards the end, then 2/3 tapas came at once. Most of the servers are friendly but NOT attentive (one of the waiters needs to be trained to smile and stop looking grumpy , funny but I remember the same on my 1st visit). We even met the owner on my second visit and he was actually very friendly (some yelpers said he's mean, rude, etc) :). However, the food is so good and I can't stop raving about this place to my friends and colleagues :)
Both times, I was there for their tapa so we sat at the bar area :) The ambience is very warm and nice.. love the decor and romantic lightings. My bf actually said...the lightings help to get him buzzed quickly...but I think the Sangria is just strong..which is GREAT!!
I'm no sangria expert, but I know what's good and what yucky.. their sangria is the BEST...it is not cheap, but worth the alcohol they pour in the glass :)
Their tapas are addictive..very very yummy. They are small, but they are 2-5/plate and they're doing business..so they gotta do something with the portion..right??!! heheh. Both times, my tab was about $50-60 for 5-7 tapas + sangria :)
We love love love the mini cheese puffs that were served (free) as appetizers..wish could have more of that yummy goodness :)
I've tried their crab dumplings (YUMMY!!), croquette, chorizo empanadas, clams with mint (something like that), tortilla (AWESOME!!!), chicken (the first one I think) -GREAT!, shrimp skewers, cabbage roll, don't remember what else.. all I could remember was YUMMY GOODNESS as I put them in my mouth :)
I will definitely come back for more tapas...I do wish they would not have the 2 portion requirement for the paella..bc I really want to try it..but I don't want to just order "paella" when I go there.
This review is a bit overdue. I went back about a month ago, this time schooled on the restaurant itself and Spanish culture, tapas and paella. Promptly after submitting my first review, the owner Jose wrote me a message further clarifying his fine establishment.
To sum up his points:
1. TAPAS: This is a traditional Spanish restaurant, and in Spain, tapas are never served in a dining room. The idea behind tapas is that they are cheap (I suppose like pub or bar food). Iberia keeps with this tradition with tapas items as low as $2.50 - $5 each. Their dining room is exceptionally suited for a fine dining experience with white linens and traditional courses.
2. PAELLA: Paella is always a large gathering affair, besides it tastes better when prepared in larger quantities (at least 2 people). However, they do serve Veggie Paella for one and for that he apologized.
3. AUTO TIP: Here, I will quote Jose directly. "Frankly tipping is akin to modern day slavery. Aren't we tired of the cloying server that does not leaves us alone just to (almost) force you into a larger tip. Also bear in mind the the service is calculated before sales tax, bringing down to 17.5% after tax which is the number the vast majority uses to calculate a tip."
Armed with the insight above, we darted into Iberia and headed straight to the back room and sank into these big leather arm chairs. We ordered our Prios wine and soaked in the dark and comfortable 'library-like' room, complete with a couch, coffee table, beautiful wood walls, etc. Just outside of our room was a nice patio fun of patrons having a great night out. The ambiance was the perfect blend of warmth, comfort, energy (excitement), and romance.
This time, they were out of some of the items we tried to order, but the alternate items we chose were quite delicious:
a. Patatas bravas con allioli (a repeat because these are so amazing)
Fried potatoes: chunks of delicately fried potatoes with an amazing garlic cream sauce on top. The seasoning and sauce are a perfect combination.
b. ENSALADA TIBIA de PAN, QUESO y TOMATES--$11.25
warm salad of tomatoes and ovelheiro serra cheese bread pudding garlic vinaigrette. aka: Tomatoes with cheesy bread pudding. We ordered this again off the main dining menu.
c. Veggie Paella for ONE! Yay!
I believe that a great paella sneaks up on you. The flavors and spices are not obvious. Meaning, there is not a strong flavor that pulls the dish (like a garlic or truffle sauce). Paella is a blend of lots of flavors, none overpowering another. Very subtle. it's quite an amazing achievement when you think about. The veggies were delicious.
d. Dessert was recommended by the waitress and it was amazing. It was a triple cream dessert and I forgot what the name was but wow!! Incredible.
e. We were able to order an imported white wine for $5. It was good too!
They were out of:
Roasted eggplant tartlet
Veggie stew
Cabbage roll stuffed with onions and eggplant
Brazo de Gitano (dessert)
SERVICE: reminiscent of European service in that they left you alone and didn't hover over you. Still, they were warm and personable (but not overly) with great suggestions. Very relaxing!!
Bartenders were friendly and fun!
We will be back!
This is a tough one. I would really like to add a half a star here...because the food is incredible!… Read more »
Worst service in the bay area. They have no interest in hospitality.
Tried to give these guys another shot this weekend figuring they've had time to fix the service problems since our last visit. Nope. We walked out after sitting there for half an hour in a nearly empty restaurant. They brought us menus but never took our order or even offered drinks. Never going back. Never recommending this place.
We counted four workers. Three were standing in the front when we walked in. They all looked up when we entered, then they looked away. We sat in the bar area. After 5 minutes, a quiet waitress dropped off two menus without saying a word. Another worker came by and put a log on the fire, looked at us sitting there with our closed menus, then scooted away quickly. Another 10 minutes went by and we were out of there, too hungry to deal with this. They thanked us for coming on the way out. Idiots.
Love the atmosphere. Food is good. Service is terrible. Indifferent staff, probably because they… Read more »
Odd, I had swore I had written a review of this place last Fall when I ate here.
I'd say its a 4 star place, but given the dearth of restaurants in MP, it gets one additional one - we need to support the few worthy venues we have.
Was glad we came back....the first time was a rushed, late weeknight and we were tired, not appreciate. We went this Friday after wine tasting at GCs and were totally enamored.
Its *really* tapas, super duper small plates, many cost $2.5-$5 and are one bite. We had a good bottle of pinot (wish had little better stemware, but its better than those damn French restaurant clunkers) reasonably priced.
Service was a bit slow, but they had a fair crowd for a later Fri night, and were very friendly, attentive.
Skip the bar (god why do all nice places now have a )(&&(^(^ flatscreen showing sports...I dont watch ESPN at home....wtf do I want it over Tapas..) and go to the back patio - its cute, cozy, darker lit.
We have yet to sit in the main dining room for the full menu, but frankly we like the tapas and ambience so much, not sure if we ever will!
Give it a try peeps and support some diversity in Menlo Park, and save driving over to PA University Ave!
This place is decieving. It looks like a cute and cozy. It was not busy at all but it took awhile before the waiter took our order. The paella was small and over priced. It tasted average at best. We ate other dishes, but none of them tasted good enough to remember.
My girlfriend went to Iberia a couple weeks ago with some friends of hers who absolutely love the restaurant. She came back demanding that I go back with her sometime. We finally had a chance to go in this weekend and it was wonderful! I can't wait to go back.
We arrived at 6:30pm and it was pretty empty. I had a reservation. The owner (Jose Luis) greeted us and asked if we wanted Tapas or Dinner. He wants to keep the restaurant as an authentic Spanish restaurant, in which they have different areas of the restaurant for the different types of food. Since he mentioned that we could still get some tapas (not the full menu) by doing dinner, we decided to do dinner. We were taken to the outside fountain patio, which was wonderful. It was pretty warm out at night, the sun was setting, and it was a great atmosphere under a big tree. They hung lights all under the tree so the mood was really nice. Even inside, the atmosphere of the restaurant was very cozy and warm.
Our server came over immediately and asked us if we wanted something to drink. At this time he also brought us a pitcher of water and a basket of bread. The bread was warm and delicious. I have to say that warm bread always tastes better than cold bread and I always appreciate a restaurant that brings their bread fresh and warm.
We ordered 2 tapas: an eggplant tarte (which was off the full tapas menu but they allowed us to have, since my girlfriend had loved it when she came before) and a small chicken wing dish with almonds. Both were *extremely* tasty. We also ordered a bottle of Pinot Noir which was excellent. For dinner I ordered the lamb shoulder with spanish fries and my girlfriend ordered a boar stew.
The food was absolutely excellent. The tapas were great, and our dinners were amazing. The lamb came out tender and delicious. The sauce on top was wonderful. The spanish fries were also cooked perfectly, just a bit crisp but not burnt and not soggy. The boar was also great. I don't think I've ever seen boar on a menu and my girlfriend kept having to swat my hand away from trying to steal her food. We also got a bottle of the 2007 Silver Cove Point Noir, which was also excellent. Lastly, we had a "flan de chocolate" which was also delicious. Everyone around us was drinking Sangria and my girlfriends friends couldn't stop talking about how good the Sangria was.
The service, despite some of the other reviews, was *great*. Before the food arrived, our server came over every 5-10 minutes to refill our waters (with the jug that was on our table), bring more bread, and make sure we were alright. After our food arrived, he made sure it was OK, then left us to eat. Additionally, there were several other servers who stopped by to make sure we were OK. There was always someone around to make sure we were all set.
The owner, Jose Luis also stopped by a couple times to make sure everything was alright. He chatted with us a bit, and even remembered my name when we got up to leave.
Some people may dislike the 19% service fee, but I did not mind at all. I would have given a 20% tip anyways and this saved me having to figure out what tip I needed to give. I know it may sound like I'm being lazy but it just felt nice not to have to figure it out.
Lastly, I felt the prices were quite reasonable. Most of the tapas, which could be shared with another person were about $4-5 each. The dinners were around $20, which I found extremely cheap for the wonderful tastes.
I can't wait to go back and try more of the food. It was excellent!
The food is good, but the unreasonably long wait to be seated, even with a reservation for an obviously-not-full restaurant, and then a long wait to be served did me in.
I have been here twice with guests, and had the same experience of being left in a small empty bar area for an hour, even WITH a reservation, and since I am not into long, unserved waiting times, I won't be back.
Tapas make me wish I was born in Spain instead of New Jersey. The idea of being order small plates of a lot of different food to share is nothing short of brilliant. So I was excited to find out one of my http://Meetup.com groups was having its monthly gathering at this place.
Hidden behind the Menlo Park Caltrain station, the location is convenient (esp if you plan on enjoying their extensive beer and wine list).
Here's why this place gets three stars... the owner of this place is obviously determined to make sure that he treats his customers who want to spend a lot of money great and everyone else so so. Well, frankly, he doesn't seem to care much about folks who want to just eat tapas, have a few drinks and leave.
I understand a restaurant owner has to make a profit, but when it effects service (hey, maybe I'd want to come back one day to be a high-paying customer if the waiters weren't so rude) then something is wrong.
So I didn't interact with the manager at all, but I heard from the group leader that he called to ask for a table for a large group at 5:30, when the restaurant opened for dinner. He was told that we could only sit at the bar but eventually the owner decided to seat our group outside (in our whole time there, there was only one other group that sat outside and they showed up around 6:30). Also, he wanted our group owner to put down $20 per guest in advance so he could make tapas prepared for us. But the group owner declined this offer.
Turns out, that meant we were not worth much for the owner. We ordered a decent amount of food on our own - maybe not $20 each. I ordered five tapas and two glasses of wine to split with my bf.
The food was ok. Of the five dishes I had, nothing was worth going back for, but it was decent. Had a lot of the veggie dishes and a few seafood dishes. Appreciated the selection of vegetarian tapas.
Here's what got me - the service. I know we were a big table but we didn't want to share all our tapas, we all, quite frankly, had never met before so we wanted to order our own dishes and be done with it. When all our dishes were delivered they were all placed randomly on the table. Ok, so that's tapas style. There was an extra mushroom dish that seemed to have been delivered by mistake. I asked the waitress about it -- "there's a mushroom dish here and I don't know who it belongs to" hoping she could help. She basically said "that's too bad" and then left the table. Wow. None of us knew who the mushrooms belonged to and for all I know they were delivered by accident and we had to pay for them.
Even with that, I might have given this place four stars. Here's what really got me. Our group of 13 was sitting outside and had a heat lamp near us for the earlier part of our meal. It was not freezing outside but it was pretty cold. We were not seated at the table by the working fireplace because our group leader did not shell out the $20 per person in advance. So about half way through our meal the waiters take our heat lamp and move it to the table that has the fireplace. Our group leader goes to ask if we can get the heat lamp back and he's told we're not entitled to the heat because we didn't pay $20 a person in advance.
Obviously their rude service for the non elite isn't keeping people away from this place, because the dining room seemed quite busy at opening. Maybe they treat people better in the main dining room?
****** Update ******
Yes I've had a bit of change of heart over the past couple days regarding our first trek to Iberia. I was called on it. And it is not that I was 'called on it' that made me change my mind... it was after a lil thought process. I dug on two tapas that honestly are made of things I do not like anyway. So they never stood half a chance with me in the first place. I don't know why I thought bacon with a Spanish flag in it would be much different in taste than bacon period. As well my bacalao dish. Mush is harsh in the food world, hence had on my glasses... maybe would have seen that this dish is made with mashed potatoes. Another thing I do not like.
Again... was 'called on it'. Contacted by the owner. When think about how much money spend dining out..... Makes my head spin how many restaurant owners or staff have known for years. My loyalty to those for consistency, service or maybe one or the other. Never had a owner say 'thanks but think about this or that.........". Pretty darn commendable.
Sad news for Iberia is that they are now my training ground, Tapas 101 spot whilst I pretend to be Hemmingway and write my next great novel in that charming back bar area!
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This restaurant is one of the most charming places in architecture never knew existed in the area. Couple of dining room areas.. what seems like two different bar areas and the decor/seating is definitely unique from one area of the restaurant to the other. Love the private back room or the four lounger table in the back bar area. Fireplace also. It's a bit dim... it's has alot of basic wood work, and things hanging from the walls (with except of assume the owners beloved dog) indicative of the roots of Spain.
We opted for tapas in the back bar area in a cozy two seater very high back'private wooden table. Ordered a bottle of the suggested Vina Herminia out of Spain. $40 and nice. There are other bottles of red from let's say Chile that start in the mid $20's price range. They also have a two page extensive list Tapas were nicely priced under the $5 marker per plate. It was a test fest for me. The roomie whose taste buds are still on American soil stuck with white rice and some sort of chicken empanada. (ya I'm over embarassment on that ave) One can never go wrong with the 'Spanish Tortilla' which is really sort of the Spanish somewhat potatoe, egg, onion basic frittata. This offering was traditionally off the hook awesome.
Was not really understanding the chorizo stuffed dates wrapped in bacon.. but if you like bacon... this is a must for you. Was looking for more traditional fish dishes other than what was on the list. Bacalao (salt cod) huge in Portugal was repped in two tapas. One with white beans and the other in a casserole of sorts which really did not do the bacalao justice. Very mush mixture baked with a mixture of substance carbs and veggies. Did not do justice for the bacalao at all.
Will be back to try out the dinner offerings of paella's, etc with some of my friends from the region to let me know if I'm off or not.
The 19% surcharge tacked onto your bill (pre bill tip).. don't be suprised. Is this also normal in Spain????
Delicious, authentic Spanish restaurant by the Menlo Park Caltrain station. I had been there for drinks and tapas and also for a paella cooking session (a corporate women's event), but first time for dinner.
Lovely place with great ambiance. Totally feels like you are in a restaurant in Spain, and the food is fantastic. Great sangria, not too fruity like most American ones, and pretty reasonable list of wines.
I love the milky white almond gazpacho (warning super garlicky), gambas (really garlicky shrimp) - all raciones. Then we had paella, which was perfect. They have a few "minimum two orders" rule for a few of their dishes, which is a bit annoying, so is probably better food experience with a larger group. The total dinner was about $50 per person, including wine, taxes and tip
Alternatively, if you have fewer people and don't need a full sit-down dinner, I love sitting in their tapas areas, either the window table and bar or in the back room with the couches. It's a different menu of just tapas like patatas bravas (fried potatoes with this orange spicy garlic sauce), marinated octopus, and dates stuffed with chorizo wrapped with bacon (I mean really...)
I would also add, not the place to go if you have something to do afterwards, service is not too speedy. However, one of my favorites on the Peninsula to enjoy a yummy relaxing night.
+/- signs represent intensity of positive/negative sentiment
armed w/ $50 gift certificate graciously provided by owner, i returned for another try. new impressions:
+++ vast improvement in service--all 3 available staff were prompt & knowledgeable, no problems with the order (10 tapas, 2 raciones plus desert) or the bill.
++ outdoor (patio) seating is quite enchanting after sunfall.
+ no problems w/ missing ingredients, even though ordered tapas ran the gamut from meat to seafood to vegetarian.
summary: the food itself is indisputably flavorful; all seating (outdoor, indoor or the lounge/bar area) is comfortable & elegant & the owner is willing to listen to constructive feedback & quite gracious in doing so. ignore some of the irate reviews below & give iberia a try--you'll end up loving it.
+/- signs represent intensity of positive/negative sentiment
++++ huge list of tapas, all of them…
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Owner arranged a deal with my large group that ended up costing more than individual a la carte prices. I paid my bill, but felt swindled. The owner has filed a police report against me and the rest of my group.
"Bad business" does not begin to describe my sentiments for this place.
Iberia is one of those places that's a little hard to figure out how to describe. Walking in feels like walking into a time warp back to the 1970's. Actually, it's more like walking into a European mountain restaurant from the past. Dark wood paneling, a big central fireplace to sit around, narrow little booths and big leather chairs. My preference is - instead of a table in the dining room - to sit in the lounge area behind the fireplace where the big leather chairs are.
The good is great - truly authentic Spanish tapas - and the wine list is excellent. In true European style, the tip is included - "service complis", as they say in Europe - so no need to add any additional gratuity to your tab at the end of the evening.
But the service can be a little indifferent. If you are looking for a place where the waitstaff will fawn over you, checking in every three minutes to see "if everything is OK here", then this isn't the place for you. But you feel like sitting in a comfortable, warm atmosphere, sipping a nice glass of Rioja while munching on delicious Spanish tapas, then it's hard to beat an evening at Iberia.
I just have nothing but good things to report on Iberia! Hands down this is my fav tapas bar.
The prices are el cheapo so that means mucho tapas. I've tried the; warm cheddar cheese scones, toasted spicy almonds, spicy fried potatoes w/garlic mayo, fried squid, devilled dates filled with chorizo & wrapped in bacon = yum yum and more yum!!!
The sangria is the best I've ever had. Get a pitcher - it will last longer!! It's great to just sit out on the patio and sip on your sangria in the summer - good times for sure!!
This place is tucked away from the main street and has a rich, mysterious and cozy feel to it. It's fun to sit at the bar and talk to the bartender.
The tapas was pretty good, but the service was TERRIBLE. We have gone twice and they were downright rude the first time. In fact, they were so rude that 2 of the members of our party of 6 left in disgust. 4 of us stayed and liked the food well enough, but thought the service was the worst in the Bay Area.
The second time (today) they were incredibly slow, despite the fact that only 2-3 tables were full. They added a 19% service charge, even those there were only 2 of us eating there this time. They obviously have no incentive to be efficient or nice with this policy. Stay away from this place -- it isn't worth their rudeness and inefficiency.
I had a BD party at this restaurant at its old location and had a wonderful time with family and great food. Recently, we were seated at table 32, had a great waiter with a lot of patience and information regarding the various entries they offered that evening. Our Friends a married couple, had never eaten at a Spanish restaurant. I made an offer to suggest something on the menu they may like but the gentleman made a choice for his wife and he that was a little strange, to me. Nevertheless, we had a very good dinner with wine...they had sangria, and a generous portion of a seafood plate.
The bread was terrific. freshly made in their oven and brought as we needed it. We were not rushed to eat or pay the bill. We were able to talk about their wedding anniversary and a host of other topics.
This is European dining at its best so don't expect a fast food response from the kitchen.
My gf took me to this place for my b-day last night and it was quite good. I had the spanish meat dish and she had the crab stuffed peppers. The tapa selection is great and the whole experiance was fun with Fidel (waiter) taking everything in stride!
I have been coming here for 20 years and have never been disappointed. From the sangria, to the tapas, to the fine dining menu, to the wine list, Jose Luis has worked hard to create an authentic Spanish atmosphere on the Peninsula.
Today, I had several tapas at lunch with some great wine, and I was reminded why I used to come here so often. We have celebrated a wedding (rehearsal dinner), a 40th birthday, Valentine's Day, and so many occasions in between, in addition to a regular Tuesday lunch or Saturday dinner. This is one of the best restaurants in the Bay Area with the relaxed feel of a European trip. No, the servers are not in a hurry to rush you out of the restaurant. They try to let you enjoy the experience of fine dining and the tastes and atmosphere of Spain.
The food is terrific, the waiters are knowledgeable but do not insist on impressing you with their knowledge by talking constantly. The wine list is extensive, and the size of the menu is impressive indeed. I have noticed other comments about running out of certain items. Note that with a menu this extensive and varied, this is bound to happen. Just select something else, because nothing on the menu will disappoint and most dishes will totally surpise you.
Let your waiter or Jose Luis guide you on this journey. You will feel transported.
LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT!
I have just adjusted the star from 2 to 1. At the end of my review is the rude email I just got from the owner and my reply to him. I am blown away by the rudeness. As you can read from my reviews I always give credit where credit is due. Wait staff have the hardest job for low wages and if they are good they deserve praise and if they suck they need to know.
MEHHHHHHHHHHH! I have not been to Iberia as Iberia. The last time I went there was Dec 99 for my birthday back in the day when it was Garden Grill. We used to love that place when we were dating and newly wed. It has not changed a at all as far as the decor goes. I met a friend there for lunch and we had to hunt for the girl who seated us. We were one of a total of 8 patrons for lunch. The service was deplorable. The girl was useless. She brought us a water pitcher that was full of crack and chips....it should have been trashed a long time ago. The food was fine and the portions small.....we did not have small plates. Then we paid cash and although the tip is included she tried to stiff me of my change...Listen chic you did not even deserve the 19% let alone $8 tip on my $15 meal. I was hoping it was somewhere the hubby and I could visit again...NO way...I will wait another 10 years.
email I received from the owner.
Your comments are so distorted and inaccurate that your so called 'review' does not deserve any kind of response. However, and simply because I want to make sure you do not return, ten or more years from now, I am going to argue your points..
(NO CHANCE AFTER THIS EMAIL)
First, the decor has changed. Ten years do have an effect on someone's memory.
(never said it was a bad thing)
Either you or your friend, arrived first and was promptly greeted. When both of you came back you may have waited by the door for a minute, certainly you did not have to go 'hunting' for anyone.
(Empty restaurant with no greeter or wait staff in sight)
The food was more than fine and in fact the portions generous to the point I felt it took away from the presentation.
(never said it was to small/thought portion was perfect and very tasty)
The service was adequate to your needs and I resent the derogatory use of the word 'chic'.
(sorry chick)
My employees are people that care and deserve respect. Something you may not even know how to spell.
( do they even get any from you, you rude SOB)
Finally, I charge for service and pay my employees salaries. I suspect you were stung by that. The service charge was $6.22 not $8.00 (a 30% exaggeration). I'm sorry, though, she was confused with the change as you left $46.00 to pay for a $42.50 charge. Perhaps the $3.50 was what you intended as a 'tip' (8%?)
(19+8=27) So now it is my job to tip you 19% and then tip your staff as well. You are an asshat..on what planet do you get a 19% tip on top of a tip for your staff...increase the prices of your dishes or stop being a asshole and maybe people will patronize your establishment more. It is not like you are Keller or Stratta who can afford to cop this attitude.
With regards to the pitcher, it may have been chipped, but it was clean and full of fresh, iced water.
(chips on the lip of the pouring spout is dangerous and unsanitary)
And some people feel chips and cracks add character. Too bad you did not noticed the fine Villeroy $ Boch dishware.
(Who says I did not?)
But I guess we see the world with the colour of our souls.
(Yours black?)
UPDATE:
Following my yelp review (this morning), the owner emailed me the following rude and aggressive response... which prompted me to reduce my 3 star rating down to 1. What a shame. I actually would have probably visited this restaurant again and even brought friends because I liked the atmosphere, but based on the owner's unprofessional attitude, I plan to proactively discourage people from patronizing Iberia. Too bad. Maybe the owner is not aware of how powerful internet reviews are? or maybe he is aware... and that's what prompted his nasty response?
My 3-start review:
I lived in Madrid for a year, so was really excited to find this Spanish tapas restaurant on the peninsula... but not excited by their price, and not overly impressed by their cuisine.
Service: hard to find a waitress when you need one.
Food: tasty, but portions are small (even for a tapas restaurant).
Sangria: good and strong.
Price: over-priced considering the small portions
-- four bacon covered dates for $4 (feeds one)
-- one pitcher of sangria for $30 (quenches three)
-- six mini-sausages for $5 (feeds two)
-- three croquetas for $5 (feeds one)
Owners's Response:
Natasha, all I can say is you have not the slightest of what you are talking about. The portions are indeed like tapas ought to be. And the prices are as low as will find anywhere, including Spain. The prices you quoted are low enough, however you were wrong by about 15%. Dates: $3.45, cantimpalitos: $3.45, croquetas: $3.35. And the sangria is a full liter with no ice, unlike all other restaurants where half the pitcher is filled with ice. If you find a restaurant that has better prices (just compare menus)and ambiance I'll send you $100.00 for your troubles. In the meantime refrain yourself from making erroneous comments and criticizing so easily. You are completely oblivious of what it takes to put good food (like ours) on your table. When you get better grades on your Restaurant 101 you are welcome to come back.
Jose Luis Relinque
Hey JL, I was skeptical with those 1 or two stars, but I didn't read through the reviews much. My wife knew better, she reads more thoroughly and faster than me; and was all dressed up (wow) to go out before I got back from work wanting to go to Iberia. We left for the restaurant immediately ___ ___ ___. I just got back home after a nice evening with my wife and had a nice time at your restaurant. ___ ___ ___Your place is great. You sat us. Staff made good recommendations. We were on comfortable chairs. We got tapas and a pitcher of Sangria. All was good. ___ ___ ___ Tasty food, steady attention of the waitresses and good delivery of the tapas (we sat in the lounge area) ___ ___ ___ Next time I'll call ahead to make sure the white-beans are in (the other tapas plate we ordered was a great substitute) ___ ___ ___ Thanks for sparing me the multiplication brain-sore and figuring out the tip automatically ___and ___ for all those reading this, pretty great evening for the price on the Penninsula, for a minute there I though I was at this tapas place I've drove an hour to get to in SF ___ ___ ___ JL, for the evening ... ... ... THANKS!
For a relaxed evening of delicious and reasonably priced tapas, served at a laid-back pace, this is the place.
The atmosphere feels like you're at a college professor's house, with cushy leather chairs and couches, and big wooden booths with tiny tables.
The white gazpacho -- part soup, part dip, part beverage -- is unexpectedly amazing. Or at least it was when I tried it for the first time. Future samplings may be less of a surprise, but equally amazing.
The deviled dates ooze richness: a thick strip of bacon enveloping a chorizo-stuffed date. It tastes like it shouldn't be legal; be sure to enjoy it while it is.
Other dishes vary, but are way more hits than misses.
The sangria tasted like honey. And did I mention they have an extensive selection of Scotch? Yeah, highly acceptable.
Prices per plate are very low, most under $5, though plates are tiny, so expect to order 3-4 per person.
And I want to go back and try every one of those desserts. *drool*
This place is a truly authentic Spanish restaurant. The food is excellent, service is good but little slow. Hands down, the best Sangria in the Bay Area. We tried the zarzuela, which could be the Spanish version of the French bouillabaisse or the Italian cioppino. It was exactly like what we had in Spain many years ago: tender mix of seafood (no fish in zarzuela) in a light tomato based broth. Delicious! We also had the serrano ham stuffed squid, which was also superb. It may sounds unimportant for some, but their bread was outstanding! Forget Acme or BayBread, they don't even come close!
The tapas list looked great, too. We will be back for lunch when the weather will turn nicer so we can sit in the restaurant's charming patio.
It seems that several people, perhaps as a group, have decided to trash Iberia. They either had a very unusual experience there, or they were ignorant about Spanish cuisine and leisurely eating. Iberia is a fantastic restaurant with a very creative chef and excellent service. In the fifteen years that I have been a patron, Mr. Relinque always has been extremely pleasant and polite to me.
From reading these reviews, I can see who this restaurant is not for:
*People who expect the speed and prices of MacDonald's.
*People who want to rip off servers
*People who can't try unfamiliar food
*People under the impression that $25 will buy them a full meal here
Anyone who is physically attacked should call the police, though I don't for a moment think Mr. Relinque would attack anyone. Accusing a person of a criminal act in a public forum is a very good way to get sued and deservedly so.
So if you want a really relaxing good meal at a slow pace, ignore these whiners and try Iberia. I think you will love it.
Ask your gf if she'd like to go out for authentic candlelit Spanish Tapas and see what she says. If she says anything other than hell no, bring her here. As in Spain, they won't serve those delicious Tapas outside the bar (but don't worry, there are cozy cushioned seats and cute wood paneled booths for two and a fireplace), and they charge you for service. Unlike in Spain, they include the service on top of the listed prices (at 19%) and close at 10pm (rather than opening at that hour). Here's what we got:
Datiles Endiablados: Bacon Wrapped, Chorizo-stuffed dates... yep you were gonna get these anyway because every other review said so. Good job!
Crudo de Vierira: scallop sashimi served in a squid ink sauce which is nice and savory... I love this one but not everyone does. I like the sauce so much I mopped it up with the bread... but we had to ask for bread. Do it!
Crab Dumplings (which came recommended to us sounding like "crap dumpy" but I managed to hold in the laughs for 100 seconds till the server left). Amazing... served with that magic Aioli (garlic mayo) sauce they put on a lot of the tapas.
Patatas Bravas: Basically, really nice tasty french fries topped in aioli... but not better than other aioli things they serve here.
Queso Tostado: toasted cheese balls... but didn't taste heavy at all decent and probably better than the patatas bravas.
Olives and Almonds: meh. The tiny olives all include seeds, which gets sloppy and old fast.
Sangria: great! And be careful.. felt tipsy after half a glass.
Some dessert thing with chocolate (brazo de gitano?): decent... not my favorite though my date and the waiter were both huge fans.
I cam here again with a friend of mine who RAVES about this place recently. I had a better experience than all the rest of the times I have been here COMBINED.
We were there for drinks and the bartender was very cool. So were the other patrons at the bar. We got only a single thing to eat -- toast with yummy ham.
Hasn't really changed my negative view of the place, but I will be back to frequent the bar.
Mediocre at best. I've eaten here since I was a child, way back when the restaurant was in Portola… Read more »
Menlo Park, CA
Category: Specialty Food
Mountain View, CA
Category: Tapas Bars
Menlo Park, CA
Category: Turkish
Menlo Park, CA
Category: American (New)
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