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San Chez A Tapas Bistro
Category: Restaurants Tapas/Small Plates Tapas/Small Plates [Edit]
38 Fulton St WGrand Rapids, MI 49503
(616) 774-8272
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 8 am - 10 pm
Fri 8 am - 11 pm
Sat 9 am - 11 pm
Sun 9 am - 10 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
105 reviews for San Chez A Tapas Bistro
Review Highlights
"fritos de queso azul (these are the "crack bombs that Matt..."
(in 3 reviews)
"I had a red Sangria, my wife a non-alcoholic sangria."
(in 22 reviews)
"...cooked with a side of marinated cabbage and pork belly."
(in 5 reviews)
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105 reviews in English
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Review from Gretchen G.
Corona, CA
12/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place was amazing. Just touched down from southern California and after two connecting flights and 7 hours with no food, San Chez definitely hit the spot!!! All the tapas we ordered were superb! Each dish either matched or surpassed the previous in taste and presentation.
Our waitress Chelsea was great. She was very helpful in our food selection!!! Ask for her if you can :)
Thanks San Chez for leaving a great first impression for my first night in Grand Rapids!!!! Can't wait to come back again!!! -
Review from Ellen P.
Midland, MI
1/26/2012
My partner and I had great fun visiting this tapas restaurant while traveling in the Grand Rapids area.
Our first bit of advice to Grand Rapids visitors considering this restaurant option: Do not be intimidated by the Spanish names of dishes if you are not a Spanish-speaker. The menu does a good job of describing each dish, and the servers will also help you understand ingredients, suggest complementary beverages, etc.
And the menu is extensive -- all sorts of wonderful small dishes to explore. (Sidebar: San Chez is one of many Grand Rapids restaurants promoting local produce/meats/artisan foods, and the menu lists its local sources for products.)
We ordered the Pan a la Plancha, a kind of Spanish crostini topped with tomato and garlic; we added Serrano ham; Bistec al Pimienta -- sliced beef tenderloin over tortellini sauced with a manchego cheese/mustard/cream mixture; Pollo al Chillendron, a fried chicken drum atop a generous portion of Spanish tomato sauce featuring Serrano ham, sauteed bell peppers, olives and smoked paprika, with a potato cake on the side; and Calamaritos Fritos, sauteed squid (you can opt for crispier fried squid) with Serrano ham, pork belly, onion and blood orange zest/juice. These were all tasty; but the squid was (pardon the piscine pun) off the hook -- the tang of the fruit, the richness of the pork belly, incredibly tender squid very different from the rubber-band squid we're used to in many restaurants. Second prize at our table went to the tenderloin, which was "like buttah," and the cheesy tortellini underneath.
For dessert I had Crema Catalana, a lighter creme brulee, accented by a whiskey-infused oatmeal cookie (the cookie, while yummy, was really gilding the lily here); Dear Partner chose dessert apple empanadas with dulce la leche and berry sauce.
If I hadn't been tired from traveling I might have tried a flight of Spanish sherries; but instead I settled for a white sangria, which was delicious -- peachy/fruity goodness. DP ordered a non-alcoholic sangria, pink and citrusy. They were both very good. The restaurant has a large beverage menu with, of course, an emphasis on Spanish products.
The restauarant atmosphere is hip but casual, and the evening we visited the guests included everyone from blue-jeaned local college kids to business types in ties to an older couple obviously enjoying a date.
This is a fun, unique establishment -- and tapas restaurants are very few and far between in Michigan, even downstate -- well worth visiting. San Chez also offers a breakfast and lunch menu that we didn't explore but we're sure is also good. -
Review from John M.
Grand Haven, MI
10/8/2011
Love San Chez! I've been here plenty of times and I've never had a bad dish. You kind of have to just trust that they know what they're doing because if you read the list of ingredients in a given dish, you might get scared off. Spicy shrimp with a banana sauce?! Yep - and it's delicious too!
Good selection of beer, wine and sangria makes the whole experience fantastic. Go with a big group so you can sample that many more tapas! -
Review from Food D.
Grand Rapids Charter Township, MI
2/3/2012
one word.....TUNA...nough said
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Review from Joel F.
Mobile, AL
1/12/2012
Yes! Best Tapas place in Michigan by a long shot. San Chez is the kind of place you want to go to every day. It's kind of upscale, but not at all stuffy. It has a very relaxing atmosphere any time of day. Their menu changes from time to time, but they seem to stick with my favorites. The garlic in olive oil, yet simple, is always a good way to start along with a nice glass of Rioja. I've tried nearly every tapas here through the years (sadly it's been a while) and have never been disappointed. It's a great place for a date or just a night after work for a quick dinner. I can't wait until I can get back to this place, hoping it doesn't change much. It's a GR stalwart.
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Review from Wayne W.
Township of Georgetown, MI
12/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
Best sangria anywhere, phenomenal flour-less chocolate cake and great tapas in between.
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Review from Nycole K.
9/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
Sangria + fried blue cheese + Gazpacho = I'm in love!
I ate at San Chez for a company dinner with 6 other people, and it was one of the most perfect set ups for a group dinner I've experienced. I could also imagine going back with just me and my husband or a couple of girlfiends and having just as great of a time.
The service was top-notch, the atmosphere is really cool, and the food was A-MAZ-ING! I ate and ate and ate some more... no-one went away hungry from this meal.
We had probably a dozen different dishes - because we had 7 people, the waitress just picked things based on a few of our preferences and brought them out 2 at a time. It was great fun waiting to see what would come from the kitchen next.
I also had the gazpacho, which was fantastic. Two big fat thumbs up for San Chez! -
Review from Jasmine P.
New Orleans, LA
8/22/2011
I am currently visiting Grand Rapids from New Orleans, LA (where we know food!) and I have to say that San Chez is the best tapas place I have ever been to! They bring out the food in a perfect order (in our case one at a time) and everything was a delight.
We ordered a Hazy Cucumber and Spanish Creme Soda (He ordered a Cafe de San Chez at the end also). Our meal consisted of Seta Rellena Grande, Salmon con Heirbas, and Albondigas. For dessert we had Gelato de la Casa and Medjool con Queso.
Everything was perfect! Our Tapa Specialist was Christina and she was very friendly and informative. I would recommend this place to anyone visiting or anyone who lives in Grand Rapids!! -
Review from jen g.
Grand Rapids, MI
12/15/2011
I am more of a purist when it comes to my Spanish/tapa food. After having had visited Spain 3 times, I love the simpler approaches and ingredients of the traditional Spanish food. So as you can imagine, I was rather disappointed with my dining experience at San Chez. Plus, after have had spent $60 on the bill ( just on my portion ), I still felt hungry and end up making a snack when I came home.
I would never recommend San Chez to anyone who wants to dine at a Spanish restaurant because it isn't such. But if you want American tapa and don't mind coughing up a lot of dough for very small portions, then San Chez is your kindda place. -
Review from Brittany F.
Runnemede, NJ
8/30/2011 1 photo
Good Tapas, ok drinks.
Our table of 10 with no reservation was quickly seated.
My mojito was a little weak my friend's caipirnha was good, not spectacular. All of the food we ordered was great. Again, there were 10 of us at the table so I can't even begin to remember all of the food we ordered but to 2 paellas we ordered were superb. One was vegetarian and one contained every sea creature known to man.
I recommend, but order a beer or one of the non alcoholic specialties and save yourself the weak drinks. -
Review from Renee B.
Palatine, IL
11/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is one of the best tapas restaurants! The Lily Pad cocktail tastes as good as it looks. We tried 7 different tapas and each was excellent. The scallop and poke belly skewer was my favorite.
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Review from Jon C.
7/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
I have to preface this review by stating that my wife and I treat food service staff as real people, doing an important job, and not as mindless food and drink dispensers. A lot of friends and acquaintances are in food service, both front and back of house.
Anyway. We were on our Epic Grand Rapids Roadtrip, and we needed some protein. Got a recommendation that this place was decent, so we headed over.
Got seated, and introduced to our server, a fairly-attractive-in-that-bland-runofthemill-way youngish lady. A little over made-up, but hey, she still looked nice.
So we asked for recommendations on what might be good that would be mostly meat, as that's what we wanted. She didn't really commit to an answer, so we winged it and ordered some stuff.
Got our order, and the portions were very, very small for the price. We know, tapas IS small portions. But these were way too small for the price. And not overly stellar in execution/flavor.
All of that would have been made better by stellar service. When you see a young, cute server, who presents you with a hand-written name card with her I's dotted as flowers... you expect friendly. She was NOT friendly. She seemed to NOT want to be at work. Ok, ok, most people don't want to be at work. But, we eat out a LOT and have never been treated with such disdain and indifference.
Maybe she assumed we weren't tippers. Heh - we consider 15% our "insult" tip. :D If we tip 15% that just means we got our food. Still, you figure, maybe she could try to step it up and convert us, if she assumed we weren't tippers?
Whatever, the food wasn't good, was overpriced, and the server was essentially... bad. We shall not be back.
I'm giving 2 stars, because I figure 1 star is when you get sick eating at a place. -
Review from Mark G.
Grand Rapids, MI
7/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is a breakfast review for the San Chez Cafe next door.
My recent trip there reminded me why with all the great breakfast places by my house in the East Hills neighborhood in GR, I'll still head down to San Chez at times for their great take on breakfast. Last time we were there, it was busy and our service was pretty slow as was our food, so I waffled in giving them 4 or 5 stars. When I saw that Yelp says the 5 stars is "As Good as it Gets!", I had to give it to them as I crave their breakfast more than any other GR breakfast place. -
Review from P.J. A.
Allendale, MI
11/12/2011
Very good - our first introduction to Spanish food and we were delighted with the offerings. Drinks were very good and service was commendable. Look forward to coming back soon
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Review from Kelsey S.
Grand Rapids Charter Township, MI
10/25/2011
Be cautious when going to Tapas. I went with a large group and found that the Tapas, or small plates that were meant for sharing weren't really good for sharing at all. I'm not thick or even chubby but, I was very hungry and had hoped to leave with a full belly, unfortunately, that definitely wasn't going to happen without going outside my price range. Some of the dishes were interesting and tasty but, nothing to be raved about. I feel that it would be better for a couple to go and share a few dishes than a group of six. Even then, the environment is very loud and conversation was near impossible at our table.
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Review from Eric C.
Caledonia, MI
8/1/2011
Our group enjoyed the GRAM and then headed to San Chez. Fantastic as usual. Shared six choices among the three in our group. When we left the place was packed. Another great experience downtown!
Love the shrimp in a hot banana sauce... -
Review from Logan W.
Holland, MI
8/1/2011
I have only been here a few times, but it as been wonderful every visit.
On our last visit:
Our service was wonderful, honest, helpful and fun. The food was absolutely delicious, and it is a blast to decide what to get because there are so many good options. I felt that the food was very fairly priced and portioned. Our total was just over $70 for the two of us without drinks, and I definitely felt it was a deal. I would recommend anything with goat cheese there! The atmosphere is absolutely great for a fun nicer night out. Not fancy, but very playful and engaging. My girlfriend loved it, and we will be back again and again. -
Review from Adam S.
4/16/2011
I get the feeling that this place is one of the nicer/trendier places in Grand Rapids. Although, for that "kind" of place, the environment was a little strange. It was very chain-ish in it's feel (all the way down to receiving those weird little flashing/buzzing things that you get at buffalo wild wings while we waited to be seated).
The food itself was ok, but definitely nothing special. The tuna dish was ok, but not particularly flavorful and (as expected) not the freshest. The meatballs were a little dry and over-cooked, but had a pretty good flavor. The stuffed dates were ok, but I didn't care for their texture (mushy). The smoked salmon spread with capers was probably my favorite dish. The "empanadas" weren't really empanadas. I would say they were more akin to knishes or maybe perogies. And I'm not sure why it came with mayo on the plate, but it was weird.
This place isn't terrible. But it is expensive and lacks in the refinement of the dishes you would find at comprable tapas places in larger, more food friendly cities. -
Review from Bryan J.
Okemos, MI
3/21/2011
San Chez is a fantastic restaurant overall. Visiting a long time friend and his wife coming into Michigan from the Chicago area, I drove over from the Lansing area, which sadly does not have many restaurants of this caliber.
I had heard and read wonderful things about San Chez and was excited to try it out. It certainly did not disappoint, which can happen when you have high expectations for trying out a new restaurant.
We three were somewhat slow to order, due to the fact that I had not seen my friends Kevin and Caitlin for a few years and were caught up in catching up. Our server was more than patient, never giving the feeling of wanting to rush our decisions, which was nice.
The wonderful thing about a tapas restaurant is that you get the opportunity to try many different smaller dishes, not being limited to just one or two.
We started off ordering the Paella Valenciana (45 minute prep), which seemed to be the most traditional and all-inclusive paella dish, having mussels, chicken, chorizo, among other delicious ingredients. Additionally, we ordered two items off their 'winter specials' list of a duck dish and scallops dish. Both were fantastic. Sadly, I cannot remember the official names of these two dishes, but they were wonderfully prepared.
The duck was perfectly cooked with a side of marinated cabbage and pork belly. The scallops were also wonderfully prepared, seared to perfection and came with a small side of fried gnocchi and vegetables.
Our second round of orders included the Gambas Asadas Al Fuego, which were equally as delicious. The server warned us about the spicyness, however I was not overwhelmed by any means. My friends ordered the Tostones Fritos, fried plantains with avacado relish and jalapeno honey, being recent plantain fanatics and it was wonderful as well.
Our Paella Valenciana arrived somewhere in between the first and second rounds of dishes and was my personal favorite of the night. Kevin and Caitlin had not had paella before, so it was an especially fun and tasty experience.
We did not have enough room for dessert, but that will definitely be next time.
None of the dishes disappointed and that is rare feat for any restaurant. I look forward to returning to San Chez in the relatively near future, as I simply wanted to try everything. I would recommend small groups of 3-5 to dine here as to allow for multiple dishes being ordered but also to have more than just a simple taste. -
Review from Harvey G.
San Pedro, CA
1/20/2011
This has been a "must visit" for my wife, her family, and myself for years. They have been going to San Chez since it opened in 1992 and I have been going since I met her in 1998. It has been a consistent 5 Star and if there was a 6th, it would have gotten it. I moved out of Grand Rapids in 2001, but come back at least once a year and San Chez is usually a meal we look forward to.
Unfortunately, things have changed.
The food is still quite tasty, however, a small bite is all you will get. San Chez has always been a restaurant where you eat for taste and not to get stuffed. This time though, it took 12 tapas for a group of 4 to be satisfied. Over the years, we have seen the A Tun Escabache go from a generous portion (at least 8 oz.) go down to barely 3 oz. While the quantity went down, the quality remained consistent, but the pirce went up the inverse of the quantity. This is true with all the Tapas. 8 Moroccon fired shrimp are now 6, Turkey tenderloin is now 1/2 the size, but the worst is the Chicken and Chorizo. It went from 2 full skewers to none. The chicken had no taste and the chorizo no longer was encased. It tasted aweful, despite the huge amount of mayonaise that was on the plate to mask the poor taste. Pedestrian would be too kind for that dish.
As for service, this is the first time I ever tipped less than 20%. It took forever to get a drink, longer for bread, but the Tapas came out too quick. The whole idea of San Chez is to dine progressively and each dish is like an event. This time, they came out too quick to enjoy them individually and the servers could barely pronounce the spanish names.
Overall, if this is your 1st time to San Chez, you will think it is the greatest restaurant in Grand Rapids. If you have not been here in at least a year, you will realize it is a former shell of itself. -
Review from Garrick G.
Grand Rapids, MI
7/11/2011
Tapas means you pay full entrée price for a plate of food smaller than an appetizer. Each person in your party orders a few things, and it gets passed around community style.
I have heard that the larger your group the better the experience, as more food gets passed around. However there were several items I order but was never able to eat. The waitress placed all food at the same end of the table as they were served, I was on the other. I ended up paying somewhere in the ballpark of $60 to feed other people and I actually left the place hungry.
The food I did taste had that grainy, mealy texture you get when using dry packets or canned ingredients. All the meat was far over cooked and all the portions were literally a bite.
At the end of the night my party had spent well over $300, and I walked out with 6 bites of food in my stomach. If spending WAY too much money on average food makes you feel special and important, this place is for you. However I suggest you eat at an average non-tapas restaurant and leave a $100 tip. You'll have that same smug feeling with the benefit of a meal in your stomach. -
Review from Claire A.
Detroit, MI
6/5/2011
This was my first Tapas experience, and I loved it! However, this is the kind of place you go when you're feeling extravagant/wealthy/indifferent about spending a lot of money, OR, in my case, if you have a gift card! It's really easy - too easy - to spend A LOT of money here. They have approximately 2000 items on their menu (OK maybe not... but it is pretty overwhelming and, for a foodie, how can you be satisfied with just one or two selections?!).
Unfortunately, my favorite plate was a seasonal special, on the Spring Features menu, so hurry up and go go go! It's called Queso Recubierto - breaded goat cheese on top of field greens with orange honey drizzled over the top, mmmm. It was also garnished with "crispy beet straws", which were so cool! I also loved the crawfish dish - it was in a slightly sweet creamy sauce and served with cornbread. Random, but it worked.
The only thing I didn't like at all was the ahi tuna - the herb crust tasted almost grassy and the mango sauce was just kind of weird. -
Review from Rob Y.
Haslett, MI
5/8/2011
The great? Our server, Dani, was very bubbly and personable, competent! The Fiery shrimp were terrific, a very unique taste which my dining companion and I enjoyed very much. (To the person who couldn't find anything interesting.. I say try this). The heat was just right and the combination of spice and a hint of sweet made this one of the best dishes I've ever had.. in Grand Rapids no less... outstanding
the not so great? the bread was kind of dry and almost crumbly. I'd like a little moisture in my bread.. otherwise, it resembles shredded wheat and no one needs that. Also, I don't know if I've ever been to a restaurant where there was no salt and pepper on any table. We also had fried plantains and a little salt would have gone a long way from making a pretty good dish into a fantastic dish. I would have hit is with fresh ground sea salt on the way out the door. Not a lot.. just a bit.
I would easily go back here, cheerfully even. It was so nice to have something new in the midwest. I can overlook the flaws.. just get me to those shrimp again, I can still taste them! -
Review from Jeff T.
1/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
As far as Tapas Restaurants in GR, this place takes the cake. I recently visited GR from Cleveland for my b-day celebration. You see I called GR my home for about 6 years prior to my latest move. San Chez has always been a favorite of mine and the significant others. Its just a unique eat, with a constantly changing menu, but always consistent food quality. It really gives you a chance to try foods outside of your standard realm of taste such as calamari with squid ink, paella, pork belly, etc. Its just amazing how all the flavors blend together.
This most recent trip involved 15 of my closest friends. We probably ordered 3-4 items each and just passed around (recommended method of eating here). We got 2 paellas, one with and one without seafood, but both were delicious. I'm pretty sure we tried at least 40% of the menu and each item was great. The only item that was passed upon by many because of the ingredients, was the calamari with squid ink. I ordered it and actually enjoyed the different flavors. The calamari was lightly breaded, fresh, and just went well with the chorizo, pork belly, and other items on the plate. My friends are just weak when it comes to experimentation, so be brave, be bold, and expand your palate.
San Chez is a great place to bring friends, dates, parents, coworkers, or just to head out for happy hour so you can avoid the traffic. The restaurant is always busy on the weekend but for good reason. The drinks are well put together and the Sangria is a fan favorite; we probably drank 4 pitchers on Saturday night.
I really wish I could remember all the tapas we ate so I could comment on each individually but I would slaughter their spelling and not to mention that there is no guarantee that those same items will be available when / if you go. I can tell you that the lamb skewers with onion were wonderful if your looking for a little heat. The beef tenderloin dish was also worth noting. All in all, every single person that went there, including my 5 star chef friend from the 1913 Restaurant, enjoyed my b-day celebration at San Chez.
I would definitely ignore the 1 star reviews, especially from someone who initially gave them a 5 star. Waitstaff, unfortunately, make mistakes, it happens to the best of them, but to knock the restaurant for those one or two people instead of talking to a manager or leaving feedback via website, that IMO is abusing the system. Do yourself a favor and try San Chez for yourself. -
Review from Elizabeth D.
Columbus, OH
I've been to San Chez quite a few times over the past number of years and have always had memorable meals. The atmosphere is beautiful and the food is stellar. This most recent trip was the same great service and wonderful food.
I would have given them 5 stars, but they are out of things fairly frequently, as I've noticed, and this past time we received very little direction on how many things to order, so we definitely over-ordered. Also, most of the dishes came out quickly and in fast succession, and then a big wait, and then 2 more. By the time the last two came, we were already full!
Regardless, a great place to take a date, or a girl's night, and a fun atmosphere. I can't wait until my next trip! -
Review from Sarah P.
Battle Creek, MI
3/30/2011
I've been to numerous tapas bars/restaurants in my day, so this review is based on my experience with places from NYC, Chicago, and in Europe.
With that said, San Chez has very good, with interestingly paired foods. It is a bit over priced (by even NYC standards) with a lack of Spanish ambiance within the restaurant. I, as well as my friends, did not experience the greatest of service, but it could depend on the waitress we had. She messed up our orders numerous times.
In addition, be aware that if you have a party larger than 3 or 4, and perhaps it is one of your first business meetings with colleagues (and would not like to share the tapas dishes), know that they will all come out sporadically. I don't ever remember experiencing this type of tapas ordering style, as I've usually gone to tapas places with just me and a good friend (and we obviously shared the dishes). -
Review from Leah B.
Chicago, IL
9/13/2010
This place is stuck up with extremely poor service. They were understaffed, extremely rude and the layout was horrible.
I was at a wedding reception for my little brother and his new wife. I was a bridesmaid and when we enter an got seated we went to the bar to get a drink. They would not serve us because we did not have our ids with us. (bridesmaid doesn't usually carry purses). I am 30 yrs. old and everyone at the wedding was over 21. I had family members vouch for my age. Even my mother, who was paying for the night tried to talk to them. There was no reason at all for them to be so strict. They even told us if they saw us with a drink, they would shut down the bar and not serve anyone for the rest of the night. They also threatened to tell our parents if they saw us with a drink. I'm sorry, but I'm 30 years old. Please don't tell on me to my parents.
My boyfriend left during dinner and went and got our ids from the hotel. When he came back the rude manager came up and asked to see our ids. We handed them over, and as we did, my aunt said that the manger should apologize to us for her rude manner. (they treated us like criminals/ teenage little punks.) The manager then proceeded to yell at my aunt until my aunt said that she should walk away.
This incident ruined the good mood and night everyone was in. It was uncalled for and unprofessional. I suggest to everyone not to have a party here. My mom was even carded...
I have never been treated so poorly by an establishment at a party where we spent thousands of dollars on food and drinks. if I could rate them with no stars I would!! -
Review from Tyler D.
Grand Rapids, MI
3/8/2011
Love this place's food, as well as the atmosphere and location. The bistro for lunch is my usual stop as I work above it at the Factory. Food is great, staff is friendly. The quinoa Falafel is not to be missed.
Serious lack of veg options, which is the only reason I would give them 4 instead of 5 stars.
For cyclists, there is a rack out back to lock to, which is great, but it would be much better in front of the store where thieves might be less inclined to hit it because of the traffic on Fulton. (Not that I've lost a bike there, just an observation.) -
Review from Michael G.
Grand Rapids, MI
4/2/2011
For what it is worth, I am not the most familiar with Tapas or Spanish food in general. That being said, I know good food and my wife and I both thoroughly enjoyed eating at San Chez.
We shared the Gazpacho, Albondigas, Cangrejo Del Rio, and the Vieras y las Cosas. Every dish was very good, with the exception of the last, which we both found to be a tad bit too salty with the pork belly and scallops, although using a bit of bread with it made it quite delectable. The Cangrejo del Rio was, simply put, exceptional and unusual, with "Wild caught crawfish, anise mustard cream, roasted red peppers, Manchego Serrano croquette". Even our jaded, post Moto, Alinea, L'Astrance palates were surprised and delighted by the unusual mix of flavors. Our favorite dish was the Albondigas, "Moroccan lamb, beef & chorizo meatballs, artichokes, roasted vegetables" --those meatballs were inspired and inspiring.
I had a red Sangria, my wife a non-alcoholic sangria. They were both good. We each got a dessert, and if the desserts had been better I would have given this restaurant five stars. However, while they were unique and had some good flavor combinations they did not seem as well thought out as the savory dishes. Furthermore, the desserts were overly heavy. (The desserts we had were the Crema Catalana, which I found to be too sweet--and I am a sugar whore! My wife's Tarta Blanca Con Tres Leches was also too sweet but I guess that is how that dessert is supposed to be.)
Service was fine though we were there for lunch on a Saturday and there were few others dining then. -
Review from Amanda B.
Traverse City, MI
3/27/2011
I've had a few different experiences with places that serve "small plates" or tapas, but this was by far one of the best.
Our server was very knowledgeable about all of the dishes as well as the different wines they offered.
The menu was creative and very diverse- there's something for everyone. It was interesting to see the titles of all the dishes in Spanish, even if my Spanish is a little rusty.
Every dish I had was delicious and the timing between the dishes was perfect.
The only thing I was a little disappointed with was that the wine flights were set, so I couldn't choose the wines I wanted, but I understand the reasons behind doing it that way: easier for the servers to remember, and one set price.
All in all, it was a great experience and I will be going back. -
Review from Yolanda B.
Chula Vista, CA
4/28/2010 1 Check-in Here
Cool place to visit when new in town. Our cousin took us here for our last night in Michigan and we had a really good time.
The restaurant is pretty large with an upstairs area in addition to the regular floor seating. There is a bar and an open kitchen setting.
These weren't the regular Spanish tapas I'm used to having but they were still good and flavorful with a really large selection on the menu.
The Sangria was also pretty good but the pitchers we ordered didn't seem to have a lot of alcohol, so I don't have a buzz meter to share. -
Review from Tara B.
Caspar, CA
11/4/2009
A long overdue review. We went to San Chez on our 4 year anniversary last year based on multiple recommendations from friends. Never again. I was excited because San Chez features a vegan menu, so I thought we'd be getting some damn fine cuisine.
The first two plates were fine. A little on the oily side, but still tasty. The third plate rolled out, artichoke hearts with aoli, and I said to L "That looks like real mayonnaise." He, not believing such an item would be listed on a VEGAN menu, took a bite. It was, indeed, real mayonnaise. Needless to say, we were pissed, so we sent that plate and the remaining plates back and asked for the check.
The chef, who we could see from our seats, was pretty unapologetic (he said something to the tune of "Oh, you're right." when we pointed out mayo's un veganness). We then watched him yell at our poor server. She was nice enough, but only offered us a couple $5 coupons for our next visit. Nothing was offered to be comped, and it didn't really seem to be a concern to anyone that their vegan menu, wasn't.
What next visit? If you're a vegan, I'd steer clear of San Chez, unless you want to scrutinize and question every plate that comes out of the kitchen. -
Review from Justin M.
Saginaw, MI
6/23/2011
This is one of my favorite restaurants, but I am a bit biased as my wife and I went on one of our first dates here. They have a great selection of topaz, and the services is always great. The atmosphere is pretty nice, although a bit loud. They have a good selection of beer and wine. If you go you have to try the caso de frito azul (Blue Cheese Fritters) they are fantastic. The prices are suprisingly good for the quality of the food.
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Review from Bacon B.
7/31/2008
Oh, San Chez. You make me feel like the prettiest boy in the world...or at least the most satisfied one. Today I was loathing living in the Valley of the Sun for its near lack of tapas restaurants when I thought of you, me dear dear San Chez and I smiled.
This is quite possibly my favorite tapas place I've ever been to. Everything about it makes me happy. The restaurant is large enough that it can handle the crowds, the waitstaff is attentive and knowledgeable, to drinks are poured at a great strength and the food is spot on. Although it's been a while since I was last there, I fondly remember San Chez and hope I can persuade them to open a location in CenPho.
Another awesome thing about San Chez is their cookbook. I now can attempt to recreate my wonderful dining experience at home. -
Review from Kyla M.
Comstock Park, MI
2/15/2011
This is my favorite restaurant! Awesome atmosphere, great service and amazing tapas! The Tapas are fun to try and the experience is like no other. If you are a chicken tender and fries kind of person you may not like this but if you are daring and willing to try new things you will love it! As for the price, I personally think it is worth every penny.
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Review from Kelly B.
2/28/2010 2 photos
I visited San Chez for the first time (finally!) today. I went for brunch, and we dined in the cafe. I loved the decor. The bright colors and hanging lamps gave it a beautiful exotic look. There is a lot of natural lighting, leaving a very bright and fresh feeling.
As for the food, there was so much I wanted to try! It was a really difficult decision to make! Even worse, it was less expensive than I was expecting, which didn't help my chronic indecisiveness.
I ended up with the cinnamon french toast and home fries, with an organic chai latte. Wow! The cinnamon french toast was made from baguette, and was served in a griddle. It was reminiscent of bread pudding (true story!). Fantastic. My only gripe is that I would have liked more syrup, because some parts were saturated and others were dry. The home fries were seasoned to delicious perfection, and the chai latte was fabulous.
On our next adventure, I'll be trying the black bean falafel! :-)Listed in: GR Musts!
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Review from Jake F.
Grand Rapids, MI
3/28/2009
The 'Atun del Limon' was one of the most delicious and interesting platters I've ever had. Served on a warm bed of sautéed spinach, the cold and slightly seared tuna in combination with the lemon juice, olive oil, and spinach was an incredible experience. It was quite tiny for the price, especially if you're sharing with another person, but well worth it.
The atmosphere is enjoyable, I prefer to sit upstairs. It's the perfect place to order portions of a meal slowly and enjoy the evening. This was one of the most interesting dining experiences I've ever enjoyed. I would certainly recommend it to anyone. -
Review from Meghan B.
Bloomington, IL
6/3/2008
Awesome food, great atmosphere, friendly service, reasonable prices, and real chefs lurking around.
We like it so much, we're getting married there in a few months. And they've been great with THAT as well.
Here are the vegetarian foods that make my head spin:
empanadas de patatas
fritos de queso azul (these are the "crack bombs that Matt R references, and I concur)
fritos de arros
fattouch (salad)
esparragos en salsa romesco
patatas bravas con alioli
...that goat cheese thing with toasts
...and just about everything else -
Review from mimi x.
Winston-Salem, NC
12/6/2006
MMMMM!!!!! I've had most (if not all) of the vegetarian tapas on the menu and I have yet to find something I didn't really, really love...
I look at my mother's yucca plant in the living room sometimes and I wonder if I can just tear it down and cook it up.Listed in: Best Places Ever
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Review from Karen S.
Woodridge, IL
9/25/2011
I'm sorry to say my third experience was anything but stellar. While I understand the wait in line to be seated (30 minutes), an excess of 40 minutes to be served food - is, um, ridiculous. Especially when the breakfast crowd was lessening and open seating was available. I think management needs to take note - don't seat people if you have no intention of serving them! We got our drinks - but never saw our waitress again for over a half an hour. I watched food sit under the warming lamps for over 10 minutes. I think the entire staff took a group break. We left paying for our morning joe and disgruntled - obviously waitress didn't care nor the management. I wish they would get it together - food is tasty when they can dish it out!
