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Categories: Spanish, Tapas Bars
Neighborhood: BelltownMon-Sun. 11:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
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I liked Cascadia but I LOVE Taberna.
Happy Hour runs from 4-7 and its 50% OFF tapas and 50% OFF pitchers and glasses of sangria. They have changed their tapas menu since I had been there a few months ago - they have added some great stuff. (Note: their menu on line, is different than the menu in the restaurant.)
What I had:
Jamon Serrano on tomato rubbed bread (perfect amount of jamon and the bread was crunchy, but still easy to eat)
Tortilla Espanola (two huge pieces, served warm - reminded me of Spain)
Pork Loin (possibly my favorite thing I've ever eaten there - tender delicious pork served on crunchy bread)
Lamb Slider with french fries (this burger was so moist and the Spanish goat cheese on top went perfectly, I could have eaten ten)
Sangria (most authentic tasting sangria I've had since Ive been back from Spain)
Great service, they are always so friendly - this time they were much more attentive than the last time I was there. All in all, it was a great happy hour experience - a must have on your happy hour list.
Hmm, I think I missed something. I was expecting grand things here and maybe my expectations were too high?
I came here early with a friend and while there were plenty of people in the lounge area, we were the only people sitting in the dining room. The staff was with us quickly and we received a free nibble, which was some sort of potato and egg mixture that was great! We ordered our pitcher of sangria and quickly decided on the stuffed pepper appetizer and a paella.
The peppers and the sangria were both tasty but we were anxiously awaiting the paella. I think we were stuttering because we were only focused on the paella.
It was served with a flourish and divied up amongst us. We dug in and found it....just okay. I guess we were thinking there would be a bit more seafood and less of everything else? I'm not sure but I could tell she was thinking the same as I, okay and maybe even a little disappointing?
One of my buddies had raved about it before but my friend and I we were both thinking, maybe we should have just done tapas and a pitcher?
We had reservations for 7:30 on a recent Saturday evening. Arrived early but was seated right away by a charming host.
The service was very good throughout the evening - present and helpful but not overbearing. We started with two appetizers. The first appetizer was the sampler, which is plenty for two. The sampler was comprised of three separate plates (mini-tapas): Iberico ham croquettes; traditional potato omelet; fried marinated fish - cadiz style. I would highly recommend the croquettes and the omelet. The fish was not that memorable.
Our second appetizer was by far the best dish we had that evening: roasted piquillo peppers in virgin olive oil and rock salt (Pimientos del Piquillo Asados). Four delicate red peppers were stuffed with a wonderful filling - a creamy spinach-cheese type mixture - drizzled with olive oil and a sprinkle of rock salt. Each bite was a pleasure.
For the main course, we ordered the mixed paella with saffron rice, chicken, fish and vegetables and the fish and shellfish in white wine sauce. The rice was cooked perfectly, fluffy yet with texture and very flavorful without being salty. The shellfish was succulent and very fresh. Each person got 2 mussels, 2 clams, 2 prawns along with the rice, chunks of fish, chicken and vegetables.
The fish and shellfish in white wine sauce was done well with large, fresh sampling of fish and shellfish. The sauce made a terrific dipping sauce for bread.
Our dessert (fresh fruit with a pineapple and strawberry veil and the apple tart with cinnamon ice cream - both good but nothing to write home about) and coffee was followed by a plate of complimentary cookies and truffles (these were phenomenal - dark chocolate truffles dusted with cocoa powder).
The staff truly do a wonderful job of bringing a taste of Spain to Seattle. We will definitely be returning to Taberna and next time we are definitely ordering the Jamon Iberico de Bellota (thinly sliced Iberico ham served with a pile of olives) and of course, the Pimientos del Piquillo! Esta riquisima!
Seattle has a lot of restaurants, and you can choose any number of cuisines, but I would argue that there aren't enough Spanish restaurants, especially after the wonderful meal I indulged in at Taberna del Alabardero recently. I didn't really know exactly what to expect, to be honest, as my knowledge of Spanish cuisine is confined to a foggy idea of different kinds of tapas, and paella of course. Taberna del Alabardero occupies the space that was once Cascadia, and is easy enough to walk past on a dark Seattle night (I know I sure did), but once you go inside, you feel like you are in the process of making a series of good life choices. The host was warm and inviting, the lighting is low, the staff are numerous, friendly, and helpful without being too chatty. The food! oh, the food. We had a couple of tapas items--the serrano ham on tomato-rubbed toast was seriously amazing. The light freshness of tomato on the toast was perfect. We also had their chorizo, which was fried up and served hot on a tiny cast iron pan (what's cuter than that?). It was so good, we unashamedly sopped up the liquid fat from the chorizo with our bread and gobbled that up as well. Despite the fact that I had read about the paella being good, I wanted to try something different, so I ordered the duck. The duck was cooked to perfection, and it kind of made me swoon when our waiter set it in front of me. It was served on top of a poached/slightly caramelized apple, with a wine reduction drizzled lightly over the plate. Every bite caused me to dissolve into raptures and abundant praise. I am pretty sure that, at that moment, had the chef come out and proposed marriage, I would have accepted without hesitation. That is how good this duck was. My friend's chicken was served atop a bed of spinach, and was flavorful and THE most moist chicken I have ever had. I had one bite, and would seriously consider ordering it some day when I get over how good the duck is. In addition to our lovely meal, we each drank a glass of sangria (YUM!) and tried a glass of wine. I love wine, and haven't had nearly enough Spanish wine, so I felt like this was a good place to start. Our waiter was kind enough to recommend some wines he thought we would enjoy, and they both turned out to be just what we wanted. After dinner, we shared a cheese tray (with quince paste!), and a vanilla bean creme brulee with raspberry coulis. The creme brulee was awesome--it was on the large side, served atop a thin shortbread cookie instead of inside a rammekin (I have never seen this before, it was pretty cool). The raspberry complemented it very well. We were so stuffed by this point that we couldn't finish all of our cheese, and I sadly don't remember what they were except that two were sheep's milk cheese and all three were delicious. I have heard about their sweet happy hour deal, and I look forward to my next opportunity to dine at Taberna del Alabardero.
By far one of the best happy hours in Seattle. Until 7PM at the bar, pitchers of strong and delicious sangria are half price ($14). And the tapas menu (not the full restaurant menu, but a great selection of items) are all 50% off making them just $2-3 each (you can order one of every item for $20).
The food is creative and delicious, and the portions are reasonable. Our favorite items were the tomato soup and potato pie with chorizo. There was only one item we didn't like which was the salmon tartare with mango (it was just smoked salmon on bread, not tartare, and it was way too fishy).
Even better, the restaurant has an unobstructed view of the sound. Since the bar is at the front, you get the view at these amazing prices as well.
Enjoy!
Haven't been for dinner but Happy Hour was awesome!
This isn't your typical American tapas place. Happy Hour here was like being back on vacation in the south of Spain. So traditional and authentic. Will share with many friends, for sure!
Originally planned to eat here this past v-day... they had suckling pig on the menu! But no available reservations :-(
So my wife and I ate there a few weeks later. It was packed and showed up with no reservations so we stuck to the tapas menu at the bar. Excellent food!!! Excellent drinks. Really friendly and attentive staff.
Passed by again this weekend and again enjoyed the tapas menu. During happy hour their menu is awesome. Three people, 6 tapas, 1 dessert, 1 coffee, 1 pitcher of sangria.... $61 with tax.
Planning on getting a group together to enjoy an order of suckling... needs to be at least 8-10 people. Hint Hint fellow yelpers :-)
For a long overdue ladies dinner I met 3 friends at this fine establishment. Apparently, the one who suggested it had to be dragged in after viewing the white table clothes. Yes, it is fancy. They poured every glass of sangria from the pitcher for us like we all suffered from dual broken arms. But for happy hour, it also is inexpensive and still excellent so enter without fear!
The dishes are divine. Little tapas come out as decadent bites to share. Caramelized goat cheese, delicate kabobs, and thin slices of salmon make for a seemingly decadent dinner of tiny plates.
The only negative? The seamless service was occasionally rudely punctuated by the fact the Spanish waiter could simply not hear my friend. She is not soft-spoken. But every time she asked for a pitcher of sangria or a refill of water it fell on deaf ears? Very peculiar.
We felt lavish, and only spent about $14 a piece. Ah, happiness! Sangria will do that to you. And good friends. Indulge in both at this lovely establishment.
We stopped for lunch and were pleasantly surprised. Excellent food, good service and even splurged on dessert (see photo that I posted). The olives are excellent and we had a cucumber gazpacho that was superb. I can't remember what is was called, but there's a grilled goat cheese toast w/ caramelized onion and tomato marmalade that is to die for!
I would go back!
Went back again for happy hour and just LOVED the food and the Sangria. So this has to be the best happy hour in Belltown I think. All the tapas plates are 50% off and so is the Sangria by the glass or by the pitcher. The pitcher only comes to $14 at the happy hour price and you really can't beat the deal.
We had some different tapas plates this time on our visit and my favorite was the tomato, goat cheese, will grilled onions on top of toast. I also loved the chorizo chicken skewers!
We sat at the bar and even though the bar area was packed, we received great service! It also seems that they extended their happy hour time until 7PM. Score! You must come here during happy hour!
Just amazing. I was here a few weeks back with my friends for happy hour. The happy hour food… Read more »
This review is for their happy hour only.
Half Price Sangria and Tapas from 5-7.
It's pretty nice inside too.
Sangria is great and comes out to $14 a pitchers during HH. All the Tapas are $3-$4 during happy hour- and most of them we ordered were very tasty.
The best thing by far was the goat cheese, tomato marmalade, and onion confit toast. It is absolutely delicious and a steal at $3 during HH. Fish cake was weird- but tasty. Chicken and Chorizo skewers were good- but a little dry. The Serrano and Tomato on bread was also very good. Salmon tartare was very strange- not sure I'd call it a tartare- it was almost see through and completely dried- kinda like salmon jerky.
Bartender was very nice- allowing me to sample some beers and bourbon before making my selection.
They have free olives behind the bar upon request that are EXCELLENT.
5 stars for value, food, location and service. I Will be back for another HH soon.
Came here for the 3 for 30 dining promotion with the boy. I really don't know much about Spanish cuisine, so I was looking forward to learning about and experiencing something different. Overall, fantastic experience.
The restaurant itself is in a gorgeous space - I love the giant floor to ceiling windows, the window in the back looking into the kitchen, and the random Spanish scarves thrown all over the place. Also, I sat on an pillow with an elephant on it. On the downside, the decoration feels somewhat stuffy to me. Some of the elements seem so disjointed - various hats! Guidebooks! Wine bottles! Scarves! It feels a bit like they raided some grandmother's collection for "Spanish decorations" and put it all up rather than go for a cohesive look. That being said, overall it does feel very traditionally elegant restaurant and would be a great choice for the silver haired ones in your life.
As for the food? Well, yum. Yum yum yum. Salty and cheesy and wonderful contrasts of textures - good stuff. Plus, for the prices portions are pretty generous. This isn't like some restaurants where your main course comes out with three scallops. Oh no. Full bowl of soup, full plate of paella, AND a full dessert. It was all we could do to walk from the restaurant to Pike/Pine where we needed to catch our bus.
Not knowing anything about Spanish wine, we put ourselves into the wine steward's capable hands for suggestions. No idea what it was that we drank, but it was good!
Started with:
Tapas plate for me - a little salad, a decent but not fantastic potato filled egg tart thing (like a quiche, but thicker), calamari that could have used something to dip it into, and the winner of the night - heavenly ham & cheese croquettes. Couldn't finish it all, but so worth trying.
Vegetable stew for him - spring veggies in broth with a little bit of ham. Dunno why it was labeled stew. Also, Vegetarians, make sure to read the menu closely - the ham was only mentioned in the description, not the name. Very tricksy.
Main course - Mixta paella. We had to share this, as you can't order it for one. Sad, especially as there was a guy dining alone at the table next to ours who came specifically for the paella and couldn't order it. I fully expected the paella to be great, and it was. They're also very generous with the shrimp, so if you're like me and you don't eat shrimp because they look like little baby aliens, now you're warned.
Dessert - I had the Catalan Creme. The boy had White Chocolate Soup. I won the awesome dessert contest - his was odd, like slightly sweet milk. Mine was like creme brulee, only slightly softer. Win.
Overall, not sure that I'd go for a regular dinner without the 3-for-30 thing going on, but I'd totally go back for Happy Hour with just one or two close friends. Not so sure that it would be good for a large, loud crowd.
I've been here twice for lunch. The first time my entire party ordered separate entrees, the second time we decided to go specifically for the paella, which has a 2 person minimum order and takes around 25 minutes to prepare.
We were on lunch break from work (7 in total), and some of us don't have flexible scheduling. So I arrived at the 11:30 am opening to place the order in advance. I did mention that I was early so as to place the order. After being seated and reviewing the menu, I placed the order - probably right around 11:35. The rest of my party started arriving around 11:45 to 11:50. Once we were all seated a second waiter (not the one who took my order) stopped by to CONFIRM our order. We did confirm, and I also mentioned that I had ordered early specifically to have it ready before noon. Well, the paella finally arrived at about 12:20, so clearly they did not start preparing it until the entire party was seated and the order confirmed. This gave those with an unflexible schedule about 15 minutes to eat and run. So, needless to say, this was a blight on the whole experience.
That being said...the food here is just wonderful. When you arrive you are given a little relish plate with assorted pickled olives, pearl onions, garlic and citrus - all of which are quite tasty. The bread basket includes both a wheat and a white bread of excellent quality. And the entrees are something else. The ingredients are fresh and hearty and they don't skimp on meat or seafood - you will not leave hungry or unfulfilled. Also the paella was pronounced very authentic by a friend who spent time in Spain.
In the future, I will go again, but only if I'm not in a hurry as leisurely is the about the fastest pace here. But I WILL GO again because the food is just worth it.
I want to go to Spain! Taberna del Alaberdero reminds me why I love Spanish food and is the closest thing to Spain I have come across outside of Spain.
The inside of the restaurant is airy and nice, with an interesting view window into the kitchen. The staff all speak Spanish, some of them even with Castillan pronounciation, and are friendly and helpful.
But what makes this a fantastic restaurant is the food. Cured ham (jamon iberico) cut straight off the pig leg, spanish tortilla that is both firm and moist at the same time, queso manchego served the way it should and soft bread the way the Spanish make it.
I'm going back. Soon.
Great traditional Spanish food in the heart of Belltown. Excellent customer service....it might still be an acquired taste for seattle...but i like the gazpacho drinks...sweetbreads is very tasty and excellent Spanish wine selection. One of my favorite places.
I can see why this place is so popular for happy hour: nice tapas selection, cheap but delicious sangria, a lively atmosphere (including fun outdoor seating). i'd give it four stars if it weren't for the abysmal service. There are a bunch of waiters milling around, but that's all they seem to be doing. hello?! our sangria pitcher needs some refilling!! The food is good for the most part, but there are some items on the menu that aren't as appetizing as they should be. Hits: Patatas Bravas, definitely my favorite tapas on the menu. the potatoes were cooked perfectly (crisp on the outside, soft and creamy inside), and the spicy sauce was delicious and flavorful. also, the huevos rotos con virutas de Iberico. what's not to like about eggs and ham over fries? it was like carbonara except more decadent. then, of course, the Serrano ham and Manchego plate. I'd like it even more if it were served with membrillo paste, but oh well. Misses: the chorizo, which tasted like glorified vienna sausages. they had that mushy hot dog-like texture, and the seasoning was lacking. The gambas al ajillo were also not as flavorful as I've had elsewhere. Good, not great.
I'll probably be back for the yummy sangria (red) and the spicy potatoes, but won't bother if the place is packed.
Iberico ham and foie gras on toast! Buttery, salty deliciousness; heaven in your mouth. Paired with a fruity light sangria and you have a recipe for happiness.
I have purveyed the tapas menu and declared this restaurant a success. The next best thing, broken egg and ham on french fries. Seriously, these are amazing french fries. The tortillas are classically prepared, and remind me of travels to Madrid. The stuffed squid in its own ink is another savory delight. I am still fantasizing about the shrimp in garlic, the kitchen thrives on delivering simple, clean and classic bites.
Not recommended for strict vegetarians (pescatarians you are safe). Also, there are about 100 people on the wait staff, but service fluctuates, as no one staff person takes initiative to check on your table, but catching an eye can usually happen pretty quickly.
The makings of a great tapas joint are in place: adorable staff with Spanish accents, good sangria, delicious plates of olives, eggy fries with pancetta, sweet bread and red peppers with cheese. And a killer happy hour - affordable for anyone.
But the venue is so large and cavernous; it detracts from the charm. And Belltown is simply not the most attractive neighborhood to want to linger and enjoy the city.
So, enjoy the comforts if you're in the area, it certainly is deserving of a try, but for me, it won't be a destination when there are other options in a variety of alternate locations.
When it comes to Tapas I have to admit my views are colored by Cafe Iberico in Chicago. I was craving chorizo and patatas bravas so convinced the hub we should do tapas on sat night. First of all they dont seat you forever! Takes a waiter almost 7-10 mins to come over.... until then you are standing there feelin awkward.
Finally got a place to sit at the bar.... facing the water ( we are new to Seattle so the water view is a big deal)
I ordered the white sangria which was too sweet for my liking... the hub got a glass of a spanish white. We then ordered the croquettes (yum!) the shrimp and octopus (ok) the meatballs (decent) and the ham and cheese plate (ok)
Where were the patatas bravas? The omlettes?The chorizo? To add insult to injury we werent even given a dinner menu... or told there was one.
Not impressed at all.
Some friends and I stopped in for a recent happy hour, armed with Yelp knowledge and ready for sangria and tapas. We found the sangria to be just so-so - rather weak with just a few sad pieces of fruit floating 'round the bottom of the pitcher. While the tapas were fine, they were worth only the half price paid during happy hour . Ocho in Ballard is far superior.
Oh, we sat at the bar and our bartender was very helpful, quite fun, and attentive.
Went with 4 other girlfriends last night and were treated like royalty. Great prawn paella & sangria aside, the staff there knows how to make a girl feel special! We'll definitely be back.
Muy Bueno mi amigo Taberna del Alabardero
I've been wanting to stop in for awhile now.
We stopped in for happy hour (from 4pm-7pm) and were greeted by a
friendly staff and very competent bartender, Michael.
He made several great recommendations and we decided on:
-Pitcher of Sangria (White)
-Tostada de Pimiento (red pepper and roncal cheese bruschetta)
-Octopus & King Prawn Brochette
-Potato omelette with chorizo (kind of quiche like and cold)
-Artichoke & clam casserole (clams and artichoke hearts in broth)
and 2 orders of Huevos Rotos con Virutas de Iberico (Broken fried eggs over french fries with Iberico ham shavings)
$53.00 later we were stuffed from our carb heavy experience, they bring you delicious Macrina bread and olives to start. My belly feels full of potatoes, bread, and wine.
Oh I almost forgot dessert !!! Yes, we little piggies had to gorge ourselves. We had to try the crepes with custard and orange caramel sauce. Yum.
I can't wait to try their paella's. If they are anything like what I experienced this evening then Seré muy feliz y gordo.
Sangria was weak...I almost drank the whole pitcher and barely got a buzz. The inside feels sterile. Food wasn't doing it for this homeboy. Maybe tapas isn't for me. The bartender was very nice though...but watch out for the ice queen at the door.
The only negative I can come up with in regard to this great new find is the regret I now have of wasting money at lesser establishments over the last two months.
On a whim dropped into Tabema del Alabardero just for some tapas and a drink or two as wasnt' ready for a full on dinner experience....I won't regret this call but will soon be back to get "the full meal deal".
That noted, we sat in a quiet part of the bar (that's right, I said a quiet spot in a Belltown Bar) and then great things started to happen. The bartender came over and set the tone for our soon to be fantastic evening. He made a point that we were going to have to "strategize" and "take some time" with the menu. He brought over some sangria and then recommended a fantastic spanish red as well.
We had a great time with the tapas...they are beautiful in presentation and complete with fantastic flavor...from oysters to cod to scallops (hmmm..maybe will have to branch away from the seafood next time) every dish we tried was too pretty to eat, but highly satisfying when we did.
After asking another server to give us a better feel for the lunch and dinner menus (another great and personalized conversation) he tempted us with dessert. If you eat here, and don't try dessert....I am sad for you.
At any rate, the desserts were amazing. We tried the flan and a to die for white chocolate mousse. The flan was very good...the white chocolate artistry will leave an impression for some time.
At any rate, if you are in the mood for great service, great food, relaxing atmosphere and a restaurant that will leave you wanting for more...this is a great choice.
Psst hey you!! Yah you, come over here. Do you like authentic Spanish cuisine?? Do you like the hour of happy? Well if you answered yes to both questions then you have to go to Taberna del Alabardero ASAP. As M'lady says this Seattle location is one of only two locations in the whole US of A. And at their other location in DC there is usually a 45 minute wait for their hour of happy. As we all know if people are willing to wait that long then it has to be worth it. And believe me it is!!! Because during HH their entire tapas menu is half off!!!
Let's start with their sangria which is normally $30 dollars a pitcher. But during their hour of happy it's only $15 dollars a pitcher and if you split it between two parties its only $7.50 a couple. So as you can see from the math it's definitely a happy hour option!
I would also recommend their Huevos Rotos("broken" fried eggs over French fries with Iberico ham shavings) which only cost $5 dollars. Then add in at least four orders of the Frito de Mejillones(Fried Stuffed Mussels Shells) which is only $10 dollars($2.50*4). Plus don't forget to top it off with a Serrano Ham Plate for only $7 dollars. So if you been adding this all up you're only at $29.50!!! So during this penny pitching times Taberna del Alabardero is a sure winner in anyone's book!!
So go now while you can because once everyone else figures this place out it will be too late!!
Saludo!!
* Here's their hour of happy menu-http://www.alabardero....
Enjoyable, but I'd only go for happy hour when the prices are cheap. We came for tapas on a drizzly night. The old cascadia space has been punched up with a coat of saffron paint and sprinkling of four tops throughout the large space. Ushered to our table by some very attractive staff, our table ordered a heavily fruited sangria pitcher and a big Voss bottle. The waiter (also the restaurant manager) was convivial, chatting us up and speaking in Spanish with my dining companion. Hailing from Madrid, he spoke freely about his passion for food and their menu options. The sommelier, clad in a knee-length black, leather apron, came around a few times to schmooze us up, which was sweet.
The tortilla espanola tradicional was served chilled and had the perfect texture, a gentle give to the teeth. The dish was served bland, thin potato slices married to a loose egg base, but it worked. For a little more pizzazz, we also ordered the olive, gherkin and anchovy brochette. A skewer with plump olive, pickled gherkin, and a languid white anchovy. These anchovies were spectacular, fleshy and packed with flavor. My other favorite was the king prawn brochette, a huge skewered taste of satisfaction.
Other reviewers raved about the simplicity of these dishes. I found that some of these flavors were lackluster, like the tostada de jamon Serrano a la catalana, toast with ripe tomato and a curl of Serrano ham. Granted, Spain isn't known for buttery baguettes like France, but this unimpressive bread had poor texture and a stale crust on some slices. And the tostada, which can usually satisfy all palates through the interplay of a sweet, ripe tomato and salty Serrano ham, was largely flavorless. Ham is ham, but Serrano ham? Well that should be held up to a higher standard.
In face, the tastes sometimes fought against one another, like in the stuffed, fried mussels. I didn't eat many but what I did consume lay in my belly like a lead weight. The mucky stuffing and greasy breading pulled the dish down. And our dessert of rice pudding was way heavy on the citrus.
If I go again, I'll err on the wild side and try the more adventurous dishes like pigs feet and broken fried eggs.
Oh man i really wanted to like this place. I may have had a bad night here since it was for valentines day dinner... so a set menu w/ mass production... but the food was really bad. I hate to say it. Possible that it was still rather new and figuring things out. Very nice people working here tho... pretty restaurant. Need to give it a try for HH.
Oh, Cascadia... thank you for leaving such a lovely spot for Taberna del Alabardero to move right in and provide us Seattleites with excellent authentic Spanish cuisine right in the smack dab middle of Belltown.
Wait... did I say authentic Spanish cuisine? Why yes, yes I did.
So here's the deal. This location is one of two restaurants in the US owned by this Spanish company, who happens to have several (8 or so) high end Spanish restaurants throughout, you guessed it, Spain. This is one of their two restaurants in the US, the other being in DC.
Not in NYC. Not in SF. Only in Seattle... and only in DC.
Feel special? You should. I know I do.
The service is spot on and the food is exquisite.
Their happy hour runs from 3-6PM in the bar and offers up 1/2 off their entire Tapas menu and pitchers of Sangria, which is delicious btw. This is now probably my favorite happy hour in Seattle, with Barolo being a very close second.
We ordered several things this afternoon. Plates range from $3- 15 depending on the plate, but keep in mind that those are the prices before they split the bill. We had a pitcher of Sangria, fried mussels (my fav), the prawn and scallop croquette, the mixta salad, a jamon plate- with what we were told by our waiter was 'very expensive jamon, so you will enjoy it', squid in ink, and frites with jamon and a fried egg on top. Everything was absolutely delicious and when all was said and done, it set us back only $30 before tip. I can't wait to try dinner.
This, and the service was excellent. We sat, talked, ate, drank, and reordered for a good hour and a half and I don't think the staff would have had it any other way. That is, afterall, how they do it in Spain.
The space has only been slightly renovated since Cascadia and that's just fine by me. It was a good lookin' space to start with and I'm sure it's new inhabitants will enjoy it like I have in the past.
Now if they'd only add some cheap 'build it yourself' sliders to the menu, we'd totally be in business...
Kidding.
Hands down the best Sangria in town. A pitcher costs $25, but we got nearly 8 glasses out of the thing.
The Paella was tasty as were almost all the tapas we tried. I would avoid the tapas titled "Squid in it's own ink" -- basically a black black of blandness which should be avoided at all costs.
Yo me gusta sangria de Taberna del Alabaredo mucho! purrrr..
I have been chompin at the bits to try this place and I finally got my chance. Of course, we dive head first into a pitcher of sagria. Oh the bliss of this delicious beautiful red (almost sparkly) liquid.
Here's what I thought of the other platos we ordered:
- Frech Fries w/ eggs & ham; I salivate just thinking of it. -- well played, well played
- Ham Croquettes; meh. deep fried balls and a hint of ham flavor.
- Potato Omelet ; hmm... good not great
- Chicken Bon Bon; Shake your bon bon for chicken bon bon, damn good.
- Lobster Paella; $30 per person...a little steep but delicious w/ actual lobster tail in each serving
All in all - give it a try. The delicious red juice alone will you happy
Me and some friends went here on a random Friday night to sit at the bar for some drinks and small plates. First, our waiter Michael was the best! He was on top of things, gave us generous pours and recommended drinks and even let us sample a few. Second, the food...we did only dine from the Tapas Menu so no opinon on the full dinner menu. If you like serrano ham, I recommend the Tostada de Jamón Serrano a la Catalana. However, the Bacalao Rebozado con Piquillo was meh. The tapas menu was a tad short, but then again, this is a Spanish restaurant and not a Spanish tapas bar. The tapas menu items also seemed to be, what's the word, fancy? It just didn't pull it off in the taste department. Everything we ordered was more or less okay.
So, why 4 stars? Well, as stated earlier, the bartender was awesome. And the ambiance was nice. It works for a small group of friends such as I was in or a date. I probably won't eat an official dinner here, but I'm definitely planning on going back for lots of drinks and a few small plates.
Attention Seattlites: Spanish food has arrived in Seattle!
I lived in Spain and I am definitely a purist when it comes to Spanish food. This is hands-down the best Spanish food I have had outside of Spain. The paella is fantastic, the tapas are authentic and the sangria takes me back to summer nights along the Mediterranean.
The only thing better than their edibles is their service. We went on New Year's Eve. They were busy yet they made us feel like the only two people in the restaurant. The attention to detail, politeness and willing to accomodate did not go unnoticed. In fact, we've already been back! (And they remembered us!)
There's a running joke that everyone needs one black friend, and it was with my buddy Chris that we happened upon this restaurant while cruising for a spot to eat in Belltown. Not that him being black has anything to do with it, but I'm sure he'll find it funny if he reads this.
Here's what we had:
French Fries topped with fried eggs and bacon: WOW! French fries, bacon...egg? It's like IHOP had sex with In-n-Out.
Chicken bon bon: Basically fried chicken wings with the meat pushed up the bone.
Garlic Shrimp: Just like it sounds
Crispy Suckling Pig: Okay, I was actually expecting a whole baby pig brought on a spit across my table. Pure gluttony at it's finest. The plate arrived as an unimpressive display of pork on a plate, but damn it was good. Not sure if my friend appreciates greasy pig as much as I do - but it was good good good. Small portions and expensive for 8 bites of pork, but oh well - business trip.
As a grand finale I had something called chocolate soup - which I thought was a fancy way of describing chocolate milk. I can't say it was anything special, but I have a major sweet tooth so the concoction of which liquid chocolate, strawberries, and I think ice cream was the perfect way to end the meal.
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I was disappointed. The food was just not that good. There were a lot of prosciutto bits on things I ordered. They were tough and rubbery. I was turned off by the Paella because it was so greasy and all the chicken was dry. I really wanted to like this place....I really did. I went home very disappointed and feeling like I didn't get my money's worth.
As stated in an earlier review, this is also the first restaurant where I left no tip. We also sat on the patio and received the worst service known to man. I dont take tipping lightly and have been a waitress before but I have never been served so poorly.
First, we arrived and ordered two beers which took 20 minutes, after the first round we waited for 15 more minutes to order more drinks (at this point we had no water or booze and we were sitting in the hot sun) we also ordered a ham and cheese plate. 40 minutes later I had to go into the restaurant to ask our waiter where our food was, then he brought out the wrong order...I can go on and on because from here on out the service actually got worse, but I am not a person to rant. I would just be forwarned if you are going here DONT SIT ON THE PATIO
OK Tapas, Well-priced happy hour. But nothing special.
Went with 3 other people for a Thursday afternoon happy hour expecting to be wowed, given our experience at the Washington DC branch of the same conglomerate. The space is well designed and we had a table by the window and charming waiters. But the tapas we singularly unexceptional. The sort of appetizers you might get at a well catered event. The only one that rose above average was the jamon on beautifully caramelized onions. Most lacked any distinction and only the ham had any intensity of flavor.
The sangria was blah. Competent, but weak, lots of ice in the pitcher, lots more in the glasses. No detectable brandy. Fruit without flavor. Compared to say, Dali in Somerville (See: http://www.yelp.com/bi... ), it was barely worth the 1/2 price of $12.50. My companions actually liked it better than I, so perhaps I am being too harsh. Perhaps Dali has spoiled me.
In sum, affordable so-so tapas. But in a town with competition coming from Harvest Vine in the form of concentrated, memorable flavors, I just don't see the point of eating at Alabardero.
I was thrilled to learn that Taberna was opening a Seattle location. I grew up in DC and have been to that location coutless times over the years.
The Seattle location did not disappoint. The service was not only polite and efficient, it was gracious and welcoming. Other restaurants could take lessons from the front of house folks here.
The paella was as delicious as I remembered. The menu is more heavily weighted to seafood than I recalled but that is likely a function of the bounty of fresh fish available here.
Everything was wonderful. I'm only giving 4 stars because,
1) I'm not a huge seafood fan
2) I wish the tapas menu was bigger and more complete
Thank you Taberna for coming to Seattle. Double the size of the tapas menu and you'll have 5 stars and a weekly visitor.
*If I could give it a 3.5 I would..but since I can't the 3 will have to suffice.
Keep the refills of sangria coming! That pitcher actually had a good amount for the 3 of us. But 2 were doing most of the drinking. :)
Half-Off pitchers of sangria & tapas during HH from 3-6. Oh, HH~ how i love thee...
Tapas were pretty good. We had the fries w/ ham & broken fried eggs, potato omelet, fried mussels...& the sangria was refreshing~ tasted like fruit punch...i like it tasting drier, but sweet is fine too.
and ordered paella. a little disappointed in the paella. the chicken was dry/gamey. no sausage. and kinda pricey. minimum of 2 orders required so it came out to $44. i guess compared to the tapas, which were a whoppin $3-5 after HH pricing, my jaw dropped just a little.
in the summer, definitely will be lovin' sangria all night..
*also, I agree w/ Michael E. it is still Cascadia with a few hats. it'd be nice if they revamped the space- looks a little too corporate for what they are trying to represent.
This is really great Spanish food, there's not arguing that. And indeed, the Sangria is EXCELLENT. Get a paella, it's grand.
Here's the rub, I'm in the midst of my delicious paella and on my third glass of sangria and all I want is a mini burger and an alpine mist martini. Why? Because I'm at Cascadia.
This place would have been perfect right across the street in the smaller vacant space. But if you're going to do it at the closed Cascadia, you've got to change it all, not just hang some hats on the wall behind the host desk.
I am going to explain why I think this place is soooo fantastic. Bear with me please!
First you don't have to drive around for 30 minutes trying to find parking... they have valet parking. You pay 7 dollars, tip the valet a dollar or two and saved yourself the trouble.
Then you walk right in and the place is spotless! Modern, fancy, but warm and inviting at the same time. The Spanish host, who by the way was amazingly charming, immediately checked our coats. Then Paco (the owner of the place) showed up and escorted us to our table... I tell you... it was like being in Spain all over again. I do agree with my fellow Yelper... other places should go to Taberna and take some notes on how to greet a customer!!!
We sat at a table in the back, right by the big window that lets you pick at the chefs... They were having their "Paella Festival" so they had a special chef visiting from Spain, who later came over to the table to chat a bit. I was glad he did because I had to compliment his paella.
Paco recommended a red wine so we began to warm up, just in time for our appetizers to show up. First we had pureed potato and scallop shutters, the perfect start, then we had the classic Spanish tortilla and shortly after that we had fried calamari the way all fried calamari should be: light on the breading and neatly presented with fresh lemon and dipping sauce. And finally garlic shrimp... I couldn't help myself and I ended up dipping some bread in the leftover olive oil and garlic from the shrimp... hummmm I could do it all over again tonight!
By now you are thinking... wow! This people can eat! But wait I am not even half way... We got to try 3 different kinds of paella and I couldn't tell you which one was better! The most exotic was the famous black paella which is made with the squid ink and tasted heavenly, the mixed paella is probably the best you could find outside Spain, and their seafood paella was surprisingly distinct from its counterparts, and very flavorful. I enjoyed the fact that the paellas were more moist than what I had before in other Spanish restaurants in Seattle... and I didn't feel like I had to 'fish' the goodies out of the rice, the paella was nicely balanced. completly authentic at last!
Ok, now we were full, but there's always room for dessert, right? So we had coffee ice cream drizzled with chocolate and decorated with a very tall and eatable caramel sculpture... WOW! What a perfect ending for our Spanish feast.
Apparently this place will have flamenco dancers coming from Spain to perform in April or so. I will be there for sure. I can't wait to try other tapas and their sangria.
Ohh! I almost forgot... for the lady yelpers out there... one more thing: the servers are not only courteous and gracious, but a couple of them are also really cute! Very easy on the eyes. What else can you ask for?
Neighborhood: Belltown
Category: Spanish
Seattle, WA
Category: Spanish
Neighborhood: First Hill
Category: Spanish
Neighborhood: Belltown
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Ballard
Category: Tapas Bars
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