Tango
Categories: Spanish/Basque, Latin American, Tapas Bars [Edit]
Neighborhood: First Hill1100 Pike St
(between Boren Ave & Melrose Ave)
Seattle, WA 98101 (206) 583-0382
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 5:00 p.m.-10:30 p.m.
Fri-Sat 5:00 p.m.-12:00 a.m. - Price Range: $$$
- Attire: Dressy
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
53 reviews
Neighborhood: Queen Anne
"Here's a little story about my blind date at The Sitting Room... ***** On the phone before the date ***** Him: Let's meet at 7 at The…" read more »
67 Reviews for Tango
The key to a successful meal at Tango: El Diablo. Do not go home without eating this slightly spicy, totally chocolate-y, unbelievably decadent dessert. Seriously, you'll regret it if you don't try it.
I'm pretty sure that I've had other good stuff at Tango - a mushroom and ham dish seems to come to mind, as does something with cheese and a good wine list - but El Diablo totally overshadows everything else. It is the ultimate chocolate fix.
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What can I say about Tango that hasn't already been said?
"Tapas" have become the chic cuisine of the past couple of years. It seems that every fusion cuisine oriented establishment that can't seem to pare down a menu has dubbed themselves a Tapas Bar.
And while I have yet to visit Spain, I can't help but get the impression that Tango has done it the right way - highly flavorful, well conceived dishes with originality and flair. The atmosphere is casual but hip. The staff are nice, the drinks are strong, the food is outstanding.
Be warned, however - El Diablo is one of those things in life that once you've experienced, you're doomed to wake up one day while visiting friends in San Diego, and seriously consider the pros and cons of flying back to Seattle for a piece of cake.
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What kind of asshole goes out to a place, loves it, then forgets to review it?
THIS KIND OF ASSHOLE.
Fortunately this isn't a review about me. That review would go something like this:
"Dumber than a box of hammers, Will L.'s service is slow and crude. And he tastes awful. For godsakes man, sprinkle sugar or something on yourself."
And then I'd give myself 4 stars.
Oh yeah... Tango.
We ate at the counter. Bartenders were awesome, they were attentive and made sure we had everything we needed. I ordered the Grilled Tuna. My buddy ordered the Costillas Pimenton.
"What the hell does that translate to?" You ask.
"Something fucking awesome," I answer.
Costillas Pimenton is basically a 'Pimenton-rubbed, Madeira glazed short ribs.'
"Pimenton-rubbed... Madeira glazed... what is all this foreign crap?" You ask.
"Some fucking awesome foreign crap, that's what," I answer.
I thought I was going to be jealous and disappointed because I didn't have that foreign sounding crap, and at first I was, because I tasted it and it was, well, fucking awesome.
Then my Grilled Tuna showed up, and I was no longer jealous.
Get this: I HATED fish before I got to Seattle. I've slowly been getting myself used to fish over the last 6 years; it helps that most Seattle restaurants serve really fresh, awesome fish. But I only ever really eat it if I'm in some kind of health-conscious kinda mood. Otherwise, hand me a side of beef and a fork and I'm happy. Hell, you can forget the fork.
The Grilled Tuna at Tango was perfect. PERFECT. Or, as they same in some foreign land, PERFECT-O! It was amazingly tasty, like a red meat of some kind, absolutely no trace of that disgusting fishy taste that I hate so much. I wolfed it down. I felt sorry for my buddy and his Pimenton ribs. I mean yeah they were good, but he wasn't having an orgasm with his food.
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This is the staple for me to bring out of towners. El Diablo is really my ultimate dessert, but the food is also amazing (albeighit overshadowed by the devil). The service has always been supreme and full of helpful advise about their extensive wine list and fabulous menu.
I introduced one of my best friends to this restaurant and she went back one time w/o me (bitch), and the chef came out and they had a bottle of wine together! arg...
Quite possibly my favorite restaurant in Seattle.
Tango gets 5 stars I love everything about this place! The food is amazing every time we go our conversation primarily consists of saying "this is so good" over and over. My favorites are the papas de croquettes, which is basically mashed potatoes with horseradish in a fried crust. The blue cheese souffls are great as well, they are served with some sort of berry and berry sauce sooo good. The green beans are delicious, as well as the pork entre I have had. I have tried almost everything on the menu and have NEVER been disappointed. Not to mention the orgasmic dessert El Diablo which pretty much everyone else mentions in their reviews. It is worth the hype and every bit as delicious as people say. I don't even really like chocolate yet I find myself thinking about this dessert on a far too regular basis. Drinks are good and Monday is 1/2 price wine night. To be honest drinks come second to the food. Service is great. I know 1/2 the staff and always feel very welcomed when I walk in the door. Ocho a tapas bar in Ballard has been getting rave reviews so I checked it out last week. NO thank you Ocho has nothing on Tango. Tango will always hold the distinction as my favorite tapas bar in Seattle.
For a long time, Tango was my favorite restaurant in Seattle.
I celebrated my 21st birthday here, as well as my graduation from the University of Washington. I brought out-of-town visitors, including my parents and sister, on multiple occasions. The reason: the food was unique and delectable. Their award-winning dessert was mouth-watering. The decor and ambiance were classy but comfortable, with a distinct Spanish vibe. The servers and bartenders were extremely knowledgeable, and yet laid-back and friendly. There were many nights I drank sangria until the wee hours of the morning with the bar-staff.
Unfortunately, Tango changed hands last year, and the restaurant has become a little more uptight. Many of my favorite servers and bartenders are gone (after years and years of working at Tango) and the neighborhood vibe has been squelched (the tattoo artists from next door? Not as welcome as they once were).
The food is still good - I love the croquetas, the dates wrapped in bacon, and the Penn Cove mussels (YUM!) The sangria is perfect. El Diablo chocolate dessert is the stuff from dreams. I just wish it were the classy Cheers it used to be. Still in my top 5, but no longer makes the cut as my all-time favorite restaurant.
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The food was fantastic, excellent flavors!!! But I have to say the service was terrible, it was bad to the point that i won't go back. I would go for the food, and i hope you get a good waiter.
We stumble upon this cute little restaurant on Valentines Day. Our super knowledgeable, Russian bartender (Darina) from the Red Lion had suggested this place. We scored a beautiful booth towards the back of the restaurant with a great view. A super romantic dinner ensued. We had mentioned to our server that I was a Chef and the next thing you know Michael Bruno is at our table bringing specials that are not on the menu. The Habenero Dungeness Crab & the scallops that the Chef brought to the table were my favorites. Great service, great food - a real charmer!
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I like Tango, the dance...but....Tango, the restaurant...may be not and here is why.
Food:
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1. Cheap dates: Dates wrapped in bacon, sits on top of a slice of grilled eggplant. Not the cheapest date ($2.25 ea) but when wrapped in bacon can't really resist.
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2. Tortilla Relleno($8.50): Spanish omelette stuffed with salt cod salad. Best dish of the night. Can be shared by 3-4.
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1* 2* 3* 4* 5*
3. Wild Mushrooms and Jamon($9): Sauteed mushrooms and serrano ham. It was ok, not a lot of ham and can be shared by 4-5.
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1* 2* 3* 4* 5*
4.Gambas Picantes(small, $7): Four medium sized shrimps marinated in chipotle sauce and grilled. Comes with cilantro sauce, pumpkin seeds and a small corn-coconut cake.
Shrimp was slightly overcooked, no need for pumpkin seeds and the corn cake was good. Shrimp didn't have any kick from chipotle.
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5. Ceviche sampler 3 ($18): Total disappointment!
a. Shrimp ceviche: Small shrimps in a tomatoe, onion sauce. Lacked
flavor.
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1* 2* 3* 4* 5*
b. Habanero spiked crab: Best of the worst. Lots of salty crab and not
a hint of spiciness from habanero. I wonder what 'spiked' means!
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c. Mixed seafood: Boiled mussels, calamari, baby octopus tossed
with some parsley. Didn't taste any tamarind and it was the worst.
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6. Dessert, The famous "El Diablo": You will either love or hate this.
We didn't like it. At the end it was more spicy than sweet.
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Service:
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No complaints here. Considering it was NYE, we never felt rushed in fact we had to wait for the check!
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1* 2* 3* 4* 5*
I will stick to hip-hop.
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Half-price bottles of wine on Mondays. Do I need another reason?
Shared a nice bottle of Malbec and tapas here last night with a few friends including the fabulous Christine D. Tapas were excellent and well priced. I still love Harvest Vine for it's intimate atmosphere, but Tango is a nice alternative especially for a group. We sat at the table so we could watch the rain outside, but on other visits, the booth near the bar is a fun cozy place to sit.
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bland and sub-standard. they may call it ceviche but that sure as heck isn't ceviche. ceviche is seafood cured with lime. they served bland cooked seafood with canned dressings. even for americanized tapas the dishes were bland, tasteless and greasy. the only good thing was cheese puffs.
Quite good but not dazzling on all counts and slightly pricey for what you get.
Tango itself gives a good first impression with good lighting, high ceilings, and generally attractive decor. It was clearly a popular choice for groups, especially of the 'girls night out' variety. Don't let that disturb your macho, tapas are for everyone.
Surprisingly I enjoyed the bread almost as much as any other single component of the meal. It's a dense, cornmeal based bread that has a great texture and nutty taste that goes perfectly with a smear of butter. No airy dinner rolls here.
Going with a group of three others allowed a sampling of dishes that gave a good overall basis to review Tango:
The duck confit and spinach salad was nice and split well into two small portions to share but was not remarkable. It was well dressed with tasty morsels scattered throughout but it could have used more duck for $10.
The queso azul (blue-cheese souffle) was actually 4 mini-muffin sized souffles making it easy to split up. Sadly they tasted more of cream-cheese than blue. Yummy? Yes, but Philadelphia can't sub in for a good fighting blue. This may be my mistake but I imagine most people would share the initial thought of Stilton.
The calamari was delicious; warm and spicy with ample squid and mixed with red pepper and onions in a well balanced broth. This was my favorite of the dishes. Excluding the sampler, this dish was the most appropriate to split four ways given its size. It would make a great entree for one.
Finally, we ordered the ceviche sampler. The crab and shrimp were quite good. I took more of an issue with the salmon ceviche; it was mixed up with marinated portobello mushroom and, I think, chipotle which both totally overwhelmed any seafood flavor that may have been there. Once again, tasty, but not what you expect.
Desert was, besides the bread, the standout of the meal. Like the dinner dishes, you should get your dessert(s) to share; they're quite large. A chocolate Tres Leches cake and its yummy coconut cookie were as good a dessert as you could want but they were totally eclipsed by the El Diablo. True joy is a mouthful of the chocolate, almond, carmel, and meringue all in one bite. Those of you not up to trying a little spice in your chocolate are really missing something and are going to be kicking yourselves as you steal tastes of your companion's Diablo.
All in all Tango is a solid choice for dinner. As long as you aren't a strict vegetarian you will find something you'll enjoy, and it's up to you whether to share or not. It can be a little expensive, but the dining experience and food work together to make it worth it.
... or maybe just go for dessert.
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We were looking for a place to get some good food and drinks before a show at the Paramount so we decided to try Tango. It's a short two-block walk from the Paramount and, believe this shit or not, I actually found parking on the Hill! This was my second time at Tango and after a great experience the first go-round figured it would be a good bet. First-off I LOVE ceviche but have had a really tough time finding any restaurants in Seattle that do it right (yeah, that's right BluWater, a couple of fucking salad shrimp on a pile of iceberg lettuce w/ lime juice squeezed on top is NOT ceviche, just an overpriced shitty shrimp salad). One thing I really dig about Tango is their selection of ceviche varieties and so far I've tried 3 of them at Tango and loved them all. My fave would have to be the Ceviche Mixta, has a little bit of everything in it. Everything else we had was good as well.
Tango has a great wine selection, mostly Spanish and South American wines to choose from. I could probably spend a few nights just getting totally hammered at Tango while trying different wines, I saw so many that I'd like to try.
We finished it off with the grand-daddy-of-them-all-desert, this thing they call El Diablo (even sounds bad-ass) that everyone's yelping about. I'm not a big desert eater to begin with but I can be enticed on occasion. I'll have to admit, pairing El Diablo with the recommended port was an experience close to sex. Seriously good!
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Ummmm......there is no dessert in the history of the world that could possibly trump the El Diablo. The first time you try it is a life changing event that will stick with you through old age, dementia and possibly Alzheimer's. There is nothing more to say. I defy you to dissagree with me.
The tapas are nice as well.
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Never before dining here would the thought to mix dark chocolate with cayenne and spicy almonds have crossed my mind. Never. But combined with the remaining ingredients: cocoa nibs, burnt meringue, and a tequila caramel sauce - the result truly is a little piece of heaven. In fact, if I were to die and find myself within god's pearly gates, I'm sure the streets would be paved with rows and rows of the El Diablo dessert they serve at Tango. Pretty ironic, don't you think? The rest of the food here is good enough to keep me coming back regardless of what's on their dessert menu - but experiencing the El Diablo truly belongs on everyone's 'Top 5 Things To Do Before I Die" list. It's that good. Nuff said.
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I was taken here for my birthday and dined on savory Tapas, not to mention a big chocolate whatchamajgger that deliciously overstimulated my insulin production.
Lovely atmosphere, lovely food.
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Nice atmosphere but Seattle's version of Tapas is just not quite right. If you're expecting spanish/latin-style tapas, expect to be disappointed. Tango's tapas are the equivalent of Americanized tapas like how Italian-American food isn't really considered authentic Italian. No real serrano ham to be found here folks, just a salami-like substitute. Our waitress was oblivious to Spanish cuisine questions we asked here. Even worse, the restaurant only served American-style coffee! No espresso, no cafe con leche?! I live in Miami, my bf's from Madrid, we kinda know our stuff. Stuff that excelled were the Spanish-style tortillas, cheese torte, and the rest were a blur really. What did crack us up was the fact that they were playing salsa/merengue in the restaurant, shouldn't we be hearing something more spanish? Wouldn't come back here again.
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Excellent Ceviche.....I recommend the dungeneous crab ceviche. My organic mixed greens salad was great. Service and atmosphere was great. Parking is a bit difficult on Pike street. This place however is worth it!!!
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Okay, this is one of those places that is good, but it knows it's good and its kind of snobby about it.
I'm pretty horrible about deciding what to order at restaurants (does anyone else have this problem?), and Tango is definitely not good for this kind of personality. The menu is probably one of the longest in Seattle (I'm not sure I would be exaggerating at something like 75 items that you can sort of interchangeably order) and I was disappointed to hear from the server, "I could start telling you my favorites, but really it would be the whole menu." The descriptions aren't particularly helpful either!
P.S., for anyone in the same boat with the menu, I can at least recommend the croquettes - these giant balls of fried mashed potatoes were my favorite part of the order.
All this said, the food was perfectly prepared and exquisitely presented; we were able to get a delicious and wide variety of food items; and the very hyped El Diablo dessert is as unique and wonderful as everyone claims.
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I went here with 3 girlfriends one night to celebrate and it was a great experience! Especially since I usually only went there for a quick drink on occasion.
Our waitress was friendly, knew her sh*t, and was attentive and still giving us space. We even got a complimentary dessert that was off the hook! Split between 4 girls, it was very satisfying! The food, although smaller portions is quite delicious! Hence, the word: tapas.
They got me hooked on Spanish wine, and it's definitely a place I go back to again and again.
Take a date there, they'll be more than happy!
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First and Foremost:
1/2 bottle wine night. Mondays. And, I mean, it's a WINE BAR. So the wine is good. Logically, you want to be drinking wine here. And saving money, because nice wine isn't exactly the same price the as Boones Farm you're picking up at Safeway. So Monday is the perfect marriage of quality wine and not breaking the bank.
Secondly:
El Diablo. It's delicious. Featured in the lastest Seattle Metropolitan, also on Food Network, all sorts of fame has been showered upon this cayenne-chocolate dessert. One shameful aspect: Everyone says it's so rich, you could share it with your whole table, etc. Okay. I don't know, because pretty sure I can and will eat the entire thing myself. It's probably more of a comment on my gluttonous capabilities than anything else, but I just thought I'd throw that one out there for you guys.
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tapas is okay. i had just returned from spain a week prior to my visit here, so i was pretty tapas'd out. we went on half-price wine night, but the bottles were generally on the pricier side, so as far as deals go, i wouldn't go too far out of my way to make it here.
the shining star of this place, as noted dozens of times already, is the diablo. this is a truly special dessert, and my friends and i will come here just for dessert after meals at other restaurants. try it... you and your butt won't regret it.
I'm not exactly sure how we found this place but I think it might have been on Yelp! No matter, this place is *awesome*. We first started going last summer and although we went on a hiatus from eating there for a month or two due to "over-indulgence", we are now back and it is even tastier! My favorite time to go is happy hour because although there aren't any happy hour wines (but check out 1/2 price wine on Monday nights!) they make a super tasty mojito! Also to die for are the cheap dates ( bacon and eggplant wrapped dates -- I could eat them like oreo's), and the Carnitas del Puerco, which only make their elusive appearance at happy hour. Trust me, they are the reason happy hour is happy! Slightly spicy, slightly sweet, chile-cinnamon pulled pork with 5 tortillas...need I say more? Paired with a couple of cheap dates (don't be afraid of the eggplant part, for me they are a necessary evil in this dish!) and a mojito and you've got a meal for under $20!
Besides happy hour dishes, they are also worth checking out for a regular dinner. The atmosphere is casual, but dressy enough to be perfect for a date -- not too noisy, low lighting, tall booths by the bar -- and serves generous (but not "American-sized") portions for reasonable prices. They have a good wine selection and their house red is usually pretty good. It has been the Alaia several times, which is a blend with the majority being Tempranillo, and it is such a good table wine that we have even bought it for use at home. Some of my favorite dishes include the Heirloom tomato salad and the Gambas Picantes, which are slightly spicy chipotle tiger shrimp served on a bed of pesto and pumpkin seeds and with a polenta cake in the middle. I get them every time! The perfect finish to the perfect meal? The chocolate diablo. It is a slightly spicy bittersweet cube of rich yet fluffy chocolate mousse with a caramel sauce and toasted almonds. It is way more complex than it sounds and it will satisfy you far more than any generic chocolate cake option.
By the way, the cheap dates aren't exactly "cheap" at $2.25 ea, but if they weren't that pricey you would eat too many and spoil their indulgent sweet savoriness ;)
Bottom line, just go...you'll be *very* happy that you did.
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I'm surprised this place is so popular--both among Yelpers and based on the wait last night.
I'll start with the drinks: their margarita is tasty and well made; the cablecar was good and strong; but the wine I ordered with the help of the waitress was not what I asked for.
I tried most of the happy hour appetizers: some meatball dish, a hummus like dip with very crunchy bread, some cheesy pizza like bruschetta, shrimp ceviche, and queso fundido. The ceviche was the only really memorable dish, but the other dishes were acceptable.
The service was bad because they sort of ignored us a first and weren't at all quick with the drinks.. They also removed plates before we were done, and then rudely rushed us out.
I would never eat dinner here, but since happy hour goes from 400pm to 630pm, I might have drinks and tapas again.
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El Diablo - enough reason to rank Tango with 5 Big Fat Stars. If I could give it six, I would.
I would write more about the wonderful meal, and the amazing glass of Vinho Verde, but I'm still day-dreaming about the decadence of tequila caramel sauce and pillowy sweet chocolate spiciness...
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When the imposing, cubic, chocolate-and-spice "El Diablo" showed up at our table (after many great and some merely OK plates), it was like that that scene with the Monolith and the apes in "2001: A Space Odyssey". There were no bones thrown into the air, but there was definitely fear, hooting, and then: nothing would ever be the same.
We'll all be back for a fix. One Diablo feeds four-ish, in my opinion.
Also notable: The (Aussie?) bartender made an awesome (but pricey) Mojito.
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They have really good lighting. It will make you look fabulous. However, some of the dishes were really good and some were just so-so. The lack of consistency is why I took off a star....however, who cares about stellar food when you've got a good drink (awesome drinks actually) and are looking extra fine.
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This is a paella destination for me and some of my friends. Being located not far from the Paramount, getting there can be troublesome for me. Parking is always a challenge, as well.
That said, I like the food here and the pace of the restaurant, as well. I've got hung up in traffic and been an hour late to dinner with no complaints or looks from either the waiter or my dining companion. A glass of wine and some nibbles have kept the frowns away.
It's kind of dark and romantic in here. It's small and the noise can climb a bit, but I still like the seating. The food is usually pretty good, although I've had some shellfish that wasn't that fresh. So, you might have to watch that a bit.
I'm going to have to try the El Diablo that people are raving about on my next visit. But other than that, no complaints.
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It's not just that I like it when the stars are red with this rating - I love this place with all of my soul. The combination of South American, Spanish, and Portuguese offerings is divine and an incredible trip for your palate. Back in the drunk days, the wine list was my favorite in all the land. Ahhh...the drunk days...
I digress once again. Ahem...following are items from my last meal there (con Pellagrino, not Rioja.)
Cold Tapas:
Cheap Dates - Ok, so these are never going to be a start to a cheap date at this place, but man are they a great way to start you meal. Sweet dates wrapped in bacon, grilled eggplant and a little onion to cut the candy. I could just eat these all night, but then I would be screwing myself out of...
Hot Tapas:
Queso Fundido - Ok, so it's melted cheese. Big deal...TOTALLY is a BIG deal here. Great Spanish cheeses dotted Portuguese Bambi sausage and served with green apples slices and crostini. YUM.
Ceviche:
Tequila Vanilla Cured Salmon - Just tequila enough to put me right up to the edge of the wagon, but not enough to knock me off. Love it. Comes with Wasabi peas - nice little Northwesty touch.
Seafood (Fruta Del Mar)
THE MUSSELS - Mussels are my favorite shellfish and will pretty much always like them -but these are a the tippy top of my happy list. What is it about mixing sausage with just about anything? Sausage good, tons of smoked garlic good, Diana happily lapping up broth with whatever is handy.
Carnes:
Baby Sheep - Fruity crust, insanely good grilled squash on the side. I love me some baby sheep - mm!
And of course - EL DIABLO for Dessert. If you only go for this, that is completely reasonable. I have never been so enamored with a dessert in all my life. Thick cube of perfect chocolate creaminess surrounded by spicy cayenne infused meringue, spicy almonds and zippy little crumbles of chocolate and TEQUILA CARAMEL SAUCE MICHELLE!!! Don't forget the freaking caramel!
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A pure delight to one's palate. Wondrous flavors abound - went here on the company dime, otherwise your wallet may hurt but your mouth will thank you.
Our server was incredibly knowledgeable - knew how each dish was prepared, where it was from, even the details about the art on the walls (and lots about the artist). He knew his wine, although the Rioja he described as fuller-bodied, I would describe as medium-small. Very easy to drink, slightly acidic at the beginning but really opened up after awhile.
Our dining room was spacious and comfortable; was a bit surprised at the butcher-paper on top of the table cloth...unfortunately seeing that more in more restaurants nowadays.
'Cheap Dates' - Bacon-wrapped dates - "A+" I could eat an entire plate
Piquillo Relleno - stuffed peppers - "B-" uninspired tuna, the pepper was nice
Green Beans and Harissa - "B" veggies...not exactly mind blowing
Queso Azul - Bleu cheese souffle with fruit- "A+" I could eat a whole plate...
Braised Asparagus - "B" cooked to perfection, non stringy, lacked punch
Ensalada con Pato - Salad with shredded duck - "A-" as a frequent discerning duck diner, it was delicious
Bistec a la Parilla - beef tenderloin "A+" mouthgasm, cooked to perfection, medium rare, falls apart in the mouth, lots of flavor
Negra Paella - seafood paella "B+" tasty, but seafood could have been a bit better flavored, a bit hodge-podgy.
El Diablo - spicy chocolate mousse? - "A" Cayenne was a good choice, tasted the capsaicin bite after the chocolate, interesting. I'm not used to my chocolate fighting back. Burnt meringue was a great touch
Would come again; had a great time. Prices seemed to be fair considering the number of bites you get in each tapas. The meat dishes a bit pricier, but justified by taste. I would have skipped the Paella if it were wallet though. Enjoy.
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In Spanish, "Tapas" means "gullible". In other words, the management will be laughing behind your back because they are ripping you off by charging regular prices for very small plates of food. As long as you go in knowingly, you should be okay. It's well established that if you're on a budget, you don't go to a tapas restaurant, no matter how much of a foodie you want to be. But you do go to Tango for the El Diablo. And this is why:
Recently, after a very decadent happy hour at Tango where I was celebrating a friend's b-day with 10 of her nearest and dearest, the waiter asked if we wanted any dessert. We had all pretty much overdone it on tapas, mojitos and rioja at that point, so we were intrigued but wary.
"Just bring something for the birthday girl," somebody shouted.
The studly server looked at Pia.
"Do you trust me?" he asked, in a sultry voice.
"Oh hell yeah," she responded, "just make sure whatever it is, you bring 11 spoons!" We all chuckled, thinking, this guy thinks we're total geeks and will never degrade himself or his dessert by bringing us 11 spoons. That is, unless he's awesome and has a good sense of humor.
Well, what do you know? Mere minutes later, a dish with the finest cacao-based dessert I have quite possibly ever tasted was set in front of our eyes...along with 11 spoons. Delightful! Indulgent! And yes, it was so rich and plentiful that we were all able to have at least two sizeable bites before the whole darn thing disappeared (okay, so I had a third bite when nobody was looking...you snooze, you lose, bitches!).
As for the non-sweet stuff, I was unimpressed, but I knew this would be the case going in: non-meat eaters such as myself don't frequent Spanish restaurants for a good reason. It's because even though I still eat fruita del mar, for some reason, Spanish cultural mores require sausage to be put in everything from jello to lip gloss. I shit you not. A friend at the table offered me one of their mussels, and I naively accepted. This move was swiftly followed by a horrible moment of revulsion when I realized that my mouth tasted like goat belly. I didn't like that. I won't do it again. I haven't eaten meat in 17 years, save for the odd guinea pig in South America, so why would I start with goat now?
On a final snarky note: I don't know why everyone is so excited about queso fundido...do they not realize they can make crispy, bubbly cheese at home in their very own oven, any day of the week? Queso fundido is not the reason to come to Tango. El Diablo is. 'Nuff said.
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The key here is HAPPY HOUR. There's nothing better than trying 5 or 6 different delicious and adventurous tapas with a close friend and sucking down some fine tequila from their large selection. Also try the sangria (aka grape juice plus) for cheap. Yummy!
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Love this place, wait staff is pleasant food is always fantastic and drinks are tasty and strong.
Been here with friends and family as well as alone, always very good.
Tango = Yummy
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I'm in Seattle, and thanks to Yelp, I was able to find out about Tango - a spanish tapas restaurant in the capitol hill area of Seattle. Three of us split about 6 different cold and hot tapas - yum yum yum. They were all fantastic, and really filling - but we couldn't resist the finale - the el diablo dessert. It's a dark chocolate mousse on top of a meringue and tequila carmel sauce - so freakin good! I'm glad we decided to give in to our gluttonous sides. The decor is also really nice with bold artwork on the walls, and our server was really helpful and friendly. I'd def come back to Tango the next time I'm in town-
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It's all about tapas and sangria.... I went with a large group and got a taste from most of the menu. I'd recommend the wild mushrooms & jamon and the short ribs. The mussels were not all that, too many empty shells. The ambiance was very fitting for an after work dinner party.
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We enjoyed the food here quite a bit, and would definitely come back. We did run into some discouraging service when we first arrived, but more on that later. Here's what we ate:
Ensalada Verde. A great start. The salad was fresh and the dressing perfectly light and refreshing.
Queso Fundido. What great flavors. I know--it's basically melted cheese. But it was so tangy and delicious, and the crostini, apples and venison sausage were nice compliments.
Ceviche. We did the 3-ceviche sampler. The softshell crab with habanero and coconut water was delicious, and I have to say that I was simply impressed with the Vanilla-accented salmon.
Short Ribs. Cooked perfectly; were tender and tasty.
All that yummy food would deserve 4 solid stars. But...when we got there for our 11pm reservation, the guy who greeted us (the bartender?) stuck us in a booth in the back of the bar...with NWA blaring from the speakers overhead. WTF?!? So we moved over to the main restaurant area, where we had a nice 2-top by the window. Much better. The service was just fine after that hiccup of a start. I'll dock them a star, but will give this place another try when we return to Seattle.
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Definitely worth the walk up the hill! Hit the happy hour, and enjoyed the house sangria, and a few plates of tapas.
The mussels were wonderful -- smokey and garlicky... would like more crostini to dip up all the delish juice!
We also enjoyed the carnitas del puerco -- wonderfully seasoned, but wasn't quite warm enough. Served with two tortillas -- but could have used about two more.
The last selection was the Spanish Coca -- which was basically a mini pizza with Spanish flavors. All in all, this place has a great atmosphere, wonderful food, and great location out of the hectic downtown. Would definitely visit again!
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