Tasca Brava

I went to Tasca Brava's new location tonight for dinner and it was just awful. Menus given to us once seated were for the restaurant that used to be there, Bistro--BIG MISTAKE. Finally, we did get the "correct" menus and they all had different selections for dinner and didn't match. The staff seemed baffled by this. After ordering drinks we chatted--our table of 8--and realized after 20minutes we hadn't received our drinks let alone bread. We asked for water 3 individual times from 3 individual waiters--as we didn't have "one" but a series of many, an NEVER recieved water. Finally, the owner decided to help us and took our order. None of our entrees came together, and at the end we were waiting for 3 that NEVER arrived. We cit our losses and left. At 60 dollars per person I would not reccomend this place. The food was ok, and the service sucked. Several times we complained and instead of getting a complimentary entree or a round of drinks, the owner just shrugged and complained about his staff. I felt so upset about this experience that I called the waiter later on and told him I would write this review. He did not try to apologize but expressed that he felt it would tke awhile for the food and staff to be top notch after the move--that this was just the start. But, why should I be penalized? Why did I have to pay top dollar and a 20% tip for the poorest service I ever recieved? Then he told me his wife is sick and he is having to do this all by himself! Well, if you think you can't handle the business, get out of it! All I ask for is friendly service, good food, and attentiveness to a patron's needs. I recieved none of this. Please skip this place and go to Red Room across the street. Pros: None Cons: Horrible service, mediocre food, and lack of attentiveness--not impressive or worth the $$$ more

UPDATE - April 21, 2011 The bad reviews are misleading. I went back to visit Juan at the Glenwood location last night and it was phenomenal. Whatever issues the restaurant had when they first moved to the downtown location have clearly been resolved. I was blown away by every dish, including the ceviche, the cheese bread, croquettes with plaintains, pork rind and antelope meat, the piquillo peppers and an incredible creme de catalan for dessert. The wine and coffee were divine. Totally worth the price given the quality and obvious passion for food. ---from 2008--- The glowing reviews are true; Tasca Brava really does deliver an unparalled Spanish dining experience. I called to confirm that the restaurant is shutting down, and Juan says that Tuesday, April 29 will be the last night of serving food in its current location. He intends to re-open doors in a different location, but did not say where or when. Let's show our support. Pros: Amazing food and service Cons: None more

I stepped into old Spain last night with a visit to this wonderful place. The decor and the music made the resturant a wonderfully romantic get away. There is no place in Raleigh or for that matter in the Triangle area. to compare with it. The food was like nothing I have ever had before. I experienced taste sensations I have never experienced before.The apples with garlic and the eggplant were beyond compare. Even if you do not like eggplant you will love this crispy treat. The sausage and the corn dish were out of this world. I could go back again and again ...but I was told by the owner they are closing their doors in two weeks! Please try this place before it is too late you will beg the owner to open up in in another location, or you will beg him to stay, I did and I kick myself for not going there before this. I followed all the waiters directions on what to eat and what wine was best with it.. I had the most wonderful evening . I was totally enchanted with this place and will go back again befoe it is too late. Pros: Everything food service wine atmosphere Cons: There were none more

Tucked away in a sleepy Raleigh strip mall, Tasca Brava is a hidden jewel. The food is earthy and wonderful, ingredients are noticeably fresh, and the menu selection is authentically Spanish and incredibly diverse. No surprise then, that Tasca is part of the slow food movement. The flavors are complex and fantastic. The owner, Juan, was our waiter, chef, and menu consultant, and he excelled at all three. From our candlelit dining table, we could even hear the kitchen timer dinging periodically, signaling that our next selection of tapas was ready from the oven. We started with the bowl of beet cream soup served alongside creamed pea soup, and were amazed at how good both were--particularly considering I am not a fan of beets. The gazpacho, scallops in the shell, and cod croquettes were all excellent, but the green plantains with date sauce and chorizo were out of this world! Not to mention, the Sangria was smooth and perfect. My Lenten promise forbade me from indulging in dessert, but I look forward to ordering some next time. If you're looking for a quick, cheap bite, don't go to Tasca Brava. If you have a discerning palette, want to relax and experience the flavors of Spain, and enjoy a leisurely quiet meal, this is your place. Pros: Food, atmosphere, service, authenticity Cons: I'll let you know if I find any. more

We decided to give Tasca Brava a try because of the great reviews, in spite of the negative ones. Some of the best reviewers only gave 2 stars. This is not high-end dining, but is a 5/5 for a Tapas restaurant. Tasca Brava provides a place to enjoy a relaxing meal, and is not a rushed-meal type of place. While this may turn off some folks, those that really enjoy an excellent meal, with excellent company, in a relaxing atmosphere, will find a lot to like. The restaurant is capably run by Juan, the owner, and guests are primarily served by him. We also had the pleasure of having his daughter as our waitress. We had a slight delay in getting water and plantain chips, but we found that it was because 3 tables were seated within a minute or 2 of us. Par for the course in service. After this brief hiccup, we found the pace of the meal to be very good. He encourages everyone to try his wines before they commit, which was a nice way to ensure a good match between wine and drinker. The tapas were ordered, and came out one or two at a time, which made for variety and good pacing. We had scallops, thin-sliced eggplant, mushrooms, excellent boar-meat sausage, shrimp and lobster pastries, and artichokes. PLENTY of food. We also had churros de chocolate, which made for a very nice finish with Juan's home-roasted coffee. Btw, he sells his coffee by the pound, and while he was sold out, we plan on stopping by just for beans soon. It's INCREDIBLE. Juan likes to call his restaurant part of the slow food movement. I suggest that he quit emphasizing the slowness, let everybody know that they've got a 1.5-2 hour meal in store, and let the excellent food speak for itself. He loves the food he serves, and it shows. Pros: Incredibly flavorful food. Great variety. Relaxing. Strong committment to tradition. Cons: Strong committment to tradition. more

My wife and I love tapas, but it's hard to find any "authentic" Spanish cuisines in the area. We just recently ran upon Tasca Brava and decided to try it out for dinner. We thought this restaurant had a great atmosphere and that the service was excellent. We were treated nicely and the food was plated very appealingly. After talking with the staff about some of the recent bad reviews on this restaurant on Citysearch, we thought we would come and see what others were saying. Luckily we did not let these few bad reviews taint our decision on trying this restaurant out, and you should not either. Try it out for yourself and make your own opinion. We will definitely be coming back to Tasca Brava. Pros: Knowledgeable staff, authentic style, ample parking more

My husband and I have been to Tasca Brava a half a dozen times since it opened, and last night was wonderful. Despite what some people have said on this site, this restaurant provides great value and very pleasant each time we've eaten there.. For those who apparently expected Chain's-sized portions and tab, you must not have done any research before you walked up to be seated. Generally at most restaurants, on busy nights service is slower (that's Fridays and Saturdays folks)... And as someone else mentioned, for tapas portions these are actually QUITE large and we've always been pleasantly full with 2 tapas each and a dessert, which comes to a very reasonable bill considering this is a nicer restaurant (read "non-chain" with qualified chefs...) The wine list is extensive and wonderful, and yes, when we asked, the waiter/owner was very happy to offer suggestions and guidance, and even let us taste before selling us the bottle. To sum up, for me, the important pieces are setting, food, wine, and service. This restaurant has a very pleasant and humble decor, with intimate corners for special nights out . The food is delicious, with delicate blending of flavors, there are original dishes as well as classic tapas, and it is all artistically arranged and presented. And the waiter/owner has ALWAYS been passionate ,conversational and helpful with us! Pros: Uncommon food, leirsurely pace Cons: Slow, slow, slow...... more

Spanish tapas is at the very heart of their lifestyle and culture. Everywhere you go in Spain you will find lively and noisy bars serving small plates of superb flavours and local delicacies. In its most basic form tapas is simply a small snack or appetiser taken with a drink or two at lunchtime or in the early evening before the main meal. It is essentially a style of eating rather than a form of cooking. Tapas means sociability, friends and family. The Spanish in general won't drink without eating something as well. Now, throughout the world, Spanish tapas has become a popular and healthy addition to the many food styles and cuisines available to us today. Everyone is joining in and realising how pleasurable eating in this way can be. And why not? When you begin to see the sheer range of flavours available you will, I'm sure, want to find out more about 'the small plate with the BIG flavour'. Wherever you live, Spanish tapas will give you a tasty little mouthful of the real Spain without having to jump on an aeroplane to enjoy it! You can bring a little Spanish sunshine right into your own life - right now! Cons: Slow service and small dishes! more

I highly reccomend this restaurant for anyone interested in a wonderful experience of Spanish cuisine. Tasca Brava offers a wide selection of quality tapas, tasty sangria, a solid wine list, and phenomenal desserts. The owner/waiter was a delight, and very helpful with suggestions for both the wine and food. As for the criticisms which frequently pop up here, well, I can only understand them in light of the diners they must be coming from. The owner gave the caveat upon our arrival that the dinner would take quite some time. We were amply warned, and being familiar with European dining, and Spanish in particular, we knew what to expect. I can see how this might turn off locals who are used to 5 minute speed dishes from Mexican restaurants, but I couldn't have been more pleased with the timing of the meal as it allowed us plenty of time to savor the food and enjoy the company of friends. I didn't love everything we ordered, but having eaten at plenty of tapas-style restaurants, I know that's part of the experience. If you get 15 dishes for the table, you should expect to not love every one of them, that's just a reflection of the varying tastes which naturally exist between different people. I'll even agree that the owner was sort of pushy when it came to ordering desserts, but the man was totally right and we loved everything he suggested. As regulars of many fine-dining restaurants and a friend of many great chefs, I know food passion when I see it, and I can't blame the man for pushing his homemade chocolte flan because everyone at our table tried and loved it. This is not the restaurant for someone whos idea of a big night out is dressing up to go to Bennigans, but if you love food, and enjoy a great dining experience, then you will not be dissapointed with this restaurant. A true gem! Pros: Quality tapas, helpful owner, enjoyable overall experience Cons: Not for everyone more

Hate to be negative, but what an amazing waste of money. This may be the worst restaurant I have ever seen. Prices high (expect $30 per person +). Food bad. Service terrible, and rude, and unskilled. I wish I had read the reviews before I tried it. I rarely go to a restaurant that is so bad it makes me want to warn others away, but this restaurant should be avoided. You'll get better food and service at the Taco Bell in the parking lot. Food comes out so slowly that sharing is almost impossible, and serving sizes were all over the place. One dish might serve only one person, while the next might serve four or five. Most were good for about two. Usually at a tapas bar, there is some consistency so a group knows how much to order. And we got the idea that ordering off the menu instead of the specials might be risky from a freshness point of view. Lastly(sorry to pile on), we tried the paella. S-U-C-K-E-D! Think rice-a-roni with small chunks of meat and slightly off tasting seafood. I'd be willing to bet that it's made days in advance and microwaved to order. Waiter tells you everything is "spectacular" and "magnificent", but I bet he got better food in prison. We really felt ripped off. Can you tell? Places like this are why people go to chain restaurants. At least they have standards. Pros: good place to ask for a divorce, tell girlfriend NOT to keep baby Cons: food, service, waiter attitude, price, late night nausea more

Amazing restaurant!! A friend introduced me to this most delightful treasure. The food is delicious. A must try for the food connosieur! We had a wonderful meal at Tasca Brava. I'll definitely go back. Pros: Authentic Spanish Diverse Menu more

Made me feel like I was in Spain. Cozy place with great Tapas and Sangria, quaint , and romantic excellent value and quality Pros: Quaint , and romantic excellent value and quality more

A friend of mine had been trying to get me to eat here for three years. I finally made it last night and I have to wonder why I waited so long! The food? Magnificent. I had the calamari in wine and my friend had the paella. We both enjoyed our dishes very much. The sauce was delicate with just the right touch of sweetness added by the sweet peppers. Of course we had sangria and it was the perfect complement to our meal. I plan to order the paella the next time so I can bring some home to enjoy the next day. I left my reading glasses on the table and a staff member ran out to give them to me. I would recommend this restaurant to everyone. It is small but if you linger after your meal no one is hovering to throw you out. The flan was amazing. The staff was very attentive. I'm definitely going back there soon. Pros: Magnificent food and attentive staff more

We must say, there are alot of new Tapas places in the area, some okay and many bad. Tapas are originally from Spain. But nowadays, all ethnic restuarants, Italians, French, American and even the Japanese advertise Tapas. So in a way we lost the real meaning of tapas. We've been to this place a number of times and find it to be very good. Tapas is not about the decoration on a plate, but about the edible part of it. This place is traditional, good portions, hearty food, no frills. Great tapas, great ambience, great Sangria, service. Pros: Traditional and authentic cusine from Spain Cons: None more

Our party of four visited on a Friday around 7:00. There was no waiting as we were only the second table in the restaurant. When we left about 9:00 the restaurant had six tables, all two tops except ours, and all seated as close together as possible. Maybe 10% of the restaurant held all the guests. There was no bartender on duty so this would not be the place to come for drinks. Odd for a tapas "bar". The food was not bad, but it wasn't usually very hot either. It also was not as richly flavored as I have had in Spain, or other tapas restaurants in the US for that matter, but not bad overall. While the restaurant seats maybe 150 people, it was essentially at capacity during our visit since the only person allowed to take orders was the chef/owner. While there, a couple of tables had to wait quite a while for service due to this unusual rule. The wait would be very long if there were more business. Food came out at a leisurely pace which was fine with us. We were entertained several times during our visit by the chef/owner screaming at his food runners and kitchen staff in the kitchen and in the dining room. I'm not kidding, really screaming. Gordon Ramsey has nothing on this guy. He also seemed to try to push high priced items on us as well as the other tables. If those items were refused, his response did not seem friendly. I would say rude, but it may just be his way so I want to give him a break on this point. I would not call the restaurant expensive, but it doesn't get my approval for value either. We could have done better at several other places in the area. Our dinner was ~$120 for 4 people without wine or alcohol. You are charged for everything, sometimes without warning, such as when we asked for water and were charged for it. Bread also costs, so be warned that the little things can add up here quickly. We could hera others saying that they wouldn't be back, and we likely won't be either, sorry to say. Pros: variety, no wait Cons: service, price more

A couple weeks ago I had one of the best service experiences I?ve had in a long time. I decided to take my employees and some clients to Tasca Brava for a little work followed by a lot of fun. The great customer service started with the owner, who helped me plan my event and created a perfect menu for the night. We were welcomed at the Tapas bar, where we started our night. After having a few drinks and enjoying the great ambiance, we went to the dinning room. My guests were impressed with the set-up of the room. We had a quick presentation as we were enjoying the delicious Tapas (Gambas al Ajillo, Fried Calamari, Pinchos de Pollo, Tortilla de Papa?to name a few). Once the presentation was over, the fun began! We had a set menu, which still gave my guests different options. I need to emphasize the quality of the service, the food and the beverages. The owner was there for all our needs, and believe me, we are not easy people to please. To complement the wonderful food, we had great Spanish wines and pitchers of Sangria. The meal ended with Tasca Brava's fresh roasted coffee and their delicious assortment of desserts. After dinner, some of us decided to stick around. We had a great time! Needless to say we had a great experience and recommend Tasca Brava to everyone looking for a great time and exceptional customer service. Pros: Food, wines, dessert, coffee. etc more

I came to this restaurant while visiting Raleigh based on recommendations from friends who had lived in the city previously. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was probably the most authentic Spanish tapas place I've found thus far in the States. While Washington and New York have some fantastic tapas-style restaurants, they tend to be way too "chic" (not to mention expensive!) compared to the kind of places you'd find in Spain. This place was just like I remember in Spain-- great food, no frills. The jamon & manchego plate was excellent, as were the chicken croquetas and tortilla espanola (almost as good as the one I make!). Sangria was also very good, and a great value to boot. All in all I'd highly recommend this restaurant if you're looking for a truly authentic tapas experience. Pros: cheap, authentic tapas experience more

RESPONSE TO THE FALSE and INFLAMATORY REVIEW DATED 08/23/2007: A group of 9 persons visited on August 8, 2007. Eighteen tapas, two desserts and coffee were served and consumed for a value of $187.54 including sales tax. A standard Gratuity of 20% is added to groups of 6 or more and individual checks are not done as specified on the menu. At their request, $67.88,.Sangria, wine and gratuity was paid separate from the total bill. The balance of "only food" was divided by 8 and separated on the credit bill, between sales $22.04, gratuity $6.10, Total $28.14 per customer. Below is the detail transaction. AMOUNT WINE $56.57 AMOUNT FOOD $ 187.54 GRATUITY WINE $11.31 GRATUITY FOOD $37.51 TOTAL WINE $67.88 TOTAL FOOD $225.05 CUSTOMER 8 WINE $67.88 FOOD $176.26 TOTAL $244.14 GRATUITY $48.83 PAYMENT PERSON FOOD $22.03 PLUS GRATUITY $6.10 TOTAL BILL $28.14 FOOD $225.09 WINE SEPARATE $67.88 TOTAL PAID $ 292.97 You are welcome to come and review the bill. Is this dishonest? Pros: Welcome to come and review the bill. Cons: PLEASE CHECK BEFORE more

My wife and her dinner club went a couple weeks ago and were very upset when they left. The prices were overpriced, the portions small, the service terrible, the waiter was pushy and when they went to pay the bill he would not let they see their bill and refused to split out each person separate bill. He added a gratuity to the bill and when my wife went to pay her portion he tried to add another tip to the bill. My wife crossed out the tip and just paid for the food and the firs gratuity. When my visa bill came the owner added back in the gratuity to the bill even thou my wife crossed it out. I evenatully had to call the credit card company and had the whole bill cancelled. Pros: leaving Cons: everything about it, bad service dishonest more

Wow! My boyfriend took me here to celebrate my birthday in spite of some of the reviews here. Allow me to say that most of the complaints I have read on here made me laugh ... clearly most were made by those who had no idea what to expect. If you know anything about tapas or Spain, you will be pleased. Ofcourse the tapas are small; they are tapas!! Order two or three per person and you will walk away full and sated. The prices are actually VERY reasonable and NORMAL ... if you were in Spain, you would pay about the same for the food items. The sangria is the best I've had outside of Spain so order some, sit back and enjoy! The owner, who was our server, is DELIGHTFUL! He will chat with you about Spain, the food, learning how to make chorizo ... whatever. I thought he was wonderful and everything was muy autentico. (Yes, that means you pay for bread and bottled water ... just like in Spain.) If you are hung up on getting American sized portions for a few bucks, stick with McDonalds or choose the crappy Taco Bell in the parking lot. If, however, you appreciate savory food, good wine and a relaxed, slower paced, culturally rich ambiance and dining experience, please do go ... you WILL enjoy! Pros: Incredibly authenic, tasty cuisine more