Tasca Brava

Two of us were there for lunch. In a 2hr. time span, only one other person came in. The owner was very full of himself. Everything was spectacular and awesome according to him. We were told the paella would take 35 min. - it took one hour and no one else was there then! It was very good. The owner said they don't have much business. No wonder. We were in the front room where the TV was. It was a Spanish station and very loud. I asked him to turn it down which he did but later turned it up because HE was watching it. He also swept the floor while we were eating! There were only dead plant leaves on the floor and he could have done that before they opened. When I asked for decaf, I got a speech about decaf not being healthy! He brags about the wine being from small vintages in Spain which makes it very expensive but who cares here!! When I scrapped the rest of the paella into a take-home box, he told me to scrap more out or he would eat it. It was burned on the bottom and we don't care for burned rice so I left it for him! If it weren't for the owner, we would go back but he made the meal nearly unbearable. He needs to learn some ""people manners"" if he is to remain working with the public. Pros: good ethnic food Cons: service more

What a wonderful restaurant to celebrate a special occasion or to just celebrate and enjoy the bold but sophisticated flavors of Spain. The service is spectacular, the atmospher captures the heart of Spain. The suggested dishes are always worth trying. What some patrons interpret as ""pushy"" service has in our experience been better described as artful and tasteful direction into new taste adventures. Tasca Brava will remain at the top of my short list of restaurants for celebrating the special moments of life! Pros: The service more

Worst service I've ever received in a restaurant. None can touch this evening's experience. We were a party of 5 celebrating my mother-in-law's birthday. Very agressive waiter. Contradicted most of our statements to the point that it was embarassing. Waiter complained that my mother-in-law didn't order enough. They were out of two dishes. Waiter talked back rudely, to me, my wife, & our two friends, ... on separate occasions. A party of 2 next to us got up & left, after the same waiter was rude to them. A party of two on our other side had to ask the same waiter if he could remove the waiter's daughter from resting her head on their table. & more & more.... to cap it off, The waiter added 15% to the bill (for a party of 5, with only 3 table occupied in the restaurant). Cons: Worst waiter service I've ever had in a restaurant was tonight for our birthday dinner. more

This is one of my favorite restaurants in town. The dishes, desserts, wine, atmosphere, service, location, all good. Ask the wait staff for recommendations, they know what they're talking about. Reservation recommended. more

Want to go to Spain but don't have the time? Then go to Tasca Brava and enjoy the best of Spain with owners Juan and Marta. I have had the privelege of travelling different regions of Spain and have taken the time to educate myself about the varied cuisine and culture of that great country. I am quite pleased to have part of that culture and cuisine right here where I live. The food is authentic Spanish and nowhere in Spain have I had anything that topped what's available at Tasca Brava. The soups are always delicious and should not be overlooked. All of the tapas are wonderful and I have tried almost all of them. The paella negra is a must, there is really no way to describe it with words alone. I figure that I've been to TB at least 50 times and have never been disappointed and I have always been treated wonderfully. Just like in Spain, if you act like you want to be there they are extremely grateful for your visit. Don't forget the desserts, all prepared in Marta's kitchen, they are a fine way to end your meal. Juan has an extensive knowledge of the wines he carries and he will always lead you to a perfect choice. Try their coffee and I bet you end up taking a pound of it home to enjoy. If you have a taste for fine sherry you should enjoy what's available at TB. It's so nice to have a place like Tasca Brava to frequent. Treat it like Spain, don't rush it, just savor it. Obviously I love this place and it's important to me. If you become a regular there is no doubt that you will feel like part of Juan and Marta's family. They are good honest people with a genuine respect for good food and good people. Just like Spain! Saludos! Pros: great Spanish food Cons: it's not in Spain more

Have you ever been to a restaurant where the food is excellent but you have to fight through so much inconvenience, confusion and nonsense that it's just not worth it? If your answer is no, go to Tasca Brava and see for yourself. I went on a Saturday evening with some friends not knowing that it was ""Flamenco Night"". The restaurant is too dark so even if you could read the too-small print on the crammed menu, you wouldn't be able to without a flashlight. But before we could even ask about the menu the lights went lower and a floorshow of amateur flamenco dancers began. The sound was deadening, not to mention obnoxious. It was impossible to order until after the first ""set."" Hungry we waited until the machine-gun sound of heels stopped and managed to figure out something to order. We ate wonderful dishes and were ready to order the main dish -- paella -- when the ""second set"" began and this time the dancers wanted audience participation. I'm trying to enjoy my food and someone is begging me to get on the dancefloor! Oh Leave me alone! The whole experience would have been funny if not so expensive. The food is AUTHENTIC and very, very good, but the restaurant doesn't stand a chance because: (1) the lighting is bad; (2) the menu is too crowded; (3) the wait staff doesn't introduce the new customer to the culture of ordering tapas so if you've never done it before, do your homework ahead of time; (4) service is very slow; and (5) I don't need the Wake County Chapter of Flamenco Dancers stomping through my entree. Pros: Excellent Food Cons: Lighting, Location, Service more

Very charming little place...extremely attentative waitstaff. Very good food. High quality entrees. Tasty salads. Excellent desserts. Romantic atmosphere. Get a reservation...this place is popular! Pros: Delicious, great atmosphere, a real Treat! Cons: a tad pricy more

After visiting many Iberian neighborhoods in the northeast, I was very excited to hear that Tasca Brava had incredible Paella. The wait was over an hour, and to my dismay the Paella was horrible! The baby shrimp in the Paella tasted like they were frozen and the other morsels of meat were very small and had no flavor. The service was very slow, the owner definitely had an attitude, and it took well over 20 minutes just to get a check! Our bill was over $80 for Paella for 2 and a carafe of Sangria, too much in my opinion...but the chocolate flan was to die for! Unfortunately, I won't be going back. Pros: Sangria and Flan Cons: Everything else more

I went to this place for my boyfriend's birthday, after reading the other reviews on this website. I totally agree with them. I'm Italian and I know stuff about food :) - and this food was awesome! Pros: service, food, ambience Cons: on the expensive side more

My husband and I went yesterday for the first time at lunch time. Right when you enter the restaurant you feel like you have entered into a different world, into Spain. The atmosphere is great, they play original Spanish music. The owner was our waiter; he was very knowledgeable and had great customer service. His wife is the chef and her food is AMAZING! I am Portuguese (next to Spain for those who don't know) and they are definitely serving real Spanish and some Portuguese foods. This is the place to go if you are tired of the usual chain restaurant food. The concept of Tapas is great because its small amounts a food and you get to try different things without being too full. And the deserts - to die for!! The Flan is, by far, the best I have ever had, even better then the ones from NYC. Pros: Ambience, service, great fresh food Cons: Hidden in a shopping plaza behind a KFC/TacoBell (hard to see from the road) more

My husband and I didn't know where we would go for our anniversary dinner so we headed downtown in search of romance. We drove past Bistro 607 and something about the place made us stop: quaint house, outdoor seating, candle light glowing from the white linen tables inside. At 7PM on a Saturday night, I was surprised that we could get in without a reservation. We were able to choose a small table tucked in the corner. The lighting and music were just right. The waiter was very attentive and professional. I hoped the food was just as wonderful. And as much as I wanted it to be, it was not. Pros: Romantic & Great Service Cons: Salty Food more

*UPDATED* Pros: the AMAZING food! Cons: the head waiter's attitude. more

Not a flan fan, but the Chocolate flan is to die for! Great variety of tapas all around. Good variety, all fabulous! more

I have eaten at Tasca Brava 4 times so far... every time has been a treat. I think that this restuarant is one of Raleigh's quiet gems. I am particularly impressed by the soups, which are rich and full of intricate tastes. I have tried about twenty of the numerous tapas and have yet to find one that I wouldn't order again. I also want to make a comment about the waitstaff. I have seen some negative reviews of the service at this restaurant on Citysearch, which have surprised me, and I wanted to address these. Each of the times I've eaten at Tasca Brava, the service has been earnest, friendly, and enthusiastic. They obviously have a sincere love of the food they're sharing, and they also have given great advice every time we've asked for recommendations. Perhaps the negative comments from other reviewers haven't taken into account that this is a small, family-run business, rather than the usual fleet of hired waiters. Pros: romantic, incredible food more

ALL -- and I mean all! -- the soups at Tasca Brava are phenomenal, from the refreshing gaspacho to the flavorful Sanchoco hen soup to ANY of the soup-of-the-day specials. The chocolate flan is phenomenal. The braised baby artichokes, wild boar sausage, and carpaccio de gambon are phenomenal. Actually, 90 percent of the unpretentious but incredibly flavorful and obviously homemade tapas at Tasca Brava are phenomenal. I've been to my share of upscale New York and Boston restaurants, and to be quite honest, Tasca Brava can compete on any front except perhaps price, thankfully. If you're looking for a trendy place where the main focus is the scene but not the food, this is not your restaurant. If you're looking for an unpretentious, un-hurried, romantic place where you can enjoy a leisurely, delectable dinner, a nice bottle of wine, and interesting conversation with someone you enjoy spending time with, then this is your restaurant. Pros: tapas menu, homemade food more

After a stressful morning at the office, one of my FAVORITE people in the world kidnapped me and took me to Bistro 607 for lunch. I instantly fell in love with the place! The food was outstanding, the service was impeccable (one look at my stressed out demeanor, and the waiter offered a much needed glass of wine), and the intimate atmosphere is perfect! We had such a great experience that we've made a standing monthly lunch date! Pros: foie gras, wine list, service more

My husband and I had read the mixed reviews on Citysearch, but were looking forward to some authentic tapas. We were seated promptly in the attractive restaurant by a very nice hostess. And then we sat. And sat. Someone who was apparently our waiter flipped his hand at us from a distance of 20 feet, and then we sat some more. We had time to read the menu several times, discuss wine selection at length, and eat all the complimentary plantain chips before we realized that the waiter's time and priorities were going to be focussed completely on the table of 8 (big tippers?)he was still hovering over. After 15 minutes (no water, no further acknowledgement) we left. The food may be wonderful, but a remedial course in customer service is needed. We drove across the street to a wonderful restaurant and had a lovely meal there. Cons: non existent service more

After being recommended by a friend to this restaurant, I am officially hooked! Everything we enjoyed was delicious, service was perfect, and the atmosphere was romantic and luxurious, but absolutely comfortable (even in jeans). I really enjoy food, and I think this is some of the best food I have ever enjoyed, hands down! My husband and I dined on lobster bisque, foie gras, a mouthwatering duck, and seared scallops, and that was before we even get to the dessert. He had a chocolate dessert and I had a frech pastry dish with almonds, ice cream, and a chocolate fudge. Totally devine! It was a special occasion, but the prices were reasonable. I am counting the days until we get to dine there again! Did I say I would highly recommend it :-) Pros: Menu, Atmosphere more

Our ""experience"" began and ended with poor and rude service. In the middle was crappy food. The servers either brought the wrong tapas, forgot to bring them altogether, didn't understand English well, and were generally rude. The food was not prepared well. It was either cold, lacked flavor, overcooked, or undercooked. I can't say there was anything that the four of us really enjoyed, even though we all have very diverse tastes. Pros: Leaving, unintentional comedy, Ambience/decor Cons: EVERYTHING ELSE, EVERYTHING ELSE, and... EVERYTHING ELSE more

I love this restaurant! I always get the chefs tasting - you get much more food for your dollar. It allows you to taste a little bit of this and that. There food is great, I love the little house. My husband an I go here a few times a year for special occassions. We always have great service. more