Bread w dipping sauce is two separate charges. Dipping sauce is oil, balsamic vinegar and crushed garlic. Most restaurants give oil and vinegar for free, so I was a little surprised. Then I had garlic taste for days, it was overpowering. Cheese and snack board el plato combinado was okay for $26. The tortilla española had no flavor. The sangria had a lot of fruit juice for the price. My friend's food was better. She ordered pasta. I wouldn't think to order pasta at a Spanish restaurant, but I guess you have to know the menu. Also, is the menu Spanish or Mexican? It's paella, sangria and champiñones al ajillo on one page then Oaxacan cocktail and Café Azteca on another. The Beauty of Spain cocktail is made with Mexican tequila. Kind of confusing. Huge menu, which is another pet peeve of mine. The bathroom is far down the walk. I was there at night in the dark and the code lock bathroom door was open when I went. It made me feel unsafe like someone would walk in, who wasn't a customer, when I was there alone. Finally the bill came and it was a little pricey. The first bread basket was focaccia. The second was baguette. It changes depending on what they have. I prefer consistency. Finally, the service was inattentive. I understand they were closing soon, but it was still during open hours. I don't think that diners should be rushed just because there aren't many tables seated. Staff were focused on going home rather than our dinner. Not a horrible meal, but a lot of little things that weren't up my alley. I probably won't return.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 1
Mike Wolz
Goldilocks tapas. Not trying to do too much, but cruuuuushing what they do. Above the US standard for tapas - just right. Best empanadas, insane beef tips.
Steve is a genuine cool dude running the bar and the whole crew behind him had great energy and served phenomenal food. They even showed some love to my aquatic friends 🤙 I'll be back. You should go, too.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Angela Allen
The food is scrumptious, everything is so fresh. They even had a couple of gluten free and vegan items for myself which I was very happy about. Definitely going back
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Hugh McGee
Celebrated with friends and had a fantastic meal. The lamb chops were outstanding. The sauce and the cook on the lamb was perfect.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
David Sanchez
Authentic food. The lamb chops was amazing.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 4
Breanne Kato
Delicious as always. Been going here for years and glad to see they've managed to keep up the quality, selection of dishes, and delicious cocktails and desserts.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Eric Garcia
I came in today and ordered the bread with dipping sauce, Patatas Bravas, Croquetas del día, grilled chicken strips, mushrooms, and the tapa burger. The burger and patatas bravas were my favorite. The grilled chicken strips had no flavor and the croquetas del día were not good. Just more disappointed in the quality of the food.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Maren Meyer
We stopped by late in thr evening on Halloween and were seated right away, but this was not our first visit. The food is always superb and the atmosphere is always fun. Often times someone is playing the Spanish guitar. We sat on the patio and watched folks walk by in their costumes. We enjoyed tapas, salad and wine. The service was prompt and accommodating.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jason Martinez
Knew this was going to be good going into it but still walked away thrilled with the food and experience! Shared some tapas and 2-3 plates per person was more than enough. The focaccia bread and oil were unbelievable. The steak tips were so tender and delicious. The calamari was the real deal. And patatas bravas were perfection. Excellent service as well!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Lizbeth Castillo
Fire calamari and food. The ambiance is also perfectly suited for a date night.
Wow. This is where I'd eat quite frequently if I lived here. Each dish was meticulously prepared, balancing flavors and portions. Had the best relleno and flan of my life. The service was excellent and at our requested pace. The guitarist was a little early for the posted time which was nice because we had an early dinner. There is ample, intimate seating indoors and a quaint courtyard off the street as well as a few tables for patio seating. Don't miss out on this gem.
Bradley Paoli
Service was pretty good. Minor mistakes here and there so not a flawless experience but nothing worrisome. The atmosphere was also pretty good. The live music is great in concept but watered down in effect as it was piped through speakers to our outdoor seating, and not visible from where we were
The food is where this place really shines. In a world where the mundane are charging ever increasing premiums for their mediocre experiences, Tapa the World is a refreshing return to what the $30 experience was 15 years ago. The food is by no means the best, but it may be some of the best you can get in the region for the price. Both the Kiki's burger and vegetable mash were amazing, and I'd highly recommend both.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Afshin Afshar-Ghasemlou
Tapa the World has been a Sacramento staple on J Street since 1994. Now owned and operated by Executive Chef Marcos Murillo and his wife, Brooke, the restaurant has built a reputation for bringing the lively spirit of Spanish food and culture, offering tapas, paella, music, and even flamenco dancing, to Midtown.
During our first visit about a week ago, we chose a street-side table to bring our puppy along. A large umbrella provided shade, but the late afternoon sun still made it warm and uncomfortable. However, the staff was wonderful. They were friendly, attentive, and genuinely tried to ensure we were settled in.
We started with a pitcher of sangria and two tapas: Patatas Bravas and Kobe Beef. The sangria was refreshing, not too sweet, and exactly what we wanted on a warm day. Both tapas were excellent. The Patatas Bravas were crispy with just the right spice, and the beef was tender and flavorful. The soup of the day was another pleasant surprise.
For our main course, we shared the Paella Mixta. As expected, it took about 45 minutes to prepare, which was fine by us; we were happy to linger with the sangria and tapas. While we waited, I wandered into the covered area next door and discovered there was live music and flamenco dancing. That was a fun surprise, and honestly, I wish we had known in advance; we definitely would have reserved a table inside to enjoy the performance.
When the paella arrived, it was the one part of the meal that didn’t quite meet our expectations. While flavorful, the seafood didn’t taste as fresh as I had hoped. It wasn’t enough to spoil the evening, but it was a bit of a letdown after such a strong start.
Even with that hiccup, we had a really good time. The indoor dining area looked lively, welcoming, and full of energy, and it was clear that many of the regulars knew this place well. We’ll definitely be back for the sangria and tapas, and hopefully next time, we will have a front-row seat to enjoy the music and flamenco dancing.
Bread w dipping sauce is two separate charges. Dipping sauce is oil, balsamic vinegar and crushed garlic. Most restaurants give oil and vinegar for free, so I was a little surprised. Then I had garlic taste for days, it was overpowering. Cheese and snack board el plato combinado was okay for $26. The tortilla española had no flavor. The sangria had a lot of fruit juice for the price. My friend's food was better. She ordered pasta. I wouldn't think to order pasta at a Spanish restaurant, but I guess you have to know the menu. Also, is the menu Spanish or Mexican? It's paella, sangria and champiñones al ajillo on one page then Oaxacan cocktail and Café Azteca on another. The Beauty of Spain cocktail is made with Mexican tequila. Kind of confusing. Huge menu, which is another pet peeve of mine. The bathroom is far down the walk. I was there at night in the dark and the code lock bathroom door was open when I went. It made me feel unsafe like someone would walk in, who wasn't a customer, when I was there alone. Finally the bill came and it was a little pricey. The first bread basket was focaccia. The second was baguette. It changes depending on what they have. I prefer consistency. Finally, the service was inattentive. I understand they were closing soon, but it was still during open hours. I don't think that diners should be rushed just because there aren't many tables seated. Staff were focused on going home rather than our dinner. Not a horrible meal, but a lot of little things that weren't up my alley. I probably won't return.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 1
Goldilocks tapas. Not trying to do too much, but cruuuuushing what they do. Above the US standard for tapas - just right. Best empanadas, insane beef tips.
Steve is a genuine cool dude running the bar and the whole crew behind him had great energy and served phenomenal food. They even showed some love to my aquatic friends 🤙 I'll be back. You should go, too.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The food is scrumptious, everything is so fresh. They even had a couple of gluten free and vegan items for myself which I was very happy about. Definitely going back
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Celebrated with friends and had a fantastic meal. The lamb chops were outstanding. The sauce and the cook on the lamb was perfect.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Authentic food. The lamb chops was amazing.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 4
Delicious as always. Been going here for years and glad to see they've managed to keep up the quality, selection of dishes, and delicious cocktails and desserts.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I came in today and ordered the bread with dipping sauce, Patatas Bravas, Croquetas del día, grilled chicken strips, mushrooms, and the tapa burger. The burger and patatas bravas were my favorite. The grilled chicken strips had no flavor and the croquetas del día were not good. Just more disappointed in the quality of the food.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
We stopped by late in thr evening on Halloween and were seated right away, but this was not our first visit. The food is always superb and the atmosphere is always fun. Often times someone is playing the Spanish guitar. We sat on the patio and watched folks walk by in their costumes. We enjoyed tapas, salad and wine. The service was prompt and accommodating.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Knew this was going to be good going into it but still walked away thrilled with the food and experience! Shared some tapas and 2-3 plates per person was more than enough. The focaccia bread and oil were unbelievable. The steak tips were so tender and delicious. The calamari was the real deal. And patatas bravas were perfection. Excellent service as well!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Fire calamari and food. The ambiance is also perfectly suited for a date night.
Food: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Great Tapas!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Wow. This is where I'd eat quite frequently if I lived here. Each dish was meticulously prepared, balancing flavors and portions. Had the best relleno and flan of my life. The service was excellent and at our requested pace. The guitarist was a little early for the posted time which was nice because we had an early dinner. There is ample, intimate seating indoors and a quaint courtyard off the street as well as a few tables for patio seating. Don't miss out on this gem.
Service was pretty good. Minor mistakes here and there so not a flawless experience but nothing worrisome. The atmosphere was also pretty good. The live music is great in concept but watered down in effect as it was piped through speakers to our outdoor seating, and not visible from where we were
The food is where this place really shines. In a world where the mundane are charging ever increasing premiums for their mediocre experiences, Tapa the World is a refreshing return to what the $30 experience was 15 years ago. The food is by no means the best, but it may be some of the best you can get in the region for the price. Both the Kiki's burger and vegetable mash were amazing, and I'd highly recommend both.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Tapa the World has been a Sacramento staple on J Street since 1994. Now owned and operated by Executive Chef Marcos Murillo and his wife, Brooke, the restaurant has built a reputation for bringing the lively spirit of Spanish food and culture, offering tapas, paella, music, and even flamenco dancing, to Midtown.
During our first visit about a week ago, we chose a street-side table to bring our puppy along. A large umbrella provided shade, but the late afternoon sun still made it warm and uncomfortable. However, the staff was wonderful. They were friendly, attentive, and genuinely tried to ensure we were settled in.
We started with a pitcher of sangria and two tapas: Patatas Bravas and Kobe Beef. The sangria was refreshing, not too sweet, and exactly what we wanted on a warm day. Both tapas were excellent. The Patatas Bravas were crispy with just the right spice, and the beef was tender and flavorful. The soup of the day was another pleasant surprise.
For our main course, we shared the Paella Mixta. As expected, it took about 45 minutes to prepare, which was fine by us; we were happy to linger with the sangria and tapas. While we waited, I wandered into the covered area next door and discovered there was live music and flamenco dancing. That was a fun surprise, and honestly, I wish we had known in advance; we definitely would have reserved a table inside to enjoy the performance.
When the paella arrived, it was the one part of the meal that didn’t quite meet our expectations. While flavorful, the seafood didn’t taste as fresh as I had hoped. It wasn’t enough to spoil the evening, but it was a bit of a letdown after such a strong start.
Even with that hiccup, we had a really good time. The indoor dining area looked lively, welcoming, and full of energy, and it was clear that many of the regulars knew this place well. We’ll definitely be back for the sangria and tapas, and hopefully next time, we will have a front-row seat to enjoy the music and flamenco dancing.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 5
Love this place. Great food. Great wine.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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