My daughter discovered this restaurant during a trip last year. She saw a billboard along the highway and immediately thought of me, since I am originally from Spain. After doing some research, she couldn’t stop talking about how much she wanted our family of four to experience authentic Spanish food there. Recently, while traveling nearby, we finally had the chance to make her wish come true.
Making a reservation was simple and seamless. I booked online, then called to adjust the time. The staff handled the change politely, without any issues, and quickly sent a confirmation email.
From the moment we arrived, we knew the evening was going to be special. We were warmly greeted and seated near the stage, where a talented guitarist set the perfect mood by blending jazz, classical, American, and Spanish music.
Our waitress was attentive, patient, and kind—especially as we took our time deciding among so many tempting dishes. We began with the tapas sampler and croquetas, a delicious start featuring tortilla de patatas, chorizo, meatballs, and more. Every bite melted in our mouths.
For our main courses, we enjoyed Filet Mignon, Chicken Paella, and Bacalao a la Vasca. As someone from the Basque Country, I was deeply impressed by the cod—prepared with flavors that instantly transported me back to the cuisine of my childhood in Spain. Alongside the meal, we shared a wonderfully flavorful sangria.
Of course, we couldn’t skip dessert. We tried the chocolate hazelnut cheesecake, arroz con leche, and their famous tarta de cuajada. This last dessert holds special meaning for my daughter—she’s loved it since she was a toddler—and tasting its authenticity brought tears to her eyes. To make the moment even more memorable, both Chef Carlos and Elena (the mastermind behind the desserts) came by to chat with us. Their warmth and passion were evident, as they visited with guests while running the restaurant smoothly.
In every way—food, atmosphere, service, and hospitality—this restaurant exceeded our expectations. Although we live nearly three hours away, we would gladly make the drive again to relive such an extraordinary experience. Carlos and Elena, thank you to you and your entire team for creating such a magical evening and sharing the true spirit of Spain.
Leila Wallace
Great food, atmosphere, and servers! Loved how attentive and engaging they were, Lee did a great job!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Omar Salazar
I was very excited to go hear after living in the area for a while and hearing so much about this place and seeing the ads. I can say I was not disappointed.
I brought a colleague from work who was visiting from Spain and even she said she very pleased and happy with her experience here. The staff was great. Chef Carlos was amazing personable and so was his business partner also from Spain, but unfortunately I do not recall her name.
I greatly recommend this place to anybody who wants to try authentic Spanish food in an authentic environment. I walked in and felt like I had teleported across the world.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Gina Arce
Such a wonderful experience food was exceptionally well appetizers, main dish and the homemade desserts DELICIOUS. The service was very welcoming and polite. I would recommend a thousand times over.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Sue Horn
Excellent meals. Will definitely return. Waiter was attentive and helpful. Owner checked in to see how everything was. Will definitely return. And tell others.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Joe McLaughlin
The tapas is as good or better than that in Spain. Don Carlos is a generous, creative, and welcoming guy.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Flan, Patatas Bravas, Meatballs, Pulpo a La Gallega, Gambas Al Ajillo
Linda Niehaus
Much too loud. The air was hot and muggy which made me feel claustrophobic. Our four meals were disappointing. The pork skewers were dry & tough. Paella was bland. The positives were our calamari appetizers.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Calamari
Ross
The food was excellent The service was excellent everything about this place is great would definitely recommend if you're in the area to check them out Little pricey but great food
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Pamela Ruminski
You get a real feeling of old world hospitality. The atmosphere is very lively. We enjoyed the great food and live music. The staff were attentive to anyone who needed it. It is a wonderful experience.
Wonderful experience from top to bottom. Great good, friendly staff.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Paula West
Everything about this place was an absolute treat. From the care that the servers took and making us feel welcomed and explaining all of the variety of options, to the owner actually coming out and greeting us making us feel very welcomed. I would recommend a reservation if you need one as it does get very busy, but we were able to go early and enjoy our meal. There was live music that was not too loud at all and he was very talented, it was very much a relaxed atmosphere. When it came to the tapas, we got the combo platter and it was an absolute treat. The variety was amazing and all of the things you could want were on there. I'm told some of their best stuff! We completely cleared our plate of appetizers, and couldn't imagine how good the main entrees would be. I got crab stuffed flounder, and it was cooked to perfection. Served with vegetables and the best Spanish rice I've had in my life. Hands down. No questions asked. We also sampled the house wine, and ended up leaving with three bottles because they had a buy two get one free. There was also another dish that was pork skewers served with vegetables and rice, and they were an absolute succulent bite each time. We were so impressed that there weren't much left on our plates by the time we were done. Still unable to stop, we ended up ordering two desserts! Everything they say about the desserts is true, they're the best ones I think I've ever had. And the flavor is incomparable. We got the wine stewed pear and the pound cake in a cream, jelled sauce. I'm so relieved that we decided to get two desserts because they were both beyond words. The sponge cake was refreshing and light and cool as well as very rich and creamy. What really impressed me was the wine stewed pear as the caramelization and sweetness of the wine went together heavenly. That served over ice cream which gave it a lovely vanilla creamy base. I think my favorite part was drinking the juices afterwards. This is truly a gem of Valpo, knowing it's been around for 40 years makes it all the more special in my opinion. As you can see, the food is plated beautifully the servers. Truly make you feel welcomed and are very informative. I went for an anniversary and it was beyond our expectations. The owners seem to know their regulars, the wife even took a photo of our table, which was very kind. I'm genuinely looking forward to the next time we can go again!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Agny Sanchez
It’s always a pleasure visit this restaurant, the service is amazing and the food is so delicious.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Peras Al Vino, Calamares En Su Tinta, Albóndigas, Tortilla A la Española
Juanita Cruz
The waiter didn't attend to us for 15 minutes. Then we were sat right by the stage, where the singer seemed to sing right into our ears. The food came from a pre ordered menu, not their best. First time we were so disappointed.
Tony Avalos
Great atmosphere. Fun place to take the family. Everybody is very friendly. We were not impressed with the food, but we loved the sangria. I would go back only to see if I'm wrong.
My daughter discovered this restaurant during a trip last year. She saw a billboard along the highway and immediately thought of me, since I am originally from Spain. After doing some research, she couldn’t stop talking about how much she wanted our family of four to experience authentic Spanish food there. Recently, while traveling nearby, we finally had the chance to make her wish come true. Making a reservation was simple and seamless. I booked online, then called to adjust the time. The staff handled the change politely, without any issues, and quickly sent a confirmation email. From the moment we arrived, we knew the evening was going to be special. We were warmly greeted and seated near the stage, where a talented guitarist set the perfect mood by blending jazz, classical, American, and Spanish music. Our waitress was attentive, patient, and kind—especially as we took our time deciding among so many tempting dishes. We began with the tapas sampler and croquetas, a delicious start featuring tortilla de patatas, chorizo, meatballs, and more. Every bite melted in our mouths. For our main courses, we enjoyed Filet Mignon, Chicken Paella, and Bacalao a la Vasca. As someone from the Basque Country, I was deeply impressed by the cod—prepared with flavors that instantly transported me back to the cuisine of my childhood in Spain. Alongside the meal, we shared a wonderfully flavorful sangria. Of course, we couldn’t skip dessert. We tried the chocolate hazelnut cheesecake, arroz con leche, and their famous tarta de cuajada. This last dessert holds special meaning for my daughter—she’s loved it since she was a toddler—and tasting its authenticity brought tears to her eyes. To make the moment even more memorable, both Chef Carlos and Elena (the mastermind behind the desserts) came by to chat with us. Their warmth and passion were evident, as they visited with guests while running the restaurant smoothly. In every way—food, atmosphere, service, and hospitality—this restaurant exceeded our expectations. Although we live nearly three hours away, we would gladly make the drive again to relive such an extraordinary experience. Carlos and Elena, thank you to you and your entire team for creating such a magical evening and sharing the true spirit of Spain.
Great food, atmosphere, and servers! Loved how attentive and engaging they were, Lee did a great job!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I was very excited to go hear after living in the area for a while and hearing so much about this place and seeing the ads. I can say I was not disappointed.
I brought a colleague from work who was visiting from Spain and even she said she very pleased and happy with her experience here. The staff was great. Chef Carlos was amazing personable and so was his business partner also from Spain, but unfortunately I do not recall her name.
I greatly recommend this place to anybody who wants to try authentic Spanish food in an authentic environment. I walked in and felt like I had teleported across the world.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Such a wonderful experience food was exceptionally well appetizers, main dish and the homemade desserts DELICIOUS. The service was very welcoming and polite. I would recommend a thousand times over.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Excellent meals. Will definitely return. Waiter was attentive and helpful. Owner checked in to see how everything was. Will definitely return. And tell others.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The tapas is as good or better than that in Spain. Don Carlos is a generous, creative, and welcoming guy.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Flan, Patatas Bravas, Meatballs, Pulpo a La Gallega, Gambas Al Ajillo
Much too loud. The air was hot and muggy which made me feel claustrophobic. Our four meals were disappointing. The pork skewers were dry & tough. Paella was bland. The positives were our calamari appetizers.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Calamari
The food was excellent The service was excellent everything about this place is great would definitely recommend if you're in the area to check them out Little pricey but great food
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
You get a real feeling of old world hospitality.
The atmosphere is very lively.
We enjoyed the great food and live music.
The staff were attentive to anyone who needed it. It is a wonderful experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Very fancy and classy! Food is very taste!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Wonderful experience from top to bottom. Great good, friendly staff.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Everything about this place was an absolute treat. From the care that the servers took and making us feel welcomed and explaining all of the variety of options, to the owner actually coming out and greeting us making us feel very welcomed. I would recommend a reservation if you need one as it does get very busy, but we were able to go early and enjoy our meal. There was live music that was not too loud at all and he was very talented, it was very much a relaxed atmosphere. When it came to the tapas, we got the combo platter and it was an absolute treat. The variety was amazing and all of the things you could want were on there. I'm told some of their best stuff! We completely cleared our plate of appetizers, and couldn't imagine how good the main entrees would be. I got crab stuffed flounder, and it was cooked to perfection. Served with vegetables and the best Spanish rice I've had in my life. Hands down. No questions asked. We also sampled the house wine, and ended up leaving with three bottles because they had a buy two get one free. There was also another dish that was pork skewers served with vegetables and rice, and they were an absolute succulent bite each time. We were so impressed that there weren't much left on our plates by the time we were done. Still unable to stop, we ended up ordering two desserts! Everything they say about the desserts is true, they're the best ones I think I've ever had. And the flavor is incomparable. We got the wine stewed pear and the pound cake in a cream, jelled sauce. I'm so relieved that we decided to get two desserts because they were both beyond words. The sponge cake was refreshing and light and cool as well as very rich and creamy. What really impressed me was the wine stewed pear as the caramelization and sweetness of the wine went together heavenly. That served over ice cream which gave it a lovely vanilla creamy base. I think my favorite part was drinking the juices afterwards. This is truly a gem of Valpo, knowing it's been around for 40 years makes it all the more special in my opinion. As you can see, the food is plated beautifully the servers. Truly make you feel welcomed and are very informative. I went for an anniversary and it was beyond our expectations. The owners seem to know their regulars, the wife even took a photo of our table, which was very kind. I'm genuinely looking forward to the next time we can go again!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
It’s always a pleasure visit this restaurant, the service is amazing and the food is so delicious.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Peras Al Vino, Calamares En Su Tinta, Albóndigas, Tortilla A la Española
The waiter didn't attend to us for 15 minutes. Then we were sat right by the stage, where the singer seemed to sing right into our ears. The food came from a pre ordered menu, not their best. First time we were so disappointed.
Great atmosphere. Fun place to take the family. Everybody is very friendly. We were not impressed with the food, but we loved the sangria. I would go back only to see if I'm wrong.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
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