Went back and forth for a while on whether to give this place 3 or 4 stars and eventually landed on 3 because the food here can be really good, but it's extremely inconsistent and I've had some less than ideal experiences with the wait staff. The first time I went in, we chatted with the owner for some time, he was fantastic and made some great recommendations. Without his guidance however, I've found it's about a 50/50 chance the tapas your order will be great. I'm always on the look out for dog friendly spots, and Kika has a very large patio and said dogs were allowed when I called. However, when I brought my pup with me the host was extremely rude about her being there, he finally seated us anyways in the back corner with tons of empty tables between us and the other guests in case my dog "bites someone" - she's a mini golden doodle that acts more like a stuffed animal than a dog... he shot us nasty looks for the rest of the meal and soured the whole experience quite a bit. Our server was cold and not very knowledgable about the menu so that didn't help redeem the situation either. As far as the food goes, some of the best dishes I've had are the cheese board, meat board, patatas bravas, Gambas Al Ajillo, and Lomo de Buey a las Frutas (Beef Tenderloin, Apricots, Prunes & Figs w/ Brandy Cream Sauce BEST THING ON THE MENU). Order those items and you'll have a great meal, but I wouldn't take too many other risks. I'd go back, but merely for convenience. It's a decent place with a funky interior, buuuuut you can do better.
James Cole
The short rib is out of this world! Great selection of tapas. Bartender makes a great Manhattan too!
Jessica R.
Service was a bit slow for the place not being so busy. Food was okay! But everyone was nice! Arroz y Habas was watery/soupy and I think would be much better if it was dry! Camarones a la Plancha was awesome!! The sauce was so tasty! Churros were okay! Not enough cinnamon/sugar on them..
Random Floridian
Tapas used to be more popular in Boston. But then again, Tapas are usually not financially sustainable. This place is a typical "hit or miss" sort of venue. Don't bother. Ask around if you're really craving a good and diversified tapas experience.
Chloe Jones
Perhaps one of the worst dining experiences I've ever had. Found a piece of plastic in my first tapa, and the waiter/manager just said "oh...well that happens" WTF. Then made a condescending remark about me not confusing the pepper for a piece of plastic in my 2nd tapa. And he just straight up forgot to bring out my 3rd. Even if I were to forgive the rude service, incompetence, and random piece of plastic in my food,...the food was also just awful. Not worth eating. I've given this place several chances. And it's just gotten worse over the years. Kika...you stink
liz d.
This place is so great. Fernando is a local gem and sometimes we go in just to chat with him. The sausages are super and I love the gambas. They put a ton of garlic in it, and its fabulous. There is nowhere else that you want to go for sangria, these guys have really mastered that. Their wine selection is great and not typical. I went on a local bar crawl on my anniversary, and this restaurant was the only place that actually cared. Its a warm environment and has a great friendly vibe. You will feel appreciated here.
Sanja Simonovic
Courteous staff and tasty food. Pleasant atmosphere. Good for group formal lunches.
Mimi Chui
We visited it 2 months ago and had a good time. We went back 2 days ago. The service went downhill. Food was good, but slow. Also, the waiter seemed in a hurry all the time.
Karen L.
We had sangria and lots of different tapas. Everything was delicious. I wish that I didn't get so full because there were many more that I would like to try. The service and atmosphere were excellent. I love Kika Tapas.
The chorizo is extremely tasty! All the dishes I tried were appetizing nd I'm very curious to try their paella. However, the service was subpar and I most likely will not return because of it. One of the waiters was extremely impatient while taking our orders and consistently gave us attitude while we were ordering. I felt uncomfortable with his attitude so I decided to talk to the manager. However, he defended the waiter and said it's just his "accent". It has absolutely nothing to do with his accent and I was even more uncomfortable with how he didn't seem to care about the situation. It seems like other Yelp reviews have mentioned the service quality. I appreciate that the manager offered a complimentary dessert. I'm a pretty reasonable person and I very rarely speak up. You can check my other yelp reviews and see that I am not a super defensive or critical customer. I don't appreciate my concern being turned down. It is apparent that the management is very defensive about customer service. That's fine. Clearly this is not a welcoming place.
Terevos
Love this place. Garlic shrimp is the best anywhere around and the lamb meatballs are fantastic.
Gloria Cindy Anglon
Delicious food, yummy mixed drinks, and quiet atmosphere to engage in conversations at your table.
Nelson Grihalde
Im not happy they ran out of bacon wrapped dates just as Im having my last supper in Cambridge. Patatas bravas were passable but not as tasty as Chicago's Iberico. Babareeba is supposed to be the most authentic says my student Pablo Cortez Blanco who was born in Madrid.
Brian J.
This place is not great. I've only gone here more than once because it's close to my office and people suggest it from time to time for after work drinks because it's never packed and we can always get a seat. An empty bar or restaurant should always be a warning. The bartender is always rude and very inattentive. The drinks are weak/small and overpriced. The food isn't great. There's nothing about this place that's worth going there for, other than a seat. But honestly, there are other better places on the same block. Just go there. Wait a bit for a seat at the bar or a table. You won't regret it.
Sangria is the BEST!! Food is so delicious!
Went back and forth for a while on whether to give this place 3 or 4 stars and eventually landed on 3 because the food here can be really good, but it's extremely inconsistent and I've had some less than ideal experiences with the wait staff. The first time I went in, we chatted with the owner for some time, he was fantastic and made some great recommendations. Without his guidance however, I've found it's about a 50/50 chance the tapas your order will be great. I'm always on the look out for dog friendly spots, and Kika has a very large patio and said dogs were allowed when I called. However, when I brought my pup with me the host was extremely rude about her being there, he finally seated us anyways in the back corner with tons of empty tables between us and the other guests in case my dog "bites someone" - she's a mini golden doodle that acts more like a stuffed animal than a dog... he shot us nasty looks for the rest of the meal and soured the whole experience quite a bit. Our server was cold and not very knowledgable about the menu so that didn't help redeem the situation either. As far as the food goes, some of the best dishes I've had are the cheese board, meat board, patatas bravas, Gambas Al Ajillo, and Lomo de Buey a las Frutas (Beef Tenderloin, Apricots, Prunes & Figs w/ Brandy Cream Sauce BEST THING ON THE MENU). Order those items and you'll have a great meal, but I wouldn't take too many other risks. I'd go back, but merely for convenience. It's a decent place with a funky interior, buuuuut you can do better.
The short rib is out of this world! Great selection of tapas. Bartender makes a great Manhattan too!
Service was a bit slow for the place not being so busy. Food was okay! But everyone was nice! Arroz y Habas was watery/soupy and I think would be much better if it was dry! Camarones a la Plancha was awesome!! The sauce was so tasty! Churros were okay! Not enough cinnamon/sugar on them..
Tapas used to be more popular in Boston. But then again, Tapas are usually not financially sustainable. This place is a typical "hit or miss" sort of venue. Don't bother. Ask around if you're really craving a good and diversified tapas experience.
Perhaps one of the worst dining experiences I've ever had. Found a piece of plastic in my first tapa, and the waiter/manager just said "oh...well that happens" WTF. Then made a condescending remark about me not confusing the pepper for a piece of plastic in my 2nd tapa. And he just straight up forgot to bring out my 3rd. Even if I were to forgive the rude service, incompetence, and random piece of plastic in my food,...the food was also just awful. Not worth eating. I've given this place several chances. And it's just gotten worse over the years. Kika...you stink
This place is so great. Fernando is a local gem and sometimes we go in just to chat with him. The sausages are super and I love the gambas. They put a ton of garlic in it, and its fabulous. There is nowhere else that you want to go for sangria, these guys have really mastered that. Their wine selection is great and not typical. I went on a local bar crawl on my anniversary, and this restaurant was the only place that actually cared. Its a warm environment and has a great friendly vibe. You will feel appreciated here.
Courteous staff and tasty food. Pleasant atmosphere. Good for group formal lunches.
We visited it 2 months ago and had a good time. We went back 2 days ago. The service went downhill. Food was good, but slow. Also, the waiter seemed in a hurry all the time.
We had sangria and lots of different tapas. Everything was delicious. I wish that I didn't get so full because there were many more that I would like to try. The service and atmosphere were excellent. I love Kika Tapas.
Restaurantji Recommends
The chorizo is extremely tasty! All the dishes I tried were appetizing nd I'm very curious to try their paella. However, the service was subpar and I most likely will not return because of it. One of the waiters was extremely impatient while taking our orders and consistently gave us attitude while we were ordering. I felt uncomfortable with his attitude so I decided to talk to the manager. However, he defended the waiter and said it's just his "accent". It has absolutely nothing to do with his accent and I was even more uncomfortable with how he didn't seem to care about the situation. It seems like other Yelp reviews have mentioned the service quality. I appreciate that the manager offered a complimentary dessert. I'm a pretty reasonable person and I very rarely speak up. You can check my other yelp reviews and see that I am not a super defensive or critical customer. I don't appreciate my concern being turned down. It is apparent that the management is very defensive about customer service. That's fine. Clearly this is not a welcoming place.
Love this place. Garlic shrimp is the best anywhere around and the lamb meatballs are fantastic.
Delicious food, yummy mixed drinks, and quiet atmosphere to engage in conversations at your table.
Im not happy they ran out of bacon wrapped dates just as Im having my last supper in Cambridge. Patatas bravas were passable but not as tasty as Chicago's Iberico. Babareeba is supposed to be the most authentic says my student Pablo Cortez Blanco who was born in Madrid.
This place is not great. I've only gone here more than once because it's close to my office and people suggest it from time to time for after work drinks because it's never packed and we can always get a seat. An empty bar or restaurant should always be a warning. The bartender is always rude and very inattentive. The drinks are weak/small and overpriced. The food isn't great. There's nothing about this place that's worth going there for, other than a seat. But honestly, there are other better places on the same block. Just go there. Wait a bit for a seat at the bar or a table. You won't regret it.