Solea Restaurant and Tapas Bar

Under new management. Menu has changed. Not as much on menu as before. Met th chef and offered suggestions. Hope some dishes return.

Solea Restaurant and Tapas Bar is well situated in Moody Street which is basically a FOOD STREET. I visited Solea on a Tuesday evening with a group of six friends. I saw two other big parties enjoying tapas as well. Arriving hungry, we definitely over-ordered — though in hindsight, a Small Valenciana or Small Oceano paella would have been more than enough for all of us to share, after we have enjoyed several tapas! The menu is thoughtfully presented, with dish names in Spanish accompanied by clear English descriptions, making it easy to explore new flavors with confidence. Service was attentive and friendly throughout the evening. Our water glasses were consistently refilled without us needing to ask — a small detail that made a big impression. Overall, Solea offers a warm atmosphere and excellent service, and we enjoy the evening a lot!

Started off with messy and oily dishes and unfortunately things didn't improve from there. We tried giving it a fair chance, but the food was well below the average compared to other tapas bars. There was only one server, which is understandable for a Sunday noon, but overall service felt stretched. The seating couches have clearly seen better days. Overall, it's a place with potential, but given the competition on this street, there are definitely better options for food and atmosphere.

The only good thing was the cocktail.

Atmosphere: 2

Food: 2

Service: 2

I have eaten here many times and always enjoyed the food and the experience. We were a party of six and unanimously agreed the food was not good. The deep fat fried dishes smelled funny like it was cooked in old oil. We could have overlooked the good if the Cocktails were good - they too missed the mark. We left the place to go somewhere else. Sorry for leaving this review but please go back to what worked well before.

Most of the food was great (smokey roasted vegetables, grilled octopus, crispy cauliflower), some was just so so (chicken empanada). Service was very friendly and attentive.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Delicious!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Twenty years ago, when I lived in the area, Solea was my favorite restaurant. Now, it's a huge disappointment. Though it still has some favorite dishes, they have suffered a major decline in quality. The gambas ajillo, for example, arrived way overcooked and it contained very few shrimp. The flan was the worst I have ever had.

The manager Petronila M. was working as the waitress because she had a two person call out. She was the only one there working the tables, and the bar. She was hustling, and she did a great job. On top of that stress she was still very personable, and was calm and focused. Great asset to the establishment.

The food is authentic. I liked the Brussels sprouts and the ceviche.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Solea was ok. The dishes were really hit or miss. The tenderloin, broccoli fritters, roasted vegetables, and shrimp were all good. The paella was ok - seafood was tender but I feel this dish didn't have a lot of flavor. The jamon iberico was bad. Super chewy. The service was ok, nothing standout.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 3

Service: 3

Fruit fly problem. Food was good but the fly problem was scary which makes the entire experience feel icky. There were about 15 fruit flies in my wine glass and when I sent it back they only took off that one round from the bill. I am horrified, it’s too cold for fruit flies this time of year. DISGUSTING!!!!!!!!

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

The food was great here, and reasonably priced for the portion sizes. There are a ton of great vegetarian options. We really enjoyed the cheese platter and the spicy cauliflower

Server was great, provided advice and great options. Food was good but not the most true to original. Example, tortilla de papas came with a mayonnaise/golf sauce instead of garnished. All in all a great experience and customer service.

Service, ambience and value were great. However, not one of the seven tapas dishes we ordered tasted like the Spanish dish it was supposed to be. Pulpo was dry and tough. Albondigas (in cream sauce?) also dried out. Gambas al ajillo were tiny and pallid, like they'd been blanched in light olive oil. I never leave bad reviews but if you're expecting the tastes of Spain, go elsewhere.

Everything was delicious! We went with the classic red sangria (refreshing), lamb meatballs, the duck leg, patatas bravas, and the baked goat cheese (the table favorite) as well as Valenciana Paella (pictured). All great!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5