Tapeo Restaurant & Tapas Bar
The Back Bay's top spot for tapas serves up plenty of romantic atmosphere and prime people-watching.
Message from Tapeo Restaurant & Tapas Bar
Established in 1995, Tapeo has established itself as one of Newbury Streets' most prominent restaurants. Located in the heart of Back Bay, Tapeo offers an exceptional Spanish Tapas style cuisine in a cozy European atmosphere. Tapeo offers over 40 regional Tapas and desserts with new additions every six weeks including a comprehensive Spanish wine, sherry and spirits list. Tapeo is co-owned by Fernando Leon and Patrick Buben. Tapeo offers seasonal tapas that will have you coming back for more. Tapeo is capable of hosting and planning your next engagement. Whether you?re hosting an engagement party, celebrating your birthday or planning your companies? next group private event, our management and staff will make sure every detail is accounted for. We can accommodate groups 10 - 250.
Editorial by
Thanks to a first-class pedigree (same family ownership of Somerville's award-winning Dali) and its central Newbury Street location, Tapeo is a no-brainer city destination for tapas. Diners happily converse in one of two lively dining rooms or, weather permitting, the popular sidewalk patio. After ordering a pitcher of lethal sangria, diners face the difficult task of selecting from the menu's lengthy listing of hot and cold tapas plates. From sizzling dishes of garlic shrimp to intricate bunuelos (puffs) of broccoli, cauliflower and cheese, quality is high and portions are small (count on at least three tapas per person).Key Points
- Parties up to 250 guests
- Since 1995
- Full bar
The Inside Scoop
- Parking - Newbury Street's meters operate until 8pm, Monday-Saturday. Bring plenty of quarters, especially if you're hoping to snag an outdoor seat.
- Where to Sit - When the patio is open, waiting times can top an hour. Leave your name on the waiting list and pass the time by window shopping.
- Parking - Newbury Street's metered parking is tricky, active hours lasting well into dinnertime. Bring plenty of quarters, especially if you're hoping to snag an outdoor seat.
- When to Go - On Thursdays at the bar, enjoy $5 tapas all night and complimentary specialty cocktails between 5pm and 7pm.
- Know Before You Go - Tapas is ideal for groups, but keep an eye on how much your table orders; your bill can add up fast.
Insider Pages Reviews for Tapeo Restaurant & Tapas Bar
Tapas, small Spanish appetizers that one can make a meal of, are hot. But this place was better when I dined there several years ago. The dishes sound great on the menu, but at times the ingredients used are not what they're billed to be and the preparation is mediocre. They used to serve a large Sherry, now it's half the size. It's OK but there are much better.
Posted 09/19/08 | Report Abuse
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This is a small restaurant and bar. In the summer, they also have an outdoor patio. On Friday or Saturday nights, there will be a long wait unless you make a reservation. Since they are located on Newbury St, parking can be a pain. You can also take the train.
The food is top notch authentic Spanish cuisine and the wait staff is very willingly to help you make your dinner choices.
They have specials that change weekly and a number of vegetarian options available. Their wine list is constantly changing as well. The sangria is pretty good.
Bring your friend for a birthday and they will do a fun little ceremony where they darken the restaurant and light a candle.
PROS: great food and location
CONS: expensive, parking
Posted 04/22/06 | Report Abuse
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Tapeo Restaurant has awesome Spanish food! My favorite is Sopa de Ajo, which is garlic soup. I have never had anything like it. The restaurant is decorated in an authentic Spanish theme. It is bright, inviting and cosy. It is a great place to go for a date or with friends. The food is inexpensive and you get plenty of it. The food can be slow coming out, but it is nice to sit with a drink and relax while you wait for the food.
PROS: Great Spanish food, nice atmosphere
CONS: Food can take a while after you order
Posted 09/17/05 | Report Abuse
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Latest reviews from Citysearch.
Great place
by SunilTrue
great place. Love the sangria. The tapas portions are very small though. great place. Love the sangria.
Posted 02/18/09
great place for tapas
by nishith
My favorite place in Boston. Would love to visit it when I visit Boston next.
Oh, and they make great sangria.
Pros: a nice bar area while you are waiting to be seated
Posted 02/18/09
Great location, great tapas. What else can you ask for?
by JasonS08
Came here with my girlfriend for a 30th birthday party. I'm not a big tapas expert but I've visited Spain during college and this place fits the part. The baby potatoes, garlic shrimp and beef tenderloin were awesome. I had 4 glasses of sangria and I was starting to feel the repercussions.
Our server was helpful and very nice. I didn't catch her name though. Another guy from Tapeo came over who helped my buddy out with the group arrangements and shook his hand. That stuff goes along way in my book. I will most def come back soon.
Posted 11/05/08
Good Outside Dining, however, Lackluster Food and Service
by jkboston1050
I was really disappointed with our recent visit to Tapeo. In the past, I thought the sangria & tapas were good. However, this recent visit, left me extremely disappointed. I'm not sure if the food was disappointing because the kitchen did a poor job preparing it or was our server one of the worst we've ever had. We ordered a wide range of tapas...empanadas, tortilla espanola, scallops in saffron cream, pork w/ blue cheese, pork sausage w/ fig, beef tenderloin, beef short ribs, etc. Unfortunately, the food was disappointing for several reasons. The empanadas were incredibly bland. The scallops were over cooked. The beef was predominantly fat. On the flip side, the sausage & fig and the pork with blue cheese were good. Despite, two tapas that lived up to expectations...the rest of the meal fell well short. I think our server was bad. The scallops and saffron cream had a thick skin on it (along with the overcooked scallops)...suggests that the food had been waiting for a considerable time. The Sangria was watery...also suggesting that it had been sitting in a pitcher for a while. Along with food sitting, our waitress often disappeared, forgot parts of our order, and had a bit of an attitude. I know that Tapeo has been successful in the past. And I know that we will give them another shot to redeem themselves after our last experience...however, I think I will try to avoid the last waitress we had.
Pros: Outdoor Seating, People Watching, Sangria
Cons: Service
Posted 09/05/08
Coffee Drinkers BEWARE
by SweetBoston
If you drink coffee and expect some at Tapeo's - be prepared. They will serve you about 3 ounces of the strongest "coffee" you will ever had and they will charge you $3 for this. Worse, is if you ask them for some more they will give you another 3 ounces and charge you another $3. I complained about this the first time and they took the 2nd charge off my bill and apologized for the error. I went back a couple weeks later and they did this again - the same female bartender who double charged me the first time repeated herself tonight without hesitation. I didn't say anything this time as it is clear this is their business practice to charge $3 for every tiny cup of coffee served. Instead for $3 I'll tell all of you that this place is a silent rip off if you expect to have coffee with your meal. They don't even tell you they're going to charge you extra if you want a refill on your coffee which is automatically free at just about any other Boston Restaurant except this one....
Cons: Coffee service and business is the worst and most expensive I have ever seen of all of our fabulous Boston Restaurants
Posted 06/24/08
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