Mallorca Restaurant

I really looked forward to dining at this restaurant, had heard great things about the food. I wasn't disappointed, the food was delicious and well prepared. Only drawback was the table that the two of us were seated at. The restaurant wasn't busy, and we had reservations. We were seated so close to another couple that one would think that we were a foursome. Four inches between our tables. There were plenty of other open tables. It was a special occasion, and the lack of privacy left me feeling more than a little uncomfortable.

Pros: Extensive menu, very large portions

Cons: limited seating

Posted 09/26/09

Probably the worst restaurant I have been to in Pittsburgh. I can honestly say that the best part of my meal was the sourdough bread and the fried calamari appetizer. I ordered the lamb with mustard sauce that must have sat under a warming lamp for 20 minutes. I am fairly certain that the mustard was simply French's yellow mustard dumped on the top with burnt pine nuts. The sauce had hardened and the lamb was dry on top. My girlfriend ordered the paella. On a positive note, her sausage was very good...but it stops there. There was nothing appetizing about the dish. The shrimp were not deveined. The lobster was not cleaned (full of detritus), chewy and simply looked disgusting. There were several large chunks of dry chicken. Being that things were going so well... we did not order desert. Fifteen minutes passed while waiting for our waiter before requesting the check from another passing employee. All of this for $75 dollars. I will never go there again.

Pros: I did not become ill

Cons: The food was terrible and overpriced

Posted 09/05/09

Wanted to eat here and arrived before the dinner rush. I had already eaten so I had room for an appetizer. I ordered some stuffed peppers with seafood stuffing and running dressing. I was first seated in the large sun room by the door next to the noisy kitchen, where all I heard was banging and clanging and yelling. I asked to be moved away from the kitchen. After being moved it was still cramped but much less noisy. Others ordered huge dinners and were eating. I received my appetizer will small peppers and some seafood-like stuffing in an orange sauce. It was ok, nothing great about the taste. The room became more crowded and noisier. I was feeling claustraphobic and irritated and just wanted to leave. I guess your experience depends on what you order and what time of day it is.

Pros: Real Spanish Waiters

Cons: Noisy, cramped, food ok

Posted 06/23/09

The staff here makes you feel very welcome. They all interact together to make for a wonderful dining experience. The menu has such tremendous variety - it was hard to pick. WIth menu items like boar and suckling pig, the menu is also very unique. We had stuffed mushrooms as an appetizer (very good). My Fiancee had the seafood casserole which she really enjoyed and appeared to be a favorite there. I had one of the specials of the day, lamb with mustard sauce. The lamb was cooked very well, but the mustard sauce was a little overpowering - too much mustard. However, overall we were treated extremely well and enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. We will definitely be back to try something new!

Pros: Extremely friendly staff, great food

Cons: So many choices, hard to choose

Posted 06/20/09

After eating at Mallorca and expecting authentic, quality Spanish cuisine, I must say I was thoroughly disappointed. Personally, I've made better paella at home. I find it hard to believe that this paella is award winning because I have lived in Spain, and therefore I know what real paella actually tastes like. My paella had zero flavor, like the seafood & vegetables had been cooked separately & then thrown into a bland generic yellow rice (I'm sure the color was not from real saffron). Also, the seafood was not fresh and what was supposed to be chicken was actually pork (probably some old stuff they were trying to use up). the rice was long grain rather than short grain, the kind typically used in paella. This was paella at its absolute worst, no flavor, no thought, just executed in the cheapest and most inauthentic way possible. My advice, make your own paella, and don't waste your money.

Pros: nothing

Cons: everything

Posted 06/04/09

Being a latin and knowing the latin flavor, I was super excited to visit this place. Extremely disappointed. Besides the fact that the carpeting looks like its had urine and feces spread gingerly throughout, the food is below poor.

Each dish we got had a common taste. Dirty grill and spoiled oil. This place was a far cry from great latin food. About the only thing authentic in this place are the waiters.

But they themselves need to realize this is not a latin culture and quicker service would be appreciated.

A disappointment all around. You wont miss anything by passing it up.

Pros: Good Concept

Cons: Everything

Posted 05/22/09

The staff was excellent including a very friendly hostess. Despite the menu being only two pages, there was a HUGE array of daily specials without prices. Goat, lamb, pigs, seafood from all over... the list was way too extensive for a diner to contemplate and really know what they were having to pay. The serving sizes were huge; highly recommend ordering one dish per couple and sharing. Produce was not fresh - tomatoes served in salad were not ripe; side of vegetables (carrots, broccoli and snow peas) looked like they were of cheap quality, overcooked, previously frozen or all of the above.

Ordered the wild boar. While it was tasty, it wasn't as fresh tasting as I imagined it would be. With so many daily specials, such a small restaurant could only offer so many dishes if food was frozen, especially meats and seafood. Tried a scallop from my husband's dish; it was by far the least fresh scallop I have tasted in the Pittsburgh area.

Strongly suggest that the menu is made smaller and have 1-3 daily specials. MAKE SURE THE FOOD IS FRESH. More does not necessarily equate to better and so is the case with Mallorca.

Pros: Atmosphere

Cons: Food not fresh; too many daily specials w/o knowing prices

Posted 03/18/09

If you're from Pittsburgh you understand the feeling that's evoked by going back home to Mom's or Nonna's for a home cooked meal (I'm not sure what the Spanish word is for Nonna!) This is what it's like for me each time I visit Mallorca in the South Side. A warm, welcoming environment--a bit worn, yes, but the wear is from years of friends and families gathering to share, to laugh, and to enjoy tried and true recipes served with love and created with passion. The menu has bona fide Spanish fare, and I so look forward to the recitation of the specials (how _do_ they remember them all?) There are predictable house specialties: always, always baby goat is available. When's the last time you prepared _that_ at home? Not only do the waiters recite the menu with mastery, they never miss a beat--personally serving your appetizers and your sides. Speaking of the sides, the home-style, made-to-share presentation is also comforting--and the vegetables are always done just to perfection; no mushy broccoli here! Each entree is a delight to the senses and their wine list is exquisite (including my favorite Italian white--Terra di Tufi.) Be sure to leave room for the Almond Torte dessert. Mallorca doesn't actually make it on premises, I hear they import it from the Angels up in Heaven! This is the restaurant where I take visiting friends, colleagues, and family and it's a winner every time. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Pros: Food quality and portions, service

Cons: Tables a bit close together

Posted 02/16/09

This place is absolutely terrible. My seafood dish had an ammonia smell to it, and it tasted like it smelled. The waitstaff is professional, and the portions are big. However, the food is terrible and expensive. I wouldn't even send my worst enemy to this place!

Pros: Ok ambiance

Cons: Terrible food and way expensive!

Posted 01/11/09

Mallorca was a disappointment. I recently moved to Pittsburgh and was excited to hear about this restaurant from my work colleagues. I lived in Europe for many years and perhaps this is why I have a different idea of what tapas should be like. For those who like to over-eat on cheap greasy food this is the place to go. It lacks the simple legance of true Spanish tapas.The service is pretentious and the staff poorly speak English. This led to confusion in our order which made me eat something I didn?t want which was utterly disgusting. The portions are too large. The aroma of tapas is drowning in too much garlic and grease. Their pastries are stale and if you don?t order wine you are ignored by staff. It was a very unpleasant and stressful experience. I would not recommend it to those who expect tapas. However, you can get an overpriced big greasy meal instead and think if was a good investment if you don't know better.

Pros: outdoor patio

Cons: expensive, large greasy portions, not truly tapas

Posted 07/26/08

My fiance took me to this authentic spanish restaurant because she thought I would enjoy it. We were not dissapointed by any means, from the valet parking to the superior customer service and menu selections. I had the lobster and my fiance had the chicken and rice. Having eaten authentic spanish and cuban food for a good part of my life, I have to say that it was truly a great experience. The seating was comfortable for a friday night. We were dressed up but there were folks there in jeans and nice shirts. The atmosphere is casual dressy so one need not feel out of place just dressing nice. The servers were courteous and quite fluent in spanish as I spoke only in spanish to them. The food was just like the food mom used to make. I noticed in the reviews that some people said the food was not authentic or not very good. I say that they are nuts and wouldn't know authentic spanish food if it was staring them in the face !! In closing, Mallorca es la mejor comida espanola que hemos comido nunca y volveremos alli pronto. Hasta Luego

Posted 06/21/08

I couldn't verify as to its authenticity, but this restaurant had excellent food, service, and atmosphere.
A bit stuffy, perhaps - but if you are looking for a place to impress a date, check it out.
Pricey - sure, but for an extravagant night out, this place couldn't be beat!
I enjoyed a deliciously prepared platter of wild boar which had not the slightest hint of "boarish" taste - something to be commended as this can be tough to get around without proper preparation and butchering.
The vegetables were cooked to perfection, and everything involved in the meal had appealing flavors with nothing overlooked.
The authentic Portuguese liqueur to finish was an excellent touch!

Posted 12/12/07

My family is from Mallorca (The island in spain) and I am always on the look for places where to enjoy authentic spanish food. I was appalled to realize how poor the service and the quality of the food are in this Mallorca restaurant. The servers are rude (no comparison to Iberic hospitality) and the food was awful! I ordered the paella which appeared to be some sort of soup (since it had plenty of water) and I ordered some tapas to start that were overcooked and not even pleasant to eat. I would think that for the price of the food, the service and servings would be a lot better than they actually are. I would not recommend this place to anyone.... Perhaps is the lack of options what makes this place one of the best, but I can assure you it is not even close to being good.

Posted 04/16/07

I love spanish cuisine, and I have had it before, but this is not one of the best restaurants that I have been to. The gespacho was not the best (in fact, I think it was better at Hot Metal Grille, which is not spanish) and the paella was not all that pleasing either. I would not go as far as to say it was terrible, but if you are craving spanish cuisine, your money might be spent elsewhere. The service was friendly though, and the out door dining was a plus.

Pros: Outdoor dining and wine list and friendly service

Cons: Food, seafood, soup, and overall cuisine

Posted 02/09/07

This place was recommended by the concierge at Holiday Inn Select Oakland when I interviewed for a position at the University of Pittsburgh. My wife and I have been there regularly over the past 4 years and have recommended it to out of towners. Never a problem. Not cheap. But not exorbitant either (better food for the buck than Mortons). One of the best spanish red wine I have had (rioja - Muga). There are a zillion specials - everything from Octopus to suckling pig - but waiter will repeat as many times as you want, and their suggestions are good, just tell them what kind of food you generally like or dont like.

Pros: food, ambiance, service

Cons: would not take kids there

Posted 12/24/06

After reading all these reviews I decided to give it a try. After that dreadful night, I am positive that the good ones are written by the owner and his family. It took a long time to be seated, I ordered the paella and found out that it was almost paella soup there were some sort of juices that the rice was sitting in, not even in china I've had spanish food that is so different from the real thing. Service that is pretty bad, I asked an arrogant spanish waiter for an explanation for the exorbitant check that I received and he was offended and plain rude. This can't possibly be one of Pittsburgh's best restaurants. Avoid at all cost.

Pros: Can't think of one

Cons: not enough space to list them

Posted 12/23/06

Being half spaniard and having lived in Spain for 10 years, I was eager to try Mallorca due to the very good reviews I read about it and the comments I heard at work. I was very dissappointed to realize that nothing can be farther from the truth, the paella has to be the worse that I have tried in my whole life (this includes the failed attemps of my ex-wife in trying to cook it), the service was despicable and the attitude of the servers was completely arrogant, one of them became defensive and upset when I askd about a charge on my check! . Spanish cuisine has to be one of the seven wonders of the gourmet world, and this place does not do any justice to it. To me this restaurant is the taco bell of mexican food, but utterly expensive. Avoid at all cost. Hands down, the worse spanish cuisine I've had (A spanish restaurant I found in New Dehli is 500% better)

Pros: None that I can see

Cons: The cooks (would not call them chefs) could use some lessons in spanish food.

Posted 09/02/06

We went to this place only because the French restaurant down the street was closed...
The food was okay, not great. I had the lobster and it was overcooked and VERY bland. My husband had the veal in what looked like honey mustard dressing, it was NOT pretty. It was actually a lemon sauce that wasn't very good and the veal was seriously overcooked. Our other dining companion had the chorizo which was good and the presentation was really unique. Our drinks came in a timely manner and the staff was superb. We may give them another chance but we would certainly order something different. The patio is really nice for outdoor dining.

Pros: Nice outdoor patio, excellent staff.

Cons: Food was bland and not very imaginative.

Posted 08/28/06

Well strictly this review refers not to Mallorca but it's sister restaurant next door which serves Tapas and is called Ibiza. Actually they should call it Crapas. I never knew you could screw up tapas so badly. The portions are too big, the ingredients inauthentic - that was kielbasa not chorizo - and the service surly and uninformed..."er I think it's a white wine". In addition it costs $100 for two to find this out. Avoid Ibiza at all costs. You could stay at home, open a box of Spanish rice and be closer to Iberia than any of this rubbish. I am from Europe and have eaten tapas in many different places. This does not deserve the name. It is not chic, not cool and most important of all - not tasty. Stay away in your droves.

Pros: Can't think of any

Cons: Too many to mention; over priced, pretentious bad quality food and service

Posted 07/20/06

This place was marvelous. I eat out all the time and I was in Pittsburgh for a conference. I was a little worried about the possibility of getting to a great restaurant on a Sunday night, BUT after talking to a few people and concierges I settled on this. From cocktails at the bar, the marvelously trained waitstaff, and nice selection of wines I had a blast. My boss and I had a selection of delicious stuffed peppers, stuffed calamari et al. Then for my entree, I had something I can only describe as a large bowl of seafood with a light, white cream sauce with chopped parsely or dill. I ate forever and I still couldn't finish it. It was incredible though. We ate like kings. Then the finest touch... they offer an after dinner cordial complimentary. A marvelous chilled Almond liqueur. The first place I'd go or recommend if ever in Pittsburgh again. All you have to do is trust your waiters... I think each of them has been there since it opened. Marvelous.

Pros: Service, Open Sundays, Quality of food

Cons: Old Fashioned decor

Posted 07/17/06

We enjoyed Thanksgiving at Mallorca. It was the 1st time any of us have ever eaten out on this day and picking our favorite restuarant made it very enjoyable. There were 8 of us, 4 parents and 8 children. Everything was superb, from the steak to the seabass, to the salmon to the lobster to the turkey and the sangria. Everyone actually shared their dinners and we were 8 very happy people. Going early with the kids was great. Our hats off to the entire staff.

Pros: great food, fresh large portions

Cons: parking

Posted 11/25/05

I've given up all hope for this Pittsburgh restaraunt. Excellent service from friendly fascinating Spanish waiters was the highlight of the meal.

From the salad offered with mustard dressing (no other choices) to the main course nothing brought excitement to my tastes. I ordered the delmonico steak with gorgonzola ... my eyes bulged when it arrived and was approximatly 30 oz of beef. What a surprise I thought, however after the first few tastes I realized that the meat had no taste. Sampling other dishes at our table led me to the same conclusion from everyones meal.... salty tastless lobster.... seafood cream sauces that were just bland.

Wine list: Great INEXPENSIVE Chilean, Argentinean, and Spanish wines.. amoung others offered at over three times the retail price.

Pros: Service

Cons: Food

Posted 10/01/05

I read some of the reviews listed here, and I didn't want to eat here. Our friends really wanted to try it. The service was exceptional. The appetizers were creative and unique, also excellent. All four main courses, duck, delmonico steak, salmon and quail (both stuffed with shrimp and scallops) were outstanding. The ambience could improve, but was very European. I'll definitely be back.

Pros: Service, Food, Creativity

Cons: crowded tables

Posted 07/26/05

I truly was shocked when I read the outstanding reviews this restaurant had. I visited it after moving to Pittsburgh, and was truly more disappointed than I think I have been after going to a restaurant. The ambiance is not good! The decor is outdated, the lighting is wrong, the tables too close together! My salad was drowning in something that looked like thousand island and tasted terrible. My seabass was not fresh at all and my boyfriend's paella was simply overcooked seafood set atop saffron-flavored rice. No flavor, no style. It was just bad. They seem to make up for taste with quantity. We went to eat somewhere else after b/c I did not want to finish my meal. Perhaps it was just an off day, but wow they must have been really off. I do NOT recommend Mallorca to anyone. On a better note, the service was decent.

Pros: service

Cons: ambiance, food!, food!

Posted 07/21/05

Went for romantic dinner with my husband after reading that Mallorca is rated as one of the most romantic restaurants in Pittsburgh...not sure on what basis it got this rating! The food was excellent and the wine list was impressive but service was poor (Spanish or Portuguese waiters a bit arrogant) and environment not that romantic: tables too close to each other.
If service improved and sitting spaces reconfigured, this could become the best restaurant in town!

Pros: The food, The wine list

Cons: Service, Sitting spaces

Posted 07/14/05

Mallorca is just simply one of Pittsburgh's best restaurants. The service is top notch, the portions are huge, and the atmosphere is very traditional. Have fun trying to take all of of the specials that the waiter will fire out in authentic Spanish acccent... you usually have to ask for him to repeat it again. For apps, start off with the chorizo, fried calamari, or garlic shrimp; they're simply incredible. Among my favorite entrees are the Prime Rib (special), Quail in curry sauce (special), veal in cream mozzarella sauce, and the Paella. Their sangria is excellent as well: according to my girlfriend (who is Portuguese and has been to all of the great Newark, NJ Spanish/Portuguese restaurants) it is the best sangria she has ever had. Oh, and if you go often enough, get to befriend Antonio; you won't regret it!

Pros: large portions, excellent wait staff, great ambiance

Posted 06/28/05

I went to Mallorca with my husband for Valentines day. I don't know if it was because they were so busy, but the service was very slow. The waiter handed me the wine list from behind a wall and didn't even look at me.

I had Tuna and my husband has the Prime Rib. The Tuna was good with Green Sauce, but I've had better. The Prime Rib was HUGE! However, my husband said he has had better steak. The appetizer of Seafood Stuffed Mushrooms was just average...nothing great. I wish I had ordered something more 'Spanish' and maybe I would've experienced the food everyone seems to enjoy.

Pros: Good atmosphere, Fair Price, Good Wine List

Cons: Mediocre Food, Mediocre Service

Posted 02/21/05

A rare restaurant where, even if you don't like the dish, you know it was prepared well, using the finest ingredients. Ambience is superb and the size, quality (and quantity!) of food is presented with an expert flourish. Mallorca's staff loves making and serving food and it is glaringly obvious in everything they do.

Pros: Ambiance, HUGE Portion Size, Excellent service

Cons: Tight aisles, Limited parking

Posted 02/14/05

Mallorca restaurant excels in service, food and ambience. I've had the opportunity to dine in several of the world's largest cities and Mallorca serves world class cuisine at a reasonable price and with incredible service.

Pros: Great food, Service

Posted 12/05/04

Pros:
- excellent service, good sangria, complimentary almond liqueur.
- huge portions

Cons:
- twin lobster tails in creamy white sauce was bland, sauce tasted like flour, and lobster tail had no sweetness
- oily vegetables
- steak ordered medium, but turned out extremely rare and *impossible* to eat (I took it home and cooked it for another 45mins, then it was ok).
- watch out for the cost of sangria - pitcher with more than 1/2 ice is about $30 which is steep considering it's cheap wine and fruit

Posted 07/05/04

This great restaurant on the South Side the place to go for a taste of Iberia in Pittsburgh. The wine list is extensive, the food was great (the portions are huge- be prepared to take a doggie bag home) and the service was perfect. My only complaint was the lack of Jamon Serrano- Every restaurant I visited in Spain had this wonderful ham, why not here?

Pros: food, wine, service

Posted 06/14/04

I have eaten at Mallorca's several times. I think this is one of the top(if not the best) restaurants in Pittsburgh. The value of what you get for what you pay is really incredible. I work in the hospitality business and I am always impressed by the timing of there service. They serve you a the perfect pace. They keep you moving so they can turn tables, but you dont feel rushed at all. The food you get is second to none. I think if you have not tried this restaurant your making a mistake. You should try it at once. Make sure your hungry when you get there.

Pros: Bar, Price, Food

Posted 06/02/04

Only ate here once several years ago, and food, ambiance (even the close quarters in the dining room) and service are reminiscent of restaurants I've visited in several Spanish cities. The food in fact is much better. I recommend dining here if you want to experience truly fine Spanish cuisine.
Las comidas son muy deliciosas.

Posted 04/05/04

THE FOOD IS DELICIOUS AND NUTRITIUS. THE ONLY PROBLEM IS THAT THE TABLES ARE TOO CLOSE TOGETHER. I ALSO WISH THEY HAD MORE PARKING SPACES.

Pros: DELICIOUS, FRIENDLY

Cons: POOR PARKING, TABLES TOO CLOSE, LONG WAITING PERIODS

Posted 10/02/02

I have eaten at Mallorca restaurant many times, and have never been disappointed only completely satisfied. The staff is not only pleasant, they are entertaining, and answer to every request with "never a problem!"

Pros: Portions, Service

Cons: Crowded on weekends

Posted 10/02/02

If you are looking for good drinks, great food, and a great location, then Mallorca would be one of my top recommendations. The food is authentic spanish cuisine. The menu offers a variety of dishes, but then there are usually about 15 daily specials (mostly seafood). The wait staff is very personable, and the proportions of food are gargantuan. When you first look at the menu, the prices might seem a bit high, but every entree is plentiful and always includes a salad, a huge plate of spanish rice, a vegatable medley, and home made potato chips. At the end of the meal, you also will get a complimentary shot of home made desert liquore.

Pros: huge selection, huge entrees, side dishes included

Posted 07/25/02