Boca Tapas Bar in St. John's
189 Water St, St. John's, NL A1C 1B4, Canada
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Food was fine - not exceptional but of good quality and will appeal to most palettes. Service was... unbelievable. We were given no plates (at a tapas restaurant). We were given no silverware. After multiple requests, we recieved one set of silverware. This was then taken away with the first tapas and the rest of the meal we ate with our fingers.... We asked multiple times for water and did not receive any. They were a bit busy, but this was hands down the worst service I've ever received at a restaurant. May not have been the waitresses fault.
We came here for dinner one night as their tapas menu seemed more interesting than the gastro pub or other options. They have an outdoor patio but it looks more like a rail car as you step up into it. It is on Water Street but the kitchen is accessed off the side street so the servers were running back and forth to get orders. For drinks we ordered 2 Frozen Rose Sangrias which were cool and refreshing to help beat the heat. We ordered 2 Baja Cod Tacos, 2 Pork Belly Baos and some Pan con Tamate (bruschetta made of tomato, garlic, olive oil and you can add sea salt to taste). The cod tacos were crispy on the outside yet tender on the inside, the pork belly was crispy but moist due to the fat and the bruschetta was flavourful but the sea salt put it over the top! We were still hungry so we also ordered a Bianca Flatbread. The garlic cream sauce and Brie made it creamy while the caramelized onions gave it some sweetness. The herbed mushrooms and prosciutto took it to a whole other level! To finish off a great meal we shared a Dulce de leche Crème Brûlée. It was sweet, creamy and decadent and the perfect way to complete the evening. If you want great service, food and atmosphere this is your place!
As a native of St. John’s, I get the opportunity to eat at many places around the city. This was hands down one of the best meals had in a long time. Food was hot, delicious and presented beautifully. Drinks were absolutely amazing. Tuna tower , Ribs , Boa, We’re just a few of the delicious dishes we enjoyed tonight Julian was an awesome server. Very attentive and fun conversation. Highly recommend this restaurant if you would like to have fabulous tapas and an enjoyable evening. Definitely recommend and will be back there real soon.
Was one of the best restaurant experiences we have had in a long while. We were there for my partner’s birthday last weekend, and both her and I were amazed at the quality of service and how amazing the food was. Our server was very friendly and personable, and our food arrived in no time. The meal was 10/10, with the cod tacos being one of the best tacos I have ever tasted! It was our first time there and certainly won’t be our last. Would highly recommend Boca Tapas!
This place is fantastic. Everything we ordered was 10/10. You can tell that the chef puts a lot of care into each and every dish. The flatbread in particular was unexpectedly amazing. I will definitely be back.
Boca was the absolute last min plan to quick get a drink and some Good and I m so glad me and my friend made that decision . Had to stand in the line for abt 5 min it was a good day so that was easy . After they gave us a table for two to which our beautiful server Natalie she came said hello and she was very helpful with everything share a bunch of cool knowledge abt tattoos and Inuit culture and symbols and meanings behind it had a great quick chat with her then we were recommended to get a Lettuce wrap pork belly and I Greg’s chicken sandwich . To my surprise that sandwich was a knockout that flavors that came out of a simple chicken sandwich was unreal a must true pork belly was equally as good but chicken sandwich u order that and let that food take u to some next good Heaven :) service was amazing Natalie was amazing atmosphere was great . Patio Section really perfect less sun amazing wind blowing didn’t want to leave even .
Very good eating place. I loved the sandwitch and patatas bravas. Garlic shrimps were reallh great too. Alos tried pork belly and polo ennegrecido that was fantastic. Other dishes we tried were lettuce wrap and fried goat cheese salad. Only thing is portion size is very small. Staff was friendly and casual environment.
Absolutely loved it. So many gluten free options. The atmosphere and service were amazing. Definitely will be going back again. The sangria was delicious and had to order another. I couldn't get enough of this place.
It has some really great tasting dishes but unfortunately the service was quite slow Servings are small and Its a bit on the pricey side Food
There were only 2 tables and we had to wait for more than 30 minutes for a couple of drinks. The servers were friendly but could be more attentive to the wait times. We waited patiently without water but had to leave even before our drinks came.
Food is great but extremely overpriced.
Maybe we caught them on an off night or something, but honestly, my overall impression was it s ok, but definitely not worth what I paid . We ordered 8 different tapas, plus dessert, and the quality was all over the place. The fish taco (pictured) was very good, as was the crème brûlée and the garlic shrimp, but the lobster bisque tasted like watery tomato soup, and everything else was somewhere in the middle. Service was ok - very slow for how busy they were (or weren t), but our waitress was friendly. The ambience is good - dark and cosy with Spanish-inspired mosaics - although I was sad when they switched from Latin/mariachi music to more generic stuff partway through our meal. Ultimately, way too expensive for such average food.
Horrible services. I asked for a sangria pitcher an I got a glass of sangria. So, I ordered another glass of sangria and I didn t even got it. Not napkins, forks or plates on the table.
Amazing drinks!
I would say that the highlight of my experience here was the service. It was attentive and efficient. Our food arrived hot and our drinks cold. Personally I found the prices high for what we ate but its a cool place.
Good food and super cool atmosphere but the portions are way too small for the price
Great ambience with delicious food topped with awesome customer service
Not exclusively Spanish food imho but a very good world kitchen selection in small portions. Try the tuna one, it was spiced to perfection.
Absolutely horrible service. We ordered beverages and received them. Then nothing. We received no service, no food, nothing. 30 minutes later our server told us she forgot us. 30 more minutes later we paid for our beverages and left. Maybe the food is good, maybe its not, we will never know. (The blueberries in my beverage were nice)
We had a wonderful experience at boca tapas bar! The food was incredible. We had the pallea for two which was a generous portion. The mussels were absolutely delicious along with the blackened fish tacos. My mom had the red sangria which tasted exactly as they do in Spain. After visiting Spain last year, this experience was the closest we ve gotten to authentic Spanish flavours. The service was quick and excellent. Great atmosphere. We highly recommend this place!
Had the burger battle burger 2024, it was deadly. Also the bravas tapas on the side were amazing. All flavourful and cooked to perfection No pics, ate it too fast
Always a great spot. I love the food and drinks. All are super tasteful. The only downside is the portions are small but that was expected. I recommend the pins colada or blueberry sangria (frozen)
Very good tapas and service. Decafinated espresso not so much. I was probably the first to order it in a hundred years.
Great food and service
Great food, ok service!
Really cool experience, but a little too pricey.
I had the pleasure of eating at the restaurant and while it was a great experience, it didn t quite live up to my expectations. The food was delicious and the atmosphere was great, but I felt the meal wasn t as authentic or vibrant as what you might find in an origin country such as Spain. The flavors weren t quite as bold or rich as I had hoped and the small portion size didn t lend itself to true tapas-style eating, in comparison to the prices. However, the overall experience was still good and I would recommend it for anyone looking for a casual, but tasty and enjoyable meal.
Great for sharing , amazing blueberry margaritas.
Great venue and wonderful supporters of the arts
Great place for a meal and a few drinks !
Absolutely amazing perfect time. Good so fresh and delicious, proper Spanish tapas. My marg was amazing, the fellas whiskey sour was amazing, fun decor and great service. Thank u! Vegetarian options: Potata Bravas and Margherita Flatbread are AMAZING
Ive often enjoyed Bocas fabulous food before; this week I got to experience it as a comedy venue. The low ceiling makes for a great atmosphere, and the place is laid out so practically every seat has a view of the stage. Oh, and the usual great service, of course!
The food portion could be a little bigger. The pieces of chicken and chorizo could be counted. The sangria was delicious and the service was friendly.
Great location,the food was a bit pricey but overall worth for try
Everything was delicious !
The tapas were just the right amount for 2 people, and the service was delightful Vegetarian options: Plenty of vegetarian options on the list.
Quality food, service, and ambience. Slightly harsh on the wallet but overall worth the experience every now and then.
Everything was delish.. flavorful and beautifully presented. It is a cozy spot for friends to celebrate or a romantic meal for 2. That pork belly, mmmm
Goat cheese salad is great ! The Blueberry Sangira is also great and is a must try !
Great place to enjoy a cool drink in the Alameda Apodaca in Cádiz. Great service from Miguel
Food and drinks were good, service definitely could have been better, the server walked by our table at least 10 times before she asked if we wanted more drinks.
Great vibe. (Re)editing this review from 3 (now 4) years ago... Just to add, Ive been here many times in the last three/four years and they never disappoint. Food and service first rate.
We ate here at the spur of the moment since our plans fell through. The restaurant itself is hidden--its around the corner from Water St. However, during the summer they operate a sheltered outdoor dining area (with rain cover and heaters) on Water St. The hostess suggested the chicken sandwich and goat cheese salad. We ordered both and added the fish taco and small order of meatballs (3 in the order--9 for the full plate, which is a lot of meatballs). The salad was very nicely dressed with 3 balls of fried goat cheese. I was pleasantly surprised the fried cheese was really enjoyable and not too heavy. The fish tacos were very spicy--nice flavor. The chicken sandwich looked so meh but was delicious. The focaccia was light and made the whole thing work. I thought it was reminiscent of butter chicken. The absence of any vegetable or color was off-putting but it really did taste good. Meatballs were solid, a late addition when we realized we wanted a little something else. The meal was quality and a good value. Service was friendly and fast. Atmosphere gets a ding only because the street venue puts you right in the sights of everybody walking down Water St.
Food is average. Drinks are bad and overpriced
Great cozy spot in downtown, while its in a basement,the decor and vibe makes it very cozy and fun. All Spanish style tapas, reasonably priced in comparison to other places downtown and all very delicious. The chicken sandwich was fabulous (some spice but so good).
Great little restaurant. Great food with lots of vegetarian options. Vegetarian options: Enough vegetarian options! Food : 5/5 |
Thanks to Jonathan the bartender for all the great recommendations! Setup my night with a soup and a sandwich followed by some of the best cocktails 5 stars would recommend!
Amazing food, and drinks.
We sat outside on a pleasant evening It took 20 minutes for a server to take a drink order, and another 15 to get the drinks. We ordered our bowl of olives, two salads, ceviche and a flatbread at that time. One salad arrived in another 20 minutes, followed by ceviche about 10 minutes later. The flatbread came another 25 minutes later, and since we didnt want to wait any longer, we asked our server to cancel the second salad. It showed up shortly thereafter and we sent it back. To be fair, we had a very pleasant server who checked on the progress of our meal several times and reported that the kitchen was backed up. The outdoor seating area did not appear to be understaffed, so it seems the kitchen cant manage the small plate concept. The food was ok, not memorable, but the wait was unacceptable. Would not recommend or return.
Awesome service!! And the food is great too!!
Amazing food and drinks, and the service was great, too
used to be my favourite spot in town but since they changed their menu up earlier this year i m a little more meh about it. missing the cheddar and onions especially. it s still tasty for sure and the vibe is GREAT.
Delicious food. Excellent service. Waiter knows the menu well and made good recommendations.
Loved the atmosphere of this little gem when I first walked in. Our party tried several of the tapas and drinks, with compliments all around (seconds on the San Carlos!) Our server was great on checking in at just the right time through our evening.
Delicious food, nice cozy atmosphere.... however have been there three times and ordered the rose sangria jug and pretty sure it has very little to no alcohol. The last time we paid $42 for a jug of juice. Have finally learned my lesson and will only eat not drink there!
Pricey but Tasty.
One of my favourite downtown places. Food is always great.
Staff were not masked when I entered and the entire time I was there one cook remained unmasked. Not impressed.
Wicked music, great food
This place is amazing the atmosphere, food and blueberry sangria.
Decent food, fair prices, great atmosphere.
Great atmosphere, food is decent. Overall worth the try.
Anything Tuna on the menu is delicious. Server Richard was very nice. Order the Tuna.
If you just dropped in not knowing where you are you can easily placed this lovely tapas bar in New York, Madrid or any other big city. Both the vibe and the food selection and quality rivals that of many NY restaurants. We ordered 10 items from the menu and all were just amazing. A must try if you are in town.
Good service and decent food. Nothing out of this world but the atmosphere is nice. A little pricey.
Pricy
Waited an hour for a simple charcuterie board and then gave up, paid and left. Many of the tables around us were experiencing the same. Definitely not a place I would go back to.
Great food and ambiance. Loved the decor! The tapas and Dulce de Leche creme brulee are to die for!
Ate on patio. Enjoyed meal and watching the world go by.
Tasty food & drinks, great service!
Great place. The staff was super friendly and very attentive and the food tasty. Great way to spend an afternoon outside.
Eating food here? Beware. Boca was a bit of a double edged sword. Ill start with the pros. Food was good and the drinks great! Now the cons. Although the food was great there was something to behold with the pricing to portion size. It was beyond underwhelming when ordering a $17 dish to only see it be a few bites. In all fairness there are photos and I should have taken more care to see the size of each portion. Yet my 3 stars sits with the staff. We constantly had to call them over for refills on water and drinks, not to mention to take our initial order (we waited about 10+ minutes to order). The cooks seemed to be the only ones working bring out food in a timely manner. While the wait staff sat on a bench talking and on their phones. For drinks I would highly recommend and for a little snack/appetizer.
Stopped by for lunch, while visiting the pedestrian mall. Service was excellent. We were seated quickly and the, almost immediate, arrival of ice water was welcomed on this hot afternoon. Our drink orders were taken, while we read the rest of the menu. The selections were fantastic, with a good mix of familiar tapas dishes and original creations. I ordered the blackened cod taco, while my husband ordered a Flatbread. The drinks arrived, well balanced and icy to refresh on the hot day. When our food arrived, it was absolutely superb, well presented and tasty. The service was amongst the best that we have experienced. Attentive without being intrusive. Our server had an excellent knowledge of the menu items and never made us feel rushed. Even the staff, who werent serving us, were quick with a smile and a greeting. Overall, a great lunch dining experience. We are looking forward to visiting Boca restaurant for dinner in the near future.
Amazing selection of food! The service however, is slower since they expanded with the deck. The small kitchen is not able to keep up with the amount of customers. Last time we were there, we asked to add a couple more dishes as its mostly small plates and we were told it would be about 45 mins for any food, which was similar to what we had waited for our other dishes to arrive.
My wife and I enjoyed a wonderful dinner at Boca Tapas Bar. The tuna tatar and the pork belly were my favorites.
I love it here! Went a couple of times just for drinks and really good sangria. Went for dinner more recently and the food was amazing! The atmosphere is also really nice. A little expensive, but worth it.
Absolutely delicious tapas, great vibe as well. Would recommend, 10/10!
Really liked the choice of tapas here. I had the tuna tartar with avocado and a watermelon sangria and the were both good. Nice staff and good service.
Always great food at a reasonable price. Love the meatballs!
Delicious food and good drinks.
Good place! Loved the tuna tartar and cob tacos.
Decent food, good service, pricey
Our first meal in Newfoundland. Loved our drinks (I forgot what they re called fail ). The patatas bravas and goat cheese salad were delicious, as was our main: chicken & chorizo paella. Loved the setting as well along the heart of downtown St John s. Highly recommended!
Delicious food and friendly service. Atmosphere is nice as well! The goat cheese salad is absolutely amazing. Highly recommended for sure! The Chicken and Chorizo Paella was also wonderful along with the patatas. Overall, good food and drinks!
Great atmosphere, amazing food and decent service. It was my first time there so we ordered a bunch of things to try, everything was amazing. Would definitely go back again!
Yesterday we ate there for the first time, outside on the deck. We had the chicken sandwich, bruschetta, muscles and potatoes with cheese. Cant remember proper names. We would definitely go back. Very fresh and tasty. The muscles were very tender. The best I ever had. The blueberry sangria was the best I ever had as well.
Great Tapas spot
Food was good service was great
Service was good and food was delicious.
Good food and reasonable prices.
We ate in many restaurants all week . I must say Boca had the best food. We chose 4 different apples all were very good. Other local places don t compare
Vegetarian options: It has some vegetarian and vegan options Dietary restrictions: They ask if you have any allergies and have options Food : 5/5 |
Food is good, but the portions are tiny and its not cheap. Eat before going there.
Absolutely loved it. A real hidden treasure in St-Johns. Look like nothing from the outside but it s amazing inside
Food was great and service was very friendly.
Vegetarian options: Great for vegan options!!
Such tasty food and the most delicious cocktails. The staff are so kind and attentive. Such a treat!
good food, great drinks! Definitely recommend blueberry sangria. Food is a little pricey and the $50 charcuterie board we ordered as a group had no cheese, a little disappointing but we loved the atmosphere.
Lovely evening here, nice to go somewhere that was comfortably warm and not freezing to eat. Good food, great Sangria!
The dancing and the food are great!
Great food!
Tasty food. Nice size servings for three. Service very good.
The food and service was amazing. I would honestly go back just to eat the Chefs special chicken sandwich. Beyond impressed. Our server was Natasha, she was very friendly.
Great environment! Loved the Paella! Great service.
Some really interesting fusion dishes! Great beer on tap too. Some of the fried dishes werent super hot, but they were slammed at the time to be fair. Would for sure go back for some tapas.
Waitress was super friendly and suggested a few things on the menu. Great food and sangria. Such a great atmosphere. 10/10
Awesome night with great service. Highlight was the tuna carpaccio. Paella was meh but everything else was stellar. Get the dulce de leche creme brulee - thank me later!
Best tapas bar in the city
Delicious food, alway new menu items to try. Colorful and modern atmosphere. In the summer they have a deck. Ive always had amazing meals here!
Excellent service with a varied menu selection!
Nicely appointed and spacious interior. The menu offers something for everyone, including vegetarians. Service is attentive and informative. The food was delicious, with authentic Spanish flavors. Worth trying when you want something a bit different from standard fare.
The food was delicious but the wait time was ridiculous.
We had a couple awesome drinks and an order of yummy muscles.
Favourite restaurant in the city! Have to visit at least once whenever Im in town. My favourite dishes from the last visit: Hot & Sweet Pork Belly, Beef Carpaccio, and the Patatas Bravas.
This is the most authentic tapas restaurateurs I have found in Canada. Excelled food, excellent service, very Spanish.
Delicious!!! Very pleasant service.
Sorry no pictures but the food is great, little snack-size portions and yummy sangria!!
Amazing tapas, especially goat cheese salad and shrimp platter
SOOO delicious great service
Tasty sharing plates and friendly staff. Enjoyed the Blackened Cod Tacos.
Boca Tapas Bar is a fun place to go. Their events are fun and the atmosphere is chill. It is a great place to go with your friends!
One of the best restaurants in St. Johns hand down. Great atmosphere and the food is to die for 110%
Awesome tapas and cocktails, friendly and accomplished staff!
If you are looking for nice desserts come here ...friendly staff too
Writing this review while I m having my Dulce de Leche Creme Brûlée and it was delicious. My entire meal was phenomenal, the ceviche was definitely different compared to anything I may have had before but flavourful. The pao de queijo and thé gambas al ajillo were so tasty! Im always on the lookout for fun places with good food and Boca Tapas Bar hit the spot
Fantastic food and good service. I would go back in a heartbeat. It was fresh and well prepared.
We had the tasting menu with a variety of tapas and blueberry sangria. Some of the tapas we liked more than others, but overall it was an excellent meal for two. Would recommend a visit to locals and visitors alike.
Excellent food and atmosphere
Great food
Loving the traditional tapas bars in Spain, we had to try this St. John s version. The challenge of visiting a restaurant outside the country of its origin is that one cannot help but make comparisons. Located in a side street in Downtown St. John s, Boca is warm and inviting. There is nothing particularly Spanish about it except the wall signs highlighting some main cities. Then again, the stereotypical flamenco dancers and bulls are probably best avoided anyway. We arrived for lunch and ordered a couple Estrellas from Barcelona, I believe. Having recently learned that our Guinness is brewed locally and not imported from Ireland leaves me with doubts for all beers they call Imports . Our number one reason for going was to sample their calimari, a classic dish served in just about every Spanish restaurant/bar. Given this was Newfoundland and news reports this past summer of an abundance of squid, we just assumed this would be available. However we were informed by the server that it was taken off the menu!! Disappointed we made several other selections. While just about anything goes in more modern upscale tapa bars in Spain, we found much of the menu were adapted to please a more general clientele who might be more adventurous. For example, the salad offering was just a common Caesar with Jamón substituted for bacon. We were also disappointed with fact we had to order from the limited lunch menu with several items unavailable. Many of the items in the rest of the menu should have been accesible at that time. C mon. How hard would it be to make Pan con Tomate... toasted bread with tomato and garlic that you make yourself! Frankly, we were disappointed with the service which was the reason we dropped the rating. It was felt our server could care less about pleasing or accommodating her customers. It took away greatly from an otherwise pleasing meal. This was our second time visiting this restaurant and our server the first time was incredibly good. So, I guess like anywhere, you win some you lose some. Training and guidance from the owner/manager would likely help improve this. The bathrooms were incredibly clean. Not something I usually note but having visited a few in our pre-Christmas visit to old downtown St. John s and finding them disgusting, I felt this one deserved a thumbs up for cleanliness. All in all a good restaurant. We would go again but with a Spanish wife, we would just love to see a little more of Spain and less North American influence in the menu. I guess as a restaurant owner you have to cater to the majority.
Great food and staff
Pork Belly is the best there!
Amazing food at a good price
Great atmosphere and a perfect menu for sharing with friends!
Brought me back to Seville instantly. I had their bravas, croquettas, meat balls and empanadas. All highly recommended.
A+++
As a guy I liked this place. Its an adorable hole in the wall lind of place. It has a comfy relaxing atmosphere perfect for a date. My only complaint is I was starving when I arrived...order a few tapas...ate them all and still left hungry.
Family supper here celebrating our Daughters Art gallery opening. Absolutely loved Boca Tapas bar. Live music played while we munched on Tapas. We had blackened cod tacos, cod croquettes, creme brulee, pork belly, hummus plate, meat balls, cheese & sweet board, Blueberry sangria, estrella, margarita picante. Everything was amazing. Atmoshphere was great. Place was blocked. Food came quickly anyway. Service was great.
Perfect for charcuterie and drinks with friends!
Both the food and service was fantastic. Cant wait to go again!
Great food, great service!
The service was remarkable selfdistancing is very important so perhaps was abit difficult no one was there prevention of selfdistancing
One of the best vibes in town.
Food is good, but the customer service is getting worse and worse.
Bocas service and food was top notch. Our server Doug was perfect; friendly, prompt, and knowledgeable on all the food and drinks & was able to give great recommendations since it was our first time there. The charcuterie was lovely, as was the several other tapas we had. 10/10 quality.
Fantastic service from our server Maria, great atmosphere, and one of the best (expensive) martinis I have had. Im not sure if price has changed due to covid but price of $14 per snack sized tapas is drastic. Food was good and not amazing, would write a glowing review if the food was cheaper but for that portion and price it was nothing special. For reference three tapas would likely make up small portioned meal. With one drink and one tapas I hit $30 and times being tough I was unable to give the server the tip I would have given her prompt and friendly service. I really hope this is due to covid and not the norm, would have loved the place at a lower price point
Wonderful atmosphere, above delicious food, best staff! Love it here!
What an amazing place, the food is soooo good, prices are really decent and the staff were great
Friendly personel. Profesional and knowledgeble. Food good and well presented. Nice for a different night out.
Great service , excellent tapas from their new menu. Super meal
It was an excellent meal with very good portion sizes. The taste was stellar I had the lamb.
Very expensive for such small portions.
Food is very delicious. Im picky.
BOTTOMLESS MIMOSAS!!!
Amazing service , delicious food, fun atmosphere
Get the fried cheese thing.