De Tapas

Better than I expected given the reviews here. Air conditioning, check. Good service, check. Asparagus, yummy. Fried calamari, normal, but it came with unexpectedly spicy sauce. Olives, good. Artichoke hearts, straight out of a jar.

If you loved tapas you will love this restaurant. Tried the garlic shrimp «its to die for»… and a pitcher of sangria.
They have live music on certain nights. Its a great place to hang out.

Great place for tapas in the North Dallas area. Loved the Rabo de Toro (oxtail stew), Tortilla en Amarillo (spanish potato omelet) and Angulas al Ajillo (baby eels with garlic). If you are feeling adventurous … try the Morcilla Frita (blood sausage). Top it all off with a pitcher of cold sangria! I was there one night when they had tradtional Flamenco dance and music — great experience.

Just in case you read my earlier post of today, I’m not on a 1 star bender. However, the fact that I’m sitting in a non-​air conditioned establishment reminded me of yet another horrific non-​air conditioned experience I had a few weeks ago at De Tapas.
Let’s see. .. .. first off, the lack of air conditioning didn’t make me feel like I was in Espana. Nice try. It made me very angry and irritable, but it killed my appetite, so congrats on keeping overhead low.
Since I was there to eat, I mustered up some courage to order grilled quail. Even though you repeated my order back to me as «Grilled asparagus», you still told me it would take a while coming out. Okkkk. .. and how long does the GRILLED QUAIL take? I understand, I commonly confuse birds with vegetables myself, especially when they sound so much alike.
So, once again, I thought about giving you the benefit of the doubt — maybe your A/​C was busted. It happens. It sucks. But then I went to the bathroom, where I was met with a subarctic tundra blast of. .. glorious, cold, air conditioned air!!! I was surprised my pee didn’t freeze into pee-​cicles. Hmmm. So your air conditioning DOES work! And…it works very well! I thought about inviting my entire party to join me in the ladies room, but that just seemed too Studio 54 of me for a so-​called low key night in suburbia.
When I came back, one of my dining companions was sending her Sprite back. Why would you be doing such a drastic thing such as sending your drink back in this desert climate, I wondered?! Oh, because the Sprite had no carbonation. I can’t remember the last time I ever went to a so called «decent» restaurant and the soda was uncarbonated. Wow. Actually, I can’t remember that because it’s never happened. 7 – 11, a few times, yes. That’s why it’s 7 – 11.
And thus concludes my review de De Tapas. Ho and hum.

Wanted some tapas for lunch and was near addison, and decided to have lunch here. Very bad idea. First thing i noticed was a musty smell the second I walked in. I should have turned around right then and there.
First of all we were the only ones in the joint (about 2:00pm) so I wasn’t expecting for the service to be an issue. It was. The server/​manager was a robotic droid and didn’t look very interested in making our visit pleasurable. In fact at one point our food was on the counter and the phone rang. She picked up the cordless phone and continued to talk and spin one of our plates around while we sat there and watched.
Let’s get to the food. The bread, which seemed like it was baked yesterday and reheated in the microwave was fantastic!
Ordered two cokes. Flat and had a funning aftertaste to it. Asked if they had any bottles or cans. She had a sprite, for which she charged me 3.50 for.
Ordered the calamari, spanish potato omelete, the meats balls, and
cheese croquettes.
(1 out of 10)
Calamari 5
Spanish potato 7
meat bollas 5
cheese croguettes 7
Service 1 (she got the order right)

Um, are you open?
There was pretty much no one here when some friends and I came for dinner last night, so we had no problems with service as I’m seeing others mention. Most of the food was pretty good – calamari was tasty (didn’t come with any dipping sauce if that’s your thing, but I just like mine with lemon so I was ok), green olives stuffed with anchovies were fantastic, patatas bravas were really spicy, i really liked the manchego croquetas, pan con tomate was just bread with tomato sauce on it, tortilla espagnole was ok, beef skewers were ok, gambas con ajillo was ok but nothing too special either. Sangria was decent but no fruit! and too expensive.
To me, this is pretty typical though. I’ve been to Spain once and didn’t have enough tapas to know how everything «should» be made, but most of the stuff I’ve had in Dallas fails to really wow me. No really intense or complex flavors for the most part. So while I thought the food was just ok, that’s what I think of most tapas, with a few exceptions.
I prefer Café Madrid and CHIC so I doubt I would be back here anytime soon, but I’d say it’s worth a try if you’re in the area and don’t mind spending a lot of money to not be full. They have a nice stage area also where I imagine they have some cool performances.

I liked the sangria, but I swear there’s cherry Kool-​aid in it. The tapas were good. The baby eels were very different than what I imagined baby eels would taste like (not something I would normally order). Both of the potato dishs we ordered were rather bland (bravas & saffron). Our waiter Roger was great!

It seems everyone is pretty divided on De Tapas. I for one have been a fan for a long time and miss the days when I lived right down the street. Great atmosphere; excellent taste; and respectable selection of plates have always left me satisfied. Plus, I always end up discovering something new that I never would have thought to try before.
Also, I must not know anything about sangria because, despite what a lot of other reviewers have said, I love De Tapas version. At least I’ve never left the place sober.
The only downside is the service can seem a bit neglectful. I can understand I guess because its usually pretty packed. But it can be a little annoying.
Other than that though, I think De Tapas makes for a pretty good night out.

Came here on Monday night as we were walking in we were greeted by the nice lady and the nice live Latin music… rare since it was a monday night.
The atmosphere is quite nice. dim and some what romantic.
open dining area, a patio. The service was a bit slow we ordered Sangria and the waitress didn’t bring the bread until she brought the Sangria… the octopus tested a big funky so we asked about it they couldn’t taste/​smell the funkiness so they took it back and off our ticket…(trust me I eat everything and when it’s funky to me there’s something WRONG with it)…tomato salad was nice, meatballs was pretty good the Ox tail stew was wonderful (only had it one time…2^nd tmie waiter forgot my order, 3^rd time they gave my order to the wrong table and told me they were sold out) The Spanish omelet was delightful… their muscles were just ok I ate some sand =(wasn’t cleaned 100% …I thought that even blackfinn had better steamed muscles
water refilling was a bit slow… the sangria. It was made with red wine and a bit of cointreau I believe… and the pitcher was only $ 20 and we got about 4~4.5 glasses out of it which was cheaper than the other tapas places (avg $ 28~36 a pitcher)
price was ok since it’s tapas but the service could definitely improve in my opinion… and please get more OX TAIL!!!

It’s not a good start to a review when you think the live music (traditional Spanish guitar) was the best part. But contrary to other reviews, our experience service was acceptable. We had a large party and serving several dozen small plates can’t be easy. But the food was so-​so at best. The hyped potato omelet with saffron was cold; the anchovie olives were just jarred olives; the mushrooms and tomatoes were seasoned with nothing more spectacular than what you already have in your kitchen; the pork cutlet was pounded so thin it become tough and flavorless; the steak skewers weren’t seasoned at all and were only suitable for someone who refuses to eat anything other than ‘meat and potatoes’; for the price, the paella was terrible (Ziziki’s is much better) — the shrimp inside were so over-​cooked they turned to mush inside their shells; sweetbreads with lemon and capers was a nice find, but they need to work on their presentation because they still *looked* like BRAAAAAIIIIIINNNNZZZZ.
The stronger showings were the cheeses and cured meats, specifically the Manchego and Serrano ham. Paired with a nice Spanish red, these would make perfect happy hour snacks, but nothing else would be worth staying for an entire dinner. And finally, I don’t take issue with adding gratuity to large parties, but they added 20% which I think is a bit presumptuous. Also, Sherlock’s is next door, so if you go on a weekend night, you will be able to hear a non-​stop base thumping through the wall. It was very, noticeable.

Came here on Friday night with a group of three other people. As we were walking in, Brian Q. commented «Everyone inside sure looks pretty hungry.» Obvious foreshadowing. However, we were already in Addison and were all pretty hungry and didn’t feel like walking anywhere else.
The atmosphere is nice enough… dimly lit, not a large dining area, and live music (I’m assuming just on the weekends) which did not overpower conversation. The service however was ATROCIOUS. From what I observed, there were only two waiters working the entire dining area and they were not doing too well at all. We wanted paella, and knew it would take some time so we put in our order and made sure to get some starters. We had the Spanish omelet, octopus salad, tomato salad, and meatballs. The Spanish omelet was fantastic and I would definitely try it again… the saffron sauce it came in was quite delicious. The octopus salad was nothing to rave about considering it was $ 8 and a pretty tiny portion. I know this is tapas, but the prices were pretty ridiculous for most items on the menu. The tomato salad is something anyone could easily make at home.
As we waited for the paella, most of us were still pretty hungry. We spied some other tables with baskets of bread and wondered where ours was. When our waiter came over we asked him and he responded, «Oh, no one brought you any?» I felt like screaming «NO dumbass… YOU are our waiter, who else would have brought it!!!» I kept the anger in though. He assured us the paella was enough for four people and would be chock full of mussels, shrimp, chicken, etc. When it finally arrived it was the tiniest portion of paella I have ever seen. I think that a box of Rice-​a-​roni makes more food than we were served. There were three mussels, two shrimps, and some large chunks of chicken in the dish. The strangest part of it all was that the paella was dominated by lima beans??? I have never in my life seen lima beans in paella… and seeing as I think they are the most disgusting veggie on the planet, I passed on the dish. Everyone commented that the lima beans completely overwhelmed the flavors in the dish.
Our waiter, although very cute, was a total moron. When a friend joined us about three quarters of the way into the meal, he never asked him if he wanted a drink or entrée even though Arun sat there patiently holding the menu! I finally had to ask the waiter to bring him a glass or water, more so just because I wanted him to refill ours for the first time of the evening. The only saving grace (though not for me) was the sangria. It was made with red wine (which gave me a wicked migraine) and the pitcher was only $ 20 and everyone got about 2 glasses.
They seemed like they had some good happy hour drink specials, which we unfortunately missed. However, for the price and service I would definitely not come back here again.

As I was walking in, I looked through the windows and noticed that everyone looked really hungry so I probably should steered our group elsewhere. I had dinner here on a Friday night and had some of the worst service I’ve had in a long time. It was extremely slow and we weren’t given any bread until we asked for it 30 min later.
Bad paella for $ 23! It was pretty much equal parts of rice, peas, and lima beans with 2 mussels, 2 tiny shrimp, 1 piece of overcooked chicken, and 1 clam. On the bright side, the potato omelet with saffron sauce and the octopus tapas were quite good and the guitarist was entertaining.
Might be okay for happy hour for drinks when the prices are much more reasonable. 2 stars for the bad paella and miserable service.

De Tapas is good, but De Tapas is not great and that’s what we set out to find last Saturday.
I’d give the service at this place 5 stars, but it ends pretty much slows down there, I had to try the garlic shrimp and we decided to split Paella. We were not overly hungry, so figured one would be enough and it was plenty, although they seemed confused at the split idea wanting to bring two over? I thought the shrimp were tasty and had a great flavor that might set up a great Paella? but unfortunately that didn’t occur, the Paella was very bland and for 26 bucks maybe you could throw a few extra pieces of shell fish on it? 2 mussels, 1 clam, invisible calamari and a chicken bone over a plate of flavorless rice. like I said not in search of an overwhelming meal but I was looking for some real Spanish flavor at De Tapas. I will give this place another shot, because I think the small item Tapas might be the way to go for that Spanish Flare I seek.

3 ¾ stars
Best tapas we’ve tried thus far in Dallas — my main gripe is their menu is too small.

Great sangria! No fruit in the sangria, which would usually be a disappointment for me, but this sangria was damn good. Some of the tapas were hit and miss, but overall good. I’d have to get a taste of more of the menu to make a better call on that.

Sugar Bear’s goal is to spend the day at De Tapas and attempt to get full. We enjoy the food here, but the pacing and small plates mean one never gets really full here. I try not to overeat when I go out, so De Tapas is a good choice for me.
Almost every time we go here we get: garlic shrimp (2x b/​c this dish is so yummy), the tomato plate, the cheese plate, cheese croquettes (2 orders… Sugar Bear eats them by himself and still wants more), olives, and the beef skewer. We also get the sangria, which does not seem to be appreciated by some of my fellow reviewers but we’ve always enjoyed it.
I really like the paella, although it is pricey and you have to wait a bit for it to be prepared. It is a dish for two, and unfortunately it is one of the items on the menu that SB doesn’t enjoy. So, I don’t get it that often.
The down side to De Tapas… the service usually sucks. The pacing is slow and many times we’ve been quite finished with our meal, but we cannot locate the wait person to get a check. We also dislike the loud music that is frequently occurring inside the restaurant because you have to yell to order and chat. The best way to get around the music is to sit outside. We only go to De Tapas when the weather is nice and dining on the patio is an option.
This is a fun place to go with a group for a leisurely dinner.

Ok, De Tapas, if not for the amazing musicians performing on Saturday nights would merit a 2 star at best.
The Sangria is absurd… my friend thought it was fruit juice sans the fruit.
The garlic shrimp is pretty tasty as are most of the Tapas Mariscos (Seafood Tapas) but not all. be warned.
Other than the seafood dishes the food is unremarkable.
The paella is enticing to look at but nothing here is going to be out of this world & it’s still all quite pricey.
The service is definitely attentive and the waiters are even border-​line chivalrous at times.
Also, according to friends, do not order the flan… I would never do that anyway but for those who are so inclined.
Nevertheless, the classical Spanish guitar player deserves a 5 star plus along with a rousing standing ovation.
Sundays they have a flamenco dancer too.
So what I would to do is eat elsewhere and show up here late, order the shrimp & drink anything but the sangria & proceed to savor a marvelous musical performance.
I’m not telling you to be cheap; I’m telling you to be smart. ;).

Came here last night with a friend. It was not that busy on Friday night, we had to wait for a table for 15 minutes and there were no host. We had one waiter come by and asked us if we prefer patio or inside. After that, we felt like we were invisible because the waiters would just pass us by and not smile or come and tell us how long the wait was going to be.
Once we were seated I asked the waitress what she recommend and I ordered those! Her recommendations were right on the money, the garlic shrimp was very flavorful, and the crab stuffed in relleno peppers was very yummy. Along with our tapas, I also had the sangria which was excellent for the price.
This place has a very casual atmosphere kind of like a old Spanish restaurant. They also had live music, but I think that is a weekend thing. The wait staff are not friendly but the tapas are good.

De Tapas — I really feel like you deserve 3.5 stars — You aren’t quite a 4, but you’re better than a 3 so I’ll bump you up.
I got take out from here once and it was decent.
The Sangia is ehhh at best.
The meatballs aren’t quite what I think they should be, but they’re ok.
The cheese croquettes are delicious :) Anything with manchengo cheese is usually fantastic in my opinion.
Grilled marinated pork loin is pretty good — comes with a salad ish thing that’s also tasty

Mixed feelings about this place. It feels a little run down. Went on a Thursday night and was greeted by a guy who did not seem to speak much English. Sat out in the patio to enjoy the lovely breeze.
Other waiter (manager?) was very polite and courteous. I would say friendly but there was no small talk. The tap water had small stuff floating around in it. You had to look closely to see it but… it made me uneasy. The waiter got us new water. Seemed to have less floating sediments.
My friend and I settled on ordering the Spanish potato omelette, anchovy-​stuffed olives, tuna empanadas, and marinated artichokes. Omelette was topped with delicious saffron sauce. I could see and taste the potato chunks as I was eating it. Me like! Olives were good but, as I predicted, too salty to eat on their own. I would have liked them in a sandwich. Empanadas were good. Oddly enough, they tasted like chicken but smelled like tuna. Weird… Artichokes were ok. Nothing special about them.
Bottom line: Food was good. Place and service were ok. Food wasn’t good enough to make me want to go back.