Espana Restaurant - Vancouver, British Columbia

Had a fabulous meal at España last night. First time there. Had 6 dishes for the 3 of us to share and every one as delicious. Loved the relaxed atmosphere and the service was spot on. The whole tapas way of eating, one dish at a time ... at a relaxed pace without feeling rushed, is such a pleasurable experience. And the sangria was mighty tasty as well! Read more

To clarify, this rating is based on how my experience compared to my prior expectations, rather than the food necessarily being 2-star worthy, but I was underwhelmed with dinner here. I came here to celebrate the Sant Jordi festival with some good Spanish food. The food however didn't live up ... to the price tag. The paella was quite expensive ($58 pre tax), but was quite small. It was also undercooked compared to how I've had it in Barcelona and Valencia. Usually, the rice is partially crispy, nicely caramelised all over the bottom of the pan. Here, it had started to crisp in the middle of the paella, but nowhere else, so it felt more like a rice dish, than a paella (if that makes sense). Also, it tasted as though all of the additional paella components (the pork belly and prawns (which were delicious) and the clams) were cooked completely separately, then placed on top for decoration. I wasn't able to taste the flavours of the meat or seafood in the rice (if anything, some spoonfuls tasted more metallic like the paella pan than meaty). It didn't taste awful, but it just wasn't great. The daily (classic) tortilla tasted okay, but I would've hoped for a larger portion, and for it to be served hot with it slightly soft in the middle. I know tortilla can be served cold or hot, but it was still a bit disappointing. The service was also kinda just fine. It wasn't bad, but also it felt like the servers' attention was elsewhere at times. All in all, for the price, it was disappointing. Not sure I'd come again. Also, it should be noted that the menu prices on the website are outdated. It needs to be updated! Read more

España is a great spot for tapas with excellent service, cozy yet busy atmosphere, and some great dishes. We had the crispy anchovy stuffed olives which were an amazing starter, followed by the patatas bravas, a must in our books. We then tried the charred broccoli which was one of our ... favourites. Our mains were the cod and the daily paella which consisted of clams, prawns and charred porked belly. By the time the paella came out I was quite full, and then paella was fairly large. I would recommend it if you have three or more people in your party. Overall it was a nice experience and would go again! Read more

Have you ever had a craving for a Margarita that just hits the spot? Well....I like them with a kick, strong and as a bonus, smokey...and that is exactly what I got with the Spicy Smokey Margarita at cozy Espana. Loved it. Coincidentally, I was also into tapas that night and they ... delivered that marvellously with the array of Spanish flavours and fresh ingredients it was one of those dine outs that was an experience rather than sit, have a few laughs, eat and go home. If I were you I would get a little bit of everything off their menu as that would give you close to the 180 degree venture. Ok...my faves this time around....The Margarita, The Eggplant, The peppers and the deep fried olives....oh and The Parmesan Mushroom. That Margarita though.... The atmosphere again was what I was looking for that night....mood lights, comfortable seats, great ventilation and warm and welcoming expert service.....I don't know...maybe I'm gettin' old but ....my patience for subpar service is on a massive decline these days. Our server was an absolute pro and with the amazing food and drinks and a "don't wanna leave" table....Yup. Yeah.....I think I'll make another reservation. Read more

The vibe of the place is simply amazing. We were seated inside which was so convenient as you can enjoy the atmosphere and stay warm in the cool nights. The server was so helpful with his suggestions. The food is so tasty! Full of flavor, properly served and you will ... be waiting for the next bite to indulge on the combination of flavors. The dessert is simply prefect, not too sweet yet memorable! We went late night so there were out of paella on a busy Sunday night yet it looked so good and I would definitely recommend giving it a try! Read more