07/30/08

Enjoyable sandwiches, salads, and dessert

by gjagiello

I made a second visit here, and feel I've enough info to review Bocadillos. I have NOT tried the tapas, so this review isn't trying to assess the cultural accuracy of the food. The lunch menu offers small sandwiched they call Bocadillos, and these are very tasty overall. The lamb burger is nice, as is the Serrano ham with tomato rub. Each is served on a specific roll, and the bread is nice, especially the white roll (as found on the fried chicken/slaw sandwich). The seared corn salad, which I've had twice, is tasty but inconsistent...the first time it was perfectly tart, but this time was different although fine. Nice dessert choices -- the chocolate cake with banana ice cream was quite good, and the individual sized cake was very rich and tasty. On the down side, it's a small space, and gets VERY loud and crowded, and on both of my visits they felt a little short-staffed. I will return regularly (maybe once a month) and would recommend it for lunch without hesitation.

• Pros: Damn tasty little sandwiches, good desserts
• Cons: Loud when crowded, small space

03/03/07

Terrible!

by jlangweber

Disappointed. If I wanted poorly prepared tapas and curt service from an inexperienced staff I would have gone to Disney land. This is a disgrace to Catalonian cuisine. We ordered ribs that were grizzled (overcooked) beyond belief and when we hardly ate them the waitress didn't even comment. It was almost as though she knew how bad the food was and didn't want to deal with it. Various veggie dished had NO flavor and the service sucked. Somewhat authentic and may have been trendy 4 years ago, but it's now just tired and not worth it.

• Cons: bad food, staff has no clue, overpriced

02/14/07

good for post work wine

by audreyjl

Stopped here after work with a friend and was happy with the wine selection and appetizers. Wouldn't come here for a full meal, but makes for a perfect happy hour spot. It's a very small space, but has a nice atmosphere and decor. Service was only ok, had to ask the waitress for menu's and try to get her attention a few times, but it was very crowded at the time so I'm assuming it could be better other times. Overall was nice and I'm sure I'll be returning.

• Pros: wine, tapas
• Cons: service

10/08/06

Food was disappointing

by mamacita7

The food wasn't as appetizing as many of the other tapas restaurants I've been to throughout the city. The menu was overpriced for the quality of food. The lamb loin chops were very tough and tasteless. Also, the menu falsely advertised that they were serving heirloom tomatoes -which are a seasonal tomato that is not available this time of year. The seared ahi was bland, and the "sausage sandwich" was nothing more than a spam burger imitating fine tapa fare. Presentation and taste need improvement and creativity. As a personal chef dining at this restaurant, I have to say I was very dissapointed. Would not recommend to others

• Pros: None
• Cons: Bad seating, loud, no privacy

09/01/06

Good food & wine, poor service

by local1

Dishes (lamb, etc.) & wine were very good. Inattentive waitress/poor service leaves customers with a bad taste in their mouth. Have heard this from others. Recommend one of the numerous other tapas restaurants in the City.

• Pros: Lamb & wine
• Cons: Poor service

08/24/06

Overall Good, could have ordered better

by mikeop34

Tried this place for the first time a couple weeks ago. Friend and I ordered quail a la plancha, a spinach side (which was the exact same as the quail's spinach side), snapper ceviche and catalan sausage bocadillos. The last 2 were the best items, I'd get them again. Quail a bit dry, and the spinach was overcooked and oversalted. Other people had some delicious looking sandwiches, ribs and meat - we should've ordered more meat! Desserts were chocolate cake w/ banana ice cream and coconut bread pudding, both really good.

Pretty reasonable wine list w/ some good selections by the glass. Service was efficient. They don't take reservations, but they turn over relatively quickly. Overall: fun place w/ reasonable prices, but focus on the meat!

• Pros: large menu with lots of flavors, good desserts and meat dishes
• Cons: mostly bar seating

08/12/06

Good service, good food, but failed to vow me!

by rakeshtondon

The idea of communal tables, fun crowds and wine just seemed to match at Bocadillo with the eclectic tapas with a twist. The foie gras was exquisite, but everything else was no better than average. The sommelier was quite knowledgeable, though they often frowned when our tables ordered the cheaper bottles of wine, but nevertheless, they were attentive, and could manage to serve all the food at the appropriate temperature at the right time. I would recommend this restaurant, but I would like to see them improve certain things with their service, and some aspects of their food which sometimes seemed to lack that oomph to vow any patron. In all, good service, good (but not great) food and good times!!

07/25/06

For this kind of money I'd rather go to the bar at Farallon

by highwire

We spent $70 on a couple of glasses of sherry, two glasses of wine and a couple of small dishes. I'm just not sure about spending this kind of money on snacks... i mean if we had osetra or something, but instead it was essetiallly some pickles and cheese. Am I missing something that the thronging crowds here aren't?

• Cons: Very crowded. Communal table = awkward neighbor situation possible

07/23/06

Avoid it unless your money grows on trees

by citytaster

This updated modern hole in the wall next to the Buble lounge would be long gone had it not been for its great location on Montgomery & Columbus. They do quite well with un-suspecting tourist and first timers who are un-aware of the rip-off dining experience awaiting inside the red saloon. Quality of tapas is very spotty, and at $9 to $12 for a small saucer, you'll need to make a choice between chewing on toothpicks and going hungry or giving up your next paycheck for your visit to Bocadillos. Staff was younger less experienced but friendly, shef did not impress me with his under-cooked baby-back ribbs which was hidden under a heavy coat of sugary bbq sauce; up to par with low grade store bought sweet BBQ sauce, for a mere $12. Their cheese platter is 3 slices of cheese with 4 broken remnants of walnut and a micro size sample of something like a (stale) fig neuton's bar, all very sparsly arranged on a wood saucer for $11. Dining room is made up of a single long table and bar stools sorrounding the walls of the small rectangular room. Ambiance is vanilla touris trap, playing canned regga over an old DVD from 80s (Top-Gun!) and NO air conditioning, you would figure at these prices they might care about patrons comfort, na! Just robb them and laugh all the way to the bank Mr. Gerald Hirigoyen! For myself and my wife our bill came to $90 for 4 tappas and two glasses of wine! Would I ever go back, only if I knew the owner is in so I can give Mr. Gerald Hirigoyen a piece of my mind.

• Pros: close to financial district
• Cons: terrible food at ultra high price

07/21/06

be prepared for a long lunch

by mwmiao

Overrated at best for lunch. We were seated promptly, but service was almost non-existent after that. The server didn't even bother telling us the daily specials. Service was extremely slow considering that the lunch menu consists of soup, salad, and sandwiches. It took 20 minutes just to get a box and the check, and the lunch rush was over by then. Salad was unusually salty.

• Cons: noisy, slow service