The 5 Best Spanish Restaurants in Dubai
Craving for a delicious blend of savoury and herb flavours? If ever you find yourself craving some delicious tapas, know that you do have some options for Spanish restaurants in Dubai.
Whether you wish to dine in something more upscale, or something with more community and a lively energy, here are some of the best Spanish restaurants in Dubai for you to try.
How Much Does it Cost to Dine at a Spanish Restaurant in Dubai?
Dining at a good Spanish restaurant does not need to be expensive, especially if you’re able to catch some good deals. A lot of places do offer budget options for classic dishes like tapas and asados.
Here’s a brief overview of how much you can expect to spend on a meal in a Spanish restaurant in Dubai to give you an estimate:
Choosing the Best Spanish Restaurant in Dubai
We typically just follow our cravings whenever we choose a place to eat. When it comes to choosing the best Spanish restaurant to recommend in Dubai though, we also take a look at the following factors:
1. Casa de Tapas
| RATING | |
| FACILITIES | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| RESTAURANT | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| ⮕FOOD | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| ⮕AMBIANCE | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
| CUSTOMER SERVICE | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| ⮕PROFESSIONALISM | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
| ⮕WAITING TIME | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| ACCESSIBILITY | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
A mix of a restaurant and a sports bar of sorts, Hyatt’s Case de Tapas is a good gateway to Spanish cuisine, thanks to its assorted tapas and drink selection as well as other, traditional Spanish dishes.
The restaurant in the hotel boasts a good ambiance highly reminiscent of being in the Mediterranean. Their lighting feels adequate for a romantic dinner and the seating arrangements are well spaced out.
We also like the music they use to brighten the place up. It’s very reminiscent of something you might hear playing in a cafe in Spain should you visit.
All this then opens to a nice view of the nearby creek, making it seem like you’re dining in a luxurious Mediterranean villa near a blue body of water.
On the other hand, it can sometimes be a bit too loud during some nights. While it lends the place an energetic atmosphere, it might not sit well with couples looking to enjoy an intimate evening.
You can get a decent spread of Spanish dishes here and their seafood paella is quite the delicious affair. As per its name though, we think the big selection of tapas and drinks to be a benefit when you’re with picky eaters as it gives them more choices.
The restaurant’s portions are good for quick business lunches and casual dinner patrons. However, from our experience, they only serve their brunches on Fridays to Saturdays, with most days being dinner only.
Still, if you’re looking for a nice hearty meal to go with your weekday evening after hours at work or tour, then Hyatt’s Casa de Tapas should be a good meal for you.
Pros
- Good Mediterranean ambiance
- Great selection of tapas
Cons
- Live music can be loud on some nights
- Mostly just dinner service
Customer Reviews
Great view, great service, good Andalucia music and lots of tapas
“Great view, great service, good Andalucia music and lots of tapas. What can you want more? The prices are a little bit high but for me it is worth every penny.” – Yagiz Yurteri
The view and the ambience is very enjoyable
“Amazing restaurant. The view and the ambience is very enjoyable. The food pretty nice you need to try the chicken croquets. The service was five star and very attentive.” – Yarimar Velasquez
2. Lola Taberna Española
| RATING | |
| FACILITIES | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| RESTAURANT | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| ⮕FOOD | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| ⮕AMBIANCE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| CUSTOMER SERVICE | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| ⮕PROFESSIONALISM | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| ⮕WAITING TIME | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| ACCESSIBILITY | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
For a dash of old school Spain, we recommend checking out Lola Taberna Española at the Barsha Heights.
It’s a rustic take on traditional Spanish dishes, served in a place that takes heavy inspiration from the streets of Southern Spain’s Andalusia.
Music is quite lively and the place is quite bright. However, we noticed a few wait staff had trouble hearing orders from customers because of the loud music and ambient noise.
Nevertheless, the food was quite delightful, and we enjoyed our afternoon lunch of mouth-watering paella, fried seafood, and some tapas and sangrias. They were all presented in an appetising manner, definitely making for some good pictures.
In addition to that, we were also happy with the portions we received. They’re not too small that we walked away hungry but not too big that we were too full to move around.
One thing we’d like to note though is that our tapas surprisingly took a while before it arrived at our table. We think this is quite unusual given that tapas are meant to be served within minutes at the table after all.
Fortunately, the increased waiting time did not affect food quality and our food arrived reasonably hot and reasonably priced at the table.
So if you wish to hold a rustic party with relatives or friends, then we recommend checking out Lola Taberna’s dining selection and lively facade.
Pros
- Cosy, rustic ambiance
- Reasonably-sized portions
Cons
- Music volume sometimes leads to communication issues with the wait staff
- Surprisingly long wait for some tapas dishes
Customer Reviews
Food is great for any occasion
“Great interior, cozy outdoor seating, amazing service. Food is great for any occasion – business lunch, bites, dinner, brunch, …Really appreciate they are REAL and not just Instagram-oriented. Can’t wait to go again” – N K
The food was served with a beautiful presentation and the flavors were amazing
“We came to Lola looking for Spanish food in Dubai and the selection was amazing. We ordered the seafood paella and the shrimp croquetas. The food was served with a beautiful presentation and the flavors were amazing.” – Oswaldo Davogustto
3. El Sur at The Westin
| RATING | |
| FACILITIES | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| RESTAURANT | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
| ⮕FOOD | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
| ⮕AMBIANCE | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
| CUSTOMER SERVICE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| ⮕PROFESSIONALISM | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| ⮕WAITING TIME | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| ACCESSIBILITY | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
We like El Sur at The Westin because of their take on a more chic and modern approach in their ambiance. This is a pleasant surprise from the more traditional atmosphere by most Spanish-styled establishments.
Lights are a bit dimmer, and the furniture and fixtures look like they fit more in a boutique cafe rather than the wooden items used in most restaurants.
Nonetheless, the place is quite cosy though, and it definitely lends well to a more intimate date with your loved one.
The food served is a good mix of traditional Spanish favourites and a few dishes that are a bit harder to get, even from other Spanish restaurants in the country, in our opinion.
Dishes like their grilled seafood, apella, and fried starters are all quite delicious and cooked just right; nothing too rubbery or tough to chew. We think the highlight is the Iberian ham however as it is a dish we had difficulty finding in the city.
We also think the customer service is very good. The place’s reservation was quite prompt and smooth, and the staff were even able to recommend a good spot to sit down while they took our order.
Waiting times are also quite fast and we’re happy to report that so far, it didn’t compromise on quality. Dishes were hot and served exactly the way it is intended.
We think they could serve better beer with their tapas though. There’s nothing wrong with it per se but it was just average and we’ve definitely had better options in some cheaper places nearby.
It definitely attracts a more ‘foodie’-oriented crowd in our opinion. So if this sounds like you, then we think you might enjoy what El Sur at The Westin has to offer your palate.
Pros
- Amazing service by the staff
- Good novel dishes like iberian ham
Cons
- Lunch is available for weekends only
- Beer selection is quite average
Customer Reviews
The purpose to go here was to eat iberian ham, but now to enjoy other dishes as well
“New chef has changed quality of food. The purpose to go here was to eat iberian ham, but now to enjoy other dishes as well.” – Aki Raba
Service was friendly, efficient yet discreet
“Just what you need after a day in the office, good cold cuts, lovely cheeses a good wine and great company. Grilled Octopus and the desert where the stars of the show. Service was friendly, efficient yet discreet.” – Spencer Deren
4. Boca Spanish Restaurant and Bar
| RATING | |
| FACILITIES | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| RESTAURANT | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
| ⮕FOOD | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| ⮕AMBIANCE | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| CUSTOMER SERVICE | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
| ⮕PROFESSIONALISM | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| ⮕WAITING TIME | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| ACCESSIBILITY | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
Boca looks to present itself as a Modern European restaurant with a Spanish flavour while serving up well-prepared meals in the heart of Dubai’s financial district.
Their ambiance is very, very modern and chic, with the suspended wine drawers and rather tall chairs. In fact, we did meet a number of customers who mistook the place as a bar instead of a restaurant.
The menu was quite big, offering a variety of traditional Spanish dishes and ones with a more modern twist to them. Although personally, we think it does have its pros and cons.
On one hand, we appreciate the variety of choices and how the staff had taken the time to label and explain their vegetarian and vegan-friendly options for more discerning customers.
On the other hand, we think it did result in a slower service overall, at least when compared to other places we’ve been to. Thanks to the variety of choices available, it’s not unusual to have a table of like, six with distinct starter and main dish orders.
The food itself was very good though. Their modern inspired takes on some of the tapas do not detract from the traditional covers and drinks served in the restaurant.
Service was quite prompt and the staff were quite attentive to any inquiries we had regarding a dish or drink on the menu.
Customers arriving by car may want to know that parking space is quite difficult in the area though, with the nearest establishments always full come dinner time.
But if you’re looking to explore some options you’ve never tried before, then we do recommend having dinner at Boca and checking out all the Mediterranean and European flavours they have on offer.
Pros
- Good vegetarian selection
- Service by the floor staff is very good
Cons
- Parking is quite difficult
- Significant wait time for some of the items
Customer Reviews
We love Oscar very much. He made such a difference to our experience
“Great food and drinks. We love Oscar very much. He made such a difference to our experience. We will definitely be back.” – Janet Herzhauser
Definitely recommend Boca to anyone who is looking for a nice dinner
“The food was incredible and the service was great as well. Definitely recommend Boca to anyone who is looking for a nice dinner.” – Ryan Musick
5. Seville’s Spanish Restaurant
| RATING | |
| FACILITIES | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
| RESTAURANT | ★★★★☆ (5/5) |
| ⮕FOOD | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| ⮕AMBIANCE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| CUSTOMER SERVICE | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
| ⮕PROFESSIONALISM | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
| ⮕WAITING TIME | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
| ACCESSIBILITY | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Offering a variety of regional Spanish dishes and tapas, Seville’s is a good spot for both an enjoyable dinner out or a quick lunch for people exploring the formidable Wafi mall in Dubai.
Ambiance within the place is quite rustic, with some exposed bricks and a stone-like texture by its arches. Place is quite bright as well, thanks to its big windows which all seemed conducive to a nice lunch.
However, we did find the seating arrangement to be just a bit cramped, which was a little difficult given the number and size of the dishes we ordered. We think this is definitely a point to improve upon.
Like the decoration, their food is quite traditional, which most people probably will appreciate in our opinion. It definitely feels like a spot for you to just indulge in some of the Mediterranean flavours you miss back in Spain.
Their paella, both chicken and seafood, are cooked wonderfully. The same goes for their fried seafood, giving us a nice, crunchy texture.
The portion sizes are quite reasonable for the items we ordered. Tapas were not too small while some dishes like the paella seemed to be big enough to share with a friend or partner.
Service in the restaurant is quite nice, with dishes pushed out at a reasonable pace and the waiters attentive enough to answer questions and make recommendations on drinks.
Phone service can be improved in our opinion, since it takes a while before we can get someone on the other line to confirm our reservation.
Nonetheless, it is a convenient place to dine in if you suddenly feel the urge to munch on some Spanish flavours during your shopping trip. So if you’re in the area, then we definitely recommend popping in for a nice lunch at the Seville’s.
Pros
- Convenient location and parking
- Portion sizes are just right
Cons
- Phone service is quite slow for reservations
- Seating is a bit cramped
Customer Reviews
Always a pleasure to visit this restaurant
“Absolutely fantastic food, very good service. Always a pleasure to visit this restaurant. One of our favourites.” – Dr. Marcell Greeff
The flavors and quality of food takes me back to Spain each time I visit them
“Food for the soul! This place has always served as my go to for traditional Spanish cuisine. The flavors and quality of food takes me back to Spain each time I visit them.” – Trena Doris
FAQs about Spanish Restaurants in Dubai
We hope you enjoy the taste of Spain among the best dining spots in Dubai. And if you wish to partake in more of the Mediterranean taste, then you may also check out our list of the best Greek restaurants in Dubai here.