la boca

bad service; below average food.. may 2013. dinner at la boca was disappointing. food was not so good.servicewas bad, even by santa fe standards. hummus and romesco were nearly flavorless. fortunately the flatbread was crisp, warm and buttery. the calamari was good; it gets a "b." lightly fried, crisp, bright olive oil and lemon. watch the sauce; the pimenton dominates and nothing else comes through. paella was not good; below average. not fresh; reheated; pastey, texture; very little taste other than the spanish paprika. the chorizo had a good al dente texture but little flavor. the shrimp were good. the chicken flavorless. no fish stock flavor or garlic, and again too heavy on the pimenton. not a traditional paella and not a memorable variation. sat at the bar where there was much too concern with satisfying friends with free wine and not paying attention to the several groups of paying customers. many better options in santa fe. skip it.

underwhelmed with the food, drinks &service:-(
service - forgetful... maria never came back check on us. when we finally asked a busser for the bill, she races back and says: "oh gosh, did i forget to order you something?" yes, about 30 minutes ago!

food - while nicely plated (hence the two stars), the house cured tuna was so tough it was like chewing on jerky. the chorizos iberico was uninspired, and honestly, we've had better at the grocery store. and the accompanying "mustard seed caviar" that maria initially raved about, was such a tiny portion (like 1/8 tsp) it was joke... on us.

drinks - their spanish sherries, again recommended, were extremely oxidized. and i don't mean sherry-like, but totally stale with wet cardboard flavors that detracted from what might have been a nice wine - a long time ago.

after spending nearly $70 (before tip & tax), we left hungry and disappointed. will not return nor recommend

there are lots of words used to describe how good a restaurant is, but none of them seem sufficient for la boca. this place is small, warm and inviting. theserviceis on point and so knowledgable. the food is spectacular. flavors are complex and balanced. best paella i've ever had. made it as one of my top 10 restaurants. the live music is a bonus. don't forget to make a reservation.

simple elegance with approachable cuisine. we remember style, class andservicefirst, then the great food draws us to return. my wife loved this place on her last visit, so we sought it out again. our reward was sweet. namely, a very balanced classic sherry...or two, and a bright and satisfying pinot grigio both hit the spot for our afternoon snack. the best part about tapas is sampling different items to scratch the food itch of the moment. we both wanted salty, savory, and spicy...i think. i ordered all of those anyway. the olives were fresh and salty, and quite an ample serving. the cumin laced roasted chicken was delicate, tender and full of well rounded flavors, including a hint of chili. the chili also abounds in the perfectly grilled large shell-on shrimp, drizzled with a hot vinegary sauce that livens these deliciously fresh crustacea . finally the imported, thinly sliced ham was a perfect finish matching well with the grainy manchego cheese. it was a perfectly balanced interlude before dinner and clearly indicative of my brilliantly deft menu selections. ahem. to be honest, any fool could look good ordering off this menu, as the array of exquisite dishes dazzle and are sure to impress the most demanding palate. don't even think about perusing santa fe without dropping in here for a nibble and a a sip. it is fantastic.

wonderful!. this was my first tapas experience. the food and the wine our waiter recommended were delicious. theservicewas very friendly and our waiter was very informative and patient while educating us on tapas. i just recommend skipping the dessert.

savory taste, superior service. the quality of food andserviceat la boca has compelled me to write my first restaurant review. despite the food mecca that is santa fe, my girlfriend and i found ourselves making repeat visits to this delightful eatery. the tapas, tuna tartar, and the morcilla--with grilled caramelized pineapple, sautéed dates and pedro ximenez sauce --were absolutely delectable.

the dining experience was further enhanced by efrain, our lunch waiter. any employer should consider himself lucky to have an employee like efrain. this gentleman went above and beyond the typical bounds of graciousness and hospitality, and exuded a genuine enthusiasm in ensuring the satisfaction and pleasure of each patron's experience.

we look forward to re-visiting santa fe, la boca, and with any luck efrain will be there to greet us with his warm smile.

a big thank you from carbondale, co!

while we were at the santa fa market, there was a very nice couple that recommended la boca, so we decided to stop in during happy hour for some tapas. so glad they recommended this place. we did not have a reservation, but were still seated by a wonderful host.
gabriel, our server, was wonderful with hisservice& suggestions. we ordered a few items, but for us, the one that just made our experience "wonderful" was the bruschetta with crimini mushrooms, cream, and fried egg, topped with truffle oil & reggianito cheese. let me tell you, once you cut the egg open, and the yolk mixes in with the cream... just thinking about it now is making me smile. the flavors, textures, creaminess, and freshness of this dish actually reminded me of a similar dish we had in europe some years ago.
i really don't want to recommend this place (tongue-in-cheek), but it will be our first meal, whether lunch or dinner, when we return to santa fe.
*we actually made dinner reservations (which gabriel assisted us with), but had to cancel. the extra cool thing was the hostess remembered us from lunch, and was going to have us sitting at one of the window tables. truly appreciated that kind of special attention.

the food was all delicious once again, theservicewas great, and the atmosphere was wonderful! this is definitely on my list of santa fe favorites and i look forward to returning there soon!

theservicehere was great. we couldn't book a reservation as it was full but manage to get seats at the bar. the floor manager was great and made it a point to tell us what a dish was everytime i saw one go by. we started with the bruschetta which was my favorite dish of the night. it was rich and flavorful and left me wanting more. then came the mussels. although i enjoyed it i wish there was more. then there was the tuna carpaccio which was different. the flat iron steak with caramel sauce was good but i wished it was a little more complex. next was the quail that was tender and juicy. finally the grilled artichoke with goat cheese which was my 2nd favorite. i enjoyed this place even though it was expensive.

mixed review. on my first experience, i walked out because theservicewas so bad and not customer friendly. because i met the chef at a cooking class, i went back, and theservicewas good. however, it is pricey and noisy (due to cramped dining area). to tell the truth, the tapas at el farol are much better, particularly at lunchtime, when one can get 5 items for $38, which even two people can not eat it all!