Paco Tapas in Bristol

Came here for the tasting menu about 6 months ago. Food was exceptional - small portions but lots of dishes and ended up leaving pretty stuffed. Great friendly but not overbearing service. Cocktails were also good.

Fabulous modern tapas. Staff superb - many helped us but to a person were wonderful. Not cheap but good value - highlights were nuggets of wood grilled octopus, “cauliflower cheese” (grilled with manchego cheese sauce), amazing grilled salt marsh lamb, sublime chocolate mousse. V v good.

Love, love, love this place.Been here a couple of times now.Had the chefs menu last time, but on this occasion opted to choose several dishes from the a la carte.We opted for olives, bread with olive oil, chorizo cold meats, croquettas (drool), prawns, octopus, pork rib, beef short rib (stunning), devilled corn on the cob (with cheese on top, just - I could eat this all day long). All washed down with a lovely Grenache.The service is excellent, friendly. The atmosphere is relaxed in a modern style decor. The star of the show is obviously the food though.Cannot recommend this highly enough.Looking forward to coming back again sometime.

Third (and lasttime here last night.Three of us got put on a what is a table for 2 in the outer corridor part, greeted by loud music and an even louder waiter bellowing out the specials to a neighbouring table.An empty larger table available next to us, told we couldnt move and to "specify next time you book". After 30 mins this was recorded as a no-show and 2 walk-ins were then given it.After her "computer says no" episode our Waitress apologised a few times but so what? No free glass of something or complementary items. But, hey who cares the food and service is great right? This place is always booked out. I wonder how long it will stay like that, come the upcoming Winter financial apocalypse.We spend half our time living in Mallorca and eat out there pretty much every night we are there. We know our Gambas from our Polpo from our Lomo. Thank you for asking us if we know what Chorizo is.Some of the food is good - the tuna tataki is honestly spectacular and worth the £22 for 6 small pieces. But the rest of it is pretty much as youd get for half the price and twice the amount in pretty much all of Spain or especially Tast/OMBU in Palma.Actually to be fair, the Postres were lovely. We had one of each of them. Mine came with a single candle since my wife had told them it was my birthday when we booked and my daughter gave me a card when she arrived having come down from London. Generous.Its such as shame Paco has taken this path. Last time we came (also for my birthday5 years ago we were spellbound by two seats at the bar watching our delicious food being prepared in front of us; we had the tasting menu, and a sherry flight plus more and in the end did in over £700 between the two of us. I used to rave about it and regarded it as my top 3 of the hundreds of places Ive been lucky enough to eat in over the years.This time the table-gate as we arrived put us off going big again We had 8 dishes, 6 drinks. Cost was still £257 for three including the automatically added 12.5% tip. Smelly armpit odour and bellowing patronising service to the other tables around us came for free.We were in and out in 75 minutes. I had to eat again when I got home.Sorry Paco but there wont be a fourth time.

Great food cant wait to return

I dont where to start, the Michelin star was deserved. So we can discuss meat and pastry all day but corn basic corn on the cob became an experience ..words fail me, this restaurant is must. As for the service Sammy is the man, he made you feel like you were hanging out with your best mate or neighbour. Excellent service Sammy incredible night beyond excellent servicepved every moment...12 Stars

Have visited Paco twice now in 8 months as my daughter is based in Bristol at the university. This is a superb restaurant with great people working in it, who really care about both food and front of house service. The standard menu is augmented daily with specials based on seasonal and fresh produce. The wine list is great and can be well explained by the front of house staff. I could not recommend it more highly.

Honestly, thank you Paco for a lovely time. The food, AMAZING (try the pork ribs)! The service, warm, friendly and informative. Perfect basically!Will be coming again!

Average food, extortionately overpriced.We had the Chefs menu, a nice concept in that you dont know what youre going to get and it was a good amount of different tapas. However the food is no better than a 6/10 and it was £140 for the two of us just for the food, including highlights such as tomato ensalada, which was sliced tomato in a bowl with tomato polpa and olive oil, this would cost you £13 if you ordered is separately! Other dishes were fairly nice but nowhere near the best tapas Ive had and it cost 3-4x more than any tapas Ive had before.The service from the waiting staff was excellent and the place itself was quite nice, which is why I cant bring myself to give it just 1 star, but I certainly wouldnt recommend this place.

Odd, all for interesting food, but chargrilled leek and corn on the cob with grated cheese on the top is not what i call a foodie dream. Overpriced and feels like they are trying to push the boundaries by being what I can only describe as extra. Staff are nice bit even they lack flavour and some soul like there food

We had a nice evening at paco and it was great to enjoy the sun and sit outside. However, the experience was not quite what we were expecting of a 1* restaurant. Service not quite up to standard and drinks very lacking. No ales at all only larger and very limited soft drinks or spirits. The tasting menu was good, we enjoyed the variety but some of the dishes could have been a bit more wow. Expensive for what it was. Seating is on bar stools mostly which is not for everyone, my 60 year old Mother found this difficult. I expected more.

Just incredible. I’d give this place 6 stars if I could. From the humble tomato salad to the more adventurous dishes, every mouthful was a delight. Fantastic and attentive service too.

Fantastic experience, the food and cocktails are of a very high quality and delicious! Thank you to our lovely waiter Sammy for a great time.

Food is nice enough, not the best tapas you can get in Bristol though in my opinion. For somewhere with a Michelin star I was definitely underwhelmed. Had booked for my birthday for a party of 6 and did the tasting menu. We were sat inside on a hot evening and on the table by the kitchen, it was extremely hot and noisy, I have no hearing issues and wasnt able to hear people at the other end of the table (less than 2 m away). As an added factor we had the wait staff returning to the kitchen and complaining about customers who had complained outside - it was not dealt with discreetly. We asked for the next free table outside and were told that would be possible, and we were next in line. After seeing many people being moved outside earlier than us we asked again and were told it would be 20 minutes until the next table - we were told this twice, 20 minutes apart. Upon finally getting a table outside after we refused anymore courses to our table inside, we were told by another member of staff that she was the manager and we should have asked her and the person who said 20 minutes shouldnt have said that - I felt this was pretty unprofessional, its their responsibilty to make sure there team are all on the same page and not our problem. For these prices I expect the service in particular to be exceptional and I felt they fell under par on this occasion.

Fantastic meal on a busy, sunny Saturday evening. The service is always great, really friendly and knowledgeable. The food is stunning and whilst not cheap, you feel you are really getting value for your money. The Duroc ribs and the croquetas are particularly fabulous. This is our 5th visit and a little variety on the menu might be a good change but all in all, stunning!!

Really nice food. Quality ingredients, well cooked. But just a bit pricey relative to what you get. Octopus tasted amazing but 10 small bite sized pieces for £22 + 10% service is a lot. We shared between 4 along with a few other £20 - £25 dishes that are all very small between 4 people. The Pork Ribs werent quite as good as the high expectations I had. You can fill up on the Patatas Bravas and the Bread and Oil though and the Bread and Oil is great.

Came for dinner on a Saturday night, the food was absolutely delicious!! All the dishes were nicely staggered so we got to enjoy them. All the staff were lovely and attentive. Highly recommend!!

Excellent meal. Pork ribs were frankly amazing, chorizo in cider, ham croquettes and hake fillet also a highlight. A pork lovers paradise! Excellently looked after by Sam also. Ill highly recommend it to anyone wholl listen, and those that arent listening.

Delicious food but very over priced with the majority of the main dishes starting at £10 (for chrorizothrough to £22 (for Octopus).Ive eaten here twice. The place has a really nice atmosphere however, I found the service recently to be a real let down. As a group of 8 we were constantly reminded how long we had left on our table and even asked to move off our table when we still had a full bottle of wine left. Then we were automatically charged 15% tip on the bill.I appreciate paying the extra for top quality dishes but when the service is terrible it ruins the complete experience.

Food was great but service for the price was pretty poor. Rushed through the table, confusion about the booking on entry and quite abrupt service. We were asked 2-3 times about half our group being 10mins late and felt under pressure throughout to move through the restaurant on time. Real shame for a bill which was £650 for 8 people. Wouldn’t return for the price.

We opted for the chefs menu as we wanted to be surprised. Each dish was brought out and explained by the excellent staff. All the food was hot and tasted great. There was a good mixture of traditional dishes and dishes with an interesting spin. Highlight dishes for me were the patas bravas, pork rib and leek with romesco sauce. It was expensive but the food is well worth it, not only do you get enough to fill you up but you also get extremely high quality dishes.

Nice place, can sit outside when good weather. Tapas portion a bit small but nice and decent. The only drawback is the selection of choice even they add some special on the menu, otherwise everything is perfect.

We received severe food poisoning accompanied by dangerously high fevers for 3 days after having their sardines. I have never felt so close to death in my life. Please be cautious when ordering their raw dishes.

Nice food let down by arrogant staff - We were in Bristol for 48 hours attending a family event so after some research, settled on Paco Tapas for dinner on our last evening. Overall, the food was good, not great, just good.The best menu item was the Ensalda de Tomate, a dish that I would be happy to size up to a main course and have with some amazing bread, it was simply delicious. We were told to definitely try the Leek and Romesco but found it impossible to cut (and therefore share!and to be honest, it didnt really impress.Which leads me on the the service - it very much seems as if that Michelin star has gone to their heads. In particular, two painfully hipster gentlemen, one who seemed quite irritated when I asked him for his recommendation of a dry white wine...clearly, I asked the wrong question. He and the other chap spent most of the evening scowling at anyone and everyone who came in their way, perhaps the patrons were just cramping his style.And so there it is...an ok place, not bad food but lots of room for improvement in creating an ambience that might help you feel like youre having an unforgettable night. Even if the food isnt.

Chef’s menu was absolutely fantastic. Excellent service and a perfect setting!

Excellent food, buzzing atmosphere and friendly service. What more can you ask for? Pricey but all felt worth it, other than the prawns - v expensive for 2 prawns (they look fancy on the board but lets be honest, once the shells are off theres not a lot there!Will definitely be back.

We went here with six people and it was reasonably priced for a Michelin star restaurant. We actually brought our baby and our friends brother 10 month old for my husbands birthday.Everyone was extremely obsessed with the leak and the octopus. We also had a wonderful cocktails and amazing dessert.The only thing that was difficult about the restaurant was it is a high top table and it was difficult to hold my child the entire meal - definitely hurt my back. It was easier for my friends child because they had a highchair put mine is too young to use one.

Firstly, the service was excellent. The waiting staff could not have been more courteous.We opted for the chefs menu and were hugely underwhelmed. The a la carte menu had been left on the table as we ate so we could tot up the individual items and we were certainly short changed. When we pointed this out to a waiter they seemed surprised and confused at us not receiving a number of menu items. This was followed up by a senior waiter telling us that the chefs menu was the "chefs choice" and that the items mentioned by the previous waiter were not included. This added confusion and gave a feeling of a lack of value for money, as it wouldve been cheaper to order the items individually off the menu.Service and drinks were eventually deducted from the final bill but ultimately we left still hungry, as we said to the waiting staff, and disappointed.

On the plus side there are some amazing dishes and flavours on offer, and the service, though not by any means top drawer technically, is friendly and enthusiastic.For the negatives, the seating is not acceptable for a restaurant which purports to offer a high quality dining experience. Further, this restaurant commits the cardinal sin of not providing enough food. It doesnt matter how good the taste is, or how prize winning the cheese is ... you cannot allow guests to spend £120 on a meal for two and allow the possibility that they might have to then go and get chips to fill up. Dont make your guests choose between quality and volume: you should give both. No arguments.Overall its just too expensive what for it is and not recommended for that reason.

An amazing tapas place with a beautiful ambience inside and out. The ex-dairy sirloin steak and iberica pork were amazing. The stuffed quail was good, too, although I preferred the other meats. Ive never had manchego cheese as soft as the one here. You also cant skip the jamón croquetas - they are small but so delicious. And the ensalada tomate was unlike anything Ive ever had - its a must-try if youre after unique dishes, although Id recommend getting it with the bread as I think the bread helps balance it. I wasnt wowed by the spritz cocktail like I was by the food, but that didnt deter me at all. We would 100% go back. Prepare to spend over £100 for a meal for two (we got slightly too much food and two drinks and spent £170), but its worth it! I definitely see how it got a Michelin star. One thing Id fix is getting comfier chairs - the stools dont have backs which can be a little uncomfortable.

For the price, cant say I was satisfied. Tried the chefs tasting menu for 2 which at £130 youd expect some of the more premium dishes which unfortunately we didnt receive. The tomato and egg soup was disappointing tasting more like a tin of soup with a bit of spice added and a runny egg in the middle, nice concept but the execution needs refining. Yes the dishes are designed to compliment each other in a set order but the prawns were quite honestly foul, cant put my finger on the flavour but it was sickening to the point I still have the taste in my mouth the following morning. The service was outstanding and I applaud the wait staff for their attitude and attention detail so thank you for that. The menu however leaves more to be desired and it felt like daylight robbery with my pocket empty, a bitter taste in my mouth and less than satisfied with the overall menu.

Had a great evening with fantastic food. James’ crew were on good form and genuinely enjoy working at this great restaurant - it’s a good sign when the staff smile at each other as well as to the guests. We took the “surprise me” option and we weren’t disappointed. You get what you pay for, but the ambiance was over and above.

Absolutely amazing!!! Food is incredible, especially the octopus which just melts in your mouth! Staff are super friendly. Prices are affordable for a Michelin star restaurant. It gets really busy, so reservations are a must. If I lived near Bristol I’d visit weekly.

One of the best restaurants in Bristol! Always excellent service and food and amazing for a celebration and special meal!

The menu has many seafood dishes. We had some of the next octopus, monkfish on the bone, crab/prawn dishes. The cow beef was so so，

The place is super nice, minimalist decor. Service was quick and efficient. The quality of the food was good and the wine absolutely the best! We had Godello white wine. Not sure if Ill be back but it was definitely worth the visit!

So expensive and not worth it. Place are not comfortable for sitting. No plans to put our bags. Music was so loud that you couldnt hear and talk. Gambas texture was not good feel not fresh. £13+ for only 2piece. The most expensive mushroom that I have in Bristol for only 1 piece even though it is a big one. Octopus was overpriced £20 for such a small portion.The bread was really tasty, they did it with charcoal grill. Muscle taste was good and fresh. Unfortunately thats very few option for non-alcohol drink.We all decided not coming back. We just had the very tasty seafood at lazy lobster, price is cheaper and taste was much better.

Absolutely awesome tapas. We went for the chef’s menu. Didn’t feel overpriced. The quality was top. I’ve never enjoyed a leek so much. Pork was cooked brilliantly to the point of falling off the bone.

We booked way in advanced as we had red about the place and were really excited about the experience. On arrival we were given the worst table, impossible for 2 people to have place enough for drinks and food, place was empty, so we asked to be moved to another table we liked and didnt have any booking signage, they said that the one we were on was our table and thats it. Im saying this cause after a while, a girl walked in and said that had no booking and waitress gave her the table we asked for. Ordered the rubia gallega, extremely expensive for the quality given and portion served. Padrón peppers were ultra low quality, burned in a side, uncooked on the other side. I wont repeat again. Merlot Spanish red wine, expensive for the quality given. Do yourself a favour, if you want to try a good Spanish restaurant try the one in the Wapping Wharf.

Went here to celebrate a birthday. Very nice food, friendly staff and great atmosphere.Highly recommend trying the char-grilled leak, seared tuna and egg yolk stew!Quite expensive, but definitely worth trying once for a special occasion.

Well over priced for the service and restaurant. Just arriving we have to ask for our jackets to be taken as there were no space on the chairs or table. By the way table was wobbly and again have to ask to be fix . The best dish on paper was the Galician steak which it was good but cold and lacking saltiness. Taste more than a carpaccio rather than a fillet steak. Will not recommended unfortunately.

The fish was absolutely delicious - it basically melted in your mouth. We didn’t love the strawberry and cream dessert unfortunately.

Amazing - food was out of this world. Staff were wonderful - took time to describe the dishes, really knowledgeable. Cant wait to come back!

We had a cook/finish at home tapas box for NYE and we absolutely loved it. Not the cheapest eat at home option but there was plenty of food and the ingredients all looked and tasted fantastic, there was also clearly a lot of prep and pre cooking work that had gone into the meal. At first it was a bit daunting but once I had split up everything into the individual dishes the cooking was really easy, we served everything together but you could also serve in courses or throughout an evening. Would thoroughly recommend as something to do at home for a nice occasion or a treat.

Best place in Bristol. The food here is amazing. It has the typical Spanish lovely decoration with the Tio Pepe barrel tables outside, so when the weather is good is really great. On top of that, the quality of the food is great. You really need to try the mackerel, the carrillera and the stuffed quails

Seriously divine food, our meal consisted of a ridiculous amounts of "ooo" "mmmmmmmMMM" and "mmmmnnum" noises.Chefs selection is wonderful and at £60 it may seem pricey but its worth every bite. Very filling, everything is cooked to perfection. My favourites were the croquettes (delightfully crispy with a moorish creamy inside), anchovies (just the right balance of vinegar and not overly fishy with a meaty texture!), tortilla (sooo yolky! Nice that they followed up with refreshing tomatoes!and the prawns (gorgeously cooked, tender, juicy and beautifully seasoned).The gins were fantastic too.Great evening, wonderful people, lovely atmosphere!

This is a belated review - four of us visited in July 2018 to celebrate my daughters graduation. Firstly the food and service is wonderful - we ordered 2 tasting menus and accompanying sherry flights, and then added a load of additional tapas. Fantastic food, simple and traditional but high quality ingredients cooked perfectly, explained by knowledgeable and warm staff. Its stiffly priced, check the menu before you go, but the value is in the quality and the experience. Going for the set menu evens up the cost a bit, and adding the sherry flight adds to the occasion. We would go back. The only negative - we sat outside, which was lovely - being down in Bristol harbour area - but the bar stools are appallingly, cripplingly uncomfortable, to the extent that people in the know were sitting at the bench tables of the pizza restaurant (owned by the same peoplenext door. We would have done the same.

Best Tapas in the Southwest. Fantastic menu and service throughout. This pace brings Tapas to a whole new level ! Chiefs are friendly and happy to share their secrets of you sit by the bar, waiting staff are knowledgeable and really know their stuff.A great alternative from Casa Mia if you are looking for something light,relaxing still quality.

Paco Tapas is a Michelin Star restaurant in Bristol, by the water. The restaurant is absolutely fantastic for its food, drinks, service, and simplicity and honesty in presentation. We ordered quite a few items from the menu - please see the pictures - and every one of these dishes was exquisitely prepared. Particularly enjoyed the bread in olive oil, tomatoes, John Dory whole fish, and pork ribs, which fall right off the bone. The PX Nectar sherry is brilliant - sticky and sweet. This is a Spanish tapas restaurant (obviously :)but the portions are very decent and the waiters are always attentive, politely offering advice if they feel too much has been ordered. Found the prices to be very reasonable given the quality and star rating of this place. Excellent place. Will come again, and again.

Wonderful tapas restaurant, nice casual environment, wonderful services. Good food with nice sherry wine pairing offered. Though the first time here, felt like dining in a very friendly environment. Must try if one stays in Bristol.