Arbequina in Oxford

I’ve been wanting to go here for a while. Glad I made it. Great food!

get the crispy chickpea salad it acc blew my tiny mind... i did not expect chickpeas to elicit strong reactions from me but they did 🐣🫛 this is a great date spot! but don't let being single stop you from coming 😎

One of the best eateries in Oxford. Amazing cocktails, great service small but well balanced menu. Love everything about this place, except it's often fully booked!

Amazing food and service but the place was pretty dark and quite loud it was also very expensive

Always delicious. Always friendly. Always great.

Overall very positive experience - service was excellent, food was good, fair price. The only disappointment was the patatas bravas which I can't recommend ordering

Went for lunch and had a few small dishes. The vegeterian dishes were excellent. I liked the fish less.drinks were nice as well.

Have the sea bream, the bread, the hen's egg, and finish with the Santiago tart. Amazing!

Amazing food, very nice to share with few people. Very nice cocktails too. Definitely recommend for anyone coming by Cowley Road

Really well executed food in a friendly and unpretentious space. Bloody ruddy good

Excellent - the pictures don't get anywhere near to doing the flavours any justice and the service is spot on, prompt and attentive but not pushy.

Definitely worth Michelin Star! Ordered one of the desserts randomly and I liked it. I have to have a full experience next time!

My bf (yeah guys I’m taken sorry) made a reservation here months in advance and it’s on the Michelin guide or whatever so my expectations were simultaneously high and low- like how good can it be? And it was gooodddd. Every dish felt so interesting and unique and the flavours just weren’t like typical restaurant fare. Chickpea salad was an unexpected fav- how did they get them so crispy yet so light? And the aubergine’s molasses sauce was so different! Next time need to get the chorizo because the bits in the stew were the best I’ve ever had. And basque cheesecake to top it all off- MWAH! So yum so fun.

101% in every aspect. We understood it was fully booked, but they take walk-ins to eat at the bar. Arrived early, enquired for the bar, they took our number and said they would call when next bar spaces became available. They estimated 30mins and were spot on. We perched in front of the kitchen, which was great to watch the efficient production of the dishes. The entire place was full, busy and buzzing. The first great touch was a jug of water and no upselling to buy a bottle... Then the food, top notch in every way, imaginative, intersting, sensational, far more than a Tapas Bar, it is on par (maybe better) than Fine Dining stunning Intense, balanced flavours. The crew serving meet the challenge of holding it all together. The chefs organised in turning out plates of magic efficiently. Finally, even the background music playlist made me very happy. Looking forward to visiting again and again.

chill vibes, good food and service. Will visit again when come to Oxford.

I have been waiting a while to try Arbequina, after almost 4 weeks since booking, I was thrilled to try it as many people talked so highly about it. Staff was delightful, attentive and friendly. The atmosphere is fun, cozy and relaxing. But food was not up to the expectations: we ordered different tapas, to try vegetarian and meat options and have been disappointed by all of them. Lack of flavour was the common factor of all dishes, besides the onion tortilla that was nice and balanced, but no “wow factor” that would make me want to order it again. I haven’t found much of the Spanish food I know, their flavours and spices and I left disappointed.

We had such a nice evening last night. The atmosphere was spot on and the food was exquisite- some of the best I have had for a long time. Our favourite dishes were the pork, aubergine and the chicken thighs! Thank you for a fab dinner :)

Excellent food and the staff was very helpful with choosing the menu

Delicious food, friendly staff and nice atmosphere.

Very nice food and cosy atmosphere.

Was looking for a nice neighbourhood place for date night and was not disappointed. The food was delicious (amazing selection of veggie options) and all fresh and hot. The non-alcoholic cocktails were also really delicious.

Nathan nailed it. Ben's wine list is exceptional. Chef nailed it. Fantastic experience - fave place in ox. 11/10

Just a really great tapas place and just generally one of the very few great restaurants in Oxford. The dishes are unique, change regularly and just prove the exceptional ingredients that are being used. Some dishes are incredible, some are "just" good. Sadly, many dishes lack spices and thus just focus on the (honestly) great raw(/cooked) materials. Atmosphere is casual, but intimate. Perfect for a date of two; maybe not so ideal for bigger groups. You are, however, really close to the kitchen counter, which means that you will leave with quite smelly clothes. Service is really friendly and relaxed, which doesn't match the reservation system that might be quite confusing. Places seem fully booked weeks in advance and then suddenly open up again on the very same day...

Wonderful food and great service. Lots of vegetarian options, less meat and seafood than in the past. The barman was very lively and fun. They did come and politely ask us to vacate our table for the next sitting which I was surprised about but we had finished.

This is the rare occasion when a restaurant lives up to its hype. Critically acclaimed and loved by locals, Arbequina offers Spanish style tapas and creative dishes. Our favorites includes the tortilla (best we’ve had outside of Spain), roasted aubergine, and the chickpea salad. The staff was warm and knowledgeable and our server at Arbequina was one of our favorites throughout our time in the UK. TL;DR - Highly recommend, lives up to the hype, can’t wait to go back!

A tapas restaurant in cowley. The food was good, but not amazing. It was pricey, as we spent almost £50 and I didn’t think we ordered too much. I would say you can get better food in Oxford for this price. The service was okay. One staff was really friendly and helpful, whereas the other one was quite cold faced. Hence, overall an average experience with the service.

Delicious food, friendly service, lovely desserts

Excellent service and delicious food

Unpretentious European class. Every dish is genuinely Iberian and delightful. The carafes of wine and water keep a good evening of socialising in flow. This place is a treat.

The food and staff are amazing. Booking ahead is advisable but not always essential.

Near-perfect food at a reasonable price. They deserve their Michelin Star. The chickpea salad was phenomenal.

Heureusement nous avions réservé ! Plats très bons et bien élaborés. Les prix sont correctes . Un service qui manque peut être un peu d’empathie. Jean-Marc

Superb! Great food, wonderful staff. Came in at Saturday night without reservation and got a seat at the bar (which we loved because you could look into the kitchen). The kitchen staff just seemed to be having a great time, obviously recognized in the food. Lovely service too. Great food, great recommendations by the (kitchen) staff as everything on the menu looked amazing. The chickpea salad and the salmorejo were amazing! Thanks so much

Good food, nothing sensational but tasty. the order in which the tapas was brought out meant that it was a very carb heavy end to the meal.

Tasty selection of tapas with cocktails was just the ticket. Very relaxed atmosphere with great service. Lovely place and highly recommended.

Beautiful restaurant with impeccable service and delicious and exciting food. I’ve come twice in a month - what a gem!

We've been so thrilled to discover the fabulous Arbequina that we've been twice in a fortnight - once for lunch and once for dinner. Everything about it from the warmth of the welcome and the charming efficient staff to the great food with such a range of tastes and flavours is a delight. Try the Aubergine and Pomegranate seeds, or the Crispy Chick Peas and the light-as-a-feather Onion Tortilla - oh I don't know why I'm bothering to pick out individual dishes, it's all so good! Last time we were there on a warm evening there were people eating out at the pavement tables which had a lovely European vibe. The wine's robust and served in a carafe - and the Raspberry Custard tarts are a revelation. It all makes for a fabulous experience - good to go with friends if you can so you can order a table of deliciousness and try out lots of small dishes. Highly recommended!

Wow! What a triumph this place is. The atmosphere was just right, the cocktail choices were delightful and the food was fantastic. TheSlow cooked lamb was so good and the aged Manchego with burnt sugar was a total surprise, the sweetness of the sugar with the cheese was a perfect match.

Wonderful tapas style place , but the portions are larger Definitely worth experiencing . The food came promptly and the staff and especially the barren friendly

Fui ao arbequina e fiquei impressionada com a qualidade da comida. O cardápio é enxuto, mas tudo é executado de forma primorosa. Ótimas opções sem glúten e vegetarianas. Não deixe de provar o prato de grão de bico fritos e a tortilha. Os drinks também são muito bons

Been to loads of tapas bars for food here & abroad. This place was very very good. The bread was amazing. Chick pea dish was something extraordinary. The sardines were top notch. No complaints at all and the atmosphere projects that they take their food seriously. Go and eat there.

Booked out the private dining area for a 30th birthday meal and I can highly recommend it to anyone considering it. Management were responsive and organised in their communications prior to our arrival, and the staff were very helpful and attentive throughout the evening. The food was exquisite - there wasn't a single dish I could fault! We will definitely be returning for more in the near future.

I was excited to try Arbequina after reading so many positive reviews, and was in no way disappinted. Everything we ordered was simply delicious, and the menu offered a great selection for vegetatian diners, as well as plenty of meat choices. The decor and atmosphere was cosy and intmate, and the staff were friendly and attentive. I have to make it clear that absolutely everything we ate was amazing, although the onion tortilla, the roast squash, the aubergine, and the chocolate mousse were particular highlights. Everything was very reasonably priced considering the high quality of the food and general ambiance of the restaurant. I would highly recommend visiting Arbequina, and will definitely be returning myself!

O arbequina é um restaurante de tapas com muitas opções deliciosas. Provavelmente a melhor comida que provei em Oxford. O menu não é muito grande, mas tudo o que pedimos estava muito bom. Destaque especial pro grão de bico frito e pras tortillas. O restaurante também tem boas opções sem gluten e de drinks.

I’ve reviewed Arbequina before, but it deserves another 5 star review because it never disappoints. Wouldn’t mind a few new (veggie) dishes on the menu, but who cares… I could eat all of the menu forever even without changes. Also the cocktails are different and delicious, and the prices reasonable. Dinner for 4 including 3 tapas each, 3 cocktails and a desert each, party of 4, just over £200 = excellent value.

The food was very varied and a good size. The bread and harrissa was delicious and nearly stole the show. Drinks were lovely, as were the staff. Would recommend to anyone.

The food here is just so special - I enjoyed every plate we shared. There is a lot of choice for vegetarians. The ambience is great too, it's informal but has a great vibe. We ate outside and enjoyed the summer evening.

The tapas-style was tasty and just the right size. What impressed me was that, when they didn't have the wine I wanted, the recommendation was excellent and the service prompt and thorough.

Nice little place. Quite busy. Sat outside. It was good not average. Some nice dishes. Staff friendly. Not for a special occasion but good casual dining venue.

We wanted to take our son to a new restaurant to him and he chose this as he’d always thought it would be too expensive for his student money. Being Michelin rated we thought it would be too - being only open thurs to say...

Excellent tapas. Excellent, really attentive service. Given that we were sat outside, the staff were really quick to appear whenever a glass needed topping up or extra water being needed. Each of the tapas plates really good.

Vraiment super! I love staff , food .cocktails atmosphere. For me it’s a 10 across the board. Love u guys Everything I tried here was spotless

Clearly one of the very best restaurants in Oxford. Everything we ordered was superb from the food to the drinks. Obviously the price does reflect this to an extent but deservedly so. The balance of flavours on each dish was always spot on. Service was...

I had the privilege of living just across the road from Arbequina for nearly a year and can safely say that it is truly one of the best restaurants in Oxford, if not the country. The food is reasonably priced for its amazing quality (trust...

Visited last night with friends - place was buzzing. Waitress amazing - attentive, knowledgeable (we wanted gluten free choices) plus very funny. She recommended the girls the cocktail of the day plus the wine with the meal - don’t often go with recommendations but she...

A real disappointment. We came here for a special occasion and left blown away by the limited selection, bang average dishes and how unbelievably overpriced it was. Drinks first - they have two beers on draft starting at £3.50 for 275ml which is already pretty expensive even by Oxford standards, but is also, to my knowledge, illegal to serve in that measure. It isn't even half a pint! Wine comes in small 125ml glass, 'carafe', or bottle, but the carafe is a paltry 375ml and is priced at what you might expect to pay for a bottle elsewhere. The menu is pretty limited and even for tapas the portion sizes are small, especially given the prices. The £13 chicken thigh was two small, thin thighs in a tomato sauce with a couple of spring onions. In many places along the Cowley Road, £13 would get you a full main course. The pork belly was even more expensive and even more meagre. It bared no resemblance to any belly pork I have had before; it was small, dry and lacked any real flavour. The sobrassada was probably the biggest joke - £8 for a single very burnt slice of toast spread with a layer of sausage meat so thin that it was undetectable by taste. The honey did little to complement this. The crispy chickpea salad was the only notable dish in terms of its innovation. It was genuinely tasty and the chickpeas were cooked in a really novel way. The other dishes we tried: sardines, betroot borani, aubergine, roast cauliflower and octopus were all fine but largely unremarkable, which would be forgivable if it weren't for the sky-high prices. Service was good, cocktails were tasty and the main room where you enter had a nice atmosphere, although we were seated off in the side room which was pretty dingy with little in the way of decoration save some small prints on the wall and the saddest string of hearts plant I have ever seen. I presume this place must have been much better in the past as I find it hard to see how it would have gained such popularity in its current state. Perhaps I'm missing something, but I won't be rushing back. There are plenty of better tapas places in Oxford, even on the Cowley Road.

I've probably been to Arbequina ten or more times. It is fantastic, potentially the best, buzziest and most fun restaurant in Oxford. Every item on the menu is worth it. If you haven't been and are in the city: get there for on point tapas better than anywhere else in the county by a mile, delicious cocktails and an atmosphere that feels more London or Madrid than Oxford. Spot on.

This was magnificent. We had a lovely warm evening sitting outside and the waitress could not have been more helpful. Two coeliacs in the group and she took the through every detail and offered GF equivalents where required. The food was beautifully prepared and presented and the taste was sublime. The roast chickpeas, pats bravas, crispy pork belly and raspberry tart. Just to die for. Well worth the price.

Perfect tapas, really excellent service and atmosphere.

Visited when on a weekend trip with friends. As there were 6 of us we tried everything on the tapas menu it was wonderful. It’s a small place but full of atmosphere and the cocktails are to die for and very original. Would recommend you...

Very small portions. I would add more quantity. This place is not for you, unless you want to feel hungry after eating. However, the service and the quality was okay.

Probably the best food I've ever had. Every single person there was so lovely, helpful and welcoming. Guaranteed great time. Thank you!

I've been meaning to go here for a long time and finally went today, it seems I've been missing out on a gem of a restaurant in Oxford. Arrived around 20 minutes early but that was no issue and we were seated immediately. The menu has around 15 tapas dishes and a small number of desserts - around 4/5. We shared around 6/7 of the more innovative choices and all were superb, the service was also excellent throughout.

Favourite tapas, love the aubergine and pork dish. They used to have a larger menu… plz bring more back :)

very good tapas. a pity they dont have octopus and paella. most impressed with the sardine and sausage. worth a try.

Seriously good food at seriously reasonable prices. The good is excellent t - some of the best in oxford actually. Each course tastes fresh and you can even watch the chefs prepare in front of you. Has many staff all of which are helpful and...

Wonderful. Given how long it took to get a reservation we have booked again.

Had a lovely meal here with my son and sister this evening. Cocktails were so tasty as were every dish we ordered. Decent sized portions and excellent service. Thoroughly would recommend this restaurant and my sister and I particularly enjoyed the 80s/90s music being played...

Perfect food, great service, smart decor, treat yourself to this place, you won't regret it

Great food and buzzy atmosphere. Lovely tapas with good fast service. Tables are quite close to each other, but that helps the atmosphere. Recommended.

A great place to celebrate a birthday dinner. Food was superb and there was a great atmosphere. Would highly recommend.

What a joy this restaurant is. Absolutely beautiful food packed with flavour. Great for vegetarians, our one meat eater supplemented with the chorizo which he rated highly also. Cocktails, including a grown up mock tail, were also a delight; we had to have a second...

Wonderful food (that tortilla...!) and fantastic service. When we lost track of time and were asked to move up to the bar to finish our desserts, I asked if we could sit at a low seat as my mother had a really bad back that day. They were so lovely and managed to clear another table for us to sit at and finish at our own leisure. I would definitely come back next time I'm in Oxford.

Food, service, cocktails all outstanding. Great atmosphere too.

We stumbled across this cute restaurant and couldn’t have been happier to have found it!! The place was very busy but we were offered two seats at the bar, giving us prime viewing of the chef! Food is simple, unpretentious and delicious!! We chose two...

Good food, great service. We were a walk in on a Saturday night, wait was 45 minutes so just had a drink in the bar next door. Great Spanish tapas with very attentive staff.

If you want your tastebuds blown. Go.

Great food, great service, really nice atmosphere, would love to come back again.

Such a lovely birthday evening spent here! The staff were all fab and so helpful and friendly and the food was just perfect. Our table voted the chocolate mouse the best we have ever eaten! Thanks so much for a great evening x

Loved all the dishes we've tried, tortilla, aubergine and patatas bravas were my favorites!

A favourite place to meet friends for lunch or dinner as the food and service is always spot on.

During lookdown we went various times there to pick up take away meals and we couldn't wait for the to open again. We went there as usual but this time we were not allowed in because we have a little baby. If we go again...

Lovely supper sat at the bar - best tapas in Oxford, friendly staff & interesting non-alcoholic cocktails too for the driver.

Delicious. Sociable. Flavoursome. Fresh. Lovely staff 👍🏼

Service was excellent, but food was a real let down. Our bread was burnt, and cauliflower was burnt. Chickpea dish dry, powdery and overcooked. A lack of colourful fresh dishes- no salads or fresh vegetables, this is overpriced pre prepared beige palette food. £11 for burnt Cauliflower. A mile away from a Michelin experience.

The food was amazing, great immersive tapas experience. The service was also really lovely and you could really tell the staff cares.

Great selection of tapas. 13 different dishes to choose from. We were five and we tried almost all of them. My taste buds have definitely enjoyed all of them. Also, very nice atmosphere with amazing staff. Will be back soon!

Managed to sneak in by pure luck because there had been a late cancellation and how lucky were we?! Nothing immediately vegan stood out on the menu, but the delightful young woman who seemed to be running the restaurant took us through every dish and...

Lovely bar restaurant in Crowley neighbourhood. Stylish elegant friendly. Serving tapas style Spanish and Mediterranean dishes. Delicious beetroot salad and crispy chickpeas with yogourt. Best cocktails prepared by Nathan! Unfortunately too early for me for a cocktail. Will be back!

Great atmosphere and matching great food A little jem on the high street

Staff are super friendly, food is just consistently good. Have been here a few times and have never been disappointed. Easy 5 stars. ✨

Whether it was takeaway over lockdown or eating in the restaurant, the quality of food is exceptional. Recommend booking well in advance!

This restaurant was incredible and the wait staff were fantastic. Great cocktails, food and puddings. Cannot wait to go back!

Delicious food and the raspberry and custard is the best pudding I’ve ever had. We took 2 home, they are amazing. Wish you could ship them to Nottingham

Love Arbequina! Beautiful food and a great atmosphere.

Such warm and friendly staff, great Spanish/Mediterranean dishes, nice decoration, good cocktails!

Tapas is still delicious but pricing has got a bit silly. I fear they are in danger of becoming a little pretentious which doesn’t really fit in with the East Oxford vibe. Please don’t become too big for your boots Arbequina.

We went for a meal here based on the timeout review and the Michelin recommendation. I have to say that we were completely underwhelmed by the experience. The tapas on offer is nothing special and often gets the favour balance and ingredient mix wrong. We...

This is a great place to eat...this time however we had to send two things back. Aubergine was far too hard.

We love everything about this place, from the outstanding food, to the beautiful and intimate decor, to the brilliant team who make each visit so warm and welcoming. Can't recommend highly enough, they have just nailed it. See you again soon!