Cafe Bar Hogar Del Mar in Southend-on-Sea

We walked into the restaurant and instantly felt like we were on holiday. A jug of sangria, The lovely jazz music playing in the background - just bliss. The tapas was beautiful and the service just great. A hidden gem and will definitely be back again!!

Didn't have food but what we saw looked lovely

When considering where to book for our night before the wedding meal with our family and friends, we knew exactly where we wanted to go. Having visited Hogar Del Mar on several previous occasions as a couple, we knew this was the perfect place. In pre-booking, we booked for a group of 19, this was secured through a small deposit and pre-orders were taken (each of us ordered 2-3 plates per person). On arrival we were seated all together (this was possible as 1 person was unable to come) and greeted with a warm welcome. Our drinks orders were promptly taken and served, and the food did not take long to follow. As normal, the food was fantastic, and each of our guests throughly enjoyed their meal. Whist we had preordered, we were able to order more should we wish to do so, although this was not needed as we were incredibly full. Overall, we could not recommend Hogar Del Mar more!

Fantastic lunch time meal at a great price. The homemade sauce on the patatas was lovely as well as the calamari and gigantic prawns. Will definitely be back.

Great café bar, excellent tapas dishes; meatballs, chicken, prawns, cod bites, etc. all very delicious! Very nice cocktails, great Porn Star Martinis. All the staff were very friendly and attentive. Folk festival was on when we were there, really good singers / bands, great atmosphere. Well worth seeking out this restaurant at the top of Clements Arcade, we will be going back. Highly recommended.

Very authentic Tapas with a family feel. Reasonably priced and a nice location.

Thank you for a wonderful birthday supper. Food and wine were delicious with a warm and hospitable atmosphere. Nothing was too much trouble and very much appreciated. A beautiful, hidden gem.

Had a birthday bash here - incredible night! Amazing food, friendly staff and great atmosphere

We came to the restaurant for a pre booked birthday party. The food served was average but more disappointing was the lack of it. We were served 7 small dishes for a table of 6 people and they expected £17.50 per head. That's £105 for 7 measley plates. I politely asked about the lack of food and was shocked at the managements attitude, rudeness and excuses. No apology, no offer to try and rectify the complaints and was told I was rude for complaining.  Terrible service, poor food.

Do not eat here!!! Came to this sorry excuse of a restaurant for my best mates 40th birthday, a party of over 20 people. My boyfriend and I I were sitting on a table of 6, we were served one small ramekin of each “dish” between all of us. We do not usually complain but we were expected to pay £17.50 each for a very small amount of mediocre, bland food. That is £105 just for our table! When we informed the staff of this, we were met with hostile, rude and aggressive behaviour. We left feeling disappointed… and hungry.

My son-in-law’s 40th birthday meal was let down badly by both the quality, quantity and sub-standard service provided by this institution. The paltry amounts served up to be shared by tables of 6-8 people were minuscule. E.g. One meatball each for a whole table. The food (what there was of it) was bland, unappetising and, in my view, not really authentic. The attitude of the management to legitimate complaints was rude and abrasive. I’ve been told that there are a not better tapas places around I intend to seek these out and leave this establishment to serve their meagre offerings to the many Spanish people who the manager advised loved it so much.

We went to this restaurant for my friend’s 40th and were very disappointed with the service and food. We were a large group that booked in advance for a milestone birthday. There was not enough food per table, the food seemed as though it was microwaved and when we expressed our concerns we were met with rudeness and dismissive remarks. We expected some recognition of this big birthday and no one did anything to acknowledge his special day. As well as this, there was no sense of urgency when serving. We were not offered any reimbursement, and when we waited outside after promptly ordering taxis (because of hostility from the management) and the manager took it upon himself to linger outside to accuse me and my husband for not paying our bill (for which he subsequently apologised after realising that we had paid AND left an undeserved tip!)

I arrived for my brother-in-law’s 40th birthday, which had been booked well in advance. On tables of 8+, we were served a disconcerting mix of grape thimbles (ramekins would be a little generous) and slices of manchego that had to be halved in order for each person to have a slice. Subsequently, tapas arrived that would have left a blue bottle fly desirous of more, and many people across the room expressed their dissatisfaction with the random delivery of morsels and the parsimonious servings of hot food that would have left a Dickensian chimney sweep wanting more. To add insult to injury, when my brother expressed dissatisfaction with the paltry servings and the even more substandard service, instead of an apology we were met with defensive remonstrations and aggressive excuse-making. I could not condemn this restaurant in stronger terms.

Lovely restaurant tucked away off Broadway in Leigh. Fab selection of tapas dishes, good vegetarian options! All delicious! Friendly helpful staff, good wine and cocktails! Would totally recommend!

Very reasonably priced tapas. Service was friendly and efficient. Good sized portions and I was pleased to see a wide range of vegetarian dishes - both of which are not always a given with tapas. My only quibble would be that several dishes could have done with more seasoning - the padron peppers in particular needed a lot more salt.

Food was so good but the music was bit loud

Had some great tapas friendly staff would recommend

Amazing Tapas, fast service, great atmosphere and responsibly priced. Will be revisiting :)

Had a lovely family meal for my daughters birthday after recommendation. Service and food were superb. Excellent selection of delicious tapas all at reasonable prices. Great choice of beers and wine. We had more than enough food between 4 of us and really enjoyed every plate. Will definitely be back and will recommend to everyone

Found this lovely place by chance . Wonderful food , excellent staff and the ambience was exceptional. Will definitely go back. Loved it

Had a lovely evening here. The food was great, really attentive service as well. Perfect place for a date night!

Loved the ambience and food lovely.

Amazing experience as always! Lovely warm and welcoming service and atmosphere. Great prices for beautiful tapas dishes (very authentic), great wine selection (and a lovely mojito!) Will be back again!

Lovely little place with great atmosphere and food

What a little jem in the heart of leigh Broadway. Great staff Good food Great service Lovely atmosphere So what are you waiting for Go and enjoy yourselves 😊

We've been wanting to try here for a while and finally did so last night, beyond fantastic place! The food was absolutely incredible, cocktails were also fantastic and the owners were incredibly delightful! Highly recommend this place and will definitely be going back! Thankyou again for a gorgeous evening!

Could not recommend enough. My favourite restaurant in Leigh! Lovely staff, incredible food, and a relaxed but cool atmosphere to suit any occasion. Honestly speaking, it’s the best tapas I’ve ever had!

Great atmosphere, fantastic selection of dishes, quality of the food was first class, service was great and all of the staff were very attentive. Have eaten here several times and have always had a wonderful evening.

What an absolute amazing find. This tucked away restaurant on the broadway is one of the best tapas restaurants I’ve been to (and I’m Latino). I accidentally under tipped but I’ll definitely be back. Highly recommended. Must try the chicken Jerez and spicy chorizo.

Absolutely delicious chorizo in red wine accompanied by a glass of wine. What could be better for a Friday afternoon? Went at 3pm and the only people there Hope to try a lunch or evening next time. Very pleasant service.

Great service and great food. Authentic tasty tapas with a good selection of choices. Highly recommended!

Just amazing, amazing service, amazing tapas, amazing wine. Would 100% recommend this place to anyone looking for a great evening.

Very welcoming staff and good atmosphere. Saved the day as my girlfriend was on the ragged edge after my getting us lost and driving the wrong way up a one way street. The choices are limited, but take that as a good sign. Had 5 dishes, one a little disappointing, hence 4 stars. Oh, portions are good sizes too. Spanish brandy is stocked, nicely rounded off the meal.

Best tapas I've had outside of Spain. Service was first class and the menu was fantastic. Every dish we tried was brilliant and we got a free bottle of house wine because it was a Wednesday. First of many visits, thank you for a great evening!

Good food, great service and a free bottle of wine on a Wednesday! Can’t get better than that! Thanks for a great night!

Delicious tapas. Delightful staff. Lovely ambience- felt like I had been transported from Leigh to Spain! Look forward to visiting this little gem again!

Food was delicious, service was great, would highly recommend!

We had a lovely experience at Hogar! The food was fabulous, service was personal, and the sauce was better than Gaga's grandma in NYC! Gorgeous! Definitely be back to try more soon. Thank you folks!

Beautiful Tapas restaurant located right in the heart of Leigh on Sea. Lovely vibe, friendly staff and delicious food. 10/10.

Great food, everything you would expect from a tapas restaurant. Menu was the right amount of choice, not too little and not to much , had 6 dishes which was more than enough for 2 of us. Good choice of beers, had I not been driving I would have tried the wine list and sherry. Friendly and engaging staff. Definitely a destination on The Broadway for something a little more adventurous than a pizza or burger, try it !

Was an okay spot to sit , food was okay but nothing special and around £6 for one tapas . Not really any atmosphere

Great food, great price and lovely staff with a fantastic atmosphere, we had a great night. Highly recommended

We both love this restaurant nestled at the top of St Clements Arcade. Each time we go we try at least one new dish, but can’t stop ordering their spicy meatballs, patata bravas and chorizo as staple dishes. The house wine is particularly quaffable and the staff are always lovely. Looking forward to our next visit already!

Found by accident but enjoyed authentic Spanish tapas, delicious food, good choice of items, efficient friendly service 5*

The menu has many familiar dishes. Fried fishy things particularly good. Veggies are a bit sparse. I'm surprised that one of the many nice modern Spanish (or Portuguese) white wines is not on the list. Minor quibbles only, if you like tapas you'll like it here.

Superb night. Private birthday party with full on Funky DJ.

Food was lovely and the staff very friendly and attentive.

Absolutely amazing from booking to food, tapas is mouth watering, service excellent and choices of wines and beers great too, sit out in the arcade or enjoy the ambiance of the low candlelit lighting,

Friendly staff. Food was good. Felt like we were transported to Spain for a moment. Will come back and recommend giving it a try if you haven't. We had meat balls, padron peppers, tortilla bites and patatas bravas beer and sangria

Great place to have lunch, really relaxed and great staff. We drive from Tiptree for it. 😊

Delicious, every time! The tortilla bites are incredible! 🥰

We had lunch here last Friday and had a great meal! Comfortable with a nice ambience. The young lady serving us was very friendly, attentive and accommodating. The tapas itself was high quality and you could tell that nothing had come out of a packet. We really enjoyed the food, especially the chicken Jerez (wings). The sangria was also homemade and delicious. It was very reasonably priced too. I would recommend and will return.

First time we have visited as a Tapas bar and we were not disappointed. The food was incredible. Every dish we had was perfect and left us wanting more. It has a great and relaxed ambiance and all the staff very very friendly.

We found this restaurant in leigh while walking through the town what a lovely tapas restaurant the food is amazing and is has a great family run atomphere I would highly recommend and we will be going back there again.

We found this restaurant while walking around Leigh it is a family run business which has a friendly atmosphere which was lovely. The food was exceptional we had the chorizo in red wine, garlic prawns,calinari which I can say is the best I have ever had. I have tried oluves and have never liked them but I thought I would try some and again they were the best. I would highley recommend this restaurant and will definitely go back. Thank you to Stewart and his family who made our lunch out fantastic.

Visited with a friend during a quiet period. The venue is well laid out and decorated nicely, has a good atmosphere and customers very well spaced out. Staff are friendly and the service is excellent, if not exceptional. The food (tapas, I tried Meatballs, Patatas Bravas, Chorizo and Halloumi dishes)... was in a word, beautiful. Absolutely, I have found a hidden gem here and will be back next weekend for some great hospitality, even better food and the rest of the menu!

Visited with a friend during a quiet period. The venue is well laid out and decorated nicely, has a good atmosphere and customers very well spaced out. Staff are friendly and the service is excellent, if not exceptional. The food (tapas, I tried Meatballs, Patatas Bravas, Chorizo and Halloumi dishes)... was in a word, beautiful. Absolutely, I have found a hidden gem here and will be back next weekend for some great hospitality, even better food and the rest of the menu!

We had a girls night out here and it was brilliant. One of my friends is Spanish and we ordered a second round of good becuase it was that good. Great atmosphere and the service was exceptional. We will definitely be back.

My husband and I went for lunch last Thursday having noticed that it is now a tapas bar/cafe. We had a variety of dishes such as calamari, chorizo in red wine and garlic prawns. They are the best tapas we have had other than in Spain. As I am half Spanish, I know what they should taste like, and they were delicious. Staff were friendly and the owner is lovely. Thank you Louise, we will be back very soon. Tell all your friends.

Great Tapas and atmosphere. Best Tapas I have ever had. I would definitely recommend a visit. The tapas sauces and platters were outbof this world.

Great Tapas and atmosphere. Best Tapas I have ever had. I would definitely recommend a visit.

Friendly staff, food was very nice.

I came here with a group of friends and we were made to feel very welcome. The owner and staff could not do enough for us. We really enjoyed the wide range of tapas options and it was very reasonably priced. A hidden gem!!!

Wonderful afternoon and great food.

Delicious and authentic Spanish tapas💃👌 Great atmosphere and service xx Highly recommend x

We noticed on a recent walk that this had changed into a tapas bar so thought we would give it a go. So glad we did! We had a very warm welcome and the staff were so friendly. We ordered a few tapas dishes the highlight for me was the chicken wings and tortilla, all the food was so tasty. Agree with another reviewer that it felt like we were abroad. We will be back!

We tried this tapas bar this evening and actually felt like we were on our holidays! We had a lovely selection of tapas, piping hot and beautifully fresh, all served by lovely staff. What a lovely evening - reasonable prices and such a lovely atmosphere - we really did feel like we could have been abroad just for tonight...We were lucky enough to get a table without having booked. Would recommend and will definiately go again.

A must visit! Tapas here is just beautiful. I love tapas, a little taste of everything is my favourite way of eating and this place serves the best sangria that you could drink all night if only it didnt get you drunk!! The best tapas I have ever had. Such a lovely setting with fab service from a family run team. A local independent restaurant. Highly recommend!

Staff are very helpful and kind. Food is top quality. A very classy and cosy restaurant. Highly recommended!!!

Hogars serves up fantastic tapas, with the squid, the prawns and the padron peppers being personal favourites. As well as the best Sangria and most attentive team! Perfect setting for lunch or dinner with friends or family - a new hot spot in Leigh-on-Sea I can’t wait to be back.

Visited here last night. The food was amazing, best tapas we’ve ever had! Lovely atmosphere and we were looked after really well by all the staff. Will definitely be back again soon!!

We really enjoyed our meal at this new tapas bar. The owners have a love for Spanish food - it's not fancy or re-inventing the wheel, but they offer good hearty (and tasty!) traditional tapas, and very reasonably priced too. A relaxed candle-lit atmosphere and friendly helpful staff.

Had a very pleasant Sangria yesterday. The atmosphere is really nice and very continental. Definitely coming to eat here soon!

We popped in today for the first time having heard it was now a tapas bar. It was very quiet when we got there but then more people started coming in. We had a litre of sangria and 3 tapas. All were very well cooked and tasted great. We will be back for sure.

Having seen that this former cafe was now a Tapas Bar open in the evenings we thought we would give it a try. Leigh has lots of Italian, Indian, Turkish restaurants etc but not Spanish so the idea is great. On entering it was disappointing that their were only two other diners, the place is quite big so it looked rather empty, this wasn't helped by the stark lighting and decor. We did ask for the lighting to be turned down a little which they happily did. It could have done with more though and maybe more candles lit as well as some artwork on the walls and some plants, it just looks very clinical.Onto the food. We asked for some bread and were disappointed when a bake your self demi baguette was bought to the table which was under cooked and stone cold, not a great start!We ordered a big selection of Tapas and my overall impression was it lacked depth of flavour on the whole, all very under seasoned. Chicken wings cooked with Jerez sherry which we struggled to taste. Chorizo in red wine arrived dry with no juices, Padron peppers completely lacking in salt. All dishes followed in a similar vein other than the deep fried squid which was excellent!We had a jug of Sangria which to be honest tasted like mixed fruit juice, could hardly taste the wine or rum which it apparently contained. We decided to order a bottle of wine but their was no wine list printed so we were told verbally what they had and of course no prices mentioned so we had to ask which is a bit embarrassing.It is a shame the experience we had on the night wasn't great, potentially it could be a great place.

Lovely little place really friendly and good food

The tapas was delicious , also the homemade sangria was awesome . I think we was looked after by the owners of the restaurant , and made us very welcome . Highly recommended a visit here is a must .

Lovely Tapas food and a great welcome from the staff, will be coming back

Nice little cafe, decent menu, good cakes. At the back of the arcade so very slightly out of the way, however this is nice and gives a relaxed atmosphere

Nice setting set back from the high street, good menu, nice cakes, good for toddlers to waddle around

Fabulas breakfast, quick service and reasonably priced. Will come back again!

Great atmosphere and good service xx

Found this little gem and absolutely love it! Food is really tasty and a really good menu for choice. It’s really clean the staff are so friendly and helpful. Couldn’t ask for more. Thouroughly recommend this place!

Visited recently for a quick lunch. Large menu, but nothing groundbreaking. The wooden seats were really uncomfy. For a busy Saturday was pretty empty, guessing the location off the main road may be something to do with this. Nicer places to try in Leigh

Lovely breakfast. Nice ambience.

Lovely food, very accomodating for mums with babies. :)

Great little cafe which opens early on Sundays. Good quality breakfast and range of options. Staff friendly. We have tried several along Broadway but this is always a good venue.

Popped in for a bite around half 2 on a Saturday. Very friendly staff. Food was good too. Took too long to get to the table in my opinion. Not a regular in Leigh so will probably be exploring other options.

I used to love this little place. It’s always clean and they have a lovely little play area for babies/toddlers which is invaluable. I went today with my two little boys and was thoroughly disappointed. It wasn’t especially busy but most of the tables were dirty and still had bits of food on them. The toys in the little play area are filthy dirty, it doesn’t look like they’ve been cleaned ever. The plates and the cutlery smelt like dirty dishwasher. And to top it off I think I was overcharged. £16 for two jacket potatoes a coke and a carton of Apple Juice!

We held our son’s 21st birthday celebration for family and friends at Hogar Del Mar last Friday 22nd February. The owner was friendly, helpful and efficient and offered great advice in regard to our buffet choices. The food was lovely and everyone had a great night. The cafe bar itself is situated in the perfect location in the heart of Leigh, but far enough away from the hustle and bustle to maintain some privacy for your guests. Thank you Louise and your team for ensuring this happy occasion for our friends and family was an enjoyable and memorable one.

This place is exactly what we need in Leigh it’s so nice to be able to go to a cafe have a nice coffee and cake and not have to worry about will the pram fit in will they have high chairs. I wish I had known about this place when I was on mat leave it’s perfect for NCT meet ups we always had issues with where to go with the pram/baby’s. Will def by recommending my salted caramel brownie was amazing and I could get the double buggy in through the doors.

We visited for an engagement party and it really was a great venue. The food on the buffet was out of this world and the service was very good indeed. Highly recommend.

I was shocked to see that dogs are allowed in to an eateries. I love the good food and the atmosphere, there is a small but inviting area for children to play. My only complaint is that the door to the kitchen is wedged open. Not only is this against Health & safety and fire regulations but my curious 2 year old kept wanting a peek so it wasn't very relaxing. I have since returned and although the door is still wedged I am now prepared.

Hogar del Mar is tucked away on the Broadway. We lunch there when we walk down to the Broadway and enjoy a latte and a snack to keep us going.Our particular favourite snack is tuna and wasabi on sourdough bread which is always delicious.The cafe is popular for young mothers with theirpre school children and the atmosphere is always jolly.

Good cafe menu, but radio or music is too loud for much conversation.

I went there this week with my small grandson and had not only a lovely lunch but also enjoyed the pleasure of there being a small play area available. The atmosphere was good, the staff were friendly and the food was cooked fresh. If you have a youngster that needs a play area and you want to enjoy a relaxing lunch time, then this is place for you.

Recently visited for the first time. The whole experience was fabulous. Food was perfect as was the service and coffee. Highly recommend

Odd place with a cafeteria vibe, not very busy but service was still slow.

Very friendly staff, child friendly and very reasonably priced. Will definitely be going again

Visited Saturday, comfortable and relaxed atmosphere. Would definitely recommend the Chilli Chicken wrap! Will be back soon !!