Casa Don Carlos in Brighton and Hove

Was so looking forward to eating authentic Spanish food but was sorely disappointed. The food was awful - no seasoning at all and not that authentic. The paella was dreadful - cooked in the morning and reheated when ordered - a plate of stodgy rice. I would avoid this restaurant as the reviews do not reflect the experience we had or others that we have spoken to.

Still love this place. It is cosy and friendly with amazing food and excelleny service. I cannot fault it.We have been coming here for about 30 years. Highly recommend the black pudding, chorizo flambed in rum and the chicken with peppers and potatoes.

Great meal and glad we had booked as the restaurant was busy even at 4:30pm in the afternoon! This was a favourite of ours a few years ago when visiting Brighton but had not visited in a while. We won’t leave it so long next time! Will definitely be back soon.

My wife and I fancied something nice to eat after visiting the Cinema for the first time in many years and Tapas was our choice. We ate there previously with friends and thoroughly enjoyed it, so decided to repeat the experience and we were not disappointed. A little pricey but what isn't these days. Lovely staff, excellent food and great service. Highly recommended.

Always a fantastic meal and the best authentic Spanish food I've had in England! I'd recommend everything on the menu, particularly the ox tail and lamb specials. Great place to go as a couple or with friends. Such friendly service and we love visiting again and again.

Very enjoyable lunch tried several dishes - bread & olives, of course; mussels which were scrumptious; and baked eggs with chorizo- ample portions, all quite tasty.

Restaurant: 10/10 Staff: Spanish for the majority Food: I guess the Spanish crew working there must be ashamed of it. Definitivamente no hay comida digna de ser llamada española. Solo hay platos parecidos, con los mismos títulos, pero sin amor y sin cultura. Abría vuelto otras veces porque todos son amables y el restaurante está realmente un encanto. Pero señores.. realmente no podéis cocinar mejor?

The food wasn't anything special; it was average and seemed pre-cooked, just reheated before serving. The tortilla was dry, not as moist or running as expected, and the paella resembled more of a risotto without the characteristic crust. The chistorra, manchego cheese, and patatas bravas were okay. We ended up spending around £80 including drinks, which we felt was too expensive given the quality of the food.

Traditional and excellent food, need to book in advance seating times only 6 & 8pm

Nothing really special, the food is average and pre-cooked. They just re-heat it and serve it. The tortilla was very dry and not running at it should be and the paella was more a risotto, no crust whatsoever which it is part of the paella. The chistorra, the manchego and the patatas brava were fine. We spent about £80 (drinks included) which we think was way too much for the quality of the food.

Looks lovely and charming but the food was bland and tasteless. One lovely friendly waiter and the others were as welcoming. Really expensive meal that I did not enjoy.

Went there on our first date in 2000. Went back for my 60th birthday twenty-four years later. Still brilliant. (the restaurant, not me).

Went to this Spanish restaurant for lunch alone. The boss is Spanish and initially arranged for me to sit at a small table on the roadside. The alley was very narrow. Although I agreed at first, I later wished I could sit in the store. I mentioned this to a waiter, and they fiddled with it for a while, and finally let me sit in the store, but the seat was facing the toilet, which I was actually very dissatisfied with. When I was about to finish eating, a waiter didn't close the door after using the toilet, which made me feel very uncomfortable for a moment. In fact, there were at least three empty tables for two people in the store, and I could have sat elsewhere instead of facing the toilet. I can understand that they want to reserve these good seats for guests coming with two people, but in fact, one person eats very quickly, and this arrangement seems disrespectful to single guests. The food tasted really good, and the waiter who took my order thoughtfully reminded me of the portion size and asked me if I wanted bread (I didn't), which I appreciated. But I felt uncomfortable because of the seat. I feel like I wasn't given a better seat probably because I was alone and the only East Asian customer in the store. This makes me think they might not be that friendly to single guests, especially East Asians. All in all, the food is served very quickly during lunch time and tastes good. However, if you are East Asian, female, or dining alone, it is recommended to choose this restaurant carefully, or at least clearly express your expectations for seating with the boss in advance.

Our second time coming here for dinner trying to give it a second chance and met with impolite staff- served by four different members of staff who all had a negative attitude and barely spoke a word to us. The food was sadly disappointing similar to our first experience such as way under seasoned and tasting slightly off (not fresh especially the octopus!) Very disappointed by my experience and won’t be giving this place a second ‘second’ chance unfortunately.

Visited today for a pre-birthday meal with my mum. Service and food was fantastic, waiters were very friendly and attentive despite it being at capacity. Small establishment with a lovely atmosphere, would highly recommend!

Fantastic little tapas restaurant in the lanes. Called in on off chance for table for 2, had 5 different dishes, all were superb. Staff were all lovely. Saved for when in area again

The worst Spanish restaurant I’ve ever been to. If you like frozen tasteless seafood and re- fried , yet dry greasy chicken wings, you’re onto a winner. Quite frankly for the price we could have gone to The Ivy and had a quality fresh meal , ffs!!

Best tapas we’ve ever had - I highly recommend the prawn and crab peppers as well as the sangria!

The food was so good it shut me up. 🤭✨️ Definitely recommend, my girlfriend and I adore it!! Perfect for couples, family and friends.

Has not changed over the years, still a fabulous restaurant. Other tapas bars have come and gone, but DC is still cooking and serving gorgeous authentic Spanish food. OK, not the cheapest place in town, but worth every penny.

Always my goto Tapas in Brighton

Lovely cosy restaurant with very friendly service. Food is good too. We love the stuffed peppers with crab and prawns and a creamy sauce. Sardines a little small but beautifully cooked. Paella with chicken and prawns & mussels was ok.

Consistant excellent service & food. G8 atmosphere & menu range. Live in Brighton but recommend booking a table to visitors if u want quality spanish tapas. Only downside is price but Brighton is xpensive everywhere.

On its day, I’m sure it’s a lovely place. It was incredibly quiet, but the decor was lovely. The food was appetising, but not filling. The Platter was for 2 people at a lush. Patatas Bravas were lovely though.

Really nice food, would 10/10 eat there again. Everyone that worked there was really nice and enthusiastic.

So bad. If you want to pay too much for poor quality food and leave hungry then this is the place to go.

We have been to Casa Don Carlos many times, and each time we have enjoyed the food and the service. However, last night (Saturday, 22 June @ 8pm - booking of 8), we had a terrible experience with one of the waitresses serving us that night, which is a shame because service can really make or break your experience at a restaurant. This time around, we decided right there and then that we would not go back due to this. We ordered our food (albondigas, tortilla con chorizo, langostinos, pulpo and patatas bravas con mojo) and waited patiently for the plates to arrive. After a 20-30 minute wait, I asked the waitress (lady with glasses) if my pulpo and patatas bravas would arrive soon. Instead of informing me that she would check with the kitchen or apologise for the delay, she went straight for the offensive and told me very bluntly that the table only ordered 'x' amount of pulpo and patatas bravas and there were none left to be served. I was taken aback by her abbrasiveness since all I did was ask. She went back to the till to check the receipt, and sure enough my order was there. She asked me if I still wanted these (still in an offensive manner) to which I declined and asked for these to be taken off the bill. There were no apologies given. Such a shame that this happened because we like going to this restaurant, but all it takes is one bad experience. I hope they take the time to train their waiters/waitresses customer service and just to overall be kind. It's not difficult.

food wasn't great, all average or below average. Special mention to the rabbit which I was looking forward to, but had the price of a normal meal, the size of a tapas, and an incredibly blant and dry taste. I've had rabbit all my life and never tried a worst one. Cherry on the top, besides having very nice waiters, the failure to explain that bread was not only not free, but charged at almost £2 per person, was really too much. I couldn't even touch carbs and I've had to pay for something that I didn't want, we didn't finish, and apparently wasn't even great bread. Please stop this! it's not the first time I got charged for bread unexpectedly, but it'd add £2 to the bill, not £2 each person!!!! if you paid £1 for that amount of bread is a lot...

Casa Don Carlos is, by a country mile, the best Tapas in brighton. I've lived here for 38 years and nothing has ever come close. The food is excellent, the staff are wonderful. It's our favourite place to eat for all the above.

Very good..actually I want to more order but waiter said enough,,very kindly man

We just wanted a table away from the from floor told them we were a couple as we are (gay) and still didn't want to give us a table even tho they had plenty emty in the back 😅 I just don't get why would you lose customers for not giving a table they like 😂

We've been coming here for years and it's just the best.

The best service I’ve had in a restaurant in Brighton

Really enjoyed it! Staff was very helpful in choosing how many dishes we should get based on party size (and hunger levels 😁).

Food was mediocre. We had the rabbit which was unfortunately quite dry!! However the dessert was nice.

I have nothing against the staff or the independent business owners but honestly, this is quite possibly the worst food I’ve had in Brighton. Other than the interior, nothing about the place is authentic and I feel that the food that was served does not reflect what real, authentic and quality Spanish food is like and damaging to culture of Spain and its incredible cuisine. All tasted from frozen. The tortillas in Sainsburys (which are awful) are even better. Left everything. Other than some classic early 2000 spanish music that made me smile, the rest was a disaster. I 2 people £105.

Potentially the worst attempt at Tapas I have experienced. The food was dry and flavourless and of very poor quality. The head waiter did take the price of one of the dishes off the meal so I have given extra for service. Other than the head waiter, the other waiters were very young and untrained and the atmosphere in this place was cold and empty. I would not recommend this to anyone who a) enjoys Tapas or b) enjoys good food.

Food was fine, the restaurant was nice. The problem was paying. We were told the card reader was not working at the time after multiple attempts so decided to pay by cash. A few days later the bank has shown that my card was actually charged, when I called to let them know and get a refund back on my card. I was rudely brushed aside stating that they have no received it. When stated that it has and have proof of it through bank statement, they reiterated they hadn’t and promptly hanged up on me. I don’t usually leave reviews but the treatment we received was absolutely unacceptable and have never been treated this way. I cannot recommend this restaurant when they treat people with such disdain from their fault

Honestly the worst Spanish food I’ve had in my life

Hands down my worst tapas experience ever. One of the very few restaurants where you can find a table on short notice on a Brighton weekend, for a reason. Grilled langoustinas were overcooked mid size prawns, patatas bravas arrived with a thick layer of supermarket mayonnaise on top, albondigas were dry beyond imagination, and so was the black pudding. Again Polpo a la gallega was overcooked, chewy and dry, and pieces of octopus ridiculously thin for the price paid (£9 for the dish alone). How this place can get positive reviews is truly beyond my imagination, eat there at your own risk!

Went for lunch three of us shared various tapas and it was all very mediocre had no flavour at all, and one dish so over fried was unedible. Disgusting, nothing to do with the real flavours of Spanish tapas. Staff very uninterested and couldn't care less.

Nice place but I think that the typical Spanish dishes can be way better. I’m not sure if everything is cooked on the same day so I didn’t have a sense of freshness… The prawns were really good I’d give 8 points Tortilla with chorizo 5 points Paella was ok 6 points I recommend but not what I expected Atmosphere is lovely

Very poor tapas. Very disappointing that a Spanish man would offer this to stupid British people but unlikely to his dog in spain. If you think this is good food you must live in a bin!! Space and service is good. Food is a disaster

Id leave less than 1 star if I could. I came here because of the good reviews and I IMPLORE you not to make the same mistake as me. I ate here a few months ago and I still get so cross thinking about my experience here: there was flies buzzing around us and landing on the food (in the back of the restaurant), the Spanish omelette was dry af and I’d rather have eaten the sainsburys meal deal version, food came out less than 10 mins after we ordered it so it could not have been made fresh, chicken was dry, mussels were coated in something I can only describe as a Heinz tomato soup sauce, hair in our food. Was honestly the worst restaurant experience I’ve ever had. I am completely baffled reading these reviews how anyone could enjoy their time here. On top of this the owner was so rude to us when we mentioned that we weren’t happy with our food (defensive). I honestly didn’t want to pay a penny towards this disgusting and overpriced experience! DO NOT GO HERE

Always excellent. Consistently one of the top restaurants in Brighton.

Food was microwaved badly and the service couldn’t have been poorer. No one asked if we were happy and all the servers couldn’t have shown less interest! Shocking! Obviously not worried about return business but rely on the constant new business/ footfall in brighton. Absolutely the worse meal and experience ive had in a very very long while. Shame.

1st time back in 20 years. Thoroughly enjoyed the food. Nothing better than Tapas. My wife and I enjoyed it greatly. Just popped in for afternoon Tapas snack.

My partner and I had dinner at Casa don Carlos on Saturday 17 February. We have returned here many times during our visits to Brighton. But after the last visit I am not sure if I will come back. The quality of the food and hospitality was, as usual, very good with the exception of my Crema Catalana only being warm on top and cold inside. I also wish the cheese was at room temperature rather than fridge cold. Plus, the food was a bit rushed onto the table, which in hindsight was probably a blessing. But that’s where the good things stopped. A group of six people behind us ruined the whole evening, or to be more precise, ONE individual of that group. He clearly loved his own voice, and the volume (including laughs) was on full blast the whole visit. It was impossible to hold a normal conversation without losing track of your own mind. Other neighbouring guests were also disturbed by this man and raised their concerns. We spoke to the staff, but they said they couldn’t do anything as the group were regular diners. I’m very disappointed that the staff/management is reluctant to kindly tell one guest to consider other diners, especially if they have been there before. The relationship should be amicable, you would think. I am frustrated that many of the diners had their experience ruined because of one person, and the staff thought the rest of the paying guests should just ‘suck it up’. Ultimately – when it comes down to it, it’s their job to make sure every single guest has a pleasant experience, regardless of if you are a regular or not.

A nice little tapas bar in the lanes. We ordered prawns with garlic and chilli lovely, paella lovely, calamari lovely, patatas bravas okay, and Serrano ham dry and not worth the money. Staff were lovely and food came out in a timely manner. It's almost worth going there just to get a bill from the 80's (see picture)

The food is great, we order four tapas, breads and one dessert, was a good amount for two people. I would say the price is great cuz it’s kinda not cheap, but it’s definitely worth to try. Staffs are very kind and friendly, and I love the banana pie we had in the end, we should have ordered two and not sharing one plate haha, was the best pie I have in the months and I am a pie lover aahah.

A fabulous taste and feel of Spain in the UK. Can not be any happier or sayanything other than a must goto a dine here. Superb on every level and they catered for a our large group of 10 people with on in a wheel chair. Fabulous and thank you all at Casa Don Carlos. Will see yall again on our next trip to Brighton xx

I been there last month 😋 Absolutely brilliant! Great foods and good services then .... I recommend this shop when you visit Brighton , xx 👍🥰💕

NOT BOTHERED = forget about Don Carlos! Never again. Don Carlos is NOT BOTHERED... and neither should you. Awful experience. Had a dual special birthday celebration night out for a relaxed delicious meal. Booked Casa Don Carlos in advance. Sat down "What drinks would you like? Bread and butter?" *BREAD AND BUTTER!* they serve mainly carbohydrate heavy food. Unpleasant staff hassled us to order. Dumped tapas on table and kept removing bowls with food still remaining. Miserable house manager was not bothered. Ignored the feedback. Lesson Learned: NEVER AGAIN! Avoid *Casa Don Carlos* in #Brighton. Other better Spanish restaurants are near by.

Used to go there many years ago & it was such a friendly place. Went there lunchtime today for someone's special birthday. We all found the waiters/waitresses rather unfriendly & abrupt. Felt hurried to choose drinks. Was disappointed and would not recommend it for special occasions. Will not be going again. It is not the happy fun place I remember. Times change but the food was only average & does have a Spanish feel to it.

The place is small, the atmosphere is huge, the staff Spanish. The perfect place to enjoy great tapas.

Would recommend booking, you have 90 mins to have your food, service very good, good choice of food, felt couldn't do it proper tapas style, ordered food all in one go

Incredible authentic tapas and friendly staff!

Great authentic tapas with friendly, attentive service. All the usual favourites with some great specials.

Friendly and attentive staff. However the food is too oily and did not taste authentic.

Very nice Spanish dishes and tapas

I don’t really like it because food for me it’s not delicious service is nice but the Boss screming all the time and atmosphere inside is so old

We have eaten here many times. Why give it five stars? It is a restaurant that serves good food at a reasonable price and has a great ambiance. To top it all, we are always made to feel welcome. Simple really - a smile and a pleasant greeting. A "welcome back" and a "pleased to see you again" count for a great deal.

Always busy ,normally one would need to book. Called in far earlier ( 6pm)than one would normally dine on a very rainy ,windy day ,midweek. Not all tables were reserved! Varied choice of tapas available to choose from. Authentic. Tasty . Ideal for sharing a number of small plates ,or just a small plate if you do not eat much and let the others share the rest!

Always busy ,normally one would need to book. Called in far earlier ( 6pm)than one would normally dine on a very rainy ,windy day ,midweek. Not all tables were reserved! Varied choice of tapas available to choose from. Authentic. Tasty Ideal for sharing a number of small plates

Overpriced, the ham is not that good; expect small portions so order a lot of food if you want to eat well. It feels like a real Spanish restaurant because of the design, the smell and the noise.

We try to visit this excellent restaurant whenever we visit Brighton. The staff are all so friendly and it's a lovely atmosphere throughout your visit. The menu has a fantastic choice of dishes and all the food we have tried over the years is delicious. Would definitely recommend the albondigas and the chorizo al vino. We hope to visit again soon as it really is the best UK based Tapas restaurant we have been to.

Food was nice but beer very pricy 😃

Feels very authentic. Food is great and varied. Great seasoning, great service. Can’t fault it. Would definitely go back.

Recommended to us by a neighbour and did not disappoint. The staff/owner were friendly and welcoming, there was a great range of dishes including vegetarian options. All delicious, we had a relaxing afternoon.

Loved it. Really friendly service and great food. Ideal for sharing.

Managed to get a table for 6 at 2.45pm on the off chance. From the moment we arrived to when we left it was superb. The food was hot and so tasty. The service was excellent. Helps being a Brighton fan that might get you a table !! Love this restaurant and everything about it. It can get busy but they look after you as best they can. Enjoy

Wonderful small authentic Spanish restaurant right in the centre of The Lanes. Delicious tapas - ate far too much! Sangria was perfect. Great service

From beginning to end the whole experience was bad. From the outside the restaurant looks authentic and sweet, but once seated the menus were thrown at us. The manger (older man with glasses) came to take our order and rushed us through the ordering. He pressured us into ordering bread and dips, despite us saying no at first he pushed us to order them. When the dishes came out, the disappointment continued. The paella was stoggy and warm, not hot, with little fish or meat. It was also salty and had little to no flavour. The prawns also had eggs, and while it’s fine to eat them it’s not always pleasant. The other dishes (meatballs, patatas bravas and chicken wings) were covered in same salty tomato sauce. No where during service did we get asked if the food was okay or if we needed anything, and getting hold of any staff was hard. When we finally got hold of the manager to ask for the bill, he didn’t bring it straight away. Instead he cleaned the table while we were still sat there. At this point two of our party were very uncomfortable and got up to leave. When we finally got the bill it was a poorly scribbled piece of paper, which was ineligible therefore we couldn’t see the price or the items of anything to know if they were correct. When we asked to keep the receipt he said no and handed us a small slip of paper with just the final amount on, no itemised receipt instead I had to take a picture of it. I would not recommend and as we were leaving we told people outside not to go in and waste their money.

Walked past this restaurant on Friday afternoon on my way to Party on the Beach ⛱️ Thought to myself "will go there tomorrow" Glad I did. Arrived late afternoon, about 16.15pm. Table for 1. Told that i had to be finished by 18.00pm by the owner. No problem. Was seated near bar. Nice little place. Loved the atmosphere. Food looked and smells delicious 😋 Genuine Spanish staff and food. Staff were helpful and friendly I had meatballs / stuffed peppers / fried prawns and bread with dip. Cortado and sparkling water. Happily sat listening and watching. Would highly recommend. You have to book ahead if you want dinner as its so popular.

This place is a real little gem, we hadn’t booked so were lucky to get a table as it was really busy. An authentic Spanish tapas restaurant, the staff were lovely, friendly and attentive. The menu is really good, lots to choose from and the food was great. The portions are quite generous so you only need to choose 2-3 dishes each, we chose 3 each and shared. We will definitely be returning.

Excellent food service and atmosphere- deginately worth a visit - book to avoid disappointment

The food was excellent, authentic Spanish. We had a several tapas dishes. The portions were bigger than avarage tapas size. Prices were fair, service good. Highly recomended

Lovely find in The Lanes. Traditional tapas place with good selection of food and some excellent specials. Service was great and they didn’t rush us even though they were getting busy. Reasonably priced and a nice vibe to the place. Definitely recommend and will definitely return.

Great!! Genial. Después de 6 meses de pizza y burger, volver a comer comida española fuera de casa ha sido un placer!! Todo muy bueno, espectacular, como en una taberna típica española.

Lovely place, attentive service, well cooked food, great selection and good atmosphere. My half Spanish cousin was impressed! Really enjoyed.

Lively friendly bustling authentic Spanish restaurant in the heart of Brighton Lanes. Great range of tapas freshly prepared. Friendly staff. Very busy so best to book. Well worth trying it out.

Superb Spanish tapas, and good sangria. Recommended

Great find- didn’t expect to get a table but squeezed in- food and service were amazing - helpful staff gave some great advice- highly recommend

22 of my family came along to Casa Don Carlos to celebrate my 50th Birthday. What a fantastic job they did. The party menu went down a treat from the youngest being 8yrs to oldest of 80. Everyone complimented the food - it was fantastic. The staff all went above and beyond. Can't thank you enough. It was the best evening ever. Some amazing family memories made. XXX

Came across this lovely little restaurant while out strolling through the lanes today with my partner and 2 daughters 10&12. Didn’t have a booking but we were immediately found a table for 4 and greeted warmly. The food was outstanding and great value. My fussy 10 year old even tried and enjoyed the meatballs and croquettes. A must visit if you enjoy a good atmosphere great service and quality food.

Always love the food here but definitely felt rushed. Feel like this beautiful restaurant has lost its charm x

4 of us came here last night and had an excellent meal as per. Haven’t been for a few years as we don’t live in Brighton and it’s hard to get tables as it’s a very popular restaurant but the food was excellent. Chorizo lovely...

I visited with a group of friends for a belated 60th birthday treat and I wasn't disappointed. I had Paella and Potato Braver and couldn't finish it, the Paella on its own was enough. My only complaint is that the seating is a little tight.

Amazing food, brilliant atmosphere, really friendly service. Can't wait to go back ASAP.. My favourite restaurant in Brighton

We were walking down the lanes and came across this restaurant it looked busy so thought would give it a try. The service from the moment we sat down was excellent, got drinks very quickly offered bread whilst we were looking over the menu. We...

My friend and I were in Brighton for the day and saw this restaurant . Looking at the TA score I 4.5* i thought it was worth having lunch there. It was busy from 1pm to 3.15pm when we left which says lots. A really...

The food was nice but the portions were really small which is obvious. Love the ambience. We ordered Pollo al ajillo, Champiñones con chorizo, Gambas al ajillo and Mejillones

Really enjoyed eating here - the staff were friendly and really good with my allergies. I enjoyed the aubergine and also the banoffee pie was amazing

The service was good, but the food was really disappointing. Most of the food arrived cold. The seafood in the paella and fried squid had no taste to them, just not how they should be. Sorry to say, but really not worth the money.

Had not initially planned to visit the restaurant, we booked a table at Tapas Revolution but upon arrival it was closed. This was a blessing as we had a great experience at Casa Don Carlos and will definitely visit again! Great food and great service!

Our first experience of Casa Don Carlos since pre covid times but as usual it did not let us down. We visited new years eve and had a fantastic evening. The food was excellent and service informal but impeccable. We had a lovely time and...

Really just discovered this place by chance whilst looking for somewhere quick to eat before a concert. Despite some reviews the staff were friendly enough & advised us on the right number of dishes to order. Enjoyed eating what we ordered.

Great service and very quick to refill your drinks. This is a real tourist trap. If you like real Spanish tapas then avoid. My partner is Spanish and said it was the worst he’d ever had as the food was nothing but real Spanish. Gambas...

Great atmosphere, lovely food, brilliant staff.

Great experience, good service, yummy food! Almost like being in Spain. A friend recommended this place and we were glad we listened. Being one vegetarian and one 'carnivore ' it was a brilliant way to share a meal. Tapas galore. But be careful... the portions...