El Chigre in Chelmsford

A regretful review.. Having been here a few times and had a very enjoyable experience, the food has always been lovely and the service.. Characterful but tolerable! However my most recent visit was very disappointing. Extremely long waits for food, disorganised chaos at every level of the restaurant and unfortunately shockingly rude staff. Such a shame.

Went to an authentic tapas with a friend. We booked for 7:30pm. When we arrived there was a good atmosphere and were greeted by the daughter of the owners/chefs. She was a little off hand but it honestly felt like an authentic experience and we were having a lovely time. The place very quickly filled and it was clear they were understaffed for the crowd that were seated at once (all with reservations). We ordered some breads and pardon peppers which arrived after some time. They were delicious. The mains however were taking a long time and after chasing them twice they eventually arrived at 9:30pm, 2 hours after we originally sat down. Unfortunately the paella was overcooked and under seasoned and we were still hungry after but at this point it was too late to eat more. This was a disappointing experience and after expressing this to our lovely waitress (not the owners daughter) she apologised profusely and said she would talk to the owners to see what could be done. To say what happened next was an embarrassment to the establishment is an understatement. The family visibly argued with the waitress and glared at us making us feel very uncomfortable. The daughter then came down and said she believes we were ‘unhappy with the wait but the food is cooked from fresh and they were busy that evening’ she offered us shots to compensate but was condescending and rude. We said to her we didn’t want to drink anymore and said we would pay the bill but were exceptionally disappointed with the handling of the whole situation. The experience ruined what would have been an otherwise lovely meal

In the last 2 years since moving to Chelmsford I have often visited El Chigre, including booking a large table (10+) for my birthday this year. When my friend was visiting from out of town, it was the natural choice. Having reserved a table for 7.30, the place was clearly overbooked and understaffed and we did not end up eating until 9.30pm. All that would have been forgivable, until we explained our disappointment to our kind waitress. We had to view the managers arguing with her at the back of the restaurant, which became very awkward. They then offered us shots - we explained we were still hungry, having waited so long, and did not want more alcohol - to which we were met with a condescending and intolerant tone, and it was clear they were not willing to accept culpability for the situation. Needless to say, I will not be returning nor bringing other guests there in the future.

What a wonderful find this little Spanish gem is. Run by a lovely family who put their heart and soul into ensuring every guest is looked after. We had a selection of freshly cooked tapas washed down with delicious sangria with lovely Spanish music to set the tone. I cannot recommend Le Chigre highly enough. Shout out to Ursula who looked after us yesterday!

In the last 2 years since moving to Chelmsford I have often visited El Chigre, including booking a large table (10+) for my birthday this year. When my friend was visiting from out of town, it was the natural choice. Having reserved a table for 7.30, the place was clearly overbooked and understaffed and we did not end up eating until 9.30pm. All that would have been forgivable, until we explained our disappointment to our kind waitress. We had to view the managers arguing with her at the back of the restaurant, which became very awkward. They then offered us shots - we explained we were still hungry, having waited so long, and did not want more alcohol - to which we were met with a condescending and intolerant tone, and it was clear they were not willing to accept culpability for the situation. Needless to say, I will not be returning nor bringing other guests there in the future.

Went to this authentic tapas with a friend. We booked for 7:30pm. When we arrived there was a good atmosphere and were greeted by the daughter of the owners/chefs. She was a little off hand but it honestly felt like an authentic experience and we were having a lovely time. The place very quickly filled and it was clear they were understaffed for the crowd that were seated at once (all with reservations). We ordered some breads and padron peppers which arrived after some time. They were delicious. The mains however were taking a long time and after chasing them twice they eventually arrived at 9:30pm, 2 hours after we originally sat down. Unfortunately the paella was overcooked and under seasoned and we were still hungry after but at this point it was too late to eat more. This was a disappointing experience and after expressing this to our lovely waitress (not the owners daughter) she apologised profusely and said she would talk to the owners to see what could be done. To say what happened next was an embarrassment to the establishment is an understatement. The family visibly argued with the waitress and glared at us making us feel very uncomfortable. The daughter then came down and said she believed we were ‘unhappy with the wait but the food is cooked from fresh and they were busy that evening’ she offered us shots to compensate but was condescending and rude. We said to her we didn’t want to drink anymore and said we would pay the bill but were exceptionally disappointed with the handling of the whole situation. The experience ruined what would have been an otherwise lovely meal.

This Asturian family-owned restaurant is the only real Spanish place in Chelmsford, and one of the best in the whole UK. Food is just like back home and the ingredients are fresh and of great quality, often imported from Spain. Service is friendly and so helpful, always happy to recommend something from the menu. Un sitio genial!

Had the BEST dinner here. Food was incredible, service was amazing, vibes were immaculate.

Cute and cosy, good food and very friendly service 🙂

If you miss Spanish food, this is your place! Run by a Spanish family, they keep the environment like you were at home with a homemade food that is like your mum is cooking for you.

We got lucky we had the 1st floor for us alone almost the whole meal. Then a big table was set up near us and they spoke really loud so we left to another place to be able to hear each other. The tapas are really good, Slightly pricey but good portions for the price.

An amazing family run business serving truly authentic and delicious Spanish food. I had the pleasure to visit el Chigre for a friend's birthday and we experienced impeccable, friendly service. Couldn't recommend more. Thank you!

Love the veg options and the sangria! The staff is super friendly and the service is great. I always recommend to friends.

This is without doubt the best Spanish food I have experienced. Amazing aubergine starter and cod with peppers. Best pork ever tasted. Very friendly and efficient service Don’t miss out

Really authentic food and atmosphere. Lovely service!

It was closed when website said it was open

I am Spanish living in Chelmsford so I know what I am talking about. The experience was amazing since we arrived. Nice vibes, delicious food and friendly staff

Really nice food, atmosphere and service. A bit on the pricey side. Definitely £100 meal for 2 with wine if you do it properly.

visited on a sat evening..lovely atmosphere..really good service. its a simple menu and reasonably priced. we both had the black rock steak.. simply amazing..and great value.. well worth a visit.. enjoy

Celebrated New Year there. Amazing atmosphere made it the perfect place to see the year in!

The food is delicious, real Spanish food that reminds me of home. Good wine selection and beer. I recommend a visit.

Nice food we had tapas it's a good selection menu.

Absolutely amazing! Food is to die for and service is top! Couldn’t fault it

Fabulous food, Fabulous drink, Fabulous atmosphere, Fabulous service.

Fantastic food and service. Try the aubergine it's a must for every visit.

It is a year since our last review. Delighted to say that El Chigre continues to deliver fabulous food and warm and wonderful service. Probably the best choice of restaurant in Chelmsford!

Amazing food high quality Recommend 100%

Friendly staff in a relaxed setting. Good choice of Spanish wines and cava at reasonable prices. Food was good not great.

We’ve been here numerous times but not for a while. We were not let down. It was better than ever. The service was as always very friendly and attentive. The food, which we ordered loads of, was delicious with portion sizes perfect. If your a tapas lover this really is more than worth a visit. We won’t be leaving it so long next time.

Been to the restaurant in high Street for lunch. Went with friends for the evening Amazing food and wine

Great food, friendly staff. If you like tapas you will love this place

Comida espectacular y por unos precios muy muy buenos. Volvimos porque hace años fuimos y había un menú espectacular, pero aunque no estaba ya el menú, sigue a la altura, así que recomendadisimo de veras. P.D: estaba tan bueno que no eche fotos quitando al arroz con leche para la reseña

What a shame. Nice food but service was a let down which is such a surprise as it used to be brilliant. Came for a birthday meal and sat with an empty glass all evening. The one glass of rose I did have was pretty awful. I think it’s important restaurants treat families with as attentive service as they do tables of adults

The quality of the food is very good. Wine, padrón peppers and Cabrales potatoes, authentic spanish food. It was delicious and amazing services.

One of the best authentic Spanish food I have had in the uk, and I got takeaway it’s still was delicious. Will definitely be back for takeaway and eating in.

Lovely food outside and good value. Rose was a bit too sweet to my taste but it is Spanish after all!

Great little tapas bar. Super friendly staff, and lovely food (The cod in Red Pepper was amazing!)

I honestly have no words, the food here just completely takes the cake! I didn’t like tapas before coming here and my friends convinced me to try it one more time, and I’m so glad I did!!! It’s the most delicious Spanish food I’ve ever had! Definitely a must visit!!!

Really enjoyed the food and wine here, and the sisters who run the restaurant with their parents are really friendly. Would definitely recommend, reasonable prices too.

Great spot for authentic Spanish food!

Always enjoy the food here. Great tapas, really friendly. Nice to see them busy on a Friday night but still delivered very good food. Will definitely be back.

Fantastic restaurant - I’ve been there many times over the years. This is a family owned restaurant and the food is always great. I have been there with my wife or with my children and we have always been made very welcome. We have never ever been asked for a tip - so I suspect the reviews that say this are potentially fake - it’s just not in the nature of the people that work there based on my experience. Sometimes the service can be a little slow but that’s because the food is home cooked and the restaurant is busy particularly at weekends. We will be back there this weekend in a party of 8 - it’s essential we support these independent restaurants as Chelmsford is full of chains - so I’d recommend El Chegre to anyone looking for a taste of Spain. House wine has always been fab in my experience.

Very kind. Very good hospitality. Always working good coffee. Good Spanish food recommended to any of my friends to come in here and all of our business cards are in come here for a great breakfast and bring your dog review and pick up one of our cards. Best friends for life dog training school

Absolutely love your food . Gammas , black pudding , you name it . Beautiful wine and Ursula is a delight x love it here . So authentic and friendly . We love it x

Amazing Tapas, great service and nice Spanish beer! Can't wait to go back.

We came Saturday and has the t bone steak on the black rock grill.. lovely !! Staff so friendly , atmosphere great !! Wine was lovely too. We will be back !

Amazing food, staff and atmosphere! Just what we were looking for. A proper Spanish place with super tasty and fresh food. :) We had the black rice paella made with squid that was suggested by the waitress. Delicious! We also had the anchovies and the bread with dips. Finger licking. Still thinking about those anchovies. Then the jug of sangria! Now that was a proper amount of alcohol ahah! And in the end, the bill was super cheap, around £60 total. Plus we loved the Spanish music and decor!

Authentic Spanish food (homemade). Service kind and quick. I will definetely come back and recommend it.

This has been on my ‘to visit’ list for a while after hearing several recommendations and it was lovely! We were a group of 5 and ordered two different tapas each for our table to share - there was a great variety on the menu and there was plenty - enough for us each to try everything. The staff were attentive and helpful and the owner came and chatted to us too which was nice, it felt very welcoming and homely. Will definitely be back with the family in tow!

Everything is delicious. Authentic Spanish tapas

Really good authentic Spanish tapas. Couldn’t fault anything. The staff were also lovely. We had the lamb rib special, chorizo in cider, Padron peppers, bravas with alioli, aubergine with manuka honey and croquetas. Couldn’t fault any of it. We also had the Sauvignon which was delicious and reasonably priced. Would highly recommend this place.

Booked here at the last minute when needing a quick trip out for dinner and it didn’t disappoint. The aubergine and the lamb rack in particular were amazing but everything we ordered was great. The restaurant as a whole has a wonderfully traditional vibe about it. All in all the staff were lovely, food was perfect and I would definitely recommend.

Very basic tapas menu offered. I'm unable to recommend anything as lots was unavailable i.e. run out at 7.30pm on a Friday evening! Very lively atmosphere. The service was a bit hit and miss. It was OK but not high on my 'must go there again' list.

Good food friendly staff and no fuss gluten free

Exquisite quality products, the food was delicious. The short ribs were to die for, so tasty! Padron peppers and home made croquetas so yummy. Highly recommend!

Great restaurant in Chelmsford! I’d highly recommend!

This is a special place. Great food and lovely staff

This restaurant is consistently amazing. The food is always wonderful and is matched by the best service. Already looking forward to our next visit!

Excellent food, the paella was best I've had outside Spain and the desserts were great.

Grossly inflated prices for mediocre food. On average the tapas priced at £8 I would say. Bread and olives separately priced in the £6/£7 bracket is just over the top. We didn’t order the patatas as the patatas dish on the neighbouring table looked suspiciously like chips and at £6 a portion I think I should get better than chips. I wonder whether the meatballs are made on the premises. I’m not convinced. Overpriced for what it is.

Good range of tapas freshly made. Staff friendly and helpful. Very busy Saturday night.

Great independent restaurant. Tapas as it’s best with great service from a great family, Dan

Tasty o clock! Had a great night. Atmosphere was buzzing. Very warm welcome and fun chat with the waiting team.

The food is absolutely delicious.

Try the black rock steak it’s amazing. If you are fussy about your steak, you can cook it as you like, every bit e is roasting hot, which my partner appreciated being a slow eater. Will definitely be visiting again.

Brought friends here, embarrassed by the service and the food! Never seen a paella for £20 each served with 4 prawns and 2 mussels, stuck to the pan! Don’t waste your evening and money coming here!

Lovely tapas, really enjoyed ourselves and service was okay. However coffee could’ve been stronger. Atmosphere was very nice inside of the restaurant. Would recommend and go again for a nice lunch !!

The food we ordered was very tasty we had sea food paella, olives, octopus, mixed dips,garlic prawns and sangria. Staff were amazing and very accommodating given that they had to deal with some very challenging customers. We loved the home made feel of the restaurant. Looking forward to many recommendations and returns .

Great Spanish food with amazing customer service

Me and my partner LOVE this place. Great food, great service and great value. If you want to try great Spanish food look no further. Family run, so you know it will be made from the heart!

The food is ok, not worth what they are charging... Customer service was diabolical. When asked what the Pork special comes with the waitress said "Patatas and peppers if the chef has time to cook them". Overpriced unorganized restaurant.

Honestly the meal we had here was laughable. Staff were very unorganised and made us feel uncomfortable when seating us even though it was a reservation and I had already explained we had a baby and a buggie multiple times. Food was very overpriced for what it was, 6 strips of parma ham and sliced cheese £18?! I was advised when I sent it back this was imported straight from Spain and therefore explained the price tag, come on... My paella was rock hard and dry on the top layer like it had been cooked in 1984 and left under a hot plate since, even the lemon was dry and hot like it had been left under there too? I ordered a bottle of coke and it cost me £4.70... Chorizo chewy, calamari rubbery, potata bravas tasteless. I paid the bill nonetheless and explained to the waitress the disappointment I had to which she took it personally as if I'd eaten the meal in her living room. I think I'm justified to be slightly more offended however, after spending £140 and having to stop at Mcdonalds on the way home...

Excellent tapas restaurant, tasty food and great atmosphere

We popped in for lunch and glass of wine Food was as good as Barcelona. Nice staff v friendly Recommended by a friend and did not disappoint

Friendly authentic tapas bar - Spanish owners and staff

Excellent food, great staff. The black pudding dish was incredible !

Another visit to El Cigre and some more lovely Tapas. Probably our third or forth visit and always good. The Lamb and the Squid were excellent. Definitely recommend

Amazing place and brilliant for coeliacs. They are careful with all food preparation and extremely knowledgeable.

Great food and service, as usual. Very authentic Spanish tapas. 👌

Absolutely stunning food, fantastic authentic atmosphere and brilliant staff! Will absolutely be coming back again and again!

El mejor Restaurante español de la zona.

Love this place. Food and service are always excellent.

Amazing food and helpful staff!

What a wondeeful surprise, was lwt down when the restaurant we planned on was closed on tuesday evening, lucked upon El Chigre and had a fantastic meal. Service was happy and friendly, food was excellent.

A perfect slice of Spain in Chelmsford.

We booked a table last minute and was given a table, so thank you for accommodating us. Lovely tapas food and a very good atmosphere staff looked after us and we look forward to coming back soon, especially for the padron peppers.

Brilliant atmosphere and food, fantastic staff were welcoming and made sure we were well looked after. A real family feel to the bar

We both love tapas and have had a tapas lunch here before. Tonight we were here for the paella. OMG, the squid ink paella is heavenly. The staff are amazing, they know the menu so well, and the desserts are amazing. They look after you...

We have lived 20 years in Spain & the islands , this place is 100% genuine & proper Spanish food. They were great in humouring me in my rusty Spanish,, the food was fantastic. The whole experience reminded me of my daily walks home from work when I lived in Spain. To summarise authentic Spanish Tapas, great wine & Beer & great staff 100% recommendation from me

Would absolutely recommend this place to anyone and everyone. Everything that we have tried has been delicious and the specials never disappoint. The staff are so so lovely and accommodating, the food is divine and the drinks are great too! My sister is vegan and...

Lovely tasty food set in a very relaxing environment. Excellent service we had a fantastic time here.

It's okay...food and drink was good...very disappointed that the TV was on( catchphrase) for the upstairs part of the restaurant....thats not what I expected. Icould have stayed home for that....

Good atmosphere and friendly staff. Food good.Certain dishes a bit overpriced I.e steak and lamb but all tasty and great place to spend an evening

Excellent fresh cooked tapas. The staff are all Spanish and very friendly. The interior has been updated since I last visited but the food is still excellent and reasonably priced. Everyone should visit!

It was very good..Will visit again soon.. Nice atmosphere. Waitress very sweet.

Had a fantastic lunch today. 6 of us did 2 rounds of tapas, choosing a dish each each time. Lovely place, lovely food, lovely people. Muchas gracias

Outstanding Tapas. As good or better than anything you will get in Spain combined with fabulous service, great hosts, good beer and a wonderful atmosphere. Reasonably priced too!

Great authentic tapas in this family run restaurant. Always great food service and atmosphere. Our favourite restaurant!

wonderful food and service as always

Lovely staff, great food, clean and nice atmosphere. Puxa Asturies! ☺