El Sol Tapas Bar & Restaurant in Canterbury

We wanted somewhere to go after seeing a show and while walking along found this restaurant tucked away. Seated straight away and presented with a menu. We ordered 5 dishes and a glass of wine each. Pinot was really good and matched the dishes well. I would say that you need to order bread to mop up the amazing flavours.

Sehr gutes Essen und sehr nettes, zuvorkommendes Personal! Besonders Sasha, dank ihrer fürsorglichen Bedienung haben wir es zeitig zum Theater geschafft.

This is our first time in Canterbury and happened to walk past this restaurant. We love tapas so booked for the evening. The staff were all welcoming and friendly and the restaurant had a lovely, cosy atmosphere. The food was amazing - freshest tasting olives my husband had tasted and I can highly recommend the manchego! Our waitress, Sasha, was great! She was really informative about the wine and food and was super helpful about places we should visit. Thank you for a fabulous evening 😀 !

The venue is v nice, quaint and quirky. The staff are lovely but service was patchy. Had to remind them we had ordered drinks and one us had to wait a long time for food, in fact I had finished mine before his came. But an enjoyable evening over all. Would go again but hope service not so slow next time

Very tasty food and good service from Sasha Will come back again

Tarnie and her colleague were excellent, food was solid, probably could be slightly more generous with some of the portions especially when aligned to price. Generally speaking though it was tasty and good variety of dishes.

had a lovely night last night. Tapas was great, pulpo was my favourite. Was served by tarnie who made my night a pleasure. will definitely be back!

The food was excellent and Sasha's service made our lunch even better We can't wait to сome back to Canterbury and El Sol again

Service was good ,but food disappointed. If you order the 6 tapas deal that's exactly what you get per person,as for chicken special, it was really not.

Tapas and cocktails were lovely, waiting staff were friendly and helpful especially our waitress tarnie - nothing was too much trouble! Will definitely be visiting again.

Our server Sasha was fun, friendly, and very professional. She made the meal. My husband and I were in Canterbury for the weekend, and this experience was a high spot for us. I enjoyed the ham croquets and olives the most, and the steak was also very good. This particular restaurant and inn are full of fascinating history—definitely a step back in time.

Came yesterday, food was fantastic prawns were perfection, Tarnie’s service really topped off the whole experience

A little underwhelming unfortunately. Some dishes were very good - the chicken in mango sauce, the albondigas, and the calamari but the majority were just so so. The tortilla was worryingly like a supermarket one chopped up, heated and randomly put on a piece of bread. The random cheap bread was a theme - possibly a misguided attempt at pinchos? Patatas bravas also average. The service was very good and it was a bustling atmosphere for a Monday night, I also thought the cheesecake was a pleasant surprise. Admittedly we ate everything but it wasn’t especially good value or in any way memorable.

The portions were quite small, the croquettes were quite regular and the tortilla was preheated. The chicken was super good, and the prawns too.

Sat outside in the sun and had a selection of tapas all of which were very tasty . Finished off with churros with real melted chocolate which was delicious...all served by the lovely Tarnie definitely 5 🌟 and will visit again 😊

Wonderful food, octopus and padron peppers particular highlights. Great and quick service from Tarnie.

Tasty and good quality tapas plates in a characterful restaurant, with lovely staff.

I’m leaving this review to offer a more balanced perspective, as the current rating of 4.7/5 feels incredibly inflated and may set unrealistic expectations for future diners. To start with the positives—the atmosphere was warm and inviting and the waitress added a lovely touch to the experience. Unfortunately, the food left much to be desired and ranked among the worst dining experiences I've ever had. The tapas lacked authenticity and finesse, and were frankly unpleasant to eat. Nearly every dish arrived with an unnecessary slice of cucumber, which felt odd and out of place. While the octopus was tender, the mustard-heavy sauce was overpowering and clashed with the dish. The croquetas had a mushy and unappetizing filling that we couldn’t finish. The “Pardon peppers” (as misspelled on the menu) were undercooked and left a bitter aftertaste. Patatas bravas lacked the crispiness you'd expect, and both the tortilla and calamari were merely passable. Adding to the confusion, we were told the paella was unavailable because it had “run out last night,” which seemed like a strange explanation for a new day’s service. It’s clear that while the team may have an appreciation for Spanish cuisine, there’s a gap in authentic execution. It’s disheartening to see a cuisine so rich in tradition being heavily misrepresented—particularly when the ratings suggest otherwise. I hope this review helps others set more realistic expectations before visiting.

We wanted paella thats why we went in the is restaurant in the first place. We arrived around 2pm. We were seated ordered drinks. When its time to order food we ask for paella and other seafood options but they said they dont have paella and other seafood on the menu is not available so we wnd up ordering whatever is available in the menu. I ordered mini cut beef.. its so hard to cut and very chewy. I ordered spinach as well but didnt enjoyed it. The steak is good tho. Its also a bit pricey

This is now my favourite restaurant in Canterbury. Absolutely amazing.

Went a couple of weeks ago for dinner whilst walking through canterbury, and received a warm greeting, excellent prompt service and outstanding food! The tapas was one of the best I have tried, and found the prices very reasonable. We felt very well taken care of by our server Ali, and enjoyed a very warm relaxed atmosphere - would definitely come back, and have recommended it already to friends and family.

Great food and service at a very good price. We dined at lunchtime so it was very quiet. I bet the atmosphere is great in the evening. Recommended.

Ali gave 5 star service. A lovely evening. Thank you.

We chose the place for dinner, but decided to go with tapas. And it was a great choice. Croquettes, chorizo, cheese, prawns, etc... all fresh, tasty, and reasonably priced. We have to come back to try more 😉

OVERVIEW One of Canterbury’s gems, worth a visit for the menu favourites! PLUS + Menu favourites such as the “Pulpo” and“Calamares Rellenos”, are must tries at a 5* level. Easily the best squid 🦑 I have ever had! + Excellent value-for-money menu! 3-4 tapas and sides, including a desert, for around £30. + Complimentary olives were of top-grade you could truly“Taste the Difference”. + Very good staff service: Phil and Sophia makes sure my special orders were prepared to the highest standard. + Asa’s and Sasha’s menu recommendations lived up to expectations and were based on genuine advice rather than formality. + Catered to meal modification requests. + The restaurant’s interior and music complimented the cuisine. MINUS - The menu favourites upheld the reputation of the restaurant, as half of the tapas were basic and bland. - Although excellent in taste, the “Pulpo”and “Spinach & Chickpeas” were both overwhelmingly oily. - The costillitas were overpoweringly sweet. - The restaurants could benefit from a quick, hassle-free table QR code payment method. ADVICE Walk-in lunchtime availability. However, pre-bookings are advised on Friday-Sunday evenings. ORDER HISTORY Tapas: * Pulpo * Calamares Rellenos * Gambas Al Ajilo * Costillitas * Halloumi Patatas Fritas * Gambas Dinamita * Patatas Bravas Sides: * Spinach & Chickpeas * Tomato & Onion Salad Dessert: * Tarta De Queso Con Mango

Loved this place. The food was excellent, the staff were friendly and helpful and the prices were incredibly reasonable. You must try it.

If you are ever in Canterbury you must visit the El Sol Tapas Bar & Restaurant. This is authentic tapas at its best, wonderful atmosphere and the staff are very friendly and helpful. The food is excellent, each dish expertly prepared and delicious, my sincere compliments to the chef, don’t forget to order a glass of their delicious sangria to make a perfect meal.

Lovely place, went there tonight for a dinner, everything was amazing, food delicious, very friendly service, all of the stuff was great, nicely decorated and good Spanish music. Will be back!

Fun place to have spanish food at canterbury

Tasty food in a busy restaurant. Friendly helpful staff. First time having Tapas and made the mistake of getting all the dishes at once. Still an enjoyable meal, but next time will order a couple at a time.

We got lunch special including padron pepper, our favourite! The staff Ali is super friendly and kind. Had a great time here:-)

Very nice and cozy tapas place. We ordered the lunch special plates to try out different tapas, together with the seafood paella. The food is nice and the staff are caring, without overwhelming the customers. We’ve enjoyed the lunch there and thanks Ali who has made us a great time.

When you walk into a restaurant and it's busy, you know you have made a good decision. Very good menu and very reasonably priced. Got served with food a bit too quickly, and whilst the service was good, it got slower as the place got busier. That aside, the food was really good. For tapas, you get 3 of everything, and we had 9 different dishes between 2. This was plenty. We sat downstairs, and i would strongly suggest you sit upstairs. It had more life and atmosphere. A good night out and would recommend.

Visited El Sol on Friday night and it was unforgettablе We didn't book, but we were hospitably received and everyone made us feel like very welcome guests The interior of the restaurant creates an incredibly good impression and the service and food perfectly complement it We had а few plates for two (we ordered chorizo in bacon, croquettes, octopus, shrimps, batatas bravas and hallumi) and they were all perfectly cooked and very nicely decorated The sauces that are served with the dishes are chosen perfectly, we can say for sure that the chef did a good job with the recipe Our server Sasha was very nice and knowledgable, she helped us with the choice and also informed us that this was a new menu and asked for our honest assessment and there is nothing to say here except amazing ! The other servers were very good and unobtrusive and they clearly helped create our mood today The atmosphere that prevailed in the restaurant was very pleasant and we left there knowing that we would definitely come back Thank you El Sol for this wonderful dinner, can't wait to come back

An excellent restaurant, well priced with great service.

First time here on Sat 15th Feb. A cosy feel and decor. Staff very welcoming and helpful. Food was excellent. We had 7 tapas dishes. Plus some additional sides. 2 drinks. One dish was slightly under par but staff offered us a replacement/alternative dish without us asking, they noticed we had left it. All other dishes excellent. Price very reasonable for what we had . Will be going again.

Gorgeous food! We had a few tapas each and all were lovely but particular faves were the Picanha (beef and sea salt) and the Croquetas with cheese and bacon. Our server Ali was great and recommended dishes which didn't disappoint! Such a friendly and lively place. Will be back.

Had dinner with my husband here for our anniversary and the food and servers were fantastic. Out server Ali was very friendly and attentive.

Took the wife for an anniversary dinner - fantastic service and food. Defo recommend

Nice food and lovely environment. Ali served us really well. Would come back again next time.

Ali was our waiter and the service he gave was exceptional. He was so kind, friendly and attentive and gave us some excellent recommendations. The food was amazing I would highly recommend this restaurant to everyone. Thank you Ali for a lovely experience.

Had a fantastic meal for Valentine's. Would highly recommend and will be back.

Highly recomended restaurant so we booked for Valentines Night at 19.45 for our family of 5. We queued in the street for 1 hour along with many other people that had booked. Taylor Swift would have been proud of the queue! Once inside we waited for 5 starters, 4 came and I ate alone. Then we waited 1 hour for our mains, 4 were good and 1 was poor and not eaten. To be balanced, the staff could not have worked any harder and the Manager offered us drinks. A very disappointing experience

Fantastic food, seriously delicious, had the calamari, chargrilled chicken skewers and the pork ribs in apple and BBQ sauce, all incredible. Got to try some of the steak and halloumi too from my friends, all beautifully cooked. Superb service from Ben and the team, nothing was too much trouble. Service was undeservedly not included so we made sure to tip as it was worth every penny and more. Lovely churros and chocolate to finish. Menu is reasonably priced and not extortionate, considering tapas can rack up once you get lots of different ones! Highly recommended

Chef is very social and the food is amazing highly recommend

Good food and good service. Waitress is knowledgeable about the food. She suggested a beer that I had not heard of and it went very well with the tapas I ordered.

Great place for lunch! Food was really quick coming out and lovely quality, even when they were busy. Really good atmosphere with really nice and attentove waiting staff, we had a great little chat with Ali, realising we shared some languages in common when giving us recommendations. We will definitely going back again when next in Canterbury.

Great food and friendly staff, would recommend to anyone!!

El Sol is a restaurant we keep returning to for several reasons. The atmosphere is warm, cosy, friendly and lively, but without being too loud. The food is consistently delicious: some of our regular favourites being: the picanha beef (honestly one of the tastiest things I’ve ever had - we always order one and then always order more!), the manchego cheese with honey and sesame seeds, meat empanadas and albondigas. The service is excellent, nothing is too much trouble for the staff and they are happy to make recommendations. On our most recent visit, our main waiter, Ali, was particularly friendly and attentive. He helped us with the wifi password, checked in on us regularly, but without being intrusive and he even gave us a extra portion of picanha on the house as we’d ordered two already! It won’t be long until we return again - thank you!

Had an excellent dinner at El Sol Tapas! The food was great and our lovely waiter Ali was very friendly and made sure we were well looked after. Would definitely recommend!

Our quick lunch went just fine! Our server Sasha gave us good recommendations and we really liked what we got. The ribs were just incredible, the chicken is perfectly spicy, batatas bravas is one of the best we ever had. I will recommend it to everyone.

Fantastic food and atmosphere. Coming back soon

Very great hospitality lovely food and friendly staff

When I stepped into the restaurant, I was told that I can only give one hour because the table had been booked and they would take the table back in one hour, but the waitress promised to serve my meal in 15 minutes at most so I stayed. But it actually took half and hour to wait for the meal and when I was so nervous to eat my meal as soon as possible before I got kicked out, one of the waiters began to give me count downs though there were still 10 minutes left. Then another waiter came to ask me, anyway you still got 10 minutes, would you like to order some dessert? It seemed they only wanted to make money out of me within the shortest time. I will definitely not come back. By the way, the seafood fried rice is too salty.

Great place with amazing tasty food and great friendly staff , a must to try.

Service was attentive and good. Unfortunately, food was very poor. Padron peppers had a strange flavour to them which tasted like old oil. Pan con tomate tasted like it was out of a jar/tin & similarly patatas bravas sauce tasted very much like an anglicised version of the authentic sauce. The Santiago tart was a rare bright spot - it tasted freshly baked and was very good.

Can only do one paella at a time so if someone else orders you need to wait 90 minutes! And it's a Spanish restaurant!

Best Tapas I have ever eaten brought to the table as it’s ready good size portion friendly service really good find and definitely worth a visit

What can I say except perfect!! Every dish was flavoursome and cooked to perfection. What an amazing chef!! Staff are outstanding and just a fine place to dine. Would highly recommended family friendly and staff so polite and couldn’t attended to us quick enough.

The paella was perfectly cooked, bursting with authentic flavours, and the tapas were delicious. The cosy atmosphere made it feel warm and inviting, perfect for a relaxed meal with friends or family. The service was outstanding—attentive, friendly, and made us feel welcome. If you’re looking for delicious Spanish cuisine with top-notch service in a charming setting, this is the place to go.

We hadn't booked anywhere and it was Christmas Day. Found this lovely restaurant where we were welcomed warmly. Food was excellent. Staff efficient and friendly. Decor was bright and fresh and watching how well the tables were cleaned when diners left was heartening. Definitely recommend and we will return next time we are in the area. Many thanks!

This restaurant is great with lovely Tapas and a very cosy feel. Really enjoyed the octopus, the chorizo and fab padron peppers. Took 1 star off as when it's busy, it's a bit tight for space. Our table on 15th November was right next to the bar area where everyone waits for their table. Try the food though!

Yesterday I took my Japanese students to El Sol in Canterbury as a part of multicultural cuisine experience. Excellent service, delicious food for reasonable price!! Especially Big thanks to the waitress Sasha for her competence and help with the menu as well as warm and friendly welcoming us. We truly enjoyed our lunch and I'll definitely recommend El Sol to my friends.

Great place and the food was really nice

The food was SO good. Great to try lots of small plates. Everything was good.

Food was absolutely delicious! Full of flavour! Quick and friendly service. Will definitely be going again

Wonderful restaurant. Atmosphere was bubbly and the decor lovely. Staff were friendly and helpful and the food was wonderful.

Gorgeous food (a bit too salty for me though) and great service. I will definitely go back!

Had a great meal here! Enjoyed the empanadas, potatoes bravas, and stuffed calamari (our favourite). The lovely server made excellent recommendations. The olives were divine!

Very friendly local restaurant. Excellent choice of interesting tapas dishes all at reasonable prices. Wine choice a little limited but something for most pockets and tastes. Excellent service and lovely atmosphere

15th November. Arrived for lunch and found a hidden gem, food was fantastic, and great selection, and the member of staff named Ben was really friendly and went above and beyond to help.

Super wonderful delicious lunch with gorgeous hostess- make our lunch experience extremely impressive - definitely will go there for more different tapas. The tapas are unbelievably tasty !!! Must go there and try them all

A little disappointed with the food. Red flag when you see humous and halloumi on a Spanish restaurant menu. Patatas Bravas were soggy and burnt, chorizo sauce was far too vinegary. Crème Catalan was an ice cream rather than a traditional custard. That said, the service was attentive and it was fairly good value.

Lovely, friendly attentive staff who were very helpful. Food came out at good times that you were not rushed but also had time to finish the previous dishes. The food itself was to an incredible standard everything was delicious will be 100% coming back on our next visit to Canterbury.

Fantastic food - I love tapas and this was some of the best chorizo I’ve had! Sauce on the mussels delicious, great chicken. Squeezed in some excellent desserts including ice cream with fruit too.

Visited here for a family meal on a busy Saturday evening and it was just fab. Food was tasty, hot and reasonably priced. Staff were so busy but this didn't affect their outstanding service and everything arrived promptly. Great location in the centre of Canterbury. Recommended.

We went early evening midweek and it was almost full by 7pm. Suitable for couples, families with children, and small groups. Good choice of tapas dishes, which arrive as and when they are cooked. Friendly staff and nice atmosphere.

Food was very good. Quirky decor. Went at lunchtime and we were the only people there so lacked atmosphere.

Incredible food, excellent wine, and great atmosphere. Everything was fresh, hot, and full of flavor. Merito brandy was the perfect cap on this meal of octopus, jamon iberico, picanha, chorizo, olives, and tomatoes. This was a truly special evening.

Beautiful Spanish tapas, all of which was just as tasty as we have had travelling round Spain. Light batter on the calamari and so tender, pulpo was delicious and the fried Manchego cheese was perfect. A lovely place for a meal while wandering round Canterbury.

We visited on a cold midday evening in March and were blown away by the warm welcome, amazing choice and really delicious food. Clearly a lot of love has gone into designing to restaurant and menu- which certainly brought a bit of Sol into our hearts and we had an amazing meal. It’s so special that we booked to visit again for our anniversary, though unfortunately one of us was unwell. However as they deliver we were able to enjoy the food in the comfort of our own home, which was a wonderful suprise and made it a really special evening. We will definitely be back to visit in person- it’s worth it for the delicious battered manchego alone! Plenty of scrummy choices even for two Vegetarians like ourselves.

Rosie was phenomenal, absolutely amazing food, and atmosphere. I will definitely be back remembered the party from two months previous. Absolutely amazing

My brother and I stopped by here during our visit to Canterbury, and I was impressed with the quality of the food! The boquerones were exactly like you would get in Spain, and the octopus was tender. The service was excellent - major thanks to Rosie and Phil for their kindness and attention!

Date night took us to El Sol, we were not disappointed. Lovely fresh food, fast service, Staff were fantastic and I hope they are recognised by their bosses as being stand out individuals who are a welcoming front for the business.

Such a great find! Never been to Canterbury before and we didn’t have a clue where to eat. We spotted El Sol and went in to see if they had a table for 2. The young lad was very helpful, even though they were busy he managed to fit us in, so pleased he did as the food was delicious! If you’re in Canterbury and wondering where to eat definitely give Él Sol a try… can’t fault it, the food, service and atmosphere was such a lovely experience. The staff were so welcoming and very happy to help. Él Sol please can you open up a restaurant in Surrey!

Was a spare of the moment visit to grab some food and a drink before an event. What a great choice. A nice small venue, nicely laid out. Classic tapas dishes along some less so. Each dish came out when ready and was lovely. Only had a glass of the Merlot which is nice, it is Merlot so a simple easy option. Had Beetroot hummus, chorizo sausage, hallumi fries and classic croquettes. It was quiet on a Thursday at 7pm, but picked up whilst we were there. Staff were good and easy to get when we wanted get more of a side. Will certainly visit again.

2nd visit here, better than first time. Can recommend the baby ribs, heavenly

Great food, excellent service. Big thank you to Rosie who helped guide us through the menu and recommended some superb dishes.

We had a lovely dinner there on Sunday evening, the servers were all very nice and helpful (especially Vania!!), and when we visited a couple months ago the manager Ben was extremely lovely too! The food is always very gery tasty with good portion sizes for a good price. I recommend people try the manchego, it was so good we ordered a second portion this time! You also get free olives and bread as you arrive, which is a nice extra

We had booked this twice somehow, the restaurant phoned to make sure we only needed the one booking which was very considerate we thought. The restaurant feels very authentic inside and the service was very good. You can either order your food all in one go or just order dishes as and when you want them, we did the later and they come out as and when they’re cooked so it really breaks the meal up and is a nice way to eat. The Octopus was very nice, well cooked and a nice size, all the other dishes we had were very nice, with their own sauces rather than a generic sauce for everything. 👍🏼 Would definitely recommend trying this restaurant if you’re in Canterbury

We came here last night and the food was brilliant. We were seated by Ben and served by Rosie and Ben. Great food, great service.

Food was delicious the atmosphere were lovely staff were very friendly and helpful lovely cocktails thank for the good time

Really wouldn't bother. Thought it would be a nice place based on other reviews but severely disappointed. Shown into little side room that was like being in a toilet. Echoey tiled room with uncomfortable chairs that was so loud with all other people talking to be heard over each other. Starter of Olives and bread have to be seen to be believed. Wish I'd taken picture. Was the tiniest little oval of bread with two olives on a plate. Looked pathetic. Disinterested waitress who couldn't answer any of our questions. Food was not good and took ages to arrive. Ordered a selection of small plates. One turned up and we just prodded at it not wanting to start thinking the others were on the way...nope! Was like a starter and rest turned up long after. Stodgy food and bill came to over fifty quid even without alcoholic drinks. Not even sure what to say about them. The non alcoholic beer was only 10p less than the normal booze and was over a fiver for small bottle. Avoid the place. Reviews are wrong or written by idiots.

The restaurant is great the stuff are very welcoming and friendly the food so delicious definitely will be back again.

Lovely sitting outside the food was outstanding and the service was incredible thanks Elsol for looking after us will definitely be back again

Good decor and tasty enough, if not too authentic food. Prices were not overly expensive, with generous portion sizes on most items. A real shame the paella is not served at weekends, as this is not made clear on the menu and is what we came in for. The staff were attentive and friendly, aside from one, a young lady at the bar, who I presume was the shift manager. She rudely barked at several staff members, in what could only be described as a reverse Fawlty Towers. She bellowed at and gestured rudley at staff who were undeserving of such treatment. She was nothing but a bully, which ruined our experience and I feel very sorry for the young staff involved.

We were looking for a lovely alfresco dinner on a beautiful balmy summers eve in Canterbury and El Sol certainly hit the spot. We enjoyed delicious authentic tapas especially the stuffed squid and wine and our very attentive, knowledgable waitress Angelica. Thanks our evening was perfec

Angelica just made our night, what a star 🌟

Lovely late lunch sitting outside. The meal was high quality, especially the octopus and steak. Rosie our waitress provided friendly and attentive service. Thoroughly recommend.

This could easily have been the best restaurant experience in years. When our order did turn up eventually, we sampled the most delicious tapas at great value since my days in Spain 10 years ago. The atmosphere was amazing and bustling. Sadly, although our order was taken, we were forgotten about for over 30mins. The table next to us arrived 15 minutes after us and were served within minutes with food that looked like the one we had ordered . Our neighbour did express surprise at the speed of service and did inform the waitress he hadn’t ordered some of the items to which she replied - hush, don’t worry; just enjoy. At no time did she seem to spot our desperately empty table and we eventually had to walk to the bar asking to be served. To summarise, gorgeous food and atmosphere, spoilt by poor service.