El Sol Tapas Bar & Restaurant in Canterbury - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

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.

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.

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

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

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.

Angelica just made our night, what a star 🌟

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.

Perfect tapas, unexpected in the UK! Also many gluten free options. Service was fast and hospitable. Highly recommended

Food was very good staff also brilliant.

Ate a later lunch here after a very long journey to Canterbury. The food was great and the staff lovely, including the excellent Sasha who remembered me the following day when I returned and was thoughtful and attentive. I only put 4 stars for atmosphere because I sat outside as the weather was pleasant so I can’t comment on the atmosphere inside.

Rosie was absolutely fantastic, absolute pleasure, will definitely be coming back

Amazing food. Rosie was friendly, professional and made sure we had a lovely evening. Thank you we will be back for sure

OVERVIEW Worth a visit for the menu favourites! PLUS + A menu favourite “pulpo” (squid) and the cheesecake are respectively the best I have ever had in a restaurant so far; both at a 5* level. + I find myself going back to this restaurant for the “pulpo” a top seller. This tenderised grilled squid was cooked to perfection in a citrussy, rich, and flavourful “chefs’ secret sauce,” which was oily but nearly impossible to recreate at home, accompanied by an herby hearty fava puree. I find this dish went very well with the spinach & chickpea side. + Although oddly filled with raisins, the cheesecake tasted like “worth the trip to Grandmas just for the cheesecake!” The piquant fresh mango coulis complemented the rich, mouthwatering cheesecake, which had the most scrumptious biscuit base. + The freshness of the vegetables at this restaurant was of top quality. + Complimentary olives and bread starter; the olives were of top-grade fresh but soaked in a unique appetising “Taste the Difference” brine. The most perfect complementary starter! + Very good staff service. I would like to put Asa, Phil and Vania in the spotlight; they were always welcoming and genuine friendly. Furthermore, Phil personally makes sure my personalised order was prepared to the highest standard, and Asa’s menu recommendations lived up to expectations and were based on genuine advice rather than formality. + They accommodate meal alterations. + Walk-in availability (However, pre-booking is advised on Friday evenings as the inside dining area is usually fully booked.). + Excellent value-for-money menu! Satisfied the greedy eater; you could order 3-4 tapas and sides, including a desert, for around £25. + Restaurant interior and music played complimented the type of cuisine served. MINUS - The menu favourites upheld the reputation of the restaurant, as half of the menu items were basic and bland, i.e., gambas al ajilo (king prawns) were sautéed in garlic and chilli only. Similarly, the padron peppers and croquetas de jamon were also basic and could be served as sides instead of tapas. - Although excellent in taste and flavour, the pulpo and spinach & chickpeas were both overwhelmingly oily. - The costillitas were overpoweringly sweet as they were mothered in apple and bbq sauce. - The restaurants could benefit from a quick, hassle-free table QR code payment method, i.e., the "Sunday" payments app. ORDERS HISTORY Tapas: * Pulpo * Gambas Al Ajilo * Costillitas Sides: * Spinach & Chickpeas * Tomato and Onion Salad Dessert: * Tarta De Queso Con Mango

Fantastic food and great service from Asa. Will be returning again shortly. Recommended for all occasions. 👌🏻 We asked Asa to serve items of his recommendation and choosing so we could relax and enjoy the evening and every dish was perfect. Thank you Asa

Best tapas I have had in the UK!

This place would get 6 stars if I could. Everything was great.

We were visiting canterbury for a few days & celebrated my Mum's 75th at El Sol, a large group of 16 including special needs kids ... the staff coped with us brilliantly. The food was great & our waitress was so patient, as they were busy & we had a large group they called their sister restaurant and the manager from over there came and helped out, he was great as well. BUT my BIGGGGGEST praise has to go to Sasha who managed to track me down two weeeks later to let me know that I had left my purse, with all my bank cards & drivers licence in the restaurant. She was so lovely & went completely out of her way to get my purse back to me. Such a lovely lady & I couldnt be more grateful. Thank you

El Sol is a fantastic find near the cathedral, offering a cozy yet vibrant atmosphere. The paella is a must-try—worth the wait and absolutely delicious. The tapas were also top-notch, showcasing a variety of traditional Spanish flavors. The service was outstanding, with friendly and attentive staff who made the experience even better. Whether you're nearby or just passing through, El Sol is well worth a visit.

Love love love. I would eat at El Sol every day. The food is ridiculously tasty. My family and I chose 2 dishes each and shared them. We couldn't decide which was our favourite because we loved them all so much.

Lovely little piece of Spain in Canterbury, bit pricey on the beer, but food was delicious, recommended, but take fat wallet if you are a family!!

Great food the best thing about the place

I booked a table for a birthday lunch with my wife. The waiter showed us to our table and promptly served us 2 glasses of Cava which I had requested when making my booking. The food was excellent. On requesting my bill I noticed the waiter had forgotten to put the 2 glasses of Cava on it. I brought this to the managers attention to be informed they were complementary as the lunch was a birthday meal for my wife. We will without doubt be recommending this Tapas bar to family and friends. Looking forward to our next visit. .

This was one of the best meals I've eaten in years. Great service, amazing tasting food and a nice atmosphere.we were serves by the supervisor Ali,he was very attractive and helpful Would highly recommend!

My family and I loved this restaurant. Had such a cool atmosphere, food was amazing (I recommend the ojo de la costilla), props to chefs!! The service especially was fantastic; my waitress Sophia was so friendly and helpful. Very much recommend!!

I came with a friend who works here as she’d recommended it and it didn’t disappoint. We had calamari with an amazing sauce (I’d never had calamari before and it was delicious), we also had some thin steak pieces which were very rich in flavour (I didn’t catch the name of it😂) The young lady cocktail is lovely as well though I’m curious about the other cocktails they do but Ill definitely find out in the future

I recently had a dinner with friends at a Spanish tapas restaurant. From the moment I walked in, the ambiance transported me to the heart of Spain, with its warm decor and vibrant atmosphere. The tapas menu was a delightful journey through a variety of flavors and textures. We really enjoyed it. A highlight of the evening was the stunning lavender cocktail, expertly crafted by Sasha. Thank you so much for our wonderful food and excellent service :)

Lovely Al fresco meal! All the food was beautiful, came quickly and service was professional 😊 I had been recommended a couple of times to this establishment and definitely was not disappointed 👏 Thank you so much for a lovely evening, will definitely be back!

Lovely food and great service. It felt like you were in Spain eating authentic tapas. We went here for our anniversary date and we put on a single table. The waiter recognised due to the busy service our table wasnt private enough so moved us to a better table without us asking. The food came and was amazing. Recommend most of the menu and tried a lot of it especially the ribs and beef. Great wine selection. Lovely evening and great atmosphere. Highly recommend.

We went to El Sol and had a great experience. The waiters were all lovely and very efficient. The food was flavourful, however was very expensive. For instance we paid £8 for 3 croquetas. The calamari was very tasty as well as the picanha. All in all had a very positive experience.

Everything amazing. Lovely Tay thank you for everything! You were great! Thank to your manager too. Perfect service

Had an amazing meal - food was great the octopus especially! And we had a really wonderful friendly waitress call Tay . She was so welcoming and caring and ensured we had ordered enough food . She really made the experience. So with great staff like Yay and superb food this was a win win … if we were locals we would go back as regulars - th xxx no you Tay xx

Lovely restaurant and welcoming atmosphere. Service was great, even though it was busy. The waitress, Rosie, was knowledgeable and her recommendations were spot on, the peppers, Halloumi and chicken were all delicious. Would definitely recommend.

Really good value for the quality of the food, as well as Rosie’s service. Don’t miss the churros with chocolate for the dessert.

Delicious Tapas. The waiter helped answer our questions. Nicely decorated

Everything 10/10 preserves the Spanish essence while in England. Vania helped us, she was very friendly and also spoke Spanish, everything was perfect.

A little piece of Spain tucked away next to Canterbury Cathedral. Lovely food, very nice service, and an atmosphere reminiscent of Iberia itself. Even on a rainy English night, my colleagues and I were nearly fooled into thinking we were in Valencia or Sevilla. Strong recommend!

We were recommended this tapas bar, but as soon as we walked in, it didn't feel right. Only 25% of the tables were full, yet it seemed under pressure. Our order took approximately 15 minutes to be taken, the drinks arrived after the food, and the food wasn't hot and was of very poor quality. None of the food seemed authentic, it wasn't pleasant to eat, and we wanted to leave before the last tapas was served. The manager kindly reduced the bill by half, although we were happy to pay the full price. We wouldn't recommend or return, unfortunately. It's a shame, as it has such high reviews; we must have had a bad experience.

Delicious tapas, good service and vibe.

The service and food here is top of the game, super tender, flavourful beef and octopus. Best churros I have ever had too. The design and atmosphere of the restaurant feels warming. Many thanks to the waiter, Asa, for providing brilliant service for us and the chef does wonders.

I had an exquisite late lunch at El Sol, Very welcoming; 'Jesus looking' man with a friendly smile greeted me. My waiter, Asa was, smart, polite brought some olives and bread, explained what things on the menu were clearly when I queried a few things. Attentive, but didn't linger, I never felt rushed. I had a delightful cocktail 🍸 alongside halloumi, and octopus tapas; it was flavourful and 'real' made from fresh ingredients proper top nosh! The chef came by which I was glad about because of wanted to let him know how impressed I was at how the octopus was cooked 😋 perfect texture how it should be; but rarely is. Oh and the decor is so wonderful there is so much to look at inside and out! 🌺🌼🌺🌼 Thanks for a delicious meal, great service and atmosphere. 😊

Great tapas place in Canterbury! Enjoyed the steak, the squid, the croquetas and the beetroot hummus!

We went for lunch. We order a sharing tapas. Is perfect for a couple. Additional we order extra chips. They have dessert menu but we finished so full that we had to skip it. There was a young man and a young lady who served us in a very nice manner. The place is gorgeous, nicely decorated. The food amazing! The tapas were amazing! Highly recommended!

Great staff, friendly and fast. Family restaurant, since 2 years with original cuisine, very well seasoned. Large vegi paella, authentic tapas, fine grilled pepperoni. Had space with a large electric wheelchair. Places inside and outside. Toilet for wheelchair 1 level, rather narrow.

Great food, Great service! i recommend this restaurant

Found ourselves unexpectedly in Canterbury and happened upon this little gem by pure chance. The food, service and atmosphere is just perfection! The only negative is that I live 3 hours away so won't get to eat at this amazing place again!

This was one of the best meals I've eaten in years. Great service, amazing tasting food and a nice atmosphere. Would highly recommend!

It's cheaper to fly to Spain and eat real authentic delicious Spanish food and you'll get normal portion sizes... As long as you eat where locals do. This place is crazy expensive, provides small portions, and the food doesn't taste that good. And veg comes burnt. I'm off to Spain. 👋

Very nice food and super friendly staff, the manager and waitress were super nice with us. Food was delicious, very well presented too

Authentic Spanish tapas, we really enjoyed the food and service was attentive. Can’t fault El Sol! Will definitely return when in Canterbury next time.

The food was very, very good for what you find in England. I ordered the Picanha, which I was extremely excited for due to never seeing this cut of beef anywhere else, however when it came to the actual portion, I was severely disappointed. 3 little slices no thicker than my pinky finger were presented to me. For the price I paid it was a ridiculous asking price. Overall, nice restaurant, fantastic taste, but the servings were ridiculously small.

We have eaten quite a lot of tapas in our life, mainly in Spain. In El SOL Tapas Bar & Restaurant the tapas were among the best we ate so far. We loved the Empanadas and the Pimentos de Padron.

Such a great tapas bar! 10/10 service (shout out to Lydia for such great customer service!) 10/10 for the food (we had the patatas bravas, tortilla, chorizo de la casa, meat empanadas and chocolate and orange sponge cake. Would highly reccomend all of these dishes 👌

Wonderful experience, the food is delicious, the staff is really professional.

Nice tapas bar tucked away from the main high street of Canterbury. Food is good and drinks are great value. Staff aren’t the best and can be busy due to it also being a hotel, but overall a nice little bar and the ability to sit outside is very nice in spring/summer and makes it feel more authentic

Great service and the food was pretty good

Nice atmosphere, good food, sweet night.

We had 4 tapas and Alhambra beer, and the highlight was the beer. Tapas size were below average, and the flavours were "meh".

Loved the atmosphere and every single dish was perfectly prepared, the padron peppers were phenomenal, manchego fritos and halloumi croquettes were the highlight for me. Went with a couple of friends for a birthday lunch and would highly recommend! Friendly and helpful staff, great service. We even got a mango cheescake for desert which was divine :) Thankyou so much for the lovely experience!

Some of the best tapas in Canterbury surely but some of the best food I have ever had! We got many dishes and each was better than the rest. The calamari and octopus were so fresh and flavourful, as was the veg collection. Tasty, smooth sangria that wasn't watered down. They brought out me the dessert I wanted to try as it was my birthday. Very sweet. The atmosphere feels like you're in a quaint spot in Barcelona. Could not fault a thing. 100% would travel to Canterbury to eat here again! Thank you for a wonderful birthday dinner El Sol! ❤️

Been frequenting this place multiple times because it is honestly one of the best restaurants to eat at in Canterbury. Located conveniently in the city centre, this is Spanish tapas done right. You have a good range across the menu, including vegetarian options, and would recommend 5-6 dishes shared between 3-4 people. It’s just right and worth every penny. Food is absolutely delicious all around, especially finishing off with their freshly made churros! Staff are attentive and friendly, service is smooth running and the interiors are beautifully done. If you’re in Canterbury, drop by El Sol!

Fantastic tapas place. All the classics, but some more unusual ones too. Delicious & great service.

Great food and service. Highly recommend empanadas and manchego.

Really good food and quick service Generous size tapas portions

Great tapas restaurant/bar. The usual tapas, but really well cooked and served by friendly staff. Interior was Spanish inspired and cosy. Highly recommended.

Terrible place I am spanish dual resident, and a tapas bar at least gives you a bowl of olives, this place just charged 6.50 for a bottle of estralla total ripoff

Fantastic tapas, Fantastic restaurant. Located slightly off the main streets, we are so glad we stumbled across it. Well worth a visit.

Very good Spanish restaurant! Burnt chili tastes very similar to oil-soaked chili, but not as spicy. It would be nice to have rice or fried rice. The ribs taste like sweet and sour pork ribs, which is pretty good too. The mashed potatoes are okay, the squid tentacles are just like chicken skewers and have no taste. Just over £20 per person.

It's so good to eat Spanish food in UK! Great food and service

Superb Spanish themed restaurant with authentic menu providing that the real taste of Spain. Outstanding service by knowledgable waiting staff. Wide range of yapas dishes us to finish the cheesecake with mango coulis was to die for.

Food here is so so so good! We had a few tapas bits and no main and it was perfect for us. Highlight was the queso manchego and meat empanadas! Given free bread to soak up the sauces! Free Spanish olives to start are addicting. Staff were very attentive and kind (especially Sophia ). Cheesecake was special! Cream cheese so thick! Decor is cute! Very spain themed. Feels authentic and dishes reflect this.

I am very picky with food but this one surpassed my expectations! 🏅Great service as well!! Good sized portions👌

Beautiful tapas restaurant! An absolute gem. Highly recommend.

Lovely food, great service and fantastic atmosphere. Couldn't ask for more. Thank you for making our evening so memorable 😀😀

Absolutely love this place! Food, cocktails, service, ambience all was amazing 😍 Thanks for the lovely time.

The service here was wonderful, with attentive and friendly staff. However, the food missed the mark for us. On 6 of our dishes there was a strange, incredibly overpowering American mustard based sauce that the dishes were cooked in. We've visited Spain extensively and can safely say we've never experienced this there. Disappointingly the prawns we ordered had been frozen, not fresh and the octopus too. I can only imagine that other reviews are from people who have never eaten authentic Spanish food. A pleasant place with a good atmosphere and great service but the tastes were off. Unfortunately we won't return.

Blown away by the dish which was octopus and split pea puree. Washed it down with a glass of Sav. Blanc. Attentive staff and very attentive Manager who recommended this dish. The quality and fairness of price combined with the attentiveness over your culinary satisfaction is what a dining out experience should be. Well Done El Sol Canterbury. Pat yourselves on the back, all of you. Oh I almost forgot, my halloumi starter was lipsmackingly good. If my memory serves .. they were coated in polenta.

Came in for dinner for two without booking beforehand. We loved it ! All the dishes we got were amazing, taste-wise, as well as presentation, and for a very reasonable price. Service was great and very fast. I strongly recommend this place for a dinner to share.

Excellent find for dinner Fabulous tapas Quick efficient service Very good value

Incredible spot. All the dishes were delicious, kind and efficient staff, nice drinks, cozy feeling. Eating here makes you forget that you’re in (gloomy) Canterbury. Would recommend booking ahead because it’s hard to get a spot

One of my favorite places in Canterbury. The food great and very flavorful. The service is lovely and very helpful. I recommend the fried manchego and pulpo (octopus) Will be coming back.

Quite the best Tapas restaurant here or abroad that i have ever visited.

What a lovely place to go to eat. We stumbled upon this by accident and I'm glad we did. Attentive, courteous staff, fantastic wine and beer and delicious food. It's off the main high street enough that it's quiet but not too far that it's a detour to get there. I think if I could, I'd eat the croquettes every day. I highly recommend this place.... sorry I didn't take more photos!!!

Perfect dinner! The food was incredibly tasty and nice. The service was friendly and attentive we really enjoyed it we will definitely come back.

Went here with friends and had a great ‘late lunch’. Service was excellent and very helpful and attentive throughout. Food was really good we went with 8 dishes between the four of us and it was enough, albeit two still found room for dessert. We only had one drink each and the meal was just under £100 for the four of us so great value considering the quality of the food.

i came here with my friend, everything was perfect, the service was amazing, and the food was 10/10, recommend 100%!!!!

Lovely friendly attentive service. Excellent freshly cooked authentic tapas. Highly recommended! We stayed in one of the rooms upstairs, the Dickens room, and it was great! Will come again! X

Lovely little gem in the centre of Canterbury. The staff are very attentive and so kind. Tapas was beautiful. Perfectly cooked and is served as and when it's ready so you can just pick away while enjoying a lovely cocktail or a bottle of wine. We had two cocktails, a bottle of wine and 7 tapas dishes to share and was shocked to find the bill was only £100. Great food and great price.

I've been here a couple of times and everytime I've been I've loved everything. The food is delicious, the service is great and they serve you pretty quick as they know you're probably off to the theatre. My favourite dish is the Honey Manchego. Amazing! The Halloumi, the croquettes! Everything is yummy.

Wonderful restaurant - authentic Spanish tapas, food delicious, service excellent - can’t fault it. Look forward to the next time!!

Been there twice this week Had vegetarian combo first and the non vegetarian option second time. Prefer the vegetable option. Nice staff and relaxed atmosphere

A great place to go if you like tapas. Friendly staff

The food is incredibly tasty and freshly cooked. Staff and attentive and friendly. Prices are really reasonable too. We've been here a few times in the last year and never disappointed.

To be honest I found myself wondering where all the positive reviews came from. The food when it finally came out was merely average. The service was regrettably subpar with a noticeable lack of attention to some customers including myself. They seemed overly eager to receive reviews even going so far as to plead for them.. However, the approach left me perplexed as it seemed more desperate than genuine

Hands down one of (if not THE) best restaurant in Canterbury. Some of the best food I have ever eaten. It’s so tasty, so fresh, and so reasonably priced for what you get. Service is fast and friendly, and the restaurant has a really lovely atmosphere.

Everything was delicious but we loved the octopus, picanha, croquettes and prawns

Went to this restaurant for a celebration with some friends and was welcomed with positivity by the staff. Food was excellent quality and serving times were very convenient. I recommend this to anybody who is looking for an authentic tapas experience.

Went with a few of my friends and it was outstanding. Service was amazing and the food was just as good. The Manchego cheese was amazing we couldn’t stop eating it.