Nicholsons in Portsmouth

A large party of us came for Paella night and the service of Alina, Maisy and Natasha was absolutely brilliant! The food and drinks were also incredible and were excellent value for money! Will certainly be returning and will recommend to everyone! Thanks for a wonderful evening!!

Went for pre theatre tapas. Delicious food and great value. We were served by Nelson who gave us great service, advice on dishes and how much to order. Certainly will be returning.

My friend and I came to nicholsons for dinner before we went to the theatre. The food was incredible the staff were so friendly and attentive and knowledgeable about every dish. Nelson was polite chatty nothing was to much trouble for him .we had a fab time and will definitely recommend. And will be returning again ..

Wednesday night is paella night right now at Nicholsons and I strongly recommend it for mid week date night or just a good time with a friend At £25 per head you get bread olives then mixed tapas starters (we had croquettes, bravos potatoes , goats cheese in filo and tortilla, then their amazing paella to share freshly cooked and delicious this comes with a pitcher of sangria excellent value and lots of food

We popped in towards the end of the evening, we'd been celebrating my sisters Birthday. The bar staff/waiters Nelson and ALFIE in particular looked after us and made sure we had the perfect tapas and plenty of banter. It made the journey from Leeds more bearable. We'll defo come back.

Lovely relaxing atmosphere. Wonderful and generous selection of tapas. Super welcome and service. Alfie in particular was a great asset to the business - informative and good humored. First class enjoyable lunch at a very reasonable cost.

Good food, price, service. Wednesday evening and 70% full creating a lovely atmosphere.

This was the first time eating Tapas thoroughly enjoyed it the dishes. Will visit again. When I am in Portsmouth.

Good place to eat and drink. Happy hour lives up to its name. Staff very nice and helpful.

Alina makes THE best cocktails in Portsmouth by far make sure you ask her to make them

Really great service, amazing food and good price. A firm favourite of ours!

Ho here often, never been disappointed, lot's of choice and we like the sharing dessert as you get a little bit of everything.

Food was amazing and the service was excellent! They answered our questions on how much we should order for the 2 of us as we had never been before and a great atmosphere in there.

We visited in the evening of Sunday 8th September around 7-7.30, asked for a table for two - we hadn't booked - and were given a choice of where to sit, handed menus and a drinks order taken within a couple of minutes. I only mention the day and time because we didn't get the names of the two young men that served us but wanted to highlight to the owners, if they read these reviews, that the service we received was of an exceptionally high standard; professional, friendly and very efficient; a huge asset to your company and should be commended. Onto the food, we ordered a selection of tapas plates, potato braves, albondigas, a mixed leaf salad, a paella portion and calamari frito, all of which were authentic and well presented, next time we'll order a full paella. The Santiago Almond Tart was very good. The restaraunt has a nice atmosphere, everyone seemed to be having a good time but it wasn't that noisy that you couldn't have a conversation. Definitely somewhere to revisit.

Great place to eat before going to the Kings Theatre, we parked on the street not far from the restaurant. We had an excellent table in the main area and the waiter was very good but on his own for a while. So the service was a little slow until other staff arrived. We really enjoyed the authentic tapas, the meat balls were superb, and the Huevos a la Flamenca (Flamenco eggs) were excellent, we also had a sharing platter that was great. Good beer and wine too, glad we went and will be back

Great place, nothing is too much for the staff and the food is absolutely delicious that caters for all

Amazing meal and awesome service. Will come again soon! Thank you!

Food is great, authentic Spanish tapas. Sangria was very refreshing. Very reasonable prices. Service also great, friendly attentive staff. Nice atmosphere and general vibe. Tasteful decor and intimate lighting. The only thing I can think to improve would be the restroom. It kind of wobbles in there and is a little disorientating. Overall though 5 stars, one of Southsea's best for sure.

I was there on a busy weekend and did not have a reservation. Otherwise I thought the place had a great vibe great decor, and good service. I did feel like the food at least that I selected needed more flavor and seasoning. But was visually appealing and fresh.

Service was prompt. Food was great. Beer was cold. Would happily come back

I adore this place! Gorgeous cocktails, delicious food, helpful/lovely staff. Highly recommend 👌

Great meal! Really tasty food, fresh & hot! The service was amazing! The manager and the young waiter looked after us exceptionally well

Great food, lovely atmosphere, crisp service. Always a pleasure.

Very friendly and welcoming team. Fantastic food and atmosphere. Thank you for having me and my friends

Such good food, good service. My go to place

Came to Nicholsons for dinner right after witnessing a devastating loss by England in the Euro 2024 final... Wow, this place is excellent. The food was incredible and the restaurant had a great vibe. The staff also did a good job. By the time we left, we were in high spirits and had completely forgotten about football 🤣. I look forward to going here again!

Perfect for a casual Monday night get together with a friend. Food was super tasty and good quality with plenty of options for all dietary needs. The 5 4 4 tapas deal was a lovely bonus too. The service fantastic. They were super friendly, efficient and nothing was a problem. They went above and beyond when dealing with an allergy query.

Went in for lunch on a Tuesday.Quiet. Great service. Had the 5 but pay for 4 Tapas. The meatballs were special. Nice crème brûlée and almond pie pudding options as well. Reasonable prices. Would recommend and go back.

Booked online, 5.30 on a saturday and got the end of the bar which was fine for us. Had a sharing platter and 3 other dishes which was maybe 1 dish short but the food was excellent. Loved everything about the place, quality food, good service and prices were fine. Only gripe was not Guinness or decent IPA options. It was very lager dominated. We will be back!

Just popped in for coffee menu looked good,and price for coffee was 2.40 for a black coffee, nice taste.

Average food. Poorly executed. Pricey for what was offered. If I lived here I would not return.

Absolutely loved the food and a great ambience!

Amazing Food and amazing service, Felt like I was back home, thanks João for the impeccable service and cocktails. Made our night !

Wonderful meal and the atmosphere is really pleasant

Our first time visiting Nicholsons for an evening meal after popping in for drinks last time we were in Southsea. I'm glad we booked as the restaurant was very busy. The cocktails were really nice and the tapas that we had was excellent. Although the restaurant was very busy, our server was attentive, but not too much. The food was served relatively quickly and the tapas was hot and tasty. All in all well worth the visit, although it is best to book on a Friday evening. We will definitely return.

Nothing not to like here, nice decor & ambiance, great service, lovely beer and yes you guessed it, really tasty refined food and cooked perfectly and a delicious dessert to finish off a great meal out for two

Amazing tapas and great service. 10/10 would recommend!

Visited on Saturday night, my mother is disabled and the help and assistance the staff and management gave her was absolutely fabulous, as a family we are all very grateful, the food was excellent. The only negative comment that could be made but is in no way a complaint was it was very loud. Thankyou all so very much for your kindness and attention that you all gave. We will be back. Top marks!!!!

My favourite place. Great selection of Tapas that always tastes great. Good selection of drinks & staff are friendly. Relaxed atmosphere we love it here

Great food, service and atmosphere, highly recommend!

Always loved Spanish food, great food and service.

A thoroughly enjoyable meal. The food was excellent, the staff were very pleasant and helpful. The place was buzzing.

I thank the waiter and the entire restaurant, we are happy that we found this place and were able to have a very tasty meal late in the evening. Hospitality at the highest level!

Food out with a fussy 19 year old and my husband. The teenager has just described the food as ‘simply sublime’ and I can’t disagree. Super-friendly service too. Highly recommend.

Very, Very Nice! Good selection of alcohol, I recommend the white sangria, and the dark and stormy. Can’t wait to come back for more!

Amazing tapas, great staff, food came out quick and it was all delicious!! Cocktails were yummy too. Will definitely be back!

Great food, especially if you enjoy the sharing concept of tapas. Good service. Staff polite, friendly and helpful. Highly recommend.

A nice "occasion" place - good food and a nice ambience about the place. You never feel too rushed, in fact it took longer to get the bill than it did to eat anything. A very relaxed eaterie and I'd have no hesitation going back. The wine selection is good too.

Not our first visit and it won’t be our last! Love, love, love the food at Nicholsons and we are (slowly) making our way round the menu. Mia was our host again and she was as friendly and welcoming as she always has been. We booked for 7 and by 8 the restaurant was full (Thursday evening) so be sure to book in advance to avoid disappointment!

The food is incredible, I recommend the meatballs and the pil pil shrimp. The price is very good for the quality. Definitely recommend a visit have come here many times. The special of the week was pork belly and it was very good. They have so much good choice and the staff were all lovely.

On the night we went it seemed over busy with the staff struggling a bit.The food was good and overall we had a good time.

I have just left this place. We waited so long for our drinks but the main factor was the food. The tapas bits we had. The chorizo was cooked enough. But the paella well in all my 65 years that is the worst pathetic think I have had as an excuse of a paella in my life. We paid for 2x2 seafood. The whole thing when it arrived was swimming in water and topped off with olive oil. The rise was barely cooked. The water I could see was from all the frozen food from seafood to frozen peas. There was no seasoning what so ever. No salt no paper.no saffron let alone anything to give it a colour resembling paella colour. Now just waiting to see if any of us gets poisoning. This is a really bad place to eat I am really angry. We paid for drinks we hadn't ordered. The guy behind the bar like all the staff were so I need of training

Nicholsons is the best spot for tapas in Portsmouth. Not only were they able to accomodate a large number of us for an event but the manager was able to accomodate our requests every step of the way and was more than understanding when it came to last minute change of plans and our parties' needs. I would highly recommend Nicholsons for delicious tapas, cocktails and brilliant service.

Wonderful night out after a bad day. Everything lightened the mood. Quality of the dishes was excellent by any standards. Friendly staff and reasonable prices A great place to go.

Decent tapas. Good vegetarian options which are also pleasing. It didn't wow but it still tasted well. However, the Bischof Cheesecake was INSANE! So so delicious, a divine desert!

Unfortunately didn't get pics here as it was a date and felt odd whipping out my phone in front of the guy to do my usual Google contributions hahaha. But the service and atmosphere are wonderful. Cozy environment. Food was OK, nothing superb but staff attitude and service made up for that!

Food looked good but tasted average, lots of options though. Perhaps quality not quantity should be adopted? Service was slow to the point where we decided to skip dessert and leave (after waiting 15 minutes for a dessert menu)

We came as a group of 9 for their set Christmas menu last night, option 2, and every aspect of the evening was perfect. The food was excellent, relaxed and friendly service, atmosphere was great and not rushed out of our table. Our friends who came from out of town loved it all and said it was refreshing to have a non-turkey Christmas dinner offering. The food is always great when we come to Nicholsons, one of the best restaurants in Southsea.

Absolutely amazing food. Definitely recommend the cheese cake and great service.

I recently dined at Nicholson's Spanish Tapas in Southsea with a party of ten, and I must say, it was a fantastic experience. Despite the sizable crowd, including two other large parties and several small tables, they managed to accommodate us seamlessly. The service was not only friendly but impressively quick. I was pleasantly surprised that all the dishes, prepared from scratch, arrived within about 20 minutes. Even with each of us ordering around three dishes, everything was served promptly, accurately, and piping hot. The culinary experience was exceptional, making it the best tapas I've had in Southsea. The lively and cheerful atmosphere added to the overall enjoyment of the evening. If you're in Southsea and craving authentic Spanish tapas, Nicholson's is undoubtedly a top-notch choice.

A great place to eat. Service is fast and friendly. The selection of tapas is good. Everything we had was tasty and well presented. Will definitely be going back.

Having dined here whilst living in Southsea when the restaurant first opened I was excited to return some years later at the request of my daughter to practice her Spanish. Would it still be reminiscent of a sultry Spanish backwater? The decor has changed, more modern and the unit has doubled in size - but yes, the quality is still there in the flavour and sublime subtleties of the signature dishes. Staff are knowledgeable & on the ball. Didn’t have paella this time but we shared 5 tapas dishes. During the weekdays there’s an offer included if you order 5 x tapas. This was plenty to share and we even took some home in a little box. Defo recommend.

Not a bad place for a tapas lunch. I would recommend the Chick Peas and Chorizo. Dishes came out quite quickly so you can order a few and then see how hungry you are before ordering more.

Excellent place to go with family or friends! I have been here many times and always the service and the food is excellent. The staff is always really attentive and ready to help!

As Southsea residents, we’ve been to Nicholson’s several times, but this was our first time back for about 6 months. We were however a little disappointed compared to previous visits. After being seated, it took a while for our order to be taken despite the restaurant being quiet (we went for an early dinner)….staff appeared to be distracted talking behind the bar. When our food did arrive, we had a couple of bits missing, which the waitress didn’t seem to realise until we asked. The food portions definitely weren’t as big compared to previous visits either, and the bread was very underwhelming, arguably stale. Sadly I don’t think we’ll be returning any time soon.

My favourite restaurant in Portsmouth food is always amazing 😍

Lovely food and lovely friendly staff

A very nice place to eat something small or even for a bigger hunger. Smaller versions of "large" portions are an interesting option. Delicious taste, short waiting time, moderate prices - in one word, there's no need to hesitate ☺️

I eat out extensively in Portsmouth and tonight, with my girlfriend, I had the best meal I have had in the city to date. The whole experience was excellent, from the staff and service to the amazing food. 100% recommend, what a great place

We went there for dinner with friends. The tapas was really good, the staff were really nice and the service was good. The place was clean and there was a nice atmosphere. We also had several cocktails, a nice evening.

Came down to Portsmouth for a one night stay whilst the car was having a new soft-top fitted and we stumbled across this gem of a restaurant for dinner. We were ravenous, and between the two of us demolished bread, seven tapas dishes and a cheese plate, all of which were absolutely delicious, in particular I'd highly recommend the champinones al horno, morunos, chorizo frito al vino and patatas gratinadas. The cocktails deserve a special mention too (we managed four each) - passionfruit martinis and cosmopolitans were highlights. Bill came to £150 which is pretty good value considering that ~£60 was the food, the balance being cocktails and a solitary glass of port. Super friendly and efficient staff too - all in all a great place. I only wish I lived nearer to it, as I'd definitely become a frequent visitor.

Fantastic evening! Cocktails were lovely and food was super tasty! The service was great, everyone was so friendly!!

The best Paella I've ever had, better than when in Spain. Very flavoursome and rich. Friendly staff. I'll be going back soon. Thank you!

Took a while to get drinks before ordering but it was very busy & Iow on staff. The food was amazing, staff friendly 😁

So it was ok. Service was good but could have been snappier. A tiny bit more polish. I don’t know what it is about Spanish food served in England but the focus on Spanish always goes astray. As an example the menu included ciabatta, fondue and a balsamic dressing. The Albondigas had a distinctly Italian influence. If its the proprietor’s intention to include these for a given reason then fair enough but if the diner goes expecting Spanish then you have to wonder about the motives for this. It does put me off Tapas generally away from Spain. The coffee was really good. And i mean that.

Great food. Young guy who served us was new but he was very good 👍

Our favourite Tapas restaurant in Hampshire.

Great food , enjoyed are dinner. it was lovely and sunny so finished are drinks outside, do recommend booking as always busy

The food was pretty good, good service, good drinks. Just too expensive, but apparently prices in England have risen extremely. Maybe the store belongs to some investment fund that just wants to make as much money as possible? Greed rules here.

Another great meal, really enjoyed all our dishes.

Food is very good service good will definitely be going again.

Good selection of tapas and friendly staff. Prices are reasonable. Fully stocked bar. Booking advisable (we went on a Saturday evening and it was popular). Helpful waiting staff

we have been trying to get here for yonks ,i now see why its always busy . absolutely delicious food ,we had various tapas which were all great .the bonus is they sell manzani (its a very nice apple liquer),spanish coffee to end we shall return !

Friendly staff and good food. Unfortunately the dishes I had chosen were unavailable. My daughter wanted the paella but had to order 24hrs in advance. She missed this in the confirmation. The online menu said order in advance, but not 24hrs in advance!

This place used to take pride in its dishes in what was an affordable, authentic environment. It's now gone up market with the prices to boot. 7.50 for a bottle of Fruity cider! The food ranged was somewhat enjoyable to drab, bland and dry. The meatballs gave me every impression they were microwaved and the ribs were the worst ive ever eaten worldwide. The food came out quickly but almost too quickly for the amount we ordered which sometimes makes you think. Some things were decent but the lack of Padron Peppers in an authentic tapas bar is quite poor. 50 quid a head when members of the party weren't drinking means money could have been spent better elsewhere.

We had Tapas on a Sunday afternoon for my wife's birthday. The food and service was wonderful. We are already planning to go back for my sons graduation celebration.

2nd visit here, lovely restaurant and great choices for food and drink. Staff great and when there was an issue with one the dishes, dealt with it with no fuss and professionally. Tasty food.

Great selection of tapes, delicious food, good wine ,relaxing atmosphere, most definitely a place to eat 😋

You have to eat here. Busy, but the service was excellent. The food is amazing. Best rump steak I've had and the rest was just as good

had a great evening with excellent food and grest service

had a great meal ,service was great too.

Beautiful food so fresh and hot definitely recommend lovely staff x

Have been there about 4 times now and every time have had a great experience. Lovely food, lovely atmosphere and lovely staff. 👍👌😍

Superb service, respectful and welcoming. Lovely ambience, tables spaced out nicely. Food was absolutely delicious. The warm spinach, pine nut and raisin salad was to die for. You will love every dish though, cooked to perfection.

Chef from Moldova 🇲🇩 made these dishes sing with layers of organic flavour and complexity within each dish. Didn’t all blend together as one flavour, each dish stood on its own and was delicious. Nice cocktails and the Pinot blush worked well with each tapas. The simple decor included plants and an industrial feel. Loved it.

I family meal out at Nicholson’s and another wonderful experience. The staff are marvellous and we were well looked after by Darren 😊 We would highly recommend - and will be back again soon 🥗🫕🍲

Food is always amazing, however the service at times can be a bit slow

Recently me and my partner visited Nicholson's on Friday night for dinner. And I have to say best cocktails in town my partner asked for the name of bartender and if we get it right it is Zygis sorry if we go it wrong but his Nespresso Martini was incredible. Also what stood out for us Natalia costumer service she was with us through the night and her costumer service is exeptional. This restaurant is so lucky to have the staff it does as without it I think they would struggle a lot. We will definitely be back for more!

Very happy with our lunchtime visit. Food was very tasty and fresh; portions were a great size too. Combined with their lunch menu offer of 4 dishes and a house salad for £22.95, we added 3 more dishes and 3 drinks and the price came to (pre tip) just under £50. We’ll worth the money!

Fantastic atmosphere ,top of the shop staff,had a cracking vodka martini made here ,keep up the good work .