Tapas Stories in City of London, Westminster

Stopped here for a rest and some mid-afternoon tapas during a visit to the Market. Shared a cheese board and some sangrias in a really cute setting, while enjoying the entertainment outside. Lovely place and would recommend. ☺️

Good restaurant option in Covent Garden. Food was delicious and wine too! Good quality of ingredients. The only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because the place is small, we sat very cramped and practically the dishes we ordered didn't all fit on the table. Furthermore, there is no purifier in the kitchen, we left the restaurant with our clothes smelling of food grease.

Great service and great food, but maybe it's a bit oily because of customs

Amazing place!!!!, the only problem is the music that is very bad!

Paella was amazing, Churros amazing, awesome drinks, and really friendly staff - We loved it :-)

Great atmosphere. Really good service from Josh who recommended a great wine and was very attentive with his service Nice place to relax with a glass of wine after a long day of walking around London

Hervorragendes Essen, sehr leckere Drinks und super nettes Personal in toller Atmosphäre. Sehr zu empfehlen!!! Wir kommen wieder

Super nice staff, very tasty tapas and the Aperol is worth every €/£

We didn’t have much time before seeing a show and we stumbled across this place and took a chance. It exceeded expectations. Super friendly and helpful staff, lovely house wine, delicious food, and all done quickly so that we could head off. Really impressed would definitely come again.

One of Covent Garden's gems, a small but atmospheric tapas place with quality ingredients, really kind staff, we totally loved the seafood paella! :)

First time in Europe/London and Tapas Stories is the first place in London/Europe I ate at.. Absolutely Amazing Sangria, Tapas and service!!! Thank you for an amazing first meal in London.

The food was lovely and the staff were brilliant. In particular Umayma and Sumayaru (sorry if i've spelt either wrong). Would very much recommend.

Our first rooky mistake was actually deciding to eat in Covent Garden Square as generally it is overpriced, However, our biggest mistake was choosing this restaurant! Absolute waste of money even the drinks were disgusting, we left most of the food and drink they never even asked us was it okay? Totally indifferent. We ordered Patata Bravas which were basically roast potatoes which had been done in the deep fat fryer and they tasted like it with sauce that tasted very much like franks hot sauce, we ordered calamari which was rubbery and the batter kept falling off this was a good thing as the batter was rank as well. we also ordered olives which were in edible and pan con tomata which basically tasted like tin tomatoes on toast with some really bad olive oil drizzled over the top. we did order another dish, but they never brought it and we were actually quite grateful 🙏🏻 when the bill came They had a cheek to include a service charge 😂 we asked them to remove it which they did. Overall I would warn anybody to stay clear of this place total waste of money.

Food was really nice but service and attitude of staff was poor. Food was served at all different times. Food was served eventually for 4 of us and by the time we had finished eating then food was served to the 5th person who had to eat on their own whilst the rest of us had finished our meals. Then one last meal was sent out to a different one of us. We were offered one complimentary small cheesecake for us all to share. The bill eventually came after asking for it a few times with a supplementary charge of 12.5% which was around £20. We asked for this to be taken off for obvious reasons. The manager came over and asked why we didn’t want to pay this infront of other customers which made us feel really uncomfortable. We explained the reasons why and he seemed to storm off. He then went in to the kitchen and was speaking to his colleagues and looking at us. He then ignored us and spent 10 minutes doing other things in the kitchen to purposely waste our time. It was obvious he took the surcharge situation personal. We had to politely ask another member of staff if we could pay the bill as we made to be running late for a theatre show. We finally paid and left whilst the manager continued to stay away in the kitchen whilst we left. Again, food was nice but it’s a shame some of the staff ruined this.

4 of us stopped for lunch whilst in london. Expected london prices, but what we got was awful Food was dismal, paid £108 for meat platter [£21.00] and seafood paella [£28] and 4 beers, alcohol free cocktail and tiny glass of fruit juice. The paella was burnt on the bottom, and certainly not enough for 2, as advertised. The meat platter was barely enough for 1 [meant as sharer] and had stale bread, no butter. Probably £4 worth of meat from aldi, if that. Service was OK, but spent more time on their phones. Will never eat there again. Total rip off.

Wonderful spot in Covent Garden. Food was lovely, not entirely an authentic experience, but very close.

We sat at the tables outside to enjoy the spectacle of the musicians who were performing and we had two Alhambra for 14 pounds. The waitress was very nice to us

Great food ( amazing patatas bravas ) super nice staff 10/10

Very hot. Food not good. Wine not good

Warm friendly service. 5 star quality food. Reasonable prices for London. Sit back and enjoy music from busking musicians.

Delicious food expertly done. The kids loved the sharing platter and the octopus was excellent. Would happily go back again.

I had a wonderful lunch with my daughter while visiting London. We ordered the Seafood Paella and Patatas Brivas it was absolutely delish. We ate outside and watched a woman sing opera. I believe the acts change every hour as someone else was playing stringed instruments when we walked by later. I would eat there again in a heartbeat.

I recently dined at Tapas Stories and had a delightful experience. The sangria was exceptionally good, perfectly refreshing and flavorful. I also enjoyed the shrimp tortillas and gambas which were a fantastic recommendation from Harsha, the waiter. He was very attentive and offered excellent suggestions for other dishes as well. Overall, a great place for a quick meal.

I made a reservation for an elderly family member's birthday and staff called to check whether we would like an indoor or outdoor table and even sang happy birthday when they brought dessert We ordered more food than we could eat and they packed it up for us to take home The staff were quick to address any questions or issues we had It was slow when we came to pay the bill but in central London I had low expectations for this I would have liked oil and balsamic to have been available for the bread that came with other plates, it seemed as though there was a separate sourdough bread with condiments dish to order if you wanted oil and vinegar

Cute location, amazing paella and super nice service from Praveena :) I recommend visiting for a cozy and pleasing experience.

An amazing little restaurant with the most delicious food. A special mention to Umayma who was a wonderful waitress. Whilst in the restaurant we were serenaded by a small orchestra followed by a dolo opera singer performing just outside. A perfect setting to say the least

We went to this lovely tapas place situated in Covent Garden the staff was really sweet food was really good and the place is small and quaint luckily we found a table

Lovely place & conveniently located in Covent Garden. Food was delicious & service brilliant. Atmosphere very chilled & authentic. Thank you xx

We came in the evening and even it was still more than 30 min until closing, we felt like we were not welcomed here. Prosecco was served without any bucket of ice, waiter just put on the table without even opening for us, no recommendation offered. Basically no service whatsoever and feeling was like they wanted all of the customers just to leave as soon as possible. Would not recommend and would not come back here.

Cute place in covent garden. Umayma was amazing!! 5* she's a credit to Tapas Stories. Thank you for making my celebrations special. See you again soon!

We thought everything about this restaurant experience was perfect. We love tapas restaurants and think this is one of the best. The food was delicious and the service was excellent too, so friendly. We were lucky with excellent entertainment (a strings ensemble) opposite while we were there. I enjoyed a superb (or two) glass of Spanish red. If you like tapas bars then don't hesitate to book (we think booking would be recommended, we booked). Excellent value for London, we'll most definitely return and recommend to friends (already have!). Thank you Team Tapas Stories you are doing a great job!

We waited at the sign saying ‘please wait to be seated’ so we did. I saw a few members of staff inside the restaurant trying to get their attention waiting about 5 minutes. One member of staff came out and attended the table next to where we were standing (literally 2 foot away) and took their order. I thought maybe she would then take us to a table but no she went back inside and completely ignored us. No attention to anyone who wanted to have a meal, such a shame. But glad we didn’t have a meal and have to listen to the awful opera singer!

posto da turista, porzioni piccole e prezzo alto. piacevole l’atmofera, data dai musicisti di strada. non lo consiglio

Great find, slightly off the beaten path. They offer an excellent variety of small plates, and everything our family sampled was tasty. We ate just outside their restaurant in the courtyard. If you need a little more quiet, best to take an inside table. Good value and definitely recommended.

Very nice restaurant with very good paella and really nice service. We really enjoyed our visit here.

This restaurant was a real winner! Really friendly and helpful staff, nice atmosphere and delicious, freshly cooked tapas. We loved every dish we ordered and will definitely be coming back again. The mushroom croqetas were new to me but really, really tasty. I highly recommend Tapas Stories.

Overpriced pretentious tourist trap. Paid £80 for some tiny snacks (not really very authentic tapas either). Stories!

EDIT: The management reached out to me and offered a lot of different options that I didn't know existed. Sounds like there's a way to curate the experience a bit more. Additionally, not only is the in-house staff lovely and attentive, the management who reached out are as well. They offered to make things right with us, even though our experience was not that bad to begin with. But it's that kind of great service that would make me want to come back and try again. Note* we only tried the Tapas Mixtas. The other food looked great and I'm sure is delicious as well, only I can't speak to it. Would love to try it though, especially to support them. ORIGINAL REVIEW: Ordered the tapas mixtas charcuterie board. Came with 2 types of hard cheese, no salt pepper or olive oil. Service was great though. Food we ordered was meh.

A real gem in the heart of Covent Garden. Situated on the lower gallery this Tapas bar is a real find. Came across on a Friday evening before a concert. Some tables outside in courtyard as well. We were able to get a table without booking. Staff were very pleasant and helpful. Decor inside this small oasis was lovely, walls adorned with Spanish ceramics. We ordered gambas All Ajillo and Spanish mixed filled croquettes along with table du pan which consisted of a selection of warm breads with virgin olive oil and balsamic. We chose their Spanish organic white to go with the food. The food was excellent, dishes arrived hot. You could tell everything was fresh and food was at table as soon as it was ready. The atmosphere was great, musicians playing/singing in the courtyard added to the laid back atmosphere. Prices for London were ok, if you want good food. We will definitely be going back next time we're in London.

Food is great. Service is great, the ladies were soo sweet and welcoming. Atmosphere and price is great. I had the braised ribs and the churros with Rose *chefs kiss*. I definitely recommend!

Very good and beautifully prepared tapas; a bit cave-like but cozy

There weren't many things I could eat, but when I could, they were very good

Nice place outside music ao vivo

Visited here a week ago and honestly the only thing that's memorable is the balsamic vinegar. Food was very mediocre for the price. However, the service was exceptional and very kind so thank you for that.

As another reviewer has noted, the place is nice (well, what wouldn't be in a location like Covent Garden) but the food - and the drink - was abysmal with a capital 'A'. Spain should stop places like this giving 'tapas' a bad name. Make it like 'champagne' where using the name is verboten unless the stuff is made there. Or at least where a certain standard is maintained if they're going to use the name wherever. The 'sangria' didn't IMHO have any alcohol in it, the bread platter was made with stale bread, and what the hell the shrimp tortilla was supposed to be I really couldn't work out - tasted and looked like a crusty shoe sole. They're lucky to get a single star for the food. Avoid like the plague!

Lovely service, tasty food and great atmosphere

Beautifully set in the piazza, delicious food and drinks, the prawns &croquettes &basque cheesecake were all delicious! Staff are friendly and gave great recommendations. AND the doorstep piazza performances add to the lovely atmosphere.

Second visit, last time was 6 months ago. Good tapas, quickly made and served quickly. Friendly staff and tasty food. The experience is made better by the free entertainment outside the front door! Recommended. Thank you. .

Great place, food was perfect and the service as well. Nothing more to stay except thank you very much! We will come back!

Brilliant service, amazing people, especially our waitress Umayma made our evening so special! Will definitely come back!

The location is good and umayma was very Kind and sweet with us

The meal was good, but small tables if you want to have several portions or eat together. Also, small portions per plate. The waitress was friendly and we had a view of the show in the center of Covent Garden Square!

We had an aperitif, there were two of us, the service was slow, even though there was no one there. The food… sad. Terrible value for money. But you're in Covent Garden. Bait and switch.

Very expensive for what it offers. Really small portions. Good quality of raw materials but terrible value for money. I do not recommend.

Really lovely relaxing atmosphere, friendly, smiley staff and good food.

Had a cosy table inside. Staff were super friendly & the food was delicious!! The beef was really tasty. Whole meal was reasonably priced too!

Fabulous meal, Fabulous place and Fabulous staff especially the delightful Umayma who made us feel extra special. All in all absolutely lovely experience from start to finish

Really cute restaurant in Covent Garden. The food was really very good, and when you come here, please try the piña colada, especially when made by Umayma, as it's her favourite cocktail to make. The wine also goes really good with the food. Certainly worth eating here when you visit Covent Garden!

The iberico ham tastes almost authentic! Very good service and also give good wine suggestions. There was also live music outside, which created a pleasant atmosphere. A highly recommended restaurant!

Very nice food and a really good service!!

Fabulous food and wine with lovely friendly and attentive staff and the bonus of musical entertainment from the singer/ musicians in the lower courtyard. A perfect lunch!

An exceptional dining experience at this tapas restaurant! From the moment we walked in, the ambiance was inviting and the service was impeccable. Each dish we tried was bursting with flavor and beautifully presented. The variety of tapas options ensured there was something for everyone, and the portion sizes were just right for sharing. The sangria was also a highlight, perfectly complementing our meal. Overall, a must-visit for anyone craving delicious Spanish cuisine in a cozy atmosphere.

The atmosphere was amazing and the staff were very polite, the food was tasty especially the croquettes.

Came in with my friends for dinner and a catch up, loved the variety of food and the speedy, attentive service. The seafood paella is a must try, will definitely recommend!

Very nice spot tucked away in Covent Garden market. Came in with my wife for a quick dinner, really loved the food and the amazing service. Will be coming back again soon!

Amazing little place, food is definitely worth a try, especially the paella and croquettes. Service was great and the restaurant is very nicely located in the heart of the market hall

The place is amazing with really friendly staff, the food was perfectly cooked and presented, also the place is cute with live music and cute interior

Small but very cozy restaurant with good food.

In a really cozy place, magical nook, beautiful decoration, wonderful little details. The food was decent, I hope they can make it more special in the future; either in seasoning or to sneak in a little something extra. The service was very kind and helpful, we had a good time! All in all, it's worth stopping by and having a good meal!

Posto molto carino e accogliente, personale molto cordiale e disponibile, che ha accompagnato la nostra cena in modo impeccabile (grazie Sarayu, per essere stata una splendida compagnia). Ovviamente il cibo è stato ottimo!!!! Noi abbiamo ordinato tapis a base di croquettes, ribs e patate e il dolce lava tura, tutto squisito!!

Posto molto carino, proprio di fronte a dove vanno ad esibirsi numerosi artisti, per lo più musicisti e cantanti. Cibo di qualità e personale cordiale e disponibile. Prezzi un po' sopra la media di altri locali ma data la posizione è più che giustificato. Unica pecca l'odore di cucina che resta incollato ai vestiti

Horrendously expensive . Horrible rude staff .food not great. The opera singer was painful . Only negative experience in london. 1.50 to go to the toilet.

Dreamy paella. Great value & service.

Wir fanden es wunderbar dort! Wir wollten nur einen kleinen Snack essen und haben den Pulpo und die frittierten Mini-Oktopos bestellt, und hatten mit kleinen Tapas-Portionen gerechnet - es kamen aber so groß gefüllte Portionen, dass wir es fast nicht geschafft haben, sie aufzuessen. Daher kann ich die Kritik an der Größe der Portionen, die hier häufig zu lesen ist, nicht teilen. Na klar, wenn man mit einem Hauptgericht rechnet, sind die Portionen eher klein - aber so funktionieren Tapas ja nicht, das sind ja per se kleine Portionen. 2-3 soll man bestellen, um satt zu werden, wurde uns erklärt, bei uns haben 1-2 gereicht (wir hatten aber auch keinen großen Hunger, also stimmt die Einordnung mit 2-3 für "normalen" Hunger auf jeden Fall). Den Service fanden wir super, wir haben die Live-Music an unserem Tisch gehört, das war richtig schön. Und für die Toilette nebenan bekommt man einen Zettel mitgegeben, damit man dort keine Gebühr entrichten musst. Alles in allem waren wir sehr zufrieden.

The waitresses were amazing with an amazing spirit and attitude which made me and my partner want to stay longer and longer!!!

Lovely staff and amazing experience, can’t fault the night!!!

God mat! Återvänder gärna hit igen...

The atmosphere was phenomenal inside this quaint little venue, the staff were friendly, the restaurant has a stunning, vibrant decor aswell as a comforting feeling to it. However, the flavour in the food could have been better. We ordered a variety of tapas dishes for a quick nibble before a comedy show and they were adequate at best, there was nothing particularly bad about the dishes nor was there anything exceptionally compelling. We ordered the bravas, pulled beef and the shrimp pancake. My favourite was definitely the shrimp pancake, it was crispy and the texture was just right - strongly recommend

16th Dec 2023 We went here for dinner on a Christmas night in London. The food was good, but clearly frozen and microwaved, the house wine was sold out (meaning we had to pay more for a wine we didn't want) and the restaurant didn't have a toilet - meaning we had to wait 15minutes for the public toilets across the road. We went to mcdonalds afterwards for chips. The bill came to £130 + 15% service for 4 adults that were all hungry afterwards, and the staff confirmed they did not recieve the tips. I wouldn't recommend anyone go to this restaurant.

Place its nice ,in the middle of the Market of Covent Garden, relax cozy atmosphere. We asked for a large jamon iberico sharing plate and patatas bravas. Jamon Iberico was standar quality ,wine we asked for an argentinian one ...price are affordable and jamon iberico and wine was good, acceptable quality but the patatas bravas we asked were just so overcooked and no prepared with real knowledge...so no recommended at all until they get the right formula! I RECOMMEND a trip to Spain for the chef!

Marlyn went the extra mile to ensure me and my girlfriend had an impecable experience . I seldom leave reviews but the least I could do for the outstanding service we were provided was to leave a review. I hope she gets the recognition she deserves.

Das Essen war sehr gut und auch von der Menge ausreichend! Der Service lässt zu wünschen übrig: Zum Bestellen musste man nach vorne zur Kasse um den Kellner zu rufen. Beim Servieren wurde dann auch ein Bestandteil vergessen. Kein einziges Mal kam Personal an den Tisch um zu fragen, ob noch etwas benötigt wird. Das Salz muss man sich dann schon selbst holen. Kein Weltuntergang, aber dennoch ein Manko. Etwas spanische/lateinamerikanische Musik hätte dem Ambiente gut getan. Stattdessen wird Popmusik gespielt. WC gibt es keins. Dazu muss man gegenüber in ein Sammel-WC gegen £1,50 Gebühr. Alles in allem aufgrund des sehr schmackhaften Essens dennoch auf jeden Fall einen Besuch wert!

Delicious food and the sangria was really nice too. Great service, waitresses were lovely, food brought out quickly and good value for money. Really nice atmosphere with live music playing just outside the door

Morito sans rhum ralongé a l'eau , pomme de terre infectent et même la sauce au chocolat des churros avait un goût d'eau, à éviter

Went there with partner for lunch, very small menu for food and didn't have 3 of the main dishes were unavailable,so left

Nice spot to eat a quick bite whilst visiting Covent Garden. Happy and cozy athmosphere. Food was delicious , good quality and decent portions. Welcoming and friendly staff. Would recommend and will definitely go there again.

Wow….. croquettes were still frozen in the middle and when we sent them back we were given more of the same. The waiting staff did not know the difference between rose and red wine and there was no salt in the salt cellars. I can only imagine the salt had been emptied by other diners searching for flavour. We left and then to rub pepper (no salt left) into the wounds, I had to pay £1.50 to use the toilet.

Chaotic service, didn't feel valued just in the way

Just arrived on honeymoon. First evening meal here. Food was mediocre. Left hungry as didn't want to order anything else due to it being pricey and fairly bland. £3.50 for plain soda water. Got charged service charge even though we didn't get all our food. Staff were very pleasant though. Left and went to Pret for a sandwich as starving 😬

Great staff, we were able to be seated without any booking on a Friday. Great place and interior. Aside from that, the food was also flavourful and delicious. We ordered their Charcuterie with chorizo, and salami with breadstick and jam - it was a surprise combination and when I tasted it, it was perfect! The sweetness covered the saltiness of the meat and the breadstix enhanced the neutral taste. It was really good! Great for snacking. We also ordered their virgin pina colada and the pina colada with alcohol, which also tasted good! Another food we ordered is the Pulpo a la Gallega - which was chips with octopus and it was great, love the portions and serving size. Costilla De ros was also ordered but it was good as well.

Food, service and atmosphere excellent. Good value for money. Would highly recommend. Staff were really friendly and helpful

Tomamos cervejas (Estrella Galícia e Alhambra) e um mojito (bem simplório) e experimentamos alguns tapas. Sentamos na parte externa, depois de sermos atendidos por 2 moças impacientes. Pareciam não fazer a menor questão de nos acomodar numa mesa.

Excellent first experience! Delicious food and everything tasted fresh. My drink was perfectly balanced. Staff was friendly and attentive. A great place to dine alfresco and take in the people and sounds of the lower court.

Superb location, attentive staff, lovely light lunch, street entertainment was an added bonus.

Overpriced with very limited menu. Very hot inside with no ventilation. Food was bland and not spanish at all. Don't go

Didn't book and told us we had to sit inside, although there was an empty table outside. It was hot inside, with no ventilation. The menu was extremely limited, with few of the typical tapas dishes you would expect. Was not impressed by any of it and thought it very overpriced for the content and service. Won't be going back there again.

Si eres español y vas al centro de Londres, tienes una visita obligada a tapas stories. Cocina española riquísima y un servicio inmejorable. Charlie, aparte de detallista y atento es un gran profesional. Charlie un abrazo, somos los de las 16 croquetas.

Nice tapas but it was extremely hot inside...

Le peggiori patatine fritte della mia vita. Erano condite con una salsa piccante che aveva la puzza di quando spegni una sigaretta in un posacenere zeppo di cenere. Una schifezza autentica.

Good food but VERY expensive. Really really bad service - and then they tried to add 12.5% service charge to the bill!! (Which we ignored)