We used a Groupon. The sangria was great as were the tapas, unfortunately the paella was salty. This was our first time with this dish so we just thought it was always salty until the table beside is sent it back. Service was very good, there was a delay in checking out. Overall a positive experience.
Review Source:Purchased a Groupon here based on some recommendations from friends and reading the reviews. Unfortunately, at the time I did not realize that they were only open for dinner Wed-Sat. I did not think that this would be an issue until I also realized how impossible it is to get a reservation for one of those days. After three failed attempts of calling well in advance, I finally accepted a 9:30pm reservation, simply because the Groupon was about to expire. Upon the suggestion of the man on the phone, we arrived early in hopes of maybe grabbing a table in the bar area or being sat in the dining room early. However, despite three open tables, we were not sat, nor did anything open up in the bar. Â We went to the bar to get a drink while waiting. My sangria was very strong and full of lemon pulp. When the reservation time arrived, we went back to the hostess who told us (in between her text messaging) that she was still waiting for a table to open up. We were finally sat around 9:45, at which point I was ready for bed, not dinner. As for the food, the braised short rib entree was good, but the tapas (calamari, mac and manchego, empanadas) were just ok. Calamari was accompanied by a very heavy lemon sauce on top, way too much bread crumb on the mac and cheese and the empanadas were burnt. Overall, I was not impressed by Loco, and would not return to pay full price.
Review Source:I really like this place, especially considering it's in Easton. Â It's the most like a trendy Cambridge place you can find in suburbs, that actually has good food. Â A nice wine bar with a comfortable lounge, good ambiance .... what more could you want for a relaxing evening?
The tapas did seem a little Americanized, so if your expecting traditional Spanish food you may be a little disappointing. Â I highly recommend he mussels, and save some bread to dip in the romesco sauce. Â Also, they always seem to have a deal out there on Groupon or Yelp.
Good food, nice small quality establishment. Â Sitting at the bar in a separate room is also a relaxing place for a quiet dinner. Â The bar also has comfortable seating to hang out in while waiting for a table. Â Service is friendly with a bit of a family type flavor. Â I like to go here every other month or so.
Review Source:I was handed a Groupon from one of my friends, afraid he would not be able to use it intime due to the expiration date. I obliged in taking it from him and proceeded to make a reservation.
The Ability to make a reservation via there website is an amazing feature I wish all restaurants had. I was making mine fairly late in the day so the only available times were for 9pm. However the lounge area was accessible if I decided to show up early and hope for an earlier opening.
The Lounge looked great. Soft lighting with a California esk couch decor. A much more refreshing atmosphere then the usual mahogany bars and tall tables litered around southern new england.
The Groupon was enough to feed an army. (Dinner for 2) 4 tapas plates 1 entre and one desert. The waiter was more than happy to explain how it all worked to minimize any confusion. Â From the first plate all I can say is WOW. Everything was crafted with finesse. the stand out tapas plates we chose, that I highly recommend, the Croquettes, and the Scallops. Both were cooked to perfection. Next came the Paella, Unfortunately the paella while still delicious was slightly over cooked. This was pointed out by my date, who is a real foodie. But her critique soon came to an end when the Chocolate flan was delivered. This dessert was the perfect way to end an amazing food experience, and one of the best desserts I've had at an establishment in awhile.
I highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a great place to sit back, relax, and just experience some amazing dishes.
The Sangria also comes by the pitcher too. So awesome!
The girlfriend and I decided to go here for our anniversary. We ordered: chicken croquettes, mac n manchego, Serrano and manchego charcuterie, potatoes bravas, Spanish churros and two pitchers of red sangria. I was a little disappointed when I went to order the calamari and they informed me they didn't have any.
The croquettes and the charcuterie platter were delicious. We almost ordered a second plate of croquettes because they were mouthwatering. The lemon aioli was great, but even without it, these croquettes were the perfect combo of crispness, moistness and flavor. The Serrano and manchego charcuterie was very nice to accompany all the dishes we ordered. I found myself munching on the ham and almonds when I was craving a bit of salt (as you'll see in the next paragraph). Both very good dishes!
While still good, a couple plates fell a little flat. First, the mac n manchego was a bit bland. Some crispy Serrano ham would fit the theme and add that bit of saltiness I felt the dish was lacking. Second, the potatoes bravas suffered with a similar problem. We shouldn't have been expecting anything amazing from potatoes, but they still seemed a bit bland. The tomato-based sauce on it was alright, but like the mac n manchego, the dish needed something with a bit of salt to help escalate all the flavors.
We ended the meal with the churros, which ended up being a good choice. Exactly what you'd expect them to be... sugar, cinnamon and some yummy, melted chocolate.
Overall, we had a good time and would recommend others to try it.
Been going to this resturant for over 5 years.  Tonight was by far the worst meal and service ive ever had.  I had a groupon as did the couple i dined with.  They wouldnt honor  both.  The manager was rude.  Food took forever and our dessert came out 20 minutes before our coffee.  When our coffee finally came it was cold.  What happened to this resturant?  So disappointment.
Review Source:Groupon  is bringing this place down. I use to go here before the groupon deals, now when I go every other customer has a groupon. Causes longer wait time, good food becomes just so so with smaller portions, probably to supplement the groupon price. My manchengo mac and cheese barely had cheese or pasta, and my salmon that use to be worth the size was laughable. The table beside me also complained about the size of his filet mignon. Not sure that I can go back after my last experience. It really is disappointing since there are not many choices in the area.
Review Source:owner James (Jim) decided to email me personally a couple days after my review was posted. Â (he has my email since i had to notify them last-minute on party size change, which OpenTable couldn't do.)
he expressed gratitude for my comments and agreed that i brought up some good points. honestly, with the attitude *i* came in on the review, i would almost expect him to get a bit defensive, which he didn't, and i'd appreciate that. Â he also asked if there was anything he missed with regards to our allergy issue, and felt bad that we didn't feel satisfied with how it was handled. Â he also invited us back in the future and would make sure he'd say hi.
i then replied clarifying a couple things, and thanked him for the email.
extra star for being responsive and receptive to customer feedback. Â that's the first step to improvement and repeated patronage! Â i do wish him success in the business.
We dined here yesterday evening at 9:30 p.m. Â We had made reservations earlier, for the last seating, and we arrived early and were seated at around 9:20. Â
Overall, the food was of good quality and tasty. Â The waiter was knowledgeable about the menu and very polite. Â
Our negative comments have to do with the dinnerware, the restrooms, and the temperature of the food.
Upon being seated, we had to switch our plates out several times until we could find two that were clean. Â Many of them had a blackish residue or clearly defined fingerprints, neither of which made them appetizing to eat on. Â We did finally find two plates that were "clean enough". Â We chalked this up to the dishwasher rushing or perhaps the dishwasher being on the fritz.
The fried manchego cheese came first and it was excellent.
The chicken and ham croquettes came next and were tasty but the insides were still cold. Â We were hungry though, and are always a little wary of sending food back (we've both worked in restaurants before and know how indignant chefs or kitchen staff can get when food is sent back), so we stuck with it. Â
The empanadas came last and were average though, strangely, were a little overcooked and tasted not much better than a high-quality frozen version.
Neither restroom had any paper towels, or anything else to wipe you hands on, so we were relegated to doing the toilet paper thing which never works well since toilet paper doesn't hold up to much beyond its intended purpose. Â
Altogether, the atmosphere was nice, though not as classy as we expected; the food was tasty but the croquettes and empanadas bring the whole food experience down to a B level, and the overall feel was that no one wanted to put the effort required (to cook food 100%, keep the bathrooms stocked, and dishes clean) because it was getting close to quitting time for most of the staff (excepting the bartender).
The place was mostly empty aside from one other couple in the dining room and a few people at the bar, so it would seem that these oversights would have been easy to remedy since it wasn't necessarily hopping.
Loco is pretty good. For the location, it's great.
The paella is wonderful, I definitely recommend it if you're in the mood for an entree. Â last time I was there, I splurged and added lobster but only got half a tail. That wasn't really worth it, it's wonderful on it's own.
I've tried almost all the dishes by now, but the Mushrooms a la Logrono remain my favorite tapas. Very tasty. The seared diver scallops are nice too.
I really enjoy the atmosphere there. The service is hit or miss. I've had really attentive friendly servers and really horrible flighty ones (sometimes in the same night). And if you feel like it's been a really long wait for a dish, you may want to inquire about it's whereabouts.
If you're hesitant, buy the groupon special they always run and give it a shot (don't forget to tip your server on the entire bill!!).
If you live in that area and are looking for a restaurant with city sensibilities in the suburbs, you've found your place.
Oh and ALWAYS make a reservation. ALWAYS.
UPDATE: 6/25/13
Went for dinner over the weekend. The Pincho Platter was so good we ordered 2.
Unfortunately the Mushrooms a la Longro wasn't good at all this time. Sadface!! I hope they were just having an off night and didn't change the recipe!! Mushrooms seemed undercooked and the sauce wasn't the lovely reduction I remembered.
So, so good. But I just can't give it five stars because there were some places I could see improvement.
Bought a Groupon. Had reservations for 7:30. Got there at 7:20. Waited to be seated for about 40 minutes so the reservations system might need some improvement. Luckily the drinks from the bar were strong. Unfortunately, the entire time we waited, not one seat opened up anywhere in the lounge.
Once seated, or waitress recommended a nice (and relatively cheap!) bottle of red. I LOVED it. Boyfriend thought it was too acidic. But it matters more that I am happy, so we kept the wine.
For tapas, I was slightly annoyed that I was not allowed to order the foie gras with the groupon, considering that it had not been listed on the restricted items. Ok. So instead, we went with the charcuterie plate, the beef tenderloin, the pork tenderloin, and the gorgonzola fondue. EVERYTHING was fantastic. The only thing we didn't really care for were the croquettes that came with the beef. By the time we finished the tapas, we were full but we had two more courses to go.
For the main, we got the braised short ribs. They were meh. They tasted more like a pot roast that braised short ribs that I've gotten from other restaurants. And actually it was just one large rib. I wouldn't order it again. To be honest, the next time I go, I probably won't even order a main. The tapas were filling enough.
We ended up getting the churros (and the rest of our bottle of wine) to go. On the way home, all we could discuss was what we would order when we returned. I truly cannot wait to go back!
I'm very late with this review, but I finally decided to post it.
We went back on 10/3 at about 7pm, but made the mistake of not making a reservation. As a consequence, we couldn't get any seating in the dining room, but instead we had to keep a hawk-eye on the lounge area for two seats to open up.
The hostess was very nice about pointing out that they were moving a 5 person party from the lounge to the dining room.
There was a lot of waiting around: between waiting 15 mins to get menus, Â another 15 minutes to get drinks and then a whopping 50 minutes to finally get someone to take our order (and by then it was the hostess...she must have noticed that no one had come over to us and decided to help out. Kudos to her)
The wait staff looked completely confused as to where food and drinks were supposed to go. We witnessed  2 tables receive the wrong food, and the waitress who brought over our drinks (not our original waitress) had to turn around and go back to the bar to find out what table she was supposed to go to, after first going to the wrong table.
I hate to sound so picky, because the food there is amazing. And I fully believe that if we had been able to eat on the dining room side again, then things would have gone more smoothly. But I was disappointed because even though they offer food and drink on the lounge side, if you sit there you end up feeling very neglected; or, at least we did that night.
We had the Croquets de Pollo, (Lovely smokey flavor, with a slight heat), the  Manchego and Roasted Garlic Soup, Pork Tenderloin (awkward serving size of 3 pieces, if you're sharing on a date one person gets shafted), Garlic Bread with Goat Cheese Fondue (very good but the bread was a little greasy because of all the garlic butter), Loco Mac and Manchego (Not a whole lot of flavor).
All in all the whole experience was about 2 1/2 hours. Normally I don't think I'd mind that, but because the service was so spread out and I could see that everyone else was getting far more attention than us (even people that came after us) it didn't feel as enjoyable as when you are being taken care of.
If you are going to go, definitely make a reservation, in advance, and for the dining room side.
Been here several times over the last couple of years and I have never been disappointed. Â Unfortunately, last night was like dining at a completely different restaurant. Â The food was tasteless, the service was just ok, and the menu was lacking. Â Ex. Â Ordered a Mojito and instead of getting rum I got tequila. Â Everyone makes mistakes, so I asked for another, only to get even more tequila. Â What makes this more egregious is that this is a signature drink on the menu. Â Furthermore, the duck lollipops have been replaced with "chicken lollipops" aka chicken wings. Â Which where served in a rocks glass with goat cheese sauces smothered all over each of the 3 tiniest wings of all time. Â The mac and cheese and tenderloin tapas were also lacking seasoning. Â Hoping this was just an off night, otherwise Loco's is "no bueno"
Review Source:Make a reservation! The  yelp coupon is only one per table - we didn't know that at the time since it wasn't stated anywhere when we purchased the coupons.
Otherwise this place was great! We had the fried manchego cheese, the croquettes, fried calamari, and the squash bisque - very tasty.
I'd been wanting to try Loco after watching Phantom Gourmet with drool on my face - then along comes Groupon with an amazing deal - YAY!
"Dinner for two" - choice of 4 tapas (anything on the menu except their cheese platter), 1 entree  to share (anything except filet mignon), 1 dessert to share. As far as tapas-options go - holy protein! Not a lot of veggie options. 3 of the 4 tapas were amazingly delicious - diver scallops (w/ pomegranate seeds and a drizzle of some kind of maple-deliciousness, super flavorful), flatbread of the day (thin-sliced beef, gorgonzola, greens w/ balsamic on top - yum!), salmon w/ brown sugar & mustard crust (by far the flavor-winner, I want to smother everything with that grainy mustard of awesomeness). The 4th tapas was the pork loin w/ sweet potatoes - pork was thin so ended up being too dry, not much flavor at all.
For the entree, we had the paella with added shrimp (at our waitress's suggestion - can add the shrimp and still be w/in the pricerange of the Groupon - good call). SO flavorful; my husband and I only managed a few bites and brought the rest home. Dessert was churros dusted with cinnamon & powdered sugar, w/ a deep chocolate sauce - I wanted to dig into that sauce with a spoon. Also, AWESOME cocktail menu - habanero margarita (served in a glass rimmed w/ salt, cumin & chili powder) was a party in my mouth.
Other things to note: Other reviewers are right about the dimness. Also, there were curtains in a lot of the doors, which I think would end up being dangerous after a few cocktails. Also, a little pricey if you went w/out any kind of deal - our meal would have been easily over $100 w/out the Groupon (and probably WAY over, not just a little over).
Locos is a place I've been several times....I like to get a feel for a place before I decide if I like it.
This is NOT a place you want go!
The food is good--I've had tapas in numerous parts of the country...and I liked the food.
While this is not a cheap place, the entire problem is the service. Â The hostesses are so inconsistent.... Â I think the issue is is they like you, or know you--you will go to the front of the line. Â But, if they don't know you or meet the type of customer they are looking for....you are relegated to the bar and will never get a table.
Our first visit, the hostess was snooty, but the food was good--so we decided to that it warranted another visit. Â
The next two visits went something like this.....no reservations--go to bar (and I'm fine with that). Â But, as we were waiting in the bar for a table, two or three couples that came in after us (i.e., there was only me an my girlfriend waiting for a table) all of a sudden had tables,,,and we didn't. Â So, I walked up to the Hostess and asked why people who came in after us were getting a table--and we weren't. Â Her answer (and I loved this) was, "I thought you changed your mind." Â What??? Â I told her the only time she and I talked was when we entered...how did she know I (supposedly) changed my mind if she didn't talk to me. Â She had no answer.
My next visit, we ended up at the bar waiting for a table (which is gain ok)...and people again that had come in after us all of a sudden starting getting tables. Â I again walked up to the Hostess and asked why people were getting seated that arrived after us. Â This time we were told that she forgot about us.
On all visits, my girlfriend and I had just come from work and were in business attire. Not exactly sure what the "code" is to get decent service at Locos is--I just know whatever that code is. Â I do know that if you don't don't have it (according to Loco), service will suck (They are quite snooty).
I would have given them 1 (of five) star...but the food is good. Â
Suggest NEVER going there unless you are personal friend with someone who works there
Fun place! Â My wife and I were new to the Tapas experience. Â The waiter, Michael, Â was a great help letting us know how it all worked, and recommended some amazing dishes. Â The seared diver scallops and the signature steamed mussels were definitely our favorites.
The martinis were both tasty and strong, and the house Cabernet was inexpensive with a nice Spanish/Chilean taste.
We opted to sit in the bar area, which was like a big intimate living room where you get to dine on couches. Â Because the couches were the size of loveseats, small parties usually end up sharing your table with other patrons. Â This added to the fun because you got to see other dishes that you may not have ordered.
Like others have said, make a reservation far in advance if you want a table in the dining area, or show up early to get first come seating in the lounge area. Â It was easy to spend over two hours at a Tapas style dinner.
We'll definitely be back.
Yelp came to the rescue again! Â The girls and I were at Ikea after a long afternoon shopping, and just looking for drinks. Â Just a few minutes down the road, but well worth the diversion we found Loco Tapas. Â Sangria was awesome - both the red and white. Â Gorgonzola and garlic bread amazing! Â Mac & Cheese perfect, Paella pretty darn good, and then the warm Churrios with hot fudge!! Â Wow! Â We all decided it would be worth a trip from the North Shore again. Â BTW - we loved the casual seaiting on the couches watching college ball on TV.
Review Source:I have to say that, when we first walked in, I thought that the place was decked out for Halloween. Â Dark, dark, dark with red walls it was unlike any restaurant I've ever seen in Spain. Â
That having been said, the tapas were wonderful. Â The soups were wonderful, both rich and smooth. Â The chicken pops and the calamari were also very good but the Mac and manchego was delicious! Â We had several other tapas and a tray of ponchos, all which were good. Â The churros were ok. Â All in all, a great place, but I always wonder what they don't want us to see when they keep it so dark. Â Would definitely go back!
At one point I would have said this was one of the best restaurants in the area. That no longer appears to be the case. Very disappointed. Â The duck lollipops where just fried overcooked drumsticks. The Halibut special was dry and bland. The watercress salad was OK but difficult to eat and the roast pig was OK. Â I will have to revisit this place in a couple of months to see if this was just a fluke.
Review Source:Awesome.
First- make reservations or get there early! Â This place fills up fast, although the bar/lounge area has some nice couch + table combos if you're into casual seating. Â The food is outrageously good, the drinks are stiff and delicious -- some of the offerings are pricey but no more or less than I would expect from a restaurant of this caliber in the northeastern United States. Â Service is spectacular, vibe is casual/trendy/contemporary/laid back.
just a few of the tapas we enjoyed last night--
- oysters! Â so yummy!
- stuffed quahog with tabasco butter - OMG DELICIOUS, possibly the best thing on the menu.
- fried manchego -- like upscale mozz stix. Â amazing.
- Â "escalivada" - roasted peppers, eggplant, onions, more veggies -- made up for not ordering a salad ;)
all in all, this place gets an A from me. Â i just wish it was closer to home!
I bought a Groupon for this 3 months ago and was finally able to use it! The Groupon I bought for only $45 and allowed us to get 4 tapas plates, 1 entree, and 1 dessert. My boyfriend and I went on a Wednesday night. I made reservations (highly recommended) for 7. The place was packed when we got there, but our table was ready right away. Now, I have worked in the food service industry, so I am very observant when dining out. The place was full, and of people like me who were using our Groupons before they expired in 5 days. Our waiter was very sweet but was hustling and bustling because it was so busy. I told him to take his time because he clearly had his hands full. He was not at all put off by the fact that we had a Groupon and told us that it was a great way to experience everything. We both started off with a glass of the abadia retuerta, "rivola," duero. Very delicious. For our 4 tapas plates we ordered:  jamón serrano & manchego cheese, gambes al ajillo, entrecote of of beef,  and the LOCO "mac n" manchego. ALL were delicious. Serrano and Manchego came out on a wooden board lightly drizzled with honey and seasoned almonds. The shrimp was perfectly cooked and had great but not over powering garlic flavoring. The beef was nice and salted and melted in our mouths. My boyfriend doesn't typically like his beef medium rare but he loved this. The mac and cheese was very good. Not the BEST I have ever had, but still great. At this point we were already getting full! We shared the Paella for our entree which was flavored perfectly. We barely put a dent in it because we were so full and saving room for dessert. My boyfriend had some nice left overs for lunch the next day :-) Finally, we split the apple stuffed churros for dessert. These were DELICIOUS. The delche de leche was soooo good with them! Even though the service was slower than some may like (just give me a second), like I said, our waiter was slammed and he did all he could and still was spot on with us. He even fell in the middle of the floor when trying to bring some food to a table :-( Now....here is my critique about what I observed while there. Listen up all of you ignorant restaurant-goers:
Like I said, it was busy, that means I am not going to have 100% of the waiters attention 100% of the time. NOT ROCKET SCIENCE. Also, this is a restaurant that makes everything from scratch. IT'S NOT APPLEEE'S. YOUR FOOD WILL NOT COME OUT IN 5 MINUTES. As my boyfriend and I were enjoying our wine and delicious food, we couldn't help but be put off by some of the people sitting around us. Unfortunately with these Groupon deals, you are going to attract at not so ideal crowd. As soon as the check was dropped to the table next to us, the woman was complaining about how they took a cheaper item off than the more expensive one. NO KIDDING. ALL PLACES DO THIS. Her husband kept trying to get her to shut up. Another couple was so annoyed at the "service" he said it straight to his waiter's face, demanded a manager, and had arms flailing. Are you kidding me guy???? We were watching this all unfold and my boyfriend kept saying the guy is going to walk out. Well, because the manager wasn't there at the snap of his finger, his arms continued to flail and then they were heading for the door. Right in the middle of eating. People like this disgust me. Get a clue. You see your waiter busting his butt (and mine LITERALLY busting his butt on the floor) and you have the indecency to cause a scene like this? I am embarrassed to even be seen in the presence of people like this. It makes me angry and uncomfortable.
My food and waiter was incredible, and because I know he had to deal with a bunch of nonsense and fell in front of everyone, I more than sympathized with him and left him a 40% tip. I hope we at least made his night worth-while, because he and the restaurant made it worth-while for us.
So what did we learn?
~Make a reservation
~If it's busy, be patient, relax, and enjoy yourself
~The food is wonderful
~The service is great
~Don't come out in public if you are going to be an ignorant, pompous jerk. Save yourself and everyone else the embarrassment and the risk of ruining other people's experience.
~IT SHOULD BE MANDATORY THAT EVERYONE WORK IN THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY AT LEAST ONCE IN THEIR LIFE
Went out with a GF for drinks and drove no knowing where we would land. Â Tried MacGuires but it was packed and you couldn't even belly-up to the bar on a Friday at 8. Â Started to drive toward Mansfield (more civilization?) and made a quick turn in here instead.
LOVED the atmosphere - will be asking to come back to celebrate my 40th bday in their lounge where we enjoyed...
Sangria (yummy and acceptable though I have had just a bit better)
Ta Ta Tinis (for breast cancer) OH THESE I COULD DIVE INTO- but I was driving so I didn't.
Had grilled asparagus with Romero sauce. Â VERY good!!!
and
Manchego and Serrano - which we had to ask for a new piece of cheese as GF got an end and butter knives don't cut off wax well.
Service was okay, I think our server was a bit "unbright" to be polite. Â He had to be asked to show us menus and a couple other HUHs?
But we will return!
We've been coming to Loco since 2009 - more regularly when we lived in the area, but we still make the occasional trip down to Easton when we have a hankering!
There are some really great things about Loco, and some not so great things. I'll give you the run down.
The Good:
Food. Order the Croquettes and the Gorgonzola Garlic Bread (not currently on the menu, but they'll make it for you anyways). You will not be disappointed. Other highlights include the Mac n' Manchengo, Gambes Al Ajillio, and the Charcuterie Platter. I do wish that the Tapas Calientes menu was a bit larger and had more variety. But, the small menu has a good mix of seafood, meat, etc. The paella is also a can't-miss, if you're not too full from all of the delicious tapas!
The atmosphere is wonderful. Intimate, cozy, and romantic. They have done a fantastic job with the space and you feel instantly at home when you're at Loco. One gripe - if you can't get a table but still want to eat in the lounge, be warned that it's really difficult to enjoy a meal on the low tables.
The Bad:
I hate to say it, but the service is almost consistently disappointing. If you're eating in the lounge, expect bad to terrible service. Last night, the jam-packed lounge was staffed by one waiter. He was doing his best to serve everyone, but it took forever to get his attention. This flaw could be easily solved by staffing more intelligently. Service in the dining room is also hit or miss. We've had some knowledgeable, tenured servers, as well as novices who are distant and disorganized. The service should match the food (which is exceptional!), and it unfortunately doesn't, so I have to take off a star. Disclaimer: The waitstaff isn't lazy  and they're not just "standing around." They work hard. I would just like to see more waitstaff in proportion to the number of patrons. That way, they'd be able to focus on each table or group in a more personal way.
All in all, Loco is a solid 4-star experience. There are some easily fixed flaws and I hope to see them improved upon during future visits!
My fiance and I came here on April 13th for our date night since we have been actively looking for some new places. We made reservations the week prior to go out with friends of ours, but after two cancellations and being disappointed, we decided to finally just try it ourselves.
Initial impression: we almost drove right by this place, but the parking lot was completely packed. Always a good sign.
We made a reservation for 8:00pm, but since the place was packed (and I mean packed, it's on the smaller side), we had to wait a bit. We had a drink at the bar (some martini concoction created by one of the waitresses that was now on the menu. It's super good at first, but impossible to drink the whole thing because it's so sweet). We were able to chat with a nice couple next to us and -bonus- the bartender is the super nice guy from Stonebridge! (Hah, sorry had to out you buddy)
When we sat down, we ordered what seemed like a bottomless pitcher of Sangria. Seriously, I had to work to finish this thing, and I still didn't do it. I'm a lightweight in my old age now. One of the things I loved is that the bar area has a nice section of couches where you can sit and socialize instead of just tall bartops.
On to the tapa's. We ordered way too much food and just kept it coming. Here is a breakdown of all we got:
Assorted Cheeses: Super tasty and light; perfect for an opening dish.
Pan de Tomaquet (tomato & garlic rubbed bread): Very good. Bread was a little crunchier than I liked but I realize that's very "First World Problems".
Fried Calamari with lemon allioli: It's hard for me to go somewhere and not get calamari. This was perfectly cooked, and the dipping sauce was great.
Entrecote of Beef (6oz sirloin, L O C O steak sauce, crispy onions): This was hands down our favorite of everything. The beef was cooked perfectly to medium rare and it was just melt in your mouth good. I wish I had an entire steak cooked this way.
Empanadas (pulled pork, spanish sofrito): Empanadas are one of my favorite dishes to order as a tapa. This was great as well.
So, we ate a ton of food and basically needed to be barrel rolled out of there.
Overall, the atmosphere is really charming and romantic. The only downfall is the noise level can definitely get up there since it is such a small place, but it cleared out significantly by 9:30-10ish, so it wasn't a problem. Definitely recommend!
My boyfriend and I had never had tapas before, so we didn't really know what to expect. Â We went on a Saturday without reservations and were lucky enough to squeeze into a no-show reservation slot. Â This place was busy and the dining experience takes a while, so reservations are a definite must! Â
The atmosphere is very posh, but not cold. Â Dim lighting, lots of wine bottles for decoration, and drapes instead of doors. Â This place would be great for a first date, an anniversary dinner, for girls' night out, Mother's Day, or a wedding reception. Â It just seems like a great place for any occasion.
Our waiter, Matt, was very helpful and pleasant without being overbearing. Â He explained what tapas is, how we should approach the menu, how to order, and also made recommendations. Â He came around often enough, but again, not too much to be overbearing.
The food was amazing. Â The chefs really know how to prepare something simply and flavorfully. Â We had the spicy potatoes, calamari, garlic bread with gorgonzola, mussels and pork loin. Â We ate at a slower pace than normal, so we were able to rest and try more. Â We also got the apple churros for dessert and they were perfect! Â Everything was so satisfying! Â I also had the house red sangria and it was fantastic!
We were also surprised at how affordable the prices were. Â We would have paid nearly as much at any chain restaurant.
I am so glad we went here for our first tapas experience. Â We will definitely be going back and telling everyone we know to try this lovely restaurant. Â What a wonderful dining experience!
Let me preface this...I am not a chronic reviewer....in fact this is my first restaurant review! I really want to give this place 5 stars and I do think it could easily get there, but it just misses the mark in the service category. The room is so luscious and warm and the food is terrific "but"....
I can appreciate a busy restaurant on a Friday night and realize that the wait for a table or spot in the lounge may be lengthy, but what I don't get is how servers can pass people that have been been standing for 30 minutes patiently waiting without offering them a cocktail??? Really, how is this acceptable? And when finally seated the water and cocktails arrive at the table one at a time...what??? Â Also, the wine pour is really, really weak:(
Anyway, I will go back for the comfy couches and yummy food and wine....I just hope they get it on the other front!
Like rolling the dice, you have a 50-50 chance
We went in Friday night of the first time. Â Just two of us and we were hoping this was going to be a hidden jewel in the hills of Easton. Â Wrong.
Some of the food was great, like the chicken croquete. Â Some was boring like the mac and cheese.
We got the impression these guys think they are "Boston" caliper chefs. Â Maybe they are but Friday night was no evidence of their ability. Â My guess is there are both talented chefs in this kitchen and not so talented. Â Depending on what you order depends on what you get.
Oh well.
This place was fantastic. I was interested in this tapas restaurant after dining in many such establishments in Sevilla. The experience is completely different! The inside is very stylish. We chose not to sit in the lounge area although it seemed very comfortable and perfect for a larger group. The food was delicious; four of us ordered 3-4 dishes each and shared the portions. If my memory serves me correctly, the following dishes were superb:
the lobster croquettes, fried manchego cheese, carne asada, fried clams, and grilled asparagus
It was our waitress's first night working and she did a fantastic job. Not to mention she was gorgeous. Wonder if she had a boyfriend... Guess that's just one more reason I'll be returning by myself next time ;)
This is a review of the new brunch. Â We have been going to Loco for many years and routinely try to take advantage of the cooking demonstrations and some of the special events. Â This place really tries to keep things interesting, and they are constantly trying out new things. Â So brunch seems to be the newest venture.
Because I love this place, I was expecting to like the brunch. Â But I have to say I was very surprised at how creative the menu is and how they were able to keep the tapas theme and some of their best dishes are incorporated into the menu. Â My friend had the Spanish scrambled egg dish. Â It had perfectly cooked ham--not prosuitto, not sure what it was--but it was slightly salty and cooked to a slight crunch (which the waiter described perfectly!); we were unable to identify exactly what the quite unique spice was, but it was delicious. Â The eggs were cooked perfectly and great potatoes! Â I had the omelet with chirrizo. One reason I love to eat here is that you can tell they get top ingredients from their suppliers. Â This sausage is incredible. Â Coffee here is always good. Â
We got the check and it was really inexpensive. Â Unbelievable for such a great meal. Â I generally consider this a relatively expensive restaurant--would eat there much more often if the check came out like today's! Â But then again, it was before noon, so there were no bar charges!!
Finally, I have to say that because I love this place so much as an evening venue, I was unsure about even being there in the day. Â The ambiance is so related to the darkness and the red walls, and unique decor--just didn't know how that would hold up in daylight. Â It was actually most pleasant. Â I'm sure this brunch is going to catch on like the evening dining. Â But right now they seem to be off to a slow start. Â So that makes it a great time to go check it out. Â I will predict long lines by next fall. Â As for this morning--we were by ourselves which was a little weird. Â But hey--great service--can't beat the staff at Loco!!
I've been trying to go here since the place opened and after all that time I honestly feel let down. Maybe it is because I'm used to the Las Vegas tapas scene which includes some of the best(and cheapest) tapas options around but I'm not sure that is 100% true.
The ambiance and wait staff are fantastic but the tapas menu isn't all that big. We shared 4 plates including the ham and cheese croquettes, risotto balls, and a white bean dish with bacon. The dishes themselves were good but not great. After all the hype I wanted to be blown away and no dish really did that. Hopefully the next time I'll find something that is worth all the 5 star hype on the menu.
Update: March 4, 2011 Â
My friend and I went to Loco again recently and had a very different experience from our first (the previous review below).
Immediately upon arrival, we were greeted by the owner of the restaurant, who was working at the host stand. Â As it was Saturday , night, there was a wait; but it was entirely bearable. Â My friend and I seated ourselves on one of the comfortable couches in the lounge area and enjoyed some excellent wine.
When we were seated at our table, I was immediately impressed by the significantly different service. Â Throughout the evening, our server was helpful and attentive while not hovering. Â We were promptly given water and bread; and, on this occasion, refills of both water and wine were timed perfectly.
The food was, of course, fabulous; and the waiter did a great job of timing the courses. Â There was never too much food on the table, and we were also never waiting for our next course. Â
The gorgonzola fondue was, again, to die for. Â This is seriously one of my favorite things to eat. Â It is absolutely perfect! Â The smoked chicken and ham croquettes--recommended by the owner--were also fabulous. Â They had just the right amount of smoky flavor, complemented nicely by the lemon allioli. Â The diver scallops were absolutely amazing. Â They were enormous and had great flavor. Â We also thoroughly enjoyed the foie gras and beef tenderloin, which were both excellent quality. Â My friend had never tried foie gras before, and it was a great first experience for her. Â
For dessert, we shared a "liquid dessert," basically a delicious martini with a chocolate rim. Â We were too full from dinner to eat anymore food, but we really wanted them; so we got the apple churros to go. Â These are delicious, and the dulce de leche dipping sauce that comes with them is perfect. Â
Because of this altogether impressive experience, I plan to visit Loco again in the very near future. Â I will most likely go on a Friday or Saturday night again because both the service and food seemed to be raised to another level.
They tell you you need 3 tapas per person. My god. No.
Here's what we got, in order of awesome to least awesome.
1. garlic bread with gorgonzola fondue (AWESOME! Get two like we did!)
2. Â loco "mac 'n' manchego" - macaroni noodles, creamy manchego cheese and chorizo topped with brown butter bread crumbs (we got 2 also)
3. seared pork tenderloin - chorizo mashed potatoes, LOCO BBQ sauce
4. chicken "lollipops" - queso cabra montañes - goat cheese cremá
5. seared beef tenderloin - potato rosti, cabrales sauce, red onion confit
6. watercress salad - gorgonzola, toasted pine nuts, creamy balsamic vinaigrette
7. jamón serrano - sliced manchego cheese, almonds, and honey
8. Â fried calamari with lemon allioli
9. patatas bravas - fried potatoes, allioli and spicy tomato sauce (the lemon dressing was AWFUL)
plus:
10. apple stuffed churros (for dessert, A++++)
We also got a pomegranite martini and some red sangria. Both very good.
One note, the "patatas bravas" had the most horrific lemon dressing on it, none of us could even eat it.
On a better note, the "garlic bread with gorgonzola fondue" was just plain amazing. If I went back, my must-haves would be the fondue and the apple churros for dessert.
TIP: Don't bother with the platters, just get what you want. We ordered everything we wanted plus two drinks and a dessert for $120. We almost opted for the $100 platter, very glad we didn't.
$120 bucks for four, VERY full people.
Also, on the dress code. We felt like the most under-dressed people there in our casual clothes. Maybe dress it up a little more so they don't stick you in the corner like they did to us ;)
I went here tonight with an old work buddy. I think its on par with restaurants you'd find in Boston, in terms of cuisine. It definately stands out for restaurants in this area. Hopefully they can weather these economic times. It was a very slow Friday night.
Its easy to miss the building too. Its a standalone building and has a sign for the turnoff if you're coming from Mansfield since its hidden by a row of hedges.
What a great place! From the road it doesn't look like much, but the inside is fabulous! Black curtains are draped in front of the door way, so you must move them out of the way to be greeted by the hostess. On the left is the lounge/bar area and to the right is the elegant dining area.
There was a long wait the night I went, so we sat in the bar area enjoying drinks while looking over the menu. I got this blueberry pomegranate vodka drink which had blueberries floating around in it, it was so yummy and went down so easily.
There are comfy black leather couches and chairs all around with dim lights which faintly lit the room with red walls. The staff was always there when you needed them with polite and helpful service. They offered great recommendations and knew the menu like the back of their hand.
My sister said we should just order all different tapas appetizers and assured us it would be plentiful for 4 people. The shrimp was cooked to perfection, potatoes had an exquisite taste, the beef was to die for... I could just keep going on and on about their delicious food but I must stress it was a great dining experience. It can get pricey but it is truly worth it.
Great food, delicious drinks, awesome service, fabulous decor, nice ambiance.
This was my first time dining tapas style and it wont be my last.
Check it out, definitely a great date spot.
The 5 best restaurants in the 2015 Denver Restaurant Week
3,611 Views | Category: Denver
The complete list of 2015 Denver Restaurant Week businesses
1,972 Views | Category: Denver
The tourists' guide to Portillos: 5 must have dishes
3,318 Views | Category: Chicago
Pho = Pronounced "fuh" not "foe" for pho-king sake
2,916 Views | Category: Denver
Indulgery selected to exhibit at Collision Conference
2,987 Views | Category: Press Releases
Not Logged In
BUSINESSES
Local Businesses
Near Me
My Favorites
SOCIAL
Blog & News
MY ACCOUNT
Login
Register
Contact Us
Add Your Business
