We had been here before but I don't think we'll be going back.
Our first appy was marinated manchego and it wasn't much more than cheese cubes with oil and barely anything else. Well maybe a 1/4 walnut and a 1/4 of a slice of garlic. Â When we asked the waiter ' isn't there supposed to be rosemary in this?" he said they couldn't over spice things as this wouldn't please ALL the patrons. Â Actually I wish that was all he said because he went on and on and on about it!
We also ordered the potatoes bravos and really like them. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The chili calamari would have been very good if it was actually spicy. Â The waiter had said earlier if we liked spicy he would bring us sarachi sauce with it. Â Well he did not and he never came back. Â The hostess walked by and we asked for him but she offered to help and went to get the sarachi. She returned saying they didn't carry it, would we like some hot pepper flakes. Â While she went to get that, our waiter came by asking how the calamri was. Â We said we were waiting on the sarachi. Â He said "Oh yes, I saw the hostess getting that" and left.
Our grouper which we shared was delish and perfectly prepared.
Their wine list is quite nice; we had a great bottle of Brunello.
Toward the end of our evening an older couple seated in front of us struck up a conversation and we invited them to our table for coffee and dessert. We ordered a brownie & key lime pie. Â I got my brownie (nothing out of the ordinary here) and my boyfriend got creme brulee. Â When he said he ordered the key lime pie the waiter looked at him and ANNOUNCED that what he heard was creme brulee! Â My boyfriend, not wanting to upset him anymore said that it was fine, he liked creme brulee and the waiter happily left. Â Â
                                                                                                                         When we asked for the check the waiter returned with it stating "if anything is missing from the check it wasn't his fault" smiled and left. Well we went over the bill and nothing was missing.  After his statement we thought maybe he took off the cheese cubes or maybe the creme brulee we didn't order.
After receiving a $200+ bill (a little over half was wine) I have to say it was not worth it. Â Only half the food was good, not great. If your wine is going to be great then the food should be too. Along with the SERVICE!! This waiter was a moron!
After reading all the reviews I believe they have a consistency problem with the food and the waiters!!
In town for one night and I was not sure what kind of food I was in the mood for. Â Tapas seemed like a good choice since we could share a few dishes since I was in a picky mood that night. Â
I just came into town from a visit in Asheville NC where I had tapas which were unbelievable so my expectations was a little high. Â Hope the Tasting Room will be as good since all the reviews all seemed very good.
We arrived at the restaurant and saw their adorable courtyard area. Â Even though they had great table reserved for us inside, I decided to sit outside and enjoy the fresh air and romantic ambiance.
Everything on the menu "sounded really good" and they offer plenty of variety. Â We ended up ordering:
CHAMPIÑONES al JEREZ (sauteed mushrooms with garlic herbs and sherry)
CHORIZO al VINO (chorizo sausage with red wine and onions)
BABY OCTOPUS
MEJILLONES (mussels covered with french fries)
Remember I said it "sounded really good" but after eating I had mixed feelings about the place. Â The food just did not taste great. Â Nothing exciting. Â I didn't even order dessert and everyone knows I try not to miss out on dessert.
It wasn't that it was sooo bad, it was just a big let down though.
The Tasting Room is a MUST!!!! We like tapas/wine bars in Miami where we are from and we didn't have big expectations of a small town spot. Â But, the Tasting Room is our favorite anywhere so far. OMG!!!! Yummy, yummy, yummy!!! The wine list is extensive and although the menu isn't huge everything was DIVINE!!!! We had fiery shrimp, lamb meatballs, calamari, chicken livers, beet salad and black bean soup. Everything exploded with our wine. In addition to the food and wine, there was live music that wasn't overwhelming, room to dance, excellent service and ambiance.
Review Source:Went here on a recommendation and was disappointed. The ambiance was nice and the guy in the corner with the guitar was excellent making it feel like background music rather than Karaoke. That's about all the good I could say about this experience. Our waitress was very cold. Never cracked a smile. Don't know if it was a bad day or she just hated working there but she barely came out to our table and kept going to the kitchen. There were only 3 other tables with people so she wasn't busy. The food was average at best with upscale prices. The lamb chops I got,COSTILLAS de CORDERO, were bizarrely cooked. Well done on one side that tapered into an almost raw blue on the other side. The greens were nasty bitter.I got an appetizer, don't remember what it was except that it made me not so hungry anymore. My family with me all agreed we won't be frequenting here again.
Review Source:We changed our plans when a local suggested the Tasting Room and we had no regrets. I for one loved Barcelona Spain and the Tasting Room was the closest I had been to having tapas since then. My friends and I shared several tapas and loved every bite. The service was attentive and I highly recommend the Tasting Room.
Review Source:By far the best mussels and chorizo I have ever eaten. Â I am very fond of a Belgian restaurant in my hometown and I love their mussels. Â The Tasting Room has them beat. Â Their sauces are fantastic. Â This is a can't miss if you are in the St. Augustine area and enjoy tapas style food.
Review Source:~Review #600~
These are undoubtedly the best tapas I have ever had! I have tried a few places in Los Angeles like Tintos Tapas and even the great Xixon in Miami with its impressive aray of unique tapas and I still am still sure that The Tasting Room serves truly superior tapas!
When you walk in you are greeted with the sight of very tasteful decor. There is quite nice ambience as well. The place is sophisticated and romantic. What could be a better place to be that night with my beloved BF while in St. Augustine which is a city with a bit of European flair? Â
The service was a little bit lackluster in the sense the female server lacked a bit of personality but she was very professional at the same time. Everything came out at the right time and she cleared the table for us in a timely manner as well. She always made sure our sangria glasses were full and we never had to use the same plate twice.
As an appetizer they served rosemary in oil with sea salt to dip the magnificent bread they make. The highlight of the night was my favorite tapas dish - the Chorizo al Vino. They do not skimp on the portion size here! More importantly the quality of the chorizo itself was very remarkableand in combination with the red wine and other ingredients it was incredibly memorable. The Pulpo a Fiera was fabulous as well! I have not seen it elsewhere at a tapas place which makes me a bit sad. That's how good it was! Thgis dish featured fresh and tender baby octopi with olives, onions, vinegar and olive oil. The Champinyones al Jerez (mushrooms in Jerez sauce) were great. The Croquetas (Croquettes) which consisted of jamon serrano and manchego were also very good. On the OK side were the Patatas Bravas (Spicy Potatoes) which were not very spicy at all. The Ensalada de Remolacha was OK as well. It consisted of roasted beets, baby arugula, Marcona almonds and ricotta cheese.
The Tasting Room is located near the heart of Old St.Augustine which is the central plaza by the Cathedral. It's within walking distance of the better centrally located hotels. There really are no parking spots immediately close to it so plan on walking. In any case it is pleasant to walk down the main pedestrian street of the old part of town. Try The Tasting Room! Trust me you won't regret it!
Came here due to a Groupon for the 4-course "Ultimate Dinner". Â Overall, it was a very pleasant experience.
When you sign up for the Ultimate Experience, you're taking quite a chance, since you don't know going in what's included in this meal. Â When we got the menu, we were fairly pleased with what we saw - except for the dessert - which was described as "grapefruit tart". Â Â
The 1st course (appetizer) was tuna tartare, which was pretty darn tasty. Â My boyfriend, who normally doesn't eat raw fish, actually enjoyed this dish. Â
The 2nd course was some kind of broiled (or baked) fish, served over rice & black beans. Â This one, although NOT BAD, was not particularly awesome either. Â It was "just ok". Â But you best believe I ate every grain of rice. Â (I love rice).
The 3rd course was hanger steak, which was pretty decent. Â This cut of steak is normally served medium or medium rare - which are both "too rare" for me. Â I asked (ahead of time) if they could cook mine medium well, and they graciously obliged.
We were anxious about dessert, LOL. Â Throughout dinner, our party of 4 made cracks about dessert - how we were SO not looking forward to it - and we should just go to McDonald's to get a sundae, LOL. Â
To our delight, however, this grapefruit tart turned out to be quite good! Â There was nothing "grapefruity" about it. Â It had a very "clean" taste, very refreshing, and not too sweet. Â It was basically whipped cream on a butter tart.
We went on a Saturday night. Â There was live flamenco music, which I really enjoyed. Â
Service was good.
One of the friends who dined with us gave this place only 3 stars due to the price of the food (no doubt - it is a pricey place). Â For that price, she expected to be "wowed" by the food. Â I agree with that sentiment. Â But I'm making an exception and giving this place 4 stars due to the fact that I enjoyed food that I did NOT choose for myself.
I will certainly go back, and try other items on the menu (that I will pick for myself, LOL).
A bit of mixed feeling about the Tasting Room. Â I've wanted to try it for a long time. Â A while back, on a Saturday night, hubbo and I decided to have dinner in St. Augustine since we were at the outlet mall. Â It was around 9:15 PM by the time we got there, and though we knew it was a long shot without reservation, we decided to give the Tasting Room a try.
As expected, they were pretty crowded. Â We asked how long the wait would be and the hostess said 30-45 min. Â Well, we didn't mind it as we wanted to walk around St. George St a bit anyway. Â So we put our names down, but better yet, the hostess said she would give us a call when the table is about 10 min from being ready.
We never got the call and ended up eating at another restaurant. Â It was disappointing, but well, everyone has a bad day. Â So several weeks later, when our good friends wanted to try the Tasting Room and asked if we wanted to join them, we gladly accepted.
We went on a Saturday night with a 7 PM reservation and got seated no problem. Â The restaurant is a bit small and the tables were placed very close to each other. Â So it was a bit cramped, but beautifully decorated. Â There was a very nice Spanish guitar band playing, which was a very nice surprise. Â
We tried the ultimate experience menu, which is a set of 4-course menu instead of ordering tapas a la carte because my friend used her dinner for four groupon. Â The dishes were good. Â Nothing really wow'd me, but definitely nothing bad. Â But that's also the reason why I can't exactly call myself a "fan" yet. Â For the price and the type of establishment it is, I was expecting the food to really wow us... to hit us in the face with great flavors. Â But every dish, while cooked nicely, didn't quite 'get' there. Â
The dining experience was quite nice overall. Â We had great company, the music was great, the atmosphere is pretty good, the food was decent, but alas something was lacking to push me over to the 'fan' edge. Â Maybe I was still a bit jaded by the 'no call back' incident lol? Â I know I'll go back and give it a try again, ordering a la carte tapas so we are not locked in the set menu. Â Another better than "A-OK" but not quite "I'm a Fan" restaurant experience.
The ambiance is great, but the menu was not up to par. I ordered the meat sampler platter because I specifically wanted the Spanish chorizo, but when it arrived, the chorizo had been subbed with some kind of Italian sausage. The server should have told us that when we ordered. The rest of the food was average, and a bit too average for the $$$.
Review Source:The atmosphere was great, the servers were great, the wine list very great. Â The food was prepared nicely and presented well. Â The only thing they missed was they need an expediter to get the dinner portion out to the table hot. Â We didn't send it back due to time constraints of the evening but both my wife and I received room temperature meals. Â The quality of the meat and seafood were their along with the flavor. We will return without hesitation.
Review Source:Loved this place!
We came here for my husband's birthday and were staying right next door at the B&B. Â The lady in the B&B suggested it and we're glad we tried it. Â We split several tapas plates - the hummus, olives, baked goat cheese and finally the lamb meat balls. Â They were all amazing. Â The sangria was also great. Â
The atmosphere was also very cool. Â There was a live musician and he was great.
We got there very early since we didn't have reservations and had no problem getting a table.
Very good Tapas place... the wine list is AMAZING!! Â The only downside is that only about 20% of the wine menu is served by the glass... Â When dining alone on business, I will never order a full bottle of wine, so I definitely missed out on some of the wines that I normally would have tried.
Since I've only been here once, I can only comment on the entree that I had... the churrasco! Â Absolutely fantastic! Â The steak was so tender it melted in my mouth...
The Tasting Room is another place I'll be visiting on my next trip to St. Augustine!
This is by far the finest food in St. Augustine. The tapas are amazing and should be paired with one of their delicious spanish tempranillo wines. The mussels are a must have. Â All their fish is great actually because it is brought in fresh daily!!
They have a beautiful garden patio with a fountain that just sets the vibe.
Allison gave us incredible service. Thank you!
This is a meal I won't forget!!!
5 stars tasting room!!
We continued our strategy of choosing St. Augustine restaurants with an empty parking space, and it worked well here.  Service was skillful and friendly.  Coffee was tasty with nice overtones.  The ensalada de remolacha and the terrine de queso were tasty appetizers.  D ordered the pollo Catalán, and I the costillos de ternera.  Everything was very tasty.  The wine list looked extensive, but we do not imbibe and cannot make any comments.  It was an enjoyable dinner.  Live guitar was a nice background.
Review Source:This dinner had a number of nice things about it, but unfortunately what stands out the most is the discourteous service our group received. Â One person had the ability to make our celebratory dinner a memorable one, but unfortunately it ended up being one many in our group would like to forget.
I was with a party of twelve that went to St. Augustine to celebrate our friend's birthday. Â Most in our group had dined at the Tasting Room before and they recommend the restaurant as a nice place to celebrate. Â There was a reservation made for 7pm and all, but four of us were there at that time. Â I was with three others who showed up at 7:04pm. Â To our surprise everyone else had been seated, but the problem was there was no room at the table for the four of us. The restaurant was waiting for the table next to ours to finish their dinner so that they could then seat the rest of our group. Â Perhaps that wouldn't have been so bad if they had been more inviting to those of us who couldn't sit down. There was no "I'm sorry it shouldn't be long or perhaps wait over here" no you see they just left the four us standing there looking at our friends who were seated. Â The four of us then went outside to wait since we looked rather silly standing in the middle of the dining room.
After about ten minutes the table next to ours finished dinning, so the restaurant was then able to move their table over and seat the four of us with our group. Â Fine, let's move on and enjoy dinner and drinks with friends.
This was my first time dining here. Â I enjoyed the intimate feeling of the restaurant and while the music was nice I did find it a bit loud when sitting right next to entertainment. Â
Our table was treated to some champagne for the earlier inconveniences which was a nice gesture. While the champagne was nice we all preferred the White Sangria we ordered; it was quite delicious.
While our group was large, the four us late comers went in and ordered a bunch of tapas to share with each other. The Ostras Fritas were fabulous, we even got our friend who doesn't eat oysters try them and she enjoyed them as well. Â I was excited about the Casuela de Langosta y Camarones, but unfortunately the goat cheese and lobster didn't wow me. Â All the other plates we ordered fell between these two dishes, all being quite tasty.
We were all enjoying our meal, our server was wonderful and while the music was loud we had fun shaking our maracas with the musicians. While the evening didn't start out good it looked like it would end ok, but it didn't.
Our waiter was wonderful, but a couple of the other folks we dealt with weren't. The hostess had attitude at the beginning, and then there was another lady who brought out some of the plated food who wasn't cordial at all; rolling her eyes and obviously annoyed with our group. Then the icing on the cake came at the end of our meal. A couple in our group had an issue about using a coupon. I don't know exactly what happened, but what I do know is that the manager came to our table to discuss the situation and rather than diffusing the problem he seemed to ignite a whole other problem. When my friend was done trying to argue with the manager (who I believe is also a partner in the restaurant) he asked if he would just please leave him alone, but the manager would not. Never in all my dining experiences have I seen a manager yell at a customer in front of other guests. Â It was very uncomfortable not only for those at our table, but I'm sure the surrounding tables as well. Â Not what I would call classy.
We were more than ready to get the heck out of there. We ordered lots of food & drinks and made sure we took care of those waiting our table. Â Looking at other reviews of the Tasting Room it seems as if this restaurant can't handle large groups. Now mind you the most in our group had dined at the Tasting Room in the past and have written decent reviews, so it was quite a shock to everyone to see this rude behavior. Â With all the other dining options in St. Augustine I don't think I'll be coming back to the Tasting Room.
A series of unfortunate events happened at the Tasting Room when a group of us patronized their establishment for a milestone celebration of a friend. It could have easily been avoided or repaired but no attempt at either was evident by the staff of this so-called Upscale Dining restaurant.
Perhaps they had such a ridiculously rough day that they were exhausted and became devoid of any courtesy or reasonable behavior. Whatever it might have been, I found their attitude absurd, and our entire evening became unnecessarily clouded in a severely negative dust. Unfortunate, really, as I was mostly pleased with their food and drink offerings.
Our party of 12 arrived in two separate groups. The first consisted of 8 individuals, and the second, 4, because if my math is correct, 8 + Â 4 = 12. Easy enough, no? Apparently not to the hostess who proceeded to seat the 8 individuals at a table for 10. Upon pointing out that there were not going to be enough seats, she proceeded to answer with, "just take a seat and everything will be fine."
I'm curious. Are two additional seats going to miraculously appear out of the sky? Are there two imaginary seats that can only be seen when pixie dust is sprinkled on them? Maybe she was a magical creature from outer space and had special vision that we mere Earthlings didn't.
Upon the arrival of the other 4 individuals, the hostess' next step was to place one lone chair at the head of the table where there was barely enough room in the first place (a couch was conveniently placed there for prime viewing of the live music). It was obviously not going to work. When we pointed it out to her, she grew even more testy, if that was even possible, and answered with an unnecessarily defensive, "well, what do you expect me to do?!"
At this point, the manager stepped in. Actually, I was baffled when I found out later that he is actually the Managing Partner as his tone was no better than the hostess, and his demeanor not one suitable for a so-called "Upscale Dining" establishment. I will get to this "Upscale" confusion later. Two of us eventually just had to wait outside of the restaurant while a couple that had been sat at the table next to ours were getting ready to leave. I'm sure that if you ask them, they would tell you that they felt pressured to leave and had an uncomfortable end to their dining experience. At no point during this whole ordeal did any member of the staff bothered to make sure that the rest of the party waiting outside were taken care of.
Luckily, things went pretty much smooth-sailing after we were all finally seated together. Our server was exceptional. He took care of us very well, and was accommodating to his best ability. The earlier events did not shake him whatsoever, and I reflected my utmost appreciation in his tip. We ordered our small plates and they came out as they were ready, in no particular order as expected and indicated.
So let's speak to the food individually for a moment.
- Crudites and Mediterranean Spreads: Good. Came with teeth-breakingly hard "grilled" flatbread, though.
- Albondigas: Really good. One of my favorites of the night, and I don't usually like lamb.
- Pinchos de Pollo: Good.
- Patatas Bravas: Awful. Just plain awful. It was exceedingly sour.
- Bunuelos de Bacalao: Excellent. My favorite of the night. Perfectly fried and seasoned.
- Casuela de Langosta y Camarones: Meh.
And now the drinks. The White Sangria is delicious. The Red Sangria was also quite a favorite at the table. We were each provided with a free glass of champagne for the troubles, but I have no idea what kind it was, and no one bothered to speak to us about it. It was free, so no complaints here.
At this time, I shall note that one of the runners had stared at our table with dagger eyes throughout the night. It was apparent that the staff had been talking about us behind our backs. When she came out to deliver the Patatas Bravas, which she called "fries", she called out to the table, "who ordered the fries?!" When we finally figured out what it actually was and claimed it, she threw it down at our table.
Have I mentioned that they label themselves an Upscale Restaurant? May I ask who amongst you that have read this far would label such a treatment anywhere near "upscale"? The bathroom was in disarray; the Spanish music, though entertaining, was entirely too loud for the capacity of the dining room; and have I not explained enough the absolute un-professionalism of the majority of the staff?
Ah, but the telenovela didn't end there. When we were finished consuming our various foods and libations, a debacle ensued between an individual in our party and the manager. Instead of attempting to appease the situation and the increasingly frustrated member of our party, he continued to instigate. He very easily could've apologized and left to avoid any further altercations, but noooooo.
Like I said: An unfortunate experience.
This is a great place for a date or for a small group of friends. I went here for my 6-month anniversary on a Saturday night so it's best to make a reservation since they're super busy at that time. I've eaten here several times already but came back specifically for their "Ultimate Experience" which is a 4-course meal of specialty meals picked by the head chef. Â It's $48 per person but the catch is that every person at your table has to order it which I think is unfair.
Anyway, here's a breakdown of each course (though these offerings change throughout the year):
First: Oysters Poached in Riesling Cream and Grapes. Very flavorful and not too heavy, though the grapes seemed out of place.
Second: Pan-Seared Grouper with wilted kale and buttery whipped mash potatoes. Best course of the four! The fish was perfectly cooked and the potatoes creamy.
Third: I replaced the flank steak with lamb ribs, which was paired with a black bean paste and radicchio. I didn't really like the radicchio but the paste made up for it.
Fourth: Amazing chocolate croissant bread pudding with vanilla ice cream on top. Very moist and a great way to end the meal.
The other thing I love about this restaurant is the live music and how FAST the service is even when very busy. Will definitely come back here many times to see new offerings on their menu.
This was our first stop when we arrived in Saint Augustine. We had snapper Escabeche, the empanada trÃo, and the Española omelet. They have a huge wine selection but we opted for a pitcher of red sangria.
The Escabeche was delicious, the omelet needed a little salt (but it was okay) , and the empanada trio was lack luster. The sangria also tasted a bit watered down. Service was great. Our waitress was very friendly and attentive. Overall, I felt this was an average experience, nothing to call home about.
We came here right after the official lighting ceremony for Christmas in St. Augustine, and right after proposing to my future wife.....soooo, I might be on a bit of a cloud nine with how much I enjoyed this place. BUT, I will say, I think they would have gotten a 5 star regardless. Â Starting with no reservation, then they offered us to sit on the couches in front of the live flamanco guitarist...um, hell yea. SCORE. Â They brought out a complimentary glass of champagne for the 4 of us, not asked, totally on point. Â The food was outstanding! Â The light tapas food we dined all were all a huge success.
This place will always have a special place in my heart, and I think if you go, you might as well too.
I made a special trip to St. Augustine just to go back to this gem I thought I had found. I need to update my raving review so others are not mislead. It was appalling. Everything was covered with salt, bland food, and it was way overpriced. I ordered the same meatballs as I did over a year ago. I have a picture on my profile of it. Â Well, this time I received a bowl of tiny, oil soaked, cold mush. The 8 of us all ordered something different. The conclusion..."Well, the fried oysters were ok" Â What happened? I can't be more disappointed. I brought my entire family to this place to show them how amazing it was. Good bye Tasting Room
Review Source:brunch deal showcased tiny portions and horrendous dessert. the food was mediocre at best. definitely a pass.
also, there was a gratuity was charged on the full value of the meal (56$ for 2) but we paid 24$ for 2 (groupon deal). this would be OK if not for the shitty service....another fail.
Try and try again. My wife and I braved this establishment again with much better results where service is concerned. The food however is not as inventive or tasty as the name would indicate.
Our first visit was during Labor Day weekend '11. We had reservations for 7:30 and were seated quickly. 20 minutes went by, the table next to us had their drinks, refills and their first order of tapas brought to them. We still had not been greeted by a server. I tried twice to get someone's attention but apparently not loudly enough. While walking out I let the host know but it was too late to win us back.
2nd attempt: We were seated promptly. Our drink order was taken and we even got our first round of Tapas. Some of the menu items were sold out, it was Monday of Labor Day weekend so that was understandable. I would have liked to try the Jamon and the spanish sausage platter. The Cerviche was bland, our grilled octopus salad was mushy and uninspired, and the empanada trio was nothing special.
Bored and feeling like we wasted our time my wife called our favorite restaurant in St. Augustine and we continued our night out there.
I'm not so sure what all the hype is about and won't be returning for a 3rd opportunity to find out.
My favorite place in town to go to for fine dining and wine! I can see why It's rated last year the best in St. Augustine and was among the top 50 restaurants with the most notable wine list.
Services was very charming, food was delicious but expect portions to be small, live music is soothing & it has such a nice clean romantic atmosphere. I love this place and it is one of my top recommendations for a date night :)
Joined a group of friends for dinner and my first impression of the establishment was 4+stars. However the tapas I ordered were just okay...the empanadas were overcooked and dry and the tuna was ordinary. My gazpacho was excellent!
In all fairness the others in the group all opted for traditional plates and all seemed very pleased with their meals.
They were extremely busy on this particular Saturday night and after we had dessert and after dinner drinks, the hostess came over to state she needed the table for other dinners and we were ushered out the door in short order.
My boyfriend and I stopped into the Tasting Room for our last night in St. Augustine. Â The ambiance was perfect for what we were trying to achieve, a good last night dinner in an outdoor setting that was away from the hustle and bustle of St. Augustine. Â The Tasting Room was our perfect retreat.
We were seated outside, had a very nice server who was able to make some recommendations based on both of our tastes. Â We ended up going with a number of tapas including the Patatas Bravas, Carne Frita, Pinchos de Pollo and Solomillo Salteado. Â All of the tapas were fantastic, very flavorful, came out at exactly the right intervals, we were impressed! Â I had sangria, he had a couple of glasses of wine. Â Very cute, quaint place to stop it for a good dinner & drinks, definitely a great spot for couples looking for a place to do date night.
I chose to go based on my fellow yelpers reviews and they did not let me down. Â We had a party of six for my sisters birthday and none of us had been there before. Franchot took care of us and was ON IT! Probably butchering your name dude, sorry. Â Knew his wine, knew the food, fast, helpful etc. Â We sampled a variety of hot and cold tapas as well as several of the entrees and then all shared which is a great way to go if you can. Well, we shared everything up to the desserts, when my brother in law and sister literally inhaled their passion fruit cheesecake before we even noticed. Â They said they would drive back to this restaurant just for that cheesecake and some port.
very nice wine list, something for everyone. Looking forward to going back. Â I see some reviews where people had some issues with service or say it took too long between tapas. Â Things like that will happen, I think it's worth giving it a shot. Â I'm sure they are always striving to get everything perfect, whereas some places you go are clearly not there when it comes to the effort.
My second visit was not as good as my first. While the food was decent enough and wine parings and tasting were quite good, the service was below par. An adjoining table with a party of 6 was left in used for an hour after the party left as was a 4 top in front of me. Nobody wants to stare at ditry dishes while you are dining.
The wait time was far too long between courses. It seems the staff was more interested in servicing the outside tables than the inside. The usual excuse of being "slammed" was offered but not purchased by this patron. A restaurant needs to handle the "slam".
Not sure what they meant though as there was no wait to be seated.
Good service is the cheapest investment one can make in a restaurant. Good food is lost with bad service and while I enjoyed my meal, the dining experience dampened the fare.
My absolutel favorite place in St. Augustine to chill and spend a few hours eating and drinking delicious wine.
Our waiter was extremely knowledgable with wines. We told him we liked red, dry wines and he brought out a few for us to taste and we found one that we absolutely loved and paired deliciously with our food.
The food was incredible. Real spanish tapas. Very authentic fine-dining experience. We got the Ellotes Asados, the Lamb Meatballs, and a few other things. But those two dishes were the most memorable and very recommended.
The live music was quality. The man who played had a great voice and played great songs that fit the atmosphere of the Tasting Room.
Conclusion: Awesome wine selection, awesome food, very romantic ambiance. Loved every second of it and will be going to the Tasting Room every time I visit St. Augustine!
5 stars for atmosphere. So gorgeous inside and out. We went with the outside seating as it was early evening and just a gorgeous day out. The porch has so much charm, it's relaxing and romantic. Such a lovely place to grab dinner and catch up or veg out.
WOW wine selection! However, we knew we were going to be drinking throughout the evening so we went with a pitcher of white sangria, a personal favorite of mine. It was crisp and refreshing. It lacked in fruit pieces but the flavor was delicious. We had about 6-8 glasses from the pitcher, great deal!
The entire menu was screaming my name, good thing it was tapas style. We each chose some and shared.
Champiñones al Jerez ~ Mushrooms with Sherry and Garlic  Â
Vegetable Empanadas ~ Squashes, Mushrooms, Onions, Peas & Goat Cheese  Â
Calamares Mediterraneos ~ Sautéed Calamari tossed w Spanish Olives & Peppers  Â
Pinchos Morunos ~ Moorish Spiced Pork Skewers Commonly Found in Spain Â
Croquetas de Cordero ~ Moroccan Spiced Lamb Croquettes with Honey Pesto  Â
I also got the house salad which was a great start to the dinner. The veggie empenadas may have been my favorite. However, the mushrooms, I could have bathed in. Overall great service too, extremely nice and on top of their game.
Next time I am there I would love to try this: The Ultimate "Dinner" Â Experience*
"Allow our Chefs to take you on a guided tour of Spain through your senses.
Four Courses ~ 48. Â with wine pairing ~ 72." Yes, please.
Wonderful atmosphere, great wait staff ask for Sean (possibly Shawn), he waited on us and was very cool about us relaxing and sipping wine on the patio for 2hrs, just like when I lived in Spain. The live music was also a very nice touch.
The food was very good; we had a flight of charcuterie which was excellent, with a good selection of cheeses picked by our waiter. I had a dish similar to Paella, all the shellfish was fresh and well prepared with nothing being overcooked (overcooked muscles, clams and shrimp are a sign of a poor chef). My girlfriend had a similar dish but with mushrooms, chicken, pork and asparagus which was also very good.
I would recommend this spot to anyone looking for a nice meal with a good wine selection.
Very tasty tapas. I would have enjoyed a tasting menu here, but we showed up a little late in the afternoon. They close for a break prior to dinner, and we didn't know.
They explain at the beginning that the entrees equal 2 tapas, and the tapas equal 2 tapitos (going from memory here). I've had Tapas around before, so this made me think the entrees must be relatively small to only be equal to two Tapas... wrong... While I didn't see an entree, I can tell you the smallest Tapitos are likely what I've had as Tapas elsewhere. The Tapas are quite large, and 4 of them made for too much for lunch.
The sangria was very good, and they have a decent selection of craft brews as well. The Foie Gras turine was nice, though my girl didn't like it as much as pan seared Foie Gras. The cheese and peppers turine was one of here favorites. The Truffle potato fritters were very tasty, but the choice of caviar for that one, salmon I believe, was overpowering for such a light taste as truffle.
I would like to return here and try the Tasting menu with wine pairings. This was a pretty cool place in the middle of a touristy area.
Went for dinner with coworkers, and the food and atmosphere were perfect for unwinding after a long slog at the office. Â Tasty (and strong) sangria certainly helped as well. Â Foodie notes as follows (or what I can remember after the sangria, anyway..):
Dátiles Rellenos - bacon-wrapped dates with blue cheese.  Sweet and savory, with just a kick of the blue cheese at the end.  A must have!
Mejillones con Frittas - steamed mussels in wine with truffle fries. Â It's a strange combo at first glance, seeing the fries sitting on top of mussels in a bowl. Â But both were great; mussels were cooked very well with only maybe one escapee from the shell, and the fries were crisp and tasty with the cheese and aoili on top.
Almejas en Salsa Verde - clams steamed with white wine, cilantro and garlic. Â As with the mussels, cooked perfectly. Â Couldn't taste the cilantro either, which is a major plus with me.
Gambas al Pil Pil - prawns in garlic paprika olive oil. Can't say I really tasted much of the paprika, but the garlic certainly showed through and these were still very good.
Shrimp and Chorizo Empanadas - The disappointment of the night. Kind of on the bland side, with only hint of the shrimp.
Croquetas de Papa - potato and truffle fritters with crème fraiche and caviar.  The fritters were crispy on the outside, and slightly runny on the inside.  I'd have preferred a slightly more firm potato on the texture on the inside, but still good with or without the caviar.
Croquetas de Cordero - lamb croquettes with honey pesto. I was expecting something with a layer of breading on the outside, but instead what came out were some lamb meatballs. Â Fairly gamey, and the Moroccan spice wasn't bad.
Champiñones al Jerez - mushrooms in sherry and garlic.  There were a few pieces of toasted bread on the plate as well to load said shrooms onto, and the combination was excellent.  Also very worthwhile to use bread to soak up the rest of the sauce when the shrooms are all gone.
While working a job that required full-time travel around the state of Florida, I found myself in St. Augustine with a long afternoon / evening break prior to our next event.
While on a guided tour through the historic area of the "Old City," the November breezes mixed with an ethereal sort of music wafting from The Tasting Room.
It was a non-imposing establishment with a simple shingle out front that I might not have given a second thought if it hadn't been for the music leaking out into the street and commandeering the steering of my feet. Â Like a pied piper, it drew my coworker and I back there upon completion of our walking tour.
What seemed to be a group of musicians making brilliant music prior to entering was actually a single performer (as he was absent his percussionist this night), Goliath Flores, playing guitar, singing (vocalizing brass instruments so real you would think he -- or someone -- was playing a trumpet, trombone, et al.) all the while tapping a tambourine at appropriate intervals with his foot. Â His creative brilliance was enough to do justice to simply placing foot past the threshold even IF the food hadn't been top notch. Â I was thrilled that he invited me to sit in with him on a couple of pieces when he observed that I am a percussionist as well.
The music was too loud? Â Nay. Â And they have convenient outdoor seating for those who wish for a toned down music experience.
And about the food: I'm not a professional chef or food critic / taster, but as a professional amateur that does indeed enjoy good food, and unique spicings and pairings, the food was scrumptious and the sangria was perfection. Â Is it pricey? Â Perhaps a bit? Â But what do you expect when you go out to eat at a place that isn't fast food that provides a full dining experience? Â Speaking as a business-owner, if you aren't interested in paying for service and quality, both of which were superb both times I visited here, then I dare-say you should be at home Julia Childs-ing your own tapas and mixing your own sangria. Â Everyone knows -- or should know -- that you're paying for the experience as well.
And yes, it is a historic area with sometimes challenging parking, but the best things in life are often challenging. Â Be honest with yourself -- it's a historic district with narrow streets and virtually non-existent parking within this area. Â Aside from being able to pull relatively close and drop someone off who might be disabled or not as able to walk long distances, it will require that you park a few blocks away and walk. Â Why not consider that part of the entire experience -- the anticipation prior to the reveal of a great dining experience followed by leaving on a cloud of having had all your senses deliciously stimulated and activated. Â Perhaps, though, we live in a society that is so steeped in instant gratification to the point where walking a few blocks is simply out of the question to them.
And to them I say, that's why I'm thankful for barriers to entry. Â It keeps the much less dedicated and serious -- even passionate -- people from getting to the diamonds in the rough. Â The cream in the middle. Â The fruit in the sangria.
This establishment easily falls into my Top 5 places to return to when in Florida -- especially if Mr. Flores is performing on any given evening. Â I am counting the days until my return.
Oh and a note to music producers / booking agents: Â See Goliath Flores asap. Â You will be moved to action as he will bring a return on investment.
Tasting Room Proprietor: Keep doing what you're doing. Â The cream will rise to the top and you won't be at a lack for customers who appreciate your efforts.
After years of walking by we finally made it our destination. Â I was blown away as soon as we walked in, very chic for St. Augustine. Â I recently moved here from South Beach FL, and one of my main complaints are the restaurants here don't make it "an experience". Â The tasting room delivers that experience with gorgeous decor, the wait staff was very informed and professional, beautiful mood lighting and lovely tables. Â Jazz trio was set up and rounded out the experience. Â
I was overwhelmed by the wine menu, it is extensive and there is something for everyone. Â I got sidetracked when I saw the Peach Sangria and ordered that. Â The size was generous and I Loved that it wasn't overly sweet or "themey". Â Just a simple white wine with a hint of liquor and peaches. Â
We didn't order very well though, for our tapas.  We ordered the marinated mushrooms, which were just ok.  the croquettes which were alright, although I found them to be missing something.  I did love the Drunken Goat, which was the most delightful goat cheese with marinated  onions and peppers.  That was Amazing.
Over all I am looking forward to going back and trying more of hte dishes and perhaps a wine flights.  I highly recommend the Tasting Room, but go dressed up, there were entirely too many people in there in just shorts and a t.  Its Friday night - put some pants on  :)
I had one of the best dining experiences here I've had in a long time.
I was seated quickly, though I came early. If you are coming with friends and want couches to listen to music you need to make a reservation, they go quickly. It can be loud inside. I sat on the patio and still could hear, the music was really nice.
My server Brittany greeted me quickly. She was amazing, she knew the menu well, paired my wines perfectly, and had very good selections for me. When I am feeling adventurous when traveling and I feel I can trust my server or chef I do not order from the menu. I simply ask them to surprise me. There is nothing I will not taste and I enjoy most foods. When Brittany asked what I liked, I just said "Everything"
The only thing I wish was different, was that I had been traveling with others. The menu is extensive and varied, there is something for everyone here; I wish I could have shared and tasted more things.
I was first asked what I would like to drink so a chose, "Bubbles Around the World", three sparkling wines. Dry Champagnes for me are so versatile and I thought this would be a nice setup to begin the evening.
I asked Brittany to surprise me for my first Tapa. She seemed unsure at first, but quickly warmed to the idea when I assured her I like most foods and to just pair something for the flight of Bruts I ordered. She did perfectly.
The first things I had were a Moroccan spiced tuna and a ceviche of shrimp & bay scallops over escarole garnished w/ crispy fried plantain strips. The tuna loin was perfect, the crust was spicy, but not overpowering. The ceviche had plenty of veg without too much onion or lime; the shrimp were cured to perfection and not at all rubbery, the scallops tasted very fresh and felt elegant and smooth on my palate. The plantains made the dish fun and playful, they were delicious with a hint of sea salt. The J Cuvee 20 brut was crisp and the citrus was perfect overall for this dish. The Blue Top Brut's subtle caramel and light fruit were ideal with the ceviche. The currants in the Brut Rose were best with the tuna, though this was a new wine for me and I found it refreshing and silky without being too sweet.
The next Tapa Brittany brought out for me was a roulade of braised duckling and Manchego, lightly fried and served with fluffy basmati rice, black bean puree & Sriracha. I enjoy my duck breast mid-rare at most and the temperature of this was perfect, and it wasn't overly fatty; the salty Manchego was the ideal accompaniment in this crispy roulade.The Brut Rose was superb with this dish.
Next I had a solomillo de pulmon lightly coated in a chimichuri and resting on a chucky persillade. This cut of meat is so rare to find in a restaurant, what a treat. Slow cooked without any connective tissue and so full of flavor, one of the nicest tasting pieces of meat I have had in some time. Simple and still so sublime, I recommend it. Again Brittany hit a home run with the pairings, bringing The Three Kings of Spain to accompany this sweet meat; they ran the gamut from dark rich fruit w/ a dry finish, to subtle oak flavors long on my palate, & finally vanilla, cherry, and herbs. They were Emilio Moro, Finca Resalso, Ribera del Duero; Marques de Arvisa, Rioja; and Cellars Scala Dei, Priorat.
All of the cheese plates look amazing and I'm glad I didn't have to choose. The Rioja was perfect for the Cabrales, Manchego and Cana de Cabra plate I received. Light rounds of Galacian toast were delicious and the perfect vehicles for this plate (though I had to order extra!) that was accompanied by Americana almonds, roasted fennel, roasted sweet peppers, and a sherry sweetened onion marmalade.
Dessert was a chocolate truffle cake with warm vanilla cream and caramel Moroccan spiced ice cream. This was mana and would have been excellent with one of the many ports or sherries available. I just did not have room!
This was a lot for a single person to taste, but I took my time and was never rushed by any of the staff. Other servers and managers came by to check my progress and to inquire as to how everything tasted. I recommend this restaurant, even if you are not in St. Augustine, definitely worth a drive.
-- Dick Whiting
A Mobile, Alabama native, Chef Dick honed his culinary skills in California and traveling throughout Southeast Asia and Latin America. His cooking style focuses on simple dishes with a fusion of flavors one would find in a guest house in Thailand, a small cafe in Bali, or a family pensión in Costa Rica. Chef Dick is known for preparing delicious local and worldly fare using the best ingredients; including locally grown and organic produce, fresh seafood, game and beef. He directs regular cooking classes and demonstrations, including spots on local TV affiliates for ABC, NBC, FOX, and CBS. An experienced culinary professional he has directed and supervised food preparation throughout restaurants, resorts and hotels with multiple outlets. <a href="mailto:culinary@hotmail.com">culinary@hotmail.com</a>
We thoroughly enjoyed our recent dinner at The Tasting Room. In fact, there really wasn't a thing to criticize, so we're going with five stars here. Thanks to Daisy D for her recent review, which helped this place pop up on our radar.
Our reservation was ready upon arrival. We had a small table for two next to the large booth in the front room. The art and interior design give this place a very comfortable feel and our servers were friendly and attentive.
The food and wine selections we had were all delicious and arrived promptly. Meal highlights included: (tapas) the mahi bites, Spanish olives plate, and mixed greens salad with roasted beets; (entrees) the seared ahi tuna and vegetarian paella. LDC loved the paella.
Even the bread and oil were a step above the normal complementary fare. LDC believes it was a hint of salt baked into the crust, plus Spanish olive oil, which apparently has a bit more flavor than many Italian versions (like the olives?). She's the chef; I'm just an eater but I'm willing to take her word for it.
We also had two flights of white wines from Spain, with excellent SB, Pinot Grigio, Albarino, and Riesling. Great mix and pairings with the food, and a nice way to sample the larger wine list, which others have raved about already.
Only downside? We didn't save room for dessert.
Random notes: There are some parking spots available around the restaurant, which is rare for places in the historic district. And they do take reservations via OpenTable. You can certainly dress casual, but be aware that the servers will be more stylish than you. ;)
We will surely return and would highly recommend The Tasting Room, especially for an evening with friends, as the tapas are perfect for sharing. Highly recommended.
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