Columbia - Nowatney

This was truly the best dining experience we've had in a long time. The service was impeccable, and the menu offered so many intriguing options that it was difficult to choose. The food was well-prepared and absolutely delicious, living up to our expectations. They serve the finest Sangria on this side of the Atlantic, and the charming, old-world ambiance adds to the experience. Be sure to make a reservation in advance; if you find yourself in Tampa, this is a place you definitely don’t want to miss.

Our server, Luisa M, unfortunately, did not make a good impression on us. She seemed quite short and unfriendly, lacking the personable touch we were hoping for. I noticed another server engaging with a different table, asking if it was their first visit and sharing the history of the restaurant, which made their experience much more inviting. In contrast, Luisa only asked for our drink orders and quickly came back to take our meal orders, which somewhat diminished our experience. This is why I’m giving a lower rating despite the food being enjoyable. After we placed our order, we were served warm and soft bread with butter, which was a nice touch. I chose the combo de Cuba, which included two types of pork, beans, rice, plantains, yuca, and empanadas. The meal was hearty, and I ended up with leftovers. However, the beans could have used more seasoning, and I wasn’t particularly fond of the yuca and empanadas. On a brighter note, the churros were delightful—soft and delicious, especially when dipped in the caramel sauce, which was my favorite. The chocolate sauce, however, didn’t impress me as much. Overall, while the food was good, our server's attitude left much to be desired.

This restaurant offers a wide variety of Spanish and Cuban dishes, and the interior creates a really immersive atmosphere. The service was excellent. The paella had great flavor, but I would have liked more rice, parsley instead of peas, and a fattier chorizo rather than lean pork. Additionally, there was less shellfish than I had anticipated.

It's like a bag of salt must have exploded in the kitchen. I ordered the combo plate(forget the name) so that I could try several items. My first bite was the empanada and that seemed a bit salty. Then I worked around the plate and every single item including the beans and rice were heavily over salted, to the point I could barely eat 20% of my plate. Luckily the bread they served was delicious and because I was obviously still hungry I ordered a bread pudding. Overall it was good, but I had to remove the entire top portion because the burn it. I had two others taste it and they agreed, can't eat the top. Strangest bread pudding that I have ever ordered, but again, the rest of it was tasty. Service was excellent. The building is very cool, but in the end we all go to eat and I can't eat food overloaded with salt. It's unfortunate.

The oldest restaurant in Florida! Pretty cool on that point alone. Make reservations or you either will wait 30-45 minutes or get turned away at the door. I watched first hand how they literally just don't have enough staff since the pandemic to pack the place to full capacity. 1901 salad is a must. Cuban sandwich was second only to Versailles in Miami. Paella is excellent and worth the wait. Bread Pudding OMG phenomenal. Enjoy! and certainly enjoy the scenery, the place is pretty stunning.