Mestizo Bar and Latin Cuisine — Restaurant in Sydney

We walked in without having a reservation and not really knowing what to expect. The interior is welcoming and seating comfortable. The restaurant offers traditional Spanish food with the majority of the menu devoted to tapas.

The lady who greeted us was very friendly and attentive. Service was perfect!

The food.... Wow. I've had plenty of tapas in my time and I have to say this is one of the best. The chef is producing food of an exceptional standard well above the price point. Every dish was a knock out and cooked and presented to perfection. Croquettes were crispy on the outside and soft and creamy on the inside.

The baby squid were full of flavour and prepared beautifully. No rubber here! The tortilla - again perfect.

Then onto desserts. We had churros, Crema Catalana and a poached pear in Pedro Ximeniz. The waitress claimed the churros were better than anywhere else. We were not disappointed. My daughter, who can be considered an expert in eating churros, confirmed they were the best she'd ever had.

A great and memorable meal. We will be back. If I could give this wonderful restaurant a higher rating I would. Whether you are looking for a casual night out our celebrating something this restaurant is well worth a visit. Very very highly...

I had booked online and from photos I had seen of Despana it seemed appropriate to have my experience in the so called “out the back” seating. Selecting the option, I was looking forward to the outdoor and intimate experience.

Upon arrival I stated my name and booking and we were told to sit in the restaurant (inside) area. I questioned the waiter who was serving us and explained that I had made a booking for “out the back” seating. The gentlemen serving came across as abrupt, he claimed there was a table of about 14 people who had made a booking for that specific area.

If that was the case, I would have appreciated a phone call beforehand. There was no apology, and it felt like we were being rushed to a table.

We were ready to leave but gave the restaurant the benefit of the doubt.

The food was amazing, I cannot take that away from Despana. Everything had it’s own unique flavours and the chicken was so tasty and tender. However while eating our dinner it was hard to forget the experience we had walking in as it left a distasteful feeling within us.

It would have been a perfect 5 stars if we were treated better but we left feeling unsatisfied, disappointed and let down. Not sure if we’ll be...

Been meaning to try this place for a while and finally had a chance to.

The place is unassuming and gives a laid back vibe. I wouldn't say it's the most romantic place, but it makes for a decent date place or a place to eat with a small group of friends.

Service was alright, there were only two people working as the place started to get packed on a Wednesday night, but the food came out quickly so no complaints here.

The food...I'm not the biggest fan of Jamon (a little too salty for me) but you have to get it right?

We ordered:

Pan Con Tomate with Jamon Russian Salad Croquettes Spiced Cauliflower Fritters Prawn and Chorizo Skewers Patatas Bravas Sangria

The Pan Con Tomate was like a tomato bruschetta and really tasty The Russian Salad was really good too, seared tuna on crostini The Croquettes stood out for me, as did the Spiced Cauliflower fritters The Sangria was really good too and tasted like fruit punch The Prawn and Chorizo Skewers were alright, nothing too amazing but not bad. Contrary to the other review, the Patatas Bravas...don't order these...just big fat potatoes (too much potato) per slice with dipping sauce.

I'd...