Casa Federico — Restaurant in Dénia

We were deeply disappointed with our experience at this restaurant, particularly with the paella. The dish was nothing like an authentic paella: there was no socarrat to be found, and the rice was mushy, resembling risotto more than anything else. The flavor was monotonous and flat, lacking the rich depth you’d expect from a proper paella.

The seafood was of poor quality, with tough, unappetizing pieces that seemed to be cut from tail ends. The overall dish was highly unpleasant.

The service only added to the disappointment. Everything felt rushed—our starter arrived within 15 minutes of sitting down, and just five minutes after our plates were cleared, the paella was served. It’s hard to imagine a freshly prepared paella being made that quickly. As a result, we found ourselves back outside within an hour of arriving, which completely ruined the dining experience.

The staff spoke only Spanish and were either unable or unwilling to understand our dissatisfaction with the food. At checkout, they were outright unfriendly, which left a bitter taste in our mouths.

The restaurant’s atmosphere was equally dismal. Staff stood around idly, creating a dull and awkward environment. Overall, this was a very poor experience, and we cannot recommend this place, especially if you’re looking for a proper paella and a relaxed...

We came here with friends to celebrate a post wedding dinner last week. We had booked in advance but when we arrived were told we couldn’t sit as a group (despite the restaurant being almost empty). When we asked if we could move the two tables together we were told it was “impossible” (it wasn’t). We decided to pay for the drinks that had been ordered and leave to find somewhere else (we ended up in another restaurant where the service was outstanding and they understood how special the occasion was). Upon leaving one of the waitresses physically grabbed the shoulder of my 7 month pregnant friend demanding she must down the rest of her water before leaving. Not only did my friend find the grabbing quite painful, it was from behind and shocked her quite a bit. The waitress then proceeded to call us all names in Spanish (half the group was Spanish) so we understood perfectly. This is the 2nd time we’ve been to Casa Federico and 2nd time with bad service. We hoped the first time was a one off. There are much better terraces in Denia, with better paella, and with 100 times better service. Hugely overrated place. (I remember the first time eating here and thinking the food was overpriced and underwhelming), a complete...

My family are repeat visitors here. We make a point of eating at Casa Federico if we are in Denia. This is a Spanish restaurant for Spanish people; tourists are of course welcome but expect to see your fellow Spanish diners dressed in more than beach wear, and perhaps dress accordingly. A stylish expansion of the original building gives a greater capacity, which the business copes with well. The food is excellent, there are plenty of wines to chose from, although sadly the first two Rosés we ordered were out of stock, losing one star as our server decided on a bottle for us instead and delivered it to the table, where we would have preferred to chose again. In all other respects the service was fine, and we will again return, for...