Mesón Mariano — Restaurant in Málaga

Wow. An excellent place to come for a few tapas! I scrupulously researched this establishment ahead of time as there are SO MANY restaurants here that are listed as 4+ stars that have no business being so! This one absolutely rates at the top of all my required categories! VALUE - For the best value, come during late lunch (check hours) and sit up at the bar to order off what I would consider the ‘bar menu’. We ordered four tapas plates, 1/2 size, we both had two drinks each and a cappucino and the bill was only €32.30. QUALITY- The food was excellent, flavors were well planned for each dish and delicious.The ingredients were top quality, fresh and freshly prepared, served promptly and hot. They are known for their artichoke dishes and we had the grilled option which was excellent! Skewered goat and the young lamb were also amazing and yet totally different dishes; one in a savory garlic sautée and the other right off the charcoals served with freshly cut potato fries. I also finally had some eggplant served in what seems to be the traditional fried manner that was light, savory and with the honey sauce that is such a nice touch. It must be a local specialty. There were so many things we wanted to try, such as the oxtail stew and something that looked like a hearty stew of chickpeas, pork shoulder and vegetables and several other dishes - not enough time! AMBIENCE/SERVICE - This is a very cultured, yet cozy establishement. I felt like I was in a five star restaurant but I also felt at home and cozy with the friendly wait staff and casual yet elegant service. The restaurant itself reminds me of being in an old, yet well preserved historical building. So fun! We squashed into a couple of seats at the bar because I had read that sitting at the low tables you would be ordering off of the dinner menu - a bit pricier and more food than we wanted. The servers were all so nice. When we saw some beautiful lamb shanks being brought to someone’s table, one of the waiters (not even ours), saw us admiring them and went out of his way to show us where they were found on the menu since he could see that we did not speak Spanish. The owner was also right in there with everyone. Prepping this and that at that bar and generally keeping an eye on whatever might need doing. I noticed he checked on everyone in a very unobtrusive way, silently removing plates, replacing silverware or refilling drinks in a seamless continuum that you hardly noticed. What a great experience! I look forward...

Our waiter joked that we had a food orgasm, and he was spot on.

We went for the Artichokes, which were mind blowing and unforgettable.

We then received the house salad and was surprised by the tuna and fruits. What a delicious combination.

The culinary experience just kept escalating as we received the sizzling shrimp. The heat lingered just long enough to make us crave another bite.

The next plate left us perplexed. Was it the goat or tuna? The flakiness revealed it was Tuna, in a sauce that I would have never conjured, but it simply worked.

When the plate of goat came, we did not feel worthy of this feast fit for a king.

As the goat dissolved in our mouths, the flavors swam across our palate with Olympic talent.

Between every few bites, the wine would activate a happiness trigger to add to this experience.

We opted for the cheesecake, but it did not have the texture we expected. It was good, but nothing special…until they brought us their house specialty: Flan in what tasted like a churro.

Volcanos of pleasure erupted in each of our brains at the sheer happiness embodied in this plate.

Then the waiter brought some caramel flavored Vodka, which blew any remaining negative atoms in our beings.

It was a taste that wrapped the experience in a blanket of pleasure.

Beyond expectations, we all agreed this was the best meal we have EVER experienced, with amazing friends...

POLSKI:

Wpadliśmy tu w porze kolacji i dobrze, że przyszliśmy wcześniej - miejsce szybko się zapełnia, a system kolejkowy mógłby działać sprawniej. Za to kiedy już usiedliśmy, poczuliśmy lokalny klimat Malagi - bez nadęcia i turystycznych sztuczek.

Owoce morza świeże, krokiety solidne, ale nie wszystkie dania trzymają ten sam poziom. Fasolowa sałatka na start to miły akcent, choć niektóre przystawki mogłyby być bardziej dopracowane. Ciekawe połączenie dały krewetki z czosnkiem i chili - tu kuchnia pokazała pazur.

Karczochy były absolutnym objawieniem - szczególnie te zapiekane, perfekcyjnie przygotowane z idealną teksturą. Tuńczyk w sosie cebulowym to majstersztyk - mięso było soczyste, a sos cebulowy idealnie zbalansowany. Czerwone barweny zaskoczyły świeżością i perfekcyjnym przygotowaniem.

Obsługa ma swoje lepsze i gorsze momenty. Czasem trzeba poczekać, żeby złapać z nimi kontakt, ale kiedy już się uda, starają się doradzać. Byli nie tylko profesjonalni, ale i niezwykle uprzejmi. Ich zaangażowanie i dbałość o gości sprawiły, że z przyjemnością zostawiliśmy napiwek - w pełni zasłużony za tak wysoką jakość obsługi.

Ceny uczciwe jak na centrum, choć przez popularność miejsca czasem czuć pośpiech w serwisie. Warto wpaść, ale może lepiej poza szczytem.

ENGLISH:

We came here for dinner and it's good we arrived early - the place fills up quickly and the queuing system could work more efficiently. Once seated, we felt the local atmosphere of Malaga - without pretension and tourist gimmicks.

The seafood was fresh, croquettes were solid, though not all dishes maintain the same level. The bean salad as a starter was a nice touch, although some appetizers could be more refined. An interesting combination came from the shrimp with garlic and chili - here the kitchen showed its flair.

The artichokes were an absolute revelation - especially the gratinated ones, perfectly prepared with ideal texture. The tuna in onion sauce was a masterpiece - the meat was juicy, and the onion sauce perfectly balanced. The red mullets surprised us with their freshness and perfect preparation.

The service has its better and worse moments. Sometimes you need to wait to get their attention, but once you do, they try to be helpful. They were not only professional but also extremely courteous. Their commitment and care for guests made us happy to leave a tip - fully deserved for such high-quality service.

Prices are fair for the center location, though due to the place's popularity, you can sometimes feel the rush in service. Worth visiting, but perhaps better outside peak hours.

ESPAÑOLA:

Llegamos para cenar y fue bueno que llegáramos temprano - el lugar se llena rápidamente y el sistema de colas podría funcionar más eficientemente. Una vez sentados, sentimos el ambiente local de Málaga - sin pretensiones ni trucos turísticos.

Los mariscos estaban frescos, las croquetas eran sólidas, aunque no todos los platos mantienen el mismo nivel. La ensalada de alubias como entrante fue un buen detalle, aunque algunas tapas podrían estar más elaboradas. Una combinación interesante fueron los langostinos con ajo y chile - aquí la cocina mostró su talento.

Las alcachofas fueron una absoluta revelación - especialmente las gratinadas, perfectamente preparadas con una textura ideal. El atún encebollado fue una obra maestra - la carne estaba jugosa y la salsa de cebolla perfectamente equilibrada. Los salmonetes sorprendieron por su frescura y perfecta preparación.

El servicio tiene sus momentos mejores y peores. A veces hay que esperar para llamar su atención, pero una vez que lo consigues, intentan ser serviciales. No solo fueron profesionales sino también extremadamente atentos. Su compromiso y atención con los clientes hizo que dejáramos propina con gusto - totalmente merecida por un servicio de tal calidad.

Los precios son justos para estar en el centro, aunque debido a la popularidad del lugar, a veces se nota la prisa en el servicio. Vale la pena visitarlo, pero quizás mejor fuera de las...