El Mesón de Cervantes — Restaurant in Málaga

We were unfortunately very disappointed with our visit. From the photos, we had expected a more classical Spanish restaurant, but the reality was different. The music was the first indication - which was mostly pop and trap, which set a more commercial and touristy tone than the elegant, local atmosphere we were hoping for.

Service was quite disorganized. It was a busy evening, which we understand, but it was difficult to get anyone’s attention when needed.

The food overall was not to our taste. The lamb stew was the best of what we ordered, but it was underseasoned and presented in a very simple, home-style way that didn’t match the price point. The steak was okay but again underseasoned, the potatoes were dense and sticky, and the duck arrived already cold and was dry.

The biggest issue, however, was the tuna. The tuna skewers we ordered were clearly not fresh and after tasting, everyone at the table agreed they were off. When we sent them back, the waitress insisted us to try the tuna tataki instead, assuring us it was sparkling fresh. Unfortunately, this second dish was even worse, with the strong taste of fish that was past its best. What made the experience especially uncomfortable was that the chef appeared amused when told the first tuna wasn’t good, and the waitress insisted it was fresh despite it clearly not being so. That combination of serving unfresh raw fish and then dismissing our concern felt very uncomfortable.

From our view of the open plan kitchen we also saw a number of dishes being reheated in microwaves including our patatas bravas, which arrived with some pieces cold and others overheated.

At the end of the meal, when we asked for the bill, unwanted desserts and shots were brought to our table instead. While we understand this may have been intended as a kind gesture, it made it harder to simply leave after what had already been a disappointing evening.

Overall, the kitchen seemed overstretched and shortcuts in quality were obvious. Between the service, the microwaved dishes, and most importantly the issue with the tuna, this was not a restaurant we would return to, nor one we could recommend to anyone who prioritizes fresh,...

AB-SO-LUTE-LY fantastic. We were recommended this restaurant by a friend. Oh my, best recommendation ever. Absolutely loved everything about this place; the interior (tasteful, cosy, classy), the staff, even though some of them didn’t speak Englisch they were so helpful and fun! We’ve tried 3 different glasses of red wine because we couldn’t fine what we were looking for. But ended up with a really lovely bottle Ramon Bilbao (Rioja) because of the great advise form the staff. Loved the hands-on owner and her manager (didn’t get their names unfortunately) who obviously gathered a great group of co-workers around them which made our diner and stay feel really welcoming, fun and friendly. The restaurant has an extensive selection of wines. Sitting in the back of the restaurant we could enjoy the open kitchen and the staff creating our fabulous dishes. Sometimes an open kitchen can be loud and disturbing, but this was a joy to watch and not noisy at all. We shared the tapas quiche and tuna tataki with passion fruit sauce for starters. Both highly recommended! And then the salmon with humus and spinach and (not sure if this is correct) the rump steak with foie gras sauce. The sauce!! We just died and went to heaven. We wanted to finish off with a dessert, but unfortunately we already had enough to eat. We hope this restaurant stays as a hidden gem. It’s on the top of our list of restaurants the next time we visit...

4 adults and 3 teenage children for dinner and we really enjoyed the first course although one of the childrens meals did not arrive till everyone else had finished their second course. These things happen so no real drama, however during the serving of the second course, a waiter dropped a full pint of beer on my head and the beer rolled down my clothes and over three of the meals and two iPhones. The phones were fine, the food was not returned because children were already anxious to move on… then started a string of stupid platitudes with unwanted cocktails and huge beers sent to the ladies. The manageress advised that she would not charge for one of the half portions of steak which really infuriated us all. Anyway, when we went to pay the bill of around 250 euro she offered us such a paltry reduction that things became heated when the guy that dropped the beer stressed that this was an everyday experience - he even gave me a can of deodorant to hide the smell of beer from me and my daughter. He meant well but should not have been allowed engage an entire family with what quickly became aggressive shouting and posturing. We offered to pay a reduced bill taking 25 euro off but actually ended up paying what the manager had asked us for despite feeling really disappointed...