Quilombo Tapas — Restaurant in Seville

After arriving in Sevilla, my mom and I were hungry and looking for something close to where we were staying. I have gluten and dairy intolerances, so I always do some research before I travel. I'd seen in other reviews that they had some possible options for me, and I had this place saved as an easy lunch option for day one. We didn't have a reservation, but were seated immediately.

The restaurant was buzzing with many families enjoying a relaxed tapas lunch with wine and we were seated outside along with many others. It was a good spot for people-watching and enjoying a mild winter day.

After looking over the menu, both of us were interested in the Spanish tortilla, but when we ordered it our waitress informed us that they were out (we were there around 3:00 PM and they closed for lunch at 4:00 PM), so I'd keep this in mind. Instead, we opted to share three tapas plates.

We selected a few things we thought could work and then checked with our waitress that they were dairy/gluten free when it was time to order. The spinach and chickpea dish did come with little bread crackers, but I don't have celiac so it was okay for me to just give them to my mom and eat around them. If you have celiac, this will be important to avoid.

Dishes came out one at a time/paced in a tapas fashion.

We ordered: -Papas Arrugas Con 2 Salsas: Baked and halved baby golden potatoes topped with two aioli sauces - one sort of smokey with paprika and the other tasted like it had garlic and a bit of truffle oil. I would recommend this dish! It was light but satisfying. The smokey aioli-topped ones were our favorite. -Espinacas con Garbanzos: This was okay, but lacking. It didn't taste like much, to be honest - if you've ever had steamed spinach. It could have used more seasoning or perhaps an element of tang/acidity or something to liven it up. I just spooned it onto my plate because I couldn't have the bread, but I think if you were going to eat it as a sort of "dip," you'd need more of the toasted bread pieces to enjoy it because the ratio was off. -A chilled salmon dish: Sorry! I can't remember the name of this and their menu isn't easily available online. It comes with two spreads made with olives. The spreads have a bright salty, briny, umami flavor. The light yellow/green one was particularly zingy and was our favorite. The salmon itself was interesting. Sort of like a thick tuna steak like smoked salmon? It was icy in the middle of each piece, but I think that's how it's supposed to be. We honestly weren't sure what it was when we ordered it but were looking for a third dish that I could eat too. I could have done with just two pieces of it since I'm not too into raw or raw-seeming fish, but if you like smoked salmon, poke, sushi, or ceviche, this would probably be the dish for you.

When we sat down, they brought olives and bread/crackers. I ate the olives, but we didn't eat the bread. Just a warning it's common, particularly in Andalusia, for them to bring bread (or other things) and charge you for it. If something is put on your table, don't assume it's free. If you don't want it, tell them. And if the charge is added but you didn't ask for it, remind them that it's against the law for them to charge you for something you didn't order. Just a general thing to be aware of especially if you're coming from somewhere where things like bread, water, etc. are free at restaurants.

We'd also planned to grab coffee from a cafe after, but many places were closed/closing for siesta time. So, if you're having a late lunch and it's nearing 4:00 PM, just order coffee at the end of your meal because if you try to go somewhere else, you may find that it's closed for the day.

You'll find food you enjoy and it's a nice atmosphere, but I wouldn't say it's a definite standout (the area has many good places for tapas so you have a lot of good options). Overall, this was a nice spot in Sevilla and a pretty typical tapas place for the area. If it's convenient and you're looking for a place to eat, you won't be sorry...

I was drawn to this restaurant mainly because of the excellent service. The staff, especially the waitress who welcomed me, spoke very good English, which made ordering easy and pleasant. Her friendliness and professionalism definitely deserve 5 stars.

However, after spending several days in Andalusia and trying local cuisine, I must say that the food here does not live up to its 4.5-star rating on Google Maps. The Spanish tortilla was underseasoned and dry compared to others I’ve had. The artichoke was similarly bland, though the salted egg on top was perfectly runny, which I have to give credit for. The fish dish (as seen in the picture) was the best of what I ordered, but considering other options available in the area, I believe there are simply better places in terms of food quality.

Overall, service was great (5/5), but the food, unfortunately, only...

Gourmet Tapas At Reasonable Prices. We have been in Seville for a week and have loved the crowded, local bars with quick, tasty and cheap tapas. We were ready for the next level but didn't want a full restaurant meal. Quilombo was the perfect answer. They offer elegant, beautifully crafted tapas which are still filling. We sat in the sunshine for lunch and had a couple of beers with olives, followed by 6 tapas shared between us, followed by a couple of white wines. We didn't need to eat that evening. Particular mention goes to the salmon pieces and the pork cheeks. The table service was perfect with good English, although the English menu needs careful checking. I suspect it has been translated from the French menu on the reverse. The bill came to E42 which was much better value than a full restaurant meal of...