Tapas On Main — Restaurant in Bethlehem

Love this place. I've been here more times than I can count, and have brought many friends and visitors to the city here because I feel it offers a dining experience that you can't find anywhere else in the valley.

The place is beautiful, kind of "rustic-chic;" it takes itself seriously, but in a way that keeps the atmosphere warm and inviting. It feels authentic, though I admit I have no basis for comparison, having never been to Spain. Regardless, everything on the menu is tasty (apple empanadas, any of the meatballs, hummus, croquets, the garlic shrimp, all their salad and soups, the rotating selections for meat and cheese trays, the paella.... oh great, my mouth is watering) and some of it is exceptionally creative and well crafted (they used to have these little delicately fried olives with a dab of housemade Sriracha aioli dressing on their Happy Hour menu--maaaan, those were GOOD, and only like 5 bucks! I hope they come back one day). Their rotating house-made sangria list is downright dangerous--soooo good, but a little sneaky. You just might get tipsy and giggly before you even realize just how strong those drinks are! 😂

This place is great for both casual dining, and special occasions, especially with groups of friends or family. The menu is set up so that, if you want, you do have the option of each individual choosing their own entrees (helpful if you need to split the bill), but the magic of this place is when you come for that tapas experience. I love that coming here with my family/friends means we all create the meal together by choosing all the components, and we all get to share everything--that's the kind of meal that brings people together.

However, I also loved coming here alone for their lunch menu when I worked in the area. They have these soup/salad (or /sandwich) combos that are OUTSTANDING, and extremely reasonably priced, especially for the quality. I only ever had an hour for lunch, but they got me in and out in that time, every time--no problem.

They have beautiful outdoor dining setups (including heaters when it is chilly) and seem very diligent about COVID protections.

Their staff is always kind, efficient, and pleasant. They are also extremely hardworking--they never slow down! Even though I regularly tip 20-25%, I tend to tip a little extra here, because everyone is always so on their game. These people hustle, and I respect that.

Because I used to work in the area, I've tried every restaurant in Main Street multiple times. Tapas is, hands down, my favorite, but its sister restaurants, Cachette (French cafe next door) and Urbano (Mexican restaurant down the street--i think it's the same owners, but I'm not positive), are also extremely good. I happen to prefer the Spanish cuisine of Tapas on Main, but I recommend all three! SO GOOD, YOU GUYS.

Love you,...

I found this place on accident, while looking up what the word "Tapas" means. Which was apparently a spanish term for shareable plates. My family is a big proponent in sharing their food with each other. And for the price of the sharables I would say they were really well done.

Empanadas were good. I admit there not the best I've had. Chicken was a little dry.

Then we tried the frys with truffel oil. The frys were soggy, certainly not my cup of tea. But if you enjoy that... the flavor was earthy and tastey. The sauce that came with the fries was certainly needed.

Next we had the shrimp flatbread. Everything from the crispy flatbread, to the cut up shrimp, to the salt level of the dish was perfect. Would certainly get again.

Lastly we had the "tierra" Paella. We were conflicted about this one. Good flavor profile. But the big problem was the most of the meat. Chorizo was good. But the chicken and steak were dry and if I may be so bold, without any flavor. It seemed that they were trying to rely on the rice to flavor their meat, but if you have huge chunks of meat in the dish, some bites are not going to be enough to keep an under seasoned piece of meat tasty. Everything else about the dish was very well done.

This is what stopped it from getting 5 stars in my opinion. Soggy fries are my issue and personal dislike, but the other two with me loved them. However we all had the same opinion on the Paella.

Service was kind. Although from the two employees that we talked to. One admited they didnt eat there, so they could answer us what was good. Even though I appreciate the honesty... You should never tell a customer you dont eat at a place you work. The insinuations from that is not going to be very well received. The other to help us, was intentive, friendly, and all around pleasent. She gave lots of infotmation about their most popular dishes. She had only been there for 3 months if I recall. So I was pretty impressed by her knowleadge.

All in all. I would say I was satisfied. Even with some of the problems with the food, you could tell they were fresh ingredients, with little to no preservatives. I would go again to try more things. I personally think its...

I was really looking forward to celebrating my 22nd birthday with my very sweet friend who decided to treat me to dinner. We Ubered to the restaurant, excited to unwind and enjoy some drinks at the bar. The night felt special, and I was eager to toast to another year of life, especially considering all the challenges I've overcome.

I ordered a vodka cranberry, but when the bartender asked for my ID, I realized to my dismay that I didn't have it on me. My wallet had been stolen recently, and my ID was in it. I explained the situation, hoping for some understanding, but he still denied me service.

Feeling a bit deflated, we decided to get seated at a table instead, hoping the evening would still turn out well. Our waiter came to take our drink orders, and initially, he didn’t ask for IDs, which gave me a bit of hope. However, when he returned after some time, he asked for our IDs. I explained my situation again, hoping for some empathy, but despite my friend having her ID and showing it to him, he still denied me service. To make matters worse, he later came back and said he couldn’t serve her either because both people at the table needed to have their IDs.

This experience really put a damper on the night. I was so excited to celebrate another year of living, particularly because it's been a tough journey filled with personal struggles. It felt like a slap in the face, especially on a night that was supposed to be a joyous occasion. I understand it was a college town and regulations are strict, but I was really hoping for a bit of leniency given my situation.

The situation left me feeling incredibly disappointed and cast a shadow over what should have been a memorable night. It was a reminder of how easily plans can be derailed, and it left me reflecting on the challenges of navigating life’s small but impactful moments. It’s frustrating when something as simple as not having an ID, especially under such unfortunate circumstances, can ruin an evening meant for...