Tapa the World — Restaurant in Sacramento

We went to Tapa the World for our Anniversary dinner last night. We arrived early for our reservations and was seated within a few minutes. Now the location is very unassuming. Unless you knew this restaurant was here, you would probably miss it and walk right by it. Once we walked in, it felt very Spanish inspried. The courtyard outside of the restaurant had tables which I could see sitting at in the Spring/early Summer and late Summer/early Fall. It was a little too chilly to sit outside when we went.

We visited Spain recently and wanted to recreate the memories we had of the Paella we had in Valendia and Barcelona. I wanted the socarrat or the burnt bits of rice at the bottom of the paella. That was the main reason for our visit.

We immediately placed our order for the mixed paella which had chicken, chorizo sausage, calamari, muscles, clams, shrimp, and vegetables knowing it was going to take up to an hour to prepare. We brought our own wine to celebrate our anniversary. The waitress was kind enough to uncork our wine and pour our glasses. We then ordered the mixed cheese plate (manchego cheese, crisp mini toasts, spanish almonds, red peppers, and fig jam), serano ham, house bread basket with the added dipping sauce, and shrimp in garlic/butter sauce.

The tapas were wonderful! If I'm being picky, the focaccia was a little dense (not as airly or light as the focaccia I've had in Italy) but it was still delicious - especially dipped in their olive oil/balsamic/garlic dipping sauce. We also dipped the focaccia in the butter/garlic sauces that our shrimp was cooked in! I think I would have liked to try the tortilla espanola, the empanadas, and the croquettes but we had to limit ourselves due to the paella.

The paella came out after we finished our tapas. The paella was beautifully presented. There were 18 or so muscles and clams, 6 or 8 large shrimps, calamari, a lot of chorizo, chicken mini drumsticks, and peas in the paella. The paella was served piping hot! Now, unfortunately, the paella was just okay for us. We ate through the muscles and clams which were delicious with the rice. The chicken, chorizo, and calamari was also delicious. The one thing I didn't care for were the shrimp. There were definitely overcooked and were really tough when removed the head and the shell. The shrimp had a hard, almost gummy texture. The big let down for me was there was no socarrat to enjoy. The bottom of the paellla was a little mushy which means they probably started the paella on the stove and then baked it in the oven rather than cook it over a fire (which we found out is how it's cooked in Spain). The paella was still delicious but it just okay for me.

Our waitress offered us a complimentary dessert and coffee to end our anniversary dinner. The fruit empanada (apple and cinnamon) came with a side of ice cream was a perfect end to our meal! It was like having a small slice of apple pie a la mode!

The wait staff was very nice and very attentive. I think they were very limited in staff which meant they were serving, busing tables, and seating guests. This wasn't a problem for us as we were celebrating and enjoying our anniversary together. Our waitress stopped by enough to checkin on us and not feel like they were intrusive.

We really enjoyed our dinner at Tapa the World! We will definitely be back to try some of the other tapas offering as well as some of their entrees. I'm told the chef has a chicken dish that sounded absolutely delicious! This is a restaurant we'll keep on our list to come back to in...

Tapa the World has been a Sacramento staple on J Street since 1994. Now owned and operated by Executive Chef Marcos Murillo and his wife, Brooke, the restaurant has built a reputation for bringing the lively spirit of Spanish food and culture, offering tapas, paella, music, and even flamenco dancing, to Midtown.

During our first visit about a week ago, we chose a street-side table to bring our puppy along. A large umbrella provided shade, but the late afternoon sun still made it warm and uncomfortable. However, the staff was wonderful. They were friendly, attentive, and genuinely tried to ensure we were settled in.

We started with a pitcher of sangria and two tapas: Patatas Bravas and Kobe Beef. The sangria was refreshing, not too sweet, and exactly what we wanted on a warm day. Both tapas were excellent. The Patatas Bravas were crispy with just the right spice, and the beef was tender and flavorful. The soup of the day was another pleasant surprise.

For our main course, we shared the Paella Mixta. As expected, it took about 45 minutes to prepare, which was fine by us; we were happy to linger with the sangria and tapas. While we waited, I wandered into the covered area next door and discovered there was live music and flamenco dancing. That was a fun surprise, and honestly, I wish we had known in advance; we definitely would have reserved a table inside to enjoy the performance.

When the paella arrived, it was the one part of the meal that didn’t quite meet our expectations. While flavorful, the seafood didn’t taste as fresh as I had hoped. It wasn’t enough to spoil the evening, but it was a bit of a letdown after such a strong start.

Even with that hiccup, we had a really good time. The indoor dining area looked lively, welcoming, and full of energy, and it was clear that many of the regulars knew this place well. We’ll definitely be back for the sangria and tapas, and hopefully next time, we will have a front-row seat to enjoy the music and...

Tapa the World is always a fun experience, starting with the friendly staff at the door as well as the table attendant. We never felt any pressure to hurry up or to place our order, so we were able to take our time and enjoy the meal in waves...which is really how tapas should be done.

A good meal at Tapa the World always starts with their signature sangria, filled with wine and fresh fruits. You can get a pitcher to share or a solo glass. More often than not you will see people getting the pitcher, even if there are only two people at the table. It's delicious.

Some of our favourite menu items are to start with the sauteed mushrooms. If you are a fan of garlic you will not be disappointed. These mushrooms are utterly smothered in the most delicious of garlic - and you will want to soak up the juice with a side of the house made focaccia bread.

Next up if you want a good starter to share are the olives or the empanadas. If it's your first time there - absolutely get the empanadas of the day and you won't be disappointed.

When it comes to the meats, we always choose the filet mignon beef tips in the plum ginger sauce, or the kobe beef with blue cheese butter. Or both! Depending upon how hungry you are, two people can have a really nice meal with about 5-6 dishes.

We generally skip the salads and soups - not because of quality, but we tend to focus on the small plates at this restaurant.

It can get loud at times because the tables are near each other, however that has never gotten in the way of a delicious meal. If you want to avoid the rush, just go to dinner a bit earlier than normal and you shouldn't have a problem at all.

Groups are OK - they will move tables together for you, and even if you are a party of two and no one is next to you, the owner will often move a table over so you have more space to spread your food plates out.

Delicious place to go for a diverse selection of...