Bocado Tapas Wine Bar — Restaurant in Worcester

Disappointing experience, especially for a place that presents itself as upscale. We visited this restaurant just a few days ago, hoping to celebrate a very special occasion - a family member’s graduation. It was a moment we’d all been looking forward to, and we chose this spot based on the attractive photos, a well-put-together website, and what seemed like a solid reputation. Sadly, our experience didn’t match what was promised or expected, and by the end of the night, we all left feeling frustrated and let down.

Let me start with the parking situation, because it set the tone right from the beginning. On their official website, it clearly states that valet parking is available - something we factored into our plans since we were a party of ten, some of whom are older and not comfortable walking long distances. But when we arrived, there was absolutely no valet service in sight. Instead, we were directed to paid parking across the street, which not only added an unexpected inconvenience but also caused confusion and delays in getting everyone inside and seated together. If valet is no longer offered, the website should be updated to reflect that - especially when people are traveling in and relying on that information.

Once inside, we were seated without issue, but that’s about the only thing that went smoothly. The service throughout the night was chaotic and careless. We had no consistent server - instead, a revolving door of different staff members approached our table every 15–20 minutes, none of whom seemed to know what the last person had done. We’d give an order, and it would either be forgotten entirely or brought back incorrectly. Some drinks and dishes never arrived at all. It felt like we were constantly flagging someone down, asking for things that should have been managed seamlessly. The lack of organization was truly surprising, especially for a restaurant that claims to offer an elevated dining experience.

What bothered us most wasn’t just the disorganization, but the overall attitude of the staff. There was no warmth, no sense of hospitality. We never felt welcome - if anything, we felt like we were an inconvenience to them. For a celebratory dinner, that really stung. There were no smiles, no real effort to engage or accommodate our group. Even basic courtesy was lacking. Not once did anyone check in to ask how things were going or make sure we had what we needed. And again, this wasn’t a busy night where they were overwhelmed - the restaurant was active but far from packed.

Now, let me be fair: the food itself was good, in terms of flavor and presentation. That’s the one redeeming quality of the evening. However, even that came with a catch. Portions were very small, even accounting for the fact that this is a Tapas-style restaurant. We expected smaller dishes to share, but these were under-portioned to the point of being frustrating, especially given the price. We ordered a wide variety of items, and still, it felt like we were constantly ordering more just to satisfy basic hunger. For a large group, this added up quickly - both in terms of cost and disappointment.

We didn’t order alcohol, so I can’t speak to the cocktails or wine list, but that wasn’t our priority. What we wanted was a smooth, enjoyable night with great service, and sadly, that never came. As someone who has worked in restaurant management for many years, I was genuinely shocked at how poorly the staff handled things - no communication, no consistency, and no regard for guest experience.

To sum it up: this place might work for a small party looking for a quick bite, and maybe others have had better luck. But for us, as a family celebrating an important life milestone, it was an incredibly disappointing and awkward night. A combination of false advertising, unwelcoming staff, disorganized service, and tiny portions turned what should have been a joyful evening into something we’d rather forget.

We won’t be returning, and I certainly couldn’t recommend this place to...

We have loved Bocado since they opened. TASTY Tapas - warm and cold options of small plates (tapas stems from Spanish culture and means 'to share')- small plates priced from around $6 - $12 on average.

They also specialize in Paella, of course, which originates from Valencia, Spain but is also considered the national dish of Spain. Surrounded by the Mediterranean sea sure has its advantages! Paella features seafood and chicken, (or chicken alone if you're not a fan of seafood) and saffron rice with small veg as the base. Saffron is one of the most expensive spices and featured in many cultural dishes. PAELLA is cooked for 2 or 4 usually, in a big paella 🥘 pan. The portion for 2 can easily please 4 people when you consider all of the Tapas youll want to try. whether warm or cold plates.

Tapas can be a simple charcuterie board (slices of specially made sausage, manchego and other cheeses, Almonds, honey drizzled baked cheese, olives 🫒 and similar nibbles. Or, they can be hot and deliciously marinated and cooked samples like LAMB LOLLIES (gourmet lamb lollipops) will make a lamb LOVER out of you even if you've never enjoyed lamb in the past (like my husband until he tried them here). MARK my words, They're dynamite! The Duck Leg (a favorite all these years) is fantastic (think chicken drumstick with melt -in- your mouth meat surrounded by amazing crispy coating - so good!) Other faves are beet salad (beautiful presentation of everything on the menu, btw) and again, disliked beets my whole life until a great restaurant experience here.

Bocado serves up a great Rabbit Tapas - delicious! Tapas presents the perfect opportunity to sample things that might be unfamiliar to you or out of your comfort zone. One night we brought 3 other couples and between 8 of us we had 14 (yes, 14!! different proteins on our table at one time ranging from chicken, shrimp, sausage, rabbit, duck, alligator, beef. Pork, lamb... It's an EXPERIENCE, not just a meal. So bring friends for a divine night out.

Bocado has professional, experienced, and conscientious servers and bartenders who really care and want you to have a great experience. They earn their tips with hard work and personal attention, eager to walk you through everything if it's your first time (please tip accordingly, they are top notch!) They have a few different kinds of sangria on any given night, specialty drinks that vary each month, and a wine list that leavrs you wanting for nothing. Unless you want dessert! Which they also do incredibly well. I'LL be very honest here just so that y'all know Im not being paid off for such a great endorsement 😉 the chocolate and churros is always so good but the other night they were touch crisper than they should be, but the carrot cake was unique and delish! Bring friends if you want a great experience night - or go as a couple or even solo if you want something new, easy-breezy, and satisfying that's, sure to make your tastebuds smile. We were too busy enjoying to remember to take pics. Only got a shot...

Hostesses: We made reservations for our 5th wedding anniversary at 7pm on 9/16, and left a note saying it was our anniversary. There were 2 hostesses, both did not look at or acknowledge my wife and I for a very long time. I finally said hi and one of them looked at me and immediately looked back at their screen without saying anything. After what felt like an eternity, one of them asked us to follow her to our table. We did not follow her as she walked through the restaurant and explained to the other hostess that we had a 7pm reservation. My wife and I used to work at restaurants and can honestly say this was the worst host/hostess experience we have ever seen/had. 5 minutes after being seated, another lady came to our table, asked if we had a reservation and what our name was. So unwelcoming, so unfriendly, and just plain awful.

Server: I cannot remember her name (maybe Marissa) but she was extremely nice! Honestly the only bright spot all night. Give her a raise!

Food: My wife and I met while working at Barcelona Wine Bar (a very similar style spanish tapas bar) and were so excited to go out for our anniversary at a place we assumed, based on reviews and reputation, would be even better than where we met. The food was very underwhleming. Most everything was bland and underseasoned. Chuletas, ordered med-rare, came out rare and under seasoned (due to working in restaurants previously, I hate complaining and just ate them). Mejillones, bland and boring, no depth of flavor. Gambas al ajillo, extremely oily and again lacking seasoning. Pulpo, these were cooked to perfection and delicious but potatoes again were SO bland and had no seasoning. Artichoke dip special was delicious, though after asking one of the food runners for additional pita when we ran out and him confirming, extra pita never came.

Not a single person acknowledged our wedding anniversary the entire evening. At a restauarant that cares, the hostess would have welcomed us with a smile, read our reservation details, congratulated us on our milestone, and shared this information with our server.

Overall a terrible experience and would absolutely not recommend to anyone. We will stick to Barcelona Wine Bar, or literally ANY other restaurant within 50 miles, for our next wedding anniversary. Hinestly, the worst $150...