El Rincon De Rafa, Manchester

Been visiting here on and off 20 years and won’t be going again . Microwaved patatas bravas some sauce hot some cold , rubbery prawns . Tasteless ribs etc . Service slow . Used to be buzzzing and have a great atmosphere ... no more.

This is my favourite restaurant the food is devine the atmosphere is warm and welcoming and the staff are friendly.

I have been going to El Rincon De Rafa off St John St in Manchester for a couple of years now and the quality of the food never fails to impress me; I can honestly say that this is the best Tapas I've ever tasted outside of Spain. So much so that I'm writing this review reluctantly in view of more people hearing about the restaurant and it getting even busier! However I'll share my opinion as I really think it deserves a mention. There's a great variety of traditional Tapas plates to choose from and the dishes are always really simple, fresh and cooked to perfection. Staff are pleasant and mostly Spanish, and the decor is simple and, unlike other Tapas restaurants/chains I've been to it doesn't too hard to keep to a certain theme, making it a overall a relaxed and pleasant place to dine. The food is impressively affordable, these days with there being so many chains and fast food places about you kind of expect fresh food in city centre restaurants to come at a price, however El Rincon keeps it reasonable charging aroud £3 - £4 per dish.

Now for the not so good; the popularity of this place is ever increasing and if you go on a weekend night it can be absolutely heaving. I've heard you can't book if there's just two of you, however if you just turn up they usually manage to seat you within half an hour. For larger parties, booking is definitely a must. Staff are friendly but are also rushed when it gets busy so patience is a virtue, & dishes come as and when they are ready which may bother some people who like everything to arrive at the same time, however I personally think this is fine as the whole idea of Tapas is to share and enjoy it (plus I'll happily chow down on whatever is put in front of me regardless of the order it comes).

Overall this is a great place to eat, I have taken friends and family on numerous occasions and they are always very impressed. Definitely up there with the best restaurants the city has to offer. Would fully recommend.