La Tapería de Columela

Wow. We had walked by this place several days before, and I liked the vibe. We returned to eat today, and it was a fantastic experience. I asked our waitress, Lily, what she recommended. She suggested the scallions with seaweed. We ordered 2 for each of us. OMG they were amazing and very flavorful. Then we went for the lamb with vegetables, another wonderful and tasty dish, and we finished off with the meat with french fries. I was hoping to do the tuna steak too, but no space or appetite left. My restaurant sense dis not let me down as this was a great place for flavorful food. Am hoping we can return again in our short time visiting Cadiz.

One of the best tapas bars we have eaten in in Spain! So charming and so busy that it’s a given that the food will be fresh! We were seated close to the kitchen so I saw most of the dishes being brought out! Hard working chefs and staff! Lilly served us and was very sweet! We ordered quite a few tapas and the pulpo! Their local ‘wine of the house’ was also very good! Very economical as well! Fantastic! I would recommend this to definitely be one of the evenings in Cadiz! I would give them 7 stars 🌟

Oh my goodness, what a delight! This place is compact (so probably not suitable for groups) but delicious! Definitely book if you can. We managed to sneak a spot at the bar without one, but it was very busy. I am gluten free and there were lots of options to choose from. They also provided me with a warm gluten free bread roll upon request. It wasn’t great, but that’s to be expected. Highlights were the braised pork and the heuvos rotolos. Also, the wine they served was excellent. I’d had a few too many overly chilled red wines in Cádiz but this was in a specific red wine fridge and so nice. Will recommend this spot to anyone visiting Cádiz.

The food here was really good, tasty and well-prepared. However, the service could be a bit more attentive, but the staff didn’t seem as engaged as in other places we visited. Still, worth trying for the food itself.

A little but popular Taperia in city centre of Cádiz. Amazing good food, nice people and atmosphere. It’s not a quiet place, but really worth the while. Fair prices too! Highly recommended!

Ate here twice the food was excellent. Highlights were the Columela Spicy Potatoes, Galician-style Octopus and the Tuna Tartare. A must visit restaurant if you’re coming to Cádiz.

It is traditional place for tapas, the food is really good and a big choice of fish and meat tapas. We enjoyed our dinner here, the price is affordable.

I came here at Lonely Planet’s recommendation. I know well Andalusian food and I have been traveling to Spain since 2007. This place was possibly authentic a couple of years ago, but the moment you walk in you smell tourist trap (and old and tacky interior). Probably they changed Chef or management. Not sure. It was rush lunch time and the place was half empty. No crowds and pushy locals like in any legit bodegas y tavernas in Cadiz. Ok, I assumed it was a bit more “formal” - and decided to give it a chance. Ordered the Zamburiña and the carrillada ibérica. The moment I ordered, I knew something was off. The waitress asked if I wanted two Zamburiña instead of one (they never do so at a proper taperia, but just take your order). Also, she said they only had the big glasses, so I would have got a big caña (I ordered a small alcohol free beer). The carrillada was actually quite filling - but poorly seasoned and a bit blend. The seafood tasted ok, but again poorly seasoned. The check was around 20 euros. For the alcohol free beer, they charged me 3.90 Euros.. In the afternoon, I started feeling bloated and by the evening I got sick. Now, I cannot tell you 100%, if it was spoiled food, touristy trap or poor allergens advice - I even stop by the place the day after to flag my experience and the manager apologized. What I know for sure, it’s that I didn’t enjoy this place. It probably used to be an authentic spot, but it’s def a tourist trap now. Don’t go.

Great food Great service Great ambience. We had the octopus salad, braised pork cheeks and the roasted vegetables and all were amazing. A fantastic meal. The staff was great especially since we were struggling to understand the menu - getting pretty good at recognizing most words but this one was tough. Staff super helpful. Would recommend

Had a great time at and the staff was amazing and the food was delicious. I highly recommend this restaurant. Larry

Everyone in this restaurant is working very hard, but of them all, the hardest workers are the MICROWAVES! I had the pleasure of sitting at a table with a view of all the action. The "cooks", if you can call them that, had at least two microwaves going at all times. It's no wonder the food is a disappointment. I was so sad as it was our only night in Cádiz and what a waste of a dinner it was. When we arrived, there was a few people waiting in line and the restaurant was full and seemed very inviting. I was convinced that we should stay and the wait didn't take long! Once seated, we were served bread and our drinks. The bartenders were great. We ordered 5 tapas dishes and they arrived extremely quickly. First the cuttlefish (which was tasty), and then the Bao bun (overpriced but my husband liked it). Our next three dishes arrived together: fried cheese which was served with whipped cream from a can (weird), salted cod (cold and a terrible representation of a local staple), and the tuna lasagna (also very weird). Due to how fast everything came out, I started noticing the sound of the microwaves dinging and I could see one of them open and close over and over. As soon as a dish came out, another went it. No surprise they can turn over so many guests. Just an embarrassment.

My favorite restaurant in Cádiz. The quality of their food and the price isn't too expensive which makes this restaurant amazing. Do keep in mind that the place is quite small. I don't mind sitting by the bar by I advised those that would want to have a table must go early. My favorite dish which sounds odd is their tempura Hake fish with fake baby eel. The fish tasted light despite it being fried and the sauce was paired smoothly. If you're not a fish fan then you must order their Iberian pork with jamon glazed on top. The meat was cooked perfectly and the fatty flavors on the jamon gives the pork depth. Their most raved tapas that was recommended was their tuna lasagna. I thought it was ok but it was still tasty to try. Cant wait to go back here again.

Best tapas place in Cádiz! I try to go here every time I'm in town but go early when they open (1pm) to get a seat. Today I tried out the squid ink chocos with rice (10/10) and ensaladilla con gambas. All the tapas here are excellent and very affordable.

One of the best places in Cadiz, the staff is lively and it's always buzzing, get there early if you want a seat.

Our Spanish local friends took me here for lunch and wow! Tapas amazing! Very good variety of Typical tapas to your creative ones as well. It's a hidden gem and you could easily walk past not knowing it's a restaurant with tiny door. I definitely recommend.

Prawn salad - No! Essentially a potato salad with a deep fried prawn on top Millefeuille cod and octopus - definite must! Big yes! Chunks of fresh fish and octopus with a few salad leaves Red tuna lasagna - the lasagna came in a hot plate in a puddle of oil. The flavor was a punch. At first delicious but then the hollandaise sauce overpowered everything. It was like eating fish smothered in mayo. There is much better food available in this small town, this place is just OK.

Best food so far in Spain for us. Had chicken and potatoes with the best cooked chicken Breast ever. Scallops were amazing. Salmon tartar and a meat and cheese plate. Fed 3 of us plus five glasses of wine for only 30 euros. We will eat here again before we leave.

This was a gem in a goldmine... And this putting it mildly! It's not only extremely affordable...but very tasty! Can't go wrong with any tapas, bread and desert...