El Rincon de Rafa image

El Rincon de Rafa

Restaurant Bar Mediterranean restaurant Tapas bar Spanish restaurant

Traditional dishes including Basque recipes and tapas, plus a lively bar screening Spanish football. People often mention good, Spanish, tapas, restaurant, Manchester, great, staff, paella, authentic, hidden,


Address

244 Deansgate (entrance on, Longworth St, Manchester M3 4BQ, United Kingdom

Contact

+44 161 839 8819

Price rating

$$ $$

Rating on Google Maps

4.50 (1K reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Working Hours

  • Thursday: 12 to 9 pm
  • Friday: 12 to 9 pm
  • Saturday: 12 to 9 pm
  • Sunday: 12 to 9 pm
  • Monday: Closed
  • Tuesday: 12 to 9 pm
  • Wednesday: 12 to 9 pm

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: good (16) Spanish (15) tapas (14) restaurant (12) Manchester (10) great (9) staff (9) paella (9) authentic (7) hidden (6)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 5/5 alex m. 1 year ago on Google
    Amazing little place hidden in deansgate. Saw a few reviews that said it was good and wanted to check it out, so glad we did! It really is a hidden gem, the restaurant is downstairs, and has lots of seating but you can book in advance, food was really tasty and such good variety. We got 7 dishes and that was too much, i think 3 each is perfect but a few extra wouldn't hurt if youre hungry. Prices were really cheap for the portion sizes. Service was great and staff were very friendly, will definitely be coming back!
    6 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Emma C. 2 years ago on Google
    A real hidden gem. Great service very friendly. Great prices and authentic food. We have gallician style octopus in he canary Islands and have never found it done well in the UK but these guys nailed it. Very tasty and fresh. Highly recommended especially washed down with sangria.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 lau 1 year ago on Google
    incredible experience! place is a little hard to find but you feel like you’re in spain…the atmosphere and food are extremely authentic vibes are just 10/10. highly recommend the pan catala and ham croquetas! special shoutout to the lovely waitress who told us we ordered too much at first and told us to cut down…she was certainly right! very motherly vibes she was amazing
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Gavin M (. 2 years ago on Google
    Beautiful authentic Spanish restaurant with a proud Mancunian presence tucked away down a quiet back street. The food was amazing & the staff were great. If you want a true taste of Spain whilst in Manchester this is definitely the place to go!
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Andrew D. 1 year ago on Google
    Fantastic lunch with great Spanish wine and the most welcoming host and staff. I will definitely be visiting again.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 leanne p. 1 year ago on Google
    Fantastic little gem of a restaurant. Authentic Spanish tapas. I have tried so many different Spanish restaurants, but nothing compares to el rincon and the service provided.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Justin B. 9 months ago on Google
    I visited El Rincon de Rafa with my daughter when we flew to Manchester from Omaha, Nebraska for a concert back in February. It was one of the most delicious meals we had during the entire ten day trip. I wish we'd not waited until the end of our vacation to go there or we would have eaten there MUCH more. It's been a few months since we got back to the U.S. and now I'm CRAVING the Paella and, even more so, the POLLO PAPRIKA!!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Kevin L. 1 year ago on Google
    Excellent tapas Spanish restaurant hidden away from the shops and main roads. Excellent professional service. Squid and octopus with garlic read. Delicious.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 2/5 Riccardo Carmelo M. 4 months ago on Google
    Second time at this place, we came here for dinner. The place is nicely decorated and reminds you of Spain. As we came on a Saturday night, the place was fairly busy and a little bit noisy (but less than other places in the city). The staff was either neutral or nice. The experience could be much better if it wasn't for the food, which is what you crave for when dining out. We ordered seafood paella, croquetas, shrimps, patatas bravas and a vegetable tapas with mushrooms. Everything was decent/ok, the paella had zero taste. I also tried the seafood alone and it actually tasted bad. Maybe it was just a busy night, but they could definitely do a better job.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Geanina T. 1 year ago on Google
    An amazing paella in a such cozy place. Definitely, you should try the olives, nothing like in the supermarket and the fresh calamari. About the classic paella, was so tasty. The restaurant is a bit hidden, but google maps will help you.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Ian G. 2 years ago on Google
    Loved it, chilled, great service, Victoria larger and the best house wine anywhere!! Food great too obviously..
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Emma C. 2 years ago on Google
    Classic tapas restaurant, long established and well known in Manchester despite being quite hidden away on a side street. Wide variety of dishes available and options suitable for veggies. (Not sure about vegan options.) Busy but friendly staff.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 M&A 3 months ago on Google New
    Ordered the pulpo a la gallega (octopus) and paellas. Tasted really good 👍🏻👍🏻really enjoy it.

  • 4/5 BAHRAM N. 6 months ago on Google
    Spain in the centre of Manchester. All good. Real size wine measure and good house wines. Food above average. One dish came out ages before the others. Service was bad with one waitress who just threw the dishes onto the table. No customer service skills. The other waitress was good.

  • 4/5 KloudManc 6 months ago on Google
    A great place to have a few drinks and a couple of tapas after work in Manchester.

  • 5/5 Orson L. 6 months ago on Google
    Really a huge fan of this fantastic Spanish restaurant. Tapas especially oxtail is great 👍 also a good value of money

  • 5/5 Dean M. 7 months ago on Google
    Called in for some food after a recommendation from a friend. We had 3 tapas dishes to start and a Meat paella. Washed down with 2 jugs of sangria. The food was spot on and if they had outdoor seating I could of drank the sangria all night!! Lovely traditional spanish theme inside with no-frills but we will definitely return 👍👍

  • 5/5 Hugo D. 7 months ago on Google
    A good choice. Once you enter the premisses, you realize you're in a traditional homey Spanish restaurant. The food is homemade, and all you ask for will be very good. I reckon it is as good as being in Malaga despite the weather outside. The owners and team are welcoming and can advise good options if you are not used to Spanish food. The service takes a little bit of time, but it is worth it because good food needs good timely preparation.

  • 5/5 Graham 7 months ago on Google
    Great place for tapas meals, all presented well and tasted great. Some seating is hard benches which are too heavy to move and kept getting knocked when people on next table moved. Reasonable prices and wide choice of meals to choose from. Don't be put off by the approach down a dingy street outside and be aware you have to go down stairs to enter the restaurant.

  • 4/5 Phil V. 7 months ago on Google
    Very authentic Spanish style bar / restaurant. As typically found in Spain, it’s down to earth and basic in many respects. Food / menu is exactly typical of what you might find in Spain. Shame they didn’t have spinach & chick peas tonight when we were there, we were really looking forward to that. We had the veg paella instead, which was good. Good value too, it’s rare we can dine in manchester for £50. Come here for a down to earth authentic Spanish experience, but not for a special occasion, if you’re seeking elegance and all that, maybe this ain’t the place. Hands down the most authentic Spanish food & experience in Manchester. Go for that.

  • 5/5 Chris D. 7 months ago on Google
    A must try in Manchester city center for Authentic Spanish tapas. The atmosphere at El Rincon de Rafa feels like you have been transported to Spain, fantastic atmosphere, friendly staff and delicious food and sangria jugs. Speaking of food, menu offers plenty of tapa options and great portions. (3 tapas per person is more than enough, trust me!)

  • 3/5 carey b. 10 months ago on Google
    Not a bad place but unfortunately a little dated. Essentially this place is stuck in 1989. If you want proper authentic resort tapas from that era then this place will do the job If you want a modern tapas dining experience then this probably isn't the place. I feel bad as a write that because as I said, there is nothing bad about this place...its just jot enough for modern Manchester. BTW the toilets are scrupulously clean and modern so add another half star for that.

  • 5/5 Daniella B. 9 months ago on Google
    The food is spectacular! Very genuine Spanish food, the meat paella was to die for. Very friendly staff as well!

  • 5/5 Trina U. 9 months ago on Google
    4-5 plates are enough for 2 people! The patatas bravas were not spicy but still good! Everything else (skewers, beef, salad) was amazing! The price was also really good! Definitely recommend

  • 5/5 Martin C. 8 months ago on Google
    Looking for some nice food in Manchester on an early Saturday evening and this came up as recommended top of the list, off the main street. Absolutely perfect choice - tapas, small plates, paella , your choice of lovely foods depending on how you're feeling... Just tick on the menu sheet. The lentil broth soup with sausage was just amazing, one of the nicest foods I've had all year.. ribs were just mouth watering. Lots of signed football t-shirts and photos on the wall add to the ambience.. really friendly staff and front of house.

  • 4/5 Gasgas 1 year ago on Google
    Love this place, a proper Spanish tapas restaurant run by Spanish people,It's round a back street of deansgate down In a large cellar. I had the best croquettes I have ever had, also Gambas pil pil which had a fantastic oil with spices etc the prawns were a little hard for me but still nice and a bit of bread to soak the juices up would have been nice. Really nice restaurant best tapas in Manchester

  • 3/5 Matei S. 1 year ago on Google
    Nice vibes and staff. Tapas were very tasty, especially the lamb. Paella was pretty disappointing, had a very strong taste of seawater (not seafood, but actual seawater), as if the seafood used hadn't been properly washed. Couldn't finish all of it so asked to get it packed to go, but the kitchen threw it away (almost half a paella that we paid for). We only got a side of churros as compensation. Wish I had a better experience, don't know if I would come back.


Call +44 161 839 8819 Open on Google Maps

Amenities


  • Payments
    • ✓️ Debit cards
    • ✓️ Credit cards
    • ✓️ NFC mobile payments
  • Offerings
    • ✓️ Beer
    • ✓️ Wine
    • ✓️ Coffee
    • ✓️ Alcohol
    • ✓️ Spirits
    • ✓️ Halal food
    • ✓️ Small plates
    • ✓️ Healthy options
    • ✓️ Free water refills
    • ✓️ Vegetarian options
  • Accessibility
    • ✗ Wheelchair-accessible seating
    • ✗ Wheelchair-accessible car park
    • ✗ Wheelchair-accessible entrance
  • Dining options
    • ✓️ Lunch
    • ✓️ Dinner
    • ✓️ Dessert
    • ✓️ Seating
  • Service options
    • ✓️ Dine-in
    • ✗ Delivery
    • ✗ Takeaway

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