Iberica Food & Culture

I was nearly put off on going to Iberica based on some of the earlier reviews, but my friend has been talking about its new restaurant opening up in Canary Wharf so I wanted to check it out pre-opening. I am glad I went.

The food was really good - a great mix of what I would call traditional Spanish dishes like croquetas but also quite unique dishes like mini pork burgers.

For me the service was just right - they left us alone to enjoy our dinner but I felt like they were keeping an eye on us and came by to top up our wine and see if we needed anything else.

Will definitely be back.
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Gabe
9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 8
Tuesday, November 01, 2011

I wish I'd read these terrible reviews be,fore I visited Iberica last weekend!. I was expecting great things for some reason but was so disappointed.

The service was not great - the staff were totally indifferent to us and we had to ask several times for drinks to be brought. I got the impression that their customers were a bit of an inconvenience to them!

We ordered a selection of tapas. When the individual dishes eventually turned up, they were quite tasty and well presented if not a little cold. None of them were particularly memorable though. Also, having lived in Spain for a year, I was looking forward to some of my favourite dishes but found Iberica to be the least authentic Spanish restaurant I've come across.

On the plus side, the wine was good, but we didn't bother hanging around for coffee or dessert.

The embarrassing thing was that we invited two other sets of friends to join us.

None of us will be returning!!
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5 Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 6
Thursday, October 20, 2011

Visiting Iberica on monday 17 october, party of 5 people. The food was excellent as usual but service was below under normal expectations. Why, forgotten customer? My daughter who made, and always makes the table reservation felt really sad and disappointed. Never again was the conclusion from all of us. Maybe the restaurant had a bad day. But we as customers still paid what the bill was showing.
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Erik Fritsch Sweden
4 Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 4
Wednesday, October 19, 2011

What a truly disappointing experience at Iberica! Visited the restaurant on a fri night. A moody receptionist with a sour face told us to wait at the bar. Had to ask 3 staffs if we could sit at one of many empty tables after 10 mins wait. Ordered 7 dishes, almost 6 came with Mayonnaise??!! We love tapas and visited many great restaurants in London (Barrafina, Fino, Tendido Cero and El Parador), have never came across tapas with Mayonnaise!! Tried to be open minded and tucked in, unfortunately, the dishes were prepared without soul or heart, they were tasteless even with loads of Mayonnaise!! Not worth half of the money we paid (£130 with a bottle of Rioja for 2). Portions were ridiculously small. Will never visit this terrible restaurant again.
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Iris Cheung
2 Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 1
Sunday, October 16, 2011

Disappointed after reading good things about this restaurant. Food was overall good and well presented. Asked if could have a portion of sliced chorizo after sampling a trio of meats - and was told that they couldn't slice just chorizo. Why not? Service was poor - grumpy and with attitude. No interest in welcoming us and explaining/recommending anything. Significant service charge added to bill and waiter got all sniffy when I declined to pay it (entitlement culture?). Better value/experience at other places.
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5 Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 4
Monday, August 15, 2011

I had dinner at Iberica on Saturday night. I regularly visit Spain as I have a Spanish boyfriend and in my opinion this restaurant serves the most authentic Spanish food that I have had in London. They serve traditional dishes such as Croquetas really well but also have some really unusual dishes such as a beetroot Gazpacho which was absolutely delicious. The atmosphere is great, nice and buzzy and the service was quick but efficient. Lots of Spanish people dining there which is always a good sign!
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10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Really, don't go. Service was dire, food was expensive, badly cooked and not a patch on other Spanish restaurants in London. The staff didn't seem remotely bothered about having to be reminded to bring drinks even though bits of food had already started arriving. The front of house lady was oblivious to how badly the service was running as she was too busy chatting to her friends at the table next to the front door. Both my partner and I agreed that Brindisa or El Pirata de Tapas are far superior establishments for less money, and would recommend them over this place any day of the week.
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Kate
3 Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 2
Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Went to Iberica the other evening, Friday 170611, and was horrified by the experience, granted they have a good wine list but with a slightly better than average Crianza at £39.90 a bottle someone here is out to take some serious money from unsuspecting punters most of whom will only ever go there once, I will certainly never go there again. Food and service are truly disappointing given the prices, ok usual staples like jamon were fine but when it came to more general tapas I'm afraid disgusting is about the nicest word I can find. Patatas Bravas? well that consisted of underdone fried spuds with a huge dollop of slightly spicy mayo (why?) just dumped on top, the lettuce cucumber and tomato salad was missing the sherry vinaigrette it was supposed to come with and Pisto Manchego was a cold rubbery poached egg on a bed of watery courgette a bit like tinned ratatouille (which would have been much nicer) Our table's bill was in the hundreds and we were still hungry, what's more to add insult to injury at 11.50 the house lights were turned up full and we were unceremoniously asked to leave! It was like being in a bad local pub, DON"T GO THERE!!

try Morito in Exmouth market instead if you want decent tapas - again it's not cheap but currently the nicest Spanish food in town.
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dickie - View all reviews by this user
1 Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 0
Sunday, June 19, 2011

As a Spanish person with a very fine taste in cuisine, I found the quality of the food appalling. This is the worst restaurant in London to have Spanish food so I guess that all the good reviews come from non Spanish customers.

We ordered Galician style octopus and once it arrived (after 15 minutes waiting) we had to send it right back as it seemed to be out of a can and really cold (so were the potatoes that came along with it).

The wine list is the only acceptable item on the menu and surprisingly not expensive if you buy the bottle (it came along with free olives so that was the only nice touch from the staff).

All the tapas we ordered were rather cold, small and not prepare in a traditional Spanish way (e.g. the potatoes were not peeled and this is unacceptable in Spanish cuisine). From a Spanish point of view I feel totally let down as I know this is not truly Spanish cuisine but they are still charging crazy prices for it. This food is not a good representation of the real Spanish food which is based on fresh fishes and fresh meats and not frozen as everything seems to be kept at Iberica.
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Angelina
2 Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 0
Wednesday, March 23, 2011

I went to Iberica last night. It was so good. So flavourful and really a lot of choice. Service was great and welcoming but unobtrusive. Will definitely be back
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Gemma Oliver
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 8
Wednesday, March 16, 2011