Meson Don Felipe in Lambeth

I ate here 2 years ago and it was so good I knew I would come back. My partner and I went last night and the food was very poor. Firstly I felt rushed in to ordering and the server tried to push dishes on me. In the end I ordered a few plates, the prawns were chewy and you could tell were frozen, instead of being sizzling in a terracotta dish, they were shoved in a cold white bowl. The sangria had no fruit in it, the toasted sourdough was rock hard, all in all none of the dishes tasted authentic, it was an expensive meal that we were both very disappointed with. This place used to be great but I'm assuming a change of management is the issue and I certainly will not be coming back.

It's a lovely building inside, quite cramped, but that's due to the old tapas bar that you obviously expect going to a tapas restaurant. Anyone that says this is decent tapas doesn't have even half a clue about tapas, ordered garlic prawns they were obviously frozen as they were rubbery and flavourless everything came out in IKEA dishes, chorizo was great and the sour dough bread, apart from that everything else was pretty much flavourless, we had a large sangria which was very good but just about filled 6 glasses so wouldn't call it a large. All in all, we won't be returning, which is a shame as I heard this used to be an amazing place.

Had a lovely dinner here by sharing a few tapas and a pitcher of sangria. Loved the atmosphere and service was excellent. Loved every bit of the food and would definitely come again to try other things from the menu.

A great family experience. 8 of us had an early dinner at 18.00 . Very busy restaurant and you must book. The service was excellent and likewise the tapas. We received help/recommendations with our ordering and everything was superb. Highly recommended.

Lovely place, great tapas, excellent service, place was buzzing. Tremendous!

Amazing food, a great place to get together with friends.

We arrived from Jerez to see if there was Tío Pepe wine. Yes there is.

This was a great spot to eat dinner before a show at The Old Vic. The staff were very friendly and efficient. There was a varied choice of tapas dishes - we had squid, cod balls which were delicious, chicken thighs, prawns and a selection of veg options such as the classic patatas bravas which was excellent . There was a good choice of wines. It was very reasonably priced and would definitely recommend

Great for pre-theatre/movie supper. Crowded, must book with tiny and not very comfortable high tables with bar stool chairs. Paella v stodgy and disappointing but smaller plates much better. Spinach with pine nuts and meatballs were both good. Easy to rack up a bill - £90+ for two with 50cl carafe of wine.

Delicious food! Great service! Perfecto!😍

Excellent Tapas bar.. very authentic.. food is delicious and portions are big so works out good value.. very busy so necessary to book...

This busy restaurant looked very inviting so we were lucky enough to get a table on a Friday evening. Right before theatre time too! The tapas was absolutely fantastic- the portions were generous and the service brilliant. Probably the best tapas I’ve had and if we lived nearer it would be a definite regular haunt. Really enjoyed our dinner here!

Nice tapas place close to the office. A few of us went for lunch. My only issue was although the paella had good flavor, the rice was overcooked. All the other dishes were very nice.

Food excellent, service and staff were great. Great place to share food with friends or family.

Great vibe and good service. Authentic Spanish food

I’ve come here for many years and always enjoyed the vibe. But recently it's slipped a little. Reservations get misplaced and I’ve definitely suffered the after effects of eating Gambas al ajillo that was great going down but less so on its return. Please get back to where you used to be.

DO NOT EVER EAT HERE Food did not taste fresh at all. Croquetas felt like it came from a freezer pack. Padron peppers felt slimy and soggy instead of char grilled. Paella was the worst thing we’ve ever had. The prawns were the furthest thing away from being fresh, and tasted foul and fishy more than anything. Please do yourselves a favor and avoid the restaurant.

Gorgeous tapas in a very relaxed atmosphere. The presence of many Spaniards was reassuring.

The best Aioli in town! Tasty tapas with vegan/vegetarian options. Yummy. Vibrant atmosphere.

Feels like Spain in this amazing tapas place! Quick and knowledgeable service, and the tapas format allows you to try a bit of everything.

Classic Spanish tapas food with quick service. Nothing fancy. Home made. Great but non trendy. buzzing atmosphere. Would definitely go again

From 1 to 10 ,I give it a 4 Octopus was very very simple ,waste of money I give it a 2

Gem of a restaurant. Lovely atmosphere and really kind and helpful staff. Thank you for taking good care of us this Saturday - we had a meal to remember ❤️

I used to love the place and was my favourite Spanish in London. The restaurant used to be 5 star food a year ago but now I am little disappointed. Octupus was chewy, tortilla was dry and the calamari was average for any restaurant in Spain.

This place used to be amazing, but now it’s average and below. The tortilla was dry, the pulpo was hard and thin, the calamari looked from a frozen bag and didn’t have ali oli. So disappointed as this was my favorite Spanish restaurant. Probably the cook changed.

Lunchtime was pretty empty but it's a Monday and it's raining. Food wasn't treat, we both had paella one chicken on veggie both could have dome with more flavour. Friendly staff who left us alone to chat.

Had some good food with a good friend, not too noisy so you could talk without raising your voice.

My girlfriend and I ended up here quite randomly and we decided to give it a try to don Felipe, we waited more than half an hour to order and the food was very average! Not really comfy the place is small and maybe not well organised! Overpriced.

Amusing Spanish restaurant… good typical Spanish food

The Octopus and shrimp had an off-flavour and left a bad taste in my mouth. The pork cheeks in brown gravy were devoid of any character and probably salt and pepper. My wife's paella with seafood, featured 1" prawns. Anyone familiar with prawns, know that a prawn that small can only be a decoration.

Just round the corner from Waterloo station, good selection of tapas, food freshly made, great atmosphere, & nice staff I would recommend booking in advance, very busy

Lovely place, great menu, food, service, the whole caboodle.

Friendly staff, lovely restaurant, enjoyed all the dishes we tasted and the rose. Well priced and well placed, it’s close to Waterloo station but Meson Don Felipe makes you feel like you’re a world away.

Food was so so good! And service probably the best I’ve had in a while. Jaime was the nicest man and provided the best service. Would highly recommend this place!

In the vicinity of Waterloo station, this Spanish restaurant excels over many others competitors of different cuisines with its tapas. We visited this place twice and both experiences are fantastic. The first time we ordered squid, quedo Manchego and mushrooms. This time we ordered octopus, fresh anchovies fillets and spinach. They are all very delicious. We could tell that they are nicely marinated and cooked. Of course you can’t compare their price to those in Madrid but for a eatery in the hub of downtown London, it’s already very affordable and competitive. I would definitely come back again.

Lazy lunchtime tapas - very tasty with plenty of choice. Staff were cheerful and welcoming. Much better value than other tapas places I've been to in central London. Recommended!

What has happened to Meson Del Felipe? Under new management? Very disappointing. This used to be a genuinely authentic tapas place, with excellent freshly made food. A little gem. But this visit was very underwhelming. The dishes were very very average, compared to what I've eaten there in the past. Service was good, otherwise the experience was poor. Sadly (as it used to be a favourite restaurant), I won't be going again.

the food was really bad, unfortunately. the paella rice was gross and sea food didn’t taste fresh. shrimp was full of eggs seems like a nice outside seating area, the food is a big let down though

Totally recommended if you are in the Waterloo area and need to eat well. Super friendly and friendly staff. Large, quality portions.

Our visit was such a disappointment. We had a lovely Al fresco table and service was good but thats where the good stuff ended. The food was just really poor pretty much across the board. Maybe it was just a bad night for them but definitely not a place we will risk ever again.

This food was shockingly bad. The chicken croquettes were inedible. The aubergine was a deep fried disaster and was unrecognisable as aubergine. The prawns and calamari sad and tasteless. This is by far one of the worst meals we have ever had. We are foodies but are happy with cheap and cheerful if it’s decent. You pay for what you get. But to be honest, we’d have rather gone to Costa over the road! Extortionate price for terrible food. The service was lovely and the waitress we spoke to looked sympathetic, like she’d heard the complaints a hundred times!

The higaditos is astonishing and the apple tarta manzanilla is truly outstanding. This is an exceptional place.

Went here on a night out. The food was delicious and the choices amazing. It was pretty expensive, but a good night all the same.

Nice spot outside seating on The Cut but the Seaford Paella was really not worth it very dry, hard and not fresh. Seemed like a microwave Paella.

Excellent! Delicious Spanish food although we did order too much, but it's hard to know with tapas. The paella and chips are big portions, be aware. But the food was great tasting and lovely quality. No wonder it is so popular, it was rammed!

Food was not good, paella all crusty as if it had been sitting for a while, tortilla was really dry. Meat was really fatty. Over priced No atmosphere as we were sat in the side street table. The waitress did not want to be there so miserable and the look I got when I asked for clean plates due to our olive pips as there was no where else to put them!! Only reason I gave 2 stars for service was the young man who brought our drinks was very nice. Would not go back… ever!!

I was really excited to go as the reviews looked great, was I disappointed! I was expecting it to be do good but alas no. The calamares were the frozen kind, the croquetas tasted frozen too. The whitebait was in batter snd of poor quality, the tortilla was dry, the jamon was dry too, the only good thing was the manchego which to be fair is hard to get wrong. This place is such a poor representation of good spanish tapas. Such a shame.

Nice location and staff, but the food is not good, low quality ingredients and not much flavour.. it’s a shame

Great place to eat. Booked last minute for a table of 8. Price was very fair, and good food. Our waiter was lovely and brought blankets outside when it started to get a little chilly.

It was OK although check the wine ordering as we were charged for a bottle when we thought the price was cheaper but turned out to be the carafe that we had looked at for price. Expensive mistake

Good service, pleasant, comfortable surroundings and reasonable house wine by carafe. Bit disappointed in the food. It was cooked fine, but lacked the variety I was hoping for on the menu. We were there at a quiet time, I'm sure the place gets really buzzy.

Slightly noisy, but the delicious food definitely made up for it

Honestly shocking now, used to be the best Spanish food in London. Now, reheated Tesco specials!

Really excellent tapas, reminded me of the dishes I used to order when I lived in Spain for a couple of years. One piece of advice, book a table! The place was very popular and we were there at 5pm

A very authentic tapas bar, honestly feels like you could be in Spain. All the classics on the menu, perfectly executed, as well as a few changing specials. Obviously not as cheap as tapas in Spain but well priced for tapas in London. The tables are close and it gets crowded, but that just adds to the authenticity in my opinion. They have a few outside tables too in summer. Recommended!

Quality of the food was poor..the paella felt like Tesco’s..so the rest of the dishes. One young lady from the staff instead of looking after customers was hanging out with friends..good for her..but come on..so unprofessional. Not even cheap. Never again

Poor service unfortunately. Items we ordered were missed and then finally arrived (after prompting) an hour after we had sat down, when we had to leave to go to the theatre. Despite saying we needed to leave urgently, the bill took another 15 minutes to arrive. Felt very unprofessional.

Great service - very accommodating to a spontaneous large group on Monday evening. Good food; the kind of place you remember to go back to.

Lovely tapas and sangria sat out on the pavement on a lovely summer evening

It wasn't bad. Everything was very edible. Wine was good. Pretty generic. Probably won't come again.

The food is not so fresh. My family had a terrible experience.

Their seafood paella is very fresh. I will recommend take away.

I find the food so so. The pork meatballs are not bad if you’re tomato sauce lover but nothing special and the pork is gamey. The seafood paella is disappointing as it’s quite fishy and the taste wasn’t nice. They had shrimps and many are pregnant w eggs. They are small and hard. Calarmari is average. Avoid ordering the sangria which taste like cordial mostly. They added only 1 small slices of orange and lemon each which hardly makes a proper sangria Perhaps this place is for more for performance but skip it if you want food

This is a really good tapas place. Simple food, done well. Friendly staff and a great atmosphere makes for a good evening. Excellent wine list too

Meson Don Felipe is a regular go to for me & my partner - it really feels like you're experiencing times when you wander into a gem of a family run tapas bar in Spain. The atmosphere is just wonderful - always very vibrant & buzzy! The staff are friendly and incredibly efficient & attentive - which should be highlighted considering the area is so busy! The food is consistently great, serving simply tasty authentic Spanish dishes. Look forward to returning again soon ☺️🍤🥘🥗🥂

Hadn’t been to this old favourite for a few years. The food was pretty good and the white Rioja great! The service was ok. Overall, it felt different and not as Spanish as I remembered. We had a great time though and no problem with having our table for so long.

Oh dear a really bad experience!. The gazpacho was bitty and the tapas was lukewarm, as if it had just been heated in a microwave. The mushrooms were tasteless and patatas bravas soft. To cap it the service was joyless, as if customers were an inconvenient nuisance and there was an intermittent bad drain smell. We have eaten at Meson DF numerous times before over many years. This was terrible in contrast. The fact everthing was poor from all the food to staff attitude is indicative that this is a more a deep routed problem than a bad day.

Been a while since I've been, but did not disappoint.

Food wasn’t amazing - but good price & nice spot

I've been here many times over the years, and have always enjoyed it. My most recent visit was a bit mixed. The food is good value, and generally well prepared. The berenjenas were fantastic, while the tortilla was overcooked and not at all runny. I assume this is to better suit UK diners, but it's not authentic. The service was fairly poor: a lack of friendliness and attention. Overall it felt less authentically Spanish than in years gone by, and I think I'll give it a miss next time I'm out on The Cut.

Sultry waitress- we were not Spanish!! Food tasted stale and bland

Reasonable pricing, good food The calamari and octopus is very good!

Underwhelmed on this return visit. Flabby, chewy calamari romana, mixed olives that tasted like a mix from a tin and anchovies that were far below the quality from a supermarket deli. Add in two beers and not much change from £50.

Great food and staff. Very full and viby

Perfect place for a catchup. Great food, great house wine, great service. Thank you, we’ll be back!

A few years ago I used to go here regularly. On the bank holiday I found myself nearby and returned for dinner. A notice stated it was under refurbishment but I saw no sign of any changes except that the live guitarist on the shelf was no longer in residence. The staff behind the tapas bar were very unfriendly and wanted to talk to their mates rather than serve my wife and I. The food and wine was still adequate but the atmosphere had disappeared completely. I will give it another try but I'm am not hopeful.

We were disappointed this visit. Some of the food was bland and overcooked. Didn't feel it was up to the standard we had here previously. As it got quieter, it was harder to get service.

Sunny day, sat outside. Waitress delivered drinks and we were left. Hard to catch a waiter when outside. Ordered and then she forgot to put order through, surprised look 45 mins later when we said we’d like our food! Delay again - when it finally arrives food was good but awful service. Was told it was because they were busy. It was mid afternoon and they were so quiet. Have had some wonderful evenings in the past but won’t be going back.

Bustling tapas restuarant with paving seating, great menu and perfect wine list to accompany it. Situated on The Cut a short walk from Waterloo Station opposite The Young Vic theatre.

This is a very busy tapas bar in Southwark. It's been here for many years and there's a good reason they have survived so long. The food was very good and the service was warm and friendly even though they were very busy.

Really bad experience. Food lacked of taste and authenticity. We received a Fish Paella with Peawns with eggs and not properly cooked.Service really slow and below the expectations. We waited 45 minutes to be cleaned and the waiter came singing and with the music in the ear to clean not even asking if it was everything ok. Worst experience ever.

I would recommend the pigs cheeks and artichokes.

Excellent food and a great price. Service was slow and we would have ordered more food and drinks had we been paid for attention.

Really nice food and the staff were fantastic..We had a great time there.

Having been to Meson Don Felipe in the past, possibly 12 years ago, our group of friends was looking forward to good dinner after a brilliant theatre matinee. Such a disappointment. Very old fashioned décor, one loo, squashed tables and I'm afraid the food was very poor quality and rushed. Everything at once, presumably microwaved? Bland, scorched in parts and generally not good. We had two portions of the Jamón Ibérico de Cebo to share as starters at £15.35 expecting reasonable sized platters. When they came each was barely enough for one person, never mind four. Don't order that if you're hungry, in fact - go somewhere else. None of us said anything at the time as we assumed everyone else was enjoying it and didn't want to embarrass our booker. Wish we had done, as when we got home and checked the bill properly, we'd been charged mistakenly for two dishes which hadn't arrived. Such a shame, I remember it being very good when I worked on the South Bank. Needs an overhaul.

Good service but disappointing food. Size of tapas dishes were fine but found generally lacking in flavour and authenticity.

The waiter had his pants down that you could see his underwear , a bit o decency please... in my view it's OK if you're going out , it's not in a working environment but hey I guess management is ok with that , other staff also not fit for the role , smashing bottles in the bin making nasty noise . Food was nothing near a Spanish standard , the paella was overcooked , the pulpo was hard , tasteless and definitely not fresh

Excellent Spanish food, good portions & reasonably priced.

Really nice place and very kind staff. We took: a liter of sangria, pan tomate, a plate of Jamon Serrano, albondigas, the potato tortilla, the fried calamari, a portion of chips and finally 4 desserts. All good!

This place has been around for c30 years and clearly ownership has changed during that time. It used to be an amazing tapas place with great atmosphere and live music most nights. Then it went down hill food and atmosphere wise. However, I'm glad that last time I went a couple of weeks ago the menu had been improved massively with far less dishes than before and although not as good as yesteryear it was much, much better. We went on a Tuesday and there was no live music but El Meson exceeded my expectations.

We have been coming here for decades and it remains a favourite! We had an early dinner after a Saturday matinee at the Old Vic - the service was excellent and helpful, the food was great, and it was reasonable value.

It’s very loud and all the tables are very close together. I’m vegan so ate the options that were there. That food tasted nice but no protein options for vegan. Padron peppers weren’t that salted

Have been coming here for 30+ years and the food quality never disappoints. Huge padron peppers, quality jamon, perfect meatballs, fresh and crispy fish and hearty tortilla. The pigs cheeks were outstanding and washed down with flavoursome Fino. A must if you are in Waterloo.

Traditional tapas restaurant with great food and excellent wine list. Good value.

Great selection of dishes and drinks, decent food, good value for money.

Last Friday, following a long workweek, my colleagues and I ventured to Meson Don Felipe for a well-deserved dinner. Nestled in the heart of the city, the restaurant greeted us with a warm ambiance and the promise of exquisite Spanish cuisine. Eager to indulge our palates, we wasted no time in ordering a variety of dishes to share. Our selection included the classic Gambas, the tantalizing Calamares Tinta, and the comforting Tortilla. To accompany our meal, we opted for a carafe of Beronia Crianza, a delightful choice that perfectly complemented the flavors of our meal. Each dish that graced our table was a testament to the culinary prowess of the kitchen. The Gambas, succulent and perfectly seasoned, left us longing for more with each bite. The Calamares Tinta, with its rich flavor and tender texture, proved to be a highlight of the evening. And the Tortilla, a comforting classic, exceeded our expectations with its depth of flavor and impeccable execution. While the food undoubtedly impressed, we couldn't help but notice the bustling atmosphere of the restaurant. The lack of sound absorbers contributed to a noisy environment, detracting slightly from an otherwise enjoyable dining experience. Despite this minor inconvenience, the servers remained attentive and friendly throughout the evening, ensuring that our needs were met with efficiency and warmth. Their hospitality added to the overall charm of the restaurant and left a lasting impression on our group. In terms of value, Meson Don Felipe exceeded our expectations. The price of the food was more than justified by the quality of the ingredients and the skillful execution of each dish. We departed the restaurant with satisfied appetites and fond memories, eager to return for another culinary adventure in the near future.

One of my favourite restaurants

Best tapas outside of Barcelona. Very authentic, very tasty food and generous portion size. Look forward to a return visit!

A real shame the food standard has dropped! We’ve been going her for a while and I really think they’ve taken their eye off the ball and become lazy! The atmosphere is brilliant but they’ve relied on their name and started chucking out cold tasteless food! I’d do some Research and look at other Tapas bars in London that are doing fresh authentic Spanish food in place of pre warmed up ‘eat and go’ food

Sadly was very disappointed - place had been strongly recommended from historical loyalty.. Food was at best average to bland and service functional. I've not sure I've been in a place I'd rather not be in (mainly because the food was not worth going out for) in the last 20 years. Sorry. Wine was fine. Plenty of people there so maybe I'm wrong. Will never return.