Venue Image

Hours

Mon. - Thu. 11AM to 10PM
Fri. 11AM to 12AM
Sat. 12PM to 12AM
Sun. 4PM to 10PM

Cross Street

Commerce St.

Parking

Street parking

Pricing

Medium ($$)

San Chez A Tapas Bistro   

38 W Fulton St
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
616-774-8272
www.sanchezbistro.com

Rating: 2 out of 5  (2 Ratings)   Read Reviews (2)    Rate and Write a Review
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This Spanish restaurant that specializes in tapas, or appetizers, is proof that Grand Rapids' collective taste buds have grown up. The idea is to order your drinks, and then a selection of appetizers to pass around and taste. San Chez starts you out with an extensive wine and sherry list; one choice is the delicious house sangria, perfect with the spicier tapas selections. The menu includes a rich seafood chowder and paella, a saffron-spiced mixture of rice, seafood, sausage and peas. There are lighter selections, too, and a lively atmosphere in which to enjoy them all. This is not a quiet place; there are usually large groups dining here, and the acoustics don't really allow intimate conversations. But it's a great place to party. The decor is perfect for this ebullient eatery, with paintings and hand-tiled columns by local artist Jose Narezo.

User Ratings and Reviews Rate and Write a Review

2 Ratings and Reviews

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Verstrate6
Review rating 3 out of 5
enlightening fun experience
By Verstrate6 on 08/28/2008
3-4 stars when my girl friend and I went we took three teenage girls, who were very daring and excited to try, new, different , up scale food. Chicago ish food only in GR. It was very exciting and fun! to watch the girls dislike - like- and love different food and flavors. They definitely stepped out of the box from what they have had in the past. A great dining experience. So if your tired of the same old rest. and haven't had a chance to try different foods and flavors this is the place to go to bring you taste buds up a notch. Servers could be better but to their defence they are over worked.
GluonJck
Review rating 2 out of 5
Do They Know How Tapas Work?
By GluonJck on 06/28/2008
Great Looking Place! Huge wait list to get in. Unfortunately - it is a wait list conjured to keep the place busier than it really is. Where to start? Our server was inept at best. Had more than 5 tables - always a bad sign. And...does not understand how tapas are supposed to be shared. 12 minutes for drinks to arrive. My Bloody Mary was made quickly but sat at the end of th bar waiting for my wifes Mojito to be made. Her drink was great - mine - not at all. So much salt in the mix I thought I would have a stroke. The food was average at best. These folks believe that seasoning should be heaped into every dish. If you like garlic - than that is what you get here - it overrides everything. Not all was bad - the food runners or back waiters made up for the crappy service out front. Very attentive and helpful. But when we asked our server why everything was taking so long she replied -"Oh I staged your food to come out one at a time. Hey folks - if you want to wait 1 hour and 30 minutes for an experience to unfold do so - but they could have turned my ta ble so much faster or sold me more food if thet would just bring it out as ordered. This creates artificial wait and then waiting 20 minutes for each tiny plate of food to come out is ridiculous. Retrain your waitstaff - or hire all new pro's. They exist. I come from Chicago where there are too many GREAT Tapas places to list. I was thrilled to see GR open a joint like this. They could be great with some tweaking. Just right now - you take your chances.
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