The place is beautiful- I will say that- it always blows my mind that some restauranteur will spend this kind of money on ambiance, then let the kitchen pump out expensive, very sub-par food. Poor bartender just looked genuinely sad, albeit not surprised when we sent back two tapas- for context, neither my boyfriend or I complain almost ever, being that we have both worked in restaurants part time for many years- this place could be so much more!! Spanish food is beautiful in its simplicity, so spend the extra money to make it a place people want to return, or you will have a beautiful, empty, money pit. The drinks were good though!!
(2)
Deborah J.
This place is expensive, I went for a birthday dinner party, the portion of the tapas were small and not that great taste. The worse part was that we brought a cake and they want to charge us 3$ each person just for using there plates. The patatas bravas were not that great, i only like the lomito al cabrales.
(2)
Chris C.
Good tapas, a bit pricey if you are solo. Interior is garish. I went at lunch and it was empty. Ate at the bar; wished they would drop tapas price at the bar. Good Sangria. Great bread. Will return when I have the craving for decent Spanish food. They are the only real tapas place in Boston/Cambridge open for lunch. Arriba Espana!
(3)
Lesley A.
We went to Kikas recently as a substitute for Dali due to Somerville's parking issues lately. It was great that we could park right in the Kendall square garage and have our parking validated. Huge plus. The tapas were good for the most part. We loved the goat cheese stuffed prunes and the lobster ravioli. The restaurant was very slow especially for a Saturday night which is why it was surprising that when we went to order more ravioli, they had run out. The only tapa we didn't like was the calamari. It was overly breaded and really salty you could hardly taste the actual calamari. We ended with the crepe for dessert which was delicious, but the espresso machine was broken so I couldn't pair it with a cappuccino. Service was slow and inattentive. There were two servers who were more concerned with chatting it up at the POS systems rather than checking on their tables. The restaurant seemed to be closing early due to the lack of clientele which makes me believe they lied about running out of raviolis and the espresso machine being broken. There were some pluses to this restaurant - parking, cozy seats, good sangria, decent tapas - but I don't think I will be running back here to dine again anytime soon.
(3)
Shane W.
Pretty average tapas place. Terrible selection of beers but lots of sangria. Plus one star for 1950s Spanish porno in HD behind the bar.
(4)
Eric M.
Kika Tapas is one of the newer tapas restaurants in the Boston area. It is in a good location - the Kendall Sq area of Cambridge, which is accessible by T, cab and car (parking garage nearby). The decor and atmosphere of the restaurant is very unique. It is vibrantly decorated with funky wallpaper, chairs and booths. There is a decent mix of low tables, bar tables and seats at the bar. However, this restaurant gets pretty busy on weekends so come early or make a reservation. The price points are a bit higher than other comparable tapas restaurants in the area and the food quality is definitely lower. They have a reasonably limited menu of viable dishes to choose from but don't really have any dishes that are special or unique to this restaurant. The food we did order was average at best. Kika does offer a good variety of cocktails though and the skilled bartenders do a nice job crafting them. However, nothing about this restaurant was too impressive; I give it an OK.
(3)
Andres M.
Had the chicken with garlic. It was a bit too sweet. Then the lamb meatballs were too fatty and heavy. The Tres leches dessert was just OK. Overall the food is fine but not worth the price.
(3)
Su C.
I've dined here twice this year (2012) and been pleased both times. The scallops in saffron cream, the baby spinach with raisins and pine nuts, and the chorizo were particularly good. True, it would have been nice to have a couple more scallops in that serving, but we weren't too bothered because the sauce was great with the (complimentary) bread. The sangria was decent as well, though I prefer the regular version over the cava version. The patio is very nice if the wind isn't too strong.
(4)
Sharon O.
"Eek!" Went for restaurant week. I had read the hit or miss reviews, and was nervous when my companion had excitedly suggested we go, but cautiously optimistic... we went...but I guess we went on a "miss" night. It's a nice location in Kendall, with some wild decor and patio seating. We were greeted by a very cordial hostess, which lifted my spirits and chose the patio. Maybe a mistake. It's unclear if they were understaffed, but there weren't many full tables when we were seated. When we left it was packed, but I think this was because the food took so long to come out and service was so slow that no tables were turning over. It was clear several tables shared our sour opinion for being left so long, as if we had been forgotten. Perhaps I'm just not a fan of Spanish Tapas, in any case... I disliked every dish (app, 6 tapas dishes, dessert). The bread was good- served with ok hummus. Cocktails were ok. Goat cheese in tomato sauce was really the only ok tasting dish... would have been nice if it came with extra bread or pita chips, since it was salsa-like in the sense that it seemed odd to eat alone. One of the dishes was simply thinly sliced pieces of chorizo sitting sadly in a bowl by themselves. Worst of the night is a toss up between the vanilla salmon dish (salmon not cooked well, thick vanilla sugar glaze was gross) and the crab & mango stuffed avocado (half an under-ripe avocado with pieces of seriously under-ripe mango and very smelly crab pieces that might have been squirted with citrus juice). Dessert was blah (we tried both the chocolate torte and the flan). On top of all this, prices were very high for the quality... and this is even during the discount nature of restaurant week. Honestly one of the worst experiences to date at a restaurant, but I hear it can be good... sad for us!
(1)
Walter H.
Lamb meatballs, spinach w/pine nuts, Serrano ham charcuterie, crab avocado salad, sangria... All great and priced exactly what you'd expect for a sit down dinner with class and good service...! So what is with these negative reviews? We loved it and have every intention of returning for brunch.
(4)
Ben Y.
We went on an off day at off hours and had an incredible time. My wife and I were planning on going elsewhere for dinner and stopped in for a quick bite and drink. The serving sizes were perfect. We had delicious artichokes and a stupendous shrimp dish. We also ordered a sausage and foie-gras dish - the sausage was wonderful but the foie gras was a tad overcooked. In any case, we found the service to be exceptional, the ambiance to be very pleasing, and the entire experience was very positive. This would be an ideal place to start an evening (a few tapas and drink, then a walk around to explore Kendall Sq and its other restaurants). We would come here again.
(4)
Steph F.
A friend and I had weeknight drinks and tapas here recently. I found it to be a pretty standard tapas place. The ambiance was nice - elegant but nothing stood out as unique. We had a selection of vegetarian tapas which were a little pricy but were good enough taste-wise... Artichokes, eggplant, and a usual favorite of mine, patatas bravas. I had a sparkling cava sangria which was refreshing. I'd go back if they were running some kind of promotion or a friend really wanted to go.
(3)
Kerri Y.
Found this place by accident when walking by on the way to find some after work drinks and light dinner; this place was perfect. The Sangria here was potent. 2 glasses and you are on the floor potent, but very very tasty and super easy to drink more than a glass or two.. or three.... The sangria definitely made the woes of the day disappear. Food was tasty. I really enjoyed the Lomito al Cabrales (Pork Loin with Cabrales Blue Cheese Sauce & Mushroom) and Costillas de Buey (Beer Braised Short Ribs). I was not a very big fan of Palta Reina (Crab and Mango Stuffed Avocado). I did not like the texture and did not expect it to be cold. So 2 out of 3 were good (sound very similar to other reviews below!) I was surprised to find out this place was related to Solea. The atmosphere is so different here. The decor is crazy bright red with pictures based upon movies directed by Pedro Almodovar. Very modern. I will admit that a few of the menu items did look similar to Solea, such as Scallops in Saffron Cream. The bread and spread tasted similar as well.
We had a large party and had great food and great service. I had the spicy shrimp, beef tenderloin, scallops, cauliflower fritters, paella, and much more - everything was really good. Our server was really helpful.
(4)
John S.
I live in the neighborhood, have tried everything on the menu, and it's all great. I don't know what's up with the mixed reviews because i've taken many guests to Kika and everyone has always loved it. Some of my favorites: sauteed artichokes, octopus in olive oil, lamb balls in truffle sauce, goat cheese in tomato sauce, steamed mussels, beef tenderloin with spicy herb sauce, pork loin with blue cheese and mushrooms. The service is inconsistent, sometimes excellent, sometimes far from it.
(5)
Griffith G.
Tapas? Yay! I love tapas. What's not to like about a good empanada? Well... So this is a cute space, with a nice bar. I enjoy the cocktails, but the food was disappointing. We ordered the empanadas, mushroom crostini, Pechuga con Huevo, and the Basque Fries. The empanadas came out first, Very quickly... maybe to quickly. These had little flavor and the dough was dry and tough around the corners. They were also really hot! To me, they seemed like they were pre-made and thrown in the microwave before serving. No acceptable. The mushroom crostini was overly salty. I would have the mushroom and leak mixture was served cold. Perhaps if this had been tossed in a saute pan quickly before topping the goat cheese this would have been a more successful dish for me. The Pechuga con Huevo- I only ate half of this. Very dry, flavorless piece of chicken, the egg was undercooked on the top and over cooked on the bottom and the potatoes were nothing to rave about either. Finally the "Basque fries." Maybe our batch just needed more of the seasoning, but our fries were just decent french fries served with a side of ordinary ketchup. Really? a nice homemade aioli, or even the sauce that came with the empanadas would have been much better and more unique. There are so many other strong Tapas restaurants in the area that I don't think I would return to Kika for their food. It's a shame too, the bar was great, the decor is fun and creative and the bar tender was great. Back to Toro for me...
(2)
Amanda M.
I recently went to Kika withal small gathering of colleagues and we all really enjoyed it! The cocktails are creative and delicious with a good wine selection too. We ordered a few tapas and I was so pleased they had a gluten free menu plus very accommodating of other food allergies. I was so happy to see they had Brazilian cheese bread :-). The decor is fun with a lot of red - we all liked it. We arrived shortly after work and it was not crowded or loud. I would recommend it,
(5)
Peter K.
A quite enjoyable new restaurant near the kayak launch. I strongly recommend the lamb meatballs in truffle cream sauce.
(3)
Manu L.
Refreshing new addition to the Kendall Square area. We went on a Tuesday evening and there no wait. Staff was friendly and knowledgeable. The Sangria royale was incredible and probably the highlight of the meal although the tapas were solid as well. Toro is still my favorite tapas place in the Boston area but this comes close.
(4)
Wendy L.
My friend and I went to Kika's on a slow Monday night. The waiter was running a one man show, bartending, serving, and taking orders all at the same time. He was very nice, even when we found out he took down the wrong order. The food was good, some dishes were better than others.
(3)
Adam C.
Delicious food! Very authentic Spanish tapas - we'll be back again soon!
(4)
Paulina B.
With no concrete dinner plans but dressed up and ready to go, my boyfriend and I accidentally stumbled across Kika Tapas. He's never had tapas before and we've been on a culinary adventure kick so we decided to dine here on a Saturday night - great choice! We started with a pitcher of Cava Sangria - citrus flavors, light and refreshing, bubbly! Now for the tapas. For those of you who've never experienced tapas, you forego the traditional entree and order several, smaller dishes and shared. Our waitress suggested between 3-4 tapas per person. We had a hard time settling on the dishes we wanted to try but ended up with the following: Bunuelos - broccoli & cauliflower fritters. Delicious. Crispy outside, chewy on the inside, accompanied by a creamy, tangy aoili. The sauce went very well with the fritters. Mejilones A La Salmorra - steamed mussels in a spicy tomato & wine sauce. So good. My boyfriend is allergic to seafood so this was all mine. Huge portion of big mussels, great sauce, spiced well. Soaked up the extra sauce with the bread, which was key! Pechuga Con Huevo - grilled chicken breast, crispy fried egg, yukon gold potatoes. Nothing special about this dish. I was underwhelmed. The best part of this dish was the potatoes - they were spiced and flavorful and set the tone for entire dish. Butifarras Con Foie Grad - pork sausage, foie gras, poached apples, fig and port wine sauce. I loved this dish. We made sure to get a little bit of everything with each bite because the flavors went so well together. The sausage had spice, and the port wine and poached apple were sweet and tangy. Great dish. Lomito Al Cabrales - pork loin with cabrales blue cheese sauce & mushrooms. I was a little nervous about this dish because I'm not a huge fan of blue cheese and it can often be overpowering. I was pleasantly surprised. The sauce was almost like a creamy alfredo with a slight tang from the blue cheese. I especially liked the mushrooms. The sauce was so good, my boyfriend soaked up the remaining sauce with bread. At first, I was a little disappointed they didn't bring out all the dishes at once as I wanted to sample a little bit of everything. But once we finished our meal, I was definitely happy that the dishes were presented over a series of courses. You were able to enjoy each small dish while it was hot, just the way the chef intended. Alone, I think each of these as a full entree might have been a little much but the tapas serving size was perfect. We were very satisfied with this meal and I have a feeling we will be coming back.
(4)
Scott B.
I got my Kika on a couple weeks ago, and I'm glad I did! The experience was great. The Spanish movie themed tapas restaurant's walls are decorated with classy red and black patterns, the tables and chairs, and floors are all funky yet classy. We had excellent service. Our server, Kadian, was a delight. She was friendly, fun, attentive, funny... really everything you could want in a waitress. The food was pretty delicious. I recommend the sauteed mushrooms, which are super. My only complaint would be the gentleman who appeared to be a manager or host... dressed nicer than everyone else, but grumpy and not inviting. No hello or eye contact at the door when we entered or left, walking around texting, brought the experience down a star. Regardless, I'll still be back.
(4)
Stephanie B.
So excited for some tapas! So disappointed! We had such high hopes -- whoever decorated this joint did a great job, the host and serving staff are really friendly, it's in Cambridge, etc. But the food and drinks are total crap. I even sent a drink back, it was so bad, and who does that?? I got a bottle of beer instead after that. The boy didn't even like his tequila cocktail thing because it was too strong, which never happens. Every dish we ordered was terrible -- even the dulce de leche crepe thing filled with mushy fruit. Not one of the plates, except the fries and somebody's flan, was finished by anyone, and I can't believe the kitchen doesn't pay attention to that? Nothing is visually appealing or tasty. We were one of three tables in the joint and I really wonder how it's lasted this long.
(1)
Silvia V.
Had dinner reservations at Kika on a Wednesday night and as I arrived early I had 10 minutes to take the restaurant in before my friends arrived and I instantly LOVED the decor. The stenciled walls are busy but very cool, the movie reel ceiling is awesome, the mini skirt and long legs above the doors are so unique, and the homage to the great Pedro Almodovar with all his movie posters next to the bar is very cool. My first impression was great. My caipirinha was good & strong, the bread and hummus were great. Good start. Then it all went down the hill as our tapas started arriving. Had the following: - Patatas Bravas - over salted and under cooked - Alcachofas Salteadas - this was by far the best thing we ate at Kika - Gambas al Ajillo - shrimp in melted butter and garlic, it was pretty good too - Calamares Fritos - over cooked, chewy calamari - Camarones a la Plancha - horribly over cooked - Berenjena Rellena - was okay, just hard to cut - Ceviche - I'm still questioning the freshness of the white tuna - gross - Chorizo a la Plancha - pan seared chorizo a 6 year old can make at home - Tres Leches - it was okay - Dulce de Leche crape with berries - grossly covered in store bought caramel sauce, and filled with defrosted berries The service was okay. Maybe they need to work on perfecting their seafood menu items, and maybe we should've ordered meaty dishes, but all in all we did not enjoy the food at Kika, which is very unfortunate as we were excited about dining at this hip new restaurant.
(2)
Shaina P.
Kika is named and decorated for a movie starlet featured in such Spanish films as "Kika" and ... oh interesting ... you should google it. The decor is super crazy bright and there are patterns and ways to mesmerize you all over the place. The tapas menu is fairly short and priced high, but note that they offer skillets of Paella (rice based) or Fiduea (vermicelli based) in two different sizes/prices (party of 1-3, $32, or 4-6, $48) and three different flavors (tradicional, seafood, or veg). Although I did not experience the dish last night, I will definitely return for a try. Now, despite the short food menu, there is a nice list of cocktails, cava, rose, red, white wine, a selection of beer, and of course, sangria on tap. I wouldn't agree with Paul R's opinion on the cost of drinks. All of the cocktails were $10 or less and 2 for 2, were delicious (Basil Lime Gimlet and La Movida [woodford, sage, cherry preserves]). I loved the drinks, very tasty. So, sure, it adds up, but their prices are by no means the priciest I've seen or am willing to spend on a good drink. They also serve their refreshing wine selection in those super fun shareable decanter/carafes that you can also get at Toro where you pour a tight stream of wine into your friends' mouths... So, keeping the review low for now. I'll be back for an update after I get food there.
(3)
Libby R.
I like Kika...it's a nice addition to the sort of odd area near Kendall Square between the T and Genzyme. That area can get a bit ghost-like at times, but if you are in the area I would suggest giving it a try. The service was friendly and very quick, though it was not packed. I went there with a coworker and we shared the following: -Tortilla Espanola -Patatas Bravas -Cauliflower and broccoli fritters -Jamon Serrano The food was fresh and we ate all of it. I especially liked the fritters. The ambiance inside is fun and modern. So, while it's sort of shoved in the corner by a random parking lot near the ice rink, I like that it adds variety to the neighborhood, as there is nothing similar very close by.
(4)
Tucker W.
Seems like some hit or miss reviews, but i was in last night with three co-workers and i think the food - and service - was killer. We ordered a ton of stuff and honestly it was all really good. I wish i could remember the names of the dishes, but it was all mainly from the tapas side. Solid empanadas, great sizzling shrimp, really good spicy potatoes, the fried broccoli/cauliflower thing was awesome. We also all split a main dish - the seafood "stew" style dish. Really flavorful and good. It wasn't too busy, so perhaps it was a bit easier to expect good service, but the dude we had was really really solid. Took great care of us, and has good menu knowledge. Tall guy - give him a raise :) Try Kika. Great interior, and i bet they are psyched that new Kendall luxury apartments are being built literally on top of the restaurant.
(4)
Ilya E.
I really liked Kika. Its actually owned by the same family that owns Dali, and Tapena (and I've been to both, read my Tapeo review if you can)....as well as another restaraunt whose name I cannot pronounce. 5 stars for ambiance - they have a really nice late dinner vibe, its cozy and intimate, or you can make your way to the bar with a few friends and enjoy a more rowdy time. 5 stars for service- our waitress was attentive, and comped my espresso. 5 stars for drinks - their premium white sangria with mangos is really delicious 3.5 stars for food - I will say their tapas are hit and miss. The short rib is HUGE and is a meal in and of itself, and melts in your mouth. Their potatas bravas are REALLY good as well, even though 1 of them felt like it just came out of the freezer. The spicey mayo and the way they cooked them was delicious. Unfortunately I was dissappointed in their gambas al ajillo, a staple dish in any tapas place that should be done flawlessly. The gambas went cold quickly and did not have a lot of 'kick' to them. I usually like to devour the garlic on the bottom of the oil under the shrimp, but there was not a lot to be had. The garlic was also not burnt like usual, making me think they undercooked the whole dish (it certainly felt like it.) The pricing for the food is slightly more than that of Tasca, but equivalent to Dali and Tapeo. Hot Tapas range from 8-14 dollars. In short, Kika, if you clean up your Tapas act and deliver a consistent experience you could be an amazing tapas place. For now, I will still come here for a late night date that includes sangria and some tapas.
(4)
Jack L.
I went there as part of a large group that split a buffet lunch we had ordered for the group. This place was dreadful! We paid a lot of money per person and got some friend potatoes and a few pieces of wilted lettuce. Our neighbors, who ordered off of the menu, got appetizing looking meals. But what they gave us was a total ripoff.
(1)
Bhuvana H.
I work in Kendall Square, I love tapas, and I'm a big fan of Tapeo & Solea so I've been to Kika a few times for lunches and dinners. Every time I've gone, the food & drinks are tasty, the atmosphere is fun, and the service is solid. First time I went with my husband and daughter for dinner on a weeknight. We had a selection of tapas - Buñuelos, Alcachofas Salteadas, Queso de Cabra Montañes, Palta Reina, Gambas al Ajillo, Salmón a la Plancha, and Ravioles de Mariscos. Everything was delicious except for the salmon - it was still edible, just a bit bland. Next time I went with a coworker for lunch. Again, we had a selection of tapas - some of the same ones listed above, plus the Ceviche. Again, everything was delicious. I went back recently with another coworker who thoroughly enjoyed the tapas we ordered. Again, some of the same ones listed above, plus the Espinacas Gallegas. This has become one of my go-to places for a meal! I love that it's not too busy - I go to restaurants mostly to eat & drink, not to check out the other diners.
(4)
Daniela F.
I came by with my coworkers and we really enjoyed the experience! The space is cool and modern with a fun atmosphere. I ordered the lamb meatballs and Brazilian cheesy bread and it was so delicious! My favorite item on the menu, and something you HAVE to try, is the crepe with vanilla cream and berries. It was just ridiculously good. I literally had to stop myself from ordering a second one. The tapas were great, service was good, and ambiance was fantastic! Definitely give Kika a try!
(4)
Noshii R.
So where to begin... I had dinner at this beautifully decorated establishment last night...well lets just say that I am on verge of calling the manager and asking for a refund as the food was atrocious!! Great service and beautiful decor but I think they forgot to hire a chef...or anyone that knows anything about food. The best thing were the french fries...and yes they are french fries for which you charge $5 and cant even make the effort to perhaps serve it with an aoili sauce or something other than ketchup...and just because you call it it 'Basque Potatoes" doesn't change the fact that they are shitty french fries. The steak had a pattern on it which was from the pounding they gave the meat for tenderization. Just thinking of it is grossing me out. Honesty I have no idea how this place is still open?!? TO ANYONE WHO READS THIS...GO HAVE A GLASS OF WINE AT THE BAR AND ENJOY THE VIEW AND THEN GO NEXT DOOR TO ONE OF THE OTHER RESTAURANT'S OR MCDONALDS...
(1)
Kacey F.
I went with a group of 5 on a Friday night. The bar was very noisy so not a place to talk easily among a group. The food was just mediocre. The garlic shrimp was bland, the cauliflower fritters seems gummy and undercooked, the chicken was so tough we couldn't even cut through it and had to send it back. In its place we got another order of the shortrib which was actually good and tender. But the 2nd one was inconsistent - the sauce was slightly different than the first. The desserts were good: crepe & churros. Overall just mediocre, I probably wouldn't go back here.
(2)
Lisa L.
Went here with a girlfriend on opening night. Love the edgy, bright, frenetic decor. We were seated at a cozy table in the corner of the bar, and as our server approached us, we shivered in anticipation. The server was very awkward, and the first thing she did was ask us if we'd ever dined there before. Did I mention it was opening night? She did say they'd had a friends & family night the weekend before, so we cut her some slack. We ordered a bottle of red wine and it came out colder than fridge-cold. Our server didn't give us a taste, just poured us big glasses. After realizing it was chilly, we sent it back. The manager came out with a different bottle, explaining that the other bottle had been in the wine cellar. Um, isn't that supposed to keep it the right temperature? There was no apology. She did offer a new bottle that was "in the same price range," and we liked it, so we went with it. I don't recall everything we ordered, but nothing jumped out at us as great. We both felt it was very overpriced for the quality of the food. They forgot one of our tapas and brought it out after we reminded them, and at that point were done eating everything else. The server acted like that was intentional, but I'm pretty sure it was just forgotten. I do remember getting the fries (meh) and asking for some extra aioli dipping sauce. When our bill came, we saw that they charged us $1 for the aioli, and the wine was $4 more than the original bottle we ordered. Now, it's not like we can't afford $5.00 between us, but we were fired up on principle. Good service could have made up for mediocre, overpriced food, but instead, excuses and poor service just added to our disappointment. If it were my restaurant, I would have been kissing our asses, thanking us for coming, and throwing in an extra dish for free. Not cool, Kika, not cool. I will not be going back.
(1)
Alex R.
Went here for lunch with some coworkers. Food was excellent. We ordered a bit of tapas and some sandwiches. The brazed short rib was amazing, and the mussels in a spicy tomato sauce were also very good. Some people got the brazed rib sandwiches, which were grilled and just amazing. Others (such as myself) got the beef tenderloin sandwich, which was good, but paled in comparison to the shortrib. The hostess and waiter were both friendly, but the service was a bit slow. There weren't many people there but it still took a fair amount of time for the dishes to come out. We weren't a huge group, so not sure why it took so long. The waiter was fairly obviously new, though he did a decent job. Overall I think it was pretty darn good, and I'd go back, just not when I'm in a hurry.
(4)
Sean J.
To be fair to Kika Tapas....I only went here because Dali lost my reservations and though I would wait almost 2 hours to eat there. That being said, my low expectations of walk-in tapas were barely met. Let's start with the drinks (I ordered two). An old fashioned which was basically 2 shots of bourbon in a large glass of seltzer water. I don;t know where you found your bartender, but that is not an Old Fashioned by any recipe. My second drink was an unimpressive and watered down gin and tonic. The food was decent, if relatively small and overpriced. My $10 foie gras was the size of my thumbnail...and this is tapas so I'm sharing!! Service was nothing to write home about, the waitress was informed on her cheeses and meats but was not particularly attentive and would not make eye contact. Save your money and go somewhere else.
(2)
Sammi N.
Good, but not good enough... The menu had a good selection of tapas but overall, the tapas was either really good or really bad with a few just in between. PROS: * location - easy to get to, street parking, or validated garage parking; plenty of other options in the area for drinks afterwards * decor was interesting and comfy seats * huge selection of tapas - better items were : - Albóndigas de Cordero Lamb Meatballs in Truffle Cream Sauce - Costillas de Buey Beer Braised Short Ribs - Palta Reina Crab and Mango Stuffed Avocado * friendly service * reasonably priced * no waits or reservations needed CONS: * no waits or reservations, in other words, the place was kind of empty for a Thursday night dinner * sort of your run of the mill, traditional tapas options (this alone if probably enough for me not to return) If you love tapas, visit Toro in Boston - BEST tapas in the city hands down. However, if you don't want to venture into the city, or wait in line at Toro, this is a good, local alternative. It was good don't get me wrong, just not a knock-out.
(3)
Jason P.
OK, I just got a clarifying message from Tamara Bourso - who co-owns Dali with Mario Leon, (her ex-husband as I recall). She also separately co-owns Cuchi-Cuchi. She says that Mario's son Fernando co-owns Tapeo, Solea and Kika. There's been some bad blood and now Dali is not connected to the other three restaurants. Some of the feud is over the fact that Tapeo website says that the "Leon family" owns all four restaurants - which is technically true except for the fact that the different wings of the family aren't working together anymore. Some of it is over the three newer restaurants apparently using recipes from the first without permission. None of this affects my overall review, but I thought I should pass this along. I also hope the various parties to the dispute above find a way to reconcile their differences. Because no one benefits from a tapas feud. And I'm only interested in eating happy tapas. Which is how I remember Dali from the early 90s when I first started going.
(4)
Neil D.
Meh. My wife and I came here on a Friday night for some tapas and were pretty unimpressed. Food needs some work, as does the service but its mainly fixable. Food needs to served on warm plates, not cold ones, otherwise it gets cold fast. When you are grazing on your tapas, you want each dish to stay warm! Calamari was overcooked, mushrooms needed more/some salt, pork with blue cheese was too cheesy and the cheese not very blue. Garlic shrimp was good, the way it should be. Pork sausage with foie gras was good but cold and had the smallest foie gras I've ever seen. If they fix what they had, it would be 3. Spend the extra and go to Toro Oh, and they charge for bread
(2)
Christina L.
I love their classic sangria!!! The spicy potatoes (we ordered two!!) and lamb meatballs were good but everything else was ok. The server wasn't the friendliest but the drinks made up for it. :) ambience was nice; love the bold interior.
I went to Kika with my girlfriend on Valentine's day thinking it'd be a fun dinner and we were pretty disappointed... The ambiance and decor of the restaurant is pretty cool but it quickly went downhill after that. The server was extremely slow to take our drink and food orders. He often disappeared for long periods of time. My girlfriend and I ordered 4 tapa plates and a 2-person sized paella. The tapa plates we ordered were the seafood ceviche, vanilla breaded salmon, cheesy scallops, and roasted duck leg. Usually there's a variety of seafood when I've ordered ceviche in the past, but this ceviche only had salmon. The vanilla salmon was breaded and overcooked. The breading was hard and dry. The cheesy scallops were ok, exactly how it sounds. Lastly, the roasted duck was completely dry and overcooked. The paella we ordered looked promising as it was loaded with seafood. The initial bites were great but then there were many extremely salty bites that followed. Some of the bites were so salty they were barely tolerable. We also ordered the special valentine's day dessert: profiteroles with ice cream. Profiteroles and ice cream are one of my favorite desserts, but again, they looked great but the taste didn't live up to the hype. The profiteroles weren't flaky. They were soft and difficult to bite through. The ice cream was basic and the chocolate syrup used was basically heated Hershey's. Overall the food wasn't good at all and the cost was not cheap. I wouldn't recommend going to this restaurant.
(2)
Victoria M.
we just had some of the best tapas ever. the restaurant is nicely decorated and spacious. the staff are welcoming and courteous and very helpful. the food is excellent and full of flavor. there is a parking garage practically next door and with validation it is very cheap and convenient. we will absolutely be back here again.
(5)
Rhea S.
Note: I am editing this review as of 4/29/2012, after receiving a note that Kika is in no way affiliated with Dali or Tapeo, but liberally borrowed from the menu of both. In my previous review, I'd mentioned that Kika is owned by the same owners as Dali and Tapeo, but that is not the case.) Kika's menu is similar to that of other tapas restaurants in the area, which can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on your perspective. I was happy to see some tried-and-true favorites on the menu (the pork loin in bleu cheese, the sauteed artichoke). We ordered 6 dishes, a couple of which disappointed. The chorizo was tasty enough, but just kind of there (no adornment). I think we were spoiled after a couple of dishes that had wonderful sauces for sopping up with bread, like the aforementioned pork and the lamb meatballs in a truffle cream sauce. The sizzling shrimp and garlic reminded me of something I could easily make at home. But nothing was bad per se - we still cleaned our plates. We sat outside as it was an unseasonably warm night, so I can't speak to the noise level inside or the decor, which (as others have noted) is a bit "busy." We lingered for a bit and didn't feel rushed in any way by our pleasant waitress. In addition to the usual wine and sangria, they also had a good cocktail selection, and I highly recommend La Tormenta Negra, sort of similar to a Dark n' Stormy. The one caveat I have is, either take public transportation or figure out what you're going to do with your car! The parking situation in Kendall Square sucks. Kika does not have a lot and there is no on-street parking in front of the restaurant. I wrote a review on the parking garage nearby (Standard Parking) which is fine if you are out of there before 9:30.
(4)
Diane C.
Visited Kika for the first time last night. For a Thursday night the place was empty. Thought it was because it is January and everyone is dieting, but to our surprise, the other three restaurants located in the same building (EVOO, Za, and Commonwealth were hopping. They gave us a puny bread basket. We had to have it refilled 3X. It was like pulling teeth to get them to bring us more bread. The red Sangria was topped with one tiny cube of an orange. To me, any Sangria worth its salt is loaded with fruit. I had to ask for a zippy drink straw. Waitress plunked the glass down with out a cocktail napkin. The waitress was robotic. Not rude, just like a machine. No personality at all. The lamb chop app was so raw we were afraid were were going to sick. We pointed this out to the manager who agreed the lamb was indeed raw. The braised shortrubs were outstanding. The garlic shrimp was good. But they should step up by using larger shrimp. I'd pay more. Those mini shrimps are substandard. Does anyone actually enjoy those mini shrimps? The paella bowl for 2 with fresh seafood was just okay. On the bland side. Wasn't seasoned nearly enough or properly, in my opinion. Our dining experience wasn't terrible, but adding all the little things together equals a not so great dining experience. We will go elsewhere for tapas in the future.
(2)
Oz L.
We were dissapointed at Kiksa. They have great decor and a wonderful location. The small plates lack tflavor and taste! We were there on a Thursday evening and it was quiet and the bar was empty. Not a good sign...
(3)
L C.
2.5 stars. I love tapas, so when I found Kika Tapas close to my hotel, I was thrilled! Sadly, it was a disappointment. Started with the Royal Sangria. Thought it was a smart drink to order at a tapa restaurant. Bad idea! The sangria was too sweet. And what sangria comes with no fruits on top?? Didn't like it. Didn't even finish my drink which is very rare! I ordered the garlic shrimp, the mussels in spicy tomato broth and the beer short ribs. The best dish was the mussels. They were fresh and the touch of spiciness was nice. This restaurant does not give bread to mop up the sauces! The short ribs weren't ribs; it was a small chuck of beef. It was tender and flavorful. The garlic shrimp was only OK. The shrimps were quite small. I know tapas are small dishes and indeed, the dishes were small. It's expensive to charge an average of $10 per dish for such small quantity of food. Almost $50 later, I walked out not satisfied. Not happy with my sangria, and I could use some more food.
(2)
Pauleena M.
This place was ok. The ambient/decor was nice, the tapas could have been better. The ceviche was not what I expected, it was just salmon, I thought I'd be a mixture of seafood (that's how it typically is). Anyway, they mixed up my dessert and brought me the wrong one, the sangria was very bitter but our server was friendly! Overall, I didn't hate it or love it.. Just ehhhh
(3)
Manny D.
Ok, so the principle behind Tapas is that you make something small in a decadent and irresistible way. The ceviche tasted like it came out of a jar. The mussels tasted like they were last week's leftovers. The empanadas were bland and sadly not deep fried. I don't believe we will ever go back.
(1)
Charlie M.
This tapas restaurant is a great addition to a neighborhood that is quickly turning into a place to go for restaurants of all types and styles. They offer a varied menu that has something for everyone from smaller sampling plates to larger entrees that simply delight. But do not forget to leave room for desert as there is several that are mouth watering endings for a wonderful dinner or lunch. I would also be remiss if I did not mention the sangria. White, red or fruit augmented, they are all great and serve to complement the meal very well. I will be going back and strongly recommend everyone give them a shot. You will not be disappointed.
(5)
Christopher B.
I walk by this place every day and watched it being built. I am in love with the decor, it's so 2010s and very well done. Stopped by for lunch with folks from work after they opened. This was my first experience with tapas, and I liked it. I thought it was cool they had pão de queijo (Brazilian cheese balls), as well as an eclectic mix of all sorts of things, so I brought my husband there for lunch. Kika is a bit upscale, lunch ran about $20 per person.
(4)
Ellomenno P.
I'm going to give these guys a good review. I'm not a huge fan of the other ones in this group, I like them, but was eager at first to see a Spanish restaurant from a different group. So it took me 4 months to try this place.. but overall it wasn't a bad experience. The server was prompt, friendly, and good. Not sure where the complaints are coming from. The food was prompt. The 8-9 dollar glasses of sangria aren't THAT pricey for what you get, I didn't think. The amount of paella you get for 32 dollars is really not bad, all things considered. Now, the paella: It's definitely not like any paella I saw with my in-laws in malaga or madrid - which may be better for most diners because they put a LOT more chorizo, chicken, and seafood in there. Note - the chicken was tasty but somehow got dried out in that mix - not sure if it was added in but cooked too much beforehand (probably). US diners probably would freak if there were chicken bones, I guess, as well, which would probably help retain moisture. And they have different kinds of paella, which also I never saw in Spain, but I'm suspicious is valid in the way "NY" or "Chicago" pizza are different - and you'd never see those options on a US menu for pizza either - it's all geographic and the house makes only one kind. But that's fine, this is America, afterall. Now I personally think that paella doesn't really work in a US restaurant anyway, because it needs too much time to cook and bake/burn the rice underneath (which wasnt burnt - arrgh! key for paella! again, US diners might not like that)......so add all that up, what you probably get is probably closer to a non-spicy jambalaya. That being said, what's wrong with jambalaya? The decor is really cool, it's a tough, weird location, the wind sweeps through Kendall almost everyday (i work there) - it's rare to get a calm day, and the whole block needs to plant some more bushes or something to make that outside area really work. but they are trying hard. The only thing that bugs me about this place is - sorry,if you're spanish, the bread and little green olives (dont get cute with kalamata or anything) should be on the table. No charge, make it happen. And make the bread like what you'd get in spain. It looked some kind of crusty iggys in a basket, which isn't bad, but come on, its not spain. I'd give 3, but I'll bump to 4 because of the attentive waitress and the cool ambience. Relax and enjoy a royal sangria with a splash of cava.
(4)
Carol D.
We were looking forward to a good dinner, Kika just arrived in Kendall Square, but left disappointed. We had to pay for bread, including refills. Overall the food was below average. Waitress was a bit stiff. Only thing I liked was the decor. Not enough for me to come back.
(1)
J C.
My friend and I visited Kika last Friday on the recommendation of another friend of ours. We wanted a light repast after seeing a movie. I had yet to explore this new "neighborhood" in Kendall Square where there are a few new mid rise residential and corporate buildings with store front restaurants and coffee bars a stones throw from the Charles. I liked the clean lines and modern feel of the area. We were surprised to find parking on the street and were later informed by Kika's very engaging and friendly hostess that parking, which they validate, is available in a parking lot under the building. I can't remember how much she said it costs, so give them a call for the price and directions to the parking garage entrance. All the outdoor tables were full so we sat inside. The decor is funky and fun, though there is a large picture of a woman in a skirt, who's legs you have to go through to get to the bathroom--a little weird. As I mentioned, the hostess was sweet but our waitress was a little standoffish and slow, given that the restaurant wasn't full. We started out with the bread and avocado spread appetizer which was delicious, with soft bread with a hearty crust and a tasty spread with just enough flavor. My friend enjoyed her artichokes, but felt that her salmon was dry. I loved the wild mushroom saute, which had just the right amount of garlic. The star of our table was the scallops in saffron cream sauce. The scallops were well cooked and the sauce was creamy with just a hint of tang from the saffron. We found ourselves sopping up the sauce with bread after the scallops were gone. Like many people tapas initially seems expensive to me as I look through menus, but the wonderful, strong flavors and small portions are really just right for a well-rounded meal. The full size entrees did seem a little pricey. I hope to try one of the enticing sounding cocktails when next I visit. I think Kika has a bright future!
(4)
Angelos K.
Will need to revisit but my first experience was pleasant. Half the food was very good, but whatever had to do with seafood was bland or bad (the crab/mango stuffed avocado and the fried calamari). Go for the pork loin and the lamb meatballs which saved the day. The service was spotty (the waitress was completely confused at times), but on opening week that can be explained away. Funky bar area and overall nice vibe. Look forward to coming back soon.
(3)
Bree S.
I WILL DEFINITELY BE GOING BACK! I went to Kika Tapas with some friends on Friday after work. We were seated in a comfy round booth. The tapas, sangria, atmosphere and service were all excellent. I really liked the Patatas Bravas, Camarones a la Plancha, Berenjena Rellena and a special of the night that's named something I can't remember (it was a roll of steak, stuffed with a mushroom, cheese, spinach, blend). Our server was friendly, attentive and remained patient with a challenging group of women who had quite a bit of the delicious Sangria Royal, which is a red sangria with cava and Grand Marnier. DELICIOUS!
I would definitely recommend this place for lunch or dinner. Here's a rundown of what it's got going for it: - Very cool interior. I loved the interesting patterns and fun colors on everything (including the walls). It immediately set the atmosphere as fun, trendy, and welcoming. It's a great place to come with friends. - Delicious food. The bread and hummus they give you to start is fresh and flavorful. I had the tortilla espanola and chorizo sandwich with melted manchego cheese and it was fantastic. You could taste the richness of the flavors of each ingredient, and the bread was perfectly crisp without being too crunchy. I loved that they reached a nice balance with the salt in this sandwich too, since chorizo can sometimes push that over the edge. - Friendly service. Our waitress was attentive and cheerful, without hovering or being remotely annoying. She didn't rush us at all, but she was there when we needed her. - Great selection of desserts. I wasn't thrilled with the fritters (aka churros) mainly because they were very fried (i.e. crunchy) with a kind of doughy interior. I prefer mine light and flaky like funnel cake/fried dough. That said, the dessert list looked great and I'm more than willing to try some of the other options next time! Overall I would not hesitate to return. Given that it's a new restaurant, I think they're off to a great start!
(4)
maria M.
Fun place, great food and a GLUTEN FREE MENU!!!!!! Great bar and wine selection.
(4)
Deborah N.
Good food, horrible service. The waitress made a big production out of pronouncing all the menu items with a Spanish accent... Perhaps not noticing the fact that everyone at the table was speaking Spanish/ from South America. She definitely had some kind of social issue. Extremely condescending and annoying. Also charged us three dollars to CUT the cake that we had brought. Never coming back here again - rudest service. Busboys and manager were extremely kind. Food was good, but way overpriced. I'd rather go to EVOO next door ;)
(2)
Joe R.
Food (2 out of 10): What a disappointment. I love tapas and there are some great places around town for good tapas (Dali I'm looking at you), but this new upshot in Kendall square doesn't hold a candle to the others. The food wasn't all that good. Perhaps they should find a better chef. Drink (3 out of 10): They have a limited selection of beer to try which was disappointing. I decided to try the one and only Spanish lager available (can't remember the name) and wasn't all that impressed. It was around 6 bucks for what amounted to a disappointing lager. My dad tried the Left Coast brewery milk stout which is a fantastic beer. Sadly, the water spilled a good portion of it onto the table by incorrectly pouring it. In all, cost was typical, so no rave reviews here Atmosphere (5out of 10): Kika has a fun atmosphere with bold patterned wall paper and comfortable tables. It is strangely laid out into sections with large frosted glassed dividers that make the space seem smaller than it is. Cost (2 out of 10): Everything on the menu is overpriced. Here's what we tried: Chorizo: $8.50 for one (yes 1!) piece of sliced chorizo Patatas Fritas: $5 for a plate of French fries served with ketchup Pechuga con Huevo: $8.50 for one small chicken breast over a bed of home fries (about one potatoes worth) with a soft boiled egg on top Ravioles de Mariscos: $9.50 for 5 (yes 5!) lobster and crab ravioli Location (5 out of 10): It's near Kendall Square next to Za and EVOO, though you might over look it since it's blocked from the street by a giant exhaust tower. That said it is close to the T. I'm not sure about parking, we walked. Service (3 out of 10): Our waiter seemed rather disinterested in working or serving us. He was in no way rude, just a bit dismissive and was perhaps having a bad day.
(1)
Adrienne Z.
I went to Kika Thursday night with my roommate from when I studied abroad, as a reunion of sorts. Of all the Spanish restaurants in Boston, we were excited to check this place out - and were very impressed! The decor was very fun. Others have compared Kika to Dali, but I think it is important to say that the decor is nothing like Dali. Classy, something I could imagine in Barcelona or Madrid easily. The service was great! Our server was great with going with the flow as we ordered one thing at a time, and was also very attentive. The food was amazing. We ordered: - Tortilla Espanola: So authentic. Ordered an extra to go, it was so good. - Croquetas del dia: Yesterday's were sweet potato corn. Perfect crunch ratio, amazing flavor. - Bread: so fresh, tasted great, loved the dip. - Plato mixto: The ham wasn't perfect compared to our memories, but the cheese varieties were great and the ham was pretty darn good compared to other American options. - Olives: great. - Goat cheese with tomato basil sauce: Our absolute favorite. Great flavor combination. - Revuelto: The eggs with shrimp, asparagrus and fried bread was our least favorite... which honestly isn't saying much because we loved it all. In our opinion, the revuelto was a little lacking of eggs, and the fried bread was a little weird. We split the pitcher of traditional red sangria, which was great. The food was amazing and authentic, service was great, and so was the ambience. I'll be back.
(5)
Bonita S.
During my first trip to Boston, my friend and I planned a fun birthday night out for him, we went in and were quickly seated. The hostest was very nice and when my friend went to the restroom (since the waitress had yet to come by) I told her I wanted to surprise him with cake maybe singing if they did that. She assured me she would let our waitress know and it would be no problem, she even asked me how I wanted it billed to the check. Dinner goes by and we order food, the garlic shrimp was amazing but the empandas had no taste to them, the beef tenderloins looked and tasted gross. The lobster ravioli was ok but nothing to brag about. The evening comes to a close and I promised my friend a surprise, well the only one surprised was me when we asked for the bill and she brought it with no cake, no singing nothing. So I politely ask her what happened and the waitress tells me, oh well you didn't ask for it, and I told her I told the hostest she then responds yea she told me but I was waiting for you to mention it. Ok, if I'm trying to surprise someone why would I tell the waitress again, after I already made it clear and told them how I was going to pay for it. It definitely was disappointing and threw off a somewhat ok, dinner. I would never go back and would not recommend it to anyone celebrating a special event.
(2)
Kyle N.
This is a classic three star establishment. Nothing too bad about it, but nothing that made it stand out from the crowd. The ambiance is pretty good. They are going for that 70's vibe and it works for the space. Even when full the place was still quiet and felt kind of empty. The wait staff was almost too attentive as they seemed like they were anxious to make this a good experience. It is still relatively new so that might have something to do with it. For a Friday night there didn't seem to be that much of a buzz around the place. You would think this would draw some of the after work crowd and they were noticibly absent. The pricing is consistent with the area, but not really justified by the selection. The drink menu was verging on being nice, and probably would be if they had 4-5 more beers on tap. The food selection was similar in that there didn't seem to be that many options for a place that calls itself a tapas bar. What they did have was good. The meatballs were excellent. One of the great things about tapas is that you can try a small quantity of a lot of things and this place failed me in that regard. If this place want to go high end, which it's pricing and demeanor indicates, then they need to push things a bit more. So far this is a good start to a restaurant, but not one you would tell your friends about afterwards.
(3)
stephanie b.
Staff - personable, fun and helpful. Very pleased from hostess to server. Decor- interesting. I think it works!! The bar is gorgeous and very nice. Food- everything we ordered was amazing. The artichokes were off the hook. Garlic shrimp, ceviche, goat cheese in tomato sauce, all were excellent. The salmon with panko sooo good. This place should do well. The service is great and so is the food.
(4)
Archana V.
Highly recommend: Lamb meatballs in truffle cream saue. A tapas place in Kendall. And Kendall needs more of these! I don't understand the bad ratings for this place. Maybe it takes a month or two to lose all the rough edges of a new establishment. Because when I was there last night, the service was nothing below exceptional. I wasn't a big fan of the decor though. I prefer a warm, cozy and inviting space. Kika was a little too modern and cold?! But thats just me. Coming over to the food, I enjoyed everything I ate. I preferred the Royal Sangria to the cava which tasted like diluted mango juice and was a little weak on the alcohol. The gambas al ajillo is a standard order in any spanish tapas place and Kika's did not disappoint. The braised duck was perfectly cooked with the meat literally falling off the bones- just the way it should be. And finally, the lamb meatballs in truffle cream sauce was perfection itself. With around 10 meatballs in a rich cream sauce that I promptly wiped clean with the bread, this was a very hearty and rich dish. The food portions were great considering it is tapas and the price was very reasonable ($4-$10 per dish).
(4)
LP J.
terrible service.. Friday evening... We has reserved a table for two earlier in the day but what we got was the noisiest table right next to the bar and the kitchen...when half the place was empty( it was early). Out request for another table was denied. It was all down hill from there... the service was terrible. the waiters were in a hurry to turn tables. We ordered 3 dishes and a bottle of wine and was average. kept coming back every few mins to to get us to order more or to get out...since it was getting busy... They need a lesson in spanish culture.. tapas is to be enjoyed with a relaxed environment and not with waiters brething down your neck !
(2)
Wendy B.
I like at least one of the other reviewers don't understand how anybody could rate this restaurant in any way other than highly. It has a funky decor that, if you're expecting Dali, no - it's not romantic -- but it is refreshing and modern. The waitstaff was courteous, and prompt, without being invasive; a big plus in my book. Onto the food . . . My lunch mate and I ordered 5 tapas. The servings were generous enough to have fed three (for lunch). I'm having a hard time deciding which was my favorite, the goat cheese stuffed eggplant and its delicious sauce served on the side, or the grilled shrimp, which was served with a slightly tangy, slightly sweet side sauce. Or maybe it was the spinach and pine-nuts, or the spanish sausage . . . oh well - you get the picture. 4 stars up! And the sangria is to die for, although I don't know if you should have it if you have to head back to the office. Fortunately for me, I did not!
(4)
Leana M.
The food is really good, so is the Sangeria. Been there a couple of times and both times the servers were very pleasant. It is a little pricey though. I would Definitely go back. My favorite dishs are the garlic shrimp, the lamb chops and the goat cheese stuffed eggplant. I'm very picky when it comes to food and I think this place is great would highly recommend.
(4)
Laurie G.
The owner was unnecessarily rude. I'll bring my business elsewhere, and suggest you do the same.
(1)
Jose A.
just bad overpriced food
(1)
Elina H.
I'd give this place 3.5 stars if I could (that extra 1/2 for atmosphere and service; food is a solid 3). My husband and I went to this place for dinner on Friday night. It was a pretty nice day so the outdoor tables were full... the bar was medium busy and the rest of the dining room completely deserted. We chose a table at the bar and enjoyed the modern atmosphere. The menu definitely sounded very creative. I did a bit of research on yelp prior to our visit so we ordered some of the previously recommended dishes (lamb meatballs in truffle sauce - I didn't try them but my husband thought they were the best; calamares fritos - just ok; patatas basque - I loved these!; lobster ravioli - meh, they were kind of cold although a bit of spice was nice) and one other one - goat cheese and mushroom crostini (the goat cheese was quite pungent and there was a lot of it... proportions seemed off on that one). Overall, except for the patatas bravas (for me) and the lamb meatballs (for my husband), we found everything to be quite average tasting. Given that from the sound of the other reviews, we tried the best of the best, I wasn't particularly impressed. We don't live in the area so we both agreed we wouldn't come back. Service was good though and like I said before, the atmosphere quite nice so if you're looking for a decent tapas place and live in the area, I'd give this place a go but don't expect to be wowed (honestly that's been my experience with their sister restaurants too).
(3)
Paul R.
Can you get good tapas in Kendall Square as hyped? Not a chance. This beautiful space is wasted on poor food and expensive drinks. Signs of trouble came early and often: the ceviche was tilapia (no I'm not kidding and heck no I didn't order it), the scallops baffled the server (bay? sea? huh?), the octopus in olive oil - one of my favorite Barcelona tapas - was an unrecognizable heap of chunked pulpo which tasted primarily of olive oil followed by . . . is "mudflat" a flavor? The platter of Jamon with spanish cheese and olives featured 5 olives (really? 5?) and a mound of serrano ham. Now lets be clear - you will never see serrano served like this in Spain: in a heap, as if destined for two slices of rye bread and a splash of thousand island dressing. Worse, it had been cut well in advance, so the serrano was leaching protein and getting very sticky - so now you have a sticky mound of second rate spanish ham. ugh. Finally, the best dish (sarcasm alert) was lamb meatballs in a cream/saffron sauce, blessed with a generous handful of frozen peas, featuring that startling electric green color that enlivens any dish. As to the meatballs, they were edible, just not identifiable as lamb (could have been ground up anything). Conclusion: stay away for now. Maybe the kitchen will get its act together, but at the moment its hopeless.
(2)
Bill M.
Friday night dinner with 3 couples. Lackluster service - slow and inattentive. Relatively noisy inside - the patio might have been nicer. More important the food was just not that good. Lobster/crab ravioli was good. The paella valenciana was disappointing. The chorizo was disappointing and that is hard to do. Solea, same owners, is much better. Casa B in Somerville is even better than that.
(2)
Kevin M.
I love Tapas. They are not just food, but a metaphor for food, fun and friends (OK that was pretentious) I've made detours into Spain just for Tapas alone. Kika was fun, with a slight Basque bent.. The food was excellent. The Tapas were hand crafted from authentic fresh ingredients, they were also generous and reasonably priced. Excellent wines by the glass and wonderful Sangria's. Service was attentive and non intrusive. The artichokes were my favorite, but it was a close call. Ate a bit too much, drank a bit too much, and laughed a bit too much. In other words and excellent Tapas experience.
(5)
Bree R.
Beautiful space, very sweet waitress, but cold, unimpressive food. Nothing really terrible, but nothing, not one dish, was really good.
(2)
Glen W.
Always looking for great Spanish tapas restaurants. Read reviews and was hopeful but somewhat disappointed. Of course never a good idea to go to a tapas bar alone since that limits your choices. Started with the Plato Mixto (jamon serrano, assorted Spanish cheeses, pimentos and olives). Was good but would have preferred to have jamon iberico which was not on the menu. Next ordered my favorite tapas dish, gambas al ajillo (shrimp sauteed in olive oil with garlic) and was very disappointed. There was little flavor in the dish, did not taste the garlic and they used a whole chili instead of red pepper chili flakes for the kick - didn't work, there was no kick. The highlight however was the butifarras con foie gras (pork sausage, foie gras, poached apple and a fig & port wine reduction sauce). This was fantastic. Foie gras was a little on the loose side but was still excellent. Suggested to the waiter that they consider red pepper chili flakes for the gambas and he agreed. Would give the place a second change.
(3)
Wilma C.
I went to Kika Tapas on July 4th this year and I would like to share my bad experience. My boyfriend and I love to eat tapas and came across this restaurant while googling for a good restaurant around the Cambridge area. It had good reviews and it had a good location as we wanted to walk to the Charles River area to hear the Boston Pops and see the fireworks (a few blocks down). We got to the restaurant around 7:15pm and were planning on being out by 9pm to walk and see the fireworks. The restaurant looked nice and we sat outside. But then, we noticed the bad service... The waiter was trying to push more tapas on us and said "that will not be enough". He talked like if we didn't know about tapas and we explained that we've had tapas many times before and knew they were small plates. Once we had some, we order a couple more we liked to share. Then he said "I told you so" in a manner that really upset me. But that was not it... The service the whole evening was slow even though there was not many people there. So when it was close to 9pm, and we noticed we were not getting regular visits to see how we were doing, refill our waters, etc, we called the waiter and asked him to start bringing our check because we wanted to see the fireworks by the river. But to bring out check, it took another 20+ mins. So 9:30pm came and yes, we were still sitting there AND THE FIREWORKS STARTED! We could barely see them as the buildings were covering the view! Of course, our waiter show up THEN bringing the check and said, "well there are the fireworks" smiling. REALLY!? I told you all along I wanted to see them by the river and order the check upfront because of that. I was visiting from North Carolina and I was SO so bummed I missed what was going to be the biggest highlight of my trip, the Boston fireworks by the river, due to poor, slow service. I am SO upset about the service - slow and a server with an attitude and it left me with such a bad taste in my mouth about the whole experience. I will NEVER come back here and I recommend you don't either. The food was ok (I've had better tapas) and the service was horrible.
(1)
Guilherme R.
The empanadas are so rich! The churros with Dulce de Leche are the best!
(4)
Ellen T.
I came here for a belated Valentine's dinner celebration. It fit the mood perfectly! The decor is really cool..red walls and very modern. I started off with a berry sangria and it was yummy. We ordered 6 tapas and the notable standouts were the scallop in saffron cream sauce, garlic shrimp, and beef tenderloin with chimichurri sauce. I was pretty full and satisfied. I gave it 4 starts because I liked the food, the waiter was friendly and attentive enough that is wasn't overbearing, the decor, and the parking! It's really hard to find parking on the street so they offer validated parking at the garage and it was $3 for 3 hours.
(4)
Raina B.
Came here for a restaurant week lunch. I'd give it 3.5 stars if I could! Decent number of veggie options. Everything we had ranged from decent to pretty good. We had the baked goat cheese (pretty good - not as good as Dali's), the pao de queijo (a little bit like arancini, but not fried - good), the artichoke hearts (decent), patatas bravas (good), buñuelos (cauliflower broccoli fritters - decent), and my friend had the beef tenderloin. Overall, pretty in line with the rest of Kendall.
(3)
Meghan P.
My favorite tapas place in Cambridge! I've never had a dish here that wasn't amazing. The vieiras al azafran (scallops in saffron cream) is my go to dish along with the ravioles de mariscos (lobster and crab raviolis in langostino sauce). I gave up meat last year but I used to love the albondjgas de cordero (lamb meatballs in truffle cream sauce)! I've gotten several friends hooked on them. The staff is super friendly and knowledgeable of the menu options. The patio is great during the summer and the interior of the restaurant has a cool/funky vibe. Overall, just a great place to grab food and drinks!
(5)
Steve C.
There are many great choices for Mediterranean and tapas food in Cambridge, but few have the kind of pedigree that Kika has, and when i say pedigree i of course mean the ownership. Many restaurants fail in their first year and having a seasoned captain at the helm to help navigate the perilous waters is the key to success. Kika has this in spades with their already successful owners. I only got to try a couple of dishes tonight, but i look forward to heading back. Lets start with the chicken empanada's, this is the empanada that all others should be judged by, delicious flaky wrapper with the most exquisite filing i've ever had, juicy chicken, a little corn, onion, beans and sweet sultana's served with a small side of a rich creamy tomato dipping sauce, the perfect compliment to this outstanding dish. I also had the lobster crab ravioli, these delicious little pillows cooked perfectly and mixed with a sweet tomato and langostino sauce that's sprinkled with a little smoky paprika to give you a little reminder these were made with care. Service was outstanding, Maria our server was an absolute delight and extremely knowledgeable, always there when we needed her, never imposing. Outdoor patio is chic and cool, however the hidden gem is inside. An absolutely beautiful interior that really, my words will not do justice, but i'll try but you have to see it, the words that do spring to mind, gorgeous, classy, artistic, welcoming, what can i say, i love it!! Prices were reasonable and the drinks menu includes some great Spanish wines and beers as well as some drink staples. Also a pleasure to meet the hands on owner helping with host duties whilst manning the helm of this wonderful restaurant.
(4)
Tracy B.
Im a little torn writing this review... so Ill break it down. We were going out for a work holiday "girls" lunch and were planning to go to Za (a co-worker LOVES their fries) and when we walked in they had a 30 min wait... we decided to forego and head over to Kika ( I had never been but the 3 other ladies had been in the past) So we walk in & keeping in mind Za, EVOO & Commonwealth were all PACKED, Kika is EMPTY! That should have been a sign... So we sit down & I kid you not we wait 20 minutes for someone to even acknowledge & we had to eventually call someone over to place our order for Drinks & Food... So right away my little Yelp Lovin Mind is rolling at what my review is going to say... Water comes 10 mins later & one of my coworkers ordered an ice tea - it was at least 20 mins before they brought that (still no food keep in mind) We sat at about 1230 - its now around 110-115 and the Mgr notices we have been sitting there & walks over & gives us the "Im sorry line" he then walks away comes back with Bread & the Chick Pea spread as a Peace Offering (at first I thought this was great, but I have read in other reviews that COMES with the meal or as a starter) so I somewhat lost love for that gesture! Food finally comes: Garlic Shrimp - was literally SIZZLING... It was very tasty - Shrimp could be better as also stated by other reviews, but that wont stop me from ordering again (Im a big Garlic Fan) Goat Cheese (I didnt try - not a fan) but others said it was delish - I just was a little miffed that it was just CHEESE, No Bread, No crackers - are you just to eat it with a spoon... Odd?? Lamb Chops - Co worker Loves Olive Plate - Was tasty & well oiled Egg & Mushroom Omelet - Was very similar to Quiche & tasty The Fries - again the reason we were going to Za = These fries are SOOO MUCH BETTER! Just wish they had a better ketchup or dipping sauce (Im a big dipper - lol!!) We also ordered Sandwiches - they were delayed as well... and the constant delay was a bit odd as the restaurant wasnt really packed (however, I think there was a large party on the other side of the wall I couldnt see) Sandwiches finally came & as we had joked I bet they were all wrong & Indeed - things we had asked to have removed were not removed (no biggie) but just added to the whole experience... The Portabello Sandwich was soo good, they had one at Commonwealth & when they took it off the menu I was soo sad, but this was soo good... Co worker said the Chicken was Great, and other co workers loved the Short Rib... Mgr at this point (we had been there almost 1.5 hours) comes over & says he would like to buy us Dessert as he is so sorry for the entire lunch... We were all soo stuffed - But NO WAY we were turning down Free Sweets... All 3 were great, Bananas Caramel Bourbon, Flan, Chocolate something.. All great... So service & attention aside, the food was really good... I plan to give Kika another try & if the same service happens then that will just prove it wasnt just a bad day & they really just need to get their shit together... Step it Up Kika, I really want to love you & come every day for lunch (I work VERY close!)
(3)
Nicole B.
Kika is a 2.5 star restaurant that I might not return to in the future. There seemed to be a decent crowd on a weeknight near the bar and a few tables of people in the dining room seating. The decor is quite busy looking, its kooky, but fun. The servers were nice, but I'm certain that I ordered plato de queso and received Queso de Cabra Montañes. The fried calamari was one of the better tapas since it was lightly fried and had some spicy flavor to it. When it came time to bite into my croquette I got a mouth full of frozen chicken. The restaurant replaced the dish and comp'ed it on the bill, which we appreciated. My Cava sangria had a great mango flavor to it that I would recommend. I'd go back to Kika only for the drinks.
(2)
April K.
Ugh this place is a waste of space! I started off with the "High Heels" cocktail that contains grey goose pear and st. germain, which is supposed to have a sweet elderflower taste to it. When I took a sip, it tasted like a glass of gin. What's the point of listing something as an ingredient if it doesn't even have a HINT of it in it? I let my other two friends try it and they made sourfaces because it tasted so bad. I've never sent a drink back before, but I'm a broke student who has no business spending $12 on a BAD drink. If I'm going to spend that kind of money on a cocktail it better be good. The food here was pretty terrible. Ordered an arrangement of tapas dishes, and some of them were memorable... for being nasty. The duck leg smelled like old microwaved rotisserie chicken (aka fart), and it was sitting in a cheap dessert-like cherry syrup. The lobster/crab ravioli barely had any crab or lobster meat in them. The beef short rib was okay, but was served lukewarm. Potato bavaras was good, but they are just roasted potatoes. I don't even remember the last dish we got since it probably sucked. The service was also not that great. The waitress was not friendly, and she was slow. Lastly what I'm most pissed off about is that they wouldn't let us serve cake that we got elsewhere. We definitely dropped over $500, so I feel like they could have been a little bit more accommodating, especially for someone's birthday.That peanut butter chocolate cake that I had been looking forward to eating all night went to waste.
(2)
Jasmine C.
The food was quite good, the service not so good at all. It was our first time ever trying tapas and we weren't quite sure how to go about it, and the waitress didn't seem to want to spend time explaining even though there were only two other customers in the restaurant. Anyway, on to the food itself: some dishes quite delicious, some average. The gambas was standard, but the lobster ravioli was so delicious. The artichokes were alright, but the berry crepe was truly amazing. I think it was hit and miss with this, but when it hits it hits it out of the park. But for Tapas in Boston, I'm sure there are other go-tos.
(3)
Frederick S.
Went with a small group of four early in the evening, around 6:30pm. The restaurant wasn't too busy at the time but they packed all the patrons together in the back section. If you like Mezcal or gin as I do then you'll love their drink menu. We had about 8 different plates between the four of us. The ones that stood out were the short rib (a must), the lamb meatballs, the goat cheese, and the scallops. It's not my favorite tapas spot but it's definitely worth the trip out to Cambridge.
(4)
Rachel H.
I came here for a late lunch, so it was not crowded at all. There were 4 of us, and our waitress suggested getting 2-3 tapas per person, but this would have been way too much food. We settled for 6 tapas. We tried the artichoke and tostadas de alcachofas (goat cheese crostini), tortilla y chorizo (omelette with chorizo), calamares fritos (fried calamari), gambas al ajillo (sizzling garlic shrimp), ravioles de mariscos (lobster crab ravioli), and patata fritas (basque fries). The crostini was ok - if you love goat cheese, you will like it. I personally thought the goat cheese was very overpowering. The omelette was ok. It was served like a sandwich, so that made it a little hard to share. The fried calamari was my favorite dish. The sizzling shrimp was good. The ravioli was disappointing. There wasn't much filling. And the Basque fries were like Cajun fries, but they were pretty salty. The decor is pretty nice and modern. Our server was nice and brought the food out in a timely manner.
(3)
John W.
Great after work spot for a drink and some tapas. Patty Diphusa and Caipirinha are my goto drinks and don't miss the lamb meatballs. Overall a little overpriced for the quality of the tapas compared to other local tapas restaurants.
(3)
Esther J.
Very cute, nice ambiance. It was Boston Dine Out week, so it was crowded and took awhile for the waiters to come to our table. Managed to order a variation of tapas which were delicious. My favorite was the cheese bread, pork loin, lobster ravioli. Wasn't a fan of their dessert selection. Great food/ambiance but service was slow. Willing to go again to see if this was because of Boston Dine Out week.
(3)
Jamie H.
we hosted a small party for work at kikas tapas, and overall we really enjoyed the experience from booking to completion. kikas made it really easy for us to arrange the party, and offered pre-paid options with selections of tapas, wine, beer, and sangria. when we arrived, the space was completely ready for us, including tables with ice water, lemons, limes, and flatware. we had a smaller group to start, and we appreciated that they checked in to determine the right time to bring out the food platters so it would not get cold. the waitstaff also checked in frequently with our guests to see if anyone needed refills. the bar offered two sangria options that were both really good. my favorite was the red, which was fruity and sweet, and the white sangria was tart with a nice orange flavor. we selected four tapas options: spicy potatoes, lobster ravioli, baked goat cheese, and the empanadas. the potatoes were a surprising favorite, crispy on the outside and light on the inside with a flavorful sauce. the ravioli had a great sauce, but were a little light on the filling. similarly, i enjoyed the pastry of the empanada but wish they had more beef and chicken filling. the baked goat cheese was okay as a dip for the bread and a little awkward to serve for the large group. i would look forward to going back both with a large group and for a fuller dinner to try more of the tapas.
(4)
anne t.
We live in the neighborhood and have eaten at Kika numerous times. We take family and friends, and have never been disappointed. The staff are fun and friendly, the tapas food is always fantastic. Our favorites are the sizzling garlic shrimp, braised short ribs, and chorizo. We've also ordered the chorizo and chicken paella and it was excellent.
(5)
Sandra C.
I am SHOCKED at how disappointing this meal has been..... So I ordered out tonight I got the braised beef, empanada, scallops, bbq chicken and roasted Potatoes... To start the Empnada is literally 2 inches long good luck with trying to figure out why this costs $5.50, but anyway my real issue is with the scallops..... When I opened the scallops I literally received 2 1/2 scallops (pictures uploaded) pretty disappointing especially when this is supposed to be a tapas restaurant. That's not much of a small plate they might as well just advertise them selves as a sample restaurant... As I'm familiar with their sister companies Dali a day tapeo I decide to call (big mistake) as I was sure they would fix this instead I am greeted by a very unhappy (miserable) maitre d. I simply asked if I could forward a photo of the scallops they prepared for me. He says he's not interested and says I'm getting a bang for my buck as I'm getting scallops for $12. (hahahaha) so then I ask him if it's a common practice to send out 2 and a half eaten scallop for $12 he replied with they weigh the food and says they prepare the food by weight and that the scallops are 3oz well actually mmmmmm no!! I happen to actually own a food scale and the weight of the scallops are a little less than 2oz.. Well of course I'm hoping he meant with out the sauce but now I'm assuming he meant with the sauce (I should have ordered more bread lmao) anyway moving forward on the phone conversation I asked again if I could forward the pic again as I was convinced (silly me) that if he could just see the pic he'd understand my case BUT instead shuts me down AGAIN... I let him know I wouldn't be ordering again and that I was leaving a yelp review based on my experience literally was like "yeah, yeah, yeah!!" so here I am.... Basically if you're into over paying for sauce and enjoy stuffing yourself with bread (bread that will cost you $3.50 just a FYI) well then you have found your place :-) NOW if you enjoy actually eating a good meal no worries because there are plenty of amazing restaurants in the area!! Kika is just not up to par
(1)
Michele H.
My review might be a bit skewed, as I ate here for a work event. This place isn't on par with Dali, but they do serve flavorful paella and tapas. The lobster ravioli, cheese bread, and charcuterie were highlights. I don't know how much I can say about the paella, as it was my first time having it, but large pieces of artichoke, shrimp, chicken, and sausage were abundant throughout. A bit more saffron flavor would have been nice. Since the offerings are a bit different than what you would find at Dali, this might be a worthwhile stop if you're in the neighborhood.
(4)
Laura H.
I ate lunch here with the folks from my office for the Holidays. The interior is beautiful and modern. We had a group of 12 and the accommodated us nicely. The waitress was attentive and friendly. We had the red Sangria which was good. We ordered several things and all of it was great. The pork with mushrooms and blue cheese were fantastic as well as the Salmon with spinach with Dijon sauce. I also really enjoyed the garlic shrimp and the roasted mushrooms. I would absolutely go back!
(5)
Zac B.
I don't normally write reviews, but this place needs some feedback. Beautiful location. Good service...Great for a warm summer night sitting outside.... I get why they have a $15 minimum/ person. Long story short is the food was just not that good. We tried a few things and they all seemed to miss the mark... Not warm enough on the Crostini, too hot on the shrimp, too stiff on the drinks, braised ribs were flavorless, flan was probably made yesterday. All and all it just missed the mark.
(1)
Lauren P.
Good paella is not easy to find. Fortunately, I found great paella! I got the oceano paella with seafood. The rice was almost perfect except that it was missing the crusty edges on the pan. That is one of my favorite parts of paella. The shellfish was cooked perfectly. The tapas were okay. I don't think I ordered the right stuff. I had duck legs and calamari and it was just alright. I have eating at solea and my experience was amazing so I will definitely go back to kick and try different things.Except for the paella, thats a winner so I will get that again
(4)
Danielle S.
I'm pretty sure I've only ever come here for work things (and thus never paid), so keep that in mind. I've always had good food at Kika- I really like their beer-braised short ribs, figs wrapped in bacon/prosciutto/whatever, cheese bread and sangria. We held a work even there and the food was excellent- mac and cheese, a selection of marinated mushrooms, french fries, and a skate cheek dish. Their sangria is good, not too sweet. It can be loud though.
(4)
Lena C.
I really liked this place when it first opened but the last few times I've been the drinks were 70% ice (even when I asked them to go light on the ice.) I hope they turn things around but they aren't worth the price right now.
(2)
Ksy B.
Came here to try the garlic shrimp tapas, but tried much more than just that. They have a nice deal for $30 tapas tasting menu that includes 3 tapas of your choice and a dessert! Everything was delicious, the shrimp, the crab and the duck just melts in your mouth! Service is very nice too. Will definitely be coming back for more tapas :)
(5)
Kristina C.
Uhh.. sorry, but no. Some places are so good that you can justify paying a certain amount for your food. This place is definitely not one of those places. Some of the tapas were good, like the garlic shrimp, and the- oh wait, that was the only thing I'd ever come back here for if I felt compelled to spend money on pure disappointment ever again. You'd be confused and sad too if you ordered "Vieiras al Azafran" (allegedly scallops in saffron cream) and received a tiny dish with 3 medium sized scallops sitting sadly in a triangle formation and covered in basic creamy sauce. No garnishes. It was an embarrassing excuse for a dish to be served in a functioning restaurant. Moral of the story: sometimes food tastes better than it looks. You gotta give food the benefit of the doubt before the first bite, you know? BUT NOT HERE. SPEND YOUR MONEY ON CHIPOTLE OR A NEW BIKE OR SOMETHING INSTEAD. This is what you call broken dreams. $$$$$$
(1)
Lyndsey C.
Really delicious and fun place. Enjoyed all of the tapas' and beverage selections. Pleasant servers and enjoyable atmosphere. :)
(4)
Kevin B.
Can't trust a place who has a dish with canned shrimp soaking in a bowl of butter and vinegar. Try somewhere else in kendall
The food was just ok. Portions are small and the chef relies too much on sugar/honey/some sweet ingredient to garner taste. The ambiance is a bit over the top. On a positive note, they were able to take a reservation on Friday for Friday night and the service was good. Not sure I would go back for a second time.
(3)
Chrismaldi V.
Ehhhh, did not like it. Service was slow. My meat came luke warm and nothing special. Overpriced
(2)
Noah B.
Don't let this place fool you. It looks nice on the outside and feels like a nice environment but the food is awful and way overpriced. Everything there was just bland.
(1)
Wasim Q.
This place is having an identity crisis, trying to be a bar, lounge, and fancy restaurant at the same time. This means that the ambiance is a little too loud and tacky/gaudy for my tastes. And on top, the food is weak. We got 7 dishes for the 2 of us, and only 2 of them were decent: the lobster ravioli and the french fries (but the fries shouldn't count as a plus-- how do you mess up fries?). Everything else is totally bland. Ceviche is more like cooked shrimp drizzled in olive oil (since when is that ceviche?). Salmon is unseasoned. Mushrooms are also flavorless (and no salt on the table, to top it off). If you must eat here, be sure to request some salsa roja on the side. It's actually really good salsa and a copious slathering might save a dish or two. Worst of all, they managed to botch one of my favorite desserts: the tres leches cake tasted like a store bought pound cake, with a gallon of sugary milk poured on top. Whoops, I think I gave away their recipe. My bad, Kika.
(2)
Alisa K.
I have only one problem with Kika: the food. It can only be described as bland. In fact, Kika made me want to carry an emergency flavor kit in my purse with mini bottles of salt, pepper, and sriracha. Literally the only flavorful thing we ordered (out of 7 tapas and dessert for two people) was the lobster ravioli. And the hot sauce I asked for out of desperation. Otherwise, the menu is large and has many vegetarian, seafood, and meat tapas (about 10 each). The service is friendly and prompt. The decor is fiery and passionate. Now if they only put some of that fire and passion into the food...
(2)
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Address :5 Broad Canal Way,350 3rd St
Cambridge, MA, 02142
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Garage, Street, Validated Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Trendy Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Kiki P.
Kika Tapas is a decent tapas restaurant in Kendall Square. The only reason I have gone multiple times is because it is a block away from work. I recently visited Spain and it is really difficult to have tapas in the US after my experiences in Spain. My main issue with tapas restaurants is the freshness of the food. Even in Spain, most chefs make large quantities in the morning and serve that food throughout the day. Meaning if you go to a tapas restaurant for dinner around 10pm, the good is 12+ hours old because it was probably prepared at 10am that morning. That thought makes me lose my appetite altogether. However several restaurants in Spain cook the food fresh to order, you just have to do some detective work from speaking to the locals as well as trip advisor and yelp. Back to my point, Kikas actually has fresh food which is prepared to order. Probably because the restaurant is always empty so if they prepared food in bulk they would waste food and lose money. I am guessing the reason the restaurant is always empty is because of the prices. I have only been here during lunch and most of the other restaurants in Kendall Square are significantly cheaper for lunch. The food is mediocre. I have tried the following tapas dishes: Imported marinated olives Fire roasted peppers Wild and spicy potatoes Broccoli and cauliflower fritters Sautéed baby spinach with pine nuts and raisins Ceviche Most of these dishes are not bad. I suggest trying the wild and spicy potatoes and the broccoli and cauliflower fritters, especially if you are a vegetarian. I am not a huge meat eater so I have not tried any of the meat dishes. I have heard mixed opinions from others. I have also tried the Paella, which I did not like at all. From the lunch menu, my favorite salad is the endive salad served with endives, blue cheese, spiced walnuts, and orange segments. This salad is unique and quite refreshing. Overall, if you are in Kendall Square and have to stay in the area, I guess you could try this place out. Just don't go too far out of your way otherwise disappointment will await you.
(3)Ariah S.
The place is beautiful- I will say that- it always blows my mind that some restauranteur will spend this kind of money on ambiance, then let the kitchen pump out expensive, very sub-par food. Poor bartender just looked genuinely sad, albeit not surprised when we sent back two tapas- for context, neither my boyfriend or I complain almost ever, being that we have both worked in restaurants part time for many years- this place could be so much more!! Spanish food is beautiful in its simplicity, so spend the extra money to make it a place people want to return, or you will have a beautiful, empty, money pit. The drinks were good though!!
(2)Deborah J.
This place is expensive, I went for a birthday dinner party, the portion of the tapas were small and not that great taste. The worse part was that we brought a cake and they want to charge us 3$ each person just for using there plates. The patatas bravas were not that great, i only like the lomito al cabrales.
(2)Chris C.
Good tapas, a bit pricey if you are solo. Interior is garish. I went at lunch and it was empty. Ate at the bar; wished they would drop tapas price at the bar. Good Sangria. Great bread. Will return when I have the craving for decent Spanish food. They are the only real tapas place in Boston/Cambridge open for lunch. Arriba Espana!
(3)Lesley A.
We went to Kikas recently as a substitute for Dali due to Somerville's parking issues lately. It was great that we could park right in the Kendall square garage and have our parking validated. Huge plus. The tapas were good for the most part. We loved the goat cheese stuffed prunes and the lobster ravioli. The restaurant was very slow especially for a Saturday night which is why it was surprising that when we went to order more ravioli, they had run out. The only tapa we didn't like was the calamari. It was overly breaded and really salty you could hardly taste the actual calamari. We ended with the crepe for dessert which was delicious, but the espresso machine was broken so I couldn't pair it with a cappuccino. Service was slow and inattentive. There were two servers who were more concerned with chatting it up at the POS systems rather than checking on their tables. The restaurant seemed to be closing early due to the lack of clientele which makes me believe they lied about running out of raviolis and the espresso machine being broken. There were some pluses to this restaurant - parking, cozy seats, good sangria, decent tapas - but I don't think I will be running back here to dine again anytime soon.
(3)Shane W.
Pretty average tapas place. Terrible selection of beers but lots of sangria. Plus one star for 1950s Spanish porno in HD behind the bar.
(4)Eric M.
Kika Tapas is one of the newer tapas restaurants in the Boston area. It is in a good location - the Kendall Sq area of Cambridge, which is accessible by T, cab and car (parking garage nearby). The decor and atmosphere of the restaurant is very unique. It is vibrantly decorated with funky wallpaper, chairs and booths. There is a decent mix of low tables, bar tables and seats at the bar. However, this restaurant gets pretty busy on weekends so come early or make a reservation. The price points are a bit higher than other comparable tapas restaurants in the area and the food quality is definitely lower. They have a reasonably limited menu of viable dishes to choose from but don't really have any dishes that are special or unique to this restaurant. The food we did order was average at best. Kika does offer a good variety of cocktails though and the skilled bartenders do a nice job crafting them. However, nothing about this restaurant was too impressive; I give it an OK.
(3)Andres M.
Had the chicken with garlic. It was a bit too sweet. Then the lamb meatballs were too fatty and heavy. The Tres leches dessert was just OK. Overall the food is fine but not worth the price.
(3)Su C.
I've dined here twice this year (2012) and been pleased both times. The scallops in saffron cream, the baby spinach with raisins and pine nuts, and the chorizo were particularly good. True, it would have been nice to have a couple more scallops in that serving, but we weren't too bothered because the sauce was great with the (complimentary) bread. The sangria was decent as well, though I prefer the regular version over the cava version. The patio is very nice if the wind isn't too strong.
(4)Sharon O.
"Eek!" Went for restaurant week. I had read the hit or miss reviews, and was nervous when my companion had excitedly suggested we go, but cautiously optimistic... we went...but I guess we went on a "miss" night. It's a nice location in Kendall, with some wild decor and patio seating. We were greeted by a very cordial hostess, which lifted my spirits and chose the patio. Maybe a mistake. It's unclear if they were understaffed, but there weren't many full tables when we were seated. When we left it was packed, but I think this was because the food took so long to come out and service was so slow that no tables were turning over. It was clear several tables shared our sour opinion for being left so long, as if we had been forgotten. Perhaps I'm just not a fan of Spanish Tapas, in any case... I disliked every dish (app, 6 tapas dishes, dessert). The bread was good- served with ok hummus. Cocktails were ok. Goat cheese in tomato sauce was really the only ok tasting dish... would have been nice if it came with extra bread or pita chips, since it was salsa-like in the sense that it seemed odd to eat alone. One of the dishes was simply thinly sliced pieces of chorizo sitting sadly in a bowl by themselves. Worst of the night is a toss up between the vanilla salmon dish (salmon not cooked well, thick vanilla sugar glaze was gross) and the crab & mango stuffed avocado (half an under-ripe avocado with pieces of seriously under-ripe mango and very smelly crab pieces that might have been squirted with citrus juice). Dessert was blah (we tried both the chocolate torte and the flan). On top of all this, prices were very high for the quality... and this is even during the discount nature of restaurant week. Honestly one of the worst experiences to date at a restaurant, but I hear it can be good... sad for us!
(1)Walter H.
Lamb meatballs, spinach w/pine nuts, Serrano ham charcuterie, crab avocado salad, sangria... All great and priced exactly what you'd expect for a sit down dinner with class and good service...! So what is with these negative reviews? We loved it and have every intention of returning for brunch.
(4)Ben Y.
We went on an off day at off hours and had an incredible time. My wife and I were planning on going elsewhere for dinner and stopped in for a quick bite and drink. The serving sizes were perfect. We had delicious artichokes and a stupendous shrimp dish. We also ordered a sausage and foie-gras dish - the sausage was wonderful but the foie gras was a tad overcooked. In any case, we found the service to be exceptional, the ambiance to be very pleasing, and the entire experience was very positive. This would be an ideal place to start an evening (a few tapas and drink, then a walk around to explore Kendall Sq and its other restaurants). We would come here again.
(4)Steph F.
A friend and I had weeknight drinks and tapas here recently. I found it to be a pretty standard tapas place. The ambiance was nice - elegant but nothing stood out as unique. We had a selection of vegetarian tapas which were a little pricy but were good enough taste-wise... Artichokes, eggplant, and a usual favorite of mine, patatas bravas. I had a sparkling cava sangria which was refreshing. I'd go back if they were running some kind of promotion or a friend really wanted to go.
(3)Kerri Y.
Found this place by accident when walking by on the way to find some after work drinks and light dinner; this place was perfect. The Sangria here was potent. 2 glasses and you are on the floor potent, but very very tasty and super easy to drink more than a glass or two.. or three.... The sangria definitely made the woes of the day disappear. Food was tasty. I really enjoyed the Lomito al Cabrales (Pork Loin with Cabrales Blue Cheese Sauce & Mushroom) and Costillas de Buey (Beer Braised Short Ribs). I was not a very big fan of Palta Reina (Crab and Mango Stuffed Avocado). I did not like the texture and did not expect it to be cold. So 2 out of 3 were good (sound very similar to other reviews below!) I was surprised to find out this place was related to Solea. The atmosphere is so different here. The decor is crazy bright red with pictures based upon movies directed by Pedro Almodovar. Very modern. I will admit that a few of the menu items did look similar to Solea, such as Scallops in Saffron Cream. The bread and spread tasted similar as well.
(3)Jenna H.
I went to Kika last month on a Friday evening - May the 31st to celebrate a friend's birthday and graduation. The place was surprisingly quiet for a Friday night but also grossly understaffed for the tables that were there. Our server was busy and always moving, and I don't blame her for the sub par service I blame the restaurant. It ruined our experience overall. I found the décor of the place to be funky and fun. My husband and I got a few plates to share. We had the following; Raviolis De Mariscos - came in a white sauce which was quite good. The raviolis were cooked to a perfect al dente temperature, but they were lacking in the stuffing part. Very minimal crab and/or lobster. Churrasco - I found to be unimpressive. The chimichurri gave me awful heartburn and the beef was not of the best quality in my opinion. Sautéed wild mushrooms - these were good and made the beef edible. Berenjena Rellena - this dish was my favorite. I should have ordered this five times! It was a veggie and goat cheese stuffed eggplant roll. It was full of flavor and the sauce was outstanding. Espinacas Gallegos - the dish was my second favorite. It was a sautéed spinach with pine nuts and raisins. It was cooked perfectly, the ingredients were fresh, and it tasted wonderful. Overall I would probably not come back here. There were a couple great dishes but they were hit or miss. The service not being able to keep up with the tables was also a turn off. It would take a lot to get me to come back here with so many other options in the area.
(2)J J.
We had a large party and had great food and great service. I had the spicy shrimp, beef tenderloin, scallops, cauliflower fritters, paella, and much more - everything was really good. Our server was really helpful.
(4)John S.
I live in the neighborhood, have tried everything on the menu, and it's all great. I don't know what's up with the mixed reviews because i've taken many guests to Kika and everyone has always loved it. Some of my favorites: sauteed artichokes, octopus in olive oil, lamb balls in truffle sauce, goat cheese in tomato sauce, steamed mussels, beef tenderloin with spicy herb sauce, pork loin with blue cheese and mushrooms. The service is inconsistent, sometimes excellent, sometimes far from it.
(5)Griffith G.
Tapas? Yay! I love tapas. What's not to like about a good empanada? Well... So this is a cute space, with a nice bar. I enjoy the cocktails, but the food was disappointing. We ordered the empanadas, mushroom crostini, Pechuga con Huevo, and the Basque Fries. The empanadas came out first, Very quickly... maybe to quickly. These had little flavor and the dough was dry and tough around the corners. They were also really hot! To me, they seemed like they were pre-made and thrown in the microwave before serving. No acceptable. The mushroom crostini was overly salty. I would have the mushroom and leak mixture was served cold. Perhaps if this had been tossed in a saute pan quickly before topping the goat cheese this would have been a more successful dish for me. The Pechuga con Huevo- I only ate half of this. Very dry, flavorless piece of chicken, the egg was undercooked on the top and over cooked on the bottom and the potatoes were nothing to rave about either. Finally the "Basque fries." Maybe our batch just needed more of the seasoning, but our fries were just decent french fries served with a side of ordinary ketchup. Really? a nice homemade aioli, or even the sauce that came with the empanadas would have been much better and more unique. There are so many other strong Tapas restaurants in the area that I don't think I would return to Kika for their food. It's a shame too, the bar was great, the decor is fun and creative and the bar tender was great. Back to Toro for me...
(2)Amanda M.
I recently went to Kika withal small gathering of colleagues and we all really enjoyed it! The cocktails are creative and delicious with a good wine selection too. We ordered a few tapas and I was so pleased they had a gluten free menu plus very accommodating of other food allergies. I was so happy to see they had Brazilian cheese bread :-). The decor is fun with a lot of red - we all liked it. We arrived shortly after work and it was not crowded or loud. I would recommend it,
(5)Peter K.
A quite enjoyable new restaurant near the kayak launch. I strongly recommend the lamb meatballs in truffle cream sauce.
(3)Manu L.
Refreshing new addition to the Kendall Square area. We went on a Tuesday evening and there no wait. Staff was friendly and knowledgeable. The Sangria royale was incredible and probably the highlight of the meal although the tapas were solid as well. Toro is still my favorite tapas place in the Boston area but this comes close.
(4)Wendy L.
My friend and I went to Kika's on a slow Monday night. The waiter was running a one man show, bartending, serving, and taking orders all at the same time. He was very nice, even when we found out he took down the wrong order. The food was good, some dishes were better than others.
(3)Adam C.
Delicious food! Very authentic Spanish tapas - we'll be back again soon!
(4)Paulina B.
With no concrete dinner plans but dressed up and ready to go, my boyfriend and I accidentally stumbled across Kika Tapas. He's never had tapas before and we've been on a culinary adventure kick so we decided to dine here on a Saturday night - great choice! We started with a pitcher of Cava Sangria - citrus flavors, light and refreshing, bubbly! Now for the tapas. For those of you who've never experienced tapas, you forego the traditional entree and order several, smaller dishes and shared. Our waitress suggested between 3-4 tapas per person. We had a hard time settling on the dishes we wanted to try but ended up with the following: Bunuelos - broccoli & cauliflower fritters. Delicious. Crispy outside, chewy on the inside, accompanied by a creamy, tangy aoili. The sauce went very well with the fritters. Mejilones A La Salmorra - steamed mussels in a spicy tomato & wine sauce. So good. My boyfriend is allergic to seafood so this was all mine. Huge portion of big mussels, great sauce, spiced well. Soaked up the extra sauce with the bread, which was key! Pechuga Con Huevo - grilled chicken breast, crispy fried egg, yukon gold potatoes. Nothing special about this dish. I was underwhelmed. The best part of this dish was the potatoes - they were spiced and flavorful and set the tone for entire dish. Butifarras Con Foie Grad - pork sausage, foie gras, poached apples, fig and port wine sauce. I loved this dish. We made sure to get a little bit of everything with each bite because the flavors went so well together. The sausage had spice, and the port wine and poached apple were sweet and tangy. Great dish. Lomito Al Cabrales - pork loin with cabrales blue cheese sauce & mushrooms. I was a little nervous about this dish because I'm not a huge fan of blue cheese and it can often be overpowering. I was pleasantly surprised. The sauce was almost like a creamy alfredo with a slight tang from the blue cheese. I especially liked the mushrooms. The sauce was so good, my boyfriend soaked up the remaining sauce with bread. At first, I was a little disappointed they didn't bring out all the dishes at once as I wanted to sample a little bit of everything. But once we finished our meal, I was definitely happy that the dishes were presented over a series of courses. You were able to enjoy each small dish while it was hot, just the way the chef intended. Alone, I think each of these as a full entree might have been a little much but the tapas serving size was perfect. We were very satisfied with this meal and I have a feeling we will be coming back.
(4)Scott B.
I got my Kika on a couple weeks ago, and I'm glad I did! The experience was great. The Spanish movie themed tapas restaurant's walls are decorated with classy red and black patterns, the tables and chairs, and floors are all funky yet classy. We had excellent service. Our server, Kadian, was a delight. She was friendly, fun, attentive, funny... really everything you could want in a waitress. The food was pretty delicious. I recommend the sauteed mushrooms, which are super. My only complaint would be the gentleman who appeared to be a manager or host... dressed nicer than everyone else, but grumpy and not inviting. No hello or eye contact at the door when we entered or left, walking around texting, brought the experience down a star. Regardless, I'll still be back.
(4)Stephanie B.
So excited for some tapas! So disappointed! We had such high hopes -- whoever decorated this joint did a great job, the host and serving staff are really friendly, it's in Cambridge, etc. But the food and drinks are total crap. I even sent a drink back, it was so bad, and who does that?? I got a bottle of beer instead after that. The boy didn't even like his tequila cocktail thing because it was too strong, which never happens. Every dish we ordered was terrible -- even the dulce de leche crepe thing filled with mushy fruit. Not one of the plates, except the fries and somebody's flan, was finished by anyone, and I can't believe the kitchen doesn't pay attention to that? Nothing is visually appealing or tasty. We were one of three tables in the joint and I really wonder how it's lasted this long.
(1)Silvia V.
Had dinner reservations at Kika on a Wednesday night and as I arrived early I had 10 minutes to take the restaurant in before my friends arrived and I instantly LOVED the decor. The stenciled walls are busy but very cool, the movie reel ceiling is awesome, the mini skirt and long legs above the doors are so unique, and the homage to the great Pedro Almodovar with all his movie posters next to the bar is very cool. My first impression was great. My caipirinha was good & strong, the bread and hummus were great. Good start. Then it all went down the hill as our tapas started arriving. Had the following: - Patatas Bravas - over salted and under cooked - Alcachofas Salteadas - this was by far the best thing we ate at Kika - Gambas al Ajillo - shrimp in melted butter and garlic, it was pretty good too - Calamares Fritos - over cooked, chewy calamari - Camarones a la Plancha - horribly over cooked - Berenjena Rellena - was okay, just hard to cut - Ceviche - I'm still questioning the freshness of the white tuna - gross - Chorizo a la Plancha - pan seared chorizo a 6 year old can make at home - Tres Leches - it was okay - Dulce de Leche crape with berries - grossly covered in store bought caramel sauce, and filled with defrosted berries The service was okay. Maybe they need to work on perfecting their seafood menu items, and maybe we should've ordered meaty dishes, but all in all we did not enjoy the food at Kika, which is very unfortunate as we were excited about dining at this hip new restaurant.
(2)Shaina P.
Kika is named and decorated for a movie starlet featured in such Spanish films as "Kika" and ... oh interesting ... you should google it. The decor is super crazy bright and there are patterns and ways to mesmerize you all over the place. The tapas menu is fairly short and priced high, but note that they offer skillets of Paella (rice based) or Fiduea (vermicelli based) in two different sizes/prices (party of 1-3, $32, or 4-6, $48) and three different flavors (tradicional, seafood, or veg). Although I did not experience the dish last night, I will definitely return for a try. Now, despite the short food menu, there is a nice list of cocktails, cava, rose, red, white wine, a selection of beer, and of course, sangria on tap. I wouldn't agree with Paul R's opinion on the cost of drinks. All of the cocktails were $10 or less and 2 for 2, were delicious (Basil Lime Gimlet and La Movida [woodford, sage, cherry preserves]). I loved the drinks, very tasty. So, sure, it adds up, but their prices are by no means the priciest I've seen or am willing to spend on a good drink. They also serve their refreshing wine selection in those super fun shareable decanter/carafes that you can also get at Toro where you pour a tight stream of wine into your friends' mouths... So, keeping the review low for now. I'll be back for an update after I get food there.
(3)Libby R.
I like Kika...it's a nice addition to the sort of odd area near Kendall Square between the T and Genzyme. That area can get a bit ghost-like at times, but if you are in the area I would suggest giving it a try. The service was friendly and very quick, though it was not packed. I went there with a coworker and we shared the following: -Tortilla Espanola -Patatas Bravas -Cauliflower and broccoli fritters -Jamon Serrano The food was fresh and we ate all of it. I especially liked the fritters. The ambiance inside is fun and modern. So, while it's sort of shoved in the corner by a random parking lot near the ice rink, I like that it adds variety to the neighborhood, as there is nothing similar very close by.
(4)Tucker W.
Seems like some hit or miss reviews, but i was in last night with three co-workers and i think the food - and service - was killer. We ordered a ton of stuff and honestly it was all really good. I wish i could remember the names of the dishes, but it was all mainly from the tapas side. Solid empanadas, great sizzling shrimp, really good spicy potatoes, the fried broccoli/cauliflower thing was awesome. We also all split a main dish - the seafood "stew" style dish. Really flavorful and good. It wasn't too busy, so perhaps it was a bit easier to expect good service, but the dude we had was really really solid. Took great care of us, and has good menu knowledge. Tall guy - give him a raise :) Try Kika. Great interior, and i bet they are psyched that new Kendall luxury apartments are being built literally on top of the restaurant.
(4)Ilya E.
I really liked Kika. Its actually owned by the same family that owns Dali, and Tapena (and I've been to both, read my Tapeo review if you can)....as well as another restaraunt whose name I cannot pronounce. 5 stars for ambiance - they have a really nice late dinner vibe, its cozy and intimate, or you can make your way to the bar with a few friends and enjoy a more rowdy time. 5 stars for service- our waitress was attentive, and comped my espresso. 5 stars for drinks - their premium white sangria with mangos is really delicious 3.5 stars for food - I will say their tapas are hit and miss. The short rib is HUGE and is a meal in and of itself, and melts in your mouth. Their potatas bravas are REALLY good as well, even though 1 of them felt like it just came out of the freezer. The spicey mayo and the way they cooked them was delicious. Unfortunately I was dissappointed in their gambas al ajillo, a staple dish in any tapas place that should be done flawlessly. The gambas went cold quickly and did not have a lot of 'kick' to them. I usually like to devour the garlic on the bottom of the oil under the shrimp, but there was not a lot to be had. The garlic was also not burnt like usual, making me think they undercooked the whole dish (it certainly felt like it.) The pricing for the food is slightly more than that of Tasca, but equivalent to Dali and Tapeo. Hot Tapas range from 8-14 dollars. In short, Kika, if you clean up your Tapas act and deliver a consistent experience you could be an amazing tapas place. For now, I will still come here for a late night date that includes sangria and some tapas.
(4)Jack L.
I went there as part of a large group that split a buffet lunch we had ordered for the group. This place was dreadful! We paid a lot of money per person and got some friend potatoes and a few pieces of wilted lettuce. Our neighbors, who ordered off of the menu, got appetizing looking meals. But what they gave us was a total ripoff.
(1)Bhuvana H.
I work in Kendall Square, I love tapas, and I'm a big fan of Tapeo & Solea so I've been to Kika a few times for lunches and dinners. Every time I've gone, the food & drinks are tasty, the atmosphere is fun, and the service is solid. First time I went with my husband and daughter for dinner on a weeknight. We had a selection of tapas - Buñuelos, Alcachofas Salteadas, Queso de Cabra Montañes, Palta Reina, Gambas al Ajillo, Salmón a la Plancha, and Ravioles de Mariscos. Everything was delicious except for the salmon - it was still edible, just a bit bland. Next time I went with a coworker for lunch. Again, we had a selection of tapas - some of the same ones listed above, plus the Ceviche. Again, everything was delicious. I went back recently with another coworker who thoroughly enjoyed the tapas we ordered. Again, some of the same ones listed above, plus the Espinacas Gallegas. This has become one of my go-to places for a meal! I love that it's not too busy - I go to restaurants mostly to eat & drink, not to check out the other diners.
(4)Daniela F.
I came by with my coworkers and we really enjoyed the experience! The space is cool and modern with a fun atmosphere. I ordered the lamb meatballs and Brazilian cheesy bread and it was so delicious! My favorite item on the menu, and something you HAVE to try, is the crepe with vanilla cream and berries. It was just ridiculously good. I literally had to stop myself from ordering a second one. The tapas were great, service was good, and ambiance was fantastic! Definitely give Kika a try!
(4)Noshii R.
So where to begin... I had dinner at this beautifully decorated establishment last night...well lets just say that I am on verge of calling the manager and asking for a refund as the food was atrocious!! Great service and beautiful decor but I think they forgot to hire a chef...or anyone that knows anything about food. The best thing were the french fries...and yes they are french fries for which you charge $5 and cant even make the effort to perhaps serve it with an aoili sauce or something other than ketchup...and just because you call it it 'Basque Potatoes" doesn't change the fact that they are shitty french fries. The steak had a pattern on it which was from the pounding they gave the meat for tenderization. Just thinking of it is grossing me out. Honesty I have no idea how this place is still open?!? TO ANYONE WHO READS THIS...GO HAVE A GLASS OF WINE AT THE BAR AND ENJOY THE VIEW AND THEN GO NEXT DOOR TO ONE OF THE OTHER RESTAURANT'S OR MCDONALDS...
(1)Kacey F.
I went with a group of 5 on a Friday night. The bar was very noisy so not a place to talk easily among a group. The food was just mediocre. The garlic shrimp was bland, the cauliflower fritters seems gummy and undercooked, the chicken was so tough we couldn't even cut through it and had to send it back. In its place we got another order of the shortrib which was actually good and tender. But the 2nd one was inconsistent - the sauce was slightly different than the first. The desserts were good: crepe & churros. Overall just mediocre, I probably wouldn't go back here.
(2)Lisa L.
Went here with a girlfriend on opening night. Love the edgy, bright, frenetic decor. We were seated at a cozy table in the corner of the bar, and as our server approached us, we shivered in anticipation. The server was very awkward, and the first thing she did was ask us if we'd ever dined there before. Did I mention it was opening night? She did say they'd had a friends & family night the weekend before, so we cut her some slack. We ordered a bottle of red wine and it came out colder than fridge-cold. Our server didn't give us a taste, just poured us big glasses. After realizing it was chilly, we sent it back. The manager came out with a different bottle, explaining that the other bottle had been in the wine cellar. Um, isn't that supposed to keep it the right temperature? There was no apology. She did offer a new bottle that was "in the same price range," and we liked it, so we went with it. I don't recall everything we ordered, but nothing jumped out at us as great. We both felt it was very overpriced for the quality of the food. They forgot one of our tapas and brought it out after we reminded them, and at that point were done eating everything else. The server acted like that was intentional, but I'm pretty sure it was just forgotten. I do remember getting the fries (meh) and asking for some extra aioli dipping sauce. When our bill came, we saw that they charged us $1 for the aioli, and the wine was $4 more than the original bottle we ordered. Now, it's not like we can't afford $5.00 between us, but we were fired up on principle. Good service could have made up for mediocre, overpriced food, but instead, excuses and poor service just added to our disappointment. If it were my restaurant, I would have been kissing our asses, thanking us for coming, and throwing in an extra dish for free. Not cool, Kika, not cool. I will not be going back.
(1)Alex R.
Went here for lunch with some coworkers. Food was excellent. We ordered a bit of tapas and some sandwiches. The brazed short rib was amazing, and the mussels in a spicy tomato sauce were also very good. Some people got the brazed rib sandwiches, which were grilled and just amazing. Others (such as myself) got the beef tenderloin sandwich, which was good, but paled in comparison to the shortrib. The hostess and waiter were both friendly, but the service was a bit slow. There weren't many people there but it still took a fair amount of time for the dishes to come out. We weren't a huge group, so not sure why it took so long. The waiter was fairly obviously new, though he did a decent job. Overall I think it was pretty darn good, and I'd go back, just not when I'm in a hurry.
(4)Sean J.
To be fair to Kika Tapas....I only went here because Dali lost my reservations and though I would wait almost 2 hours to eat there. That being said, my low expectations of walk-in tapas were barely met. Let's start with the drinks (I ordered two). An old fashioned which was basically 2 shots of bourbon in a large glass of seltzer water. I don;t know where you found your bartender, but that is not an Old Fashioned by any recipe. My second drink was an unimpressive and watered down gin and tonic. The food was decent, if relatively small and overpriced. My $10 foie gras was the size of my thumbnail...and this is tapas so I'm sharing!! Service was nothing to write home about, the waitress was informed on her cheeses and meats but was not particularly attentive and would not make eye contact. Save your money and go somewhere else.
(2)Sammi N.
Good, but not good enough... The menu had a good selection of tapas but overall, the tapas was either really good or really bad with a few just in between. PROS: * location - easy to get to, street parking, or validated garage parking; plenty of other options in the area for drinks afterwards * decor was interesting and comfy seats * huge selection of tapas - better items were : - Albóndigas de Cordero Lamb Meatballs in Truffle Cream Sauce - Costillas de Buey Beer Braised Short Ribs - Palta Reina Crab and Mango Stuffed Avocado * friendly service * reasonably priced * no waits or reservations needed CONS: * no waits or reservations, in other words, the place was kind of empty for a Thursday night dinner * sort of your run of the mill, traditional tapas options (this alone if probably enough for me not to return) If you love tapas, visit Toro in Boston - BEST tapas in the city hands down. However, if you don't want to venture into the city, or wait in line at Toro, this is a good, local alternative. It was good don't get me wrong, just not a knock-out.
(3)Jason P.
OK, I just got a clarifying message from Tamara Bourso - who co-owns Dali with Mario Leon, (her ex-husband as I recall). She also separately co-owns Cuchi-Cuchi. She says that Mario's son Fernando co-owns Tapeo, Solea and Kika. There's been some bad blood and now Dali is not connected to the other three restaurants. Some of the feud is over the fact that Tapeo website says that the "Leon family" owns all four restaurants - which is technically true except for the fact that the different wings of the family aren't working together anymore. Some of it is over the three newer restaurants apparently using recipes from the first without permission. None of this affects my overall review, but I thought I should pass this along. I also hope the various parties to the dispute above find a way to reconcile their differences. Because no one benefits from a tapas feud. And I'm only interested in eating happy tapas. Which is how I remember Dali from the early 90s when I first started going.
(4)Neil D.
Meh. My wife and I came here on a Friday night for some tapas and were pretty unimpressed. Food needs some work, as does the service but its mainly fixable. Food needs to served on warm plates, not cold ones, otherwise it gets cold fast. When you are grazing on your tapas, you want each dish to stay warm! Calamari was overcooked, mushrooms needed more/some salt, pork with blue cheese was too cheesy and the cheese not very blue. Garlic shrimp was good, the way it should be. Pork sausage with foie gras was good but cold and had the smallest foie gras I've ever seen. If they fix what they had, it would be 3. Spend the extra and go to Toro Oh, and they charge for bread
(2)Christina L.
I love their classic sangria!!! The spicy potatoes (we ordered two!!) and lamb meatballs were good but everything else was ok. The server wasn't the friendliest but the drinks made up for it. :) ambience was nice; love the bold interior.
(3)Heather G.
The decor - Doesn't seem to jive with the whole rustic, Spanish theme they're going for with the food. I felt more like I was eating at one of those overpriced lounges on Newbury than waiting for my tapas and sangria in Kendall Square. The service - Either they hired servers and managers with no prior experience, or this was a really off night. Though we made a reservation well in advance, and at 7:00pm, the entire restaurant was empty, save for 3 or 4 couples, the hostess led us away from the dining room and into the bar to seat my date and myself at a small high-top bar table DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF the kitchen doors. I understand if it was a busy night and/or we were a walk-in, but to sit me at such an uncomfortable, mood-killing table when the rest of the restaurant is empty? I don't get it. Each time a server went in or out, both doors would swing open, letting fluorescent light spill onto my table and shining into my eyes. Added bonus - each time this happened, we got a firsthand look into the large back kitchen area. Great if I'm watching a reality cooking TV show, bad if I'm on a date and wearing a pretty silk dress. We asked the server to move us, and he said we could pick any bar table we wanted. What the hell? We made a reservation well ahead of the evening and the house was empty. Why can't you sit us at a table in the dining room? Sidenote on the service: I know it's tempting on a slow night to pull out your phone and start texting, but i doubt the manager (I assume he was the manager because he was the only one wearing a suit) should be walking around the dining room, texting visibly on his phone. Again, everything about the service was a mood killer. The food - We started with a basket of chewy bread and a small dish of tasty, homemade hummus. The menu indicates that bread and hummus is $3, but we were brought it for free. We ordered a pitcher of sangria for $32 which yielded about 4 glasses of sangria - we're now talkin' $8 per glass, which, in hindsight, wasn't a great value. The sangria was overly sweet and underly alcoholic, so if you're a value drinker, don't be misled by this and opt to splurge the extra $2/drink for cocktails. We ordered 6 tapas, which was enough for a light meal, but the ceviche and baby spinach came out together, first, and the other 4 dishes came out, together, about 20 minutes later, making a less-than-ideal tapas-eating environment. We all know you tell people "dishes just come out as they're done" so you don't have to spend effort timing the release of dishes from the kitchen, but tapas or not, it's tough to have a nice meal when food is served the way it was for us the other evening. Espinacas Gallegas Sautéed Baby Spinach with Pine Nuts & Raisins $7 - for $7, this dish was tasty, but we made it at home the next evening with equal success. Gambas al Ajillo Sizzling Garlic Shrimp $9 - the shrimp had no sear on them, leading me to believe they were boiled, not grilled (which threw the texture off for me). They were sitting in a pool of melted butter and garlic, which created a nice flavor on the shrimp themselves, but made it difficult to sop up the juice with your bread, as it was abundantly clear you were eating little more than melted butter. Vieiras al Azafrán Scallops in Saffron Cream $9 - the scallops, too, had no sear on them, so while they were cooked all the way through, they had a mushy, gelatinous texture that could have been broken down with a bit of a crust/sear. The saffron cream tasted of cream without the saffron, and the dish, overall, was very heavy. Pato Braseado Roast Duck with Berry Sauce $9.5 - The duck was very dry, and the sauce was very sweet. Solomillo con Chimichurri Beef Tenderloin with spicy herb sauce $9.5 - The meat needed seasoning (I don't think it was even salted) but the chimichurri was delightfully spicy. With an accompanying salt shaker, I would order this again, Ceviche* Citrus Marinated Seafood $8.5 - the ceviche that day was salmon, which I'd never had in ceviche before. I can understaqnd why it's not so popular a fish for this dish - the salmon tasted overbaked, which is an odd combination when paired with the cold, wet, citrus-ness of ceviche. For dessert, we had a tres leches cake (which my date described as "tasting just like Anna's Taqueria smells) that was just a bit too dense and dry for my taste. We also had a dulce de leche crepe covered in caramel that I found a bit too sweet, but my date devoured it happily. Finally, we ordered a cheese/fruit plate that came with three slices of cheese and a pile of berries. I would skip this dish, as the offering was so small for the $10 or so it cost, and two of the cheeses served were not dessert-appropriate (one tasted like melty-cheddar and the other was a very potent gorganzola). The flight of ports (4 tastes), at $25, was a nice experience on a splurge. Overall, nice try, but I won't rush back.
(2)David P.
I went to Kika with my girlfriend on Valentine's day thinking it'd be a fun dinner and we were pretty disappointed... The ambiance and decor of the restaurant is pretty cool but it quickly went downhill after that. The server was extremely slow to take our drink and food orders. He often disappeared for long periods of time. My girlfriend and I ordered 4 tapa plates and a 2-person sized paella. The tapa plates we ordered were the seafood ceviche, vanilla breaded salmon, cheesy scallops, and roasted duck leg. Usually there's a variety of seafood when I've ordered ceviche in the past, but this ceviche only had salmon. The vanilla salmon was breaded and overcooked. The breading was hard and dry. The cheesy scallops were ok, exactly how it sounds. Lastly, the roasted duck was completely dry and overcooked. The paella we ordered looked promising as it was loaded with seafood. The initial bites were great but then there were many extremely salty bites that followed. Some of the bites were so salty they were barely tolerable. We also ordered the special valentine's day dessert: profiteroles with ice cream. Profiteroles and ice cream are one of my favorite desserts, but again, they looked great but the taste didn't live up to the hype. The profiteroles weren't flaky. They were soft and difficult to bite through. The ice cream was basic and the chocolate syrup used was basically heated Hershey's. Overall the food wasn't good at all and the cost was not cheap. I wouldn't recommend going to this restaurant.
(2)Victoria M.
we just had some of the best tapas ever. the restaurant is nicely decorated and spacious. the staff are welcoming and courteous and very helpful. the food is excellent and full of flavor. there is a parking garage practically next door and with validation it is very cheap and convenient. we will absolutely be back here again.
(5)Rhea S.
Note: I am editing this review as of 4/29/2012, after receiving a note that Kika is in no way affiliated with Dali or Tapeo, but liberally borrowed from the menu of both. In my previous review, I'd mentioned that Kika is owned by the same owners as Dali and Tapeo, but that is not the case.) Kika's menu is similar to that of other tapas restaurants in the area, which can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on your perspective. I was happy to see some tried-and-true favorites on the menu (the pork loin in bleu cheese, the sauteed artichoke). We ordered 6 dishes, a couple of which disappointed. The chorizo was tasty enough, but just kind of there (no adornment). I think we were spoiled after a couple of dishes that had wonderful sauces for sopping up with bread, like the aforementioned pork and the lamb meatballs in a truffle cream sauce. The sizzling shrimp and garlic reminded me of something I could easily make at home. But nothing was bad per se - we still cleaned our plates. We sat outside as it was an unseasonably warm night, so I can't speak to the noise level inside or the decor, which (as others have noted) is a bit "busy." We lingered for a bit and didn't feel rushed in any way by our pleasant waitress. In addition to the usual wine and sangria, they also had a good cocktail selection, and I highly recommend La Tormenta Negra, sort of similar to a Dark n' Stormy. The one caveat I have is, either take public transportation or figure out what you're going to do with your car! The parking situation in Kendall Square sucks. Kika does not have a lot and there is no on-street parking in front of the restaurant. I wrote a review on the parking garage nearby (Standard Parking) which is fine if you are out of there before 9:30.
(4)Diane C.
Visited Kika for the first time last night. For a Thursday night the place was empty. Thought it was because it is January and everyone is dieting, but to our surprise, the other three restaurants located in the same building (EVOO, Za, and Commonwealth were hopping. They gave us a puny bread basket. We had to have it refilled 3X. It was like pulling teeth to get them to bring us more bread. The red Sangria was topped with one tiny cube of an orange. To me, any Sangria worth its salt is loaded with fruit. I had to ask for a zippy drink straw. Waitress plunked the glass down with out a cocktail napkin. The waitress was robotic. Not rude, just like a machine. No personality at all. The lamb chop app was so raw we were afraid were were going to sick. We pointed this out to the manager who agreed the lamb was indeed raw. The braised shortrubs were outstanding. The garlic shrimp was good. But they should step up by using larger shrimp. I'd pay more. Those mini shrimps are substandard. Does anyone actually enjoy those mini shrimps? The paella bowl for 2 with fresh seafood was just okay. On the bland side. Wasn't seasoned nearly enough or properly, in my opinion. Our dining experience wasn't terrible, but adding all the little things together equals a not so great dining experience. We will go elsewhere for tapas in the future.
(2)Oz L.
We were dissapointed at Kiksa. They have great decor and a wonderful location. The small plates lack tflavor and taste! We were there on a Thursday evening and it was quiet and the bar was empty. Not a good sign...
(3)L C.
2.5 stars. I love tapas, so when I found Kika Tapas close to my hotel, I was thrilled! Sadly, it was a disappointment. Started with the Royal Sangria. Thought it was a smart drink to order at a tapa restaurant. Bad idea! The sangria was too sweet. And what sangria comes with no fruits on top?? Didn't like it. Didn't even finish my drink which is very rare! I ordered the garlic shrimp, the mussels in spicy tomato broth and the beer short ribs. The best dish was the mussels. They were fresh and the touch of spiciness was nice. This restaurant does not give bread to mop up the sauces! The short ribs weren't ribs; it was a small chuck of beef. It was tender and flavorful. The garlic shrimp was only OK. The shrimps were quite small. I know tapas are small dishes and indeed, the dishes were small. It's expensive to charge an average of $10 per dish for such small quantity of food. Almost $50 later, I walked out not satisfied. Not happy with my sangria, and I could use some more food.
(2)Pauleena M.
This place was ok. The ambient/decor was nice, the tapas could have been better. The ceviche was not what I expected, it was just salmon, I thought I'd be a mixture of seafood (that's how it typically is). Anyway, they mixed up my dessert and brought me the wrong one, the sangria was very bitter but our server was friendly! Overall, I didn't hate it or love it.. Just ehhhh
(3)Manny D.
Ok, so the principle behind Tapas is that you make something small in a decadent and irresistible way. The ceviche tasted like it came out of a jar. The mussels tasted like they were last week's leftovers. The empanadas were bland and sadly not deep fried. I don't believe we will ever go back.
(1)Charlie M.
This tapas restaurant is a great addition to a neighborhood that is quickly turning into a place to go for restaurants of all types and styles. They offer a varied menu that has something for everyone from smaller sampling plates to larger entrees that simply delight. But do not forget to leave room for desert as there is several that are mouth watering endings for a wonderful dinner or lunch. I would also be remiss if I did not mention the sangria. White, red or fruit augmented, they are all great and serve to complement the meal very well. I will be going back and strongly recommend everyone give them a shot. You will not be disappointed.
(5)Christopher B.
I walk by this place every day and watched it being built. I am in love with the decor, it's so 2010s and very well done. Stopped by for lunch with folks from work after they opened. This was my first experience with tapas, and I liked it. I thought it was cool they had pão de queijo (Brazilian cheese balls), as well as an eclectic mix of all sorts of things, so I brought my husband there for lunch. Kika is a bit upscale, lunch ran about $20 per person.
(4)Ellomenno P.
I'm going to give these guys a good review. I'm not a huge fan of the other ones in this group, I like them, but was eager at first to see a Spanish restaurant from a different group. So it took me 4 months to try this place.. but overall it wasn't a bad experience. The server was prompt, friendly, and good. Not sure where the complaints are coming from. The food was prompt. The 8-9 dollar glasses of sangria aren't THAT pricey for what you get, I didn't think. The amount of paella you get for 32 dollars is really not bad, all things considered. Now, the paella: It's definitely not like any paella I saw with my in-laws in malaga or madrid - which may be better for most diners because they put a LOT more chorizo, chicken, and seafood in there. Note - the chicken was tasty but somehow got dried out in that mix - not sure if it was added in but cooked too much beforehand (probably). US diners probably would freak if there were chicken bones, I guess, as well, which would probably help retain moisture. And they have different kinds of paella, which also I never saw in Spain, but I'm suspicious is valid in the way "NY" or "Chicago" pizza are different - and you'd never see those options on a US menu for pizza either - it's all geographic and the house makes only one kind. But that's fine, this is America, afterall. Now I personally think that paella doesn't really work in a US restaurant anyway, because it needs too much time to cook and bake/burn the rice underneath (which wasnt burnt - arrgh! key for paella! again, US diners might not like that)......so add all that up, what you probably get is probably closer to a non-spicy jambalaya. That being said, what's wrong with jambalaya? The decor is really cool, it's a tough, weird location, the wind sweeps through Kendall almost everyday (i work there) - it's rare to get a calm day, and the whole block needs to plant some more bushes or something to make that outside area really work. but they are trying hard. The only thing that bugs me about this place is - sorry,if you're spanish, the bread and little green olives (dont get cute with kalamata or anything) should be on the table. No charge, make it happen. And make the bread like what you'd get in spain. It looked some kind of crusty iggys in a basket, which isn't bad, but come on, its not spain. I'd give 3, but I'll bump to 4 because of the attentive waitress and the cool ambience. Relax and enjoy a royal sangria with a splash of cava.
(4)Carol D.
We were looking forward to a good dinner, Kika just arrived in Kendall Square, but left disappointed. We had to pay for bread, including refills. Overall the food was below average. Waitress was a bit stiff. Only thing I liked was the decor. Not enough for me to come back.
(1)J C.
My friend and I visited Kika last Friday on the recommendation of another friend of ours. We wanted a light repast after seeing a movie. I had yet to explore this new "neighborhood" in Kendall Square where there are a few new mid rise residential and corporate buildings with store front restaurants and coffee bars a stones throw from the Charles. I liked the clean lines and modern feel of the area. We were surprised to find parking on the street and were later informed by Kika's very engaging and friendly hostess that parking, which they validate, is available in a parking lot under the building. I can't remember how much she said it costs, so give them a call for the price and directions to the parking garage entrance. All the outdoor tables were full so we sat inside. The decor is funky and fun, though there is a large picture of a woman in a skirt, who's legs you have to go through to get to the bathroom--a little weird. As I mentioned, the hostess was sweet but our waitress was a little standoffish and slow, given that the restaurant wasn't full. We started out with the bread and avocado spread appetizer which was delicious, with soft bread with a hearty crust and a tasty spread with just enough flavor. My friend enjoyed her artichokes, but felt that her salmon was dry. I loved the wild mushroom saute, which had just the right amount of garlic. The star of our table was the scallops in saffron cream sauce. The scallops were well cooked and the sauce was creamy with just a hint of tang from the saffron. We found ourselves sopping up the sauce with bread after the scallops were gone. Like many people tapas initially seems expensive to me as I look through menus, but the wonderful, strong flavors and small portions are really just right for a well-rounded meal. The full size entrees did seem a little pricey. I hope to try one of the enticing sounding cocktails when next I visit. I think Kika has a bright future!
(4)Angelos K.
Will need to revisit but my first experience was pleasant. Half the food was very good, but whatever had to do with seafood was bland or bad (the crab/mango stuffed avocado and the fried calamari). Go for the pork loin and the lamb meatballs which saved the day. The service was spotty (the waitress was completely confused at times), but on opening week that can be explained away. Funky bar area and overall nice vibe. Look forward to coming back soon.
(3)Bree S.
I WILL DEFINITELY BE GOING BACK! I went to Kika Tapas with some friends on Friday after work. We were seated in a comfy round booth. The tapas, sangria, atmosphere and service were all excellent. I really liked the Patatas Bravas, Camarones a la Plancha, Berenjena Rellena and a special of the night that's named something I can't remember (it was a roll of steak, stuffed with a mushroom, cheese, spinach, blend). Our server was friendly, attentive and remained patient with a challenging group of women who had quite a bit of the delicious Sangria Royal, which is a red sangria with cava and Grand Marnier. DELICIOUS!
(5)Narissa S.
It was good. The menu had a variety of Tapas overall, my friend and I ordered 4 tapas in total. *Arroz y Habas Rice and Beans *Vieiras al Azafrán Scallops in Saffron Cream *Mejillones a la Salmorra Steamed Mussels in a Spicy Tomato & Wine Sauce *Revuelto de Esparragos y Camarones Sautéed Shrimp, Spinach, Whipped Eggs, Fried Bread 3 out of the 4 tapas were great. My friend thought there was too much thickness to the Cream in the Vieiras al Azafrán. Overall the rest of our tapas was pretty good. The mussels in the spicy tomato & wine sauce was great. We both love mussels. The ambiance of the resturant is nice, the decor was interesting, the seats were comfy. The host places us in a nice circular booth. I made reservations on opentable thinking it would be crazy busy since it was a friday night. But it wasn't busy at all. Great experience, our server was friendly, delightful & helpful. I would go back again, maybe with a group seems like a great place for groups!
(3)Sara M.
I would definitely recommend this place for lunch or dinner. Here's a rundown of what it's got going for it: - Very cool interior. I loved the interesting patterns and fun colors on everything (including the walls). It immediately set the atmosphere as fun, trendy, and welcoming. It's a great place to come with friends. - Delicious food. The bread and hummus they give you to start is fresh and flavorful. I had the tortilla espanola and chorizo sandwich with melted manchego cheese and it was fantastic. You could taste the richness of the flavors of each ingredient, and the bread was perfectly crisp without being too crunchy. I loved that they reached a nice balance with the salt in this sandwich too, since chorizo can sometimes push that over the edge. - Friendly service. Our waitress was attentive and cheerful, without hovering or being remotely annoying. She didn't rush us at all, but she was there when we needed her. - Great selection of desserts. I wasn't thrilled with the fritters (aka churros) mainly because they were very fried (i.e. crunchy) with a kind of doughy interior. I prefer mine light and flaky like funnel cake/fried dough. That said, the dessert list looked great and I'm more than willing to try some of the other options next time! Overall I would not hesitate to return. Given that it's a new restaurant, I think they're off to a great start!
(4)maria M.
Fun place, great food and a GLUTEN FREE MENU!!!!!! Great bar and wine selection.
(4)Deborah N.
Good food, horrible service. The waitress made a big production out of pronouncing all the menu items with a Spanish accent... Perhaps not noticing the fact that everyone at the table was speaking Spanish/ from South America. She definitely had some kind of social issue. Extremely condescending and annoying. Also charged us three dollars to CUT the cake that we had brought. Never coming back here again - rudest service. Busboys and manager were extremely kind. Food was good, but way overpriced. I'd rather go to EVOO next door ;)
(2)Joe R.
Food (2 out of 10): What a disappointment. I love tapas and there are some great places around town for good tapas (Dali I'm looking at you), but this new upshot in Kendall square doesn't hold a candle to the others. The food wasn't all that good. Perhaps they should find a better chef. Drink (3 out of 10): They have a limited selection of beer to try which was disappointing. I decided to try the one and only Spanish lager available (can't remember the name) and wasn't all that impressed. It was around 6 bucks for what amounted to a disappointing lager. My dad tried the Left Coast brewery milk stout which is a fantastic beer. Sadly, the water spilled a good portion of it onto the table by incorrectly pouring it. In all, cost was typical, so no rave reviews here Atmosphere (5out of 10): Kika has a fun atmosphere with bold patterned wall paper and comfortable tables. It is strangely laid out into sections with large frosted glassed dividers that make the space seem smaller than it is. Cost (2 out of 10): Everything on the menu is overpriced. Here's what we tried: Chorizo: $8.50 for one (yes 1!) piece of sliced chorizo Patatas Fritas: $5 for a plate of French fries served with ketchup Pechuga con Huevo: $8.50 for one small chicken breast over a bed of home fries (about one potatoes worth) with a soft boiled egg on top Ravioles de Mariscos: $9.50 for 5 (yes 5!) lobster and crab ravioli Location (5 out of 10): It's near Kendall Square next to Za and EVOO, though you might over look it since it's blocked from the street by a giant exhaust tower. That said it is close to the T. I'm not sure about parking, we walked. Service (3 out of 10): Our waiter seemed rather disinterested in working or serving us. He was in no way rude, just a bit dismissive and was perhaps having a bad day.
(1)Adrienne Z.
I went to Kika Thursday night with my roommate from when I studied abroad, as a reunion of sorts. Of all the Spanish restaurants in Boston, we were excited to check this place out - and were very impressed! The decor was very fun. Others have compared Kika to Dali, but I think it is important to say that the decor is nothing like Dali. Classy, something I could imagine in Barcelona or Madrid easily. The service was great! Our server was great with going with the flow as we ordered one thing at a time, and was also very attentive. The food was amazing. We ordered: - Tortilla Espanola: So authentic. Ordered an extra to go, it was so good. - Croquetas del dia: Yesterday's were sweet potato corn. Perfect crunch ratio, amazing flavor. - Bread: so fresh, tasted great, loved the dip. - Plato mixto: The ham wasn't perfect compared to our memories, but the cheese varieties were great and the ham was pretty darn good compared to other American options. - Olives: great. - Goat cheese with tomato basil sauce: Our absolute favorite. Great flavor combination. - Revuelto: The eggs with shrimp, asparagrus and fried bread was our least favorite... which honestly isn't saying much because we loved it all. In our opinion, the revuelto was a little lacking of eggs, and the fried bread was a little weird. We split the pitcher of traditional red sangria, which was great. The food was amazing and authentic, service was great, and so was the ambience. I'll be back.
(5)Bonita S.
During my first trip to Boston, my friend and I planned a fun birthday night out for him, we went in and were quickly seated. The hostest was very nice and when my friend went to the restroom (since the waitress had yet to come by) I told her I wanted to surprise him with cake maybe singing if they did that. She assured me she would let our waitress know and it would be no problem, she even asked me how I wanted it billed to the check. Dinner goes by and we order food, the garlic shrimp was amazing but the empandas had no taste to them, the beef tenderloins looked and tasted gross. The lobster ravioli was ok but nothing to brag about. The evening comes to a close and I promised my friend a surprise, well the only one surprised was me when we asked for the bill and she brought it with no cake, no singing nothing. So I politely ask her what happened and the waitress tells me, oh well you didn't ask for it, and I told her I told the hostest she then responds yea she told me but I was waiting for you to mention it. Ok, if I'm trying to surprise someone why would I tell the waitress again, after I already made it clear and told them how I was going to pay for it. It definitely was disappointing and threw off a somewhat ok, dinner. I would never go back and would not recommend it to anyone celebrating a special event.
(2)Kyle N.
This is a classic three star establishment. Nothing too bad about it, but nothing that made it stand out from the crowd. The ambiance is pretty good. They are going for that 70's vibe and it works for the space. Even when full the place was still quiet and felt kind of empty. The wait staff was almost too attentive as they seemed like they were anxious to make this a good experience. It is still relatively new so that might have something to do with it. For a Friday night there didn't seem to be that much of a buzz around the place. You would think this would draw some of the after work crowd and they were noticibly absent. The pricing is consistent with the area, but not really justified by the selection. The drink menu was verging on being nice, and probably would be if they had 4-5 more beers on tap. The food selection was similar in that there didn't seem to be that many options for a place that calls itself a tapas bar. What they did have was good. The meatballs were excellent. One of the great things about tapas is that you can try a small quantity of a lot of things and this place failed me in that regard. If this place want to go high end, which it's pricing and demeanor indicates, then they need to push things a bit more. So far this is a good start to a restaurant, but not one you would tell your friends about afterwards.
(3)stephanie b.
Staff - personable, fun and helpful. Very pleased from hostess to server. Decor- interesting. I think it works!! The bar is gorgeous and very nice. Food- everything we ordered was amazing. The artichokes were off the hook. Garlic shrimp, ceviche, goat cheese in tomato sauce, all were excellent. The salmon with panko sooo good. This place should do well. The service is great and so is the food.
(4)Archana V.
Highly recommend: Lamb meatballs in truffle cream saue. A tapas place in Kendall. And Kendall needs more of these! I don't understand the bad ratings for this place. Maybe it takes a month or two to lose all the rough edges of a new establishment. Because when I was there last night, the service was nothing below exceptional. I wasn't a big fan of the decor though. I prefer a warm, cozy and inviting space. Kika was a little too modern and cold?! But thats just me. Coming over to the food, I enjoyed everything I ate. I preferred the Royal Sangria to the cava which tasted like diluted mango juice and was a little weak on the alcohol. The gambas al ajillo is a standard order in any spanish tapas place and Kika's did not disappoint. The braised duck was perfectly cooked with the meat literally falling off the bones- just the way it should be. And finally, the lamb meatballs in truffle cream sauce was perfection itself. With around 10 meatballs in a rich cream sauce that I promptly wiped clean with the bread, this was a very hearty and rich dish. The food portions were great considering it is tapas and the price was very reasonable ($4-$10 per dish).
(4)LP J.
terrible service.. Friday evening... We has reserved a table for two earlier in the day but what we got was the noisiest table right next to the bar and the kitchen...when half the place was empty( it was early). Out request for another table was denied. It was all down hill from there... the service was terrible. the waiters were in a hurry to turn tables. We ordered 3 dishes and a bottle of wine and was average. kept coming back every few mins to to get us to order more or to get out...since it was getting busy... They need a lesson in spanish culture.. tapas is to be enjoyed with a relaxed environment and not with waiters brething down your neck !
(2)Wendy B.
I like at least one of the other reviewers don't understand how anybody could rate this restaurant in any way other than highly. It has a funky decor that, if you're expecting Dali, no - it's not romantic -- but it is refreshing and modern. The waitstaff was courteous, and prompt, without being invasive; a big plus in my book. Onto the food . . . My lunch mate and I ordered 5 tapas. The servings were generous enough to have fed three (for lunch). I'm having a hard time deciding which was my favorite, the goat cheese stuffed eggplant and its delicious sauce served on the side, or the grilled shrimp, which was served with a slightly tangy, slightly sweet side sauce. Or maybe it was the spinach and pine-nuts, or the spanish sausage . . . oh well - you get the picture. 4 stars up! And the sangria is to die for, although I don't know if you should have it if you have to head back to the office. Fortunately for me, I did not!
(4)Leana M.
The food is really good, so is the Sangeria. Been there a couple of times and both times the servers were very pleasant. It is a little pricey though. I would Definitely go back. My favorite dishs are the garlic shrimp, the lamb chops and the goat cheese stuffed eggplant. I'm very picky when it comes to food and I think this place is great would highly recommend.
(4)Laurie G.
The owner was unnecessarily rude. I'll bring my business elsewhere, and suggest you do the same.
(1)Jose A.
just bad overpriced food
(1)Elina H.
I'd give this place 3.5 stars if I could (that extra 1/2 for atmosphere and service; food is a solid 3). My husband and I went to this place for dinner on Friday night. It was a pretty nice day so the outdoor tables were full... the bar was medium busy and the rest of the dining room completely deserted. We chose a table at the bar and enjoyed the modern atmosphere. The menu definitely sounded very creative. I did a bit of research on yelp prior to our visit so we ordered some of the previously recommended dishes (lamb meatballs in truffle sauce - I didn't try them but my husband thought they were the best; calamares fritos - just ok; patatas basque - I loved these!; lobster ravioli - meh, they were kind of cold although a bit of spice was nice) and one other one - goat cheese and mushroom crostini (the goat cheese was quite pungent and there was a lot of it... proportions seemed off on that one). Overall, except for the patatas bravas (for me) and the lamb meatballs (for my husband), we found everything to be quite average tasting. Given that from the sound of the other reviews, we tried the best of the best, I wasn't particularly impressed. We don't live in the area so we both agreed we wouldn't come back. Service was good though and like I said before, the atmosphere quite nice so if you're looking for a decent tapas place and live in the area, I'd give this place a go but don't expect to be wowed (honestly that's been my experience with their sister restaurants too).
(3)Paul R.
Can you get good tapas in Kendall Square as hyped? Not a chance. This beautiful space is wasted on poor food and expensive drinks. Signs of trouble came early and often: the ceviche was tilapia (no I'm not kidding and heck no I didn't order it), the scallops baffled the server (bay? sea? huh?), the octopus in olive oil - one of my favorite Barcelona tapas - was an unrecognizable heap of chunked pulpo which tasted primarily of olive oil followed by . . . is "mudflat" a flavor? The platter of Jamon with spanish cheese and olives featured 5 olives (really? 5?) and a mound of serrano ham. Now lets be clear - you will never see serrano served like this in Spain: in a heap, as if destined for two slices of rye bread and a splash of thousand island dressing. Worse, it had been cut well in advance, so the serrano was leaching protein and getting very sticky - so now you have a sticky mound of second rate spanish ham. ugh. Finally, the best dish (sarcasm alert) was lamb meatballs in a cream/saffron sauce, blessed with a generous handful of frozen peas, featuring that startling electric green color that enlivens any dish. As to the meatballs, they were edible, just not identifiable as lamb (could have been ground up anything). Conclusion: stay away for now. Maybe the kitchen will get its act together, but at the moment its hopeless.
(2)Bill M.
Friday night dinner with 3 couples. Lackluster service - slow and inattentive. Relatively noisy inside - the patio might have been nicer. More important the food was just not that good. Lobster/crab ravioli was good. The paella valenciana was disappointing. The chorizo was disappointing and that is hard to do. Solea, same owners, is much better. Casa B in Somerville is even better than that.
(2)Kevin M.
I love Tapas. They are not just food, but a metaphor for food, fun and friends (OK that was pretentious) I've made detours into Spain just for Tapas alone. Kika was fun, with a slight Basque bent.. The food was excellent. The Tapas were hand crafted from authentic fresh ingredients, they were also generous and reasonably priced. Excellent wines by the glass and wonderful Sangria's. Service was attentive and non intrusive. The artichokes were my favorite, but it was a close call. Ate a bit too much, drank a bit too much, and laughed a bit too much. In other words and excellent Tapas experience.
(5)Bree R.
Beautiful space, very sweet waitress, but cold, unimpressive food. Nothing really terrible, but nothing, not one dish, was really good.
(2)Glen W.
Always looking for great Spanish tapas restaurants. Read reviews and was hopeful but somewhat disappointed. Of course never a good idea to go to a tapas bar alone since that limits your choices. Started with the Plato Mixto (jamon serrano, assorted Spanish cheeses, pimentos and olives). Was good but would have preferred to have jamon iberico which was not on the menu. Next ordered my favorite tapas dish, gambas al ajillo (shrimp sauteed in olive oil with garlic) and was very disappointed. There was little flavor in the dish, did not taste the garlic and they used a whole chili instead of red pepper chili flakes for the kick - didn't work, there was no kick. The highlight however was the butifarras con foie gras (pork sausage, foie gras, poached apple and a fig & port wine reduction sauce). This was fantastic. Foie gras was a little on the loose side but was still excellent. Suggested to the waiter that they consider red pepper chili flakes for the gambas and he agreed. Would give the place a second change.
(3)Wilma C.
I went to Kika Tapas on July 4th this year and I would like to share my bad experience. My boyfriend and I love to eat tapas and came across this restaurant while googling for a good restaurant around the Cambridge area. It had good reviews and it had a good location as we wanted to walk to the Charles River area to hear the Boston Pops and see the fireworks (a few blocks down). We got to the restaurant around 7:15pm and were planning on being out by 9pm to walk and see the fireworks. The restaurant looked nice and we sat outside. But then, we noticed the bad service... The waiter was trying to push more tapas on us and said "that will not be enough". He talked like if we didn't know about tapas and we explained that we've had tapas many times before and knew they were small plates. Once we had some, we order a couple more we liked to share. Then he said "I told you so" in a manner that really upset me. But that was not it... The service the whole evening was slow even though there was not many people there. So when it was close to 9pm, and we noticed we were not getting regular visits to see how we were doing, refill our waters, etc, we called the waiter and asked him to start bringing our check because we wanted to see the fireworks by the river. But to bring out check, it took another 20+ mins. So 9:30pm came and yes, we were still sitting there AND THE FIREWORKS STARTED! We could barely see them as the buildings were covering the view! Of course, our waiter show up THEN bringing the check and said, "well there are the fireworks" smiling. REALLY!? I told you all along I wanted to see them by the river and order the check upfront because of that. I was visiting from North Carolina and I was SO so bummed I missed what was going to be the biggest highlight of my trip, the Boston fireworks by the river, due to poor, slow service. I am SO upset about the service - slow and a server with an attitude and it left me with such a bad taste in my mouth about the whole experience. I will NEVER come back here and I recommend you don't either. The food was ok (I've had better tapas) and the service was horrible.
(1)Guilherme R.
The empanadas are so rich! The churros with Dulce de Leche are the best!
(4)Ellen T.
I came here for a belated Valentine's dinner celebration. It fit the mood perfectly! The decor is really cool..red walls and very modern. I started off with a berry sangria and it was yummy. We ordered 6 tapas and the notable standouts were the scallop in saffron cream sauce, garlic shrimp, and beef tenderloin with chimichurri sauce. I was pretty full and satisfied. I gave it 4 starts because I liked the food, the waiter was friendly and attentive enough that is wasn't overbearing, the decor, and the parking! It's really hard to find parking on the street so they offer validated parking at the garage and it was $3 for 3 hours.
(4)Raina B.
Came here for a restaurant week lunch. I'd give it 3.5 stars if I could! Decent number of veggie options. Everything we had ranged from decent to pretty good. We had the baked goat cheese (pretty good - not as good as Dali's), the pao de queijo (a little bit like arancini, but not fried - good), the artichoke hearts (decent), patatas bravas (good), buñuelos (cauliflower broccoli fritters - decent), and my friend had the beef tenderloin. Overall, pretty in line with the rest of Kendall.
(3)Meghan P.
My favorite tapas place in Cambridge! I've never had a dish here that wasn't amazing. The vieiras al azafran (scallops in saffron cream) is my go to dish along with the ravioles de mariscos (lobster and crab raviolis in langostino sauce). I gave up meat last year but I used to love the albondjgas de cordero (lamb meatballs in truffle cream sauce)! I've gotten several friends hooked on them. The staff is super friendly and knowledgeable of the menu options. The patio is great during the summer and the interior of the restaurant has a cool/funky vibe. Overall, just a great place to grab food and drinks!
(5)Steve C.
There are many great choices for Mediterranean and tapas food in Cambridge, but few have the kind of pedigree that Kika has, and when i say pedigree i of course mean the ownership. Many restaurants fail in their first year and having a seasoned captain at the helm to help navigate the perilous waters is the key to success. Kika has this in spades with their already successful owners. I only got to try a couple of dishes tonight, but i look forward to heading back. Lets start with the chicken empanada's, this is the empanada that all others should be judged by, delicious flaky wrapper with the most exquisite filing i've ever had, juicy chicken, a little corn, onion, beans and sweet sultana's served with a small side of a rich creamy tomato dipping sauce, the perfect compliment to this outstanding dish. I also had the lobster crab ravioli, these delicious little pillows cooked perfectly and mixed with a sweet tomato and langostino sauce that's sprinkled with a little smoky paprika to give you a little reminder these were made with care. Service was outstanding, Maria our server was an absolute delight and extremely knowledgeable, always there when we needed her, never imposing. Outdoor patio is chic and cool, however the hidden gem is inside. An absolutely beautiful interior that really, my words will not do justice, but i'll try but you have to see it, the words that do spring to mind, gorgeous, classy, artistic, welcoming, what can i say, i love it!! Prices were reasonable and the drinks menu includes some great Spanish wines and beers as well as some drink staples. Also a pleasure to meet the hands on owner helping with host duties whilst manning the helm of this wonderful restaurant.
(4)Tracy B.
Im a little torn writing this review... so Ill break it down. We were going out for a work holiday "girls" lunch and were planning to go to Za (a co-worker LOVES their fries) and when we walked in they had a 30 min wait... we decided to forego and head over to Kika ( I had never been but the 3 other ladies had been in the past) So we walk in & keeping in mind Za, EVOO & Commonwealth were all PACKED, Kika is EMPTY! That should have been a sign... So we sit down & I kid you not we wait 20 minutes for someone to even acknowledge & we had to eventually call someone over to place our order for Drinks & Food... So right away my little Yelp Lovin Mind is rolling at what my review is going to say... Water comes 10 mins later & one of my coworkers ordered an ice tea - it was at least 20 mins before they brought that (still no food keep in mind) We sat at about 1230 - its now around 110-115 and the Mgr notices we have been sitting there & walks over & gives us the "Im sorry line" he then walks away comes back with Bread & the Chick Pea spread as a Peace Offering (at first I thought this was great, but I have read in other reviews that COMES with the meal or as a starter) so I somewhat lost love for that gesture! Food finally comes: Garlic Shrimp - was literally SIZZLING... It was very tasty - Shrimp could be better as also stated by other reviews, but that wont stop me from ordering again (Im a big Garlic Fan) Goat Cheese (I didnt try - not a fan) but others said it was delish - I just was a little miffed that it was just CHEESE, No Bread, No crackers - are you just to eat it with a spoon... Odd?? Lamb Chops - Co worker Loves Olive Plate - Was tasty & well oiled Egg & Mushroom Omelet - Was very similar to Quiche & tasty The Fries - again the reason we were going to Za = These fries are SOOO MUCH BETTER! Just wish they had a better ketchup or dipping sauce (Im a big dipper - lol!!) We also ordered Sandwiches - they were delayed as well... and the constant delay was a bit odd as the restaurant wasnt really packed (however, I think there was a large party on the other side of the wall I couldnt see) Sandwiches finally came & as we had joked I bet they were all wrong & Indeed - things we had asked to have removed were not removed (no biggie) but just added to the whole experience... The Portabello Sandwich was soo good, they had one at Commonwealth & when they took it off the menu I was soo sad, but this was soo good... Co worker said the Chicken was Great, and other co workers loved the Short Rib... Mgr at this point (we had been there almost 1.5 hours) comes over & says he would like to buy us Dessert as he is so sorry for the entire lunch... We were all soo stuffed - But NO WAY we were turning down Free Sweets... All 3 were great, Bananas Caramel Bourbon, Flan, Chocolate something.. All great... So service & attention aside, the food was really good... I plan to give Kika another try & if the same service happens then that will just prove it wasnt just a bad day & they really just need to get their shit together... Step it Up Kika, I really want to love you & come every day for lunch (I work VERY close!)
(3)Nicole B.
Kika is a 2.5 star restaurant that I might not return to in the future. There seemed to be a decent crowd on a weeknight near the bar and a few tables of people in the dining room seating. The decor is quite busy looking, its kooky, but fun. The servers were nice, but I'm certain that I ordered plato de queso and received Queso de Cabra Montañes. The fried calamari was one of the better tapas since it was lightly fried and had some spicy flavor to it. When it came time to bite into my croquette I got a mouth full of frozen chicken. The restaurant replaced the dish and comp'ed it on the bill, which we appreciated. My Cava sangria had a great mango flavor to it that I would recommend. I'd go back to Kika only for the drinks.
(2)April K.
Ugh this place is a waste of space! I started off with the "High Heels" cocktail that contains grey goose pear and st. germain, which is supposed to have a sweet elderflower taste to it. When I took a sip, it tasted like a glass of gin. What's the point of listing something as an ingredient if it doesn't even have a HINT of it in it? I let my other two friends try it and they made sourfaces because it tasted so bad. I've never sent a drink back before, but I'm a broke student who has no business spending $12 on a BAD drink. If I'm going to spend that kind of money on a cocktail it better be good. The food here was pretty terrible. Ordered an arrangement of tapas dishes, and some of them were memorable... for being nasty. The duck leg smelled like old microwaved rotisserie chicken (aka fart), and it was sitting in a cheap dessert-like cherry syrup. The lobster/crab ravioli barely had any crab or lobster meat in them. The beef short rib was okay, but was served lukewarm. Potato bavaras was good, but they are just roasted potatoes. I don't even remember the last dish we got since it probably sucked. The service was also not that great. The waitress was not friendly, and she was slow. Lastly what I'm most pissed off about is that they wouldn't let us serve cake that we got elsewhere. We definitely dropped over $500, so I feel like they could have been a little bit more accommodating, especially for someone's birthday.That peanut butter chocolate cake that I had been looking forward to eating all night went to waste.
(2)Jasmine C.
The food was quite good, the service not so good at all. It was our first time ever trying tapas and we weren't quite sure how to go about it, and the waitress didn't seem to want to spend time explaining even though there were only two other customers in the restaurant. Anyway, on to the food itself: some dishes quite delicious, some average. The gambas was standard, but the lobster ravioli was so delicious. The artichokes were alright, but the berry crepe was truly amazing. I think it was hit and miss with this, but when it hits it hits it out of the park. But for Tapas in Boston, I'm sure there are other go-tos.
(3)Frederick S.
Went with a small group of four early in the evening, around 6:30pm. The restaurant wasn't too busy at the time but they packed all the patrons together in the back section. If you like Mezcal or gin as I do then you'll love their drink menu. We had about 8 different plates between the four of us. The ones that stood out were the short rib (a must), the lamb meatballs, the goat cheese, and the scallops. It's not my favorite tapas spot but it's definitely worth the trip out to Cambridge.
(4)Rachel H.
I came here for a late lunch, so it was not crowded at all. There were 4 of us, and our waitress suggested getting 2-3 tapas per person, but this would have been way too much food. We settled for 6 tapas. We tried the artichoke and tostadas de alcachofas (goat cheese crostini), tortilla y chorizo (omelette with chorizo), calamares fritos (fried calamari), gambas al ajillo (sizzling garlic shrimp), ravioles de mariscos (lobster crab ravioli), and patata fritas (basque fries). The crostini was ok - if you love goat cheese, you will like it. I personally thought the goat cheese was very overpowering. The omelette was ok. It was served like a sandwich, so that made it a little hard to share. The fried calamari was my favorite dish. The sizzling shrimp was good. The ravioli was disappointing. There wasn't much filling. And the Basque fries were like Cajun fries, but they were pretty salty. The decor is pretty nice and modern. Our server was nice and brought the food out in a timely manner.
(3)John W.
Great after work spot for a drink and some tapas. Patty Diphusa and Caipirinha are my goto drinks and don't miss the lamb meatballs. Overall a little overpriced for the quality of the tapas compared to other local tapas restaurants.
(3)Esther J.
Very cute, nice ambiance. It was Boston Dine Out week, so it was crowded and took awhile for the waiters to come to our table. Managed to order a variation of tapas which were delicious. My favorite was the cheese bread, pork loin, lobster ravioli. Wasn't a fan of their dessert selection. Great food/ambiance but service was slow. Willing to go again to see if this was because of Boston Dine Out week.
(3)Jamie H.
we hosted a small party for work at kikas tapas, and overall we really enjoyed the experience from booking to completion. kikas made it really easy for us to arrange the party, and offered pre-paid options with selections of tapas, wine, beer, and sangria. when we arrived, the space was completely ready for us, including tables with ice water, lemons, limes, and flatware. we had a smaller group to start, and we appreciated that they checked in to determine the right time to bring out the food platters so it would not get cold. the waitstaff also checked in frequently with our guests to see if anyone needed refills. the bar offered two sangria options that were both really good. my favorite was the red, which was fruity and sweet, and the white sangria was tart with a nice orange flavor. we selected four tapas options: spicy potatoes, lobster ravioli, baked goat cheese, and the empanadas. the potatoes were a surprising favorite, crispy on the outside and light on the inside with a flavorful sauce. the ravioli had a great sauce, but were a little light on the filling. similarly, i enjoyed the pastry of the empanada but wish they had more beef and chicken filling. the baked goat cheese was okay as a dip for the bread and a little awkward to serve for the large group. i would look forward to going back both with a large group and for a fuller dinner to try more of the tapas.
(4)anne t.
We live in the neighborhood and have eaten at Kika numerous times. We take family and friends, and have never been disappointed. The staff are fun and friendly, the tapas food is always fantastic. Our favorites are the sizzling garlic shrimp, braised short ribs, and chorizo. We've also ordered the chorizo and chicken paella and it was excellent.
(5)Sandra C.
I am SHOCKED at how disappointing this meal has been..... So I ordered out tonight I got the braised beef, empanada, scallops, bbq chicken and roasted Potatoes... To start the Empnada is literally 2 inches long good luck with trying to figure out why this costs $5.50, but anyway my real issue is with the scallops..... When I opened the scallops I literally received 2 1/2 scallops (pictures uploaded) pretty disappointing especially when this is supposed to be a tapas restaurant. That's not much of a small plate they might as well just advertise them selves as a sample restaurant... As I'm familiar with their sister companies Dali a day tapeo I decide to call (big mistake) as I was sure they would fix this instead I am greeted by a very unhappy (miserable) maitre d. I simply asked if I could forward a photo of the scallops they prepared for me. He says he's not interested and says I'm getting a bang for my buck as I'm getting scallops for $12. (hahahaha) so then I ask him if it's a common practice to send out 2 and a half eaten scallop for $12 he replied with they weigh the food and says they prepare the food by weight and that the scallops are 3oz well actually mmmmmm no!! I happen to actually own a food scale and the weight of the scallops are a little less than 2oz.. Well of course I'm hoping he meant with out the sauce but now I'm assuming he meant with the sauce (I should have ordered more bread lmao) anyway moving forward on the phone conversation I asked again if I could forward the pic again as I was convinced (silly me) that if he could just see the pic he'd understand my case BUT instead shuts me down AGAIN... I let him know I wouldn't be ordering again and that I was leaving a yelp review based on my experience literally was like "yeah, yeah, yeah!!" so here I am.... Basically if you're into over paying for sauce and enjoy stuffing yourself with bread (bread that will cost you $3.50 just a FYI) well then you have found your place :-) NOW if you enjoy actually eating a good meal no worries because there are plenty of amazing restaurants in the area!! Kika is just not up to par
(1)Michele H.
My review might be a bit skewed, as I ate here for a work event. This place isn't on par with Dali, but they do serve flavorful paella and tapas. The lobster ravioli, cheese bread, and charcuterie were highlights. I don't know how much I can say about the paella, as it was my first time having it, but large pieces of artichoke, shrimp, chicken, and sausage were abundant throughout. A bit more saffron flavor would have been nice. Since the offerings are a bit different than what you would find at Dali, this might be a worthwhile stop if you're in the neighborhood.
(4)Laura H.
I ate lunch here with the folks from my office for the Holidays. The interior is beautiful and modern. We had a group of 12 and the accommodated us nicely. The waitress was attentive and friendly. We had the red Sangria which was good. We ordered several things and all of it was great. The pork with mushrooms and blue cheese were fantastic as well as the Salmon with spinach with Dijon sauce. I also really enjoyed the garlic shrimp and the roasted mushrooms. I would absolutely go back!
(5)Zac B.
I don't normally write reviews, but this place needs some feedback. Beautiful location. Good service...Great for a warm summer night sitting outside.... I get why they have a $15 minimum/ person. Long story short is the food was just not that good. We tried a few things and they all seemed to miss the mark... Not warm enough on the Crostini, too hot on the shrimp, too stiff on the drinks, braised ribs were flavorless, flan was probably made yesterday. All and all it just missed the mark.
(1)Lauren P.
Good paella is not easy to find. Fortunately, I found great paella! I got the oceano paella with seafood. The rice was almost perfect except that it was missing the crusty edges on the pan. That is one of my favorite parts of paella. The shellfish was cooked perfectly. The tapas were okay. I don't think I ordered the right stuff. I had duck legs and calamari and it was just alright. I have eating at solea and my experience was amazing so I will definitely go back to kick and try different things.Except for the paella, thats a winner so I will get that again
(4)Danielle S.
I'm pretty sure I've only ever come here for work things (and thus never paid), so keep that in mind. I've always had good food at Kika- I really like their beer-braised short ribs, figs wrapped in bacon/prosciutto/whatever, cheese bread and sangria. We held a work even there and the food was excellent- mac and cheese, a selection of marinated mushrooms, french fries, and a skate cheek dish. Their sangria is good, not too sweet. It can be loud though.
(4)Lena C.
I really liked this place when it first opened but the last few times I've been the drinks were 70% ice (even when I asked them to go light on the ice.) I hope they turn things around but they aren't worth the price right now.
(2)Ksy B.
Came here to try the garlic shrimp tapas, but tried much more than just that. They have a nice deal for $30 tapas tasting menu that includes 3 tapas of your choice and a dessert! Everything was delicious, the shrimp, the crab and the duck just melts in your mouth! Service is very nice too. Will definitely be coming back for more tapas :)
(5)Kristina C.
Uhh.. sorry, but no. Some places are so good that you can justify paying a certain amount for your food. This place is definitely not one of those places. Some of the tapas were good, like the garlic shrimp, and the- oh wait, that was the only thing I'd ever come back here for if I felt compelled to spend money on pure disappointment ever again. You'd be confused and sad too if you ordered "Vieiras al Azafran" (allegedly scallops in saffron cream) and received a tiny dish with 3 medium sized scallops sitting sadly in a triangle formation and covered in basic creamy sauce. No garnishes. It was an embarrassing excuse for a dish to be served in a functioning restaurant. Moral of the story: sometimes food tastes better than it looks. You gotta give food the benefit of the doubt before the first bite, you know? BUT NOT HERE. SPEND YOUR MONEY ON CHIPOTLE OR A NEW BIKE OR SOMETHING INSTEAD. This is what you call broken dreams. $$$$$$
(1)Lyndsey C.
Really delicious and fun place. Enjoyed all of the tapas' and beverage selections. Pleasant servers and enjoyable atmosphere. :)
(4)Kevin B.
Can't trust a place who has a dish with canned shrimp soaking in a bowl of butter and vinegar. Try somewhere else in kendall
(1)Andrew H.
While the food we did receive (saffron scallops, salmon with sautéed spinach, ceviche, baked goat cheese) was delicious and the outdoor seating was great on a beautiful summer night), it is now half an hour after our first tapas and we are still waiting for the rest of our order. Everything has been painfully slow. We have just given up and are asking for the check. Avoid this place as it isn't appropriately staffed at least on a Tuesday night in late July.
(2)Michelle W.
The food was just ok. Portions are small and the chef relies too much on sugar/honey/some sweet ingredient to garner taste. The ambiance is a bit over the top. On a positive note, they were able to take a reservation on Friday for Friday night and the service was good. Not sure I would go back for a second time.
(3)Chrismaldi V.
Ehhhh, did not like it. Service was slow. My meat came luke warm and nothing special. Overpriced
(2)Noah B.
Don't let this place fool you. It looks nice on the outside and feels like a nice environment but the food is awful and way overpriced. Everything there was just bland.
(1)Wasim Q.
This place is having an identity crisis, trying to be a bar, lounge, and fancy restaurant at the same time. This means that the ambiance is a little too loud and tacky/gaudy for my tastes. And on top, the food is weak. We got 7 dishes for the 2 of us, and only 2 of them were decent: the lobster ravioli and the french fries (but the fries shouldn't count as a plus-- how do you mess up fries?). Everything else is totally bland. Ceviche is more like cooked shrimp drizzled in olive oil (since when is that ceviche?). Salmon is unseasoned. Mushrooms are also flavorless (and no salt on the table, to top it off). If you must eat here, be sure to request some salsa roja on the side. It's actually really good salsa and a copious slathering might save a dish or two. Worst of all, they managed to botch one of my favorite desserts: the tres leches cake tasted like a store bought pound cake, with a gallon of sugary milk poured on top. Whoops, I think I gave away their recipe. My bad, Kika.
(2)Alisa K.
I have only one problem with Kika: the food. It can only be described as bland. In fact, Kika made me want to carry an emergency flavor kit in my purse with mini bottles of salt, pepper, and sriracha. Literally the only flavorful thing we ordered (out of 7 tapas and dessert for two people) was the lobster ravioli. And the hot sauce I asked for out of desperation. Otherwise, the menu is large and has many vegetarian, seafood, and meat tapas (about 10 each). The service is friendly and prompt. The decor is fiery and passionate. Now if they only put some of that fire and passion into the food...
(2)