La Bandera

Was looking for somewhere nice to have lunch on a day out to the Christmas markets, and came upon this restaurant in a quiet side street just off Deansgate in Manchester's bustling shopping district. I was greeted by a very cheerful and friendly waiter who made me feel really welcome. The restaurant itself is comfortable and classy, with huge mirrors, lots of green plants, and cosy blue banquettes and booths. A wine rack full of bottles, flamenco pictures, and lively music gave the place an authentic Spanish feel, but there were not enough people here to provide a great deal of atmosphere. Good choice of Spanish wines and beers on the drinks menu, as well as sangria, Spanish punch and cocktails. I opted for a glass of red sangria. Was spoilt for choice with the wide selection of meat, seafood and vegetarian tapas. You can choose three small tapas dishes from the lunch menu for £19.95, so I had the Albondigas de la Abuela (beef and pork meatballs in a rich tomato sauce), Berenjenas Gratinadas (roasted aubergines with tomato sauce and melted cheese), and Tortilla Espanola (potato omelette with garlic mayo). All three were well cooked, nicely presented and very flavoursome. Could not resist a dessert and a cappuccino afterwards! The little pastries filled with hazelnut chocolate and served with vanilla ice-cream were to die for! The lunch was quite expensive as a whole, but it was very enjoyable all the same!

I visited La Bandera with some friends for dinner, it was my first time having tapas here and I will definitely come back again! The menu had lots of choice and everything we ate was delicious. We had the tomato bread with ham, croquettes of the day, Canarian cheese, chicken strips, prawns with garlic, steak, chorizo, Patatas bravas, and churros. All great and we can’t wait to return.

Had a wonderful anniversary dinner. It was our first tapas experience & it couldnt have been better. The food was gorgeous & tantilising, leaving us with very full, happy bellys. Well presented & clearly prepared by people who care. Maribel looked after us & was very welcoming, despite me butchering the Spanish language whilst ordering (I promise I'll continue with Duolingo!) & did a great job.

Oh wow …what a lovely service and the food was just delicious!!! We had a paella with black rice and it was just to die for. Shame I don’t live in Manchester as I would always want to go back there. The deserts were delicious as well.

The food was nice and the setting cosy, but the place seemed understaffed. The waitress was clearly busy, and it was difficult to get her attention when we finished. Even after asking for the bill, we waited around 30 minutes for it and the card machine to arrive. The 12.5% service charge felt a bit high given the level of service.