Meson Don Felipe

The place itself is quite cute, looks very traditional and has that vibe. However, the food was average and the staff weren’t very friendly. A musician started playing and though this gives it a nice touch, the music was a little loud and not too melodic.

Loved this place. Super nice atmosphere, if a little noisy. Okay very noisy. Food was good — I recommend the grilled octopus, the fresh anchovies and the tortilla. Patatas bravas were quite pricey. The meatballs were quite disappointing. Mushrooms cooked in garlic — very delicious.
Desert was not bad either, nicely presented and the sangria was pretty good. I like it when there is more fruit but it had a nice flavor.

good place for drinks and talking, good atmosphere and especially good deserts, tapas I thought some were excellent whereas others were only so so, no wait for seating was a plus also even though the place was full

My husband and I joke that we tend to only go to restaurants in a ¼ mile radius to our flat, but then we’re lucky in that a lot of restaurants in that radius are wonderful.
Meson don Felipe is no exception. The octopus is so fantastic here, it’s flavored beautifully and isn’t too chewy. Also, surprisingly enjoyable is the artichoke salad it is a great complement to some of the heavier tapas. The place can get crowded quickly, the bar is fun to sit at, but isn’t totally comfortable (expect to bang your knees a few times). It’s a nice place for a twosome or a small group to have dinner.

Sometimes, people move jobs. I know, shocking philosophical statement to start this review with… And this is sad, but is always a great excuse for a ‘sorry you’re leaving, let’s drink wine in the middle of the day’ lunch. Well, in this case, sangria
We only get an hour for lunch so had to find a speedy place and this was it. The service was direct and to the point, slightly cold but for this occasion we weren’t fussed. We decided on a selection of tapas to share amongst 7 of us and got about 12 in the end, a perfect number for lunch considering we got 2 paella dishes and these were pretty filling. Lovely selection of food here in this quirky restaurant/​bar. It’s small, and the tables are really crammed together. You go in and the first thing you notice is that the eating and drinking areas are combined, with the main (and frankly oversized) bar popped right in the middle of the space. Having to squeeze round this was frankly a pain, if it were busier it would be easy to knock over other table’s food/​chairs/​casual handbag-​to-​head as you try and convince yourself you’re a size 0 so you can walk through freely.
But lovely food — paella, chorizo, patatas bravas, croquettas, prawns and other sumptious little dishes were shared with much laughter and a bit too much sangria. Bill time, £15. Bargain!

The food is sure good here but don’t expect much of service. the waitress decided to seat me at the bar between two groups cuz i am only one. I have to ask to seat at another seat at the bar. I Unilocaled for a dinner place which is not too far of a walk since it’s raining and got this. the place is not too far from southwark station. the atmosphere is great here with a guitarist but it can be a bit loud. If you are on your first date, then it would be a bit difficult to hear what your date says. i got three dishes and they were all good. Ham, octopus and potato, cheese, mushroom on top of zucchini. it is recommended and i will be back next time.

Great place, great electric atmosphere, great food and great service. I have eaten here a few times since I have been traveling back and forth to London; I just love this place and they have a great wine selection. The food is amazing; I have not had a bad food experience as yet and I think I have pretty much ordered everything on the menu by now. When I travel to large cities I pretty much look for Spanish Tapas type restaurants.

We have been there for the first time and ordered two different chicken dishes and it tasted. boring.
The atmosphere was not very nice and the drinks far too expensive.
No, we would not go there again.

A short walk from South Walk, (popularly known as Sudduck by Londoners, don’t ask me why.) Meson Don Felipe is a gem in disguise because you will never imagine it is so huge when you see it from outside.
I am in London for work and decided to get a drink with my friend after work around 9 pm somewhere close to South Walk (that is where my hotel is, yeah I know I am selfish: p). We kept walking down towards south bank and literally every bar we went to was over crowded with the London YUPPIES. We saw Meson Don Felipe on Unilocal and I immediately wanted to go there as the name sounded fancy (I love to try places with complicated names, just a little pet peeves: p)
Like I mentioned before it is a gem in disguise because when we saw it from outside we thought it must be a small Spanish Tapas place, but we were completely wrong because this place is huuuuge! There are two floors and an outdoor terrace (I would love to come back on a sunny day) with ample seating area. It was crowded too but may be because of its size it did not look that crowded and we managed to find a table. The beer selection is very diverse and interesting because you can find some really unique lagers here from all over the world. I got a strawberry and hazelnut cocktail which was absolutely delicious and we just paid 10 pounds for both drinks (win).
Verdict: Definitely coming back here if I am in the area!

This place looks unappealing on the outside but once you get in it has a fantastic atmosphere with good food to go with it!
The staff here were great and super helpful recommending how much we should order and a great wine.
The tapas dishes are a good size, so you don’t need to order too much. There is a good selection of meat, fish and veg dishes to please everyone.
Will definitely be going back!

Spanish /​Portguese cuisine is a BIG thing in London at the moment: Polpo, Jose, Barrafina… which is excellent for me because I love it.
A thing that stands out about this tapas place is that it’s very old school — not all «trendy-​exposed-​brick-​n-​stuff». You actually get a seat (yessss) and a waitress who smiles at you.
A perfect place to grab a snack before going to the Old Vic.

Definitely not as good as I had hoped. The food here is bland and/​or overcooked, and even the sangria is disappointing. We tried several things, the pimientos which were flavourless, the chicken with «aioli» (it’s just mayo, yech) the cooked-​to-​death chorizo and the lamb kebab. All of the dishes were a disappointment.
The place has a great wine selection and service is very good, but I was really disappointed by the food. I suppose that it’s possible we ordered the wrong dishes or whatever, but you’d think at least some of what we ordered would be interesting and it just wasn’t.

Small and crowded place but a great selection of tapas and some of the nicest Sangria you will find in London.
Try to book ahead if you can.

WTF?! HOW DID I MISS THIS PLACE?!
I used to work right by Southwark tube station and have tried just about every darn restaurant on the cut. YES, even the pret. eeww. Anyway, I have somehow managed to miss The Meson! BUT I’m glad that a friend and I went last night. She introduced me to probably the most addictive tapas food I’ve had in London.
We had the Pulpo (Octopus) which was really really good, albeit the fact that a few pieces had a tad bit too much salt on them. We also had the spinach with pine nuts and raisins, the patatas bravas (which had a good spice to them, but could use a tad less water in the sauce), the peppers with aubergine (amazeballz) and probably my favorite dish of the night, the deep fried whitebait.
Blown away by the atmosphere, the lone flamenco guitarist, the «so bright your eyes have to adjust later» red walls, and the good food. This place is a 4 out of 5 mainly dinged because while the food was good, it had some clear misses (the rest of the octopus was fine, but y’gotta be able to make the whole dish work, not just 90% of it).
And with all my reviews, I ask myself the question… Would I go back? YES! The Meson is an experience, come prepared to wait and be amazed.

A very busy authentic tapas bar. Lively atmosphere as people pack in around the central island bar. A fun place to catch up with friends over good food and wine.

Before I begin this review, prepare yourself by thinking of a cozy, boistrious Spanish tapas restaurant.
As you enter the door, you’ll be serenaded by the flamenco guitarist. It’s a bit parculiar as he is placed on a perch halfway up the wall. How he get there? Who knows — but the guy was very good!
Meson Don Felipe is great for a evening of a lot of wine, great chirizo, squid in ink and a various assortment of Spanish tapas. The atmosphere is very bussly and loud, so definitely recommend going for an evening of fun versus an evening of romance! If you work near Waterloo, this is a great spot to hit on a Friday evening after work. It’s located fairly close to the station in The Cut.

This bar is amazing.
If you like Tapas you should definetly go to Don Felipe.
This place looks basically like a huge bar with a long counter.
People sit around this counter and order tapas and drinks and get served after a while. You can choose between lots of different little appetisers and they all taste fantasic.
There is always a man sitting on a kind of ladder and plays his spanish guitar. The music, the food and the drinks create a wonderful atmosphere.
Since this place is always crowded it is useful to book in advance.

All Pictures at The London Foodie
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Twenty-​three Years of Spanish Food and Wine in London’s Southbank
Meson Don Felipe, opened in 1987 on The Cut near Waterloo Station, was one of the first restaurants I visited in London nearly twenty years ago, and is one of the few I keep returning to after all these years.
A real Spanish institution, Meson Don Felipe is a great place for good and unpretentious tapas, live flamenco music and great atmosphere. The place is nearly always heaving — I love sitting by the bar, starting my evening with a chilled bottle of bone dry Manzanilla Sherry (‘La Goya’, Delgado Zuleta — £10.50 for bottle), and some «Almendras» (Toasted and salted marcona almonds) £3.50 and «Aceitunas» (Marinated Spanish olives) @ £3.25, while I peruse the tapas menu.
The menu has hardly changed in the 18 years I have been a patron but «daily specials» are always on offer so there are always a couple of new dishes that can be ordered on any visit.
Last month, I went back to Meson don Felipe with Dr G, one of my oldest friends Gary of StartSpace on Columbia Road (see blogroll), and his partner Pablo who is a Brazilian artist.
We ordered a selection of tapas which were as good as expected — hardly haute cuisine but tasty and the perfect accompaniment to the Spanish wine being ordered.
«Pescaditos Fritos» (Deep-​fried whitebait) @ £4.95.
«Bacalao frito con alioli» (Deep-​fried fresh cod with garlic mayonnaise) @ £5.75.
«Higaditos al jerez» (Chicken livers in Sherry sauce) @ £4.95.
«Patatas Riojanas» (Potatoes cooked with chorizo) @ £4.75.
«Champiñones con Setas» (Mixed mushrooms cooked in oil and garlic) @ £4.75.
«Habas con Jamon» (Broad beans with cured ham and mint) @ £4.95.
«Chorizo Castellana» (Hot and spicy Spanish sausage) @ £4.95.
«Jamon y Queso» (Plate of Spanish cured ham, manchego cheese, quince conserve and grapes) @ £5.95.
«Croquetas de atun» (Tuna fish croquettes) @ £4.95.
Meson Don Felipe’s Spanish wine list is one of the most comprehensive I have encountered in London, and also one of the most reasonably priced — there are many choices of wine by the glass from £3.65 while bottles start at £13.25.
We ordered a 2005 Muga Reserva @ £26.75 which was a blend predominantly of tempranillo and garnacha, aged for 30 months in oak (6 months in large vats, and 24 months in small barrels), and had deliciously soft tannins, lovely dark berry fruits and a long finish. This was a complex and well balanced wine.
Meson Don Felipe is my place of choice whenever I go to the Young or Old Vic theatres or the Royal Festival Hall on the Southbank. It can get very busy, so I would recommend booking a table (tables can be booked until 8pm only) if more than two people are coming.
Alternatively sit by the bar and soak up the wonderful atmosphere while watching the staff and other customers going about their business. Service can be erratic at busy times and level of English spoken varies a lot — there have been times when I have not been able to book a table (even though I can speak Portuguese) as people taking the bookings could not communicate in English, but it is worth persevering.
Cost: Around £30 per person including food and Spanish wine.
Likes: wonderful live flamenco music, great atmosphere, and lovely food. Meson’s wine list is excellent and very good value.
Dislikes: service can be erratic at busy times and English is not always tip top which some might say adds to the charm of the place.
Verdict: Meson Don Felipe is a real Spanish institution on London’s The Cut, serving consistently good, unpretentious and familiar tapas dishes at reasonable prices. The Spanish wine list is also excellent. One of my London gems. I cannot wait to return.
Meson Don Felipe
53 The Cut
London, SE1 8LF
Tel: 020 7928 3237

Oooh hello! Aren’t you a little cutey! I’m in awe of Masion Del Felipe. I’ve always avoided it because I’ve been told that it’s very pricey. But, after looking for nearby tapas joint Mar-​i-​terra last night and getting lost (entirely my fault), we wound up here. And you know what? It’s not that expensive at all.
It was packed when we got here, but honestly, this is the kind of place that I imagine would be packed all the time. There’s tables around the bar, but it would have been nice to sit at the bar as well. We were lucky that a table for two left just as we got there, so we didn’t have to wait. If there’s a lot of you, i’d suggest booking though.
Perfect perfect stunning place. Great atmosphere and we were happy before we’d even ordered. That a good sign.
We have the usual tapas — Gambas, chorizo, meatballs. We have about six dishes and all of them were fantastic. I’m impressed. I think if we were being greedy, we could have squeezed in a couple more dishes, and the rest of menu looked fantastic. Was it pricey? Well, with two beers each, the meal for two came in at just under fifty quid. So, it’s not going to make you cry into your wallet, but it was maybe a tad more than we wanted to shell out mid week. Still worth every single penny though. Great date place too. Cosy, but still fun and busy. There’s even a little guitar dude playing Spanish tunes. They put him high up on a weird little stage though. He needed a little ladder to get there!
That said, as lovely as the food was, and the style and buzzy feeling about the place, it’s still not knocked Rebato’s in Stockwell off my top spot. It’s going to take a lot to do that, but if someone took me here again, I’d be very happy indeed.

The first time I went to Meson Don Felipe was great. It was full, noisy with lots of energy and busting staff. On a tiny elevated platform a lone flamenco guitarist plucked away on his acoustic guitar. I am not a big fan of tapas but there’s something quite fun about ordering and tasting a range of dishes. The have all the classics — patatas bravas, green beans, fish balls, fritata. The wine was pleasant and fruity which complimented the dishes.
I went back a second time. I had booked a table and was a bit late but they kept it for me. Unfortunately the food was very unspectacular. Tuna balls were greasy, patatas lukewarm and the guitarist had fled his stage. It was still as crammed as ever. So I am wavering on going back — I have heard there are much better tapas bars around