“ We visited Canela Bistro & Wine Bar for my friend's birthday dinner. They were able to accommodate his 12-person reservation, and we were seated at a huge table in its own seating area. The interior had a warm color scheme with patterned walls and colorful wall art. For drinks, we ordered a few rounds of red Sangria for the table, and the servers just kept it coming - very tasty! My friend also pre-ordered a few appetizers, including an assortment of cheeses (awesome selection, paired great with the apples and honeycomb), Flash Fried Shishito Peppers, and Patatas Bravas (tasty, flavorful). We ended up ordering the rest of our items family-style as well. The Croquetas de Jamon were a big hit, although I didn't try these. The Gambas Al Ajillo were one of my favorite items! I've tried many different versions of this dish, and Canela's was really impressive. The shrimp were cooked perfectly, with the ideal amount of garlicky flavor. The Baked Cana De Cabra was pretty good as well, but sounded better in theory. My other favorite item was the Lamb Pinchos - perfectly cooked lamb skewers with delicious brussels sprouts on the side. Service was friendly and our servers did a great job keeping up with our large party. Would recommend! ”

“ Thoroughly enjoyed dinner! The gambas al ajillo and braised octopus were amazing. Ham croquettes were tasty. Sangria was delicious. Food definitely reminded us of tapas from Spain. All other aspects were on point! Would recommend and come back again! ”

“ Went here for SF restaurant week! Had such a feast and shared amazing tapas with my friends. Service was a bit slow towards the end but overall super friendly. Good ambiance on a Sunday night! You can't go wrong with any of the tapas! I enjoyed a nice white sangria with my meal. ”

“ We went to Canela, a Spanish restaurant in the Castro, with a big group to celebrate a friend's birthday. We ordered a bunch of tapas to share, the highlights being the addictive bacon-wrapped dates, perfectly cooked patatas bravas with a delicious garlic-paprika aioli, and the gambas al ajillo fermented black garlic, white wine, spanish olive oil. The impossible albondigas meatballs were also a delight (even if you're a meat-lover) with rich, flavorful sauce. We also loved the festive decor, inspired by the Alahambra in the south of Spain, with an Arabic influence ”

“ What a fantastic experience! We came here for a restaurant week and could not be better. We did the chef's tasting menu and we were so full at the end! Our favorites were: almond and pear gazpacho - it was so delicious and so savory! I would go back just for this. And the pork empanadas, and the gambas al ajillo. Jamon croquetas and dates were good also. One of us could not eat fish but they kindly replaced it to another tasting menu. Highly recommend and easy the best spanish tapas place ive ever been to! ”

“ Thank you Mat for the incredible tapas and paella tasting! Incredible! Each course more delicious than the previous. Hospitality and service above and beyond! Location is absolutely gorgeous as we loved being on Market street in the beautiful Castro! We can't wait to return and eat our way through the entire menu! Thank you for the wonderful homecoming meal! ”

“ This place is FABULOUS! The food is so delicious and is the standout. Ive been to a few tapas bars in the city, and this is definitely one of the best. We ordered the bacon wrapped dates, bone marrow, paella, flat bread, and scallops. Everything was mouth watering. I dream about those dates and scallops. I would even forego the paella just to have all the small plates. They sell and stock Spanish wines and also have a little market to purchase Spanish products. The ambiance is a bit out-dated but don't let that stop you from coming in. The service is friendly and so attentive. I hope they stay around for a long time! ”

“ Canela Bistro is a sophisticated gem tucked just a short walk away from the bustling Castro nightlife. It's the perfect spot for a group dinner; they had no problem accommodating our group of 7. The staff were friendly and attentive & the atmosphere incredibly romantic and upscale. Of the 11 tapas we ordered, there wasn't a single one we disliked; everything was high quality and flavorful. Standouts include the Gambas al Pimenton (spicy shrimp) and Pulpo (octopus) -- in fact, our table enjoyed the Pulpo so much that we ordered a second plate! The texture of the octopus was melt-in-your-mouth tender and was plated with some thinly scalloped potatoes, adding a nice heartiness to the dish. Of course, everyone's favorite was by far the Seared Scallops -- each one was presented on a miniature crostini with saffron aioli and a tangy piparra pepper. The only downside was the $8.50 price tag for each individual scallop, but they were so memorable that we all felt the cost was more than worth it. Each tapas has the option for a small or large plate (the large sizes are exactly double the price). Most of the small plates still had enough for everyone in our group to try a bite, so I would recommend only ordering the large size for the real crowd pleasers (like the Patatas Bravas). We ended our meal with the tres leches strawberry bread pudding to celebrate a birthday, and they made sure to bring the cake out with a candle. Our waitress also brought a house copy of "The Encyclopedia of Birthdays" for us to read to the birthday boy, which was a really charming touch and made the evening even more special. Overall, we were extremely satisfied with the entire experience, from the service to the food to the little dispenser of mouthwash in the restrooms (you'll need it after all the garlic! ). We can't wait to be back next time we're in the mood for Spanish cuisine. ”

“ First time here and had a fabulous time. We didn't order the Paella tasting menu in advance (which is required) but our waiter worked it out so we could. I would highly recommend reserving it. So the tasting menu consists of cheese sampler, two tapas plates each ( which we shared) the paella (which we chose seafood, but you can get chicken or veggie) and then a dessert choice for each. There was so much food, way too much to review, but suffice it to say it was all fabulous. Service was also great. Our server was eager to provide input on the many choices. Made great wine recommendations and was very cordial and engaging. Part way through our meal, the chef came by to ensure we were enjoying our evening. Definitely we will be back with friends so we can try even more delectable dishes. You NEED to go! ”

“ I came here with a group of 10 and this place was great for a group dinner - the table was pre heated and the table was outside at a private event! Good: - Great tapas style place - We got a bottle of white wine as well to go with our dishes and they poured it all out really nicely for us - My favorite tapas were the pulpo, the meatballs, the bacon wrapped dates, and the empanadas Bad: - The wait times were long between some of the initial dishes, but then got quicker over time which was good! - The service was slow to come outside to help - The shishito peppers were way too spicy! Overall, what a fun place to take a big group, and festive! ”