CrowdSavings

If you're looking for tasty tapas in a relaxed atmosphere to stop at during your time at Channelside, I can't recommend Tinatapa's enough, which we recently visited for the first time. The restaurant was surprisingly spacious and nicely decorated in subdued tones, and the booths were big and comfortable - certainly big enough to bring friends! While the whole staff seemed to be enjoying themselves and were pleasant, our server, whose name I think was Ty, was awesome. She was friendly, cheerful, and clearly knew a lot about the menu, and made some great recommendations. We never felt rushed, or as though we were just walking dollar signs; the whole staff seemed concerned that we enjoy our experience, and we felt very welcomed and relaxed. If we weren't on our way to see a movie, we would have probably stayed a lot longer than we did. The food was really very good. I'd heard criticisms that the dishes weren't anything you couldn't make at home, which I suppose is true; but for me it's not whether I COULD make it, but whether I DO, and since I don't make these sorts of dishes at home, I was glad to come to a place that did. And cooked them well to boot! Everything was freshly made and delicious; none of the meat was overcooked, the sauces were flavorful, and you could tell that everything was fresh. The portions were also very generous for a tapas joint; my husband and I definitely got full before we ran out of food, and we only ordered four dishes. I was very surprised to see that they had a big variety of house cocktails to try, ranging from simple variations on a cosmo, to sweet, chocolatey concoctions that looked like they belonged on the dessert menu. (Again, our server was very good about recommending which ones she thought I'd like best based on what sort of drinks I said I liked.) I did try the sangria, which was nice and fruity, but I preferred the lemon drop cocktail I had. My husband was also pleased by the variety of beer they had available. To top it off, Tinatapa's also has a great outdoor bar for you to walk up to, which I highly recommend if you're "on the fence" about trying the place. Sit down, have a drink, and try at least one dish from the menu. It's also in a great location, with a lot of things to see and do in the area; just make sure you don't get too full or tipsy to walk afterwards. Definitely recommended.