My husband was tapa-ed out and we hadn’t had paella at this point so he Unilocaled until he found a recommended paella place. The cool breeze in the street, the mellow post siesta sun, the dusky yellow hue of the Sevilla’s apartments, great food, friends and the long time they let us lounge made this restaurant the perfect scene to encapsulate our experience in Seville. Our Argentina waiter was charming and handsome and told us we wouldn’t have better paella elsewhere. Our waiter was so willing to bet on El Colmaito, he advised us to try another restaurant’s paella and come back to tell him the our conclusions. We didn’t. The paella had moist saffron-and-tomato-soaked rice, was filled with seafood and was so solid, we came back twice.
Brian B.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Sacramento, CA
I studied abroad in Sevilla this last fall semester and El Colmaíto was me and my friends’ go-to restaurant above all others. The food is great especially the risotto negro(black risotto) and paella. On top of the food being excellent, the owner, Vicente, is the most generous, affable and empathetic restaurant owner I have ever met. The customer service is top notch quality especially if Vicente is tending to your table directly. Anyways, if you’re in el centro(downtown) and you’re looking for an authentic, enjoyable and affordable cent(dinner), you must try El Colmaíto. P. S. Un buen gracias a Vincente por todo su servicio de buena calidad este otoño pasado. Ojala que tengas mucha suerte con tus negocios por todo su vida!
Jennifer N.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Washington, DC
(3.75 stars) El Colmaito de Cai isn’t much to look at it, but it is a laid-back place that serves tasty tapas– we went thanks to Unilocal,and at first had a hard time finding it, but it’s actually behind La Esquinita de Arfe on Arfe St. We were there on the early side for Sevilla(around 9:30pm) so we had the outdoors to ourselves– and everything we sampled was tasty, the service was relatively attentive and friendly. The waiter encouraged(upsold?) us to get the salad and it actually turned out to be the very best part of the meal — romaine lettuce, diced onions, tomatoes, olives, and, of course tuna, tossed with vinegar and oil. Other highlights were the spinach and garbanzos, and the shrimp in sizzling garlic and oil — the only tapa I’d skip next time is the black rice with squid — though the squid was delicious(and had this amazing smoky flavor) the rice itself was far richer and creamier than I expected. Tapas for 2, without drinks, came to 24 euros(about $ 32).
Woo-Sung L.
Rating des Ortes: 5 San Marino, CA
My wife and I were in Seville last week. Looking for a good paella, after getting tired of too many tapas, I consulted Unilocal.And I found this place with good reviews which were found to be totally reliable both in terms of the food and attentiveness of the owner, Vicente, and his crew. Oh, I should mention how beautiful and good a chef his wife is! Their«carrillada» is very good too, not to mention their«arroz blanco» and fried squids. Excellent! We ended up going back there for two more meals.
Katherine K.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Hollister, CA
While studying abroad in Seville we stumbled upon this gem. With excellent food and above and beyond service, this restaurant quickly became our favorite. Everything on the menu that we tried was wonderful. I especially loved the paella, tortilla espanola, and the tinto de verano. The service at this restaurant was undoubtedly the best I experienced in Spain. The owner, Vicente was incredibly friendly. He took time to get to know us and even helped us practice our Spanish. He was the most kind person we met during our stay, offering suggestions for traveling through Spain that were helpful. This place is a must visit if you’re looking for good food, good service and good company. I miss eating at this restaurant and chatting with Vicente. If you’re in Seville make sure to stop by!
MIRIAN R.
Rating des Ortes: 2 Sevilla
Mi experiencia con este restaurante no ha sido del todo positiva. Elegimos El Colmaito de Cai para celebrar una comida de empresa hace un par de años. Seríamos unos cuarenta, pero allí dentro no había espacio real para tantos, parecíamos sardinas enlatadas. Había tal caos, que ni el propio camarero llegaba a los extremos de la mesa y nosotros teníamos que pasarnos los platos en cadena. Aparte era fácil que mientras comías le dieras algún que otro codazo(sin querer) a los compañeros que tenías a los lados. Llegaba a tal punto la ausencia de espacio que cuando alguien quería ir al baño se tenía que levantar media mesa y no estoy exagerando. Encima tuvieron un detalle feo a última hora, nos cobraron las dos comidas de dos compañeros que habían faltado. Menos mal que la comida estaba buena y que pusieron mucha cantidad, que si no… La verdad es que no creo que vuelva a celebrar una comida de empresa en este sitio, aunque si alguna vez lo hago es porque seamos muy poquitos, sino no se me pasa ni por la cabeza.
CRISTINA G.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Sevilla
Este restaurante es de uno de los mejores amigos de mi antiguo jefe, por lo que las comidas de Navidad las celebrábamos allí, y han sido las mejores comidas de empresa de mi vida. Nos servían cada plato con un tipo de vino, el dueño entiende muchísimo, un sumiller que ofrece una carta que puede llegar a tener cien referencias, incluso maridaje para el postre. Combina cocina andaluza con otra más innovadora, y la materia prima os puedo asegurar que es de calidad, se preocupa muchísimo porque el cliente quede satisfecho y para ello es fundamental trabajar con buenos productos. Invitaba el jefe, así que no sé cuánto le costaba, pero en la carta no se veían precios desorbitados teniendo en cuenta la suculenta comida.