Went to Lola Roja last night for the first time, after meaning to go for years. I was pretty underwhelmed to be honest. Service was pleasant but very slow. The food was ok but small portions and pretty expensive. There’s a good wine list but again, on the pricey side and we were initially served cava in normal wine glasses. None of the dishes stood out as being exceptional and the brava potato(patatas bravas equivalent) was five half potatoes… For £5.50. Just not good value. It was also hot in the restaurant and the air con wasn’t switched on. I won’t return — Boqueria or even Carmen are definitely better choices for the money and food quality.
Jessica D.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Birmingham, United Kingdom
I’ve been here twice and had wildly different experience each time. My first visit was great. The tapas were lovely and the service was fast and friendly. I had a chocolate fondant dessert which was sublime. After this first trip I was half in love with Lola Rojo. Going back with a friend around two weeks ago I had an experience there that knocked me right back out of love. The gentleman working was dismissive and rude and the service was very slow. I was quite embarrassed as I had bragged to my friend about the level of service here. We would up paying for our drinks and moving across the street to eat at Byron, away from the icy service. I’ll likely go back one more, in hopes that Lola and I can patch things up.
James W.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Richmond, United Kingdom
had fun here last night. food was good, and wine reasonably priced and tasty. place was buzzing and service was just fine. yes, the patatas bravas was not ‘authentic’ in the way they are served in Barca, but they were tasty nevertheless.
Erica U.
Rating des Ortes: 4 London, United Kingdom
The wine selection was great The staff was really good Décor was lovely Price was reasonable Food was good but not great and didn’t wow me. We tried the rabbit and pumpkin paella which was tasty but bony and the flavors did not stand out. Next we tried oxtail with an apple purée which was lovely, the best part was the palate cleanser that came in form of a tarragon sorbet. It was the highlight of the meal. The white bean dish was yum and didn’t leave my stomach in an upset afterwards. Over all a nice meal.
Kangel
Rating des Ortes: 4 London, United Kingdom
Strangely hit and miss this place. The first time we ate there was deeply underwhelming; a rather bland, unmemorable array of tapas, that appeared to have been left lingering, sad and forlorn, in some warming draw somewhere. This was about two years ago. Went back two months ago and was truly astounded by the improvement. The pork belly was delicious, puddings superb and I’ve bored my friends endlessly describing the utterly delicious PX reserva dessert wine. I think it’s well worth another go to those who’ve been stung before.
Nioan
Rating des Ortes: 4 London, United Kingdom
Ok, this is probably the first proper Spanish restaurant that I go to. I have been twice to this place and I quite like it. The restaurant has a selection of tapas at about 5 – 8 pounds and various Paelias. All the tapas we ordered were very tasty. I must add to that, that some of them contained raw ingredients — such as prosciutto. I consider their taste indicative of the overall quality of the ingredients used in the restaurant. Both times I had the seafood Paelia with lobster which was fantastic. Also I loved the Catalan bread, even though its nothing more than bread with tomato. We had sangria, a red wine punch at around 17 pounds per pitcher — which for sangria felt a bit much. The service is very polite, however not always available and not the fastest you have ever came across. The place is also very clean.
Jessie J.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Vancouver, Canada
Discovered Lola Rojo thanks to Time Out’s recent 50 Tables With Bite issue, and tried it out on my first ever visit to Battersea to see friends who live nearby. The food was delicious, we lapped up everything, and we are a foodie crowd. My most vivid memory is of the patatas bravas, mostly because my comfort-tapa was served in a completely unfamiliar(but delicious) way. Instead of the usual dish of potato chunks either smothered in sauce, or accompanied by dipping dishes, these patatas were served individually in a row on a long platter: each had a small hollow in the centre, that was filled and overflowing with a light but rich sauce. We also ordered mushrooms with alioli, garlic prawns, cod fritters, lentils with chorizo, and I believe something with octopus. The fact that the dishes are mostly a blur has to do mostly with how good everything was, and also a little with the tasty bottle of red wine we shared. The desserts we ordered were fine, but not as worthy of a letter home as the food.
Claire L.
Rating des Ortes: 4 London, United Kingdom
Lola Rojo is Spanish food /tapas with a quirky twist. The settings are quiet, intimate and they feel rather special. This place didn’t have the atmosphere of a usual bustling Spanish tapas restaurant. I always associate tapas with socialising but this place seems to be all about couples on the night that we went. What stands-out the most is the unusual menu. Amongst many things, we ordered tomato ice-cream with garlic crisps. This dish doesn’t sound like it’d be tasty at all but it was surprisingly refreshing and tasted amazing. I would definitely go back here, the food is quirky and the whole experience felt really special without being hugely snobby. Lola Rojo manages to mix avant-garde food with good homely service.