taberna gamboa

Updated August 2018

After having come here for years, on every stay in Granada, this time was a bit of a disappointment. I’d heard that Taberna Gamboa had changed hands since my last visit, but we were determined to have the hot sizzling gambas pil-pil….

The bar looks the same – it’s quite small and cosy, with a buzzy atmosphere that’s both typical and traditional. It can be a bit of a struggle to get a place at the bar or tables, especially at peak times, also typical of popular bars in Granada. Anyhow, the food. Our gambas pil-pil arrived “unsizzly” in a dish of tepid olive oil, served by a waiter who seemed to be wishing she were somewhere else. We were then joined by friends and tried a couple of the complimentary tapas (meh), and when we decided to have another round of drinks we weren’t brought the usual complimentary tapa. Finally we mentioned this to the waiter, who begrudgingly brought us a plate of cheese. I hope this was just an off day, as I used to really love this place. But friends in Granada say it hasn’t been the same since the change in management. Oh well.