La Loca Maria

The pure definition of good Spanish food! Right from their starters(Gamba prawns, tacos and mushroom croquettes) to the delicious paella and even the cocktails were absurdly spot on! Yes, it can be quite expensive, but the ambience and the taste more than makes up for it. The service is also quite quick!

La Local Maria in Bandra was an unfortunate letdown, falling far short of its high rating and reputation. Despite making a reservation, we were met with an empty dining room on a Sunday afternoon—a red flag we should have heeded. The buff carpaccio we ordered was essentially tasteless slices of raw buffalo, doused in so much salt that it masked any possible flavor. Following that, we tried the charred octopus, which was disturbingly rubbery with a texture closer to dry chicken. The only redeemable part of that dish was the potatoes, a sad highlight for a main course. As for the chicken skewers, they were bland and forgettable, offering nothing special or remotely interesting. We hoped the drinks would at least salvage the experience, but both the Berry Blast and Pineapple Brazil Fizz were uninspired, flat, and poorly matched with the meal—even after we sought recommendations from the staff. Service was minimal and indifferent, adding to the overall disappointing atmosphere. La Local Maria is drastically overrated, and the prices are laughable given the underwhelming food, drinks, and service. This was one of the least impressive dining experiences we've had recently—save your time and money for somewhere that lives up to its hype.

Dinner, on a rainy night... The restaurant has seating outdoors and an air-conditioned indoors, plus a private dining room if you're so inclined as a group. Ordered 4 starters, Gambas, the Garlic Prawns... am anytime a garlic fan and so this just hit the right spot! ... also the Charred Octopus (excellent, but you may want to spice it up), and Crispy fish Tacos... wonderful! Also the Coca de Setas, which are the portobello mushrooms with truffle oil etc... excellent! Mains was a Roast chicken, loved it... with the sauce... crispy skin and tender inside... Ordered a Lobster Paella, was OK, could have been better..... Ended with the La Loca Maria Tiramisu - nicely presented, not over sweet & I thought was a perfect ending to a good meal! Total cost for the food was about Rs.8,000/- which included a 10% service charge, for 4 people. We also had 3 drinks : a Glenlivet single Malt + a large Bourbon + a beer.... for Rs.3000/- including taxes and the 10% service charge. Must compliment the staff and the servers... very pleasant, smiling and eveready!

I loved this restaurant! It was vibrant and buzzing, lively, convivial, the vaulted ceilings painted with Spanish style motifs. The menu is wide ranging, plenty of tempting options. However, a large part of the menu wasn’t really Spanish, there was a lot of Italian and Mexican inspired food, even in the tapas section. We wanted to try a few different dishes, so we chose a variety of tapas. The gambas al ajillo (very garlicky prawns in sizzling oil) are a dish I can never resist when in Spain, and I enjoyed them just as much in Mumbai. I liked most of the other dishes, too, except for the pan de ajo which was soft and bland and nothing what garlic bread in Spain would be like. With just six tapas the four of us were full, and moved straight on to the desserts. We shared their version of a tiramisu and something called ‘sweet and sour’. Both were sensational! Yummy, and a fitting end to fabulous meal in a lovely ambiance. They have a nice range of wines, several available by the glass, and some really interesting cocktails. I can recommend the Lica Negroni as an aperitif, and the Spanish Tempranillo to go with tapas. Service was professional, knowledgeable and good humoured throughout. Our bill for four including a moderate amount of alcoholic drinks was INR11300 including. A 10 pc service charge. A fair price for a great evening out!