Review Pintxada - Umhlanga Rocks

Visited this establishment for Sunday lunch after a friend recommended it. First of all, parking is hell. It really astounds me how people from Umhlanga insist on driving down the road from their flat instead of walking. There is a parking area that charges R10 an hour opposite the restaurant areas so I was forced to park there. Okay, back to the restaurant. Service was very good. We were served by a young black gentleman that looked like he would be more at home on a rugby field than a restaurant. He was attentive and efficient. We were changed tables three times because we were seated in awkward places even though we booked a week in advance. Not a very good first impression. We ordered 6 different tapas to share amongst the four of us. Food took about 30 minutes but was worth the wait. The lamb chops dish and the seafood platter were a favourite. The four veggie dishes were good too. The camembert with mushroom pudding was good but the pastry was uncharacteristically hard. We could not cut through it. The menu is expensive but that's granted given the area. Good wine list. Small tables though. Washroom facilties are outside the restaurant and you'd have to request the key from your waiter.

Great night out if you're above 50! Pensioners party place. But actually it's buzzing and lovely atmosphere. Packed with people especially on weekends. Nice music. Haven't tried food but drinks served quick.

Excellent vibe, great tapas, cocktails and staff. Allround very good experience. Pork belly with crackling the best.

Great food, great cocktails, friendly service, all you can ask for if you're looking for Spanish cuisine

Reasonably priced. Great food. Amazing decor.

Good food, good vibe. Sometimes excellent service, although it's often extremely average. (Disappointing for such a good spot!) Nice relaxed space. Beer on tap and good wine selection.

Great upmarket vibey joint! Tried the tapas and were impressed. The best thing was our waiter, he was the friendliest most helpful person. All in all, my wife and I had a great night out.

It's fortunate this is a tapas restaurant because everything is delicious and everything needs to be tried! The prawns, the croquettes, the meatballs... all good. Pay attention to the specials board as well - the paella is a Must Do if on offer! Pricy, but worth it.

I visited this wonderful Mexican tapas restaurant twice . The only reason I give it 4* vs 5* is because of Service that is not consistent. The first time was at lunch with my hubby and everything was awesome - the service, the meals and the ambience. The waiters were knowledgeable in knowing the meals on offer , including the drinks of the day. I raved about this place . However on going though the second time - this was not consistent - the meals were great , however our waiter did not know what was in offer , which drinks were available or not and took forever to serve us. I am hoping this was a once off holiday season mess up- really enjoy the meals venue . Loved the fact that I also kore about the meaning of tapas etx from this restaurant. Prepared to change to 5* if my next experience is a better one

We really enjoyed food was great but food portions are small for the price... I know it's tapas but do feel it's overpriced for what you get.. But who am I to complain the place was full

Amazing food, and perfectly cooked. However, we wish the tapas portions were smaller so we could have enjoyed some more dishes.

Wow! Great food and atmosphere. We were a party of 11 which the staff ably accommodated. We had an awesome time!

Cocktails and food were great . I really enjoyed the oysters . And also the bread board ,with the mushroom butter . Also worth a mention is that all meats are wood fired

Pintxada is a small restaurant that is well known for its Tapas. It has an amazing European theme, with marble walls. They have seating inside on tables, around the bar and rounded booths, as well as seating outside. They have the most exquisite and foreign food, made by their head chef who was trained in Spain in order to make these delicious decadents. My personal favourite is a plate of assorted Tapas followed by some mouth watering rotisserie chicken and then the Churros, which are Spainish piped doughnuts served with chocolate sauce, for dessert. I love going to Pintxada with my family, we especially go with guests as it is such a treat. The service is very good and if it is ever slow, it will be worth the wait! So if you are ever looking for a fancy and different dining experience, Pintxada is your place.

Went for a lunch on Sunday. Ordered a fillet steak medium rare. Arrived raw and looked grey in color. Requested it to be cooked slightly more. Came back cooked correctly. Extremely bland and after two bites saw that there was green in the meat. Immediately sent it back and still got charged for it. <br/>Do not order steak from this restaurant

Wow what a beautiful and wonderful atmosphere and vibe. The service is outstanding. Food to die for, I enjoyed the food options. If you celebrating a birthday or celebrating something this is the place to a casual celebration. Prices are fair and food great

Tapas style dining with a great selection of different options. Would definitely recommend for a dinner with friends. If you go on a Wednesday you're in for a tapas-special treat.

Amazing dining experience at Pintxada! Good service and delicious food. For mains, we had ordered the seafood paella, beef fillet and mash and a lamb shank with veggies. For refreshments, we sipped on Sangria. Definitely a must try if you enjoy flavourful, hearty meals.

Finally gave this place a try. I love the tapas way of consuming food. I LOVED the ostrich carpaccio and the Philadelphia smoked salmon. I want to go back and try more dishes. Nice spot👍🏾

Cute tapas restaurants with big flavour! Pictured is a Paella which is a must try, pork cracklings on the tender pork loins, Chicken and with shrimp and garlic snails.

What a lovely find in Umhlanga! The decor is lovely I really liked the marble tables but the reason to go and keep going is for the muscles....they are massive and fresh we couldn’t stop ourselves and they are served with bubbles! We also tried the prawns, bread and arancini which were nice but the oysters were the best!

Food uninspiring with even less enthusiastic service from the waiter. Bread arrived after all starters. Waiter more interested in 2 foreign ladies although I must admit they were prettier than me. I will give it a miss next time

A perfect day in Durban and we stopped at Pintxada to get lunch. I had the gnocchi calamari and my friend had the steak. The food was delicious and expertly presented. The staff was friendly and we had great service throughout the meal. Would definitely recommend!

What a beautiful place! If you’re into tapas, then look no further! Very impressed with both the indoor and outdoor setup. The outdoor was what I opted for. The service was amazing. I definitely would recommend the paella 🥘.

I was really looking forward to visiting Pintxada after reading the reviews but I was very disappointed. Great vibe but mediocre. The wafered lamb was tough and lacked flavour, the seafood and chicken in the paella looked like it was blanched, we enjoyed the chicken croquettes and snails but nothing to rave about.

Great vibe, beautiful decorated and good service. Everything we ordered from our party of 8 was top notch. Definitely recommend this to others. When back in the area, I will be back.

The food is absolutely delicious. The waiters are extremely friendly and service is lightning-quick! I love the feel of the restaurant and they have tasty sauces. I would definitely recommend it!

Im a vegetarian, so you already know how my review is going to go. I liked the food but the options were really scarce. I ordered a char grilled spanish vegetables with yogurt dressing. But I have had better.

A great setting, a tapas menu that changes daily, very good cocktails, and a good wine list makes Pintxada a great place to meet friends and have a drink or a light meal. Always exceptional service.

Went here on Saturday night, it's a very lively environment!!!<br/>There's so many Tapas to choose from!!!<br/>Service was great with friendly waiters.

Friday evening we had a group dinner for 9. We were seated inside which was and warm compared to the cold weather outside. The mauve colouring to the decor gives a warm family feeling . For the night our group ordered from the selection of tapas and a few main meals. I ordered the classic Iberian potatoes. Potatoes were fluffy in the middle, had a nice crisp on the outside and seasoned well. I also ordered the grilled calamari, chilli flakes, with no chorizo. The calamari was tender, and had light tinge of heat with the chilli's. For main course I had the pescado del día ( fish of the day) which was the Cape salmon grilled. The fish burst with flavour, it had a nice hint of lime/lemon and each bite better than the last.<br/>Great night for sampling many dishes, and enjoyed the conversation over some good wine. <br/><br/>Next time I'll be hoping to sit at the round tables to better reach the food.

We went there for lunch. We ordered various tapas which were all are pretty amazing! The only problem is we ate too much. They also have great vegetarian options. Their mushroom risotto was out of this world. Fantastic service and defn well worth going to.

The food took long, had to constantly ask for meals , however the place is nice and the dishes were absolutely delicious. I would recommend this eatery for their amazing dishes, we really enjoyed it.

Simple but fantastic flavoured food, great vibe and superb service. Fell in love with this place the moment I walked in. A great combo to have an awesome night out.

The food is good, we landed up ordering a lot of chorizo which made the other food taste too salty. The prawn tapas was really delicious. <br/><br/>The ambience is okay- I guess it was a Monday evening, it's expected that the vibe was not present.

Food: 3.5<br/>Ambiance: 3.5<br/>Service: 3<br/><br/>Great location and awesome vibe at night. Try get a seat at the bar to taste the various craft beer with really good tapas dishes.

What an awesome place. Came here for a late lunch and it was fantastic. My husband ordered the set menu and it was definitely worth it, with lots of options to choose from. I just ordered straight from the menu and was thrilled with my choice. Would highly recommend this place!

Excellent service & food... We were alble to order from the restaurant upstairs to please all different food cravings. Al great experience over all<br/>

Went for a celebratory dinner. Excellent service and food. We had the bread board for starters which was delicious and I then had the creamy mushroom pasta - my partner had the eisbein which was a bit tough. All in all delicious and excellent service. Will come again

What a great night out with the ladies. A beautiful ambience and vibe at Pintxada. An awesome tapas bar. While the service was great we were just a little disappointed to find out that they were out of oysters and churros. Put the tapas were divine. The duck and lentils as well as the prawn gambas were particularly delicious but the tapas that our waitress suggested were really good and so filling. You will definitely not need more then two per person. We also got the pork belly, the calamari, beef medallions and the gnocchi. We ended the night off with the lemon posset which was nice, but were really hoping to get some churros. All in all a good night will definitely be back.

Been to establishment again and the food quality and service is on point. <br/> Another gem among the big rocks on Chartwell drive. <br/>Their roast chicken is too die for. <br/>Steaks are also amazing. <br/>Staff are friendly and service was excellent. <br/>Will definitely be back.

Loved the atmosphere. The seafood paella is a must try - order the big portion (ask them to leave out the chorizo if you don't eat pork). Just wish there were more gin options. Ps was too hungry to take pics.

First impressions, love it! Our waitress, Gugu, is a star. Now waiting for my food and I'm sure it's going to be amazing. Amazing vibe, will recommend anyone and everyone to try this incredible restaurant.

Vibey place for tapas and drinks. We order only tapas from the menu. But also look out for the chalkboard with daily specials on food and cocktails. The staff were friendly and helpful. The food was great for the most part, however the chorizo was disappointing. Over-salted and uncooked, which was a shame because the rest of the food was delicious.

Pintxada is as good as it's always been. Last night was our first visit this year and we lived it. The atmosphere is up-beat and the waitrons friendly and efficient; they work well as a team as they all help each other even though each section has its own waitron. We shared various dishes from the tapas menu. The highlight was the grilled calamari and chorizo which was well cooked and very tasty. The ham, crispy Camembert and vine tomatoes was a well-balanced dish with stacks of flavour. I've always loved the vegetarian butternut and emmental tart, which was sadly not on the menu last night, but I had the seasonal chicken Caesar salad with crispy skin. It was delicious. My husband had the confit duck with pommes de terre Dauphinoises which he found scrumptious! It was a great way to end the week.... good atmosphere, delicious food, friendly staff and a bottle of Graham Beck's Bowed Head Chenin!

We visited this resturant twice within one weekend. The food and service was amazing! The bartenders (specifically Robert) so kindly organised for us to have one last round after cash up. The manager, however, put a dampener on the evening as he decided to confront his bartending staff in front of us. The manner in which he spoke to his staff was highly unprofessional (whether that be in front of us or not) and made us feel uncomfortable, especially after the excellent service we had just recieved. (Our low rating refers only to the management style).

A spontaneous lunch out turned into a real treat, sharing plates of delicious tapas on an airy outdoor seating area on Granada Square on a sunny summer’s day.<br/><br/>We shared a charcuterie platter, with wafer thin slices of really good chorizo, Serrano ham, salami and olives and plates of roast pork belly and chicken “croquetas”.<br/><br/> The idea of gnocchi with butternut, almonds, cream and Amaretto sounded a bit odd, but tasted fantastic. Not quite as elegant to share as the rest of the options, but we passed the plate around. I think this one may have been a special, so it might not always be on the menu, but I highly recommend it.<br/><br/>The Classic Iberian Potatoes were no more than crispy fried cubes of potatoes with a mild spicy mayo dip and another robust tomato dip – but they were outstanding! <br/><br/>The service was particularly good, with a cheerful, attentive waiter, and a manager who came over to make sure we were having a good meal. Overall a great experience and I’ll be back to try the full dinner menu.

Umhlanga during December in Durban is definitely the place to be. It's lively, vibey and you just get that all around holiday feeling.<br/><br/>My friends and I had decided to try Pintxada out looking for something new, and we actually weren't too disappointed.<br/><br/>The restaurant is situated under little Havana and is really quite a beautifully designed space. It's a spanish/tapas restaurant with a good cocktail menu. The marble bar with overhanging lights and the pink chairs are probably my favourite features. <br/><br/>Being December we had called to make a booking. However unfortunately upon arrival the hostess said she was unable to find our name on the list but she could see if they would be able to seat us. It was a bit windy so we had wanted to be seated inside but she said that was not possible as all the tables were booked so we were seated more towards the entrance.<br/><br/>Our waitress was very friendly however it was her first day so she wasn't exactly the most knowledgeable on anything much off the menu.<br/><br/>There is a printed menu as well as a specials board with a large number of tapas specials available for the day.<br/><br/>The 3 different gin cocktails that were ordered were fantastic, probably the best gin based cocktails I've tasted. <br/><br/>We all decided to order two tapas dishes each. I had the ostrich with green peppercorn sauce and dripping potatoes as well as the seafood paella. <br/><br/>The ostrich was fantastic. Perfectly cooked and the sauce was delicious. The potatoes were crispy and crunchy on the outside which I loved.<br/><br/>The paella was well seasoned, rich and also very tasty. The chicken pieces however were a tad bit dry but it happens.<br/><br/>I also tasted a piece of lamb from a friend which was again perfectly cooked.<br/><br/>My only gripe was that on receiving the bill we did notice that one of the dishes which 3 of us had ordered had been overcharged by R10 each, according to what should have been the pricing that was on the board.<br/><br/>We did bring this to our waitress's attention and the manager very quickly reduced the bill by more than what was actually necessary to compensate, which was a nice gesture.<br/><br/>Overall it's a great new spot on the umhlanga scene and I would definitely want to return to try out more dishes from the menu.<br/><br/><br/>

We were actually meant to eat at a nearby restaurant, but after waiting 40 minutes to be served and then told that everything that we wanted was unavailable, we decided to leave. And thank goodness we did. The service, atmosphere and food was all excellent. I decided to have the tapas: the butternut gnocchi and the meatballs on a Swiss Rosti. My sister had the squid heads which were perfect. What a lovely ending to an evening that could have been a disaster. Will definitely be back! Thank you for such a brilliant evening and to our delightful waitress, Portia.

Excellent Spanish tapas restaurant in Durban! There's a growing popularity for tapas restaurants here but most seem to be Mexican so it's nice to have a different option to choose from<br/><br/>Went for lunch and had about 6 or so dishes amongst our table of 3. The gnocchi special was out of this world as was the charcuterie platter. We also had the croquettes, the potatoes and the pork belly. <br/><br/>Truly exceptional, will definitely be back and recommend to any one!

Amazing food with an awesome atmosphere and friendly, we'll trained staff. The food was prepared perfectly and very favourably. Could easily frequent this place!

I love tapas. They are supposed to have bags of flavour, because the small portions are one or two mouthfuls they can afford to be.<br/><br/>I have been to Pintxada three times, the first two i found the food lacked flavour. My visit today was great with all the dishes well spiced and all the produce fresh.<br/><br/>The service is excellent and the decor is fresh and inviting. This is the perfect venue for a late lunch on a sunny afternoon

We went here for lunch but the service was terrible so we just had drinks. After we asked the waiter for the bill se went on to help her other tables before getting our bill. She was rude and not helpfull at all. Maybe we will have a better experience with another waiter...

Firstly it was my birthday and called in to make a reservation because there was quiet a few of us. I had to be early to reserve our table which was supposed to be ready for 10 people. I was told to wait at the bar while they get a table ready......<br/>After 30min they are still sorting a table, my friends and I having drinks at the bar while we wait.... <br/>After an hour still waiting, and other people was being seated. <br/>I start calling other restaurants for a last minute table, and the host at pintxada says just wait 10 more minutes( that was like 3 times).<br/>After 2 hours of waiting we finally had no patient and was so hungry, aswell as mad for a new restaurant opened not even a month to make the worst first impression and ruined my birthday.

Wow wow wow <br/>I can't fault this place for anything <br/>I live in joburg and came to umshlanga for a holiday <br/>One night we stumbled into this restaurant <br/>From the outside it looked quite but when we came in there was such a good vibe <br/>The manager was phenomenal and gave us a few foods to try out (lamb which was the best lamb I have ever had)<br/>I had the special which was R100 and you could choose any 3 tapas style food.<br/>They were delicious. <br/>There service was great as well <br/>Please try it out yourself

Tapas are amazing. Portion is perfect and exquisitely made. Made for a phenomenal afternoon of chilling with a glass of wine and gorgeous food.

This restaurant lived up to expectations! Stunning little plates of tasty tapas...calamari and chorizo was define...order churros for dessert, (they are not on the menu) but an excellent way to finish a good meal. Friendly, attentive staff, beautiful setting and a great selection of wines.<br/>

I'm not usually a big fan of tapas food however, Pintxada is an exception. Their dishes are so wholesome, making me feel like I'm eating a home cooked meal your mother would make. Just loved everything about the place.

From the owners of Little Havana comes Pintxada, a modern, upmarket & styling Spanish pintxo or tapas, rotisserie & cocktail bar. A very cool "anybody who's anybody hangs out there" kind of restaurant on Chartwell Drive. Refreshing sparkling wine cocktails, jack black on tap and unique fine dining taster plates will keep you going back for more. The service was a bit slow but I'm sure it'll pick up as they get settled. I would recommend them for sun downers or pre-drinks and a light meal before partying the night away. Check out the full restaurant review on my food blog MyInsatiableAppetite.net or for more pics follow me on Instagram @lauren_joshua_miles

Possibly the best tapas style food you could have, nestled in the vibrant Umhlanga village on a warm Summer's evening. What a fantastic place ! The waitress was knowledgable and friendly, the outside table was still and vibey and the food was .. Well it was ridiculously good. All 12 plates we had were amazing !! The Lango risotto, pork belly and duck with bubble and squeak were the highlights for me. All paired with well priced wine :) I live within 500m of this place and will be back very often

UNBELIEVABLE service ! Manager on duty was so accommodating on a busy Friday night when we didn't book. Waitress was always around when we needed her and food arrived in a decent amount of time . Olives on arrival (extremely tasty) We had some Tapas , A pepper steak medallion , cooked to perfection , grilled calamari - yum !, langoustine Risotto - delicious !! Pork belly - crunchy and extremely tasty !! For desert - Churros with ice cream and chocolate sauce. All in all an amazing experience and we will be back .

Tried this relatively new imaginative installment by the great team of Little Havana (upstairs) and was pleasantly surprised! Really nice atmosphere and friendly staff.<br/><br/>I obviously love Spanish tapas as I can try a lot of the menu and its a sharing/social dining experience!<br/>Marinated olives, chorizo calamari, fish cakes, pork riblets, flambed duck liver, mussels etc etc. all well prepared, but again just lacking a little bit of sparkle in some of the dishes compared some equivalent places in Johannesburg and Cape Town.<br/>Cocktails were good and original, but places not far from there would beat them hands down.<br/>Loved the Churros...just a little bigger please!!!😬<br/><br/>All in all...good start...Durban needed this!<br/>I know the level of Little Havana and I'm sure Pinxtada will be up there with the best!<br/>

An amazing way place to catch up with school friends on a Friday evening. The resturant is very vibie and the food was amazing. We decided to share plates amongst ourselves which allowed one to try a wider variety of different food choices.

Great way to spend the last night before heading back to work:) some friends and I went to Pintxada this evening, we chose to sit outside as it was a lovely night. The atmosphere is great and you forget that you are at The Village. We shared a variety of tapas, the watermelon salad was a huge hit. The rest of the meals were good, a bit over priced for the portion that you are receiving though. Overall a good dining experience.

Unpleasant experience. Hot and stuffy inside seating. service was really bad. Our waiter constantly forgot what we ordered or even to wait on our table in general, also completely unapologetic for any errors. Not a manager in sight to assist either. The tapas were high priced and the taste was mediocre. The squid heads, patatas and fish cakes lacked any sort of flavor. Only thing worth ordering was the chilli shrimp and risotto. Churros were uncooked inside and creme brulee did not crack. Worst spent R1000 this holiday season.

Despite new years day frenzy in umhlanga- we were quickly seated and served. The tapas menu looked very inviting but I opted for the sirloin and my boyfriend went for the roasted chicken and veggies. The sirloin was soft and the chicken was juicy. Super keen to try the tapas on a less busy day.

Newly opened in Umhlanga. ..great Vibe with a open Kitchen and Bar area so you can view what's cooking and watch Great Cocktails been made ...<br/>

This is a really good restaurant. The tapas menu is comprehensive and caters for all tastes. We really enjoyed the shrimps and the calamari dishes.The pork ribs and the mussel tapas were also excellent. The service was outstanding and there is a great vibe.

Our introduction to Pintxada was less than welcoming. It was poaring with rain and we were sopping wet and looked quite ratty after being at an event all day so when we entered this beautiful restaurant we were very disappointed to be offered the least comfortable table pushed away into the corner and after being given more than one judgemental look from the staff and patrons we almost got up and left but I am glad we stayed. <br/>Why am I glad we stayed after being treated like unwelcomed guests? The food. The food is delicious and scored a perfect score for me for flavour, texture, presentation and value for money. The Pork Belly is a must have as it is succulent and bursting with flavour. Definitely look at the daily specials board which is filled with fresh and delicious tapas. Avoid the Marinated Olives which we found to just be olives in brine. <br/>We will definitely come back to Pintxada for the food but probably in fancier clothes to avoid being hidden away from the rest of the restaurant.

What a little gem this place is! Brought to u by the owners of little Havana, it offers a wide choice of dishes via the tapas menu. The lamb was superb; calamari with chorizo also very good; the Caesar salad was awesome...made with perfect bits of chicken skin...luv'd it & will definitely return before the holiday is over!