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El Prado Bar & Restaurant — Restaurants in Bridgend

El Prado Bar & Restaurant

RestaurantsBridgend

4.5 out of 5 stars4.5(557 reviews)

Quick info

+44 1656 768555
High St, Laleston, Bridgend CF32 0LD, United Kingdom

About El Prado Bar & Restaurant

El Prado Bar & Restaurant is a restaurant on High St in Bridgend where meats are cooked over oak charcoal and chosen at an open seafood and meat counter. There are no menus at the tables. Guests order at the food counter, see the food before they pick it, and a queue forms at times. Fish comes from a local fishmonger, and staff fillet the salt-roasted whole sea bass at the table, with tartare sauce brought alongside. Calamares de la plancha and rack of lamb are also on the list of dishes to order. The bar keeps an extensive wine selection to go with the grilled meats and fish. The restaurant is run by a family and has worked with its local suppliers for 40 years.

Good to know

“All our food is freshly prepared by a team of highly skilled chefs. All our meats are cooked over the finest oak charcoal to give you the best flavours. Our freshly displayed fish produce is supplied to us by our local fish monger. Over the past 40 years we have forged a strong working relationship with all our local suppliers. As a family run business, we pride ourselves on providing the best produce we can offer.”

  • Accessibility
    Wheelchair: entrance, parking lot, restroom, seating

Reviews

4.5/5
557 reviews

What reviewers say

Reviewers most often mention lamb and sheep meatballs, counter ordering system, salt-roasted whole sea bass and extensive wine selection.

5★
386
4★
92
3★
43
2★
16
1★
20

Customer Review Summary

Diners most often single out the lamb meatballs, described as delicious and so tender they could be cut with a spoon. Close behind are the beef fillet medallions, called succulent, though one reviewer found them too salty, and a feast of grilled squid, asparagus with manchego and whole sea bass. Friendly, welcoming staff come up repeatedly, and several mention drinks being topped up and food arriving quickly. The main recurring complaint is that no menu comes to the table. Reviewers say nobody explained that food is ordered from the counter or chalk board, so one group sat for a good while before asking, and another had to ask at the bar. One diner who found the visit disorganised described the rack of lamb as light on meat and lacking depth, and received the wrong wine. Others like the open counter where food is chosen and watched going into the kitchen. One reviewer describes staff filleting the salt-roasted sea bass at the table and offering tartare sauce as you would pepper.

Featured reviews

  • Google user
    “A thoughtful and aspiring Spanish influenced restaurant with lots of potential. My partner and I stopped here on our way back from a camping trip. I am very impressed with the staff (and grateful to them) who made us feel so welcome despite the fact we were very casually presented, and a bit salty compared with the other customers who had for the most part put a lot of effort into their ‘going out’ attire. El Prado follows a ‘traditional’ Spanish restaurant format wherein there are no menus at the table; you must order from the food counter. This is a pretty cool concept that allows you to see and select the fox you’re going to eat, but naturally means there is a bit of a queue. We enjoyed calamares de la plancha (grilled squid), asparagus with manchego and tomato reduction, and whole sea bass with sides. The food was sensational. We were enchanted with the young serving staff who skilfully filleted the salt-roasted sea bass at our table. Tartare sauce was brought to the table and offered as you would offer pepper (love that). We really did have a feast. The wine selection is inspired, informed, and extensive. A lot of attention has been paid here. The indoor space is beautifully thought out and even the toilets are stately and pristine. We sat in the outdoor area by the car park. I have no complaints but it would be even better if the restaurant was able to add some planters containing olive or citrus trees that block out the car park and road so you feel like you’re in a really intimate setting.”
  • Google user
    “Fantastic food and very friendly service. Very cosy despite it being really busy on a Saturday evening. Will definitely be back!”
  • Google user
    “We all were had a great taste food and fast delivered. Menu is massive choice, love it!”
  • Google user
    “I have frequented the El Prado on a number of occasions and had great service. The staff are friendly and amazing. I smoke cigars so it's a great place to have some food and relax . There is a cigar event coming up on the 4th June if anyone interested. Darran”
  • Google user
    “Went recently for the 1st time . Unusual experience. So firstly, they don't have a physical menu at your table, this wasn't well explained by the staff I ended up having to ask it at the bar to be told to order off the chalk board around the corner. We had about 3 staff members attend our table throughout, they were all okay but the experience was different from them all Wine order was incorrect , ended up with something more expensive though we weren't charged the extra for it, it wasn't one we thought much of. Everything just felt very disorganised and awkward, like I didn't feel welcomed there. Food was okay, but quite forgettable overall. I had the rack of lamb which was over £30 for not much meat. It was cooked well but lacked depth. Chips were advertised as fries but they weren't that (more chip shop style ) However they were decent Best part of this restaurant is definitely the decor, that much they did get right. Everything else was very average and forgettable. I'm quite surprised at how many positive reviews there are , it's like they're telling themselves it's better than it is? Can't say Id go back again unfortunately”

Amenities

  • Wheelchair accessible entrance
Show more amenities
Accessibility· 3
  • Wheelchair accessible parking lot
  • Wheelchair accessible restroom
  • Wheelchair accessible seating

Location

Restaurants near El Prado Bar & Restaurant

El Prado Bar & Restaurant
Wheelchair accessible
4.5557

The 3 nearest restaurants by distance. Ratings, hours and review terms come from public business profiles.

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