Important and Common Phrases in Spanish Restaurant

Hola, welcome to the world of Spanish cuisine! Knowing a few phrases in the local language can greatly enhance your dining experience and show your appreciation for the culture. Don’t worry if you’re not fluent in Spanish, as most restaurants will have English menus or staff who speak English-Spanish Restaurant Phrases.

However, learning some basic phrases will make a good impression and help you navigate through the restaurant with ease. In this guide, we’ll go through some essential Spanish phrases that will come in handy when dining and working in a Spanish restaurant.

Basic Spanish Restaurant Vocabularies

Before we dive into specific phrases, let’s cover some basic vocabulary that you’ll encounter in a Spanish restaurant. Knowing these words will help you understand menu items and communicate with the staff.

  • Restaurante: Restaurant
  • Mesero/Mesera: Waiter/Waitress
  • C omida: Food/Meal
  • Bebida: Drink
  • Platos principales: Main dishes
  • Postres: Desserts
  • Cuenta: Bill/Check

Spanish Vocabulary: Dining at The Restaurant

As we continue our culinary journey, let’s explore the realm of dining at a Spanish restaurant. These vocabulary terms will not only help you order your meal but also enhance your dining experience, making it more enjoyable and smooth. 

  • ¿Puedo ver el menú, por favor?: Can I see the menu, please?
  • ¿Qué recomiendas?: What do you recommend?
  • ¿Cuál es la especialidad de la casa?: What is the house specialty?

Ordering Food and Drinks

  • Quisiera ordenar…: I would like to order…
  • Una mesa para dos, por favor: A table for two, please
  • ¿ Tienen algún plato vegetariano?: Do you have any vegetarian options?
  • Me gustaría probar el plato del día: I would like to try the daily special
  • Una botella de agua, por favor: A bottle of water, please
  • Un vaso de vino tinto/blanco: A glass of red/white wine

Making Requests

  • ¿ Podría traerme más pan, por favor?: Could you bring me more bread, please?
  • ¿Me puede cambiar este plato?: Can you change this dish for me?
  • ¿ Puedo pedir otro tenedor/cuchillo?: Can I request another fork/knife?

Simple Food & Drink Vocabulary

  • Ensalada: Salad
  • Pollo: Chicken 
  • Pescado: Fish
  • Tacos: Tacos
  • Churros: Churros (fried dough pastry)
  • Flan: Caramel custard 

Personalizing Order

  • Sin cebolla/tomate: Without onion/tomato
  • Poco/medio/bastante cocido: Rare/medium/well-done 
  •   Con hielo/sin hielo: With/without ice

Key Restaurant Working Terms in Spanish Restaurant

Navigating your way through a busy kitchen or serving customers can be challenging, especially when you’re working in a Spanish restaurant and not fully conversant with the language. Learning a handful of key restaurant working terms can make a world of difference, giving you the confidence to communicate effectively and perform your duties with ease. 

For Waiters

  • B ienvenidos: Welcome
  • ¿Puedo tomar su orden?: Can I take your order?
  • La cuenta, por favor: The bill, please
  •  ¿Desean postres o café?: Would you like desserts or coffee?
  • Necesito más ingredientes: I need more ingredients 
  • ¿Qué va en el plato?: What goes on the dish?
  • Está listo para servir: It’s ready to serve
  •   ¡Buen trabajo!: Good job!

Other Spanish Restaurant Professionals’ Vocabularies

  • Gerente: Manager 
  • Hostess: Anfitrión/Anfitriona
  • Barman: Bartender 
  •  Lavaplatos: Dishwasher 
  • Camarero/Camarera: Server 

Tips to Learn Spanish for Restaurant 

If you’re planning on working in a Spanish restaurant or simply want to improve your language skills, here are some tips to help you learn Spanish for the restaurant setting:

  • Practice with native speakers:  The best way to learn any language is by speaking with native speakers. Find someone who speaks Spanish fluently and practice having conversations about food and dining.
  • Watch videos or listen to podcasts:  There are many online resources available that provide lessons on Spanish restaurant phrases. Watching videos or listening to podcasts can help you pick up new vocabulary and improve your pronunciation.
  • Use flashcards:  Flashcards are a great way to memorize new words and phrases. Write down the Spanish word on one side and the English translation on the other, and use them to review regularly.
  • Immerse yourself in the language:  If possible, spend time in Spanish-speaking countries or communities. This will help you become more comfortable with the language and pick up new phrases naturally.

In conclusion, understanding and using basic Spanish phrases in a restaurant setting can greatly improve your dining or working experience. You don’t have to be fluent, but knowing simple phrases like greetings, how to order food, or make requests, can go a long way in making your interactions smoother and more enjoyable. You’ll be able to navigate Spanish menus and communicate with staff more effectively, making your restaurant experience authentic and enriching.

Whether you’re dining out, planning to work in a Spanish restaurant, or simply want to broaden your language skills, these essential phrases and tips will help you on your journey. Practice regularly, involve yourself in immersive experiences, and don’t shy away from using what you’ve learned. Remember, language is a bridge that connects cultures, broadens perspectives, and enhances experiences. ¡Buena suerte! (Good luck!)

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What do you call a Spanish restaurant?

A Spanish restaurant can be called a “restaurante español” or simply “un restaurante” if it serves Spanish cuisine.  

Is Restaurante masculine or feminine?

Restaurante is masculine in Spanish. It is preceded by the masculine article “el” and the adjective “español” ends in -o, which indicates it is also masculine. 

What are 3 useful Spanish phrases relating to foods?

¿Qué recomiendas?: What do you recommend?, Sin cebolla/tomate: Without onion/tomato, Poco/medio/bastante cocido: Rare/medium/well-done.

What Spanish phrase would you use to order in a restaurant?

Quisiera ordenar…: I would like to order…, Una mesa para dos, por favor: A table for two, please. 

What Spanish phrase would you use when working in a restaurant?

¿Puedo tomar su orden?: Can I take your order?, Necesito más ingredientes: I need more ingredients, Está listo para servir: It’s ready to serve.  

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Ordering Food at a Restaurant in Spanish: Phrases and Conversations

¡Hola! Today’s lesson aims at helping you learn the vocabulary, phrases and questions that you need to order your favorite food at a restaurant in Spanish. We have included many examples about food descriptions, ways to ask the waiter for the specialties of the house, ways to make reservations and more. In addition, this lesson will introduce the names of some popular Latin American dishes in Spanish. Let’s start…

Common questions and phrases at the restaurant in Spanish

When you are in the restaurant, the first words you will need are  greetings and farewells like “Hola” and “Mucho gusto”. Besides some greetings, you will need many other expressions, which will be presented next in three different sections:

Describing food and a restaurant’s menu in Spanish

First, it is very important to use the right  adjectives to describe food , that is words such as “Delicioso”, “Sabroso” (delicious), “Feo” (not delicious in this case), “picante” (spicy), “dulce”(sweet) and “salado” (salty), among many others. Sentences describing food in Spanish will make use of the verbs SER and ESTAR , e.g. “El filete está delicioso” and “ La comida es sabrosa en ese lugar” . Some essential nouns to have a conversation at a restaurant are: “ mesa ” (table), “reservación”, “comida” (food), “ plato principal ” (main dish), “ entrada” (appetizer) and “postre” (dessert). The picture below shows a list of essential adjectives we use very often to describe food in Spanish:

A list of essential Spanish adjectives to describe food and the way they taste

Sometimes, restaurants will have their menu (El menú) in both English and Spanish, which offers learners a great opportunity to practice this topic in a more realistic context. As with all menus, they include prices (precios), a few or many dishes, and of course some special offers. Next, we show you a very simple menu with the names of some dishes in Spanish:

Questions and phrases for ordering food at the restaurant in Spanish

Common questions that customers ask at the restaurant in Spanish

As customers, we may come up with lots of different questions to ask the waiter or any other person at the restaurant, especially if we are there for the first time. Listen to some of the most common things that customers ask and the possible answers for these questions:

Things that waiters say at the restaurant in Spanish

On the other hand, the waiter ( el mesero ) or the waitress ( la mesera ) will usually welcome you with a greeting like “ Bienvenido, pase adelante por favor ” (welcome, please come in) or “ Bienvenido, ¿Tiene reservación ?. Once you are inside the restaurant, the waiter could say or ask any of these things:

There are many typical dishes in Latin America. Sometimes these dishes have the same name across countries, but the recipe is totally different. Mexican food is probably the most famous Latin food in the US, although there are so many great dishes in the rest of the continent. “Pupusas” for instance are representative of “El Salvador”, “Nacatamales” and “El Gallo pinto” are traditional dishes in Nicaragua, and just the same “Bandeja Paisa” is a very important one in Colombia.

Listening Activity No.1: Common Latin food in Spanish – La comida latina

  • El ceviche se come en varios países. En Centroamérica incluye pescado adobado en jugo de limón, sal, pimienta negra, cebollas, cilantro, chiles y ajo finamente picados.
  • Una empanada es masa de pan rellena con una preparación salada o dulce y cocida al horno o frita. El relleno puede incluir carnes rojas o blancas, pescado, verduras o fruta.
  • Para elaborar las pupusas primeramente se necesita una masa, que en El Salvador es elaborada por lo general de maíz molido. Son básicamente una tortilla, pero la diferencia es que en su interior se les agregan otros ingredientes que le dan un sabor único. Se pueden hacer pupusas de queso, de frijoles y muchos otros sabores.
  • La base de los tacos son las características tortillas de harina o maíz mexicanas que envuelven el relleno, que suele contener siempre carne de res o de cerdo. Se pueden clasificar los tacos de muy diferentes maneras, una de ellas es por el tipo de carne con que se hacen.
  • El gallopinto es uno entre varios platos americanos que involucran en su preparación el arroz y los frijoles, ingredientes considerados parte integral de la cultura de muchos países, en los cuales se pueden encontrar diferentes versiones.

Listening Activity No.2: At the restaurant in Spanish – En el restaurante

Key phrases in the conversation:.

  • “ Pasen por aquí por favor ” means “Come this way please!”
  • “ Me gustaría comer de todo ” means “I’d like to try everything”
  • “ Voy a pedir/ordenar ” means “I will order…”
  • Mesero: ¡Buenas noches! ¿Tienen reservación?
  • Maritza: ¡Buenas noches! Si, reservamos una mesa para dos personas.
  • Mesero: ¿Me puede dar su nombre?
  • Maritza: Si claro, mi nombre es Maritza Salgado.
  • Mesero: Gracias… confirmado…, pasen por aquí por favor. Aquí está el menú de hoy. Nuestro especial del día es Lomo Relleno.
  • Juan: Muchas gracias… Bien Maritza, ¿Qué te gustaría comer?
  • Maritza: Todo se ve muy delicioso. Hay pasta, comida china y también tienen comida mexicana…. tacos, burritos y tamales. Me gustaría comer de todo pero no se puede. ¿Tú ya decidiste?
  • Juan: Si, creo que voy a ordenar comida mexicana. Voy a pedir un par de tacos de carne y un par de tacos de frijoles. Escuché que la comida mexicana es muy rica en este restaurante.
  • Maritza: ¿En serio? Me llama la atención el especial del día, el lomo relleno. Se ve muy delicioso.
  • Mesero: Disculpen, ¿qué desean ordenar?
  • Juan: Yo voy a ordenar dos tacos carne y dos de frijoles. ¿Qué tiene de tomar?
  • Mesero: Tenemos vino, soda y también jugo de frutas.
  • Juan: Entonces también quiero un jugo de manzana.
  • Maritza: Yo quiero el especial de la casa y una copa de vino.
  • Mesero: Está bien, la comida estará lista en unos 15 minutos. Les traeré las bebidas en seguida.
  • Maritza: Muchas gracias.

You have made it to the end of this lesson. When you master the key expressions and questions in this lesson, try to find a Latino restaurant nearby and order something to eat in Spanish. Have fun and ¡Buen provecho!

Related Spanish Worksheets:

  • Fruits and vegetables in Spanish – PDF Worksheet
  • Food in Spanish: conversation cards – PDF worksheet
  • At a Fast Food Restaurant in Spanish – PDF Worksheet
  • Fruits and Vegetables in Spanish – PDF Crossword Puzzle

Writing a restaurant review in Spanish

Writing a restaurant review in Spanish

The basic structure of a restaurant review.

There are some important aspects to consider when you are going to write a restaurant review (no matter the language that you use). This is essential to build the structure of the text and to avoid forgetting any important details. We can classify these aspects into five basic points :

  • El nombre del restaurante y su localización, cómo llegar… The name of the restaurant and its location, how to arrive…
  • La comida. ¿Cómo es? The food. How is it?
  • El lugar: ambiente, decoración… The place: ambient, decor…
  • El servicio The service
  • El precio The price

Here you can see different adjectives that you can use to describe the food , the restaurant , the service and the price . Try to use different adjectives, verbs, etc. whenever you can. This will show that you have a rich Spanish vocabulary and will make the text more interesting and less repetitive.

First step: make a quick draft

The first thing that we have to do is to  make a quick draft of the review based on these five points and making short notes. We are going to see how to proceed with an example. Imagine that you are going to write a review about a Mediterranean cuisine restaurant called “Sol y Arena”; this could be a quick draft. The black text represents the draft, the green text in parentheses are explanatory notes. Please, note that all the names of restaurants and addresses on this post are fictional.

Quick draft

  • Sol y Arena ( this is the restaurant name ), Calle Las Petunias, 79 ( this is the address ), Valencia ( the name of a city ), Plaza de la Malvarrosa ( you can mention places that are close to the restaurant and are well known on the city/town like museums, beaches or other natural entities, parks, famous clubs, stadiums, official buildings, etc. ), línea B del autobús ( mention ways to arrive to that restaurant by means of transport ).
  • Cocina mediterránea ( type of cuisine ), lasaña de berenjena, lubina a la plancha, arroz con leche ( don’t forget to mention the dishes that you have eaten in that restaurant ), rico, delicioso, exquisito, dulce, salado, frío, caliente, duro, crudo, quemado, suficiente, escaso… ( use adjectives to describe the food, the taste, the quantity… )
  • Decoración clásica ( how is the decoration? Classic or modern? Describe some of the most interesting objects on the restaurant) , ambiente familiar y acogedor ( say how is the ambient; is it a family-friendly restaurant? Is it addressed to young people? ), cerca de la playa ( is there around the restaurant anything that may be interesting for clients? For example, a beach, an amusement park, a nightclub… you can mention it in this point if you have not mentioned it in the first one. )
  • Camareros simpáticos y rápidos ( explain how is the service of the restaurant based in your own experience, using different adjectives related to the speed of the service and the way of serving customers ).
  • 15€ ( mention the exact price you paid for the menu ) , barato, buena relación calidad-precio  ( use adjectives to give a final appreciation of the value for money ).

Second step: write your review

After writing your draft, you have to review the notes of these five points quickly in order to get a general idea of what you are going to write. Don’t forget that it’s a draft, with short notes. You need to start to write your review as soon as possible, specially if you are in an exam and your time is limited. If you write too many details on the draft, time will run out and you will rush on your final review, and chances to make mistakes are higher.

So you have your draft. Now is time to “connect” all these notes in a way that makes sense. Look at the example.

Sol y Arena My restaurant review

Cerca de la Playa de la Malvarrosa, a tan solo 500 metros, encontramos el restaurante Sol y Arena. Este restaurante está localizado en la calle Las Petunias, número 79, en la bella ciudad de Valencia. Llegar es muy fácil: puedes coger/tomar la línea B del autobús, que tiene una parada frente al restaurante.

Este restaurante nos ofrece una cocina mediterránea en la que destacan los platos de verduras y de pescado. En mi visita pude degustar una rica lasaña de berenjena como primer plato y una exquisita lubina a la plancha como segundo plato. Como postre, pedí un arroz con leche que estaba delicioso. Sin duda, el postre fue lo que más me gustó de todo el menú.

La decoración del restaurante es sencilla. Las mesas y las sillas son de madera blanca, las paredes son de color azul claro y están decoradas con fotografías de playas mediterráneas. El ambiente es muy acogedor, por ello muchas familias con niños suelen ir a comer a este restaurante los fines de semana. Por su cercanía a la conocida playa de la Malvarrosa, también es un restaurante frecuentado por familias con niños que están de vacaciones de verano. 

Los camareros del restaurante son simpáticos, te informan sobre los ingredientes del menú si tienes alguna duda y te hacen recomendaciones. También son muy rápidos, ya que el primer plato llegó a la mesa en apenas cinco minutos. El precio del menú son 15 euros. A pesar de que la cantidad de comida en algún plato puede resultar escasa para algunas personas, creo que en general la relación calidad-precio es excelente por ofrecer un menú bueno y barato, y también por el rápido servicio. La mayoría de restaurantes de la zona tienen menús más caros. Recomiendo este restaurante a la gente que esté en Valencia, sobre todo a familias con niños.  Yo fui a este restaurante con mi marido y mi hija, y todos quedamos satisfechos con el menú y el servicio, así que volveremos en nuestras próximas vacaciones.

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Spanish Restaurant Lesson | Weekly Youtube Spanish Video Lesson

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Spanish Lesson: Spanish Restaurant Info

This Spanish Restaurant Vocabulary Lesson will Prepare Your for Facebook Fiesta Friday! You’ll learn how to tell us about your favorite restaurant and why it’s your favorite. Also tell us about what foods you like to eat there.

Join us at Facebook Fiesta Friday

Also, be sure to visit our Spanish Food page to help prepare you to share as well as our Spanish Restaurant   page for more useful vocabulary.

Come tell us about your favorite restuarant and foods in Spanish!

Be sure and tell everyone you know to go to our Learn a Foreign Language page to learn a ton of Spanish.

Future Facebook Fiesta Friday Topics:

October 29, 2010 – Shopping Week – come tell us what you like to purchase and if you like shopping or not. What is your favorite store? (Neiman Marcus or All a Dollar?)

November 5, 2010 – Favorite Day of the Week – come tell us about your favorite day of the week and why it’s your favorite. What do you usually like to do on that day?

November 12, 2010 – Favorite Season – come tell us about your favorite season and why it’s your favorite. What do you like to do at that time of year?

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