La Maja (Restaurant)
43-45 Porchester Road, Notting Hill, London, W2 5DP
Cuisine: Spanish
Tel: 020 7792 5885
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| Transport: Royal Oak
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La Maja Review
So what’s La Maja?
La Maja (so named after the lady in Goya paintings) is a lovely little spot. Actually I lie; it’s not that little. This Spanish restaurant is set on two floors (ground and basement), innocuously done out in cream, varnished mid-brown furniture, with spotlights and votives providing light in the evenings or natural light from the large windows (which make up two sides of the restaurant).
There’s little about the interior that’ll wow your aesthetic taste. But as for your taste in tapas, well, that’s another matter.
Well-sourced ingredients mean that simple tapas dishes like patatas bravas (£2.95), Serrano ham (£5.75) and grilled sardines are packed with flavour. A delicate hand in the kitchen ensured that a generous plate of deep fried artichoke (the hearts coated in batter, £4.95) were light and fluffy while the equally superb butterfly prawns were fat and succulent. Baby squid cooked in their own ink (£5.25) were a little too heavy for my palate but there’s no denying that these dishes are superior to most other Spanish restaurants you find in London.
Service was sweet, chatty and knowledgeable; our waiter doubled as a sommelier and chose a bottle of white wine that was elegant with a wonderful length (I couldn’t decipher my scribbled notes otherwise I’d tell you what it was). Fellow gorgers were few in numbers on a Wednesday night, though booking is advisable at weekends.
This spot guarantees good eats, lovely wines and an easy atmosphere. So then, what’s La Maja? It’s a delightful Spanish restaurant. And what’s the matter? Nothing. Nothing at all....read more
Customer Reviews for La Maja
Average (based on 4 votes): 4
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The following customer reviews are not endorsed by Fluid London and are simply those of users who wish to publish their independent experiences of La Maja.
“The food was of a decent standard and the atmosphere was calm and the walls pretty. However, upon my last visit, I noticed the restaurant were keen to serve what looked like underage teens alcohol downstairs. I was under the impression the youngsters had been allowed to have a party downstairs. Also, I noticed an odd sour odour downstairs but thats another tale. Hmm The food was also pricey. Frankly, I would have been better off in KFC. That is all.”
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Franklin Smith, London (12 years 6 months 8 days ago)
“Have been to this restaurant a few times now and the food has been consistently superb. Relaxed and friendly service, would recommend La Maja to anyone looking to eat good spanish food.”
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James Broden, London (14 years 4 months 23 days ago)
“I went out to eat with a friend of mine at La Maja yesterday. I'll never go there again.
On entering, we were met with a rough "Smoking or non-smoking?!" by a short woman with absolutely no manners. When we replied "smoking" she just said "over there!" And pointed to the tables near the door where we'd come in. No, "hello". Nothing. Not even a smile. I was a bit miffed but, we'd come a long way to eat there.
So we sat and waited about 5 minutes before the waitress came over and asked if we were ready to order. Again, no "hello", no friendly smile. In hindsight I should have just got up and left. I wish I had.
We ordered 2 beers to start with. The waitress returned with 2 warm beers. As we were drinking, the short woman came and locked the door next to our table.
The regulars (all from the spanish community) that came in for a quick coffee were treated warmly. And although I speak spanish fluently, I only asked for the check in spanish at the end to let them know that "Yes I do understand Spanish!"
The food was not that great, the only thing I could say was good was the chorizo, and 'Leaving the Restaurant'!
I'll never go to La Maja. Gong out for Spanish food has, up until now, always been a good experience for me as certain places remind me of my time living in Spain.
I've never been so poorly treated in any restaurant, anywhere. It wasn't that busy in there and I can understand why. We never received a smile the whole time we were there. Never again.”
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kira, London (15 years 3 months 22 days ago)
Show all user reviews for La Maja
“good eats and good service. would recommend La Maja to anyone looking for a decent restaurant in Bayswater.”
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daniella, london (15 years 4 months 1 days ago)
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Food
Spanish restaurant and tapas bar.
Updated 05/05/2005
Additional Information
- Cuisine Type: Spanish
- Dress Code: Not Specified
- Group: (Independent/Freehouse)
Nearby Venues
Nearby Pubs & Bars
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The Porchester
(0.05 km)
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Masala Zone Bayswater
(0.11 km)
-
Tiroler Hut
(0.17 km)
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Westbourne House
(0.29 km)
-
La Gitana
(0.30 km)
Nearby Restaurants
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Mr Fish
(0.05 km)
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Italian Pizza Connection
(0.05 km)
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Masala Zone Bayswater
(0.11 km)
- All in One (0.13 km)
- Banana Tree (0.16 km)
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