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Cambio de Tercio

Spanish·
££££
·
Silver Award
·

SquareMeal Review of Cambio de Tercio

Silver Award

It might be rolling into its third decade, but “Abel Lusa’s masterpiece gets better every year”, according to one of his many loyal customers. There’s nothing old-fashioned about this “incredibly authentic” and wildly underrated Brompton Road flagship of the sophisticated Cambio mini-chain – a venue whose fizzing energy is fuelled by a packed dining room, clued-up staff and a constantly evolving menu. Regulars rave about must-order classics, such as the hollowed-out ‘nuevas’ patatas bravas filled with spicy tomato and alioli, but there’s also an excellent-value tasting menu, featuring innovations such as a riff on gazpacho involving tomato ‘water’ cherry sorbet, cod brandade and cristal bread or spicy suckling pig meatballs with crunchy ear, poached skate and Colombian tamarillo. Just as exciting are the “very long” all-Spanish wine list and the treasure-trove of gins and sherries – thanks to sibling bars C. Tonic and Capote y Toros, where you can continue the fiesta with live flamenco. 

 

Good to know

Average Price
££££ - £50 - £79
Cuisines
Spanish
Eat at Home
Takeaway service
Ambience
Fun, Lively, Traditional
Alfresco And Views
Outside seating
Special Features
Wheelchair access
Perfect for
Dates, Romantic
Food Hygiene Rating

Location

163 Old Brompton Road, London, London, SW5 0LJ

020 7244 8970 020 7244 8970

Website

Opening Times

Mon-Sun 12N-2.30pm (Sat-Sun -3pm) 6.30-11.30pm (Sun -11pm)

Reviews

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14 Reviews 
Food/Drink
Service
Atmosphere
Value

Karen K

19 May 2023   - Verified Diner
Food & Drink 4
Service 4
Atmosphere 4
Value 4

Karen K

19 May 2023   - Verified Diner
Food & Drink 4
Service 4
Atmosphere 4
Value 4

Anon

15 April 2023  
Food & Drink 0.5
Service 0.5
Atmosphere 0.5
Value 0.5

Haluk I

23 November 2022  
Food & Drink 5
Service 5
Atmosphere 5
Value 5

Always good food, very friendly perfect service

Anon

05 July 2021  
Bad customer service experience

Last week I went to Cambio De Tercio for dinner with a group of friends in order to spend a nice evening together. We were supposed to be 12 people split in 2 tables of 6 people each. Unfortunately, one of the people who was suppose to join us for dinner tested positive to COVID-19 and he as well as other 4 people who had been in contact with him did not come to the dinner as it is meant to do under government advice.

Knowing we had agreed to the policy of the restaurants for no-shows, we have asked to manager and the waiter who was assigned to us whether it was fine for us to be less people than what it was meant to be when we booked. They confirmed there was no problem and rearranged the tables for the right number of people dining.

We had a very good time, eating and drinking a lot and spending £400 for our dinner. However, what we have realised afterwards was that without informing any of us the restaurant has charged £50 for each person who was not able to show up due to COVID-19.

We had tried to ask for refunds and vouchers with the restaurant and the head office, which were both delegating each other to handle our case. We were treated in a very superficial way and the COVID-19 positive test provided was not enough for them to prove that people who behave responsibly have decided not to come due to health reasons.

Do not expect flexibility and transparency from this restaurant since they might charge your given card without notifying you at all.

 

LondonFoodie1995

05 July 2021  
Food & Drink 1
Service 0.5
Atmosphere 2
Value 0.5
Terrible customer service, got charged despite covid-19 issues

We have had a terrible experience with this restaurant. We booked two tables and left our credit card details, agreeing to the policy of getting charged £50 for all of the no shows, which is the typical London policy I agree to since I moved here 7 years ago. Despite being a strict policy, it has often happened to me even in high-end restaurants that we ended up being less people than the booking, and no card has ever being charged.

Unfortunately a friend that was meant to come for dinner tested positive to Covid-19 and a couple more friends also meant to come for dinner had been in contact with him, so we ended up being slightly more than half of the people we had booked for. We informed the waiters about this, and they told us it was fine and rearranged the tables.

They then went secretly to update the booking through OpenTable, and a couple of hours later I got charged £50 for all of the people that did not come to the booking, despite spending a total bill of £400.

We called the restaurant immediately, spoke to the HQ, went in person again to claim our money back and we even provided proof of the positive covid-19 test of our friend. The people we spoke to were extremely rude, insensitive and totally careless of NHS guidance on isolation whenever testing positive to the virus and of being comprehensive to clients that are loyal to the restaurant.

They preferred to keep £250 in their pockets rather than keeping 12 clients. They are so not organised, and everytime we spoke to a different person, they tried to blame either the restaurant, the HQ, or even Opentable which has nothing to do with this.

I am shocked by this level of rudeness and lack of judgement shown by these people, that have only proven to be insensitive during a global pandemic where last minute issues such as testing positive to covid-19 are the new normal. All they care about is getting as much money as possible.

Anon

08 May 2021  
Food & Drink 0.5
Service 0.5
Atmosphere 1
Value 0.5
Terrible customer service, food below average

The title says it all. Appalling staff attitude, and the food was just ok, but heavily overpriced

Travel bug

26 June 2019  
Food & Drink 0.5
Service 0.5
Atmosphere 0.5
Value 0.5
Don’t go here

Do not go to this restaurant especially if you’re an American. After paying my bill and asking for the service charge to be removed, since the service was terrible the man went ballistic on me he called me a horrible American. He threaten to call the police.  I said what are you going to tell them that? I paid my bill and said the service was bad so that’s why you’re calling the police.  Don’t try to threaten me like that who do you think you are.  FYI do not have to pay a service charge a service charge is for a good service.  I’m tired of these restaurants that just add on the service charge as if you’re bullied into paying for bad service.   If you’re a regular they treat you differently than somebody off the street.  Do not go to this restaurant.  The food isn’t very good for the money. There are better restaurants in the area

William N

13 April 2017  
Food & Drink 4
Service 5
Atmosphere 4
Value 4
Till we meet again
We decided to visit this restaurant in the Tapas triangle of Kensington and settled on Cambio de Tercio as it was frequented by some serious celebs. Hoping their tastes matched their pockets we found that the restaurant was superb. The service was brilliant. Great advice, informative, prompt and friendly. We look forward to visiting again and I would proudly take my Spanish friends (and any others) here.

19 February 2014  
Food & Drink 1.5
Service 1.5
Atmosphere 4
Value 0.5
An Evening at Cambio
It takes a lot for me to bother writing a restaurant review, but I am motivated by my experience last night at Cambio de Tercio. According to legend, Rafa Nadal dines there when in London, which is a grabber for me. He can afford good meals, bad meals, any meals, and I love his cross-court backhand. My take? The starters were the first yellow flags: the recommended ‘8 hours’ tomatoes were treacly sweet, overcaramelized and a major disappointment. The ham croquettes (waiter insisted I could get pork, but it was ham I got) were not crisp, as croquettes should be, but crumbly, mash-potato-y, and with barely any meat. And the tuna tartar mysteriously never arrived, in spite of two reminders to the waiter and one to the manager. On to the mains: my companion and I both ordered the bacalao, for which the euphoric recall of my Portuguese nanny's mother's annual bacalao kept me motoring through the flat first act. The cod, while tender and unquestionably fresh, was tasteless, unseasoned and flat-out boring, accompanied by the eeriest-looking side of over-squid-inked grilled baby squid and pancetta. When we politely commented to the waiter (and then to the manager) that the bacalao was lacking, there was no apology. The manager pointed out that Portugese bacalao is salted, Spanish is not, which I accepted. He then proceeded to bring us another portion – equally flavorless – as if to say, “Here, it really is better than you think.” I was reminded of George Bernard Shaw's comment that Mahler's music is “better than it sounds.” No free side, no offer to ‘compensate’ us for a clearly unhappy experience. The final coup de farce: as we were leaving, I noticed an enticing dessert dish of chocolate truffles and mini-ice cream cones perched on the bar. When I inquired, the bartender asked, “You didn't get one?” – as if to say everyone gets one. All this at a rather steep price. My advice? Watch Rafa on TV, hang a pintura de un toro on your wall, and order in tapas. Do yourself a favor and skip Cambio de Tercio.
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Order takeaway from Cambio de Tercio by calling 020 7244 8970.

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