September 2021

This is a reasonably priced tapas restaurant.

We have visited twice. The large paella is smaller than two small paellas, so just go for two small paellas, which is a better deal. The paella is cooked and served in a cast iron plate, but the rice and other ingredients can be overcooked near the plate, which can be unpleasantly crunchy to eat. My dad had his refunded as a result of the gritty experience. He opted for the beef brisket instead, which he did enjoy.

We tried both the paella de carne (meat) and the paella de mariscos (seafood). Hannah and I are split on which is better – Hannah preferred the seafood but I preferred the meat dish.

Bocado is a step down from Barsa paella in Charleston, but is still better than the majority of paella at other restaurants.

July 2025 Update

Hannah and I had a date night here recently so here is our updated perspective.

Go for the tapas, not the paella! We got the special-for-two for $99, which includes 2 charcuterie, 4 tapas and 1 small paella or 6 tapas, and a dessert. We should have opted for the 6 tapas. We got the classic paella, and I found the edges were crispy and I didn’t care for the chorizo.

For the 2 charcuterie, we got the fried goat cheese with drizzled honey and sliced cured Spanish ham. The tapas we got were the wedge salad, the wagu burgers, the crispy duck, and buffalo cauliflower. The wedge salad was excellent and I absolutely loved the duck. The charcuterie was excellent as well.