mike sannito

La Candela Española in Staten Island is the kind of place you go to once—and then immediately start planning your next visit. The filet mignon is the star of the show: perfectly cooked, fork-tender, and bursting with flavor. It’s clear the chef knows how to treat a cut of meat with the respect it deserves. But don’t stop there. The paella is loaded with fresh seafood and rich, saffron-infused rice that tastes like it came straight from the coast of Spain. The empanadas? Golden, crispy, and packed with seasoned goodness. And if you’re into tapas, their garlic shrimp and chorizo are an absolute knockout—flavorful, bold, and perfect for sharing (or not, no judgment). The staff is friendly and attentive, the vibe is warm and welcoming, and everything feels just a little bit special without being over the top. Staten Island’s got a real gem in La Candela Española. Highly recommend it for date night, family dinners, or just when you’re craving something really good.

Krystal Gill

La Candela is a Staten Island gem for Spanish and Mexican food. The portions are generous, and everything tastes fresh and flavorful. We ordered and I highly recommend the Paella Valenciana (for two), the Filet Mignon 10oz, and the Skirt Steak Castillo. Their Sangria is also a must-try. My husband and I always order a pitcher when we go there. This place is a solid choice for a satisfying meal with great taste. We love the owner Joe and the bartender Frank. They are awesome! FYI the Paella Valenciana showed in my pictures is split for 2 people already. If you order solo it will be served in a pot.

+2

Frank Castellano

Food was very good. Ribeye steak was huge and my pork chop was very tasty. The paella was a big hit with my son and daughter in law, as was the sangria. Didn't have my phone to take pics, sorry for that!

Roxanna Salazar

La Candela Española is a fantastic restaurant that serves some of the best Spanish cuisine I've ever tasted. From the moment I stepped through the doors, I was struck by the warm and inviting ambiance of the place. The decor is tasteful and elegant, and the staff is incredibly friendly and accommodating. But of course, the real star of the show here is the food. Everything I tried was absolutely delicious, from the traditional tapas dishes to the main courses. The ingredients are clearly fresh and of high quality, and the chefs clearly know what they're doing in the kitchen. One standout dish for me was the paella, which was cooked to perfection with just the right amount of saffron and a generous helping of seafood. The flavors were bold and complex, and it was clear that a lot of care had gone into preparing the dish. I would highly recommend La Candela Española to anyone looking for an authentic taste of Spain in a welcoming and charming environment. The food is excellent, the service is top-notch, and the atmosphere is simply delightful. I can't wait to come back and try more of their dishes!

Great service, and wonderful restaurant. But the food was not so great.

Greg biker

I asked one of the employees "how's the food here" because I was really impressed by the ambience and he said "it's okay ..." and it turned out he wasn't joking. The portions are big and I don't mean to sound bitchy but is that part of what constitutes quality in Staten island?

Constance L

Service is great. But food wasn’t the best. The rice from paella is kind of hard to eat. It’s too dark inside and little lighting for dinner time.

Foolish Reviews

I came here with a friend for dinner, and it simply was not a great experience. The restaurant itself has a good enough atmosphere. It’s dimly lit, has a nice decor, and has a cozy feel to it. Our servers were all also very friendly and kind. The food, however, was not great. They started us off with chips and salsa, bread and butter, and a salad. The bread was fine. The chips and salsa were not. The chips themselves were decent enough, but the salsa was odd. It was warm, somewhat thick, and it tasted like a bland bowl of microwaved Tostitos mild salsa. Next, the salad was a small bowl of lettuce with one full tomato slice laid on top, and a dressing that I have never seen anything quite like. It was as if the dressing had been left out at room temperature and started to settle. It had a translucent appearance and a gelatinous texture. It was kind of warm and just overall not good. It had a strange flavor, almost mustardy. Lastly, I had the chicken candela on the bone. This dish is four or five pieces of fried chicken served with sautéed onions, rice, peas, tomato, and a side of fries (or fried potato slices, really). The chicken was fried really nicely, with perfectly golden, crispy skin. The onions were sautéed nicely too. The problem is that the food had no flavor. It seemed like the chicken, the onions, the veggies— even the fries, had no seasoning. I looked at the fries and couldn’t see a single grain of salt. The peas looked like they were taken out of a freezer, boiled, and that’s it. It’s a shame, because with proper seasoning I think the fried chicken would actually have been pretty great. Overall, I think La Candela Española could be a nice, cozy little bar to grab a few drinks at, but I personally did not enjoy the food.

Joseph Capri

Went 10/30 to celebrate wifes b-day.The food :Paella for 2-- chicken wing with skin rubber shrimpHorrible old clams and mussels no safron.Appetizer baked clams rubber.I really hate to complain and seldom do(didnt say anything while there) JUST WILL NEVER RETURN.With tip $100 wasted

Angelo Coniglione

La Candela was always very good but we went last night and the food was not good at all. I got a chicken dish that was extremely overcooked and had no taste at all . We will not return. Very dissapointed!

Maria Cajero

The service is excellent, the staff is very friendly and helpful, but we definitely didn't like the food. My daughter ordered shrimp and they didn't have any flavor or salt. My cousin ordered paella and it didn't have any flavor. I ordered ribay. The cooking was perfect, but it wasn't. It had no flavor or salt.

Francis Rivera

The food is a third class, ( I told the waiter that I wanted a wet rice paella) and brought me a dry rice with a bunch of unseasoned tasteless seafood. The fries were soggy and a one dressing salad. I waste my money

Ladi Dre

To start: Greeted by very friendly and beautifully dressed Maitre d. Whom immediately took our drink order. Drinks tasted like virgins.👎🏼 Took the waiter 20 min to take the order. Had to be called over. Dressing for the salad, on point. 👍🏼 Sides came promptly. Wasn't a fan of the cheesey bread. Disappeared waiter. Plates cleared by bus boy, wanted something else cleared from the table. He literally ignores me and JUST WALKED AWAY, all the while me saying excuse me, the table next to us watched in horror as he just walked away!😯 Entree next. However, where was the seafood appetizer?! According to whom I think was the manager (wearing jeans). I only asked about the appetizer, not ordered it! ARE. YOU. KIDDING. ME?! No apologies. Was told it could be ordered, but then dinner would be cold. Ok entree, edible, but severely lacking taste, which is skilled, because I ordered the steak with mushrooms, butter, onions and garlic sauce. 🤦🏻‍♀️ Fish overdone. Btw this meal cost $150. 💸 Never Again. 🛑🚫

+3