Camino King's Cross

Bars and pubs, Wine bars King's Cross
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Camino King's Cross (Ed Marshall / Time Out)
1/5
Ed Marshall / Time Out
Camino King's Cross (Ed Marshall / Time Out)
2/5
Ed Marshall / Time Out
Camino King's Cross (Britta Jaschinski / Time Out)
3/5
Britta Jaschinski / Time Out
Camino King's Cross (Ed Marshall / Time Out)
4/5
Ed Marshall / Time Out
London pub crawls
5/5

Formulaic but effective, Camino gives King’s Cross punters what they need in a night out: a menu for sharing, an open courtyard for social smokers (or those pretending it’s warm enough to sit outside), Latino-inspired DJs, table football and cocktails. Tapas are a savvy blend of classics (croquetas de jamón, meat platters, patatas bravas) and the more adventurous (squid-ink rice with cuttlefish, Asturian bean stew or black pudding).

Vegetarians are also well-catered for: not often the case in meat-centric Spanish restaurants. With such an accessible menu and a focus on platters, Camino is set up for group dining – and customers even get a free small tapa with every drink on Tuesdays. You’ll need to reserve a table on a school night though, as the informal bar and sit-down restaurant both fill up quickly with sociable office workers. Fun, relaxed, and not taking itself too seriously, Camino exudes the true spirit of Spain. You won’t be blown away by the food, but you’ll be having such a good time, it won’t seem to matter.

 

Posted:

Venue name: Camino King's Cross
Contact:
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Address: 3 Varnishers Yard
London
N1 9FD
Cross street: The Regent's Quarter
Opening hours: Bar Open noon-midnight daily. Restaurant Breakfast served 8-11am Mon-Fri; 8am-1pm Sat, Sun. Tapas served noon-3pm, 6-10.30pm Mon-Sat; noon-3pm Sun
Transport: Tube: King's Cross
Price: Tapas £2.75-£49.50. Set meal £18 tasting menu
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Average User Rating

3.2 / 5

Rating Breakdown

  • 5 star:7
  • 4 star:6
  • 3 star:2
  • 2 star:3
  • 1 star:6
LiveReviews|25
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1 of 1 found helpful
Tastemaker

I went to Camino for after work drinks with two friends. We went to the restaurant first but they were fully booked, which actually turned out to be great as the bar next door has the exact same menu but a much more lively atmosphere! It's a good idea to reserve a table as it gets very busy - luckily we sat at a reserved table but the party never showed! We shared a few bottles of wine which were pretty reasonably priced - around the £20 mark. 


When we got peckish we couldn't resist ordering some tapas. It is a little bit pricey but I find tapas is always more expensive than just a main meal. And it was worth it! The jamon croquettes were incredible! The chorizo was cooked perfectly - it can often be too chewy but this was delish! I did enjoy the squid ink risotto but was expecting more squid in it, there were only a few tiny pieces.


As the night went on, the music got louder and people created a dancefloor. The DJ was great if you like hip hop and r 'n' b. We would have stayed all night if we didn't already have other plans! I definitely recommend this for food, drinks and dancing on a Friday evening!

Tastemaker

Great food and a wide selection of delicious tapas. Was recently very impressed with Camino KC as when my date did not like their dessert, it was replaced for a different one free of charge. Friendly staff and a large accommodating layout. A little bit on the pricey side for what you get but still tasty.

Tastemaker

I was friends with my boyfriends for a few months before we became an item... Which means he used to tell me all about the ladies he was dating and where he was taking them. In one word: Camino. He claimed it was the best date place ever and that it had worked for him many times. Gross. But then, he refused for months to take me there as he thought it was strange to! So I was very happy when he finally felt ready to show me his love potion of a place. I thought the food was absolutely delicious (I had Ox and chicken while Jack had the most awesome fried cheese croquettes and other veggie dishes) but too expensive for the quantity. Drink-wise, the wine was good and at an average London price. The atmosphere was quite good. I would recommend it only if you're quite well off.

tastemaker

I have spent quite a lot of time in the Saint Pancras area and before the good renovation work that has been done in Granary Square, there was not much to do. Especially during Summer time, when you just wanted a nice and quiet terrasse to have a drink. Camino is one of this place, it is obviously quite crowded but if you don't mind standing it is a cool place. I would not recommend having food there as the portions are tiny and it is over priced. You can also stay a bit late and do some of your famous steps on the dancefloor.

Tastemaker

If you step off the train at King’s Cross in need of a drink but reluctant to walk all the way round to Granary Square, Camino is a good shout within a 5 minute walk. There are plenty of points in its favour; it has a decent courtyard which is nice on a summer’s evening, there’s a menu full of tapas and the staff are pretty friendly. 


What I’m afraid doesn’t work in its favour though is fact that it’s pretty damn expensive and I’m not sure that the drinks warrant their price tags. £8 for a small glass of frose? Yeah, I know it’s central London and it’s summer and that’s one of the trendy new drinks and sure, it was nicely done but really? It’s also super loud in the evenings which again I do get to a certain extent and if you were there with a group for a party then full steam ahead, it'd be great but it would be nice if there were some areas of the bar that weren’t quite as deafening as others. 


It’s a shame because I would definitely have come back again if it hadn’t cost me nearly £20 for 2 drinks – considering I could get dinner & a drink at nearby Pizza Union for less than that, I doubt I’ll head back to Camino anytime soon. 

Tastemaker

Really delicious tapas - easily the best I've tasted in London - with a wide range of options. The drinks don't disappoint either - I tried a sweet dessert wine here which was incredible. You can't go wrong with this place.

tastemaker

The food here is delicious and they have an extensive wine and cocktail selection, I particularly enjoyed the Rioja. Each plate of tapas is around £5 and can be shared between 2/4 people. I was here with 3 other people and we got 2 lots of patatas bravas, 1 plate calamari, croquettes, garlic mushrooms and prawns. It was plenty of food for the 4 of us! Great restaurant which I will be going to again next time I'm in kings cross.


Great place. Alfresco dining and drinking. The tapas is really good and they have a very large menu. The best place for alfresco in Kings Cross.

Tastemaker

The food didn't disappoint. The croquetas were great, the polpo (octopus) I had was amazing, and everything seemed to fit together well. One of the big things I love about tapas is the fact that you share the food with the people at your table. So you end up tasting a larger variety of foods. Sadly we were too full to get dessert, but some of the things on the dessert menu looked yummy too. Camino is great for a quick lunch if you're there during lunch hour, otherwise just stop by for a relaxed afternoon bite. By the way, their lemonades are amazing, they have the perfect balance of sweet and sour.


Great tapas, went with some colleagues the other day. Only i'd wish the music were a little softer. food is tasty, not big portions and pricey. But it's a popular place in kings cross so a visit here is inevitable.

Tastemaker

Very loud and very busy. Drinks are fairly expensive and it's hard to speak to people because the music is so loud! Can't comment on the food as didn't eat. 

Tastemaker

Had a great night on Friday night. Camino has a great vibe & tip top food, I'd happily go back & hope they have the Valhrona chocolate ganache again next time!

Staff Writer

Had a fantastic meal at Camino last night. The food was delicious (we ate far too much), great wine and good service. 


I see some of the bad reviews below look quite old, so maybe they've bucked up their service over the years, or maybe we were just lucky.


I'd definitely recommend a visit!


If you've dined in Spain you'll know how poor this restaurant chain is by comparison. Viva Espana by numbers and a low score at that. The service is slow and surly, the tapas bland, and everything very very overpriced. I've been before and it's getting worse. I went recently on a Monday evening. It was quiet but the bar staff surprisingly took affront to taking an order for tapas. Service was no better in the restaurant where waiting staff circled about for 15 minutes or so before speaking to us. Then when our food eventually arrived my vegetarian Muslim friend was treated to grilled asparagus with an additional covering of bacon / ham. Nunca mas.


A lovely setting with a beautiful courtyard, plus there's a great table football inside, but this place is let down massively by the service from some of the bar staff. One of my friends wanted another mojito but we were told sulkily that they couldn't serve them any more because they didn't have the right ingredients. They also poured the wrong beer. About 10 minutes after we'd got our drinks we were forced to pour them into plastic glasses and herded outside by an aggressive barman, who said they were closing the bar. However, there were still plenty of people in the bar, including some people at the bar who were being served mojitos! Finally, outside in the lovely courtyard, we were harrassed by various members of the bar staff, insisting that we drink up and leave, despite people still drinking inside. Such a shame, as the place has huge potential if it weren't for some of the people who work there and shouldn't really be in customer-facing roles.


Disgraceful. Food is supposed to be free of glass. My girlfriend ordered tapas and it had glass in it. She cut her tongue and spat out blood. Totally unacceptable.


I'd been to El Camino in Canary Wharf and enjoyed the food, so was surprised to read negative comments on this site. Since the location was perfect for a dinner before going to Scala for a gig, we opted for Camino despite of the reviews. I'm glad we did. Service was friendly but professional, and our waitress was very helpful with drinks recommendations. Food was tasty and arrived relatively quickly, which wasn't for granted since the restaurant was full. Really nice atmosphere with Spanish music in the background, all in all a very enjoyable experience. We'll definitely be dining at Camino again.


Wanted a quick lunch, popped ibto Camino. Good atmosphere, Ok food but so overpriced. Tiny side salad and equally small bowl of bean stew- bill almost £12.


I am not quite sure if we went to the same place that the previous reviewers did. After reading those I was a bit apprehensive. Anyway it's Friday night and the place is bursting at the seams. We arrived with two big suitcases and the girl at the desk was charming and spend the next five minutes creating space in the closet to accommodate our stuff and all this with a smile. The waiter was brilliant and though clearly under a lot of pressure managed to be engaging throughout. Food was good, great patatas bravas, good rape, and the mixed grill was lovely and a good size portion. Mixed desserts were well presented with a special mention to almond tart, the pastel de chocolate and some free sherry on the side. It's not quite Barrafina quality but then again you actually can reserve here. Had a chat with the waiter about the reviews and he seemed genuinely surprised as he thought that the place was great to work and he seemed to enjoy being there. I'd definitely go back if I am in the area and given how busy the place was a lot of people seem to think so, too.


Myself and my partner went to Camino yesterday afternoon to meet some friends of his that he had not seen for a very long time. We received a phone call from the friends that had already arrived and told to becareful of an apparently rude waitress on the front entrance. We arrived to be greeted by a grumpy, greasy looking lady who told us that it was very inconvenient for us to just turn up without calling first and that the table had originally been booked for 4 people. I was shocked at her manner and appauling customer service skills. When I explained to her that I thought her approach to us had been uneccessary she turned to me and said: 'I don't think you are very nice'. Just shocking. We arrived to meet our friends to find that she had behaved in the same way towards them. On leaving the restaurant one of the party took her name and complained about her again. What followed was a barage of pointless statements about how we should have booked and organise ourselves!! To top it all, the restaurant was less then 20% full!!! Needless to say, we won't be going back.


Great tapas, fun place for a night out and wonderful food, I'm Spanish and I can tell this place did very well.


Really bad.The quality of the food is awful, really shocking that they define themselves as Spanish (I am Spanish myself) The staff was SO rude. The place is just in a mess. Drinks overpriced. It is a shame that are places like this.

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