Going to a restaurant in Spain is an amazing experience, but if your Spanish isn’t perfect yet, it can be a little tricky 😅. In this blog, we’ll help you practise with realistic dialogues in different situations, audio clips, and useful vocabulary so you can understand and speak naturally. 🥳
Whether you’re ordering a drink 🍷, asking for recommendations, or paying the bill 🧾, these conversations will help you feel confident and ready. Let’s dive in! 🚀
🍻Ordering drinks and appetizers
💬 Diálogo:
🤵Camarero: Hola 👋, ¡bienvenidos! ¿Quieren sentarse dentro o fuera?
Hello 👋, welcome! Would you like to sit inside or outside?
👩💼 Cliente: Hola, gracias. Nos gustaría una mesa fuera, por favor 🌞.
Hello, thank you! We’d like a table outside, please.
🤵Camarero: Perfecto, aquí tienen su mesa. ¿Les ofrezco algo de beber mientras miran el menú?
Perfect, here is your table. Can I offer you something to drink while you look at the menu?
👩💼 Cliente: Sí, quiero un copa de vino tinto 🍷, por favor, y mi amigo quiere un agua con gas 💧.
Yes, I’d like a glass of red wine 🍷, please, and my friend would like a sparkling water.
🤵Camarero: Muy bien. ¿Quieren algunos entrantes o tapa mientras deciden qué comer?
Very well. Would you like some appetizers or small dish while you decide what to eat?
👩💼 Cliente: ¡Claro! Queremos patatas bravas 🍟 y aceitunas 🫒, por favor.
Sure! We’ll have patatas bravas and olives, please.
🤵Camarero: Excelente elección. Se los traigo enseguida.
Excellent choice. I’ll bring them right away.
🍷 Vocabulary for drinks & starters
🍷 Vino tinto / vino blanco – Red wine / white wine
💧 Agua / Agua con gas – Water / Sparkling water
🥤 Refresco – Soft drink
🍟 Patatas bravas – Spicy potatoes
🫒 Aceitunas – Olives
🥂 Copa – Glass
🥪 Tapa – Small dish / tapa
🥘🍗 Ordering main courses
💬 Diálogo:
🤵Camarero: ¿Han decidido qué quieren para el plato principal?
Have you decided what you’d like for your main course?
👩💼 Cliente: Sí, quiero la paella de marisco 🦐, y mi amigo quiere el pollo a la plancha🍗 con verduras 🥦.
Yes, I’ll have the paella with seafood , and my friend will take the grilled chicken with vegetables.
🤵Camarero: Muy bien. ¿Quieren un poco de pan 🥖 y aceite de oliva 🫒 mientras esperan?
Very good. Would you like some bread and olive oil while you wait?
👩💼 Cliente: Sí, por favor. ¿Podemos también tener servilletas extra 🧻?
Yes, please. And could we also have some extra napkins?
🤵Camarero: ¡Por supuesto! ¿Quieren algo más con sus platos?
Of course! Is there anything else you’d like with your dishes?
👩💼 Cliente: ¿Podemos tener unas rodajas de limón 🍋 para el marisco, por favor?
Could we get some lemon slices for the seafood, please?
🤵Camarero: ¡Claro! Les traigo todo enseguida.
Certainly! I’ll bring everything right away.
🍴 Vocabulary for main courses
🦐 Marisco – Seafood
🍗 Pollo a la plancha – Grilled chicken
🥦 Verduras – Vegetables
🥖 Pan – Bread
🫒 Aceite de oliva – Olive oil
🧻 Servilletas – Napkins
🍋 Rodajas de limón – Lemon slices
🍰 Asking for the dessert menu 🍨
💬 Diálogo:
👩💼 Cliente: ¿Me trae el menú de postres 🍰, por favor?
Could you bring me the dessert menu, please?
🤵Camarero: Claro, tenemos flan casero 🍮, helado 🍨 y tarta de chocolate 🍫.
Of course, we have homemade custard , ice cream, and chocolate cake.
👩💼 Cliente: Quiero un flan casero 🍮 y mi amigo un helado de vainilla 🍨.
I’ll have a homemade custard and my friend will have a vanilla ice cream.
🤵Camarero: Perfecto, enseguida se lo traigo.
Perfect, I’ll bring it to you right away.
🍰 Vocabulary – Desserts
🍮 Flan casero – Homemade custard
🍨 Helado – Ice cream
🍫 Tarta de chocolate – Chocolate cake
🍓 Frutas – Fruit
🍰 Menú de postres - Dessert menu
🧾 Asking for the bill
💬 Diálogo:
👩💼 Cliente: Disculpe, ¿nos puede traer la cuenta 🧾, por favor?
Excuse me, could we have the bill, please?
🤵Camarero: ¡Claro! ¿Les ha gustado todo?
Of course! Did you enjoy everything?
👩💼 Cliente: Sí, la comida estaba deliciosa 😋.
Yes, the food was delicious.
🤵Camarero: ¡Me alegra escucharlo! ¿Quieren pagar por separado o juntos?
I’m glad to hear that! Do you want to split the bill or pay together?
👩💼 Cliente: Pagaremos juntos, por favor 💵.
We’ll pay together, please.
🤵Camarero: ¿Van a pagar con tarjeta 💳 o en efectivo 💶?
Will you be paying by card or in cash?
👩💼 Cliente: Con tarjeta, gracias.
By card, thank you.
🤵Camarero: Perfecto, aquí tienen la cuenta. Gracias por venir y ¡que tengan una gran noche 🌙!
Perfect, here’s your bill. Thank you for coming and have a great evening!
👩💼 Cliente: Gracias, todo estaba perfecto. ¡Hasta la próxima!
Thank you, everything was perfect. See you next time!
🧾 Vocabulary for paying
🧾 La cuenta – The bill
💵 Pagar / Pago – To pay / Payment
💳 Tarjeta de crédito – Credit card
🪙 Dinero – Cash
😋 Delicioso – Delicious
🌙 Buenas noches / Buenas tardes – Good night / Good evening
❌ 🌾 Gluten-free and food allergies 🥗
💬 Diálogo:
👩💼 Cliente: Hola 👋, tengo una alergia al gluten 🌾❌. ¿Me podría decir qué platos son sin gluten?
Hello, I have a gluten allergy. Could you tell me which dishes are gluten-free?
🤵Camarero: ¡Por supuesto! Todas nuestras ensaladas 🥗 y el pescado a la plancha 🐟 son sin gluten. Deben evitar los platos de pan y pasta 🍝.
Of course! All our salads and grilled fish are gluten-free. You should avoid the bread and pasta dishes.
👩💼 Cliente: Gracias. Además, mi amigo es alérgico a los frutos secos 🌰. ¿Hay algún plato que contenga frutos secos?
Thank you. Also, my friend is allergic to nuts . Are there any dishes with nuts?
🤵Camarero: Sí, algunos postres 🍰 contienen frutos secos, pero puedo recomendarles una ensalada de frutas 🍓🍇 y una mousse de chocolate sin frutos secos 🍫.
Yes, some desserts contain nuts, but I can recommend a fruit salad and a chocolate mousse without nuts.
👩💼 Cliente: Perfecto, tomaremos el pescado a la parrilla 🐟 y la ensalada de frutas 🍇, por favor.
Perfect, we’ll have the grilled fish and the fruit salad, please.
🤵Camarero: ¡Muy bien! Me aseguraré de que todo sea seguro para las alergias ✅.
Very well! I’ll make sure everything is safe for allergies.
🌱 Vocabulary – Gluten-free & allergies
🌾❌ Sin gluten – Gluten-free
🥗 Ensalada – Salad
🐟 Pescado a la plancha – Grilled fish
🍝 Pasta – Pasta
🍞 Pan – Bread
🌰 Frutos secos – Nuts
🍓🍇 Fruta – Fruit
🍫 Mousse de chocolate sin frutos secos – Chocolate mousse without nuts
✅ Seguro / seguro para alergias – Safe / allergy-friendly
🍲 Special requests – Modifying orders
👩💼 Cliente: ¿Puede hacer la ensalada sin cebolla❌ 🧅 y con menos sal 🧂🤏, por favor?
Could you make the salad without onion and with less salt, please?
👨💼 Camarero: Por supuesto, no hay problema. ¿Desea también que la vinagreta 🍶 sea aparte?
Of course, no problem. Would you also like the dressing on the side?
👩💼 Cliente: Sí, muchas gracias. Así puedo añadirla yo misma.
Yes, thank you very much. That way I can add it myself.
👨💼Camarero: Perfecto, enseguida se lo preparo.
Perfect, I’ll prepare it for you right away.
Vocabulary:
❌ 🧅 Sin cebolla – Without onion
🧂🤏 Con menos sal – With less salt
🍶 Vinagreta aparte – Dressing on the side
📝 Useful expressions in restaurants
✨When you’re dining out in Spain, it’s important to know some key expressions to communicate politely and clearly with the staff. 🍽️💬 These phrases will help you order food, ask questions, and compliment the meal like a local! 🇪🇸
📋 ¿Me trae la carta, por favor? – Can you bring me the menu, please?
🤔 ¿Qué me recomienda? – What do you recommend?
😋 Voy a pedir… – I’m going to order…
☕️ ¿Desea algo más? – Would you like anything else?
✅ Estoy listo/a para pedir – I’m ready to order
🤤 Todo estaba delicioso – Everything was delicious
🍷 ¿Puedo ver la carta de vinos? – Can I see the wine menu?
🍴¿Nos trae un tenedor/cuchillo extra? – Can you bring an extra fork/knife?
💳 ¿Puedo pagar por separado? – Can I pay separately?
☝️Disculpe, ¿me puede traer…? – Excuse me, can you bring me…?
🎧 Check out this Instagram Reel to see essential tips and phrases you can use in a Spanish restaurant! 😋🇪🇸
Watch the Reel on Instagram 🎬 👇
🗣️This reel is perfect to practice real-life conversations in a restaurant and improve your Spanish listening skills!
💡 Extra tips
😊 Always use “por favor” and “gracias” to be polite
😅 If you don’t understand something, say: '¿Puede repetir, por favor?'
🥂 Practise ordering drinks first – it’s very common in Spanish restaurants
😄 Don’t forget gestures and facial expressions – they help a lot when speaking!
🎯 Conclusion – Dining out in Spain 🍽️✨
Eating out in Spain is not just about the food – it’s a full cultural experience! 🇪🇸 From ordering tapas and drinks 🍷🥘, to asking for the bill politely 🧾, and even navigating special dietary requests 🌱, knowing these phrases will make your experience easier, more enjoyable, and fun.
So next time you visit a Spanish restaurant, use these dialogues and expressions, speak with confidence, and enjoy every bite! 😋💬
💡 Tip: Don’t forget to practise your vocabulary and dialogues at home to feel ready for your next meal out! 📝
✍️ Comprehension exercise
Now it’s your turn to practice! Complete this conversation similar to the ones above.
Choose the correct options to fill in the blanks.
💬 Final question: Let's get interactive!
What is your favourite dish in a Spanish restaurant? 🍗🥗 Have you ever tried gluten-free dishes in Spain? 🌾❌
👇😍Share your answers in the comments and practice your Spanish! 💬🇪🇸