Spanish Phrases for at the Restaurant

Listen To Spanish Phrases For Restaurants

There are a lot of restaurants where Spanish is spoken. Mexican restaurants are probably the most well known, but there are others too. It's fun to go to these restaurants and try out the Spanish you've learned. Most of the folks who work at restaurants where Spanish is spoken will be happy to talk with you in Spanish. It'll make their day to know someone is interested in speaking Spanish with them.

The phrases on this page will get you started with great phrases and sentences to use in a Mexican restaurant -- or any other type of restaurant where Spanish is spoken.

You'll learn how to order a steak, well, medium, or rare. How to ask the waiter to please bring you the check when you are finished dining. How to say cheers! when you raise a glass. Understand it when the waiter tells you to enjoy your meal. How you express that you are hungry or you are thirsty. Also, how to ask the server for another drink, or for a glass of water.

Feel free to adjust and personalize these phrases so they say exactly what you want to express. And don't forget to take a moment and listen to the audio file -- it's recorded by a native speaker from Mexico and gives you a great example of pronunciation.

• Mesero, la cuenta, por favor.
• Waiter, the check, please.
Use this phrase when you've finished dining and you're ready to pay and leave.
• ¡Buen provecho!
• Enjoy!
You'll often hear a phrase like this when being served food in a Spanish restaurant.
• un poco
• A little bit.
Use this when asked if you want something - like grated cheese - along with your food.
• ¡Salud!
• Cheers!
This is a phrase you might hear at the bar.
• ¡Sirvase! o ¡Sirvete!
• Help yourself!
You could hear this phrase in a buffet style of restaurant.
• Eso es suficiente
• That's enough.
Use this phrase to say when you've had enough or been served enough of something.
• La comida es rica.
• The food is delicious.
It's always nice to compliment the chef and this is one way to do it.
• bien asado
• Well done
When ordering a steak in a Spanish-speaking restaurant, use this phrase and the 2 phrase that follow to specify the amount of doneness you want for the steak.
• termino medio
• medium done
How to order a piece of meat done medium in Spanish.
• poco asado
• Rare
How to order a steak rare.
• Tengo hambre.
• I'm hungry
Of course, you might need to express that you're hungry before you go to a restaurant.
• Tengo sed.
• I'm thirsty.
• Me gustaria otra cerveza, por favor.
• I'd like another beer, please.
• Puedes traer un vaso de agua helado, por favor.
• Could you please bring a glass of ice water, please.
Many restaurants won't bother with ice water unless you ask -- then they're happy to bring it.