Tablao El Cardenal
Tablao El Cardenal
4.5
8:30 PM - 9:30 PM
Monday
8:30 PM - 9:30 PM
Tuesday
8:30 PM - 9:30 PM
Wednesday
8:30 PM - 9:30 PM
Thursday
8:30 PM - 9:30 PM
Friday
8:30 PM - 9:30 PM
Saturday
8:30 PM - 9:30 PM
Admission tickets
from
$30.67
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- Karen KEdenbridge, United Kingdom5 contributionsA must while in Coordiba!.Lovely setting in a courtyard. Greeted with a drink on arrival by a charming lady. The females singer's voice was so powerful accompanied by a young talented guitarist. There were 4 female dancers and a male dancer all so expressive. A great experience.Visited October 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten October 16, 2023
- adlcfbUnited Kingdom125 contributionsPure talent, passion and vitality – utterly mesmerising!Absolutely the BEST experience of my recent week in Andalusía. I had booked online directly with the venue a month or so beforehand; seats are allocated in the order in which they've been booked, and I was pleasantly surprised to be seated in the front row. Drinks are served on arrival, and again, I was pleasantly surprised to have the option of non-alcoholic Victoria beer. The show itself was just spectacular! I didn't take any photos (which are permitted, without flash) because I was utterly mesmerised from start to finish. It genuinely felt like a privilege to witness this amount of talent, delivered with so much passion and vitality, in such an intimate setting. The female dancers were all incredible, but the young male dancer (Ángel Reyes) was next level; even the front of house staff came through to watch him and take photos. I had been worried it might feel a little 'touristy', but it honestly didn't – the guitarist spoke to the audience only in Spanish, and when I told my Airbnb host where I'd booked she said that this is the one she would have recommended for the most authentic flamenco in Córdoba. Don't think twice, just book! You won't regret it.Visited March 2024Traveled soloWritten March 26, 2024
- silvia p3 contributionsAmazing experience in the best TablaoAmazing experience! It was my first time and I was looking for something different, without a doubt, I can guarantee that it has exceeded my expectations in this regard. I recommend it for everyone due to you will find 4 blocks (groupal and individually). Very good location, team, good price and incredible openair place.Visited June 2024Traveled with familyWritten July 1, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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SuperConstellation
Ile-de-France, France1,095 contributions
Dec 2023 • Couples
The intimate setting, the welcome and above all the show, everything is perfect.
The artists are inhabited by their art during the performance they offer us. Magical and not to be missed when you are in Cordoba.
Good to note:
1) There is no “Dress code”. Everyone comes as he/she wishes.
2) In winter, remember to cover up well, it's a closed patio (not a performance hall) but it's not very hot there
3) Possibility of purchasing boards with cheese and/or cold meats on site. No need to plan dinner before or after!
4) Avoid going there by car, it is impossible to park in the nearby area.
The artists are inhabited by their art during the performance they offer us. Magical and not to be missed when you are in Cordoba.
Good to note:
1) There is no “Dress code”. Everyone comes as he/she wishes.
2) In winter, remember to cover up well, it's a closed patio (not a performance hall) but it's not very hot there
3) Possibility of purchasing boards with cheese and/or cold meats on site. No need to plan dinner before or after!
4) Avoid going there by car, it is impossible to park in the nearby area.
Written March 12, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
stefigrave
Saint-Leu-la-Foret, France21 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
Entrance through a typical Andalusian patio, seating at our small table with a drink, perfect! small raised stage allowing you to appreciate the excellent artists, whether the guitarist, the singer or the dancers. A superb evening.
Written October 27, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Daniele B
Province of Padua, Italy1 contribution
Nov 2023 • Family
Greeted with a welcome drink, we were taken to a typical "courtyard" to watch the show. Expressive dancers, exceptional guitarist, special cash. Costumes, movements, expressions, music and singing of the highest level. A must in Cordoba and perhaps the best original flamenco show in Andalusia.
Written November 18, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
silvia p
3 contributions
Jun 2024 • Family
Amazing experience! It was my first time and I was looking for something different, without a doubt, I can guarantee that it has exceeded my expectations in this regard. I recommend it for everyone due to you will find 4 blocks (groupal and individually). Very good location, team, good price and incredible openair place.
Written July 1, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jean-claude v
29 contributions
Apr 2024 • Family
Wonderful artists from the guitarist to the vocals and dancers.
Authentic flamenco
in a new setting (the only downside, a little
less nice than the old patio)
The quality remains year after year
year. A great evening for both initiates and novices.
Authentic flamenco
in a new setting (the only downside, a little
less nice than the old patio)
The quality remains year after year
year. A great evening for both initiates and novices.
Written April 7, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alex F
33 contributions
May 2024 • Family
I came in 2019 and came back with pleasure to introduce my husband to flamenco. Always the same dancers. We had a very nice evening. I cannot compare with other flamenco shows in terms of quality but we had a very nice evening. Personally, I like the intimate, warm place and the decor of the room. If you are in Cordoba, I recommend it.
Written May 6, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aaadaaam
Warsaw, Poland69 contributions
Sep 2016 • Couples
This is a review of four different flamenco shows we saw in Cordoba in September 2016: Tablao El Cardenal (on 06.09), Patio de la Juderia (on 08.09), Carmen Gastroflamenco (same day) and Arte y Sabores de Cordoba (on 09.09). We are not experts on flamenco shows – before these four, we only saw a couple of shows in Granada – but we like flamenco music, have lots of flamenco CDs of specific artists (Enrique Morente, Paco de Lucia, etc.), so we are not total novices.
If you are looking for a quick recommendation, ours would be Arte y Sabores, but all shows were of good quality and each show had something to recommend (and each had something to complain about).
In terms of money, Patio de la Juderia was the cheapest option, as you only pay for what you consume (on the assumption that you'll consume at least 12 euro worth), not for the show itself. In case of the other shows, you have to pay 23 euro at El Cardenal, 25 euro at Carmen Gastroflamenco, and 30 euro at Arte y Sabores – in each of these three cases one drink of your choice is included. In case of Arte y Sabores, we went for the more expensive option of show + the “tasting menu”, for 40 euro, and it was fully worth it: for the additional 10 euro you get unlimited drinks and a nice selection of tapas. In our case, “unlimited drinks” consisted of two bottles of red wine (Rioja crianza 2013) and several bottles of water, so the drinks themselves would cost well over the 2 x 10 = 20 euro in other restaurants.
In terms of the general ambience of the place, Arte y Sabores is the clearest winner: it is situated in old Arab baths, it has a nice stage and 11 small tables – all this creates very intimate atmosphere. Definitely the worst show in this respect was Carmen Gastroflamenco: a desolate night club with cold white tables and chairs and pseudomodern black paintings (of well-known flamenco artists?) on white walls. The stage lighting was truly terrible: at any one point, the whole stage is lit in a single strong colour, the colours change sometimes at random, and the whole impression is that of cheap gaudiness.
So how about the shows themselves? Each had its strong points, but the one that we liked least was the one at Tablao El Cardenal – it was the only show that had choreographed routines (of three female dancers), and it seemed very unauthentic and touristy to us. On the other hand, it featured perhaps the best male dancer of these four shows – an amazing performer – and a very good female singer. The next show on our list would be the one at Patio de la Juderia – it featured four performers (male voice, guitar and a pair of dancers), each of them was good (especially the female dancer), but not as excellent as some of the other performers in the other shows. Maybe that's due to the formula of the show at Patio…, namely, the fact that the show takes place while people are eating and (at least some of them) talking. We didn't like this formula, and perhaps it was a little disconcerting to the performers as well. In fact, we saw the male singer again on the same evening, as he was one of the ensemble at the later Carmen Gastroflamenco show, and he was much better there. It is very well possible that the Gastroflamenco performers were – on the average – the best of all the four shows: definitely the best guitarist, two great male voices, a very good female dancer and an excellent male dancer. (Maybe even “too excellent”, as he was obviously fully aware of how good he was – he was a little bit too much of a showman for our taste.) It is a mystery to us why such a splendid ensemble of flamenco artists performs in a place that so totally lacks ambience and has such terrible stage lighting…
Despite the excellence of the performers at Gastroflamenco, the show that we definitely liked most was the one at Arte y Sabores, and not only because of the great place (and the two bottles of wine). It featured four artists: two splendid dancers, a very good young guitar player, and a male voice that we were not so much impressed by, but which was supported for a limited time by another strong male voice, that of the owner/manager (? – Jose) of Arte y Sabores. It was the only show that didn't use artificial amplification (no microphones, etc.) – which was really great. Overall, this was the most solid and even show – the quality was better than at Patio de la Judeira, and there were no clear differences between the levels of particular performers, as was the case in the other two shows.
Unfortunately, nothing is perfect, and the general very good impression of Arte y Sabores was marred by the extremely pushy sale of CDs, so pushy that perhaps it should be called a scam: the CDs were presented as if they were gifts, the performers individually approached members of the audience and asked their names, then they unwrapped the CDs from the cellophane cover and signed them, at which point people felt morally obliged to buy them (for 15 euro). We were warned about this scam by some of the previous reviews here at TA, so we managed to avoid it (by literally catching the hand of the guitarist when he was about to open the CD), but most people were not so lucky. Oh well, I suppose they paid for our two nice bottles of Rioja ;-)
All in all, we didn't regret going to any of the shows and enjoyed all of them, although El Cardenal wasn't such a good value for money (despite the excellent male dancer and the great female singer, and despite all the advertising). If you have enough time and money, you should do the same: this will give you a good idea of the range of flamenco styles, and you'll see and hear some great flamenco performers. On the other hand, if you have the time for just one show, probably Artes y Sabores will provide the best flamenco experience (despite the shameless practice of the pushy sale of CDs).
If you are looking for a quick recommendation, ours would be Arte y Sabores, but all shows were of good quality and each show had something to recommend (and each had something to complain about).
In terms of money, Patio de la Juderia was the cheapest option, as you only pay for what you consume (on the assumption that you'll consume at least 12 euro worth), not for the show itself. In case of the other shows, you have to pay 23 euro at El Cardenal, 25 euro at Carmen Gastroflamenco, and 30 euro at Arte y Sabores – in each of these three cases one drink of your choice is included. In case of Arte y Sabores, we went for the more expensive option of show + the “tasting menu”, for 40 euro, and it was fully worth it: for the additional 10 euro you get unlimited drinks and a nice selection of tapas. In our case, “unlimited drinks” consisted of two bottles of red wine (Rioja crianza 2013) and several bottles of water, so the drinks themselves would cost well over the 2 x 10 = 20 euro in other restaurants.
In terms of the general ambience of the place, Arte y Sabores is the clearest winner: it is situated in old Arab baths, it has a nice stage and 11 small tables – all this creates very intimate atmosphere. Definitely the worst show in this respect was Carmen Gastroflamenco: a desolate night club with cold white tables and chairs and pseudomodern black paintings (of well-known flamenco artists?) on white walls. The stage lighting was truly terrible: at any one point, the whole stage is lit in a single strong colour, the colours change sometimes at random, and the whole impression is that of cheap gaudiness.
So how about the shows themselves? Each had its strong points, but the one that we liked least was the one at Tablao El Cardenal – it was the only show that had choreographed routines (of three female dancers), and it seemed very unauthentic and touristy to us. On the other hand, it featured perhaps the best male dancer of these four shows – an amazing performer – and a very good female singer. The next show on our list would be the one at Patio de la Juderia – it featured four performers (male voice, guitar and a pair of dancers), each of them was good (especially the female dancer), but not as excellent as some of the other performers in the other shows. Maybe that's due to the formula of the show at Patio…, namely, the fact that the show takes place while people are eating and (at least some of them) talking. We didn't like this formula, and perhaps it was a little disconcerting to the performers as well. In fact, we saw the male singer again on the same evening, as he was one of the ensemble at the later Carmen Gastroflamenco show, and he was much better there. It is very well possible that the Gastroflamenco performers were – on the average – the best of all the four shows: definitely the best guitarist, two great male voices, a very good female dancer and an excellent male dancer. (Maybe even “too excellent”, as he was obviously fully aware of how good he was – he was a little bit too much of a showman for our taste.) It is a mystery to us why such a splendid ensemble of flamenco artists performs in a place that so totally lacks ambience and has such terrible stage lighting…
Despite the excellence of the performers at Gastroflamenco, the show that we definitely liked most was the one at Arte y Sabores, and not only because of the great place (and the two bottles of wine). It featured four artists: two splendid dancers, a very good young guitar player, and a male voice that we were not so much impressed by, but which was supported for a limited time by another strong male voice, that of the owner/manager (? – Jose) of Arte y Sabores. It was the only show that didn't use artificial amplification (no microphones, etc.) – which was really great. Overall, this was the most solid and even show – the quality was better than at Patio de la Judeira, and there were no clear differences between the levels of particular performers, as was the case in the other two shows.
Unfortunately, nothing is perfect, and the general very good impression of Arte y Sabores was marred by the extremely pushy sale of CDs, so pushy that perhaps it should be called a scam: the CDs were presented as if they were gifts, the performers individually approached members of the audience and asked their names, then they unwrapped the CDs from the cellophane cover and signed them, at which point people felt morally obliged to buy them (for 15 euro). We were warned about this scam by some of the previous reviews here at TA, so we managed to avoid it (by literally catching the hand of the guitarist when he was about to open the CD), but most people were not so lucky. Oh well, I suppose they paid for our two nice bottles of Rioja ;-)
All in all, we didn't regret going to any of the shows and enjoyed all of them, although El Cardenal wasn't such a good value for money (despite the excellent male dancer and the great female singer, and despite all the advertising). If you have enough time and money, you should do the same: this will give you a good idea of the range of flamenco styles, and you'll see and hear some great flamenco performers. On the other hand, if you have the time for just one show, probably Artes y Sabores will provide the best flamenco experience (despite the shameless practice of the pushy sale of CDs).
Written September 11, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
freegarden
Lincs. UK31 contributions
Hard to find superlatives for this superb Flamenco. The setting can hardly be bettered - in the open-air courtyard of the Bishop's Palace next to the Mezquita. The musicians (two), singers (two) and dancers (5 chicas, 1 hombre) are of the finest in Spain. Best to buy tickets (19 euro inc. drink) during the day after you've looked around the Mosque so's to get the best seats (the venue is next to the Tourist Office on the western side).
Go. You'll love it.
Go. You'll love it.
Written June 26, 2005
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bader Al-Qahtani
Dammam, Saudi Arabia28 contributions
Jul 2015 • Couples
This place might impress you if you have never been to a tablao in your life. Besides the music, which was ok, the dances and music were the most distant relative to flamenco. A spaniard would commit suicide before going to something like that. This show is so commercial that it lacks all the aesthetic values and personalized experiences of flamenco as it is intended to be. Don't take me wrong but only go there if you have never been to flamenco before, otherwise it's up to you!
Written July 3, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David_Beard-Sackett
Baltimore, MD49 contributions
Sep 2012 • Couples
First I should start off by noting that I am not that into song and dance shows, but we were told this was one not to miss and well, I guessed, if in Southern Spain I should at least see what all the fuss is about with Flamenco. I wish I could divide the review into two pieces, with the first act being very poor and the second act being excellent. the first half of the show starred an overly arrogant and ham-handed male dancer that really played it up, basically begging for audience approval (and he really wasn't deserving of it). I found myself giggling way too often as he overplayed his moves. The second half, however, had a male lead that was full of quiet strength, poise, and bravado - he held the entire audience in his magical trance. The female dancers were all around good - not great, just good. The singers were decent as well but the guitar players were excellent. Overall, mixed: half great, half not-so great. Would be better if you could pay for just the first act or the second.
Written September 13, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Me gustaría saber cada cuanto tiempo se cambia el espectáculo. Me refiero no solo al espectáculo que he visto, sino al cuadro de artistas.
Written April 17, 2018
Anywhere close by to catch a quick tapas dinner from a bar nearby?
I plan to arrive to the hotel around 20:00, 10minutes walking distance from Tablao Flamenco Cardenal, and have booked a show from 21:00.
I would like to have a quick meal before the show since I am with 2 kids 9 years old.
Appreciate any suggestions!
Written January 15, 2017
tablao itself serves food so check it out to save time
Written January 16, 2017
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