BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — What do Pau Gasol, Rafael Nadal and Cristiano Ronaldo have in common? Not only are they A-list athletes who originally hail from the Iberian Peninsula, but they’re also backers of a new Spanish restaurant opening Tuesday in Beverly Hills.

It’s called Tatel. Think grilled octopus, truffled tortilla, acorn-fed Iberico ham and other traditional Spanish fare, assembled with Italian flair courtesy of Michelin Star chef Luigi Fineo, formerly of La Botte Ristorante in Santa Monica.

What You Need To Know

  • Tatel is a new Spanish restaurant in Beverly Hills backed by athletes Pau Gasol, Rafael Nadal and Cristiano Ronaldo

  • The Tatel restaurant in Beverly Hills is the restaurant group's first in the U.S.; there are two other locations in Madrid and Ibiza, Spain

  • The menu includes traditional Spanish fare, including acorn-fed Iberico ham and grilled octopus

  • Tatel's chef is Michelin Star recipient Luigi Fineo, formerly of La Botte Ristorante in Santa Monica

“The concept, there’s not that many. Italian restaurants are everywhere. Sushi restaurants are everywhere. Spanish is something that is definitely missing,” said Brando Juris, director of Tatel USA Group. 

The concept isn’t only Spanish food. It’s entertainment. Five nights a week, there is live music performed in 15- to 20-minute sets roughly every hour, so diners can still converse. During the restaurant’s soft opening last week, Tatel featured performers ranging from a burlesque 1920s singer to a jazz player to artists in the vein of Michael Bublé and the Gypsy Kings. 

“We try to have something different every night,” Juris said, adding that music is performed Tuesday through Saturday nights with an ever-changing lineup, so it doesn’t become repetitive to repeat customers. In a month, Tatel plans to have a calendar and diners can see the artists who will be playing.

Despite the sports star backing, Tatel will not be playing FIFA world cup on large-screen TVs. It will not be broadcasting the U.S. Open or the NBA playoffs. The ambience is far more deluxe with red banquette seating, dramatic teal green pillars and warm wood accents. 

An offshoot of the investment company created, in part, by tennis superstar Rafael Nadal, Tatel has two other Spanish eateries, both in their native land — in Madrid and Ibiza. The location in Beverly Hills is its first in the U.S. Tatel hopes to prove the concept in SoCal before opening additional American locations in Palm Beach, Fla., and Aspen, Colo.

“A lot of people that come to Beverly Hills have been to our locations in Madrid and Ibiza,” Juris said, adding that Manchester United star Ronaldo became an investor after dining at Tatel in Spain. “Our main focus now is to succeed in Beverly Hills because if we can make it here, then we can make it anywhere.”

Located on Canon Drive in Beverly Hills, Tatel is open for lunch from 12 to 4 p.m. and for dinner from 4 p.m. to midnight Tuesday through Sunday. It stays open until 2 a.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Sunday brunch is served from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.