The AllMusic review by Thom Jurek stated: "Plays Nat King Cole en Español is among the most imaginative and well-executed recordings in Murray's large catalog. He found something mercurial, graceful, and dignified in Cole's voice, and used it as inspiration to create a work that is respectful but utterly his own".[3]The Guardian review by John Fordham awarded the album 3 stars noting "even by Murray's open standards, this is an unusual venture... It's a warm and very mellifluous album for Murray. These swaying songs glow with knowing life: the vivacious arrangements for strings and horns buoy up Murray's rich tenor sound, operating in a smoky Ben Websterish manner, without swamping it".[4]
JazzTimes observed "His charts, which feel Latin but aren’t idiomatically so, strip the original iterations of syrup and cheese, balancing Murray’s ebullient ensemble dissonances with keen attention to melody".[5] On All About Jazz, James Nadal said "Plays Nat King Cole en Español is wonderful music intended for dancing and romancing".[6]
