Arume
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Great and imaginative menu. Cute spot. Didn't have reservations so sat at the bar. Was met by a super friendly bartender that took good care of us. Menu was thru a QR code...ugh! But luckily they provided an iPad with the menu loaded so it came in a larger format. Started with a Cops de Garcia red wine, then a Gillis con bacalao, followed by a duck paella and a carrier's de cardo. All were delicious with presented beautifully. Each dish had subtle and unique flavors that blended well together. The portions were on the small side but great nonetheless. An enjoyable evening!
We came in for dinner and although we did not have a reservation, they are able to take us without a wait. The place is small and feels like you're walking through a labyrinth. It has a very intimate feel, and they have interesting photography and artwork on display. Our server was friendly and was able to give great recommendations about the menu. One of my favorite things was that the wine menu is on a tablet, you can select the wine and read about the various notes and see what foods will pair well with it. Based on the server's recommendations, we ordered the duck and mushroom paella along with the classic seafood paella. The duck mushroom paella was so delicious and flavorful. I think we should have tried the seafood paella first, since it seemed underwhelming after eating the mushroom duck paella. The tortilla de Betanzo was simple and delicious. The scallops were accompanied by an amazing sauce, that left me wanting more. For dessert, we ordered the tarta de queso ahumado, such unique and well blended flavors. The food was a bit pricey but the quality was great.
Arume is one of the popular spots in Barcelona for paella, but specifically the duck paella. It's special because you don't often find a duck paella on the menu. Be aware that you don't get the socarrat (crispy bottom) that many paellas have, but the flavor itself is still worthwhile. The restaurant is located along some "sketchy" alleys, but just head straight here and out. Once inside, it's led into multiple rooms into the back that feels like an underground cave. To start off, we had some Bread (€1.50), Butifa Croquettes (€3/pcs), and Bay Scallop (€7.50/pcs). The bread came with a tube of olive oil, which was pretty cool way to be served. The croquette and scallop were both good, although quite pricey for each item. For main entrees, we shared the Iberian Pork (€22.50) and Duck Paella (€18.50). Both of these dishes were incredibly flavorful and delicious. The sauce on the dish was savory and this meat was so tender. The paella was also full of flavor balanced with the cream mixture. It's more similar to a porridge consistency, but still so tasty. This dish is just so unique that you need to try it for yourself. Overall, delicious food, dim-lit environment, and friendly customer service. It's a pricier meal, but everything we had was delicious.
The service here was so wonderful. We loved Emmy! The location is not great and it was hard to find the place, but worth looking for. We tried the octopus and the tortilla de patata and liked both. We loved the duck paella! We also had the marisco paella but two out of four of us did not love it. Overall it was great and we'd love to come back!
Skip this place. First time in Barcelona, super excited to try seafood Paella in Spain. Worst paella I've ever had, flavor was awful. Also worst and most expensive meal I had in Barcelona. We had a paella cooking class scheduled elsewhere that week, I was going to cancel thinking if this is what Paella tastes like in Spain no thanks, thankfully the paella we made in class was delicious, thus confirming it's just this place that has bad paella. I think people see the good reviews and feel bad leaving an honest one, but it was so disappointing I feel it's only fair to honestly warn others because we wish we skipped this place. Also Sangria is flavorless due to being watered down.
One of the best meals I had in Barcelona. There are so many tapas and paella spots that it's hard to find one that really stands out, but I was wrong. Everything I had at Arume stood out. From the layout of the place (there was clear glass over a well that you walk over as decoration) to the music choices, the vibes were just on par. We asked the waiter to choose a white and red for us that she recommended. Each bottle she chose for us was delicious and right on the nose of what we had wanted. Appetizers -- We got the baked scallops (comes 2 per order) and the calamari. Both were flavorful and delicious. Main course -- Get the duck paella! If nothing else, I hope you at least try that. The duck paella is nothing I had like before. There were duck chunks, the flavor was on point and not too salty, and the cream on top helps balance out the flavors. The waiter said it was a single person portion, but we weren't too hungry and had order a lot of apps, along with fried pumpkin, that it was just the right size for 4 people. Dessert -- We were recommended the cheesecake brulee. It was not too sweet, nice and fluffy. Highly recommend making reservations to this place if you're traveling to Barcelona!
One of the highest Yelp ranked places in Barcelona and I know why. The food is delicious, the staff are full of smiles and the price is very reasonable. It's a cute restaurant with a warm environment as soon as you walk in. Items we tried: scallop- wow, fresh and they top it off with something crunchy with a little sauce. Fantastic! Duck paella - first time eating duck paella and absolutely delicious! Bread - bread is fresh and great tasting olive oil to go with it. Simple yet delicious.
We were SO excited to try this, but had an odd experience. The octopus appetizer was pre-cooked; I know this because the flavor was excellent but it was barely warm AND lightly fried. I even had a cold bite. The scallop I received was raw. The second one tasted like vanilla instead of truffle. The croquet was nice but I personally did not care for the flavor. The duck paella was actually not good- too little duck, too rich. Maybe it's me- I did not enjoy the flavor at all. The wine tablet was very cool; lots of details on the wines; loved that! The ambiance was just weird. I felt scared walking away from the restaurant- creepy guys walking around and women in full burkas. I don't know what has happened to this area of town, but I no longer feel safe here. I don't understand how this place is so well regarded on TripAdvisor or here. The photo is a view from inside the restaurant.
Contrary to popular opinion, Arume was pretty mediocre to me. Perhaps I had high expectations for this and it fell short of my expectations or I just ordered the wrong items. I may have not been impressed with my meal here, but other than that the service and hospitality made my experience quite pleasant. We made reservations for 8pm on a Wednesday night. Upon arrival, I was relieved we made reservations because the restaurant seemed rather small, but we soon found out that there's an extensive back area to the restaurant. We ordered the octopus tempura, ceviche, seafood paella and 2 drinks to share. I didn't love the texture of both the ceviche and octopus, but the shining factor of both dishes were the sauces drizzled on top of it. They really elevated the dish much more and helped the flavors of the seafood shine. A lot of people recommended the duck paella, but we opted for seafood paella just because of personal preference. Maybe that's where we went wrong, because I thought the paella was just average. The drinks, on the other hand, were delicious! I would come back here just for the blackberry mojito.
This is a cute tapas bar in a gritty part of town. It looks small at first glance, but there are a few additional rooms in the back. I had the seared tuna and fried octopus appetizers. Both were pretty good, but I thought the yuzu parmentier that came with the fried octopus had a funny taste and was unnecessary (1 star off). The grilled giant scallop was my favorite, as it had a ton of flavor and the sweet corn crema on top added a nice touch. The duck and mushroom paella had a wonderful umami flavor, but had very few pieces of duck and lacked the crispy bottom for a great paella (1 star off). The smoked cheesecake was just okay -- I did not detect any smoke flavor and it seemed days old. Overall, it was a nice place for lunch if you are in the area, but with all the tapas bars around, I probably would not make a special trip here.
Came here based on the other Yelp reviews. The restaurant has more seatings in the back. Ordered the duck paella as based on the other Yelp reviews. TBH, it's a little bit too heavy to eat. The scallops are really good, highly recommend them. The octopus was fried, not the raw ones that I was thinking. Interesting window to look down at the skeleton. The service is friendly and accommodating.
4 years ago
Found this place through Yelp and it did not disappoint. We didn't have a reservation and were told to come back after an hour or so for a table and I'm so glad we did! The absolute best croquettes and paella we had our entire trip. If it weren't our last night in Barcelona, we would be eating here again for sure! read more
3 years ago
I'd always told myself that I wasn't too big a fan of paella and carb-heavy spanish dishes in general, but I'd heard great things about the duck paella at Arume and had to check it out for myself! (Note: If you're not looking out for Arume, it's pretty easy to miss. The signs aren't huge and the exterior of the restaurant is pretty commonplace.) I don't live in Spain and didn't realize that the country literally doesn't sleep (everything's shifted a couple hours back here) and made the mistake of stopping by on a Saturday around 11am. We were told that they didn't open until 1pm on weekends and 7pm on weekends, but we figured it was worth it to realign our schedules to try the famous duck paella. We ordered the duck paella (of course), the pork belly, oyster (sold individually) and blueberry mojito. And I've gotta say, we were not disappointed with the paella! The rice was the perfect creaminess (not as heavy as normal paellas) and texture. I'm not a fan of really hard rice (think stone pot rice) or really mushy rice, but the texture worked really well with the creaminess of the paella. The duck was also super tender. The serving of pork belly looked really small, but it's actually pretty filling and super juicy/rich. It's served with a good amount of fat for optimal texture. Prices were a little higher than most other tapa places I'd seen in Barcelona, but coming from SF they were pretty typical (around 15 euros per dish and we came when there was a good exchange rate). Would definitely come again and order the duck paella! read more
A friend recommended this spot, and it was very popular. You do have to make reservations in advance, as it is unlikely you will get to dine here without them. The service is exceptional, we really liked our waitress. Friend had raved about the blackberry mojitos, and they were indeed super good, but lacked alcohol! Ordered a variety of things, some were just okay, some were different and tasty like the ceviche that was doused in almond milk. Our last entrees were both paellas, seafood and duck. At first, the duck one was so good and I thought this place is totally worth it! But then it tasted saltier and saltier, and I just couldn't eat it anymore. Overall, it was just okay, I liked the concept of having a twist on traditional foods, but a bit too salty for our liking. read more
4 years ago
Friendly service, cute interior, great ambiance. Duck paella and fish ceviche was both so flavorful. Highly recommended! read more
Saw the raving reviews about their paella and decided to make a reservation. It's in a sketchy neighborhood compared to the main tourist areas so definitely be aware of that. Seafood Paella (4/5): pretty good and had a decent amount of seafood. Duck Paella (2/5): this was a letdown as it tasted like fried rice, so if you're Asian pass on this dish. Lamb Entree (4/5): nicely cooked, little gamey though. Blackberry Mojito (4/5): great drink, tart and not too sweet. Overall we had a nice experience but did not enjoy being sat on the balcony area where there is minimal air conditioning, so I would advise to be seated on the main dining room floor. read more
Came here for dinner with my sister. We made a reservation and when we arrived at the restaurant, there was already a line outside and the place wasn't even open yet. Of course, anyone with reservations were seated first. My sister raved about their paella so that is what I had. We split the duck and the seafood one. The paella was very delicious but not the best I've ever had. I liked the flavors for the seafood one better than the duck but the rice that was accompanying the duck paella was cooked more to my liking - more al dente. The service was very good and the waitresses were very friendly. They spoke English as well. The restaurant had a moody and cool vibe. I would definitely come here again if I am ever back in Barcelona but it wasn't one of my very favorite places to eat during my week long trip. read more
This place was amazing. As evidenced by the ridiculously long line we had to wait through before finally getting seated (bring a fully charged phone). That said, the waitstaff was super nice and accommodating, despite the fact that none of us had reservations. Actually, now that I think about it, I'm not sure they even took reservations so be prepared for that. Anyway, once we got seated (we were lucky enough to be seated at the cool/scary table several dozen feet above the glass floor dungeon-looking area. Our server was absolutely fantastic and kept our drinks and food flowing over the course of our meal. Just be sure to watch your head on one particularly treacherous walkway (it's either to the bathroom or coming down the steps to the downstairs area - there's a sign but apparently miss it all the time). Go here. read more
8 years ago
I read on here that you have to make reservations. We went to Barcelona in off peak which is now, so for everything we ate no reservations needed. We walked in and we were seated right away. First day in Spain, and I wanted paella! We came here because of the stellar reviews and you can also order paella for 1 here as everywhere else you need to order minimum for 2. Honestly, I was not blown away by anything we ordered. We got the duck paella too. Everything was on the saltier side to us. Hands down for the best mojito though. ***** 5 stars to just that!! read more
7 years ago
Just got back from arume and wow - I wish we could come back tomorrow too. My fiancé and I were very hungry walking in (we saved our appetite in anticipation for this meal), and the portions, service did not disappoint. We walked in early to our reservations (make a reservation!!!) and since the table wasn't ready, the manager asked for our patience and gave us a drink menu. We ordered a cocktail each (mojito for me and a sake martini for him), and we downed it! Wow. Cocktails are incredible and you can tell the mixologist really puts detail into every cocktail. It's a piece of art! We had Eliza as our waitress and she was a gem!!!! We ordered oysters (I didn't care for them tbh), INCREDIBLE crispy octopus (I think I can order 5 of these for myself), duck paella and the lamb entree. The portions were just enough and we shared everything and I was stuffed. Too stuffed for dessert! The craziest thing is that the pricing is honestly decent. We're from NYC, where trendy places are meh quality with ridiculous pricing but this meal was amazing. 4 cocktails 2 mains Oysters Appetizers Sparkling water Coffee For 98 euros. Not bad. I will be back! read more
3 years ago
6 years ago
We spent Christmas Eve dinner here and our experience was great! It is VERY important to make reservation before visiting this restaurant. We had a reservation at 7:00pm(their opening time). And there's already a line of 50 people waiting outside the restaurant, they do not have reservation. So if you really want to dine here without reservation, you can join the line. The front of the restaurant is very small, but as you walk towards the back through a hallway, there are two rooms! We sat at the first room where there are only tables for twos, about 7 tables there. Inside they have table for bigger parties. We shared a bottle of wine. It's delicious! Wine in Spain are great in general, with a fraction of the price of French wine. We enjoyed every single dishes we ordered. Especially dessert! Will definitely return when I visit BCN again! read more
3 years ago
7 years ago
Advice: make a reservation at least one day ahead! What we ordered: Duck Paella (16€) Seafood Paella (16€), grilled octopus (13€). No drinks What was good: Service was friendly and nice. The paella could be ordered for one person instead of two minimum. Both paella's were nicely done and tasty! We preferred the seafood one but the duck one is also great! It's a little bit more heavy as it has garlic mayonnaise and it has a bit of sweetness and more sauce in it. The grilled octopus at appetizer were a little bit small in portion considering that we paid 13€ which is almost the price of a paella. The size of the paella was ok. I with they would've added more fish or duck. Why only 4 and not 5 stars: 1) They charged is 2.50€ for two pieces of bread that we considered complimentary 2) the Paella was nice don't get me wrong but not something I'd become a regular customer or wait in line for. read more
Delicia!!!!!! What can you say about this place the manager is amazing and accommodating. The chef is super friendly and amazing. Y no se puede vivir sin un poquito de Javi en tu vida. Javi new hiso la cena inolvidable. Toda la comida fue excelente. The blackberry mojito was unforgettable. The paella. Duck and mariscos we're both outstanding. The pulpo is amazing too and so was the fried fish sticks and the veal tartar. Wow Everything was amazing MAKE RESERVACIÓN IN ADVANCE AND IT IS WORTH IT. OTHERWISE SIT AT THE BAR. read more
3 years ago
Get there before 8pm if you don't have a reservation. I was seated immediately and served a sangria very quickly. I told my server I wanted the duck paella and something light for appetizer. She recommended the scallops and it was amazing! Paella was amazing for sure. So nice to find a place that does single paella serving! Highly recommend this place. read more
2 years ago
7 years ago
This restaurant is such a gem! It's located in a characteristic European "alleyway" and is almost unassuming from the outside. I only knew where it was from the crowd of hungry patrons waiting their turn to enter (there isn't much waiting room on the inside unless you are already seated at the bar or a table). The food and drinks here were absolutely amazing! Everything from the Seafood Paella, to the Duck Paella, to the Crispy Octopus, to the Beef Cheeks, to the Blackberry Mojito and dessert. Our waiter's name was Carlas and he was wonderful. It was truly a delightful experience and worth the hour or so wait to get in! read more
We found the food to be just good to very good not outstanding like other reviewers found it. It definitely rates a 4 but ... The place itself has a lot of character, with the staff all young and energetic, with Rap music playing unobtrusively in the background. The Clams with Thai spices were very good as was the Lamb. A big disappointment was the Duck Paella that lacked that "Wow" factor. It was a rice dish with some mushrooms and ? With a bottle of water & a bottle of wine the bill came to around $85. One of the higher prices we've paid but not entirely worth the cost. read more
7 years ago
Agh. I suppose I'll have to be *that* guy. We stopped by Arume with high hopes. This marked the last meal in our eventful foodie stay in Barcelona. Unfortunately... this place missed the mark. This was one of the weaker meals we had in this great city. The tartare was okay but not amazing. The crispy octopus was a bright spot--fresh and well cooked. The paella (both the duck and the seafood), however, was a minor let down, particularly at 17€ a plate. The mushrooms in the duck paella in our opinion were unnecessary. Unfortunately the duck itself tasted like it got away from them, was on the pulled duck side of things... the result was a rather dry, rubbery waste of a good bird. The pork shoulder was promising. It was cooked with a great medium rare, unfortunately it was over salted for our taste. The service was... a bit odd, if I had to say so myself. The bearded gentleman that helped us seemed like he was uninterested in serving us. Overall this was a "good but just okay". I think if we could do it again we would have saved us the trip and paid another trip to Vinitus instead. read more
3 years ago
I was in Barcelona the last week of August 2017. After an amazing meal at Disfrutar the night before, we ventured to Arume after snapping photos at Park Guell. Being late August a lot of locals were probably on vacation and we were able to make resos easily. Once we walked in, 8 of the 9 parties were Asian. Felt like dining at the House in San Francisco. Loved the ambience with the undergarments hanging down from the ceiling. We had the following: -Iberian pork carpaccio marinated with vermouth, white miso, tahini and Touza Vella goat cheese - It was nice to start off with a cold dish and sip that with a glass of white. -Duck paella rice with Padrón peppers - Highlight and must order. Haven't seen this on menus in the States. Excellent! Friend mentioned it was his favorite meal on the trip. More so than Osteria Francescana in Modena and Aroma in Rome. -Arume's sea food paella - Very good paella. Who doesn't like noodles and rice after a night out. Hope to compare to the paella in Valencia one day. I saw some other tables with the rib ps. Overall, a fantastic restaurant that will appeal well to many palettes. read more
3 years ago
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7 years ago
Read all the amazing reviews for Arume and immediately made a reservation online. The restaurant did not disappoint. Everything we had was so delicious! Highly, highly recommend! I'm glad we made reservations because it was packed when we went for dinner and there aren't many tables inside. We were seated immediately. Most, if not all, the servers spoke English and they have english menus. It's not a tapas restaurant, but the portions were quite small. We ordered a few dishes to share. DUCK PAELLA - this was recommended by everyone so of course we had to try it. It is delicious! The aioli on top is so light and actually kind of foamy. The paella is so savory with shredded duck meat. Definitely recommend! 1 portion was big enough for 4 of us to share. SEAFOOD PAELLA - why not order both? this paella had a very strong seafood taste. I love seafood, but I wasn't a big fan of the flavor of this. I would recommend just getting the duck paella. BEEF CHEEK - so tender! Came with 2 or 3 large slices, cooked medium rare with some asparagus. This was supposed to be a Main Course but it's very small compared to American standards. We treated it like an appetizer and just ordered more dishes! MONKFISH - Loved this! I don't think I've ever tried monkfish before but this was an amazing first experience. It wasn't flaky like other fishes. It was very meaty, like lobster. read more
7 years ago
Ah-ma-zing. Arume is my favorite restaurant in Barcelona, and one of my favorites in Europe. I come here every time I am in Barcelona to eat paella! Located in a small side street. Making a reservation is easy, and you can do it online for same or next day. We went at 7pm, and it wasn't too busy as Spain usually eats dinner later. We had a pitcher of sangria (14€, SO good) and ordered two paellas (duck fat and seafood). I personally LOVED the duck fat one, as it was so moist and fatty and rich. However, the seafood one is a classic and a must-try. The shrimp on it was cooked the perfection, so soft and buttery. They also bring you bread and a vial of olive oil. Paellas were ~16€ each, and for 2 people we had leftovers. A great deal compared to CA prices. Tax is already included, and tipping in Spain isn't the same here as in America. Give ~1-2 euros for excellent service, or just leave your spare change. They take credit card. read more
3 years ago
Had an amazing meal here. Started with the blackberry mojito that was refreshing and the steak tartare appetizer that was tasty. Our main course was the delicious duck paella which was paired nicely with a suggested Penedes The service was immaculate and the ambiance was nicely relaxed. Highly recommended! read more
7 years ago
Delicious food and drinks. Came in as a walk in, soon after they opened for the day but still had to wait for seats. We ended up sharing a corner of an end of a table, we made space for one m, work for two people. The staff was very welcoming amd made us feel comfortable even though the seating was awkward. We ordered Rape al Wok from the seconds menu to start- it was delicious- and the duck and seafood paella to share. We prefered the duck over the seafood. Both were kinda salty but hey, we ate it. The drinks were pretty good too. There was a blueberry drink and a kiwi drink we really enjoyed. Next time we're in Barcelona, we will definitely make reservations. read more
3 years ago
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Arume - mediterranean - Updated May 2026
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