Jesus fed 1000 people with two fishes and a loaf of bread. Heck, that's not a miracle, that's tapas! Quite a bustling Spanish tapas place, on a Saturday night we were lucky to find two seats at the bar. The outside menu blinks frenetically and could trigger some epilepsy. Music is good and staff are accommodating. They were very thorough with allergies and made sure no mistakes of cross contamination take place. Tried 5 different tapas, I'm not fully satisfied with the size to price ratio, but will say that quality and execution is pretty good. Tortilla: a bit runny inside, which is good if you dont like the dry style. Salted cod tortilla: finely ground fish, interesting take on classic tortilla. Aubergine tapas: I thought it would be mushy style, but its a whole baby eggplant and I think it's all in the ajo Blanco sauce that comes with it. Patata bravas: good frying surface of the potatoes and again it's all in the red sauce. Beetroot & goat cheese croquettes: you only get three, but I suppose goat cheese is expensive, an acquired taste for some, but I quite liked the flavor combination. read more

See all

I am by no means a tapas connoisseur but I know good food. My expertise came in the 'guise of my two dining buddies. They knew a lot about Spanish cuisine and order a table full of food, leaving me to relax and enjoy. The atmosphere on a Monday lunch time was quiet but welcoming. I expected the service to be prompt and it was. There was water and bread on the table in the blink of an eye and our Catalan waitress was full of smiles. She read out the exciting sounding specials, but the guys knew what they wanted. Bacalao Branded Tostada, Calamar, Bull de Llengua, Pan Tomaca and Patatas Bravas were served up for us all to enjoy. The food was a delight and seemingly very authentic. It was certainly an adventure to savour so many different tastes. Normally I would baulk at the idea of a strange flat sausage, served with pickled egg with peppers in sauce; but it was good. Our bill came to £30 with two coffees, and I would recommend either lunch or dinner here in a heartbeat. Great restaurant. Nothing to fancy, just simply decorated with fantastic food. read more

Barrica - Tapas Bars Near Me - London, XGL

Gorgeous. Barrica was absolutely gorgeous. Yes there was a wait, yes we didn't receive one of our orders, yes the waitress refused to believe that we didn't receive our order and tried to convince us that she actually did bring our order (apparently it was us that forget eating the Gambas al Ajillo...) but the food, the venue, the service, the drinks, the everything everything everything about Barrica was gorgeous. We went for the traditional orders, (the pad thai test if you will) and these were the best tapas I've ever had outside of Spain. Perhaps even inside of Spain. Patatas Bravas y Alioli, Jamon Iberico Cebo, Albondigas de Cerdo y Rabo de Toro, Aceitunas, and of course sangria... but it was the dessert that pushed it over the top. Vanilla ice cream with figs and blackberries in warm red wine sauce and a salted caramel chocolate ice cream bar? Holy cow. I'm not a dessert person, and this was my food version of heaven. Seriously. Gorgeous. Have I mentioned it was gorgeous? read more

Went for tapas on a recent visit to London and this stop turned out to be the restaurant highlight of our trip. We went to dinner every night at very good places recommended by yelp, friends and locals - but this is the only place I feel compelled to review. Why? The service and friendliness of the staff. We had a short list of a couple tapas places in the neighborhood, and we chose Barrica purely because when we looked inside - it looked like a tapas restaurant and wasn't trying to be anything else. We sat at the bar and ended up having a great evening chatting with the bartender and manager - taking their recommendations for both food and wine and also just chatting in general about food and restaurants in London. I'd shout out to the bartender if I could pronounce/spell his name. What a lovely experience. Highly recommended. read more

Having recently been to a few towns in Spain and experienced the Spanish version of an evening out (Excellent Pinchos in Bilbao and free Tapas in Granada), we were seeking out a similar night in our very own London Town. After a little research we found this place near Goodge St. On arrival on a Monday night we were surprised to find that all the high tables with stools at the front were already taken and we didn't really want a full restaurant meal so we couldn't get a regular table at the back. Luckily some people left one of the high tables just then and we settled in. The Wine list was very extensive, we had a 2 good bottles of young wine that were not especially cheap then a more expensive bottle of Rioja. All were excellent. For Tapas we had a selection of very good dishes including deep fried baby squids, prawns in chili, the ubiquitous patatas bravas. Again all the food was very good. Whilst looking at the menu we discovered they did a lot of Sherrys and there was a lot of mention of Pedro Ximenez (a type of grape used to make sweet sherry). Having been about 15 the last time I tried Sherry I thought I'd give it a go again. Much to my surprise I really liked it, I'll be seeking out my friend Pedro Ximenez again sometime! The service was good and they let you order food and wine from the waitress throughout the evening. All in all it was just like being in Spain for the evening, unfortunately the Tapas wasn't free like in Granada though! read more

They certainly have cojones - this place opened literally two doors next to Salt Yard, a long-time Goodge St Tapas favourite. So when I went with a Spanish friend of mine - my authentic guide to all things Tapas - expectations were fairly high. The good news right away: they held up nicely. Well done, Barrica. Admittedly, I was bribed into equanimity by a two-page menu of Sherries. Very well done, Barrica. After a fine tipple of Oloroso, we moved from the bar (which by the way is very cosy - well worth going just for a drink and a few nibbles after work) to the back part of the restaurant, where the tables are aligned on both sides of the room. It's fairly small, so I'd guess it never gets too noisy in there. Food highlights were the Pork and Oxtail Meatballs (recommended by the waiter, and rightly so - btw, all waiting staff seemed to be Spanish), the Pork Loin strips (basically rare in the middle, but heavenly silky), and the grilled calamar. No let downs, and a great red from the Jumilla region for £24. If you wonder: the Spaniard endorsed it, too. Nice detail: while we were sipping the Sherry at the front bar, they brought little Tortilla pieces for us to nibble on, complimentary. Now there's a hospitality concept that British pubs could learn a thing or two from. read more

Tapas! What a great place for a tapas dinner! Barrica takes reservations, calls to remind you what time you should arrive and your table is always ready the minute you walk in the door. They serve lots of delicious choices for vegetarians, which is excellent for a tapas restaurant. I love the crunchy beans to start, and last time we ate here, the leek salad was the best dish we tried! Everything is good, staff is friendly and the wine flows like water. What more could you ask for? read more

A must!!!! Ate here for a business meeting and we had a full range of veggie, fish and meat tapas. No disappointments in the lot - all were delicious! From the toast to the iberico sausage to the fantastic octopus (amazingly tender - how'd they do that?) it was a journey of deliciousness. The service was fantastic and if you're a gin drinker, an amazing list of different gin combinations to try. I'll be back...oh, I'll be back. read more

For me, the food here is 3 stars, but Barrica earns the extra star for two reasons - one, that it takes reservations which is SO rare for a tapas place in London and two, for the great service which is also SO rare for a restaurant in London. It's your standard tapas fare here, but the food is quite good. The patatas bravas are probably the best that I've had here so far. Some other notable dishes were the fareekah, which is kind of like a cous cous with pomegranates and leeks, and the beef onglet served with a mix of chickpeas and something on the side, delicious. Slightly disappointed in the sourdough torta and the pressed pork shoulder - they were ok, but nothing to write home about. Also I thought the wine was a bit on the pricey side. All in all, it's a great tapas place though and on a weekend evening when not willing to wait for a table at the nearby Barrafina or Salt Yard, then it's a good alternative option. read more

Since discovering this place, I've been here 3 times! The most thorough of these visits was for my 30th birthday party (I know, I look good for it!). The manager of the place, David, does a deal whereby everyone pays £20, you choose a few favs from the menu and he'll just keep wheeling out various dishes so that everyone can try a bit of everything. It went down very well! Barrica do some of their food in the traditional "tapas place in London" way but a lot of it i have to say is entirely out of the box. For example; The calimari isn't breadcrumbed, it's an entire squid that's been cooked perfectly and is served with a lemon wedge and some roast garlic. Not what i was expecting but delicious none the less. This is practically the mantra for the whole place. Service is swift and pleasant Veal cheeks melt in the mouth It's well decorated and so is the food Lots of table for 2, perfect for dating, if you don't mind the whole garlic thing! read more

It's been a while since I've eaten here. Here's what I recall: It was a lovely tapas dinner with a small group of friends. loved sitting outside in the evening. Enjoyed both the meal and the sangria. read more

It is nearly impossible to get into any tapas bar in London W1 on a Friday night without having a reservation. So my heart sank a little when my wife said she wanted tapas. We initially got turned away from the Salt Yard, a couple of doors down, but this proved a blessing in disguised as we came across Barrica. Luck was shining on us that evening as the waitress managed to squeeze us in. Kept things simple and ordered the white asperagus and the spinach with dates (excellent), along with Jamon and Chorizo (again excellent). The service was excellent. Our waitress asked if we wanted to move to a better table once it was free, going out of her way to help move our stuff. Looking forward to returning soon read more

Pretty good. Great selection of classic tapas done simply but very nicely. Suckling lamb and pear for the table - excellent. Great selection of Gins as well. Too many high tables good for snacking less good fir dining. read more

I was a bit hesitant to head to Barrica after reading a few negative reviews on some London foodie blogs... However, a friend of mine was in town and in that area, so I decided we should take the plunge and head to Barrica to give it a try. I had a craving for tapas that wouldn't quit so I was hoping this place would fit the bill. Upon entering the place, I was already impressed with the friendly atmosphere and the hospitality of the host (Manager?) who recommended I sit at one of the bar tables to wait for my friend. You see, I hadn't reserved and just walked in at 7:00pm and clearly this is a "reservations" type of place. Instead of the "oh, you didn't book?!?" attitude that I tend to get at these types of places, the host was nothing but friendly and accommodating. I was really pleased when I asked for a wine recommendation and my server told me that two of the wines were excellent and offered me tastes of both before settling on my choice. The complimentary bread basket with olive oil was great - either I was really hungry or that oil was laced with some kind of illicit substance (or both!) because I gobbled it up! The wine was delicious and the tapas were too, though the portions were a bit on the small side, even for tapas! (I know, I know, they're SUPPOSED to be small dishes, but these ones were smaller than usual) But, the price of each was really reasonable so we made up for the smaller size by ordering extras! Service was extremely fast and friendly which just added to the positive experience. Some of my favorites included the grilled peppers, empanadas and the grilled chorizo. Yum yum! As the night progressed, the place got more and more packed and bustling and clearly is a popular choice in the area. I'll definitely be back when the tapas craving strikes again! read more

Excellent food - really authentic tapas that reminded me of how tapas tasted when I lived in Seville. Great atmosphere and friendly, well informed staff. Highly recommended. read more

Such an amazing discovery in the heart of London. I am from Spain and I have to say that not in many places I'd eaten dishes as good as these ones. We have had Gazpacho for dinner which i really missed from my days in Spain. Also chilled asparagus mind and pea soup with crispy iberico ham and slow cooked pork belly with smoked carrot purée which were the specials tonight and we left feeling in love. The prices are affordable considering the quality and the selection of wines is incredible. You can also ask for advise, the stuff is super helpful and nice and you can see how the chefs are very involve, along with all the rest of the staff, to give you the best experience ever. Highly recomended. More places like this in London, please! read more

I had a rather interesting experience in Barrica. The food was of nice quality but the service was sub-par. The staff is inadequate and clearly don't know how to serve properly. Firstly, my friend and I were ignored twice while we were obviously ready to order. That was quite embarrassing - to be ready to order, to open your mouth in an attempt to say what you want and to be passed by as a street sign. Very rude. The staff's attitude was also below average as there was eye-rolling and huffing when we asked about the cooking process and ingredients. I thoughtfully decided not to ask for wine recommendations. On the other hand, the tapas and food in general were good, hence the two stars. read more

love. the food was simple and delish. which pretty much fits the whole place. not overdone, to the point, but executed beautifully. the portions were decently sized, came quickly (although we did have to remind them of a dish. whatever) and were filling. this is how it should be done. read more

Overall a disappointing experience and I have to blame myself for part of it. I booked it for me and 3 other friends for a Saturday night only to realize that one of the friend is Jewish, so no pork and the other one only eats chicken and shellfish. As luck would have it, the menu that night offered very little choices for those poor souls, because it seemed that all the meat dishes had pork in them and all the seafood dishes were fish. So then it was down to vegetarian dishes for them, and there were a very few of them to choose from. My friends were easy-going enough to just ordered a few veggie dishes and a duck dish. And the waiter managed to not bring patata bravas and the duck dish! I did like my grilled Iberico pork but the portion was quite tiny even for tapas. We all left quite hungry. read more

the tapas all were named really "deliciously" but if you closed your eyes, it would taste pretty "default"/not-snazzy. def not bad but not as posh as described on the menu i did really love the warm beet salad and esp the pork/oxtail meatballs. SO GOOD read more

Fun gastro-winebar that can please a loud group of friends or staisfy a more romantic dinner for two. Everything we ordered was delicious (4 tapas sized dishes & one cheese selection to finish for 2 of us was plenty). Calamar was grilled to perfection, white beans and truffles was rich and a must order. Meats like the selections of jamon iberico and chorizo give great savory flavors. Can't go wrong with the Spanish red wines, and if you have room at the end of your meal, try some of the alcoholic sherries paired off with a cheese, for a truly authentic Spanish tapas experience. read more

Stopped in here on a recommendation from a colleague. Terrific service, nice variety of tapas on the menu and a chill environment made it an enjoyable experience. I had the hake, the padron peppers and the maze and bean cocktail mix. I'd recommend them all with the suggestion that if you like your food a bit less salty to ask them to ease off the salt. Great work Barrica! read more

I've been to Barrica twice now. My first experience was pretty good. The food was good, and we had great service, so when we came here for a friend's Viva party, I thought it would be reasonable. Then I realized the big difference between when we came the first time and when we went the second. First time: Monday night at 6 pm for three people. Second time: Thursday night at 7:30 for seven people. Before we came, we were at the pub, and my friend who made the reservation said the restaurant sent an email earlier stating if he didn't respond to the email AND didn't show up 15 minutes before the reservation, they may give up the table. That's a bit harsh. So we're there and the waitress asks us if we want to order drinks. I order a large glass of wine. Someone else orders a beer. Then the waitress leaves for about five minutes or so before coming back to take the rest of the order. That's weird. I also ask for tap water for everyone. Our drinks come. Mine turns out to be a bottle of wine that I had to send back because when I ordered a large glass of wine, I didn't expect it to be a 750 mL glass. Also, while they brought us glasses for tap water, the water didn't arrive until I asked them again about it on my wait to the bathroom. As our food was coming, the food was alright. The Jamon is great (but hey that doesn't involve much cooking). Some of the dishes were great, like the octopus in spicy squid ink and the aubergine. However, three of the seven of the dishes we ordered came on a bed of mashed potato. And the chorizo was basically just served as a giant whole sausage. No effort at all. The salt cod tasted nothing of salt cod as it was blending into mashed potato, so there probably wasn't much. It was just underwhelming. We were brought two dishes we didn't order, and three of our dishes never showed up. And I would have asked the server about it, but she never came back to our table. Someone had to ask about it on the way to the bathroom. I mean, I'm aware that it's a Spanish restaurant, but it's not Spain. I don't have the long leisurely table-time I would have there to just sit back and enjoy the weather (we were told we had to vacate the table by 9:30). So don't give us crappy Spanish service. Oh, and our table was at the front of the restaurant. Because it was a warm day, the door and windows were open, so anyone smoking outside the door basically ruined the entire meal as the smoke would waft in the restaurant. Yuck. So yeah, if you go to Barrica early on a weekday with a small party in the back of the restaurant, you can get a decent meal. Otherwise, just avoid it. I'm sure you can eat better food with much better service at other places. read more

Food here was good. Some creative dishes and some tapas classics. It was generally a good meal but a little on the pricey side.

Looking for a sexy play on a spanish tapas vibe in the neighborhood? This is the place! Excellent wine and food service. I will be back, many times! read more

I really love eating tapas and have been on a mission since my arrival in London three years ago, to find an affordable and authentic tapas bar. I would definitely say that Barrica has the beverage side of things sorted. Wine list is well thought out and comprehensive- you can find something for everyone. I love the casual, relaxed atmosphere but it seemed a bit empty when I came in. Then again I came in at an odd hour on a Saturday afternoon. The patatas bravas weren't as mouth-watering as the ones I remember having in Barcelona, but the albondigas, croquetas and the divine gambas al ajillo more than made up for it. Service was fine, but nothing particularly memorable. read more

Delicious food with great service. Tapas portions are tiny so do ask the waitress how many you'll need per person. They have a great selection of wine and the olive oil served with the bread is to die for (it's from Brindisa, the Spanish food Mecca in Borough Market). read more

I had a great weeknight dinner here with 2 visiting friends. I felt compelled to write a short review, given that I myself was a bit anxious for booking this place after reading the mixed reviews online. It was a relief to find that the food was all great, the costs quite reasonable, and service not as bad as some people made it out to be! Food - we ordered about 8 tapas dishes and they were ALL delicious. The veal cheeks were out of this world, the squid flavourful, and a friend loved the gazpacho he had. Yes the portions are tiny, as many mentioned. But the cooking standard was pretty high. Drinks - not too happy with the rose sangria pitcher. It was very tasty, but there was SO much ice in the pitcher!! Ambience - warm and cosy. Lovely except for the really loud group next to us, it got extremely loud and difficult to hear each other after a while. Service - our waitress was smiley and efficient, though her English wasn't very good. Costs - Bill came to 90 pounds for 4, with just the sangria and 1 glass of wine. Very reasonable for central London. Wish there were more food for the money, though. I'd recommend Barrica - don't be put off by the negative reviews. It's worth a visit. read more

I really love eating tapas and have been on a mission since my arrival in London three years ago, to find an affordable and authentic tapas bar. I would definitely say that Barrica has the beverage side of things sorted. Wine list is well thought out and comprehensive- you can find something for everyone. I love the casual, relaxed atmosphere but it seemed a bit empty when I came in. Then again I came in at an odd hour on a Saturday afternoon. The patatas bravas weren't as mouth-watering as the ones I remember having in Barcelona, but the albondigas, croquetas and the divine gambas al ajillo more than made up for it. Service was fine, but nothing particularly memorable. read more

The food was tasty but when comparing it to the real deal which you can have in Spain...the tapas aren't as good

Interesting menu: some modern twists on classic tapas dishes. Execution was very good and most dishes were excellent. Service was efficient and friendly. Good wine list too read more

Amazing tapas, great wines, but what really stands out is the hospitality of this Spanish family.

after another fabulous evening here it's time to write a review.. we've been coming here since they opened and its a real pleasure when Marta, Monica, Javier greet us like old friends. They really know their wine here and will happily take time to explain what is good - Marta is an expert ! The food is without fail delicious - favourites include the smoked aubergine with raisins, but last night's pork with piquillo peppers was a star too. We don't often have dessert but our arms were twisted with a serving of fantastic ice cream flavoured with cinammonn and lemon , and a perfect crema catalana. Sort of wish i hadn't written all this as it's not always easy to get a table, but these guys deserve public recognition. read more

great place for casual eats with fabulous drinks. the sherry list is possibly the best, um, in the universe. complete with darling server to explain it all and give recommendations. the food was tasty, well-prepared, altho a smidge pricey given the size of the portions and the neighborhood (I will never think of the tottenham ct rd area as Food Central.). read more

My favourite tapas place in London, and I like the dark, low-lit interior it's a great place for a tête à tête. The menu features the usual suspects but the stand-out dishes have usually been the specials had some memorable grilled lamb here once. If you're into sherry, you'll find some interesting ones on the list. The wines are good too, with Spanish wines that you don't often find in restaurants in the UK. You have to book a table, or you don't get in, even on mid-week nights. read more

http://www.urban-vegetarian.blogspot.com Barrica is one of several Spanish restaurants in the Fitzrovia/Soho area, only a couple of doors down from Salt Yard. The space itself is warm and attractive with buttercup yellow walls, chequerboard floors, the obligatory dangling hams and an expanse of dark wooden cabinets housing wine bottles. I was a little late and my housemate had already kicked things off with a glass of sweet-ish, amber coloured manzanilla, which she, after some coaxing, allowed me to try as we squinted at the specials board. We chose a selection of dishes. The Catalan staple, escalavida, was very nice indeed, a triptych of smoky char-grilled aubergine, pepper and red onion. A plate of dark, garlicky grilled mushrooms came dotted with nuggets of queso fresco; of the available cheeses we opted for the villarejo, a nutty, hard cheese with rosemary in the rind, served with a miniature blob of membrillo. My housemate, no vegetarian she, also went for the charcoal grilled chorizo, which hit her happy spot - she sopped up every last dot of orange, chorizo-infused oil with bread. She also chose two dishes from the specials board: white beans and tuna and some anchovy toasts. The latter was a clear favourite, the bread rubbed with garlic and tomato and topped with pieces of queso fresco and a single silver sliver of anchovy. The white bean dish was fine, herby, (I stole some of the beans) but not overly memorable. A dish of warm beetroot ribboned with spinach was far more interesting. A vibrant amethyst colour and dotted with flaked almonds, it was robust and creamy if perhaps a little underseasoned. Oh and there were patatas bravas too, because there's always room for fried potatoes. These were, again, OK, not too exciting; the sauce was a tad gloopy and we left the blob of aioli alone. It was the only thing that didn't get eaten. For dessert we ordered the chocolate sorbet with turron. What we received did not bear much resemblance to a sorbet. In fact it looked more like the chocolate pot that was also listed on the dessert menu. We decided to keep it, rather than cause a fuss, and were glad we did as it was nice and fudgey, if lacking that intense chocolate hit that the words 'chocolate pot' usually promise. Apart from a rather chilly reception on entering, service was friendly and reasonably efficient with the exception of the dessert mix up. Our waiter also had to deal with a table of four rather obnoxious suited types who seemed determined to outdo each other, ordering dish after dish after dish and letting no sentence pass without an expletive. Our bill came to £33 each, which included service and a tiny but slightly cheeky charge for second helpings of not very exciting bread. All things considered we really enjoyed our meal and I certainly appreciated the variety of vegetable dishes available. read more

This is a real favourite of mine and stands head and shoulders above the much revered Salt Yard. Genuinely passionate Spanish waiting staff serve honest, simple tapas at a reasonable price for the location. The tortilla is like nothing I've had before and even if you just want to pop in for a glass of wine and a snack they're always welcoming. read more

5* for this place 12 months ago. Previous menu with tortilla and pimentos was exceptional. Understand new chef has dropped these classics in favour of more complex but less appealing dishes. Please bring back the old menu! read more