Delicious paella! Mar Salada is located on a busy strip where restaurant workers are begging people…read moreto eat at their establishments. Mar Salada did not need that. Mostly local, there spot is a hidden local gem surrounded by tourist traps. Modern seaside decor greets you, workers were all friendly. And the Paella was bomb. Especially the roasted vegetable and black mushroom one.

I usually dont eat at restaurants next to the main tourist streets because they are usually not…read moregood but this was the exception. Pros - beautiful ambiance with well decorated interior and attentive staff. The seafood here was so fresh and the paella was absolutely amazing. Definitely get the razor clams. The croquettes are also super good. They also make one if the best Catalonia crema that I have tasted Cons - none! Great location by the barcelona beach and fantastic food. Definitely check it out if you are planning a trip to the beach or docks.

This eatery blew me away with the authentic taste and quality that I expected. Brandon (calbo) was…read moreour waiter,server, jokester, and overall great guy. We ordered a number of specialties and they ALL were on point and soooo delicious. The restaurant was not crowded so we lucked out or perhaps maybe because it happened to be a Sunday. Will eat here again when in BCN.

Duck Paella hands down over the seafood. It had a salty, fatty, mildly sweet flavor and was cooked…read moreto perfection. Service was excellent, warm, and hospitable. Ambiance was on the darker side. Wooden and rustic with a cabin fire type feel.

Our favorite restaurant in Barcelona. One of Barcelona's most iconic and historic restaurants, 7…read morePortes was founded in 1836 and is renowned for its classic Catalan cuisine--especially rice dishes and paella. Located under the arcades of the Porxos d'en Xifré near the waterfront, it has long been a gathering place for artists, writers, and intellectuals, blending traditional gastronomy with a rich cultural legacy. Excellent food and service--

Slightly disappointed. Read multiple post about how 7 Portes has the best Paella, and how it is a…read moreworld class restaurant. Service was incredible, atmosphere was great, but the food was only okay. Started with a Gazpacho that lacked flavor and seasoning; tasted like cold unsalted cream. Then we had the world famous paella. Some of the bites with seafood were good, but overall the dish tasted like day old fried rice. Again, not great. I'll be trying a different restaurant in the future for paella. Closer to a 2.5/5

My sister and I had a one of a kind dinner at Spoonik making it one of our favorite dining…read moreexperiences. From its humble exterior, Spoonik seems like an unassuming restaurant with nothing special to offer. However, the moment you step in, you are immediately transported into a colorful and bright interior with furnishings that match the uniqueness of the restaurant's name. A typical dining service requires guests to sit in a shared table seating that replicates the family style eating. However, my sister and I were fortunate enough to be the only guests signed up for that serving so we were able to have a special one-on-one dining experience with Chef Jamie. He was more than personable and explained the dishes with such passion that you could not help but fall in love with the food. Chef Jamie also made notes on making dining a sensorial experience. There are definite exciting bits throughout the meal that are surprising and fun unlike any other restaurant. Plus, not only was all the food good, but also very filling! Sometimes you can leave the restaurant feeling like you paid a lot for fancy food but something was not quite there. It helps that there are food items that are meant to mimic typical Spanish comfort foods that really feeds into the soul. We also did the wine pairing which may have also helped! When making a reservation, you do have to put in a deposit. At the end of the meal, you pay the balance and/or for the wine pairing. Friendly reminder to show up on time, but if you show up too early, they will not seat you! This is mainly because they take extra precautions to prepare for the guests because once you are inside, you feel like you are part of the family. Spoonik is located not too far from a bus stop or train station. Overall, Spoonik transports you to another world that makes it a must visit if you are in Barcelona!

It is always nice to see a restaurant that doesn't take themselves too seriously. From the eclectic…read moreand funky decor to the creative use of mirrors and dentures for plating, Spoonik manages to strike a great balance of high end and playful. The decor is kinda nightclub meets your living room, with book shelves, colorful statues, a bit of Aztec art, dayglow, and flashing lights for effect during the meal - it's an assault on your senses. Seating is family style, which can make for some great conversations with neighbors. When you arrive, they take each table on a tour through the kitchen, introducing the staff and doling out a couple of small bites to start off the meal. The menu isn't really up for debate. Everyone is served the same items. We actually never saw one, and may never remember exactly what we had, although the staff does explain the dishes once they are served. Compared to other similar gastro-style restaurants, the pricing is very reasonable, as is the additional wine pairing option. One of my biggest complaints is probably with the wine pairing though. Although I thoroughly enjoyed the local options served, they were brought out haphazardly and not exactly one to one with each course. As a result, we were never really sure which wine went with which dish, nor if we should try to save more for the next plate. Simple to remedy, but I think would improve the overall experience. As for the food, it was bright, colorful, and they definitely implemented some unique techniques. The items overall were a bit hit or miss for me, with some having more show and less flavor than I would prefer. Again, I didn't have a menu, so working solely on memory...My favorite was an assortment of shelled seafood (oysters, clams, etc.) served with different preparations. They were fresh and each one had a great flavor. There also seemed to be a couple of dishes inspired by Central and South America, like a mini arepa. Being from Miami these were more familiar, and I tended to prefer the items that were more authentic to Spain, like a traditional Catalan soup with shell-shaped noodles and meatballs, which a fellow diner told us is typically served around the holidays. Also, one of the dessert courses was a chocolate item dusted with edible gold pop rocks that was a lot of fun. Throughout the entire meal, the passion of the staff was evident (sometimes erring on the side of overzealous), and the chefs clearly paid a lot of attention to detail. Definitely a different from your average Fideuà restaurant or tapas bar for those looking to try something new.

A friend of ours recommended that we drink a cocktail or two at Mokai once we are in Barcelona, and…read morewe took the advice. The bar is located directly at the beach, which explains the prices. Staff is friendly, the smoothies are delicious, the G&T is strong, and the beer refreshing. They offer sandwiches, tapas and burgers as well. They also have their own sun beds for hire.

We enjoyed our time there, a terrace with drinks in front of the beach. We where looking for a…read moreplace we could relax and and we did. We didn't try the food. The prices are higher than other places since this area seems very touristy.

Excellent food with a perfect water front view! We had the Greek salad which had the most delicious…read morefeta cheese I have ever had. The grilled squid was my favorite. Perfectly seasoned and fresh. My husband had the filet which he enjoyed very much. Service was also spot on. Very attentive wait staff. Looking forward to going back for another fantastic meal before we leave Tamariu.

Awesome. One of our favorite meals along Costa Brava. Sitting in the front, looking at the bay with…read morean incredible branzino and salt cod as our main course.

While food prices are just within expectation, due to the location, food taste was dissapointing…read more In most cases, sea food tasted like out of industrial processes and not quite as fresh as expected. Staff was very forthcoming, though.