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Yum! What an incredible dining experience! From the moment we walked in, the ambiance was just chefs kiss!Rustic charm, and the gentle buzz of happy diners. Every dish was full of flavor and beautifully presented. The fried octopus melted in our mouths, the black rice with calamari had the perfect kick, and the cheesecake was hands down the best we've had. The service was just as memorable -- friendly, attentive, and genuinely passionate about the food they serve. You can tell this restaurant takes pride in its ingredients and in creating an unforgettable experience. Although it took a while to get seated, it was probably because the place was packed! Highly recommend if you're looking for an authentic taste of Spain. You should definitely stop by if you're in town!
We were in Barcelona looking for a place to eat. I saw this place had pretty good ratings and the food looked good, so we decided to check it out, and it didn't disappoint. It's in a little dark alley a decent walk away from Las Ramblas, but once inside, it's nice and cozy! We tried the scallops, Iberian pork ribs, volcano rice, famous cheesecake, and for drinks, blackberry mojito. Everything was so delicious! The scallops were so tasty, especially with the sauce served. The rice was creamy and tasty. The ribs were tender. And the cheesecake for dessert was so cheesy and creamy! It had the perfect texture. The servers were friendly. I'd definitely recommend this spot for a nice but casual dinner.
Loved it. I would've liked it a little cooler but then again I grew up as a downhill skier so maybe I'm more sensitive than most. I got the feeling the place was sort of hidden, but apparently not as a lot of people seem to have been there. I asked the waiter tell me what percentage of people are local and how many are tourist. I was surprised, he told me the 90% are tourist. Don't think for a moment that that means it's not good food. What it means is that a lot of tourist are checking around in this area not all that different than tourist that hang around Broadway in New York. I tell you that because it is a great restaurant. Now, if you're over 50, you may be having a little problem when you get to a restaurant and they don't have a menu and you need to have an Internet to connect. It takes a bit if you're not used to it but then again it's been around for at least five years now . On the upside the restaurant has free Wi-Fi. I just have to tell you every single thing I tried and we tried a lot was great. I wish I had taken more pictures, but I was so hungry. I ate it too quickly. We started with Buratta cheese which went perfectly with two different types of breads we ordered. We ordered tomato toasted bread as well as just beautiful Italian style crusty on the outside soft on the inside. We could've eaten that alone for dinner. We also ordered and I don't remember the exact word, but it was basically steak tartare. It was sliced and again was great. If you didn't know it was Tartar. You probably would not have known, but you probably would've liked it. we ordered bass, again. It was outstanding and generous, but unfortunately, we are pigs and we wanted more, so we then ordered some outstanding ribs. finally, my wife ordered a dessert that she could not complete, but she thought it was outstanding with all the water wine and liquor we bought did not seem expensive for $125
Incredible dining experience. Tucked away on a Barcelona back street, away from the hustle and bustle, this place is a true hidden gem. Fantastic service and food. Everything they make is unique and is of the highest quality. The ambiance is fantastic, full of eclectic art and design. The decor really stands out and is hard to not appreciate. The lighting is low enough for romance but not so low that you can't read the menu. I highly recommend the sea bass, it might have been some of the best fish I've ever had, and I eat a lot of seafood. The sauces are full of flavor and really complement the dishes. However, my favorite dish of the night was the tomato tartare. I did not expect so much flavor and sophistication from what I expected to be more like a tomato salad. Pro tip: sit upstairs for a more private experience on the indoor balcony.
It's been nearly 10 years since we found this little gem. We visit about every two years, always a memorable meal. This trip we brought 12 and initially the restaurant was closed for our intended dinner. After contacting them, they actually opened the restaurant for business that night. It was wonderful and we had a private room above the bar. The Blackberry Mojito, the Cerviche, Lamb Shank and Beef Takaki are incredible. Everything on the menu is spectacular.
One of the best restaurants in Barcelona Pros - every dish is absolutely fantastic. Definitely the best tapas place in the whole city. The iberico ribs, volcano rice, and osso bucco were hands down amazing. They also have a blackberry mojito that was incredible. The cerviche was one of the freshest I have ever had. Cons - none! Make the best effort to stop by this place if you can. Be adventurous with your ordering. You cant go wrong here!
This was my most memorable dining experience during my trip to Spain. It is located in a narrow alleyway in the el Raval district, and if I'm being completely honest, felt a little unpleasant walking around in its immediate area. But, the interior of the restaurant has a beautiful rustic charm. The exposed rock walls give a really cool sense of dining in an underground cave. We ordered the scallops, ceviche, Iberico pork ribs, and black rice volcano rice. Everything was so delicious and flavorful. I only wish I had more stomach space to order more from the menu. I also highly recommend their blackberry mojito, which not only was yummy, but is a piece of art in itself.
We had our best dining experience while visiting Barcelona at Cera 23. The food was divine and the atmosphere was sophisticated yet laid back. We had the carpaccio, mushroom rice, octopus, Argentinian steak, and death by chocolate dessert. Everything was absolutely delicious. Chicho is an incredible server. The entire staff was very attentive and kind. We will be back the next time we visit Barcelona!
Food is amazing. We had the carpaccio and burratina for starters then corvina, cube roll and costillar. My sea bass (corvina) was cooked perfectly. The tarta de queso was a perfect ending to our meal. Our sangria was a great pairing. Service was impeccable from reception. Thank you Melody and Arthur for taking care of us.
Have been two Cera 23 twice now and can confirm it is One of the best meals in the world. The chefs at Cera23 perfected the menu. Everything is incredible and fresh , the tomato tartare was like nothing else I've ever had and the octopus was top tier and crispy. A must stop in Barcelona! You will not be disappointed with anything you order
OMG! This place was AMAZING! It was my last night in Barcelona so the group made me pick our dinner destination...the pressure! The reviews and photos don't even do justice, but I'll try. The blackberry Mojito was beautiful and delish. Steak Tataki was perfection. The Iberian Ribs were some of the best I've ever had. Desert was fantastic too... I had this French toast like thing with the crust that was torched like crème brûlée. Service was 5 stars!
7 years ago
Had dinner here with friends and their family for their wedding welcome dinner in August. They reserved our table beforehand so we didn't have any problems getting our table once we arrived. Entrance is a bit non-descript on a street with mainly residential dwellings. You go through their bar until you reach the back area with a wine cellar like vibe to it. It isn't a big space but they've maximized the use of the area. It is dimly lit so pictures are a bit dark as well. The servers were really nice, friendly and accommodating -- shout out to the Filipino server we had :) (I forgot his name though) The food was wonderful! It is a small restaurant and a small kitchen that prepares food fresh and upon order. There can be a bit of a wait especially if your table lands after the orders of others. For our appetizer, we got the Langostinos -- tempura with mango mirin dipping sauce. It was fresh and the sauce went really well with the tempura. For our mains, the hubby ordered their mushroom risotto -- it was perfectly cooked and it was bursting with mushrooms and truffle flavours but not to overpowering. The serving looks small but it was definitely filling and rich and he wasn't able to finish it all. On the other hand, I ordered their fresh pasta with prawns and baby tomatoes. It was lovely where the prawns were cooked to perfection, plump and juicy while the tomatoes provided sweetness and tanginess to the dish. I enjoyed it a lot. Also had a glass or two of their Sangria that was a perfect accompaniment to the whole meal. Definitely recommend this spot in Barcelona! Make sure to reserve a table in advanced :) read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
2 years ago
this place is gas, get the damn ribs and the lamb shank. if you dont, then thats a major L. read more
4 years ago
This place has AMAZING burrata! Would highly recommend. Everything else we got was good, but nothing to truly write home about. read more
Okay so this place was really interesting. Felt like there was a fusion here. We walked in and it was super busy but we were able to get a 2 seater at the back of the restaurant since one of the resos was a no show. Menu was interesting. The cheese ball and salad was interesting. I liked the salad, not the cheese. Tasted like nothing LOL but my bf liked that. Tomato Tartare was really interesting. Was kinda like a salsa?? But with mango whipped cream and seaweed? LOL it was weird sounding but I liked his this one tasted. Squid ink risotto wasn't my cup of tea as I'm not a fan of seafood but my bf enjoyed this! Finished up dinner and asked for the check and they gave us 2 shots on the house :) read more
4 years ago
The service here was great! We arrived a little early for our reservation but luckily were accommodated due to it not being so busy. Eventually many more people trickled in. The food was ok, much better than some of the touristy spots we were warned about. read more
Best food I've had so far in Europe! Hands down, a ten. To be honest, after a week and a half here, I don't think anything will top it. Here's to trying though. Lol From the moment you walk in, the fun and play on old fashioned decor is just plain cool. Most everyone spoke English, at least a little, and it had the hustle and bustle of a crazy Italian place, though it isn't at all. Instead of just bread, they start you off with a small dish of green olives, and I promise you they are like none you have ever, or will ever taste again. Amazing! They talked me into the beef cheek from the steak, which seemed a little adventurous for my taste, but holy crap, I want to go back to Barcelona for this dish alone. Best food I have ever eaten! Ever. My spouse had the lamb and it was quite literally to die for...every single time we put a bite in our mouths, it was like the best orgasm ones ever privileged to have had! Lol Oh and the wine was the best so far :-) Just writing this review is killing me. TAKE me back to BARCELONA! It's where I want to live and die! read more
7 years ago
This is a good restaurant in an... interesting... part of Barcelona. The alley is a little sketchy and the restaurant even has a security guard stationed out front. Out of curiosity, I asked the server why they had security, he sort of gave me a non-answer, saying that you always have to be careful of pick-pockets in Barcelona, especially in poorer areas. I appreciate that they want their patrons to feel safe, but it was a little strange. I'll let it go because the food and overall dining experience was really lovely! Everyone raved about the blackberry mojito so my boyfriend and I decided to give them a try. It was really tasty but nothing out of this world and definitely on the less-strong side. I also felt like we had a bottle of water forced on us and it tasted a little strange. To eat, we shared the Burratina, which I thought was really good and I enjoyed the salad that accompanied it. We also shared the potatoes with our main meals. They were good a nice side, but nothing special. For our mains, I had the Pluma Iberica (pork tenderloin) and my boyfriend had the Costillar Iberica (pork ribs). The pork tenderloin was probably the best I've ever had - so tender, not fatty and the flavors were absolutely amazing. It was perfectly cooked and had these nice little pearl onions as accompaniments (drool). My boyfriend, unfortunately, didn't love the ribs. He said they were a little too fatty for him and the flavor was alright. Overall, it was a good meal and the service was very quick and friendly, which you don't always find as tourists who don't speak the language! read more
2 years ago
7 years ago
First night in Barcelona and we came here for dinner. Definitely make reservations if you want to come for dinner! We got lucky and was able to snag some seats at the bar. They were turning everyone else down because they were all booked for the night unless you can grab some seats at the bar if any were available. I definitely recommend getting the ceviche and the pork ribs! Ohhh.. the pork ribs were phenomenal! So soft and flavorful and it also came with these dots of sauces on the plate which was so good!!! We also ordered the shrimp which came with this mango sauce and the black seafood rice. We didn't like the mango sauce with the shrimp. It definitely does not pair well together. The black rice was just OK as well. If you're into drinks, I recommend the blackberry mojito. So good! The red wine we got was not bad as well!! At the end of our meal, they gave us these cherry chocolate shots and OH MAN, was that good!!! Such a great balance of the chocolate cherry and alcohol flavor. read more
2 years ago
it was soo good! didn't need a reservation and came with 2 others. tapas style was super enjoyable. i have a lot of allergies but everything on the menu was clearly marked and my waiter was very receptive. we ordered the steak tar tar which had a great yet different flavor. the ceraviche tasted so fresh! the ribs were a favorite by my father along with the blackberry mojito (super fresh. the squid was very good and the calamari strips were my favorite. they also made great bread and made me gluten free bread to order! highky reccommend. read more
4 years ago
My mom sat next to the owners brother on a plane ride from the US and he recommended we try Cera 23. We made reservations for a Saturday evening. We we arrived were greeted by a very friendly Gentleman who sat us. My mom ordered their featured cocktail and I had a glass of the house red. We shared a appetizer of mozzarella cheese, pesto and greens. It was amazing! We both had pasta dishes for our entrees and desserts. My ravioli was simply amazing. We plan to return before heading home this week. read more
7 years ago
This place was a little hard to find. The food was very good and the service was not bad either. It is mostly tourist who dine here so if you're looking to bump into some Americans this is the place for you. We ordered the ceviche as an appetizer and it was surprisingly good. The seafood was fresh and the sauce was very tasty. Next we had the volcanic rice which is basically a squid ink rice dish. This was really tasty and well made one of my favorite things we ordered. I ordered the beef check as well which was my favorite dish. It was so well cooked and the sauce that covered it had an amazing taste I would definitely recommend this for any meat lovers. For dessert I ordered the cheese cake which was not your typical American style cheesecake. In fact it was nothing like it in terms of presentation. It was however very good and I would recommend ordering it if you do choose a dessert. Pro Tip: we ordered the blackberry Mojito which was one of the best I have ever had anywhere. read more
Made a reservation online and would highly recommend this as a way to secure your spot for dinner. Started with a ham appetizer along with the fried prawns.Both were pretty good but like the prawns a little better. For the main courses I tried the ravioli filled with foie gras, the mushroom and truffle risotto and the beef cheek. The ravioli was great but both the risotto and beef cheek were not far behind in terms of tastiness. Finally ended with the bizchoco and the cheesecake which was more of a deconstruction of a cheesecake. The atmosphere is friendly and fun and I definitely enjoyed the meal here. read more
4 years ago
The venue was nice and it was easy to get a reservation same day. Not amazing but would recommend if you order the right things read more
7 years ago
Came as they open around 7pm. No reservation. Lucky to have table for 2. Very nice stuff. Burratina was fresh and soft. Ordered beef check and black rice. Delicious and simple with bottle of Garcia de olano ( local red taste like Malbec. Medium bodies and semi dry). Dessert was ferreio chocolate... Perfect touch to end class dinner. Definitely recommend. Mostly tourist location. Not much of a local spot. + very nice service! read more
Omg! Totally amazed at this Yelp find by my daughter. Ceres 23 was a delight from start to finish. We did not have a reservation, but they found a way to fit us in. Starters consisting of ceviche, squid and shrimp were all delectable. My main was the lamb which was not only melt in your mouth texture, but amazingly delicious with a perfect balance of flavors, and wonderfully displayed. I can't say enough great things about this restaurant. On all fronts, service, atmosphere and quality of food Ceres 23 is an act to follow. read more
3 years ago
Tucked away in a small street of Barcelona. This place is always busy and delivers one of the best meals we had in Barcelona. Seafood and meat tapas were all outstanding. Scallop , cerviche, beef cheeks and beef tataki were the highlights of the night. Cava sangrias also delicious. Friendly staff. Highly recommend it read more
This place has the best Spanish food! I had the Arroz Negro and fell in love with how incredible it tasted. It gets busy so make sure to call ahead and make a reservation. The selection of wines is divine and the ambiance in romantic and sheik. This was the perfect place to have my first meal in Barcelona. read more
7 years ago
This place is fantastic. The food is super fresh and full of complementing flavors. I've had some really good food in Barcelona but this is by far the best! The staff are all super nice and their drinks + bartender are premium delicious. I highly recommend this place! read more
Excellent service! We ordered the foie ravioli and our waiter recommended the filet of pork. Both dishes were cooked to perfection! The foie ravioli was so creamy and you can taste the foie gras. They sprinkled little pieces of dried strawberries on top to balance out the flavor instead of using a jam or sauce. The pork filet was tender and flavorful and worked well with the glazed mini onions. We also ordered their version of a cremé bruleé. Also very delicious! It has a lighter consistency but very smooth and creamy but not heavy texture. read more
One of my favorite food spots in Barcelona! Like other reviews mentioned, definitely get a reservation or go right when it opens (around 7pm?). Food was absolutely amazing - good mix of Spanish food with a modern European twist. We ordered the tartar, volcanic rice, and pasta. All dishes did not disappoint but if I had to pick a favorite, probably would've been the pasta. So delicious. Also, saw that other people recommended the blackberry mojito and in my head, I was constantly thinking how this mojito could be so special but it did not disappoint. Definitely order! read more
Food: 3.5/5.0 Service: 3.5/5.0 Value: 2.5/5.0 Decor: 3.5/5.0 Overall: 3.0/5.0 I would not call this a real gastropub, but the food is decent and the menu is clearly aiming for some creative sort of fusion. The ambition is there but the execution not so much. The service is very friendly but the prices are a bit on the high end considering portion-quality mix which left something to be desired. I did not walk away as impressed with the food as others seem to be given the incredible ratings both here and on TripAdvisor (strong 4.5's on both sites), so felt a bit let down. The blackberry mojito was decent, but tasted and felt more like a juice than a drink. By this, I mean that none of the dishes blew me away. It's a low 3's on food and something slightly higher than a 3 overall. Wouldn't have been sad had I missed it, but good enough for a nice meal nonetheless. read more
7 years ago
Came here for lunch at a friend's recommendation and were not disappointed! Very cool atmosphere and food was delicious - I loved the octopus and potato dish. We split several small plates instead of doing a main but those looked delicious as well. We also had meat dish and a delicious steak tartare at the recommendation of the waiter. It seems it may be under the same ownership as Arume which is also nearby and delicious! Area is really close to Las Ramblas as well which was convenient after a morning of sightseeing. Have heard dinner is amazing here as well. read more
Came here right when lunch was over, but we were seated. My fiancé and I tried the paella for two people. The paella was good, but it wasn't filled with much flavor as I thought it would. The service here was really good and if you're looking for a nice place to eat this is it. Don't forget your glass of champagne when checking into Yelp. read more
The food is top notch and fairly priced. These are the kinds of places that make you wonder why you would ever overpay for a 3 Michelin Star restaurant when you have places like Cera 23 making fine dining accessible. We had a dinner reservation waiting for us in a prompt manner and the service was great. We got 3 different kinds of tartar to start. The tomato, the tuna, and a meat. The star of the night was my entree. I got the Meloso de Ternera which is a honeyed beef cheek with truffled parmentier. The beef cheek was so tender and soft, you only needed a fork. It just melted in your mouth. Might have been the best thing I ate while in Barcelona. Didn't get a picture of it though cause I was too busy wolfing it down. read more
This was one of the best dinners during our stay in Barcelona! A wait was expected since we made a reservation the day of, but it wasn't too bad. The lights were very dimmed inside, giving a cozy, intimate vibe. Our server was friendly and spoke English. We all got the blackberry mojito, which is made with fresh blackberries and a good amount of alcohol. It was tasty yet effective. I was feeling a littttle bubbly during dinner haha. I ordered the volcano seafood rice and thought it was amazing! It was so rich in flavor, I couldn't stop eating until I reached the bottom of my plate. At the end of our meal, we were each given a complimentary chocolate liquor shot. I left full, happy and just a little tipsy! read more
4 years ago
5 years ago
I was blown away. And, that doesn't happen to me often. If some of my other reviews are 5 stars, this is a 6! Flavorful - Fun - Just right! read more
I came to celebrate my birthday dinner here. After searching TripAdvisor for restaurants, I saw that Cera 23 had over 4K reviews. Wow! Called and made a reservation for a Friday at 9:30 and I was very satisfied..except for some minor details. Our server was very nice and welcoming and I saw that he had a lot of tables so I knew service would be a little slow. For my drink I ordered an extra dirty vodka martini. It wasn't made right but that's okay - it came in a cool looking metal martini glass. Problem was that the top part was detachable and there was no magnet connecting the two. Although it felt weird, I only took the top part of my drink instead of risk the whole drink spilling on me. You'll see in the pictures. Was this the correct way? I don't know. Lol. Anyways, it took about 15 minutes for this drink. When I was done I ordered another drink- vodka on the rocks...again - 15 minutes and by this time I was starting my dessert. Appetizers: Burrata appetizer - anytime I see burrata on the menu, I must order it. It was everything I expected. Creamy, crunch with a light dressing. 3 tar tar tasting - truffled steak, tuna, and a tomato tar tar. My favorite was the steak because I love truffles! And to my surprise, the tomato tar tar was amazing! Vegetarians would love this. Each came with a different chip as a base. Entree: Black seafood rice - so rich in flavor and it's topped with tuna flakes so when it is served, the flakes are moving. Beef cheek - very tender and every bite was delicious. Dessert: Muerte por chocolate - not too rich - just right. Overall, service was great besides ordering alcohol and the food met my expectations! read more
8 years ago
I still can't get over how mouthwatering the black volcano rice was! I feasted over the course of 2 weeks honeymooning in Rome and Barcelona, but Cera held its own against all of my foodie adventures! Do not miss this gem~ read more
10 years ago
WOW. Literally cannot get enough of this place. I came with 4 friends and our timing was perfect because we rolled up with no reservation, but a table opened up just as we got there. As we were standing in the front while they cleaned the table, they started chatting with us and we got a glass of cava. Besides the amazing staff, THE FOOD. Volcano rice is on another level I can't even begin to explain. It was loaded with seafood, which was awesome, but I couldn't decide if I liked how much seafood there was or if I wanted more rice but there is only a limited amount of space in my stomach and I wanted just 5 servings of it to satisfy myself. Sadly, I didn't make it to desert, but it was just all around amazing. read more
9 years ago
Had dinner here my first night in Barcelona. I made reservations a few weeks before which I think is important if you wanna get a seat. They do email a few days before to confirm so make sure to reply to it! The restaurant opens at 7pm and we were seated right away. The blueberry mojito is amazing and I don't know what special ingredients they put inside to make it so. It was so good that I ordered two. We shared the tuna tartare, shrimp, foie gras ravioli, and volcano rice. The two appetizers were alright and nothing too special. Wish they gave us some more chips to eat the tuna tartare with. The shrimp was crispy and the mango dipping sauce was tangy. The foie gras ravioli was delicious and something I've never had before. The volcano rice is more on the heavier side but it was so good. There's a yelp check in offer for one free cava but they didn't give it to me. However, they did offer us a yogurt lemon shot at the end which was extremely strong. Service was really awesome as our waiter continually checked up on us. Since European countries generally don't require tipping I'm more accustomed to service not being so great. But that's not the case at this restaurant and the manager thanks you at the end of your meal by walking you out which is a nice gesture. Don't forget to order the death by chocolate dessert! read more
Both my son and daughter under age 10 said, if you go to Barcelona you must come here. Service is excellent definitely! Elias the manager noted they were completely booked on a Saturday night the only available seats would be at the bar counter. Unfortunately he couldn't predict how long but he could offer to take us to a bar, where we could have a cocktail and wait. (Insert bar Chulapio, will try to get to that review) Anyway Elias went back to alert us our seats were ready. Santi, Santiago from Galicia our bar server, quickly took note of our two small kids and gave them a strawberry dipped in chocolate pop rocks. Then he made us adults the blackberry mojito pictured. We ordered pulpo, corvina, Cordero, and the pork iberico. All 4 were delicious. My favorite was the pork, my pick. Our server Fanta, Estefania, was attentive and quick! We had an excellent experience. read more
4 years ago
More info about Cera 23
Carrer de la Cera, 23
08001 Barcelona
Spain
El Raval
Directions
934 420 808
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Visit Website
http://www.cera23.com
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Cera 23 - spanish - Updated May 2026
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