This was a had to see this place on my recommendation list. The building is breathtaking. Interior is spectacular and many places to choose from. We wandered to a bar and tried their egg whites with crab meat - their version of a deviled egg. They had a delicate flavor as can be expected. Now, the flan was extraordinary - smooth and creamy served with whipped cream. Perfection! I've tried many flans from various travels and this one ticked all the boxes! We also tried orange chocolate icecream from the kiosk at the entrance and it was delicious! If time permits, we will return! read more

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Beautiful space! Honestly I never planned on coming here because it felt really touristy but I was hungry and just wanted something to eat to kill an hour but honestly---easily one of my better meal in Barcelona. The pork was so juicy and everything paired perfectly. I only was able to get in without a reservation because it was early/not usual Spanish dinner hours and I'm so glad I did. I was right by the kitchen so I got to see them grilling and cooking the food. I'd definitely come back. read more

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This is a dining hall with several separate restaurants inside and bar areas. Each area/restaurant/bar has different menus and concepts. This isn't a food stall market/hall like others, this is actually sit down restaurants. A couple restaurants take reservations while others are walk-in but may require a wait at busy times. It was close to my hotel so I dined there 2 different times and then we stopped by one of the bar areas on another night. They also have a separate gelato stand for a quick dessert option on your way out or if you want something sweet. I dined at La Parada, and La Taperia - both were very good options with some vegetarian offerings. Dress ranged from slightly dressy to casual. read more

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The vibe at El Nacional is different. I feel it's a little more than your Boqueria and Time out market. All restaurants had its own scene but yet it is molded into one bogie vibe. If you are a tourist in town, I say go.... Take in the scene and the food. We tried the tapas bar in the middle and waited about 45 mins to try the La LLotja which is the seafood restaurant. As always, dinner starts around 9:30pm and the place is still bustling with energy. read more

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There are several restaurants here and I really really enjoyed the small plates on the front right when you walk in. My absolute favorite was the ravioli which was to die for. When I had the paella in the back right it was just OK but I absolutely loved the cheese and ham. Ambience is a 10 out of 10 and the gelato was a home run every time. My coworkers and I came back to the spot multiple times because there were so many great things to try and it was comfortable and beautiful! read more

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It was kind of cool - a bunch of restaurants serving food representing regions all over Spain. We stopped at one and had a drink, but it was fairly pricey, and not really our vibe. Kind of felt corporate or Vegas-like. read more

El Nacional - Very cool exterior and interior - Seafood Near Me - Barcelona, B

WOW do I have a story about this awful place. I initially found it on tik tok, it seemed to be a popular restaurant with great food. My friend and I ordered the cod and the lamb chops. The cod tasted like absolutely nothing and super fishy. The texture was off as well. It was truly was the worst I've had. The lamb chops are the star of the show though... they were absolutely NOT edible. They were pink, chewy, gamey, and just not appealing in any way. I was shocked when they brought this to the table. We expressed our concern to our waiter, he took our plates away, and we figured we would pay for our drinks and find dinner elsewhere. Nope. He brings back the bill with the dishes both still on there even though they were not eaten. We spoke with manager Marco, who completely dismissed us and didn't even apologize. He told us "in Europe just because you don't like it doesn't mean you don't have to pay" that felt like a jab a because we're obviously American. He was so beyond rude and told us to pay for the uneaten dishes or he will call the police. It's truly not about the money, it's about being completely dismissed as if we're not paying customers? I do NOT recommend this place and please do yourself a favor and RUN. There are so many delicious restaurants in Barcelona with amazing staff. Unfortunately, this place is not one of them. read more

El Nacional - Lamb chops - Seafood Near Me - Barcelona, B

Think adult food hall was 5-6 various options. We selected the Italian place at the front as it suited our daughter's desire for pasta. The pasta was fresh, the mushroom risotto was good but the star was the fresh ahi tuna bowl! read more

Recently, we dropped by this food hall along the Passeig de Gracia. The decor and ambiance was very nice. There were bars and restaurants that served grilled meats, seafood, gelato and tapas. We opted to try the tapas one(Taperia) and got the arroz de marisco(seafood paella),escalivada(grilled vegetables) and patata bravas(fried potatoes). The paella consisted of shrimp and scallops but the rice was a bit undercooked, The patata bravas tasted good but the potatoes were not crispy enough. The escalivada consisted of eggplant, onions, and roasted red peppers. It was good but I wish it was warm instead of cold. Overall, it's nice place to drop by if you are in the area but not a must. read more

Gorgeous indoor dining hall with many food options. I did the tapas place and the fried shrimp were great but the rest of the food was too salty the cup of sangria was watered down. I also bought gelato twice from the stand they have some interesting flavors like Ferraro Rocher. Service is good. They have a large indoor bar area. It exudes sexiness. read more

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Family came up from Tarragona to Barcelona to have a family dinner before we left to go back home. El National is an upgrade food hall located in the Passeo de Gracia in Barcelona. We ate in Llotja, which specializes in fresh sea food. It was amazing. The food in Spain is to die for! You must go there when in Barcelona, read more

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We just returned from our tour of La Sagrada Familia and Park Guell. Our taxi took us directly from Park Guell to the El Nacional event space. This was our first time here for our second tapas dinner in Barcelona. Our IHG Hotel Indigo front desk staff recommended this event space including several other nearby restaurants and bars. When we first entered the event space we inquired to the first restaurant to the right, who explained the entire event space. We opted for the second La Taperia restaurant on the right side. The four of us were seated at a nice table within five minutes. La Taperia de El Nacional offers a wide variety of cold and hot tapas, rice dishes, paella, and other Spanish dishes. We both enjoyed a bottle of Sant Aniol algua mineral natural water with gas for 2.90 euros each. We both also started with two carafes of St. Germain red sangria for 29.50 euros each. I enjoyed my hot calamares a la andaluza andalusian-style squid for 9.50 euros. I ended my dinner with flan postre casero home-made creme caramel for 6.00 euros. We were both able to use our credit cards here. We agreed to charge 100 Euros (USA $115.82) for each couple or 200 Euros (USA $231.64) total including gratuity. Our waiter charged our respective credit cards for 100 euros. We all agreed we were happy with our dinners here. See my pics. More to come regarding our IHG Hotel Indigo stay and experiences, which ends tomorrow. read more

The food was great. The service was great. It was decorated great. Nothing to complain, I would recommend the pesto pasta. The place also had gelato and it was good. I would recommend this place if you are wanting to go so were fancy!!! read more

El Nacional - Pesto pasta (recommend) - Seafood Near Me - Barcelona, B

An upscale food hall with multiple restaurants and bars. Super high ceiling, simple but elegant decor in soft golden lighting present the place with a subtle sophisticated ambiance. We arrived at the typical Spanish dinner time of 9:30pm on a Sunday and the place was packed. However even when crowded , it had a nice orderly feel to the whole place. We chose a restaurant with a seafood focus called La Llotja. They didn't take reservations and there was a line to get in so we went on the wait list. The hostess said it would be about 45 minutes. She took down my phone # to call me when our table was ready. We went to the bar next door and had a couple glasses of cava. About 25 minutes later she called to say our table was ready. We were allowed to bring our wine glasses from the bar to the restaurant which was brilliant and very accommodating. The entrance to La Llotja was lined with a display of fresh whole seafoods on ice. Occasionally I would see a cook pluck a whole fish to bring into the kitchen. We started our meal with raw oysters. There were 4 varieties on the menu and we tried one of each. These were definitely some of the tastiest raw oysters I've had. They were the perfect temperature, not too cold or warm, plump, moist, with a mild briny flavor and no milky residue. The grilled red shrimp from Huelva with seaweed salt were absolutely addicting. A deep water shrimp with an intense deep red color similar to lobster is plucked from the Mediterranean Spanish town of Huelva. The meat is firm, sweet, moist with a hint of charred smokiness. Oh and the rich tomalley from the shrimp head left us speechless. Figure out how to bottle that and you will be filthy rich. Twice-cooked Galician octopus with potatoes and aioli was not such a successful dish . We made it a point to eat a lot of octopus on our 12 days in Spain and this was the first disappointment. The skin was a bit brittle and dry. The interior were on the verge of tough. But we saved the dish with a generous cascade of Spanish olive oil which gave the dish a nice velvety texture. The potatoes on the other hand was magnificent. Super tender and with the skin still on. Good service and the staff spoke English but I always made it a point to say "thank you" and "please" in Spanish. Happy Eating!$ read more

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Nice place. Great vibe. There are 4 place to eat inside this restaurant. We went with the beef one. Service was just ok. Lots of people so the waitress are running. We ordered Cesar salad 8.5/10 Appetizer sausage something 4/10 Main beef and shrimp in rice 7/10 beef was raw. Like crazy raw. Had to send back. read more

Loved my visit to el nacional. The Christmas ambiance is gorgeous and the vibes were vibing. Food was fantastic , prices were a bit more than other spots but you are paying for the location and ambiance as well I guess. Service was not the most attentive since it was really busy and crowded around s the tapas bar but I was able to order and pay around the times I needed. Would recommend folks pop in during Christmas for a really beautifully decorated spot with good food read more

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Really bad food. We ordered four tapas and all were not edible. The artichoke was fried (not mentioned on the menu). The Mariscos Paella was burnt and had a taste of sour mussels. How can a Spanish restaurant screw up paella? We paid the check and left without eating most of it. Diners beware. read more

The tapas were great, even for my picky kids. They also said they liked the chicken tenders. The service was also amazing. 5 stars! read more

El Nacional - Seafood Near Me - Barcelona, B

Must stop for your gastronomical experience. Gelato. Tapas. Drinks. Yes please!! What's not to love here. Yes lots of people but so many restaurants and choices and wow, serious food and drink overload but so good. Enjoyed a drink and some tapas on our first trip but so many more to come. Lots of different tapas and meals here. Many places to grab a drink and enjoy the vibe. And of course did I say gelato? Service was great. Very friendly and attentive even though busy. Came back and the ox burger was great. Along with some red vermouth. So good read more

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Paging Gordon Ramsay... STAT. Someone please send him over to El Nacional -- not to yell (although honestly, a few expletives might help), but to completely rewrite the menu. Because right now, the descriptions are about as sad and lifeless as the artichoke chips we were served. Let's start there. We ordered artichoke chips expecting... well... crispy, delicate deliciousness. What we got looked like dried-up, dying tempura that had been through some things. I've seen my houseplants on their last leaf look more vibrant. But the real kicker? We ordered marinated fish. MARINATED. To our surprise -- and not the fun kind -- it came out... fried. Now, I may not be a professional chef, but I do know the difference between marinating something and dunking it in a fryer. Apparently, that distinction got lost somewhere between the kitchen and the translation. And good luck figuring anything else out. The menu? Descriptions? Clear explanations for confused, hungry tourists? Nonexistent. It's basically a culinary game of roulette. You spin the wheel, you get what you get -- and you definitely don't throw a fit... but you do write a Yelp review. The saving grace? The seafood paella. Solid. It didn't change my life, but it saved the meal. And the patatas bravas? Respectable. Crispy, spicy, and actually delivering what the name suggests. So at least two items on the menu understood the assignment. The space itself? Stunning. You'll want to take photos -- just maybe not of the food. TL;DR: Atmosphere? 10/10. Menu descriptions? Missing. Artichoke chips? Rest in peace. Marinated fish? Surprise! It's fried. Seafood paella + patatas bravas? The heroes we didn't deserve. Overall? Next time, I'll marinate my expectations, skip the mystery menu, and just come for the vibes. read more

Ate at the tapas restaurant, it was terrible. Wife's drink was wrong. the seafood paella was horrible. I ate maybe 3-4 bites, my wife took 1 small bite. it had 4 of the tiniest shrimp on top, by the time you peeled them, maybe the size of 4 small cocktail shrimp, maybe 50-60 size. would have been better to stop at 5 Guys near the entrance. read more

I had an amazing experience at El Nacional in Barcelona! The space itself is stunning, with a beautiful historic interior that feels both elegant and lively. I love that there are multiple dining areas to choose from, each offering something a little different, so it's perfect whether you're in the mood for tapas, seafood, or steak. The food was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented, and everything we tried tasted authentic and high quality. The service was friendly and attentive without feeling rushed. I would absolutely recommend El Nacional to anyone visiting Barcelona who wants a memorable dining experience in a vibrant setting. - Christian Osuna read more

El Nacional - Seafood Near Me - Barcelona, B

This was a place recommended by our tour guide the day before. It is a large venue with several separate restaurants and bars. A nice environment, but with a group of 10 including teens it became a mission to choose as each venue had its own seating. We selected the Tapas venue - the flat breads were a bit small for the price - but they were good. read more

A good spot to meet up with friends. Vibes are bright and clean with plenty of photo opportunities. The bathroom is also stunning! I liked being able to grate the tomato for the bread ourselves! read more

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Great food hall in Barcelona with a ton of different food and drink options! My friends and I tried both the cocktail bar as well as the steak restaurant. They also have a taperia, fish restaurant, gelateria and a charcuterie bar inside. The few drinks we had at the cocktail bar were delicious. We had a range of cocktails including a rum based, vodka based and tequila based one. Everything was on point! For the braseria, we ordered to our hearts content. From steak tartare to oysters to a giant 1.3kg steak that we shared, everything was delicious. The steak was a 60 day dry aged steak and was cooked to perfection. Service everywhere in here was phenomenal. I highly would recommend! read more

This food and servers were amazing - 8 adults and 1 child. Our server was attentive and very nice. The atmosphere and details within the restaurant are so cute and cozy! The food was incredible too. read more

El Nacional - Seafood Near Me - Barcelona, B

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Terrific place for lunch or a nice meal with several dinning experiences to choose from.

*Lengthy but worth reading Super cool concept with multiple bars and restaurants and some of the food was decent. We thought the paella lacked flavor. The service (shouldn't even be called that), was some of the worst I've ever had. To start, we ordered bread and one small plate to share, and I made sure to tell the waiter we were just starting with those dishes and that we would want to order more, but our menus were taken and he said "later" and walked away. We never saw him at our table again, only socializing at the front with other wait staff with seemingly nothing to do. I had to flag down a random waitress after 30 minutes of no service to order the paella, which we were told would take 30 minutes, fine. It would have been nice to be able to order earlier. Eventually our original waiter did come by to clean off the table beside us, and never once acknowledged us or asked if we wanted drink refills, more dishes (like we initially stated we wanted), nothing. This place could be great but it's just not, sadly. We won't return. read more

El Nacional - Seafood paella - Seafood Near Me - Barcelona, B

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It's such a cool place. We went with the kids and couldn't find much for them to eat. The booths were closing so not much was left. The food was unique and delicious. read more

Had a delicious meal. Marina was our server and she was so patient, spoke great English, and gave great recommendations. I got the duck confit and it was a terrific meet. The croquettes were the best I've had in Spain. I loved the interior lighting and light music. The place looks expensive but it wasn't too bad. It looks like a big market. The gelato was less than amazing. Forgettable. Coffee was really strong but good. read more

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Come here if you want ambiance. The Italian place on the right is terrible. Unfortunately the kitchen door was open and we watched everything being microwaved. Save your money! read more

Inside the big space, there Tapas at Barcelona, Spain We ordered Iberian ham croquettes. Shoestring potato fries with ham shavings and poached egg, steamed rock mussels, rockfish stew and a red wine sangria. The stew and mussels and fried potatoes came out cold, fried squid and croquettes were ok. Dishes were just average. The red sangria tasted great! read more

Amazing food, friendly service! I've eaten here now multiple times over 10 years and it's been the same delicious food! I always stop here when in Barcelona read more

This place is such a nice area to eat! Ambiance is great for a night out! It has a couple different restaurants. We chose La Braseria. The wait was around 45 mins, so I def recommend making a reservation. We got the bread, cheese, ham, baked suckling lamb, duck magret, bread with chocolate, and honey roasted pineapple. The cheese and ham were solid, but nothing special. The lamb had a nice, gamey taste and was pretty tender. The duck magret had a good sauce, but was a little chewy. The bread with chocolate was a little weird, but interesting to try read more

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Spanish food hall with a fish, meat, wine bar, dessert & tapas stations. We chose La Planca starting with a salad to share & a local flatbread. Reasonable prices, a beautiful setting & great service. Music played, this was perfect for people watching and hysterical to watch everyone taking photos of the setting & food.. The lamb lettuce, blue cheese, caramelized apple with grape seed vinaigrette was exceptional. The flatbread was equally wonderful the crust was like a light, crispy Asian noodle. The fresh mozzarella, salad, walnuts sweet sauce it was delicious; I never had anything like it! read more

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Came for a nice second dinner we got oysters which were amazing ! We also got a sea bass ceviche as well which was really good. And the dessert was beyond amazing ! bizcocho which is a sponge cake with crème brûlée , would love to come back service was great ! Ambiance was very nice read more

El Nacional - Sponge cake with cream brûlée - Seafood Near Me - Barcelona, B

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This is a New restaurant concept!! Love it!! Great ambiance, all under one roof/ and they have a Tapas section, a bar section, a fish restaurant, a pasta section- and something else all sectioned out. We chose the Tapas section and you should too! You will not be disappointed whatever you choose, but for us: tapas was the way to try new foods in small portions and enjoy the ambiance. Everything was delicious! Be daring- we chose navajas and were not disappointed ! Enjoy!! read more

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Stunning building in a great part of Barcelona. The energy and food offerings inside were great. Some took reservations, others were walk up/first come first serve. This particular visit we had group reservations for their grill restaurant Braseria. Just so you know, they only take reservations for a max group size of 8. Food and drink that we ordered was fantastic, my only complaint was that service was VERY slow. Perhaps it was just Spain-time, but it felt longer than it needed to be. There were plenty of servers and support staff but our lead server had a big section to cover and the support weren't empowered to support so we just had to wait for our lead to order more wine, etc. I would definitely go again to try some of the other stalls within El Nacional but just leave yourself enough time. read more

What a beautiful place with beautiful people. Tucked away behind the busy paseo. Don't blink your eyes you will miss it. High-end food and very classy service and quality food read more

El Nacional - Seafood Near Me - Barcelona, B

AMAZING! I love El Nacional. I highly recommend going! Tapas at the bar, or fresh seafood, or a group dinner, or east lunch for everyone. 100%! read more