I prepared for a Bachlorette party to have our final meal at Informal. I first discovered it on CNN, named as one of the top new restaurants in the world for 2016 so I knew I had to look into it ASAP. It was a great end to a great trip! I had reserved a table for 14 so we were given a tasting menu which made ordering and drinking super easy. We got plenty of food and wine and left the restaurant happy and stuffed. The service was super nice and the Manager of the restaurant was super accommodating. Everything felt super high class and the food presentation and quality was superb. We selected the Colom menu at 55 euros per person and the drink choice of three types of wine for 20 euros. Everything was delicious and the wine kept on flowing throughout the whole meal. Each sharing plate was easy to split between 3-4 people. Toasted flat bread with tomato and extra virgin olive oil - the bread was soft yet crisp on the outside, nicely complemented by a light tomato spread and olive oil. A great start. Warm artichoke salad potatoes, Jabugo ham, cheese and poached quail egg - creamy from the potato salad with refreshing crisp salad and well-cooked artichokes. Salmon tartar with avocado, vegetables, wasabi, topiko - The salmon and vegetables both tasted super fresh. Fine chicken cannelloni, mushroom and black truffle oil - I loved this dish. The chicken and mushroom was like a paste stuffed in this delicate pasta. So good. I never had a dish like this before. Roast beef flatbread - another winner, the flavor of the roast beef was super prominent. Hot and cold foie gras duo - Super delicate and full of flavor. A great dish to eat with some toasted crisp bread. Scallops, artichokes, Iberian pork and truffle oil - scallops were perfectly cooked. Seared on the outside, soft and buttery on the inside. Each plate had three which was plenty per person. Grilled steak fillet with seasoned vegetables - steak was cooked perfectly. Soft to cut with a butter knife. The seasoning was spot on and meat itself was so tender. Great execution in the dish. Star Bombay gin and tonic with tonka beans, lemon and raspberries - I wasn't sure what to expect from this pre-dessert but I was blown away. It had the consistency of maybe aired out mousse. It was delicate looking but man it was full of flavor. It was very refreshing and all the flavors just meshed so well together. A great and unique dish. Never had anything like it. Chocolate ice cream and ganache with olive oil and salt - A delicious end to a delicious meal. The chocolate just shined. It was sweet but not overly sweet and the crunch from the crumbles added a great texture to the velvety smooth chocolate ice cream. Overall, an amazing dining 5 star experience. read more

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The food at this restaurant was a let down, which was so disappointing because it seemed to be highly rated. The entrees are TINY - my scallop dish came with four scallops and nothing else, and it wasn't anything special. My friend got the fish special and it was also very average. The only pros were that the restaurant decor and the service are great. But much better food to be had in Barcelona. read more

The food, drinks and service we're all phenomenal. Mauricio, Maria and the rest of the waitstaff did a fabulous job.

Okay. The food wasn't great and the menu misleading. The goat it said came with potatoes. Instead it came with the few top of a carrot and radish. No potatoes...also the scallops said it came with a truffle sauce and truffles. Truffles yes. Truffle sauce no ..but instead a red pepper sauce. We were not told of the changes before nor after was it noted. We noticed however We were the only people and table there on a Saturday. it seems like for this reason. Wouldn't come back read more

We had some very high expectations since this was the award-winning chef Marc Gascon's new venue, but was met and exceeded. There was a little bit of snafu about reservations as we walked by the place to book a table for the next day and somehow the server I gave my name and number didn't enter it in the guestbook. Anyway, our party of 3 was accommodated with a table for 2 - no matter, there was enough room. One funny thing was our server immediately brought out a bottle of Cava and asked us if we'd like some, and since in a couple of other places it was complimentary I said yes, he brought out a cold bucket and served it. That was okay, too, as I really wanted it anyway. On to the food - we had the patatas bravas(okay) and tomato salad with anchovies and tuna belly(excellent), Salmon Tartar (very good). My daughter had the Clams from Carril (excellent), wife had the grilled Prawns, which came in it's own little grill (excellent) and I had Roasted Monkfish(very good). There was also a special Mushroom dish which we ordered (good). For dessert they had something called Bombay Sapphire gin and tonic - made to look like whipped cream, it packs a punch. Daughter had the Fresh Cheese Flan. Washed down with Cava, it was a perfect meal at a reasonable price. read more

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One of the best meals I ever had in this town. Stunning food and great service. I would definitely get a bunch of half portions to share, then a main. I had veal tenderloin with foie and morels and I almost cried it was so good. Excellent wine list with great locals, and is very reasonable. A fantastic dining experience. read more

Best food in Barcelona!! And the bar was already high! This place knocked our socks off! The service was top notch, the cocktails were a work of art, and the food was to die for. We had the Galician style octopus, the patatas bravas the chicken roast croquettes, and the traditional Catalan rice with sausage, local black sausage, pumpkin, and rosemary. And that was just to start. By the time my fillet of veal came out, I couldn't even breathe! Thank you for this excellent culinary experience. read more

My husband and I went to Europe for our honeymoon which also happened on both of our birthdays so needless to say we tried a lot of different restaurants for our 2 week trip from holes in the walls to fancy michelin stars. I chose El Informal based off recommendations/lists on TripAdvisor and made ressies for my husbands birthday dinner and it was, in one world: spectacular. This was the best dining experience and meal in all of our 15 days abroad. From easy of reservations, to arrival, to sitting, to ordering to eating to enjoying... the hostess, waitress, and all staff were simply very friendly and welcoming and accommodating. I couldn't have asked for a better experience. AND they were priced very fairly. We ordered a bunch of different plates so share so that we could taste different things and were not disappointed. Warm Octopus Salad Catalan Rice with squid ink Risotto Scallops Grilled Steak fillet with foie gras EVERYTHING, literally every single dish was prepared to perfection. I don't know which dish was my favorite as they were all fantastic. If I dined there again I would absolutely order everything, if I had to choose one thing to leave out it'd be the catalan rice with squid ink. We were brought 2 glasses of chamapagne in honor of the hubby's birthday and received many congratulations for our honeymoon celebration (very thoughtful and kind of them) and we ordered the Hot Chocolate Coulant and the Vanilla Soft Panna Cotta with Chia Seeds for dessert. I cannot rave enough about El Informal. Of all the wonderful places to dine in Barcelona, don't skip out on El Informal. read more

Mouthwatering!!!! Service is beyond fabulous. Ordered the rib-eye which literally melted in my mouth. Constantly checked up on us to make sure everything was OK. Great recommendations with dessert, was on point. On the 6th floor is their roof-top which looked very trendy and enticing. It's a must if you are in Barcelona. Make you you make reservations ahead. read more

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This place was so good til my partner and I had to eat there a second time. I'll save you the bit about how great the food was... i would even say that's the obvious, but you've gotta try it for yourself. The staff was warm and welcoming to everyone in the establishment. If it's your first time, or second, I would suggest having an after dinner drink on the rooftop bar. It's definitely worth it. read more

Informal - The Rooftop bar @elinformal in Barcelona. - Catalan Near Me - Barcelona, B

Absolutely beautiful, homey, and DELICIOUS. The appetizers consisting of Mediterranean and Spanish flare were stunning. The service in petite Le Cruset crocks were the things of a hostess' dreams. For main courses, I would have to reccomend the stellar risotto- stay away from the gnocchi. While the dumplings were dressed in a delicious truffled cream, the gnocchi themselves were made from waxy potatoes which are not the traditional choice due to the gluey and rubbery nature of the spud when kneeded. The flavors were there, the texture was wrong. The risotto was impeccable. Perfect bite and texture. What a great night! read more

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Stopped in for a quick lunch, while my wife and I awaited the readiness of our hotel room, and we were blown away. We knew nothing about the restaurant's acclaim, nor chef's pedigree before dining here, but it was quite evident in the meal. We shared a few items, all were well thought out and executed perfectly, and were of the highest quality ingredients. Highlights were the foie gras, the beef tartare, and obviously the iberico. read more

My fiancé and I wanted to treat ourselves to a wonderful night out for our last evening in Barcelona, so we chose this spot. After having eaten there, I'm so surprised that this restaurant isn't at the top of the list of best places to eat in this lovely city! Read on to hear about our truly wonderful adventure there... My fiancé and I made a reservation for 8 PM, and had some extra time before our reservation, so decided to walk over there so we knew where it was. We arrived at around 7 PM, and saw that, while it looked like the restaurant was open, the tables were empty, so we thought, "Why not go in and try to get a table earlier?" The very friendly hostess informed us that they actually didn't open until 8 PM (which we should have expected after having been in Barcelona for several days, but still took us a little by surprise - we're used to eating at 6 PM in restaurants that close by 9:30 PM!). The hostess was so kind and sweet, though - she offered to set us up in a lovely, cozy sitting room overlooking the eating area, and a cheerful bartender came right over to ask what we might like to drink while we waited. The whole initial experience was both elegant and friendly, and the design of the restaurant has a well-curated, sophisticated but very comfortable feel. My fiancé and I sipped our very tasty drinks and had a blast looking through some of the fun, fashionable coffee-table books that they had laid out for guests to peruse. When it was time to eat, we were again very impressed by both the food and the service. We made fast friends with our waiter, Alex, who was eager to help us choose food we would love. Everything we ate was superbly made and was presented so beautifully. I really felt like a queen! In fact, we felt so well taken care of that I think we rather monopolized Alex by chatting with him about where we were from and what else we had done in Barcelona - he was extremely gracious, tho, and was genuinely interested to get to know us and hear about our travels. The highlight of the evening was when, after our delicious dinner had come to a close, he asked for some break time to take us to the roof of the restaurant to show off their very cool rooftop bar - it was pretty chilly still, so it wasn't being used at that time. I only wish that the weather had been warmer so we could have experienced it in all its glory. I'm very jealous of anyone who gets to eat at this lovely gem of a restaurant in the spring, summer or fall - it will be a night to remember for sure! read more

Amazing. If I could sum it up, that's what I would say. However, I know you yelpers are looking for a bit more than that. Let me start off by saying, the service here is on point! We walked in, no reservations and after a short 20 min wait they had a table ready for us. Do you know that they apologized for us having to wait so long and brought out complimentary champagne? Blew my mind. I thought if anyone owes anyone champagne its me's to them for sorting out a table without a reservation. We had about 6 tapas to share, every one of them was so great and almost too pretty to eat. It was impressive. I would highly recommend making this restaurant an absolute must during a stay in Barcelona! read more

Some of the most delicious food we had during trip to Barcelona. Used the Fork to book and received 30 percent off al a carte order AND drinks. Service was good not excellent but location and food were perfect. read more

The food was excellent. Each dish was better than it sounded on the menu, and presentation was surprising each time. The food was three dimensional including unique textures, flavors and presententation. The service was outstanding. including personal stories about Marc (owner/chef) and making helpful recommendations on the food. read more

Informal - #blacktruffles - Catalan Near Me - Barcelona, B

Excellent service and polite personal. High level cousine and good Wine assortment at reasonable pricing

Went there for lunch on a Sunday and enjoyed the entire experience. Ingredients are fresh, selection includes standard dishes and daily choices; the wine by the glass list is more extensive than usual. The service is good and English is spoken and understood very well. Recommend it. read more

Absolutely THE BEST MEAL I have has all year! I'm a hard core foodie here- carefully crafted dishes full of flavor, life, and authenticity. Amazing!! read more

Great service! Food was really good. rooftop bar had great views! Great space and awesome faucet in the bathroom downstairs!!! for real!

Everything we had was delicious from the wine which our helpful server helped us select, to the scallops, patatas bravas and lobster risotto everything was superb. I would highly recommend this spot to any travelers planning on eating their way around Barcelona. We ate at many 5 star restaurants while we were there and this one was among my faves. There's also a cute rooftop lounge called El Sueno de Picasso, with great views of the city and a nice drink selection. It's conveniently located by the Barrio Gothico and Las Ramblas. A must eat! read more

Such a delicious experience! This restaurant has an elegant setting, good-looking stylish servers and the best of all superb appetizers, main courses and desserts. We ate so much and every single item was 5 star. Sooooooooooo delicious all around. read more

Absolutely amazing ! From the trendy ambiance to the impeccable service, food and cocktails this place has it all. My boyfriend and I had dinner here on a Tuesday night. We made reservations an hour before we arrived. It was relatively quiet not crazy crowded which I happen to prefer) and we could carry out conversation comfortably throughout our meal. We ordered a Pisco Sour and a glass of sangria. Although the sangria was delicious the Pisco Sour was to write home about - literally. On to the food - we ordered the prawns and a few other things but THE PRAWNS were the BEST I have EVER had! They even came on their very own grill. My only con which ended up being a pro is the portion size/ very very small. I wanted more it was so good- but I say it ended up being a pro because I left feeling satisfied and not overly gorged leaving a late night dinner for the first time in a while. Afterwards definitely head upstairs to the rooftop, it's gorgeous. Chic, trendy with a fireplace and a great view! Overall incredible night - I will certainly be returning ! read more

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The space is great, next to Barrio Gotico in beautiful Barcelona, food was very good specially the salad, prices are high and it should be a great experience, no to me, the service is incredible slow, it took so long to order, the restaurant was half the capacity. read more

Beautiful decor and fabulous food marred by rushed/spotty service, high prices, and small portions. Overall, the food was really excellent--exceptional quality of ingredients made for very little need for fancy sauces or 'dress ups.' The kitchen knows how to put out a sparkling dish. Unfortunately --maybe it was an off night or where we were seated-- but our server was covering way too many tables and, while host and others pitched in, they seemed to do it in a harried, too-perfunctory way. Meanwhile, the one server rushed too and fro, practically jumping up and down the short set of stairs next to our table, making for a less-then-relaxing meal. At 8€ a glass wine (double anywhere else in this part of city) the pour was less then 4 oz, and for a full 15€ order or asparagus, we got 4-5 beautifully prepared stalks--oy! Staff spoke excellent English and our server was very nice, but so over-busy, we felt 'written off' shortly after we arrived. If the kitchen work wasn't so good, I'd knock them down to 1 or 2 stars. Overall, I'd suggest Sensi or Arcano before here. read more