It's been a decade since I came here for my first Tapas in BCN. This is where I realized there was…read morea lot of my peeps that works there and it's nice to feel at home, lol. This was recommended by friends awhile back, I remembered the modern ambiance, amazing Tapas, friendly service and the place was as busy then until now. For this big restaurant caliber, it's pretty crowded yet they do a good job with a fast turnaround. We did the early Dinner and by the time we got out there was already a long line for late Diners. The fact that even after a decade, it's rare that I go back to the same spot let alone they're still around after all these years. You already know that tells a lot and I feel bad for those who didn't have the same great experience, hope they give it another shot. See y'all soon! Salut, Vermouth!

First time in Barcelona and first time time here. It was a fun experience with some good service…read moreand delicious food. Sit inside if you do not like cigarette smoke, which does occur. For an early dinner by Spanish time, we started with the croquettes. Crip and wonderful. Then the tenderloin which was taste as well, though we should have a sales what is on the top. It seemed like mostly a flavored fat. The tomato with toast was lovely. Soaked with natural tomato juice. The skewered prawns were the best. Get them. And we ended with coconut pudding. It was like a flan with a coconut base. All together fun and delicious!

A lot of options on the menu. It was good food for the price. The chorizo, pimento de pardon,…read moreboquerones fritos and mussels are our favorite. The service is fast. Nice and Clean.

The bravas were surprisingly good, and the price tag was great. I had two beers and an individual…read moreserving of patatas bravas for five euros. The ambiance is lacking, but if you are just looking to have a beer in the open-air and a little snack, this is a great place.

This is the best restaurant in Barcelona, Spain!!!! We just…read moreate Manager's choice and every dishes was so delicious!! Especially service was so nice and friendly!!

Probably more like 3.5, but not a 4…read more Quiet little place with friendly hosts, but was a bit of an odd dining experience. Only 2 tables that night (a Thursday in early July) when we were in, asked what we wanted to eat before we saw a menu, didn't get the correct starter (though I conceded the Iberian ham i had was no doubt vastly tastier than the ham croquettes I'd actually ordered). They were gracious enough to explain what many of the things on the menu were (to the point they brought out stuff on plates to show it). Felt a bit hap hazard, odd location (no views, we were actually next to a window that was covered in a mosaic type thing so couldn't see out. The food itself varied a lot - some of it was absolutely delicious, but I think that any downside on the food was more just a matter of taste. Everything was very fresh etc. Spanish/Catalan/Med food in general not my favourite. Still, nice night, a good bottle of wine and I left content. Not too pricey, but by no means cheap either. We didn't see a whole lot else to choose form around that area so I think it's probably still recommended.

An English restaurant right in the middle of Barcelona…read more No - the food is not English. It's as Spanish as Spanish can be. But the concept here is the core concept associated with good British cooking. Good ingredients. Simply prepared. The cook should bring out the flavor of the original materials. The ingredients here are excellent, The cook's interventions are subtle. The flavor of the very good ingredients shine through. This does not mean there is no spice involved. My wild bison meatballs had a tomato sauce and definite elements of fire. The mussels had a soupcon of garlic. But what was served was high quality British cuisine. * * * Two exceptions to the above rule - and one caution. There is one good exception and one bad exception 1) The good exception. The British always make exceptions for desserts. Desserts are sweet, yummy and show off the skill of the baker or the skill of the pudding maker. The same applies here. We had a carrot cake and a red velvet cake. None of them tasted like the carrot cakes or red velvet cakes we get at home. Both of them were just lovely. We would order them again ... and again ... and again ... and again. 2) The vegan casserole my wife got did not impress. Everything tasted like mushroom even though there were other things besides mushrooms in the pan. Some of the vegetables notably the artichoke hearts were so tough as to be nearly inedible. She was not provided with a knife .... Which gets us to the third point ... 3) Service is terrible. The people are nice, friendly and willing to please. But don't expect to see them very often. And they sold you the food on the menu. They did not sell you silverware to eat it with. They will bring you a fork. Then they are done. Not only our table but other tables around us had to deal with the "how the heck do I eat this problem"? We just went ascetic and went without. People at other tables went up to the service rack to get the hardware they were lacking. The same benign neglect went to providing beverages. I would have been happy to build my tab for the night by ordering seconds or thirds on my drink. I never got my chance - and left the restaurant thirsty. (I have a nice bottle of mineral water I bought from a bodega to make up for the lack.) * * * These quirks aside, the food when it hits is really really fine. I ate very well, with wild boar meatballs that could be considered memorable. Fortunately, you need neither a knife nor a spoon to eat meatballs.

I went on a month long trip in Europe - Italy, Spain, and France - and Leku was one of, if not the…read morebest, dining experiences that I had. And I ate out every night. What I wanted was a chance to sample some traditional Catalan food, and luckily a friend of a friend was native to the area and took me to Leku. It certainly had that, and more. First, you may notice that it is a completely family run business. It feels that way. One waiter had a lengthy conversation with my friend about who knows what in Catalan. There were no bright line distinctions between who did what. The chef who also runs the place is part owner with I believe his mother. He was at times our waiter, our bus boy, and also of course the concerned chef who asked how each course went. And the food sure was fantastic and new. The ingredients were fresh, and almost entirely made in house. Some dishes were more traditional, while others were inventive but still inspired by the Catalan palette. For example, I had a fish dish that was paired with a mayonnaise dressing mixed with bacon! Apparently the people of Catalan mix meat and fish all the time, but it was a completely new flavor for me. A more traditional dish I had were these fried shellfish, something between a shrimp and a lobster, purchased fresh from the fish market that day. Ox tail wasnt weird at all, and it was very juicy and full flavored. The squid-ink croquets were probably my favorite, could have eaten ten of those. For dessert, I had a mojito flavored whipped cream and a cheesecake flavored yogurt. Maybe the greatest part of this restaurant was the quality combined with the authenticity of the Catalan culture. I know some spanish, but Im not sure I heard a lick of Spanish in that place. There was a large group celebrating what seemed like an anniversary. There was another older couple having dinner, and young couples perhaps on their first date. This place was not a place that tourists swarmed, which is something that by that time I had enough of. This was a place that a person native to the area would suggest, and it was a wonderful serendipity that I was introduced to it. They say you may not know how people treat you, but youll always remember how they make you feel. Well, not only did Leku treat me like an upper-class man, but as an outsider they made me feel welcome. I'll remember that most of all. Thanks guys

I first had the opportunity to try Basque cuisine about 5-6 years ago during a work trip to Boise,…read moreIdaho (home to one of the largest Basque communities outside of the Basque Country in France and Spain). That meal turned out to be one of the highlights of that trip, so I was ecstatic to find a Basque restaurant near my hotel in Barcelona. I quickly beelined over to the restaurant for a solo dinner that delivered in spades. While both the service and ambience was satisfactory, the food is what truly mesmerized me and singlehandedly salvaged an otherwise dull day that I had spent resting and recuperating from Barcelona's stealth attack on my sinuses. Le sigh. In terms of the food, the tomato and tuna belly salad was refreshing and delightful. The octopus and pig's feet carpaccio was hands down the single best dish I ate in Spain. The richness of the dish along with the texture and exquisite flavor was akin to eating a gourmet version of souse (or hog's head cheese), which I grew up eating in the US Deep South. I ended the meal on a high note with Basque cheesecake. In summary, here are my final thoughts on this remarkable three course meal: Perfecto! Me gusta mucho Cocina del País Vasco!

Everything was top shelf! Reviews are on point.the food, beverages, atmosphere, and service is top…read morenotch. You leave full and still light on your toes.

Food. Service. Ambiance. Yes. Yes. Yes…read more The first night we went without a reservation but they managed to accommodate us in a lovely private room. That was a great start to a delicious meal that everyone enjoyed. I wish I could have tried all the appetizers. In hindsight, this might be the way to go! The food and service were so on point that our group went back a second time (with a reservation) in our four days in Barcelona. This time we ordered the epic Chocolate Bonsai dessert to cap the meal. It had a satisfying amount of chocolate with textures and tastes that leave you wanting more. I shared this dessert... and wish I didn't The noise level was high but otherwise this one scores high on every aspect of the dining experience!

My last visit was in 2022, but as of 2024, they've still got it!…read more Excellent food and service with classic dishes as well as many more adventurous options. Everything is beautifully presented and they handled our large group with ease. Definitely make a reservation, especially if you've got a large group. They may not have a Michelin star, but they're as good as or better than any place I've been that has one. If you're in the main part of Barcelona, it can be a trek out here (it is SO worth it), but if you're staying by the convention center and its nearby shopping mall, it is an easy walk and I haven't found anything else in the area that comes close.

During our three days in Barcelona, Cervecería Ciudad Condal was the very first tapas restaurant we…read morevisited -- and it turned out to be the absolute best! Our server, Amaya, was funny, knowledgeable, and incredibly attentive. He took great care of us, and every single recommendation he made was delicious. I wish I knew all the Spanish names of the dishes because everything was amazing. The highlights for us were the Bacalao -- so tender and full of flavor -- and honestly the best octopus I've ever had in my life. We also loved the soft steak with duck liver served on a slice of French baguette, the shrimp skewers, patatas, and the Spanish ham with tomato toasts. Every dish was unforgettable. On top of the incredible food, the restaurant itself has such an elegant atmosphere with beautiful décor that made the whole dining experience even more special. Highly recommend this place to anyone visiting Barcelona!

Ciutat Comtal was a restaurant that I had seen recommended numerous times while I was searching for…read moreplaces to eat at in Barcelona, and after coming here I can see why. I came here for lunch, and thankfully I didn't have to wait too long before I got seated inside. The interior is a bit on the smaller side, but it's quite bright with a lot of natural sunlight inside. For the food, I decided to get squid, codfish with honey allioli, and iberian ham montaditos. While all of the food was great, for me the codfish was hands-down the star of the show and probably one of the best dishes that I ate on the trip. The flavor of the sauce combined with the texture of the fish actually blew me away, and I can see why my server highly recommended this to me. If you just get one things when coming here, definitely make sure not to miss this dish. Highly recommend checking this place out for Spanish tapas, they represent the cuisine well!

Delicious! We were looking for a local place near our airbnb. Everything we ordered was delicious…read more It is a busy spot. The service was very good.

We were told Spaniards don't drink so much Sangria -- they drink Vermouth! So, that's what we…read moresought during our first few days in Barcelona. This place came up on a Google Maps search in a neat neighborhood away from the touristy La Rambla, so we decided to check it out. We were made aware that in Spain, one simply has to stand around and wait for a table to vacate in order to sit -- the host doesn't really facilitate, and there is not written waiting list or anything like that. We waited for about 15 mins. Our host maybe didn't speak a ton of English, and generously agreed to translate the Catalan menu into simple Castellano that my partner and I could understand. His first question was essentially, "How hungry are you?", and then he proceeded to suggest some dishes. The Vermouth was definitely great. The pan con tomate went well. The patatas bravas went well with the drinks. The chicken tenders aren't something we'd get again (albeit we liked the 2 different sauces).

La Mestressa is such a great vibe and one of the defining experiences from my trip to Barcelona!…read moreHere are a few highlights: 1. The neighborhood - I stayed at the AC Hotel Sants while visiting Barcelona. The Barcelona Sants train station was adjacent to the hotel, and the property was in a walkable neighborhood surrounded by restaurants, convenience stores, and other businesses. There was also a deceptively nondescript alley right next to the hotel that I didn't explore right away. Turns out, that alley leads to a vibrant, hidden plaza (Plaça d'Osca) with restaurants and shops, where locals in the Sants neighborhood hang out. This is also where La Mestressa is located. 2. The food and drinks - I got dinner with two friends at La Mestressa one evening. We ordered a pitcher of sangria, a bottle of wine, and a wide selection of tapas, croquettes, and a couple main dishes. My personal favorites from the meal were the sangria, patatas bravas (crispy potatoes with sauce), octopus, and the salmon salad (not pictured). Each of those dishes were well-seasoned, had great textural contrast, and provided either familiar comfort (patatas bravas and octopus) or a completely new flavor experience (salmon salad). The sangria was light and refreshing. 3. The service - Our server was bilingual and provided satisfactory service. She was warm. The service was well-paced, and she attended to all of our needs as a group. 4. The ambience - As I previously mentioned, both Plaça d'Osca and La Mestressa were a whole vibe. If the terms "off the beaten path," "honeycomb hideout," "in the cut," or "rural retreat" mean anything to you, this area similarly provides a nice place to "retreat" and immerse yourself in a local neighborhood right in the heart of Spain's second largest city. It's the perfect place to drink wine and sangria and while away your evening. :)

We were in the neighborhood on vacation, and were looking for someplace to eat. They had room so…read morewe stepped in. Honestly the rest of Barcelona has been ruined for us now. We ate other places, but none of them compare. Not the market, none of the other small tapas places we tried. It's as if the others aren't even trying. If you are near Plaça de Sants, you will not be disappointed.

My experience at Terra d'Escudella was a little confusing…read more But it was kind of my problem because I could not speak or understand Spanish... It was quite challenging. We were hungry and it was late. After trying to drop by a few places in the area and nothing really open for business, we decided to give Terra d'Escudella a try based on the 4 star rating on my Yelp App. Place was busy, which was a good sign! We quickly grabbed a table in front of the restaurant and thinking we can get some food and beers..and then we found out that all these people at the bar were waiting for a "restaurant" tables at the back! We ended up just have a quick beer and off we go to somewhere else for real food... PS they do have an English Menu

My fiancé and I came for dinner on the recommendation of our guide from Culinary Backstreets and…read morewere pleasantly surprised at the hyper-local feel of Terra d'Escudella. We'd thus far seen a lot of touristy areas of Barcelona, so getting to feel a bit like an insider was such a treat here! My Spanish is conversational, so I could mostly get through the menu (after asking for the Spanish one, rather than Catalan where I definitely struggle), but I would recommend coming here with a dictionary or translation app if you're English-only. I thought the service was excellent, our waitress was very understanding and patient with my language mistakes and chatted easily with us about different menu options. We ended up getting a sandwich, the meatballs, and a couple of other things to share, as well as a bottle of wine. We spent the better part of an evening snacking and chatting away, surrounded by boisterous laughter and conversation of locals who clearly adore this spot.