This is definitely a locals spot. We popped in for one of the stops on a Barcelona food tour. It was totally worth the stop. Apparently, Anthony Bourdain also came here? You can get wine in like a kettle and hang around outside on account that there isn't much room inside. But everything we had plus the wine was absolutly delicious. I loved the sausage pintxo and the fried anchovies. Definitely a must stop in at the Gothic Quarter. read more

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La Plata's charm is in its historic old-school yet unfussy vibe. Pick from a small handful of tapas to pair with your vermouth. Got the fried anchovies and sausage pintxo to snack on. The vermouth is pretty generic but works for a mid-day stop. Overall, fun people watching on a relaxing afternoon. Totally worth a stop in if you need a break from exploring the narrow streets surrounding this watering hole. read more

La Plata - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Barcelona, B

Love the fresh fried fish. Limited seating. Come early. Love the quaintness of the restaurant. read more

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Super fun. Get a porron of wine and a couple tapas. I recommend the fried anchovies. Stand at the bar if you have to.

A wonderfully authentic old school tapas place, from before tapas got fancy (not that I have anything against fancy tapas!). It is tiny inside so you may not get a seat, but we lucked into the perfect corner table for great people-watching. The menu is very short - it's listed on a small board on the wall - consisting of only about 7 or 8 items. We tried most of them and they were uniformly simple in preparation and presentation, and delicious. The service is maybe a little gruff, but for us that only added to the vibe and the charm. I have to specifically call out the dish "pan con tomate," or "pa amb tomàquet" in the local Catalan. Couldn't be simpler, couldn't be better. Don't anybody try to "fix" this place! read more

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My wife and I were on vacation in Spain and I watched a YouTube video from Spain Revealed. James does great videos of tapas places to visit, and this place near the water in Barcelona was on the list. I was so happy it was! I got the fried anchovies. They all came out quick from the great service and I ordered a San Miguel bottle of beer to go with my snack/lunch. I would have liked a draft beer, but this is more of a wine place. For the other anchovies, the vinegar helped to balance out the saltiness of the fish and the oil added a perfect creaminess. This place was anchovy perfection! Thanks James. Check his YouTube out! After you are done here, get a beer at a local grocery kiosk and head down to the beach and sip and relax. Life is good! read more

La Plata - Outside. - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Barcelona, B

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A hole in the wall gem. The menu has 7 items on it and then they serve beer, house-made wine, soda, and water. The food is a 10/10. Quick. Simple. Delicious. Give it a try, and enjoy a true Barcelona experience. Oh, in case you are wondering, they have clean bathrooms. read more

La Plata - Menu - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Barcelona, B

This was probably our favourite Tapas spot in Barcelona ... not because the food was the best but the atmosphere felt the most authentic. The menu is small ... only 5-6 items and they aren't at all complicated. (fried sardines, bread smeared with tomato and olive oil, etc.) Everything here is quick to make, easy to serve and fast to arrive. I am not a 'fish' person ... and outside of being in Barcelona, I likely would never eat fried anchovies. Crunching the bones makes me queasy just thinking about it. However, maybe it was the buzz I had collected in the city, or maybe it was that I was 'all in' on having an authentic tapas experience ... but I really enjoyed the entire plate of fried anchovies. They are small, lightly battered, fried stiff and crispy and yes ... you eat the bones. (After pinching the head off and leave the tail) They were fantastic! I could have eaten two plates of them. This place is popular with younger locals and tourists, alike. Lots of tour groups would gather outside of the bar and a few would enter. We lucked out and arrived around 3 p.m. and there was almost no wait. A half hour later, it was packed and there was a line waiting to get in. The wines/vermouths are cheap and come in a cup the size of a dixie cup. We drank several. The house wine is great ... and I had the vermouth, although mine was poured from a bottle, not the barrels on the wall. The bartender/server is an older gentleman and keep in mind that he speaks minimal English, so you'll need to either know some Spanish ... or figure out how to communicate via pointing, etc. The menu on the side has a list of the 5-6 choices. Get the sardines ... even if you think you won't like them. We had the tomato bread, which is served everywhere in Spain. We had a few other things, which honestly, I can't even remember what they were. So, they weren't horrible but not memorable. It's way more about the atmosphere than the food. Plan your visit right because this place (like all Tapas places) get packed. Likely it's best to go earlier in the afternoon and make this your day drinking headquarters vs. trying to go past 5 p.m. It's nice when there are a few people there but it's not elbow to elbow. While we were there a local guy came up and started a conversation. He was getting to the point where he was saying some pretty inappropriate things ... and the bartender quickly came over and with a gesture shoo'ed him away. We thought that was nice. Overall, this was our favorite spot in Barcelona. We tried Cal Pep, Quimet y Quimet and a few of the other famous spots but noplace could equal the atmosphere we found here. Come here for Tapas and wine and you'll leave feeling like you were truly in Barcelona. read more

We had a great time while in Barcelona and this place was a fun night. The food and vermouth was excellent.

I stopped by La Plata for the first time in 2022 and only tried a few sardines and some wine but my mind was blown. We had to rush to the airport after the food tour but I was hooked. I couldn't wait to come back and try everything. I planned, I booked another food tour (the tour itself was very good!). And finally, I was back in Spain. I went on the same tour and afterwards, booked it over to La Plata. The owner is the nicest restaurant owner to ever walk this earth. He doesn't care that I don't speak English. But he knew why I was there. He gave me one of everything and a little glass of white wine. All the tapas are good, but the sardines - they're the star. Perfectly hot and crispy and salty. The anchovies are also so good. They pair well with the tomato's and bread. I don't need to try the sausage again. But everything is so simple yet so perfect. I can't wait to come back and support this nice man and his business and eat these amazing fried sardines. read more

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This was my first time in Barcelona and since I am a huge fan of seafood I was looking for the perfect place to grrub up on some sardines. Since I was already in the Gothic Quarter, I was able to find La Plata tucked in one of the alleys and within walking distance of the beach. As I approached it, it almost seemed like nothing was there until I approached the corner where there was a group of people standing at its entrance with the inviting smell of freshly fried sardines to guide the way. This place is not large by any means, but if you do not mind the crowd, you will be just fine. Luckily for me, there was one table left. The menu is very simple with only a few (and reasonably priced) small tapas, so if you aren't a fan of fish, this probably isn't the place for you. This is because every table was blessed with a hearty plate of pescaditos. The fried sardines came straight out they were piping hot, but perfectly fried with that good-good fish smell (not that bad kind).They also have wine from the barrel and tons of vermouth from the bottle. I had the vino tinto and vermouth and both hit the spot. Service was efficient and attentive and they accommodated me within 20 minutes of its closing time for the lunch hour. I was also clearly the only person there that was not a local, but I think that was a good sign. Would definitely recommend and will definitely be back when I'm in the area. read more

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Had to try pescadito frito when in Spain and happy to report that it was great! We came here mainly for their Vermut, which is poured straight out of a barrel and it paired really well with the salty anchovies. Locals gather here, really chill casual vibe. read more

Friends; forget about going to Las Ramblas in search of Tapas, walk a little further and get yourself to el barrio gotico and come straight here. If you really, and truly wish the experience 'Tapayar' as the Spanish do; you have to make a stop here. We ordered the fried sardines, two house red wines, tomate y aceitunas, all of that was 8 euro; I still can't believe it and the wine... man oh man oh man! The menu is super simple, only a few items to choose from but what you will undoubtedly see in almost all the tables are the fried sardines. Its a bit difficult to find, but I promise you its worth it, even if you do have to enjoy your tapas and wine standing; do it, do it! I promise you wont regret it. read more

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I miss Pepe already. There are five things on the menu and they are all amazing. Came here on a food tour and then returned on my own. La Plata will be my first stop off the plane when I return to Barcelona! read more

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An excellent spot. Get 1-euro glasses of wine and fried sardines and you won't be sorry. Fantastic vibe.

Probably one of the most unique places we went to on our Tapas tour. We had the fried sardines, the tomatoes and onions, and some anchovies. Along with a beer and some wine. We were soooo lucky to get a table and glad we did. Small spot with excellent local fare. The food, ambiance, and staff were all fantastic. Absolutely recommend you stop by if you get the chance. read more

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La Plata is a hidden gem! Most guidebooks and Barcelona-based foodie blogs will tell you that in search of great tapas DO NOT EAT DIRECTLY ALONG LAS RAMBLAS. Instead go outside the main drag and/or do your research beforehand. I did basic research on what to eat in the area and this ended up being one of my top choices. The key thing about tapas is that it's not for the super-shy at heart that doesn't want to deal with the hassle of crowds but if you are willing to do this and know very rudimentary Spanish you will have a good time. Trust me. La Plata is located close to the water (about a block) but several blocks AWAY from Las Ramblas, and you'll have to enter at the very least a well-lighted street. This is fine for a seasoned traveler but a minor concern if you're a solo female traveler dining at what is considered "acceptable" time to eat dinner in Spain (later than 8pm). I went during March and considering the distance between my hotel in Plaça de Catalunya and here I never felt personally in danger... just had to guard my crossbody a bit more. The place is rather small but I was able to edge myself on a corner table. Staff was very friendly as I tried communicating what I wanted in broken Spanish that I was able to retain since high school. They thought that my Hogwarts beanie a friend got me over Christmas was a Barca beanie! Here's what I got for about €14. - 3x vermouth. I love my cocktails and vermouth, along with gin and tonic, are the favorite cocktails of the city. I love their rendition; it's sweeter than expected and went down easily. I could've had one more and still be fine. - Pescadito. These are their famous fried anchovies. Small and boneless I can inhale them like fries. One of the best fried foods I've ever eaten. - Ensalada. The only green you'll see here are the small, pitty olives. It's very simple; tomato and onions covered in olive oil. Get this and the anchovies and you'll be good. - Pan con tomate. Too bready, not cripsy and not enough tomato. Just stick to proteins and veggies. There was another fish dish (not fried) and some sausage tapa on top of a mini croquette but I was too full to try any more in part because of the 4 slices of pan con tomate they give you. Next time I'll skip the pan but have some more fish dishes. La Plata has become one of my favorite tapa places just because it encompasses everything about a real tapas experience: inexpensive, simple and a lot of fun! read more

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Experienced a bit of a culture shock here but nonetheless really good and authentic tapas bar! This place has a really simple menu - only serves 5 different tapas, and you tell the waiter if you want beer, wine, or water (no drinks menu). We had wanted to order sangria but the waiter told us "sangria is for tourists, we don't serve it here". Shocking. We came to Spain for the tapas and sangria! We instead ordered their house red wine and one of each tapa. The wine was really good (I usually don't like red!), and I enjoyed most of the tapas. True standouts were the tomato salad, fried anchovies, and sausage. The salad has the sweetest onions I've ever tasted, the anchovies were so good & crispy, and the sausage was mmmm. Everything was at such a reasonable price, around 2.5 euros per tapa. Come to experience an authentic local tapas bar! read more

La Plata - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Barcelona, B

Simple menu for a quick snack. We came here after feeding the kids at La Boqueria. After reading some reviews, I was intrigued by the fried fish and wanted to try. We arrived with 10 people and although the restaurant was small, we managed to fit ourselves by the open doorway. We ordered the whole menu as there were only 5 items: fried anchovies, salted anchovies with olives, tomato bread, sausages, and salad. Everything was delicious especially with ice cold beer. You can either sit at a table or grab a spot at the small bar. There's beer, wine, soda and juices. After that, we were ready for the beach! read more

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Simple food in a little tapas bar that makes you feel at home. We walked up to the bar to order tapas and quickly found out that they only serve five dishes - fried anchovies, sardines, a tomato/onion salad, tomato bread, and a sausage on bread. I was stuffed, and while my boyfriend was a little underwhelmed by the food, I loved the simplicity, the beer, and the owner! While their English is limited, they are absolutely social people. Pretty inexpensive, but if you're looking for some fancy eats or something to write home about, I wouldn't recommend. If you're looking for a fun place to catch a drink and snack with your friends, A+ over here. P.S. the owner's photo with Anthony Bourdain is almost hidden, but I think it's a sign of how humble they are. read more

One of our go to spots in the neighborhood. Really enjoy the casual atmosphere and the fried anchovies (along with all of their other dishes) are really good. Service is friendly and quick. Definitely add La Plata to your list if you're visiting. read more

You see a mob of people at 10 pm and it's usually a good sign. 1 bier 1 fried sardines, 4 Euro. The place has just 3, 4 tapas, a salad, a fried sardine, and some sort of sausage, that's all I could see. The sardines were so good that we asked for a second serving. The challenge is to eat it all. Just simply can't stop eating fried little fish and chase it down with a cold bier. I can do this all day long. "It's funny to see you with a beer." Says a friend from back home. I have never drunk this much bier until Spain. This is a great place for such late night indulgence. read more

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My first meal in Barcelona. Great tapas. The kids got their first chance to eat anchovies, two ways, and loved them. Small and very welcoming. The guy running the show didn't speak much English, but he did not have to. He exuded hospitality. read more

This place is what dreams are made of! The sardines are some of the best I've eaten in Spain. Fresh, crisp, and deliciously salty. Paired extremely well with their house red. I highly suggest take away on the sardines, they serve them like fries in a cone, and you can walk around chomping on them, because it gets crowded in here! read more

I absolutely loved my experience at La Plata. It was round two of our tapas night out in Barcelona, and we stumbled upon this little gem that everyone raves about. Four different kinds of tapas. Take it or take it, for it is bomb. The fried anchovies as people rave are perfectly crisp and a tasty substitution to the potatoes and meats that we've been having all week. The anchovy pincho was also very good, and gave us a break from eating too much of the fried goodness above. The real winner here though is that sausage. I don't know how it was cooked, but I have to say it was my favorite tapas that I had all trip long. Regrets to not ordering more. Couple these bites with some glasses of vermouth and really friendly service, and you've got yourself a great stopover in your nightly tapas run. read more

La Plata - Best tapas ever!! - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Barcelona, B

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Located in the Gothic Quarter, La Plata is a small restaurant that serves a simple but clearly perfected menu: Fried smelt, anchovies and tomato bread, chorizon and a tomato, olive and onion salad. Everything was unbelievably fresh. The sound of fried smelt not might seem so appealing, but just one taste and you won't be able to stop. All of these plates go perfectly with the rosé they serve. Not as cheap as pinchos, but so good and just so FRESH. read more

La Plata - Tapas and vino rojo at La Plata in the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona. - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Barcelona, B

I don't care if you are only in Barcelona for 12 hrs, you MUST GO TO LA PLATA! Drink wine from a parron, get the vermut, pescaditos, bread with anchovies, and tomato salad. This place is so good. Simple, delicious food for an amazing price. It's super busy, so be ready for a crowd. Don't plan on staying and sitting around for too long, because they are super busy. HIGHLY RECOMMEND. read more

By far the worst dining experience we had while in Barcelona. Did a tour of the gothic area, worked up an appetitie, and hopped in yelp to find a tapas place mid day. La Plata defintely had enough reviews to warrant more walking. Let's break down into food and service. First the good, FOOD: Relatively cheap, and was good. 5 tapas and wine or beer. That's it. The wine was 'red or white'. Must be there own. Red was fine, but not as good as rest of the places, even the inexpensive ones. We had the fried sardines, a sausage on bread, and tomato bread there. Not the best tomato bread, but decent. Now the not so good.....Service. Older guy was a bit gruff upon arrival but fine. It was the waiter (had some piercings if I call) that was a a total 'fill in your words'. Wasn't just us. We watched him treat us the same as 2 other couples walking in. One example was an older couple came in, asked to sit at the 4 top because there were chairs w backs. Waiter said prefer them to sit at the two top. When the older man said he preferred to sit at the 4 top b/c of the chairs just a nasty response of 'well then sit wherever you want'. For us, he just had an attitude the whole time. Even towards the end when we were going to pay he said cash. I said we didn't have enough. I pointed to the visa sign on the wall. 'Well it doesn't always work'. Gave him my card (he had no choice really) walked outside and said 'you are lucky'. I know you could read all two ways, but trust me it wasn't in any way nice. Food good, but all I can recall was our experience so it's not a place I would recommend. read more

Simple is sometimes best. Crispy fresh-fried fishies to get you drinking. Arrived at closing time with a crowd spilling out onto the street. This in itself was a good measure - pushing my way inside, the host was still busy back and forth to a hidden kitchen, returning each time with a bowl of freshly fried little fish. The fish were hot, crisp and ready to eat. Conducive to beer consumption - which was readily available. Great place to start - or finish - the night. Not a place I would spend more than half an hour. read more

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Talk about a little hidden slice of heaven. We walked a while to get to this specific venue because of the great Yelp reviews and we were not disappointed. We all had a beer, some tomato bread and a sausage. Heaven. Nice little spot by the Picasso Museum and in the winding neighborhoods. Great to stop, rest your feet, have a drink and refresh yourself. read more

La Plata - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Barcelona, B

Pretty decent There is a fairly limited menu of just a few items. We tried each. Each item was good (especially the fish). Note that the fish portion is fairly small. So it ends up being much worse value than most other tapas places. And I didn't think that the taste was superior to the fish at the other places. read more

Still thinking of the fried anchovies! This was one of our first stops on our trip to Barcelona so it was nice to get a taste of their menu. Vermut was delicious and the two men working the front were very welcoming. read more

Smelt!!! After a day at the beach I wanted to eat little fried fishes. We found this place thanks to yelp, it's a tiny little tapas bar on a beautiful little ally with the arch connecting it. The first thing you see when you walk in is a big plate of fish. Soo delicious! Also great sausage pinxo! Loved the Spanish tile in the place and attentive service! read more

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This was our first stop of many on our most recent trip to Barcelona and we loved the neighborhood vibe and simplicity of the menu. Staff was warm and inviting and made for a memorable start to our night. Be sure to order the fried sardines - they were perfect! read more

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Great traditional tapas but only five choices ranging from 2.5 - 3 euros. Choices included tomato salad with olives and onions, fried anchovies, anchovies on bread, sausage on bread and all were great. Very small and crowded and mostly full of very friendly locals. read more

Awesome atmosphere, authentic family environment, awesome restaurant. Definitely would come back

Amazing place for small fried fishes ("Pescaditos"). It is really worth a visit. read more

La Plata - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Barcelona, B

Very important detail. This place does not say La Plata on the outside anymore! Address is correct. It's very unassuming when you walk in. Just a few tables and a counter. It was so relaxed and there were tables outside was well. The menu is full of Spanish dishes and tapas all for the most affordable prices I was able to find my entire trip. The dishes were really cheap but you would not be able to tell based on the quality. In addition, Sangria here is €7 cheaper than anywhere else and twice as strong. Make sure you order the liter. I was really satisfied with the price and portions here and would recommended this to anyone who is looking for an authentic Spanish experience. Make sure you brush up on your Spanish before going! Not so humbly submitted, Michael C. read more

Maybe it's the tourist in me, but La Plata is one of the coolest stops in Barcelona. In the 3-ish days I was there on vacation, I made a stop every evening. Between the gimmick of drinking house wine out of that porron wine decanter, the fried smelt, and the lovely old timer working the bar, it was the perfect pit stop when meandering through the narrow streets of Carrer de la Mercè. I never quite perfected the wine stream drinking method and I ruined two different white shirts, but hey - it is what it is. So much fun. read more

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My love affair with Barcelona started with La Plata and is an example of simplicity done right. I would jump on a plane, travel 15 hours, clear customs, and navigate the alleys to have lunch here again. Menu? What menu? Don't worry... you don't need one. All you need is an old guy behind the counter that points around at what other people are grubbing on and then you tell him how many you want. The selection is simple, but it's exactly what makes La Plata great. We started with one of each... key word, started. The sardines. Oh lordy, the sardines. Lightly floured and then fried. We ended up with three plates of these and inhaled them like french fries. The salad. Salad is a term used loosely with the tomato, onion and olive oil served on a small plate that cuts the sardines perfectly. No greens on this "salad." The sausage. Very good but in my eyes it just stole room in my stomach from the sardines. The baguette. Rubbed with tomato and olive oil. It's done all over the place in Barcelona and really makes you wonder why something so easy and delicious isn't found more often in the U.S. The wine. Served in small half bottles with juice glasses you have your choice of the red, white or pink table wine. We had all three and sitting next to a local regular tipped us off on the best way to enjoy it. I can't remember what it is called but it looks like a small glass tea kettle full of wine. You hold it up to your mouth and then pull back once the stream starts. Extend your arm and drink as the wine flows and you are now doing as the locals do. read more