We had high hopes for Pakta, having read good reviews and heard so much about ElBarri. We have dined in many top-notch Japanese restaurants and were excited for the "Nikkei" fusion concept. But in the end we were very disappointed. After the meal we read that the restaurant changed concept from Peruvian Japanese (with nigiri and many hot dishes) to Mediterranean Japanese (mostly cold seafood dishes) a couple years ago. If you are expecting the dishes from their menu a couple years ago, none of them are there now. Of the 20 course menu, we only liked 5 (in blue check marks on the menu); the rest were bad because: 1 the way the food was prepared overpowered the flavor of the ingredient (example: scallop in wasabi-equivalent sauce that totally masked the delicate flavor for fresh scallop), or 2 ingredients that didn't taste good together (tuna belly with jamon lard??), or 3 the dish was creative but simply didn't taste good (roast tomato on charcoaled leaves). Also, for a 120 euro tasting menu, there was basically no premium ingredient except for one or two dishes. We were given the option to add premium dishes (lobster, king crab, wagyu) for another ~60 euro PER DISH, which is ridiculously expensive. We saw that some of the earlier menus posted had the premium ingredients included in the tasting menu, but that's also no longer the case. Service was very attentive and good, but other than that and the five dishes we liked, everything else was really really bad to be honest. read more

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Ok this review is late. We ate our way thru Barcelona last September and Pakta was just sublime. We had a great seat right in front of the chefs and to see the mastery at this level was amazing. We had the tasting menu with lots of courses and it was expensive but worth it. Starting with famous olives started the night off. A few pics to enjoy. read more

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MUST, MUST, MUST, MUST GO. Best food experience hands down. Albert Adria's newest restaurant, hiring two head chefs Jorge Munoz from Peru, and Kyoko Ii from Japan. Nikkei, which is a Japanese Peruvian fusion, gives you the best blend of dishes you can ask for. Get the Machu Picchu menu. It's worth it. 3 hour ordeal with countless dishes, but for some reason, I kept wanting more and more. I am in love with both Japanese and Peruvian cuisine, so this was absolutely the most perfect blend for me. ALL FOOD SHOULD BE MADE LIKE THIS. Not to mention, I was able to personally speak with Jorge Munoz, who is super friendly and charming. Intimate atmosphere and very friendly staff, and of course, excellent chefs and cooking. Let me tell you, these pictures I'm posting does NOT do the taste justice. The first plate was literally a symphony of flavors from beginning to end. My favorite dish of all was the sea bass ceviche in almond milk-- best ceviche ever. But there were many other plates that had my heart skipping a beat. My mouth is watering just reminiscing this meal.... Life... Changing... read more

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By far my favorite meal in Barcelona. Pakta's upscale but relaxed atmosphere, excellent service, and creative dishes made it a truly amazing dining experience. I recommend choosing from the à la carte menu to give yourself the freedom to choose dishes that suit the group. That said, our waitress was extremely knowledgeable and suggested a number of delicious items based on our preferences. Overall, I would highly recommend dining with Pakta if you can get a reservation! read more

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Superb food and helpful service. It brings tapas to the next level. All food is creatively made, in a way that you probably haven't had it before. Tuna ceviche was the most memorable dish for me, even though I liked everything. Lunch tends to be easier to get reservation-wise and more reasonable in pricing. Loved it. read more

Pakta - One of the ceviches at Pakta - Nikkei Near Me - Barcelona, B

This is probably my favorite place in Barcelona. If you're looking for a good journey look no further. If you plan on visiting pakta, if *highly* suggest choosing the tasting menu. Each small plate that was brought over was an authentic, Michelin Star, Japanese-Spanish fusion, gastronomic experience. The staff were extremely knowledgeable and patient. The service was amazing. I recommend everyone visit if you can. Depending of the time of year reservations can be hard to secure, so try making your reservation as soon in advance as possible. read more

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KenScale: 7.5/10 Pakta is a project from Albert Adria of ElBulli fame showcasing the "Nikkei" cuisine, a fusion between Japanese and Peruvian cuisine. A somewhat random combination, but historically, many Japanese people emigrated to Peru beginning in the late 19th century. Both Japanese and Peruvian cuisines have very high standings in the world's culinary pyramid, so I was very excited to see what the kitchen (led by Peruvian chef Jorge Muñoz and his Japanese counterpart Kioko Ii) will bring. Unfortunately, while the food wasn't bad at all, I'm not sure my dining experience would be in the realm of memorable. There are only two tasting menu options at Pakta: shorter Fujiyama course and longer Machu Picchu course. We opted for the shorter one, which started with an assortment of dishes from tamago-dofu with salmon roe to horse mackerel to kumquats. They were pleasant enough, followed by market fish that was also OK. A couple of nigiri pieces followed, of which I preferred the salty fresh anchovy. Tuna tartare with yucca chips was also serviceable. The best dishes were the sea bass ceviche with fresh green almond "leche" that had very interesting, milky flavor, as well as the pork jowl sandwich that worked wonderfully with the pickles inside. On the other hand, the suckling pig Xiao long bao (steamed bun) was confusing (why a steamed bun in Japanese cuisine, and I didn't taste any suckling pig inside), as was cancha chulpi soba whose texture was funky and not necessarily in a good way. Grilled chicken is the predictable chicken skewer (although it was nicely cooked), and rock fish with "escabeche" Nikkei sauce was a bit over-seasoned. Desserts came in a variety of fruits, and they were in general delightful. Overall, I felt that compared to the concept and technique that the kitchen is employing, the execution and overall satisfaction level feel short to my expectations. The restaurant has a dining area as well as a bar area with modern Japanese settings. Getting a reservation wasn't particularly hard, but the restaurant was nearly fully booked in the course of my meal. The restaurant has full bar, with some Asian-inspired cocktails, but I would stick with wine (I'm always a bit wary of trying cocktails in Europe when New York has so many places that make incredible ones). Overall, I liked the concept of Pakta, and the dining experience was meaningful in a sense that it was my initiation to Nikkei cuisine. Pakta, however, also made me feel like it is probably a good idea to stick with classics when dining in Spain instead of some fancy marriage of different cuisines. read more

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Amazing, inventive meal. Great service with quick and seamless expedited food service of our 18 course meal. The booze selection is varied and extremely affordable as well. I was extremely happy to have read about Pakta in the New York Times and that it opened up in time for my trip to Barcelona. I quickly made a reservation online (15 days in advance is the earliest from what I gathered though it may have changed since). There are only two prix fixe menus you can choose from, both of which are essentially the same, just one (titled the Macchu Picchu) has more dishes. My friend and I of course opted for the full menu at ~120 euros each amounting to 18 courses for our meal that night. I don't want to give away too much but our highlights were both kaiseki courses in their picturesque elegance and whimsy, as well as the ceviche and sushi courses. read more

Honestly very disappointed in this meal. My boyfriend and I were both looking forward to dinning in an ElBarrí restaurant, but we're left confused and disappointed with our experience. We really only liked a few courses and found so many of the others to be either just ok or just plain bad. So many dishes tasted "like the ocean" which was really just salty. I know that the concept is supposed to be different, but it just came off as trying too hard with subpar food. Really don't think it is worth the price especially when you can have so many delicious things in Barcelona for a more reasonable price tag. I know they've recently changed concepts so I don't know if that's what made them suffer, but I know that I will not be recommending this to anyone visiting. The two stars are for the service which was very good and like the two courses we enjoyed. read more

Two of my favorite cuisines, peruvian and japanese, fusioned. I went with a friend on a Wednesday night m on the latest shift as i booked with short notice. To drink i took the clasic pisco sour, which had neat classic taste, zipped it very slowly trough half of the meal and then went for the house red wine wich was ok. I had some doubt when deciding for the Pakta winter menu option, as i am not new either to japanese or peruvian food i was tempted to order directly, i was clearly drawn to the ceviches, makis and the aji de gallina, finally chose the pakta menu to keep the same pace as my friend and still think would prefer larger dishes than small ones, as i felt the staff was rushing us cause of the high number of dishes. On the positive side as i did not want to eat red meat they replaced the meat dishes for octopus with soy beand and dashi , and for the aji de gallina. The best dishes in my opinion where: Avocado tofu with sea urchin and dashi shoyu Ceviche in Tamarind Sauce Unagui maki Royal crab maki Octopus with edammame and dashi Aji de gallina Chocolate ice cream with cinammon and coffee toffee. Will repeat without the pakta menu option. read more

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If you are a fish lover, willing to try different tastes, enjoy long tasting menus and like the idea of fusion food, give Pakta a try. I have to admit sometimes I am vowed by their seasonal menu and other times I reminisce over how extraordinary the food tasted previously. Sometimes the flavors on their extensive menu taste so unique and other times the dishes can feel a little repetitive. Nevertheless, I haven't once left the restaurant with less than a happy tummy and a wonderful evening. Unlike other reviewers, I have never been rushed through my meal although I could see it happening depending on what time you go to eat. They are pretty strict about when to give breaks during the course of dishes. However, I think they'd accommodate accordingly if you remarked about feeling rushed. On that note sometimes the service is impeccable, hardly any waiting time between dishes. Other times, it can be slower than what they have me used to with longer pauses. That is just comparing them with themselves again, just different times. Frankly there isn't another restaurant I can compare them to. read more

Pakta - Interior - small and cosy - Nikkei Near Me - Barcelona, B

Very creative, delicious,elegant. Excellent service. Only complaint is I don't like eating with my hands, which were the instructions for 2 dishes. When I asked for utensils, I had to explain "I prefer not to use my hands" because they again said I should eat it by hand instead of them just obliging me. We got the larger menu. They dealt well with lactose intolerance, and I didn't feel cheated at all. They have 2 head chefs, 1 Japanese and one Peruvian. It is clear they are working closely together to make the blending just right. Ambiance is lovely. We also went to tickets ( same owner) which is more difficult to get a reservation. If you can only do one, pick by menu as both are great. The ambiance at pakta is more elegant and quiet. Suggested starter cocktails were not a ploy to increase the bill. Both our drinks were really yummy and creative flavors. read more

Incredible culinary journey. Give it a try! Also, we had better service than food, and the food is stunning. read more

Pakta - Nikkei Near Me - Barcelona, B

Absolutely delicious, unique, bursting with flavor tasting menu. What I expect from a Michelin star restaurant. Some may have issue with how quickly every course comes out, but I appreciated it way more than sitting around for long stretches in between a huge number of courses...I am there for the food, not to lounge and chit chat when I come to a place with this kind of tasting menu! Friendly staff and nice ambiance read more

What a culinary adventure! The menu, when you first look at it, is overwhelming but just go for the prefix menu and be taken on a ride of your life. So many flavors and so many textures you can't imagine what you're in for when you come to Patka for dinner. The ride is subtle most of the time with many nuanced flavors but every now and then a dish comes along and surprises your senses with something big and bright. We had the Patka Spring menu and it was a delight. The Sea Bass ceviche, Fried Causa chicken, and the Bocado de la reina were some of the highlights. But really, it was all a wonderful ride. It's not cheap but after 27 courses of flavor, you have taken yourself on a culinary journey you'll never forget. read more

Pakta - The Sea Bass ceviche - Nikkei Near Me - Barcelona, B

Where do I even begin. If you aren't from Spain or are not a foodie or in the industry, you were introduced to the Adria brothers by way of the many documentaries about El Bulli. When I planned my vacation to Barcelona, I knew I had to eat at one of their restaurants. This place is unreal. It has the best of everything. Informal or formal dress if you want. The staff is attentive, informative and warm. Every detail of dinner is explained. They were in contact a month in advance to work around food allergies and other personal food challenges. Every dish and aspect of service is the best I've ever had. The food itself is on another level. I will only say it is one of the best meals I've ever had and will look forward to my next visit. You'd be an idiot to not make a reservation here if you are headed to Catalonia. Muchas gracias to Chefs Kyoko Li and Jorge Munoz! read more

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Where on Earth am I supposed to eat after Pakta? When will I be hungry again? All rhetorical questions, of course. By some undeserved miracle, I was able to make same-day reservations to Pakta. I'm under the impression that others have made reservations for months in advance. I'm visiting Barcelona for 1 week, and tonight was the only night they had a table available. The website is thorough in explaining what to expect and the rest is left up to them. I made a free reservation for 2 at 8pm. I was explained (in an email) that dinner would last 2 - 2 1/2 hours, and would be about 25 courses. We chose the Fujiyama menu (90 Euros, which is the "shorter" menu) and I added the sake tasting to my meal (an additional 48 Euros). I have no words to describe the entire experience. The entire dinner was a calculated symphony. Approximately 32 people are served nightly, started at 7pm, and the last service being at 10pm. Pakta has been open for nearly 3 months now, the newest creation of the Adria brothers. Service is incredibly professional, flawless, and completely welcoming. A restaurant of this caliber, one could expect a level of stuffiness that can overpower the meal itself, but fortunately is cast aside, as diners fill the air with questions and compliments. Describing each course would not do it justice, so that just leaves me with telling you that it will be an unforgettable meal. All details have been meticulously calculated so you forget you're in a restaurant. I'd advise you check the website before making a reservation, as sometimes they require a 50 Euro deposit when you make the reservation. Also, you'll get an email or phone call asking if you have any allergies or food intolerances so they can make accommodations (not for vegans). read more

Where do I even begin. We got reservations at Pakta a month before we were headed to Barcelona and it was sort of our end-of-vacation-final-tasty-meal. We wanted to get reservations at Tickets, but it was fully booked. Luckily, Pakta had just opened. The design and aesthetic of the interior is warm, darkly bright (?) and a great space for three hours of deliciousness. Just to give you an idea of what to expect, a direct quote from our waiter, when serving a dish: "I have added a single drop of soy sauce. If you wish, you should another drop, just to taste." The servers are serious, but incredibly welcoming and friendly. There are gold flakes in one of the three desserts (no big deal, read: sarcasm). We tried the Fujiyama tasting menu (25 small courses) for 90€ (VAT included). Don't be intimidated by the number of courses, individually they're smaller than any tapa you would have elsewhere in Barcelona. Wine was reasonably priced for such a high-end restaurant, but I guess that's Barcelona for 'ya. Everything was expertly timed and the portion sizes were perfect. Eat there if you're in Barcelona. Just eat there. By the way, one of us added another drop of soy sauce, the other didn't. I know, cliffhanger, right? read more

The food here is really nice! Very subtle taste. An amazing combination of Japanese and Peruvian! We definitely come back the next time we visit Barcelona read more

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This was my second time at Pakta. When my boyfriend and I went last summer--only several months after it opened--I was blown away. The space is beautiful, intimate and playful with a rainbow loom on the ceiling and walls. The service was impeccable and the food was delicious and creative. Because our experience was so great, we decided to return this summer during a short stop over in Barcelona. While the food was still delicious, something felt different. The service was more rushed and impersonal and it felt like they were just churning us out to get to the next seating. During our first visit we thought the policy of having to ask to go to the bathroom was cute and quirky. This time it was just annoying. During this trip we also went to Hoja Santa, another newer restaurant by the same owners. I had a similar feeling from Hoja Santa that I did from Pakta a year ago. So maybe now that Pakta is a hot spot it just has lost that special personal touch. Or maybe it was just an off night. I'm hoping it was the latter.... read more

My friends HATED THE RESTAURANT! I was really ashamed of inviting them for " one of the best restaurants of the best chefs in the world " . They didn't like at all read more

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Ate our way through Barcelona and ended our trip with a visit to Pakta. Well, what to say? Amazing, yes. Surprises around every corner, yes. What your eyes say will be cold is slightly warm and sweet is loaded with umami. The fish! Oh the fish........delectable and treated with love and prepared with respect. We enjoyed the tasting menu and enjoyed new and exciting flavors. Excellent service and great local Espana wine pairings. Expensive for sure but worth the time we enjoyed sampling art and culinary expertise. read more

This is a nikkei restaurant by well known chef Alberto Adria who is brother of Ferran Adria, owner of now the legendary Spanish restaurant el Bulli. Besides him restaurant is run by 2 other head chefs, Japanese girl and Peruvian guy. This place is amazing! Everything from atmosphere, presentation and customer service. It was one of the expensive meal I had but was worth every penny. Our waitress explained very well about each dish and as always, Japanese food heavily emphasize on the presentation and color, these dishes tasted just as good as they looked. Traditional Japanese food does not have a strong flavors but more sensational and delicate flavors, these dishes had touch and little kick of Peruvian cuisine which goes well. If you are looking to have a great dining experience and willing to splurge, this is a place. read more

Great tasting menu and wonderful cocktails. We wanted to go to Tickets, but couldn't get reservations during our stay. This was a very fun experience, we would definitely go back but might just order off the menu since we know what we like (would order Wagyu beef, a ton of nigiri, and a few other things) read more

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Maybe I will be the only one but I have found Pakta a very disappointing experience. I didn't enjoy it at all. I was expecting a wow factor at every dish (as with the other restaurants of the group) and instead I have barely liked some dishes. I have found the Galician's beef carpaccio mixed with Ponzu sauce an horrible mix that didn't work at all. Most of the time waiters don't even let you enjoy your food cause they are taking your plate away with rush and then immediately clean the table. I understand is a menu, lots of dishes and little time, but this feeling of having a rush it is very annoying. read more

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The best meal we have ever had. This was our honeymoon meal and we planned for this dinner to happen when we arrived in Barcelona. Well, of course AA had delays. We had a choice to arrive in Barcelona that day without our luggage and we took it because of these reservations. We made the right choice! Everything was beautiful and perfectly timed. We loved the food and the experience. read more

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One of the TOP 5 meals I've ever had in my entire life! On an anniversary trip to Spain, we toured Barcelona and opted to try out this restaurant since we wanted to try a place affiliated with the Adria brothers post El Bulli. Having been to Peru 2 years ago, we were eager to try this Japanese Peruvian place. This place does not disappoint. We got the Machu Picchu menu and everything was exquisite down to the presentation, creativity, and flavor of dishes. We were seated at the bar where we could see the sushi chefs do their magic, and it was wonderful to see them make each dish. It was PERFECT, and if I ever go to Barcelona again, we will definitely eat here!!!!! read more

We ate here the night before last. We accidently arrived a day earlier to our reservations at Tickets. The host there referred us to Pankta and made us reservations right on the stop. We got the last available spot. So lucky!!!! This place was amazing and the service was impeccable. We sat in front of Diego. He recommended a handful of dishes which we loved. I can't remember the names of the dishes, but I took pictures. The green tea dessert was the icing on the cake! Come to LA please!!!! read more

Where to start? I worked in a Peruvian restaurant for three years so I'm familiar with traditional Peruvian cuisine. But the way they played Peruvian food with the Japanese was awesome. There really wasn't one disappointing course out of the 10? The suckling pig, the sea bass ceviche with kimchi were standouts. All so good... And their pisco sour is a great drink. read more

Overall disappointing, the food was fresh and tasty, but didn't stand out. The service was subpar, given the cachet of the place. The menu seemed was a bit too fast paced in my opinion, although they do suggest you take "breaks" at points. The service was hurried and at times we felt like we were at a American dinner. The waitstaff excelled at keeping the table clean. Courses were explained quickly and didn't leave time for even a quick question. Whenever I started saying something the waiter or waitress was already gone. At one point, it was very clear that I wasn't not happy with the service, but no one felt the need to address it. There are higher quality restaurants in Barcelona that have better service than Pakta. My tip: do not go for the Sake set, it's not worth it. I expected that the sake would be carefully matched with the menu, but it really is not. read more

I've eaten at Pakta 5-6 times. Always and pleasure. This trip was marred slightly as the new "manager" would not order us a taxi, instead insisted on pointing us towards a tax stand (where we waited 30 mins to no avails). We went back to Pakta again, requested again for them to order us taxis. I live in London my colleague in Vancouver, both much busier cites than Barcelona, but this new "Manager" insisted it was impossible to order us a taxi. A Michelin stat restaurant without a car service to shuttle its guests. Embarrassing. I feel the Adrian's are finally scrapping the bottom of the barrel if this is the best they can do. A shame. Fisk is still good. Service severely lacking. read more

New "Nikkei" (Peruvian/Japanese cuisine) from the Adria brothers who post El Bulli are moving on to exploring and exploiting "niche" cusines. Opened just a month ago, Pakta, located in the same edgy neighborhood as 41 and Tickets, offers up a 90€, 25 course tasting menu from chefs Kyoko Ii and Sebastian Mazzola (of 41). Highlights included avocado tofu with yuzu and salmon roe, seabass ceviche with kumquat leche de tigre and lomo saltado, sirloin steak grilled with peppers and a quails egg. It's fun, friendly, exciting and highly recommended. read more

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I agree with everything that's been written but have a few caveats. I thought the meal was too quickly paced; they just kept bringing one course after the other. I asked that the service be slowed a bit between courses so we could savor and enjoy what we had just eaten. They tried a little but since it was still too fast, they explained the kitchen had developed a timed flow. Too fast for me and it took away from the experience. Also for $300+ for the two of us they could have tried a little harder to satisfy the customer. In addition, for that price, I thought it was a crowded, not very attractive room, so-so tables and chairs (no linens of course) and while the wait staff was lovely and very knowledgeable, they didn't seem as experienced or professional as one would expect for this level of dining. Having said all that, the food was outstanding. read more

me and justin b. visited pakta after doing some research on the Adria brothers in barcelona. we thought pakta sounded like a really cool concept meshing peruvian and japanese flavors. was really easy to make a reservation on their website. we were seated at the main bar which was awesome to see the chefs cook and plate all the dishes which made me even more excited to try the tasting menu! i opted for the bigger/more expensive machu picchu menu (125 euro). you are served a bunch of small courses that are so beautifully presented to you. the presentation alone for these dishes was amazing. there were so many dishes but some of the standouts to me were the oysters, prawn, nigri, causas, grilled octopus, and gyoza. i didnt love all the dishes and thought some were just ok, but i do have to commend the chefs for their creativity and willingness to take a chance on this different type of menu. even though i opted for the menu with more courses, i didnt feel overly stuffed by the end of the meal either. definitely not a cheap meal but worth a try if you're willing to splurge. read more

after all the jamon and tapas, pakta was a welcome respite. i LOVED this restaurant, right down to the decor, presentation, service, the drinks and of course, the food! my friend and i came, and we opted for the smaller fujiyama menu, which was plenty of food. even tho there was a lot of food, i didn't feel gross after finishing every bite. my faves were the honzen ryori and the causas, but everything was fabulous. i would definitely come back. read more

The best food we've ever eaten! If you're ever in Barcelona, make sure you go to Pakta. Heck, go to Barcelona just to go to this restaurant. You won't be sorry! :) read more

Sounds like Pakta has got a lot of press and buzz since it opened. Usually I would consider that a bad sign (indeed, wasn't too impressed with 41 Grados the day after). But in fact this place is easily one for the most creative, top kitchens in Spain at the moment (or at least was in June). Had just as much fun here as at Quique Dacosta, for instance, and more enjoyable dishes in total. Also impressive was the command of Japanese technique, ingredients and flavours. Less than a decade ago we were eating soy-glazed duck and salads served with chopsticks as the height of Asian fusion in restaurants like Mugaritz. Now Pakta turns out better Japanese than found in other centres known for Japanese food like Vancouver. Definitely a must try. read more