Food/Drink: When we arrived, we were presented the option of a la carte or a surprise menu. Prior to arrival, I had heard that the surprise menu could add up quickly since you don't have a say on the price of the dishes coming out, but we opted for it anyway. We were presented dish after dish of some of the most incredible and interesting dishes we've ever eaten. The menu will change, but ours was a blend of Tickets' famous dishes (olives, etc.), a large dose of seafood, and inventive vegetable dishes. The dessert was similar, where we were told they had 5 desserts planned for us, and asked if this was okay. The dessert was very good and the presentation was incredible, but didn't quite live up to the bar the meal itself had set in our opinion. Service: You are given two different wait staffs (one for dinner, one for dessert, and a sommelier during your visit. Prior to bringing out any dishes, our main waitress asked about our individual preferences (I like oysters, my wife doesn't), and asked specific questions regarding dishes she was considering serving. She was very attentive to our needs and the pacing of the meal was very good, not too rushed, but we also didn't have to wait too long between dishes. The sommelier provided very good recommendations for wine throughout the meal. The dessert staff left a lot to be desired after having a phenomenal experience during our main meal. They didn't not communicate well to the point where we didn't know if we were done with our meal or waiting on the next dish. If I had any complaint about this experience, the communication in the dessert room would be it. Ambiance: Great casual atmosphere for a restaurant of such esteem and quality. The service and food is top notch, but they're not stuffy or pretentious about it. It's playful and fun, but not "too" casual. Just the right balance for our taste. Value: Our meal, with about 12 courses, a few drinks and 5 desserts, ran about $150/person. Considering the quality of the food, the originality, and the level of service, I would expect to pay slightly more. I was pleasantly surprised when I got the bill Overall: An experience in dining that I would highly recommend if you can get in. Just understand what this is and what it isn't before you go. I have a feeling that some may be turned off by some of the inventive dishes presented here, if they aren't expecting it going in. read more

There is no doubt that this is a 5 star establishment, to get a reservation you must book online 60 days in advance and they go on sale at midnight local time. Living in the US makes this a little bit of an easier process. They are closed Sunday and Monday so keep that in mind as well. I went for the tasting menu which they can cater to you, mine ran about $125 a person. Service started off excellent and by the end it was very good, I make the distinction because of the price point it is worth noting. As it got busier we wished we were checked on more. While pricey this is not a "white tablecloth" restaurant, so no need to feel obligated to get suited up if you don't feel like it. The ambience is fun and the theme is that of a carnival circus without being childish. Just about all the staff was very fluent in English, which made the menu and experience much less intimidating. The drink menu was good but not gastronomic like their food menu. The drinks were all great, no complaints. I had a Gin Fizz, a Pisco Sour, and some kind of chocolate coffee concoction. Now on to the food. The food ranged from good to great and the presentation and flavor profile of every dish was perfectly executed. I recommend trying things outside your boundaries here as what they can do with the flavors here is quite spectacular, you'll be surprised with what your favorite dish might be, I promise you that. Course 1 - It was a light starter of fish chips, it was almost like chicharon. Tasted fine, we also had a version of these across the street at their sister restaurant Bodega 1900 Course 2 & 3 - They were served on the same plate. The cherries on a tree were dipped in some kind of cream and it was quite the work of art. At the bottom of the tree was some pistachio creams in a hard shell Course 4 & 5 - We were served two versions of their molecular gastronomic olives, they tasted subtly different and popped in your mouth. If you like olives or dirty martinis then you will enjoy this. This dish is really about the science, execution, and presentation Course 6 - Anchovies on a cracker with tomato, simple and a little salty. Course 7 - The famous mini cheese airbags, I believe it was filled with a whipped and creamy manchego cheese. Course 8 - Beef on a cracker with aioli. It sounds simple but the flavor profile was complex, lots of flavor in what looks like a simple dish. Course 9 - Tuna on a seaweed cracker. If you are a fan of tuna tartar then you will enjoy this dish. Some of the best raw tuna I've tasted. Course 10 - Mini Eel Sandwich. This item was not only a highlight of the restaurant it was a highlight of the trip to Barcelona. Course 11 & 12 - Oysters served 2 ways. The first was with strawberry and kimchi and the 2nd was with vinegar and salmon roe. If you enjoy raw bar these are not to be skipped Course 13 - Deconstructed Caprese Salad. A mix of all the familiar ingredients found in a caprese salad with hints of pistachio. The foam and tomatoes tasted unreal and I am hardly a salad guy. This is another highlight. Course 14 - Razor clams in some kind of milk sauce, could've been lightly coconut based. I'm not a huge raw clam fan but it was still good. Course 15 - Avocado and sea urchin. It is prepared like guacamole table side. Great dinner theater, not a huge fan of sea urchin but I still enjoyed the dish. If you don't like sea urchin I might pass on this one. Course 16 - Mushrooms in the shape and texture of pasta with black truffle mushrooms to throw on top. It was served with some kind of cream sauce. I'm a huge truffle fan, I loved it. Course 17 - Pork belly on brioche. Another dish that looks simple but tastes outstanding. Another big highlight of the dinner. Course 18 - Confit potatoes with ham. Just like it sounds, we were getting a little full at this point and had tons of ham while in Spain. It was pretty good but not outstanding. Course 19 - I'll call this Deconstructed Chicken Soup and it was one of the biggest surprises of the meal. Chicken served on cinnamon stick skewers with chunks of bread that was soaked in broth then toasted. A side of broth came alongside it. Another highlight of the meal. Course 20 - Ham and tomato bread. You can get this anywhere and I did, but it was especially good here. Another item I could've passed on but it was still good. Course 21 - Manchebo cheese and crackers served 2 ways. Traditional and gastronomic, much like the olives I had earlier in the meal. It is worth trying as well. Course 22 - Deconstructed carrot cake served in an ice cream cone made out of some type prepared carrot. The flavors changed dramatically with each bite. Another highlight of the meal. Course 23 - Gastronomic eclairs. The typical white frosting was actually crunchy and melted in your mouth while it has spurts of chocolate throughout. read more

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What can I say about Tickets that hasn't already been said? An incredible meal that included the best single bite of food I've ever had (Avocado Pizza with Crab). We did the "surprise" menu with the wine pairings. I can't recommend the wine pairings enough. I'm one of those "all wine is BS" types, but it was amazing how the wine changed the flavor of the food for the better, and vice-versa. If you're in Barcelona and can afford $200 per person for a meal (obviously a pricey treat), you must go to tickets. read more

Tickets is delicious and so creative with their dishes. The desserts are awesome. $180 pp includes a bottle of wine. It was about 10 tapas dishes and 2 larger dishes (lobster and wagyu steak). read more

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You have to make reservations to eat here, which you can easily do three months in advance; time slots open exactly at midnight (Central European Time UCT). The site won't load at first (cause probably too many people on the server), but after about 30 mins of refreshing it should start to free up. We made reservation for Saturday at 7:30pm and the place was about 10% full (it really started to get packed by 9-10pm). My husband and I sat near the bar, by the door, and saw people without reservation getting turned away and getting recommended to their sister restaurant up the block. Anyway, this place was definitely worth every penny. Service: Excellent. Our waiter was very friendly and was really enjoying his job, explaining the dishes, etc. Food: think tapas with gastronomy. I'm not a fan of olives, but the olives (without the pit) was amazing! Price: definitely worth every penny. read more

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REVIEW #500!!! Has your food ever been presented to you on a tree? Have you ever eaten a miniature Nordic landscape covered in powered vinegar snow? Have you ever had ultra tender grilled octopus served on a glass box emitting clouds of smoke? I have. And it was glorious. Yup, Tickets is one of those dining experiences that stays with you for a long time. And to think it almost didn't happen. Even though we missed the window to make a reservation, my girlfriend and I were so determined to dine here that we booked our Airbnb 2 blocks away just so we could try to walk-in each night. On the first night, we were told there were no openings and they sent us to Bodega 1900 across the street. That proved to be a great meal, but our time in Barcelona would not have been complete without a visit to Tickets. On the second night, we were again turned away. But after pleading with the hostess, she spoke to the manager who allowed us to sit at the bar. Success! We opted to let our waiter create the meal for us. What followed for the next 2.5 hours made for one of the most memorable dining experiences I've ever had. If presentation isn't your thing, you will not enjoy Tickets. Each course was something totally new, unique, whimsical, creative, provocative, and special. There's beauty in the creativity. But most importantly, the food was overall very good. I didn't love everything, but I didn't hate anything either. I recommend: -Summer Tree with Cherry: The presentation is just so fun and unforgettable. I forgot what the cherry tasted like but it wasn't a normal cherry. -Crunchy Pizza with Bufala Straciatella: Like an air crisp pizza served with buffalo cheese spread. -Basil Air Waffle: Two adjectives I never would have thought to put before waffle. -Tuna: Prepared tableside and served in a nori seaweed cone. -Delta's Eel: Sort of like a mini pork bun but with delicious eel. The brioche is super fluffy. -Nordic Landscape: More art than food. But it's food so I ate it and liked it. -Crunchy Octopus with Pickled Piparra: The most tender, meaty octopus I've ever had. After the savory dishes came the desert. The waiter served us 3 amazing deserts and was ready to finish our culinary journey when I asked him how many different deserts they had. He told me eight. I then told him I wanted all eight and my stomach had no regrets. The best and most memorable were: -Lychee gelatin orb served on a real red rose -American "Pancake" which was more of a crispy cream filled pastry serve with blueberry jam -Carrot cake shaped like a carrot -Strawberry salad prepared table side Chef Albert Adria deserves all the praise he's gotten for Tickets. I will always remember my time in Barcelona and Tickets is a large part of the reason why. Do yourself a favor and pay them a visit. But try to make a reservation first :) read more

The most fun I had in a restaurant this year. Molecular street food in an eclectic street fair setting. More tourists than locals. the waiters speak excellent English if that's important to you. The decor is as playful as the cuisine (in a good way) Had the "olives" (Which have a very concentrated olive flavor), tuna belly cone (great), miniairbags (high scale cheez-its, wouldn't order again), oysters and sea lettuce water (very good) and oysters with sherry vinegar and olive oil caviar (even better choice), Gran Reserva iberian ham (mind blowing), tomato tartare (excellent), Razor clams (not a fan of razor clams, but that being said, they did a very good job with them), the mollete (probably the best thing I've eaten this year, got an extra order for dessert), and the mango ice cream (they bring out a mini ice cream cart to serve this, very cute) The Gran Juve Brut Gran Reserva was a great Cava on their wine list Well worth the effort of making reservations and straying away from the main tourist areas of Barcelona As an added bonus, we got our picture taken with Ferran and Albert Adria. What fun! read more

Amazing tapas bar with a unique experience! Coming from NYC and living in Barcelona as a student, I was very excited when we got last minute reservations to tickets bar. The unique atmosphere (love love love the dessert room) and incredible tasting really leaves you with a wow experience. You are lucky if you get reservations because tickets is great! Expensive, but have the waiter pick for you what to order. read more

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I wish I could give this place 10 stars!! Hands down the best meal I've had on the trip or ever actually.. it's ranked as top 42 best restaurant int he world! It was such an amazing experience and I think everyone should be able to have this experience. You'll need to make reservations 2 months in advance. We ordered almost everything on the menu.. well actually they picked for us but we probably ate the whole menu. The place is themed like a circus which was really cute. Every dish was just amazing and made you go "woah" each time something touched your tongue. Food: -Olives: Changed my life for olives forever! The best -Basil air waffles: wow -Crunchy Pizza: so good and loved the cheese -Nordic Landscape: So cool and yummy -Octopus: The best one i've had in Spain! Must order -Chicen and air: Very interesting and very good -Manchego cheese on mini airbag: best cheese ever -Tuna hand roll: they come out and make it in front for you -2 different oysters: Both were awesome! $6 each wish I could of eaten it all -Shrimps: actually could of done without it but still great For dessert.. ask if you could go to the secret dessert bar! It was so fun and felt so cool that we got taken to the back for it. When you first got seated it looked what just a flower in front of us but behold we were able to slurp the middle jello it was good! At this point we were pretty full but of course wanted to try all the desserts! It was all amazing too. Basically had a 7 course dessert tasting... overall our bill was about $200 for two people. I can't stop thinking about this place.. read more

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Despite the fact that Yelp is not as highly utilized in Barcelona, I still would like to dedicate some time to tell you all how amazing Tickets is. If you're reading this, you already know the backstory on Albert Adria and the ingenuity he and his brother have instilled on the culinary world. As such, I will just say this: tickets is by far one of the top 5 dining experiences of my life. What made it extra enjoyable was just how fun and friendly the environment was - from the very moment you are greeted at the door, to my final bite of the layered ice cream/crema/pie filling cone dessert that is masked with corks (I'll spare everyone my unsophisticated ways of trying to describe Mr. Adria's creative genius). Finally, yes, the liquid olives are as amazing in taste and feel as you would expect. Reservation tip: Make sure to set a calendar alert properly to snag a reservation -also make sure that the time is set for the restaurant's local time. Instructions and reservation rules may change, so I suggest to check out their website and read carefully. Also keep in mind the days that they are closed. read more

My friend booked this restaurant 2 months prior to our trip and I was ecstatic! Knowing the reputation of the restaurant and the food I was about to experience sent my taste bud to over drive. We are all a brunch of foodie and love to indulge when it comes to good food. As we were seated, our waiter and waitress was very much detailed explaining the menu and we all chose the surprise menu cause we wanted to taste everything. The first couple of dishes was good, we all had similar food throughout our stay. As it progresses, the favors became unfamiliar and bland. We kept getting appetizers that either they're cold or flavorless, and 6 plates in we were all done with the surprise menu. In our mind, we were like when are they going to get to the good stuff? But it felt like they wanted us to keep going so our bill kept going higher. It wasn't satisfying, So we stop the surprise menu and ordered real food. We wanted meat, so we ordered the Wagyu steak that was $100 usd. Meat came out and we were like that is not Wagyu. It's not buttery and fatty. There was no marble, so we know it was the low end of Wagyu.. Anyway, I was not impressed with dinner. High expectation, low score on the flavors. Overall the staff were great, presentation was good, the food to us was not. Maybe our palettes wasn't feeling it that night. . We probably tried everything on the menu, except the crabs. If you go for the experience, it's a great place. But if you're a foodie, then don't go for the surprise menu. Not worth it. read more

Is this your meal of a lifetime? YES! Lives up to hype? YES! EXCEEDS! This place reinvigorated my culinary appetite for more, the whimsical, the daring, and the creative. This place will change how you see food for a long time and you will be spoiled beyond repair. Words won't do this place justice, but I'll still write. If there is one word to describe this experience, orgasmic. There. I said it. Orgasmic. RESERVATIONS: Online only, 60 days in advance. Just try until you score, I managed 2 successful reservations out of 4 attempts. I ended up using both because I loved my first visit so much I decided to go again in less than a week. AMBIANCE: Shockingly casual! Making me LOVE this place more PRICING: UNDER PRICED. Yes, you heard me right. For what you are getting in quality, creativity, and taste, this place is one of the most under priced big name, Michelin starred restaurant around. I've been to many who charged me way more and when I compare them to Tickets, they robbed me! TASTING MENU: First time I went, I did the tasting menu. The tasting menu is customized based on preferences and questions that your server will ask you. Its a surprise, but you can also choose specific items if you have a preference. My awesome server (who I can't remember his name, but he managed the bar seating area and was wonderful!) asked me one question, "Do you like oyster?" and with an enthusiastic "Yes!" That was it! I enjoyed about 13 courses of deliciousness. My highlights were the: blackcurrant churros, shrimp & fish soup, shrimp fossil, Barcelona & Seoul oysters, pork belly sandwich, and toro. Honestly, each dish was truly wonderful, impeccable crafting, and attention to details. Sitting at the bar was a wonderful experience as you get to see the sous chefs prepare various dishes and also watch the executive chef expedite things. Its a great experience just observing. I loved my experience so much, I came back again! I couldn't resist! AROUND THE WORLD OYSTERS MENU: Second time, I got the same awesome server. He recognized me instantly and teased me about doing the Around the World Oyster menu. I first modestly declined, then it took about 5 minutes before I changed my mind. Go big or go home! 14 Oysters with regional flavors and preparations from "around the world." This was an adventure! Texas, Hokkaido, Seoul, and Barcelona were my overall faves. For trying this menu out, I received an autographed oysters menu! No idea this was part of the package, but I'll take it. In addition to these oysters, I also enjoyed additional ala carte items. The foie gras, spaghetti, and The strawberry basil dessert was so refreshing in the Barcelona heat. Yes. I'm a cow, whatever. I ate like a Queen that day and I have no regrets and will continue to brag to anyone who wants to listen to me about this phenomenal once in a lifetime meal. Foodies this is your calling, do it. Don't even hesitate or think twice. DO IT. Get that food orgasm you deserve! read more

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I really enjoyed my meal at Tickets, though I would say that the dishes were hit or miss but the hits were extremely memorable and inventive. The decor appears quite festive and circus-like to us Westerners but when we asked, we were told that it was meant to channel a local Spanish festival. We were seated at the bar in the cold food prep area and it was such a treat to see the chefs diligently prepare each dish, a lot of which we were served. You can choose to order a la carte at Tickets or have a selection be chosen for your party. The menu is quite overwhelming so we opted to have the waiter decide but also told him the few dishes we definitely wanted - foie gras, lobster. A lot of the highlights were actually things we didn't choose and a lot of which were such revelations - sangria soaked watermelon (I'm going to add watermelon to all my sangrias from now), the famous liquid olives, a guacamole with seared tuna and cilantro oil. I made a reservation 6 weeks in advance. Set a calendar invite for midnight (Spain time) as the reservation slots go fast! read more

Let's start with the good, the FOOD. Tickets had some of the tastiest dishes we sampled during our recent trip to Spain and France. In particular, the Wagyu steak with charcoaled heart lettuce and soufflé potatoes was amazing. And the bone marrow eggplant with glace potato and tarragon was one of the best bites of food I've had in recent memory. The chef clearly knows what he's doing and the whole menu is a creative, unique line-up designed with foodies in mind. Now let's turn our attention to the not-so-good... The ATTITUDE. I sought out Tickets because it was on several of my friend's lists as one of the best restaurants in Barcelona (though none of them had actually been). I was sucked in by the hard-to-get-a-table process and jumped when a reservation for four opened up three days before we ended up dining there. There were five people in our party, so I wrote to the confirmation email address asking if it would be possible to add a fifth spot to our reservation so we could all dine together. I was told it was not possible to add another slot and to "please respect the number of our reservation." Fine, but how do you think it makes a consumer feel when you're told that only to come in and be surrounded by no less than four empty tables and 12 open chairs? It put a bad taste in my mouth before we even set foot in the building and during our entire meal. The SERVICE. When we arrived, we were promptly seated and were waited on by a team of two. Our main server gave us the a la carte menus and also walked us through the tasting menu option, where the chefs curate a surprise menu based on your personal preferences. When we told our server we wanted to go a la carte, she was a bit pushy in continuing to recommend the tasting menu and, once we were firm and told her that was not our journey, it was almost as if she wrote us off for the rest of the meal. Her demeanor changed to one that was short and brusque and it felt like we were an imposition to the remainder of her evening. I understand the tasting menu is probably a special experience, but if that's the only thing you want diners to try don't offer them an a la carte menu and make them feel less-than when they opt for it. The VALUE. In all fairness, Tickets does not sell itself as a restaurant where you get the most bang for your buck. Quite the contrary. Still, it's worth noting that the steak I mentioned above cost €80 (or $90 USD) and our table of four only got to have about five bites each out of it. When another server came toward the end of the meal and confusingly offered us an invitation to a dessert room from a treasure chest (?), we had already spent enough and were so underwhelmed that we opted to get our bill and go to a Burger King about three blocks aways so we could fill the remainder of our half-empty bellies. (That's not shade, it's just the truth.) The bottom line? If you're an avid foodie who wants to try some interesting dishes and don't mind dropping a sizable sum on an evening with sub-par service, give Tickets a try. But if you're anyone else, focus your search on the tons of other places in this world class city that offer a greater value, higher levels of service, and that all-too-rare feeling of European charm. read more

KenScale: 9.0/10 Out of all the restaurants in Barcelona I was visiting, I had the highest expectations at Tickets. How can you not be? After the unfortunate closure of the great ElBulli, the famed brothers Ferran and Albert Adrià opened up this casual tapas bar to worldwide acclaim, and Tickets became one of the hottest (and toughest to get into) restaurants in the world. I was very excited to step into the restaurant that was already bustling with crowd. Short verdict: yes, the restaurant absolutely delivered! We decided to leave it up to the server to bring whatever the best dishes he can bring. By the time we were finished (we weren't keeping track of the price of each dish), the bill including the wines came to whopping 150 euros per person, but I wasn't complaining. I was deeply impressed with the uniqueness of each dish in flavor and texture. If there is one word to characterize the food at Tickets, it's "playful." You wouldn't expect the level of inventiveness at Tickets elsewhere very easily. Churros made of blackcurrant? Check. Basil waffle? You name it. How about cheese and hazelnut? There were three sets of oysters, each called "Paris," "Rio" and "Yucatan." In all seriousness, however, it's not just witty plating or combination of ingredients that stood out. I could totally eat anchovy and chicken skin toast or skewered cow and baguette every day for breakfast. Foie gras with garlic was also a work of art with great flavor and texture, as was Mackerel with shiitake mushrooms. I enjoyed the tenderness of octopus with kimchi (although didn't taste much of spicy kick), and the "surf and turf" dish of baby squid, Iberian sausage and white beans was aromatic. You wouldn't think the spaghetti with Parmesan cheese that came in was actually made with mushroom, as the noodle had the texture of flour cooked perfect al dente. The last savory course, steak with red pepper, was one of the best steaks you could hope for, with perfect juicy texture of meat that was very balanced on flavor as well. The surprises don't stop there, with outstanding desserts like carrot cone, chocolate éclair and pancake with yogurt inside and cranberry jam outside that capped a memorable meal. First thing on the reservation: Make sure to book the table as early as possible. The restaurant takes reservations exactly two months in advance (and that's exactly how I did it online, counting the time difference between U.S. and Spain). I really liked the casual and lively vibe of the restaurant, which seems to have a nice mix of tourists and locals and weirdly resembled a bit of a classic American diner in décor. There are extensive selections of wine you can obviously choose from that you can complement with the tapas dishes. Yes, the hype for Tickets is well justified, and if you have a chance to visit Barcelona, this is a must-stop-by destination. read more

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Overall bad experience. Food was pretty average across the board with the exception of a few plates (avocado pizza, quail, and the 'Nordic' plate). Staff is all over the place and with their own confusion around the kitchen and around the customer they tend to be away for long periods of time (mistakenly place plates on other tables, do not too your wine continuously, etc.) I would not recommend this restaurant. The price is way too high for the experience and food quality. read more

A must while in Barcelona!! This ranked restaurant is a creation of the Adria brothers (of elBulli fame). We made reservations far in advance in anticipation of the food (as we were traveling on honeymoon) at midnight exactly sixty days prior. No regrets. The husband and I were seated in front of the kitchen (with a prime view of food prep) and opted to order a la carte. We started with the house beer (which was just okay) and began our food journey. Ham and cheese croquettes: tasty. Small portion., Raw oysters: fresh and delicious. Chicken over chicken skin: chicken was so tender and juicy and paired well with the extra crispy skin. Pork belly brioche: out of this world good. Melted in your mouth. Chicken in mole: so flavorful. Razor clams: so-so but inventive. Not a favorite. Stone crab: good but not worth the work. Iberico ham with air bread: light and tasty. When in Spain, Iberico. Mango cannelloni: this dessert was foodgasmic with beautiful textures and flavors. Black currant meringues: tasty and very delicate. in flavor and texture. The worms: lovely presentation in a flower pot. The tickets cone: a MUST. Wheeled out on an ice-cream cart and composed in front of you with a "newspaper" cone (printed with an article about Tickets). Magical. The dishes, or tapas, here are finely crafted and beautifully presented in a kitschy manner. The interior and exterior are just as kitschy but perfectly embody the Tickets theme. In addition, the pricing is appropriate given the quality of the food - our dinner cost less than 125 euros and we were satiated. Highly recommended for a fun dining experience. No need to be dressed to the nines either. Three thumbs up! read more

Tapas so fancy and delicious it got a Michelin star! You have the option of ordering what you want or letting the servers pick for you. With that said, we opted to pick our own based on Yelp recommended dishes: - Bread with tomato - Sangria infused watermelon - Olives -Manchego cheese Personally I was not wowed by the bread or the watermelon. They were good but again, nothing mind-blowing. These 2 dishes came out first and actually had me worried that expectations were set a little too high. Next came the olives that practically melted in your mouth. Follow this with the manchego cheese airbags and we quickly understood what the hype was all about. This set off another round of tapas that included another order of the manchego cheese accompanied by the server recommended chicken box and the pork ribs. Mind blown! Our server was so excited for us that he wanted to surprise us for dessert. What came was a trio of deliciousness and an experience like no other! We had this chocolate-filled sponge cake shaped like corks followed by a peach sangria poured in front of you accompanied by a faux peach 'seed' that I can't even describe. We ended the wonderful experience with a lemon meringue ice cream prepped on an ice cream cart complete with bells and a blow torch. Needless to say, it was a pretty awesome show for that side of the restaurant. The last dish pretty much epitomizes what Tickets emphasizes most: taste and presentation. If you plan on heading to Barcelona, do your research and book your reservation 2 months in advance! read more

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Wonderfully creative and delicious meal in Barcelona! We were able to walk in and get a table for 4 at 7 pm sharp with the understanding that we'd have to leave by 9 pm. They admitted a few more walk-ins after us as well. The dishes were innovative and delicious. Spring tree with pistachio acorns is a work of art. Prawn with its fish soup was best bite of shrimp I've had in my life. All three cocktails from the 41 degrees menu were also incredible- in particular, the cocoa and citrus cachaca cocktail convinced me that cocoa and citrus belong like peanut butter and jelly. read more

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So far best meal in Barcelona! We have reservations at 41 degrees in a few days so will have to post on that soon! Got reservations for lunch and we were seated at the counter in front of the kitchen. We started off with the olives, which were incredible! I don't think I can go back to eating regular olives again. Everything was spectacular (although I could do without the mini airbags of manchego) but the oysters with suquet (Catalan fish broth) and the razor clams particularly amazing. The tomato tartar and tuna belly were also delicious and unique. Service was extremely attentive and the little ice cream cart was quite charming! Prices were reasonable, for 10 dishes, bottle of cava, beers, coffee and dessert around 115 euros! We left stuffed, happy and drunk! read more

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It was what I expected. This place is an experience that flirts with all your senses. Very whimsical decor. If you can, come and experience this place for yourself. read more

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One of the best meals of my life. Fun, innovative tapas that are also truly delicious. Including the 10-course dessert tasting menu, we had a total of around 29 dishes. Each one was incredible. A note about the reservation process: The website seems to crash every night around midnight BCN time, so it may seem hopeless at first if you're unsuccessful the first time around. However, if you check back about 30 minutes after midnight, the site may be functional at that point (and may still have some available seats!), so you can try to secure a reservation then. Just keep trying! As for the food, I'll let the pictures do the talking. read more

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It's hard to explain how much my husband and I enjoyed our dinner at Tickets. When we first started planning our trip to Barcelona, we read that this was on Jose Andres' "Must-do" list. I was able to snag a reservation and from the moment we arrived, the customer service was phenomenal. The restaurant is beautifully designed... like a circus. Just the atmosphere alone is a lovely dining experience. Tickets has the a la cart dining option, where you choose items off the menu, or you can trust your server and let them plan the meal for you. We of course went with the latter as we believe the servers have the most knowledge and experience at that restaurant. We definitely weren't disappointed. Each course was delicious and beautifully plated. After the main courses, they handed us "tickets" for dessert. At this point they moved us into another room solely to enjoy dessert. The room was fantastic. Designed right out of a child's dream. There was plastic berries hanging from the ceiling, and dessert theme decor all over the place. It was like stepping into Willy Wonka's chocolate factory. We were served 6... YES 6, desserts. Each more delicious than the one prior. My personal favorite was the cheesecake which was served looking like a cheese wheel. This was a dining experience unlike any other. When in Barcelona, you CANNOT miss this place. Definitely worth the hype. read more

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This was one of my first meals at Barcelona. It was pretty hard to get reservations and i had to get that several months in advance. I was lucky to make it to this place after 2 hrs getting off the plane! This place was amazing. We had the chef's special .. basically .. we just get served whatever they feel like. Most of their tapas were bite size. Literally one bite and all at once. Everything was delicate but very tasty! I loved everything!!!! I didnt think i would be full from the bite size portions but at the end of the meal ... i was soo full!!! i didnt really get a chance to eat the desserts! i only got one of the many! One of the best meals i had in barcelona! read more

Yes, excellent. Let the waiter choose our menu. Did well with avoiding lactose, except in dessert. The desserts are BEAUTIFUL but expensive and small. All the dinner dishes were great. Suitable for families. Also for special date. Tried pakta the next night which I also recommend. (Owner is the same) read more

I know I'll get some slack for putting Tickets at 2 stars, but hear me out. It's in the context of what it is and its competition. After living in Barcelona 3 years, and having grown up eating in such a way that I'm basically made of filet mignon and foie and organic sustainable vegetables and yadda yadda, I have to say I'm not very impressed and have enjoyed cheaper, just as high quality meals elsewhere in the area and was very disappointed in Tickets. All the staff were nice, but the service wasn't to level with other places where my bill for two people, without any exceptional wine, was 326 euros. We were left without water and wine numerous times, served a 76 euro piece of steak without utencils to eat it with so it got to sit there getting cold while they scrambled, were denied the satisfying smack of breaking our own pavlova for dessert (the server did it for us, without asking...it was weird, and we barely got to admire its symmetry before it was crumbled into a tiny irreversible pieces), the glass of dessert wine I ordered never arrived, and other miscellaneous mishaps. The wine we did order was so cold that our glasses frosted over, even 15 minutes later and after having asked them to leave the bottle outside of ice. We couldn't taste it, it was like ice water. Onto the food. The octopus (crispy and "kimchi" infused) was the best dish we had by a mile. I know there were two other dishes I liked pretty well, but I honestly can't recall them now that it's the next morning. The pavlova that was crushed by our server was tasty, but not that interesting. We were served mackerel sushi; it was chewy and had not been aged properly or well, and it was served quite cold. Their inside-out spicy tuna roll was sloppy, we oversaw the professionals preparing it and they seemed to be struggling with the concept of a quenelle. Not very professional at all. All in all it was just really disappointing, especially when the bill came. I know we paid about 50 euros more than it would have been had we not opted for their version of Kobe beef (it was a good ribeye, and nothing more--I specifically asked if it was Kobe, or just Kobe style, and they admitted it was in the style of Kobe; boyfriend wanted it really bad so we got it, but I was pretty sure I'd be disappointed after having had the real thing in the past), but it was still a lot for a not very memorable meal that had a lot of service misteps. It was not seamless. Further, we were seated in high bar stools the whole night, so my back ached from not having a support and from being turned sideways with an elbow half up on a counter in order to enjoy my dining companion. I won't go again or recommend it to visitors. read more

Let me say it outright that Tickets Bar is not a place to fill your stomach. Its a place to enjoy food for your soul and mind. I have been fortunate enough to visit this place twice in 6 months. Whats so special you would ask, well you need to book 2 months in advance and even after looking for weeks you may not get the date you are looking for as the slots gets filled in few minutes. During the first visit we let our friendly server decide the food. The result was a tasting sample of almost every small tapas they had to offer. The liquid olives came first and whoa! It pops right in your mouth exploding your senses - what food can do to your mind! Everything right from mini airbag to Confit artichoke to LOLA' orange was mind-blowing! The server explains you each tapas in detail. Behind the counter we could also see the chef meticulously cutting and weighing meat like a craftsman. Sure enough, Its an expensive place but if you are into gastronomy experience, you MUST try Tickets! I am going here again on my next visit to Barcelona! read more

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I don't care how good your food is....your lack of "customer service" and respect for your customers is appalling! We tried online to make reservations and found the site extremely confusing. I contacted your restaurant not ONCE but TWICE requesting help with making a reservation for a trip that was months away. NOTHING...no acknowledgement AT ALL! There are many wonderful restaurants in the world...you certainly are not the only one and your lack of concern and hospitality to your patrons will hopefully teach you the importance of valuing your customers! read more

Worth trying if you're in the area and can get a reservation! By the time I had learned about Tickets there were no reservations left, but I checked again closer to our trip and something had opened up, so definitely try checking! Wasn't a fan of the decor. It was over the top and it made me feel even a little uncomfortable that the staff were all wearing that costume. And unfortunately I didn't read the reviews closely enough before coming, and then on top of that my server's English wasn't that good, so when she was describing the option of the "tasting menu" I didn't quite understand her, so we just chose our own dishes. She recommended some on top of those, which we accepted so it was a fair blend. What was amazing about this restaurant was how innovative all the dishes are. As I posted photos, it's even hard to describe what they are or how they're prepared. It's probably one of the most unique meals I've had in my life. (Unique doesn't necessarily translate to "best," "favorite," or "amazing," I don't even think it was my favorite in Barcelona, it's just really non-traditional). We started with the "olives" as recommended by our server because she said they were special. I was expecting an olive, but it's really a thin olive skin filled with olive oil. Like eating a bag of olive oil that pops in your mouth, haha. I would soon find out later that the thin outside and the popping inside is a typical texture at Tickets. It was interesting, but I wouldn't order it again. We had the Iberian ham, and then the bread with tomatoes to eat with it. You'll find jamon everywhere in Barcelona, personally, I don't get it. I tried it at a couple places. Eh. Mini airbags was one of my favorite dishes! It had that thin crust and then was filled with cheese (popped in your mouth), I wanted to eat a billion of those. Carviar and cauliflower was interesting because it looks like a cauliflower, but it's actually mashed cauliflower, reshaped into a cauliflower. Who does that? I think the green thing we had was a crab and avocado on a thin cracker. I'm not sure, but I remember liking it a lot. The octopus was fabulous. It was breaded on the sides, and may have had a little bit of cheese too. Placed on top of a sand and shell display box. Then they bring out the quail to you on the grill and chop it up. It's always fun when your food comes with a little presentation. The quail was good, but nothing too special for me. We were ready for dessert, and were trasnfered to the sweet room. It's like something you'd find in Japan. Large strawberries hanging from the ceiling, Willy Wonka playing on the TV screens. We were also very excited about dessert and wanted to share everything but unfortunately a lot of them aren't designed for sharing. So we ordered two roses. It is a bubble of lychee flavor that pops in your mouth, and again, it's hard to describe haha. We also had the chocolate tart, it's a thin cookie dipped in chocolate, loved the texture and the taste. We ended with the frozen pancake which also had that thin outside texture with something inside. Overall very unique and worth visiting if you get the opportunity. read more

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Oh my, where do I start with Tickets? While there were so many wonderful experiences we had in Barcelona, easily one of the highlights of my trip was the sheer delight I had at Tickets. If you've seen the recent season of Netflix's Chef's Table, then you know Tickets is a special place. When we were planning our trip to Spain, we knew that procuring a reservation here was going to be challenging, but doable with enough advance planning. All of their well-know dishes were available during dinner - the Olive, the Air Baguette, the Quail. We decided to down the ala carte path since we wanted to pick and choose what we got. Not surprising, the whole restaurant is run like a well-oiled machine. Dishes come out quickly (but not too quickly), presented with the right amount of explanation, your beverage glass is always full, and the ambiance is one that you really can't take anything overly seriously. While dinner was good, the highlight of our trip here was the trip to the dessert room. The beautiful and ridiculously sized fruit hanging from the ceiling and the whimsical decor on the wall had me smiling for at least 5 minutes straight. I really couldn't contain myself! The stroopwaffle and rose were my favorites, although the Tickets cheesecake is really worth trying if you like extra rich cheese in a dessert form. Coming here is absolutely worth the trip and experience - an absolute must if you're in Barcelona! read more

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I managed to score reservations after trying for 2 months. The reservations were for a table of 6 on the day of my birthday. It was kismet for me. This was a really wonderful tasting menu. We had some allergies at the table so the tasting menu omitted nuts and soy. The service with David was really good, he was really attentive, made sure to explain all the items as they appeared on the table. Decor is a bit zany - sort of like Willie Wonka - but it's a fun place to go if you can get the reservation. We had the 6:30 seating and didn't leave the restaurant until 11:30 pm. Absolutely loved the tomato bread, the jamon, chicken and anchovy, oyster with it's pearl, crunchy suckling pig taco, potato cube with the wagyu tartare, air baguette with the ham, the mini airbag with manchego cheese, the avocado ravioli, crunchy octopus with Tickets peppers, mushroom melody, wagyu with mushrooms cooked in the bag, melon ceviche, There were so many dishes it was an overload on the sensory. After the tasting menu, we were moved to another room to have dessert. We were paired up with Alejandro who was just as attentive. We walked into the room and was presented with a rose infused gelatin that was served on top of a rose stem, the egg white meringue with fruit, the cheese course was fabulous with the short bread cookies and the matcha green tea cookies with the kumquat gel. I know that this was an incredible experience and would love to be able to score another reservation the next time I'm in Barcelona. read more

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Tickets is considered by many rating sources as one of the top restaurants in the world, and a visit here leaves no question that the fare, service, and atmosphere combine to create a truly singular and exceptional dining experience. It's not 100% without fault, but the the three aspects I mention above all hit at beyond-5-star levels. The fare here is tapas with a modern gastronomy bent. Everything that passed by our plates was incredible. There is no set tasting menu here, but they do offer omakase-style service, which we went with. Excellent recommendations on food and consideration of dietary restrictions. Presentation of the food is next-level. And the flavors divine. The somm is very well-educated and the list is diverse, including plenty of very affordable options, all of which are great. The environment is lively, and the circus/show theme is very clever. The concept is not overdone, and from start to (secret) finish, you truly feel like you're part of a very precise production. They find a perfect balance here. Only real hurdles here are the reservation process - a broken, terrible website. We logged in at the exact time the reservations went live, but were unable to get the site to work. Returned many error messages, and emails to the listed addresses are met with auto-responders saying, in effect, that they don't even check said addresses. Not the best option if you are not local and don't speak catalan. Second, the reservation setup has many tables sitting empty for hours on end. We ended up just showing up at opening time and being persistent, and they finally gave us a table with the warning "we will need this for the next party in 2 hours." So that table was going to sit empty for a few hours... but lucky us, they let us have it. It could be that they can't handle a higher volume in the kitchen, but they could fit a lot more people in with a more carefully considered reservation system. Alas, with any restaurant of this caliber, getting a reservation is going to be a nightmare process unless you're connected. That said, we were able to sneak in by playing our cards just right, and we had a downright transcendent experience here. I wouldn't hesitate to jump through the hoops again for a return visit. read more

since we are still eating here, I'll start with what's alarming to me. Being a top rated restaurant, you need to really be careful with the service you are providing, or not providing. our water glass are getting empty and surf and turf is getting old sitting on a serving station near our server as she tries to convince another table to go with the order method she prefers (letting her pick out whatever she wants for you). the food is right there and yet she ignores us because we are not an older couple ordering wine? guess what, I'll never return as an older couple ordering wine. I'll elaborate when I get to a laptop so I can type without cramping my thumbs. read more

Such a score! After getting on their waitlist I finally nabbed a table for my Father's 80th bday. Def worth the trouble. The service impeccable, the food (small tapas style plates) a gastronomical & visual explosion! The rooms are designed with open kitchens which keeps it all exciting & don't forget to stop in the VIP dessert room read more

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Ideally was looking to give it 3.5 but could not figure out how to add the half star ..The ambience was colorful and casual smart ..There was a lot of wait staff who were helpful and courteous. We did the tasting table and the food was pleasing to the eyes . Most of the courses had fish . Was not expecting anchovies ..The presentation was very good . The desert room was delightful . Felt like a child .. Though there were 7-8 deserts most were cream based like cheesecake etc .. There was very little chocolate . Once again lots of wait staff who were helpful . read more

I started my visit to Barcelona with a meal at 41 degrees so it's only right I ended my trip with a meal at Tickets. Totally different atmosphere, some of the same dishes and very similar flavour profiles. I got a reservation through the "backdoor", when I was done with my meal at 41 Degrees I asked if it was possible to get a reservation at Tickets for the French Spouse and I for our goodbye meal a week later. The manager was sure I wouldn't want to the only reservation they had very early but I was fine with anything and even happier when it turned out "very early" was 7pm. While I have no problem paying top dollar food, I do expect to get delicious food for it and most importantly when I'm with the French Spouse that they love it. Tickets made us both very happy. They had no problem accommodating our lack of alcohol or her pescatarianism. We were at the counter right in food of the kitchen which I personally love as I enjoy watching the skills the chefs display and the dance of a well run kitchen. You can either order off the menu or let the kitchen decide based on your dietary needs and what's good that night. We took the second option since we had never been there before and wanted to get an idea of what they felt were the best dishes. Was it the best meal I've eaten, no. was it totally good and worth the far smaller bill than 41 degree. YES! It was nice blend of technique and really excellent ingredients. It's not at all like any tapas you will have anywhere in Madrid or Barcelona but it was never too frou-frou or heavy handed. In the end all the dishes regardless of what modern techniques were used were all about the taste. The tastes while subtle were amazing. While so dishes were showy, it was never at the expense of the taste. Loved the razor clams, the cheese airpuffs, the gelled olives, the cotton candy tree, and so many other dishes. Another thing I really like was how it was fine dining food served in a causal playful environment. Some people may expect a more posh environment for the level of food and price but I find it really appealing and it reminded me of the west coast style of fine dining without the dinner jackets that I really love. Also our main server was great, he explained everything in detail in English and he seemed excited about the food. The other servers and managers were also friendly and helpful. The only person who gave us any attitude was the door person who must have been having a hard night cause she was rather rude to the French Spouse and I'd like to think it was she was having an off night and not the the French Spouse's hawk or tattoos. All in all, it lived up to the hype. Is it the best place ever or even the best meal I've eaten in the last year, no but it will certainly be one I will remember and I already am planning on going back next year. read more

Tickets is above all else playful and creative. Being as prolific as Albert and his team are, we couldn't have sampled everything on the rather large menu, so we simply had all the items marked as a star course. They are mostly great and I won't need to gush over them given the accolades Tickets has received over the years. The reason I'm not giving full marks here is because some of the dishes are a little dull creativity-wise. Dishes such as the codium tempura and clam & shiitake are a step down from the cullinary inventiveness people expect of the place. You'll see the trend here that these are Japanese. And you can tell from the traditional paper fold in the codium tempura dish that they are not messing with tradition. Now, the Adrias' love of Japanese cooking is well documented since the time of El Bulli. And it continued here in Tickets and more so in Enigma. Their respect to the Japanese cuisine and their aversion to fusion means a portion of their menu is just gonna be less interesting than the rest on principle. read more

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Usually I'm very skeptical of Michelin star restaurants. I find yes, they are pretty good and inventive, but it's nothing I would crave or remember afterwards. I still prefer a nice, hearty, home cooked meal by grandma. That being said, Tickets impressed me. A lot. The food was art. And it was tasty and memorable. It wasn't stuffy or pretentious, but it was very whimsical and fun. My favorite thing that was both amazingly artistic and delicious, was the Nordic Landscape. I was very skeptical because it looked way too pretty to be delicious, but the sour cream "snowflakes" and the smoked morsels went so well together. Another dish I liked (can't remember the name) was a burrata, uni, and egg white foam concoction. I love burrata and uni but never knew it could taste so good together. Lastly, the Crunchy Kimchi Octopus was perfectly cooked, and very delicious. Everything was presented wonderfully. Some of the disappointments for me were the Basil Air Waffle and the Mushroom Spaghetti. The Basil Air Waffle tasted exactly how it sounds, whereas I think I expected a weird marriage of flavors that created a new flavor. The Mushroom Spaghetti was extra disappointing for me because I thought from the pictures it would turn out to be my favorite dish. It looks like it's spaghetti with mushrooms and mushroom sauce in it, but it tasted like literal mushroom made into a spaghetti. Think enoki mushrooms. They also said they would come and explain what it was after we finished eating it, but they never did. Nonetheless, personally, I was very let down and especially so because it was one of my last items. For the dessert you MUST try the cheesecake. I know I know, it sounds so lame to go all the way to Barcelona and eat a cheesecake. That's what I thought when I asked for a recommendation and the waiter said definitely try the cheesecake. I won't ruin it for you, but take my word and just try it. It was just incredible. read more

My first review in a while and it's long overdue. I was here in May '12 and as I recollect my experience there, i could only do it justice by writing compliments for them. This review is not to describe every dish in detail but to overall give praise to the staff and chef that accomodated me. To start, this is how i got my "reservation": As most know, Tickets as name suggests, uses a tickets system to fairly give everyone a chance to patronize at their restaurant. However due to my sudden trip to Barcelona, i was not able to acquire a ticket ahead of time. Sulking as i walked toward Tickets for hopes that i can score a walk-in solo, i noticed 41 degrees next door which i will return to have a drink later that night. The maitre d' kindly informed me that there was not any cancellations for seats tonight. So i went to 41 degrees to get a drink instead. Through the night I had some amazing cocktails there and some great conversations with other local patrons and staff (even if my spanish was probably insulting for them to listen to). Eventually it was 2 am and Albert Adría came in to greet the guests. A group of 4 regular patrons were about to leave as Albert came to say good bye to them. One of them decided to tell Albert that I came all the way from the US and will be highly disappointed if i couldnt eat at Tickets. Albert took a look at me and said in English, "come back tomorrow night at 10 pm, you will have a seat." I couldnt believe what i was hearing, just to double check, i asked Albert, "10 pm for dinner at Tickets?". He replied, "just come by, i'll make sure you are taken care of" Next night i came back and as i approached the same maitre'd, i thought to myself if he will believe my story. And even i started my ridiculous story, he responded, "we are expecting you." Going straight thru the service, i had a 1-on-1 service at the counter who explained everything i was eating and made sure i was taken care of. At the end, the manager asked if there's anything he could do for me. I got greedy and asked to see if i cam have dinner at 41 degreed next week. He said sure, for how many and what time. I said 1 at 7 pm? Sadly he replied they only take even number patrons and there's not much he csn do about it. Even so, my night was finishing on a high note as Ferran Adria was also eating there and took a picture with me and Albert. The food was beyond phenomenal, it reminded me a lot of saam in bazaar. Every dish was done to accentuate some aspect of texture and/or taste. God i am jealous of those catalans! read more

Oh Tickets! What a disappointing experience. I think we had too high expectations since we: 1. Are obsessed with the Adria brothers 2. Spent almost 6 days trying to make a reservation at 6:00 on the dot! 3. We plan our entire Barcelona trip around eating here. We ordered the tasting menu and a bottle of wine. Don't get me wrong, the food is amazing. I believe people like Jose Andres and new up and comers like "Disfrutar" definitely get dishes/ideas/inspiration from the Adria's. But the service was terrible. No one paid attention to us, we had to wait long periods of time between plates and in the dessert room we were seated at a corner where once again, no one gave us direction. It was by far one of the worst services we've ever had. There wasn't enough airy waffles, or amazing jamon to take the horrible service back. That being said, I will definitely give you one more try someday. read more