Barcelona Restaurant Tips by JanPeter74

Los Caracoles: Los Caracoles - Great atmosphere Los Caracoles Review

Los Caracoles is one of these restaurants that is always busy, so prepare to queue, or come early.

The Catalan cuisine is great, but it is the ambiance that makes most impression when having diner here. It already starts outside where a large open grill is used to grill chickens. When you enter, you pass the bar and then there are two options. One is to stay downstairs and have diner while looking into the kitchen. To many people the best place. Another option is to have diner in one of the two upstairs dining rooms, which is a bit more relaxed and is a bit more stylish.

It is not a cheap address, but a very nice experience.

Favorite Dish: Caracoles means snails, which is the specialty of this restaurant. But simple pick something that sounds appetizing, like we did.

Address: Calle des Escudillers 14

Comparison: more expensive than average

Directions: Los Caracoles is located in the Barri Gotic, not far from Plaça Reial.

Price: US$31-40

Rating: 4

Theme: Local

Txapela: Txapela - Perfect place for beginning tapas eaters Txapella Review

Txapela is a basque tapas bar located on the Passeig de Gracia. (fyi: Pinxto is the basque word for small tapas often served on a stick and on a slice of bread)

Apart from the great variety in tapas, this place is also great for foreigners who are not very familiar with tapas yet. When sitting at the bar, you simply point out the things that you want. When sitting at a table you receive a place-mat with pictures (+spanish description) of all the tapas served. They also have menus available with English/French/German/etc. translations of the same tapas. So combine the place-mat and the menu and you exactly know what you order.

A perfect place to eat some 3 or 4 small tapas per person at the end of the afternoon, if you will have a late dinner.

ps: Without generalizing: most people drink beer with their tapas.

Address: 8-10 Passeig de Gracia

Comparison: less expensive than average

Directions: East side of Passeig de Gracia, close to Plaça Catalunya.

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 4

Theme: Local

Les Quatre Gats: Les Quatre Gats - Picasso's place Les Quatre Gats Review

The 4 Gats restaurant is located in a building where in the past Picasso and his friends were frequent guests. In the past several Picasso works were hanging on the wall, now replaced by replicas. The place stills breaths the bohemian atmosphere from Picasso's time.

Make reservations or be prepared to wait awhile. You can choose to sit either downstairs or upstairs with often live music.

The food is simply great, but this place is a bit pricy.

Favorite Dish: We had one of the best starters ever here. I don't remember exactly what it was, but it consisted of dark bread, aioli (garlic mayonaise), ansjovis and some other things.

Address: Carrer Montsió 3-bis

Comparison: more expensive than average

Directions: In the Barri Gotic.

Price: US$31-40

Rating: 4

Theme: Local

Lizarran Tabernas Selectas: Lizarran tapasbar - Experience it yourself!

Lizarran is really great. For me, there is no moment when I feel more like being in Spain then in a Lizarran.

It is a tapasbar where all tapas (both hot and cold) are placed on the counter. You simply grab an empty plate and pick those tapas that are appetizing. The personnel also walks by with plates filled with tapas. Again, if you see something you like on them, just take it. All tapas have a wooden cocktail stick in them. When you have had enough tapas, simply give the person behind the counter all your empty sticks and he or she charges you for the number of sticks. This is really a very relaxed way of having dinner. If you are lucky, you will be the only tourist and you will be surrounded by locals.

Lizarran Tabernas Selectas is a chain of tapasbars that can be found all over Spain. We visited a small one in calle Dr. Joaquim Pou, but there is also another one on carrer de Mallorca 257, a side street of the Passeig de Gracia.

Favorite Dish: Not applicable, since you will always discover new things here!

Address: Calle Dr. Joaquim Pou 2-4

Comparison: less expensive than average

Directions: Close to where calle Dr. Joaquim Pou and Via Laietana join eachother.

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 5

Theme: Local