louanne

Hello fellow Fodorites,
I need help in identifying reliable tapas bars in Barcelona. I understand that there is quite a market for serving overpriced, unappetizing food to unsuspecting tourists. Please let me know of your experiences in this respect. Thanks all!

cigalechanta

ttt for louanne

Robert2533

You can check out the following site:

http://www.diningcity.com/bcn/

julia_t

On Argenteria in the Born district you can find Taller Tapas - a well-recommended tapas bar with a delicious and inexpensive selection. Further down Argenteria are more tapas bars on the streets and tucked away in little plazas.

Intrepid1

I have been to Barcelona several times and how "good" the tapas are depends, to a great degree, on an individual's taste and personal prefererences.

I am not sure I agree about the market for "serving overpriced, unappetizing food" has somehow been cornered by vendors in Barcelona. I've had good and not so good food in that city; some of the best was along the Ramblas Catalunya (note this is not the more-talked-about "Las Ramblas&quot and also at various holes in the wall in the Gothic Quarter which I discovered simply by dropping in.

Good luck with your search and hopefully you'll find what you're looking for.

louanne

ttt

ellene

In my last trip to Barcelona, it was explained to me that this area is not as known for their tapas as say the basque region. We had ok tapas on the ramablas, at this huge tapas bar, but it was more sceney than great, and the name escapes me.

ekscrunchy

Sorry I can't help with specific names for tapas bars. But I would just walk around and see which places are filled with what appear to be local people at the bar, then walk in and see what is on offer. As the earlier poster said, this is not a city particularly known for tapas. I would stay off the lower Ramblas, when it comes to eating. As for what you heard, I think that in all cities there are places that serve overpriced and not particularly good food to outsiders. I am not sure why Barcelona would have more of these than any other place. I think places like this would not be too hard to pick out and to avoid.

progol

Thanks to Maribel's wonderful file on Barcelona (where IS Maribel now?), I went to a good tapas bar in the Eixample on Passeig d Gracia called Txapela. I remember it being very good, fun and very reasonably priced. She lists others that I didn't try (Cerveseria Catalana, Cata I/81).

Whatever you do, AVOID tapas bars on the RAMBLAS!!! The only really stupid thing my husband and I did was walk down the Ramblas and do exactly that-- and we nearly had heart attacks at the cost.

Paule

louanne

This is all very helpfull, Thank you all.

louanne

Does anyone know Cal Pep? I've heard contradictory reviews about it.

hax

We ate lunch at Cal Pep two years ago. We loved it. Following Maribel's advice, we got there when it opened for lunch at 1:30, sat at the bar (there were four of us, two adults and two teens) and let the owner start putting wonderful, fresh seafood in front us, tiny shrimp, tiny squid, etc., along with lots of inexpensive wine, and at the end, a fabulous sampler of creme brulees. We didn't order a thing, just kept eating until we were full. I sent friends there this summer and they loved it too. It's very casual, a lot of fun, and was our favorite meal in Barcelona.

louanne

Thanks Hax. The positive comments outnumber the negative ones by far. Given that it's such a popular place, there are bound to be a few unhappy or grumpy customers out there. I will try it and see for myself! mmmm... crème brûlée.... sinful!

lincasanova

do not steer clear of what may look like "messy, dirty" floors for a tapas, or at the counter meal. People throw the thin napkins on the floor. the cafés sweep only about three times a day only, after every rush period.

good suggestion of looking for a place that has plenty of people in it, but unless you are going at prime time, an equally good place may have NO ONE in it at off hours! so..

i usually go in, and take a look at what is under the glass.

remember that there are all sorts of hot dishes that you won't see out. Patatas bravas, revuelto (scrambled eggs with fillings), hot grilled bocadillos, (ask for the bread "a la plancha&quot.

the nice thing is that you can virtually ask for any type of dish you want, or hot sandwich. they customize everything without a fuss.

"pan a la catalana" would be something to try if you like the cured ham. it is grilled bread, olive oil, grated tomoato and thin sliced ham on top.

"pan con tomate" is without the ham.

learn to say "sin" (without) and "con" (with ) for things you dislike/like.
it can make all the difference in the world.

this isn't tapas, but try a croissant "abierto a la plancha".
most places will do it like that if you ask. i do it at home all the time, too. it is too good.

caña, draft beer
cerveza, beer