This was absolutely the best restaurant I visited while vacationing in Barcelona! We loved it so much we went again on our last night there. You must, must try the Chunks of garlic-fried fillet. This was the last tapas we ordered on our first night and I am so happy we did. The meat was so tender and juicy and it melts in your mouth. We loved it so much we ordered two of them on our last night there. Another favorite was the Patatas bravas. I tried Patatas bravas at every other tapas place we went to in Barcelona and Paco's was the best. Love the spicy sauce that it was marinated in. The other dishes we tried were also excellent including the Pan Con Tomate, Cod Fritters, Croquettes, and Fried Baby Squids. The Cava was also good. Not only did they have the best food, but the best prices. We paid reasonably lower prices here than other tapas places we visited and it was ten times better. If you are going to Barcelona, Paco Meralgo is a must! Make sure to make reservations. We didn't both times, but we luckily got a table. read more

Alta Taberna Paco Meralgo - Chunks of garlic fried fillet - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Barcelona, B

This place is one of few restaurants opens Sunday afternoon. Packed with locals: A very GOOD sign to start with :) We seated AGAINST the counter that we could see no fresh, beautiful seafood. Menu, of course, was either in Spanish or Catalan... The plates we ordered was disappointing :( "Help us out!" but our waiter said, "Everything is good here!" (Sure--Sigh...) Again, be sure to bring a local or seat at the counter! I am sure this restaurant is good... read more

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We had a truly amazing dinner at Paco Meralgo on our first night in Barcelona. Without reservations we arrived precisely at 8:00 pm hoping to grab two seats at the bar. Lucky for us they had two seats open and we began a fantastic meal with dishes that relentlessly pleased and inspired. We started with a bottle of Luis Canas Rioja, which was one of the recommended house wines. For 26€ I thought it was an incredible value. Our first course was the tomato bread and Iberico ham, which were both superb. The tomato bread was actually better than the bread we had had at Tickets the next evening. Our next course was the stuffed meatball, which topped with a wonderfully creamy sauce. This was one of our favorite dishes of the evening and if we weren't so full at the end we would have definitely ordered another serving. The fried asparagus was very good. Lightly battered and fried crispy, they were like eating chips. The anchovy bruschetta was a bit of a challenge for my wife to like with very bold flavors, but I found it a unique dish that was a welcome departure from the typical foods we consume in America. The shrimp was by far the best dish we ate all night. When you walk in you can see the colorful shrimp sitting in a huge bowl on the counter. They actually grab these shrimp throughout the night and sauteed ours in garlic. A simple dish, but sensationally fresh and tasty shrimp. Just a wonderful dish. The porcini mushrooms were my wife's favorite. Sauteed in a rich sauce, the mushrooms were cooked beautifully and displayed a firm and slightly chewy texture. We couldn't stop eating these mushrooms! We ended our evening with the Catalonian french toast, which I highly recommend. Just the right amount of cinnamon and a light, fluffy and slightly crunchy texture. A perfect way to end the meal. Overall we had an amazing dinner at Paco Meralgo and would have loved to return for another visit had we had a few more days in Barcelona. read more

A truly fantastic food experience! You can't go wrong with the patatas bravas or the pan con tomate! Some of the best food I have had in a great while! We liked it so much we went back for another memorable dinner! read more

We stumbled on to this gem on our way to another restaurant and did not regret eating here instead! Our waiter was energetic and comical! There is a slightly exposed kitchen, which allows guest to see the cooking (where that delightfully edible magic happens)! The pan con tomato was well done and the sangria was perfection! But the true star was the Obama Croquettes! The Obama Croquette is a cuttlefish croquette that looks a bit odd but tastes amazing. The Bomba (spicy meatball) was also quite good. Atmosphere was fashionable but welcoming. As patrons walked in they were greeted by wait staff warmly and told all about the specialties. Great dinner with friends or for a date! read more

Got a recommendation to go here from a local resident and it was a great choice! First the hours of the restaurant were excellent. Since we were often having happy hour food and drinks in our hotel we often were not ready to eat until the late evening and this place was open and serving food until 12-12:30am on the Sunday night that we went. The restaurant itself was clean which is always important in a foreign, unfamiliar country. Our waiter was oh so nice and helpful! He made so many helpful recommendations on what to order and basically picked out our tapas for us which were all excellent choices. My absolute favorite were the anchovies in oil which are apparently salted for 6 months. It was my first time having anchovies, and I absolutely didn't expect it to be so delightful! I had one piece by itself and another on the tomato bread, and I still can imagine (and wish to re-experience!) the wonderful flavor in my mouth!!! Other favorites included the cuttlefish Obama croquettes, Russian salad, tomato bread, fresh tuna with apple vinaigrette and teriyaki, and the foie gras with a tasty apple sauce that complemented it so well. It was all a heavenly food experience and such a great price for $40 for two people! Loved it and would love to go back! read more

Best tapas we had in Spain , we walked in without reservation after 9 pm and had to wait more than an hour for a place to sit but it was well worth the wait. The staff was very helpful and spoke English and the dishes did not fail followed by the most amazing deserts . read more

Alta Taberna Paco Meralgo - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Barcelona, B

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Very pleasant staff, very friendly. Accomodated us even though no reservation. We had mixture of tapas, all very pleasant. Not on the tourist route, mainly locals. Very good atmosphere. Lots of choice mainly seafood bias but all very good. Good range of drinks. Generally not expensive. Highly recommended. Appreciate your feedback. read more

This was our favorite dining spot in Barcelona. Found it on a list of local recommendations from a friend studying abroad. We ordered most of the waitress' recommendations as to their most popular dishes. The "Obama Croquettes" were DELICIOUS, we got a second helping after trying them. Other: The asparagus was good (found myself severely lacking in vegetable consumption during our Italian stops of the vacation, so was trying wherever possible to eat some greens). Shrimp with Soya. Tomato Bread. We tried to order the Veal with Foie Gras but it was out for the night. We got another veal dish to substitute, as well as a dessert. I don't remember what they were but we enjoyed everything. Would have come here a second night and scrapped the place we hastily stopped by (which was from Yelp, but more of a pub than a dinner place) on night 1 of our stay. This is listed as $$$ Euro per person (my keyboard does not make the Euro symbol, but you catch my drift), but I think it could also be on the higher end of $$ Euro per person. I believe our bill came to about 40 Euros for 2 people, though we did not order alcohol with our meal. FAVORITE SPOT. read more

The BEST food in all of Barcelona. This is as good as it gets. Great service and even better food. Definitely check this place out if you are in Barcelona. read more

My favorite restaurant in Barcelona. This is where local Chefs and other hospitality pros go to eat. The food, the service and the ambiance are all amazing. I have eaten everywhere from Tickets to Tapas 24 and this place is hands down my favorite. read more

The energy of this place is extraordinary. Their tapas are a great way to learn and taste the Spanish cousin. One of the must in Barcelona

We stumbled in here, after my husband took me on a forced march of Barcelona, and I was ready to eat at a premade food place in which you microwaved your own food in plastic boxes. Desperate I was! Then my husband made fun of me and we found this place. I loved everything we ate- and I'll add pictures when I'm back home. For me, the best best best thing, was the foie on "nut toast"- wow- completely and totally delicious. I "accidentally" ate the first one before I could photograph it, so I had to order it again. It was perfectly cooked on a delicious toast (with hazelnuts) and a pear compote. Just amazing flavors. Wonderful. 6 euros per small arrangement. Another standout was the wild asparagus with a poached egg (10 euros). Wow. So flavorful and delicious. We also had the spicy meatball ( it WAS spicy- too spicy for me, really- but delicious (3 euro?). I just am a baby. My husband loved being able to eat the whole thing.) And we also tried croquettes (2 euro? each)- because we're addicted to those- I had the ham and my husband had the fish. My husband had wine (and liked it) and I have Vichy Catalan- the whole bill came to 35 euros. Service was helpful and friendly- even though we do not speak Spanish. They were very nice to us. We must have looked a mess- since we'd walked up from the waterfront (forced march, remember). I hope I have time to go back. There are many many MANY other things I would like to try. read more

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Amazing! Highly recommend the spicy meatball, burrata, and croquettes. Misses were the prawns in garlic and the rabbit ( too bony) but overall amazing spot! Highly recommended read more

Fantastic, upscale tapas restaurant in Barcelona. Being Americans we showed up at around what I consider to be normal dinner time (8pm) and realized this is more or less the early bird special/senior citizen dinner hour for Barcelona. The plus side? No wait and 100% of the staff's attention. Few highlights: Pepper and garlic sizzing steak - delicious! Tender, perfectly seasoned and downright outstanding. Fried artichokes - yum! Crisp, salty, and still somehow lightweight. Pan con tomate and patatas bravas - standout execution! A couple staple tapas dishes turned into something special. Sangria - why isn't this beverage more prevalent in the United States? By the time we left at 10:30pm, the line was out the door. Early dining rocks! read more

This is our go-to tapas bar when friends from out of town come by. It's high quality, traditional and new tapas with friendly staff. Good mix of locals and tourists. It does get busy, so we often need to wait for a table (if it is too long, we go around the corner or across the road for a drink). read more

This restaurant was highly recommended to us and gets excellent reviews so we were excited to get a reservation. Let me begin with the positive aspects. The restaurant is open past midnight on weekdays, which was great for us since we were waiting for friends to fly into Barcelona that evening. It is a very lively place that appears to have remained popular for years (it was packed when we arrived at 11pm on a Thursday). We really enjoyed the pan con tomate and the zucchini flowers... Unfortunately, this is where the good ends. It was a disappointing evening to say the least. We expected the expensive menu but the portions were way too small. The food was tasty so we had no problem just ordering more. The problem was that our waiter was either too busy to serve us or could care less that we were there. We did not expect him to understand much English but he was not patient at all as we tried to place our order. It just felt as though he had more important things to do. We were lucky to have a fluent Spanish speaker at the table but even she could barely finish her sentence before he ran away. It was almost impossible to get drink refills or order more food. Even when we did order another bottle of wine, it did not come until the end of our meal. Of course, at this point, it looked like they were trying to close the restaurant so we almost felt uncomfortable hanging around to finish the wine. I like to give places the benefit of the doubt but after spending so much money, you at least expect to feel satisfied after a meal. We just stopped ordering because it was so difficult to get any service. This may have been the only evening of our trip when I felt as though I needed another meal. read more

The food here is EXCELLENTE: from perfect Pan Con Tomate to probably the best Txipirones fritos I've ever had. Decor is modern with sleek wooden surfaces and lots of bar room (for eating). I will eat here every time I'm in Barca.... read more

Have to go against at the grain of yelpers on this place. This is a tourist trap and surrounded by tourists you will be. We left this place after a few tapas and went to another restaurant to finish our dinner. Highly disappointing. The service is poor or at least very hurried. You are made to feel immediately unwelcome. We got the seat facing the wall but that didn't bother us much. Our waiter was unpleasant and slammed our food down. I thought the lack of a wine menu was weird but we ordered two glasses of while house wine and it was very reasonably priced in the end and good too. Too bad the food was bad and salty. read more

Wide variety of wine selections. Toasted tomatoe bread was delicious and crunchy. Highly recommend their seafood dishes such as the razor clams and prawn in garlic sauce (4 pieces each). The assorted sausages are a must. Comes with 6 pieces with 3 different types of sausages. Add some assorted vegetables as well, oxtail/potatoe was stewy, but just decent, (slightly salty). Over all had a great tapas experience and the service was great! Probably ordered about 9 tapas 3 desserts for 4 people with a bill that was roughly $130 euros read more

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Food was excellent. Drinks order were taken fairly quickly but the overall service was a bit slow.

Exceptional Exceptional seafood tapas and dishes at this popular and highly regarded restaurant. We put ourselves in the hands of the waiter and were not disappointed. The vegetable tempura was wonderful, the montadito salmon appetizer was great, the monkfish was well prepared and the tuna with an apple vinaigrette was out of this world. read more

This was the place we chose for our last meal during our Spain trip. We arrived a bit after 8:30 PM and there was already a wait of 4-5 groups ahead of us. This place is recommended by Michelin (no star yet) so we weren't too surprised. Fortunately our wait was only around 15 minutes We were seated by the bar. The bartender was very friendly and took good care of us. The menu is composed of "raciones" (I would say twice the amount of a tapa dish) and full sized entrees. We decided on pan con tomate (amazing), Padron peppers (roasted to a light char which took some of the bitterness away), wild mushrooms with garlic (pricey for 10 euros but tasty), octopus with candied onions (more of a stew), baked scallops (a bit tiny but packing a punch of flavor), and bombas (2 huge meatballs with a spicy sauce). We chased these down with their draft beer (which wasn't Spanish beer but there you go). Paco Meralgo hit a lot of good notes in a refined (but not snobby) environment. By the time we left around 10 PM the wait was long so come early or call ahead for reservations read more

Great tapas in a welcoming modern ambience boasting a very affordable wine list--20-30 euro tasty bottles. We had the vina salceda rioja which was splendid! Chicken croquettes: pretty standard Spanish fare, tasty and done just right Patatas bravas: too much mayo for my liking but tasty and spicy nevertheless Gambas al ajillo: only 6 pieces for 20 euros--tasty but pricey Black pepper steak: great dish with a peppery kick, very tasty Bikini italoiberico: ham and cheese with iberico ham that adds a nice smoky kick, generous portion for 4 euros Mondadori Madagascar: a must for chocolate lovers, elevated with a touch of salt Chocolate profiterol: tasty icecream with a healthy dose of hot chocolate All in a solid place and a must try in Barcelona read more

One of the most enjoyable meals I can remember in several months. The raw bar selection was unbelievable. My pallet got all the satisfactions of a great sushi experience all in a Spanish Tapas environment. Some of my favorites were: live jumbo oysters, live sea snails, live scallop, cuttlefish in cuttle ink, tuna sashimi, spicy mayo potatoes, live razor clams and fresh local octopus carpaccio. read more

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Worth the money. We let the waiter choose what to bring us and weren't disappointed in the least. Salmon thing, meat thing, bread thing, all amazing and perfectly done -- I'll have to go back to get all the names straight. The best in my opinion was definitely the salmon thing. I didn't get any of the 'snoodiness' vibe I've seen mentioned either. I pass by this place often and it's always busy; we made a reservation for lunch but there were plenty of people there without. read more

WOW - is all I can say. Paco Meralgo was recommended by my sister's boss who is a bigtime chef in NY/Boston. Needless to say, it did not disappoint! We started with with the beef tartare montadito and it was just incredible - it's smallish but the perfect size and the beef is super fresh and perfectly seasoned. The pan con tomate is out of control here - do not skip on that. We also ordered two types of croquetas, the chicken and the squid ink "obama" ones. I would pass on the chicken but MY GOD - the squid ink croqueta is literally one of the greatest things I have EVER put in my mouth. Absolute must. We also had the grilled calamari, which is very tasty and comes with beans that give the dish a nice touch. Another star of the night was the Solomillo filet al ajillo - basically filet mignon drenched in garlic and butter. I wanted to cry tears of happiness when I took my first bite. You must order this. We finished off with a crema catalana and it was a nice touch! Great wine selection too. If you're in Barcelona - YOU MUST GO HERE! read more

This was my "Welcome to Barcelona" meal and I was not disappointed. First of all, please arrive early. By early, I mean 9pm which is still early bird special in Spain. Second of all, do me a favor and skip the tomato bread if you're not a huge fan of tomatoes. Now, do yourself a favor and order the fried artichokes (even if you're not an artichoke fan because you will be. They taste like potato chips!) and order my beloved patatas bravas! This very Spanish dish which can be found everywhere was the best at Paco Meralgo. The cheesy sauce is rich but then on top of that, they add chili oil which provides the perfect amount of heat. The seafood is seriously fresh so you can't go wrong with anything there. Also, go ahead and order a pitcher of sangria because it goes with everything. read more

Amazing authentic tapas restaurant. Service was superb and they were very accommodating despite the language barrier--took our coats, went out of their way to find us for our seats, and overall great service. Food is superb--the croquettes, bombas, gambas, razor clams, and everything is fantastic. read more

Excellent meal here. We showed up around 1 pm without a reservation and were seated at the bar. The place was jampacked by the time we left. The service wasn't terribly helpful, but everything we had was excellent, so I still recommend it. It's Michelin recommended as well. The pan con tomate was the best we've had in Barcelona (a bit more drizzle most likely). The razor clams were delicious - not chewy at all, with a light but tasty combination of olive oil and lemon. The asparagus with fresh garlic had scallions that were chewy, but my friends enjoyed this dish more than I did. We also ordered the one-piece montaditos - I thought the foie was excellent, while my friends thought the brie was okay. The food seemed better even than Cal-pep! read more

This is my favorite restaurant in Barcelona. Everything is fresh, not too over the top and you can actually taste the ingredients. Pan con tomate is excellent, the little shrimp omlette thing is divine. The best by far, is almejas a la plancha. I'm drooling just thinking about that sitting at my desk at work in NY. read more

The absolute best tapas I've ever had. Food: 5 stars Everything from start to finish was wonderful. Even though they can be considered 'common' i highly recommend the tomato bread with jamon iberico. Further, I also loved the raw tuna cubes (think poke), and if you can only have one meat dish I highly recommend the steak pieces in garlic. For dessert go for the sampler of small bites, or alternatively go for the Catalan version of creme brulee. The latter is also very popular and can be found in a lot of places. Price: 5 stars We had so much food that we were all stuffed, started with cava (sparkling wine), had red wine and finally coffee with desert, the total bill came to under €50 per person. Service: 5 stars Attentive with good sense of humor. Atmosphere: 4 stars Hip, modern, a little loud. Smallish but cozy. Overall, a definite must if you are in Barcelona. Make advanced reservation and if you can come with friends so that you get to sample a lot of food! read more

Admittedly, we turned up without a reservation on a Saturday night so we were happy to wait as it was busy. We were so surprised at the attitude of the staff - they couldn't have been less friendly. I wish we had gone elsewhere but it was late and we were tired. After standing awkwardly in the entrance for an hour, we were finally led to a horrible attic room which was stifling hot and only about 5.5 feet high - the room had no windows or atmosphere and we were seated on small chairs suitable for children. Our waiter was the most miserable human I have ever met in my life and he grunted at us and tapped impatiently while we chose our orders. We asked him to kindly turn the heat down but this didn't happen! The food was nice - agreed - but expensive. Even if we'd had a reservation I would have left this restaurant unhappy at the horrible room we were in and the ridiculously unpleasant staff. Avoid! read more

Our host, a Barcelona-born native, brought us here for dinner during our one-week stay. It was truly the culinary highlight of our trip. I have no idea what I ate - Sergi ordered for us. The plates just kept coming, and it was all outstanding. The wine, the tapas, the interior, the service, all of it - outstanding. I would recommend, though, that unless your young children are extremely adventurous eaters, that you fill them up before you come here. read more

I love Paco Meralgo. Amazing tapas, some of the best in the city. My wife is from Barcelona and my in-laws eat out often. This is their favorite tapas spot in the city. It's a bit pricier than others, but very reasonable. For those of you that don't speak Spanish, the restaurant appears to be named after someone. However, PA - COMER - ALGO means "for eating something" (loosely translated). Enjoy this great spot! read more

Our experience here as been spectacular. From the greetings- it was such a treat (not even regarding the food). The service is incomparable to any other place I have personally experienced. I personally would recommend the oysters, the mushrooms, fricando con , bomba, SANGRIA, even the first starter bread had me sold. I haven't ordered dessert as of yet, however I am already sold on that. The waiter Juan Carlos has been beyond charismatic as well as the director Javi who initially greeted my boyfriend and I made us feel eager to get started. If you are in Barcelona, this place is a MUST!!!! So excited for you to experience this restaurant. read more

Amazing food and ambiance. There was a line to get in when it opened and every seat was full when we left. I can see why. Everything we ordered was very good. read more

My favorite thing about this place honestly has to be the ambience. I went here for dinner and the place was lively and brightly lit. It felt like a nice comfortable kitchen. It was loud, but in the sense that it just added to the comfort of the place. read more

Absolutely loved the place and the ambiance here. My friends and I went here for Sunday lunch. From the outside this place looks like nothing to write home about, but wait don't turn back just head straight in. Once inside you will be welcomed by a cosy ambiance. There is plenty of seating with both table, bar and side counter seating. My advice try getting some seats at the bar if possible, simply because all the action is happening there. We got seated at the bar. So it is simple there is a bunch of raw produce on display in front of you, pick the ones you fancy and they will pick it in front of you and pass it to the kitchen to be prepared. We had the the ham iberica, the razor clams, the steak tartare, the peppered steak, the tuna served raw on a bed of olive oil and vinegar, the fried squid, glazed salted green peppers, potatos with a local white spicy sauce, the bread with tomato and olives. For the drinks we ordered the beer on the tap, cava sparkling white wine, and gin & tonic for the end of meal drink. From the above you have to try the razor clams, the steak tartare, the raw tuna and the peppered steak. read more

Alta Taberna Paco Meralgo - The raw meat counter... - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Barcelona, B

My husband & I liked this restaurant so much we came back for lunch after our first visit for dinner. Both times we sat at the tapas bar as we didn't have reservations, but the food was definitely worth waiting for a spot at the bar. The fried artichokes were one of the main draws in getting us back for lunch again. very lightly fried vs. other places we ate in Spain. Other favorites were the fried baby squid, the grilled veggies and the the tuna tartare. The tomato bread was yummy too. The other seafood tapas and entrees looked fabulous too. Service was very welcoming & sweet. We both commented on the great staff that hustled & bustled around the restaurant making sure everyone felt attended to at tables and at the busy tapas bar (two sides.) Most of the patrons appeared to be locals, but the news on this great spot is definitely out in most of the guidebooks too. I noticed several Americans and English. read more