Sister had dined here (twice) last summer and said it was not to be missed. I tend to agree. First, there wasn't a better pan con tomate to be had in all of Barcelona. The rich olive oil drizzled on top was luxurious. The patatas bravas featured a perfect aioli and slightly spicy smoked paprika. If you order the meatballs (bomba) know that these are not your Italian-American versions. The primary ingredient in these is potato. The service was stellar and it was a very nice looking restaurant. Would definitely return. read more

Amazing. This was the very last stop on my visit to Madrid & Barcelona, and it definitely ended my trip on a high note. A great representative of modern Barcelona's culinary culture. I loved everything that we tried, as well as the staff, the ambiance, and the arrangement of the restaurant itself. I highly recommend sitting at the bar! It grants you a front seat view of all of the fresh seafood, meats, and cocktails. To be frank, I dont remember the name of everthing that I ordered, but each dish was better than the last. I ordered patatas bravas at every restaurant I dined at in Spain and Paco Meralgo's were supreme! My crema catalina was gorgeous and delicious. I cannot say enough great things about this place; all of the food was fresh, of outstanding quality, and prepared to the highest standards. This will be my first stop upon my return to Barcelona! read more

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I love tapas in Spain. It's one of my favourite places to eat, and I remember the tapas with longing every time I leave. I usually get similar tapas at the various tapas joints, so I can say with certainty that Paco Meralgo lived up to what I'd heard before going: the menu looks like the other places, they just do it better, with better ingredients. I had a meatball (I think they called it a bomba), pan con tomate, ham croquetas, patatas bravas, cured meats, and a glass of wine. It made me very happy :) read more

I came back to Paco Meralgo at least 5 times after the first meal. The best Patatas Bravas I had in Catalonia. Perfectly crispy, and the chili oil and aioli gave it a nice spice kick. Highlights: -Black Pepper Steak. I ordered this medium rare, and it came perfectly pink-red from the center out to the very edge of the meat. Tender, flavorful, and the portion size (as with most tapas) was perfect to enjoy. One of the best steaks of my life. No hyperbole. -Ham and Chicken Croquettes. Nothing complicated about these. Just really well made croquettes full of flavor. -The Bikini. Also nothing complicated, but a perfect grilled ham and cheese. -Ox Tail on Mash Patatas. Dessert: -Pear soaked in red wine. Unique! Amazing! -Hazelnut Ice Cream tasted like a Ferrero Roche. read more

One of my favorite restaurants in Barcelona !! The atmosphere is welcoming and the environment is super clean. The wait staff is friendly and attentive. The tuna steak was so delicious that I ordered it twice - yum!! Patatas bravas and pimientos al padron were perfectly cooked. The solomillo ( Sirloin steak) was excellent. Pan con tomate was the best I've ever had - delicious ...... We got there around 130pm and had no trouble finding space. I would recommend to find a seat at the bar - this way you can see all the delicious tapas pass you by and you can make a better decision on what to have. :-) Go around lunch time or around 8p-830p before the place gets crowded. read more

Speechless. It was the best of the best restaurants in Barcelona. Here are things that we liked the most: Foie bread, potatas bravia, tartare steak, baby squid, obama croquettes. Highly recommended read more

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Was in Barcelona for two night and after going my first night I HAD to go back the next. Everything was fresh and small enough portions so you could try multiple things and not leave with an appetite. Great restaurant.. A must go if in the city. read more

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Amazing tapas bar! We were a bit underdressed for the place but they were all really friendly! Tapas were super good! If you're around the place go for some! A bit expensive for young tourists but definitely worth it! read more

Alta Taberna Paco Meralgo - The "Obama" is... WOW! - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Barcelona, B

Best tapas we had in Spain! Including the patatas bravas to the burratina with pesto which was amazing! But our favorite tapas of all waS the oxtail, probably the best I've had! Cooked in wine sauce and tender! read more

After a week of tapas in Barcelona, I can say this was my favorite meal by far. Everything we ordered was excellent -- it's difficult to pick which was my favorite dish. We had the bombas Paco Meralgo, burratina, fresh tuna, octopus with candied onions, razor clams, Palamós prawns, and steak montadito. Also, good wine and friendly service sitting at the bar. The quality and flavors of the food far surpassed all of our other tapas experiences. Highly recommended! read more

There aren't many places that are open late on a Sunday night, so I was glad we were able to make a reservation here, knowing our flight was getting in late. The place looks very clean, and we had read it was more touristy and expensive, but I think it depends completely on what you order. We started off with glasses of Spanish red wines, which were very generous pours for under 5 Euros, I had a rioja reserva, and we also had a ribera del duero. Para comer algo.... - Tomato bread: perfectly crusty outside and soft inside, lots of tomato, good olive oil - Gazpacho: pureed nicely but still with some texture from the bread. It was almost creamy and wasn't overly acidic. This was probably the best gazpacho I've had and the only one that did not taste like salsa - Patatas bravas: fried twice, nice and crisp, topped with a spicy garlicky aioli and chili oil. I don't like aioli, but the garlic flavor was nice, and this dish was pretty spicy - Padron peppers: nicely roasted and blistered, topped with large flakes of seasoning salt; this dish was a bit too oily for me - Ham and chicken croquettes: like chicken cordon bleu inside a fried exterior - good in a way, but one bite was enough - Cod fritters: a good amount of bacalao and smooth potato filling, not too fishy, more interesting than the croquettes - Grilled razor clams: these were grilled nicely with a subtle char flavor, good with a squeeze of lemon - Italiberico sandwich: a "ham and cheese" sandwich with amazing melty cheese. The bread outside wasn't over buttered like American grilled cheeses, and it was griddled perfectly and almost like a pita. The highlights were definitely the gazpacho and the "ham and cheese" sandwich. In the end, it was about 48 Euros for the 2 of us, and we were stuffed. It can get expensive if you venture out to more seafood, but I was satisfied and very full from our choices. read more

My go-to dinner restaurant in Barcelona. I literally am out of breath just thinking about how wonderful this place is. Simple, fresh, delicious ingredients. Attentive service. A true gem of Barcelona. Highly recommend the razor clams, the courgette flowers, the bombas, the bravas, the pan con tomate, the asparagus, any of the montaditos, and the garlic steak. Pretty much everything I would recommend (except the rabbit cutlets, wasn't a fan of those). Order several tapas and a caña or a glass of wine, and settle down for one of those beautiful, lingering meals that Europe is known for. I can't wait to return to this restaurant the next time I'm in BCN. read more

This is one of the quintessential tapas experience in Barcelona. It well known and safe bet with your local Bacelona Hotel consierge. It's like saying this is a concept restaurant that makes solid fare for the local hungry. It it inspired? No. Will you get a meal? Yes. Will I return? Only if there are no other alternatives. Is this a review? Yes. read more

This was about a 7 minute walk from our hotel. Yeah, it's a little trendy, but the waitstaff were friendly and helpful and the service excellent. We sat at the bar and had a great view into part of the prep kitchen & the hustle and bustle of the staff. Pan con tomate was good, but patatas bravas were excellent (I think we ordered another). We arrived just before closing, so we didn't have a lot of plates. Just those above, olives and a couple of glasses of cava. Nice mellow, contemporyesque atmosphere. read more

This place is a really nice tapas bar in Barcelona, upscale, interesting, and very good food. The service was excellent and attentive, the wine - a 2005 Luis Canas Reserva Red - was outstanding. The only real downside is that the place is small and I would not have minded a bigger selection of tapas. But four solid stars with a "rising" star towards five. read more

Our final dinner in Barcelona was an exceptional one. Started with the courgette flowers (zucchini flowers stuffed with mozzarella, lightly coated and deep fried - excellent); bombas (the best spicy potato meatballs yet); cuttlefish 'Obama' croquettes (Obama because it was black inside from the squid ink used - unfortunately racist but delicious); grilled razor clams (simple and exactly how I love them); sea snails (described by the date as impossible to describe, but I would say it was agreeably chewy, meaty, and 'muddy' like a mussel's innards - but much muddier than a mussel); veal fricandeau with mushrooms (delicious 'stew' with thin, tender slices of veal); and the best prawn/shrimp (Palamós, I believe) that I have ever eaten (grilled with salt and oil; so expensive as to require weighing before grilling and billing). I'd eat here regularly if I lived in Barcelona. read more

Possibly one of the best dinners of my life, Paco Meralgo delivers the authentic, Barcelona, tapas experience. The food, service, and overall atmosphere contributed my personal favorite dining experience during my family and my time in the city. It was so good that we came for both lunch and dinner. We ordered an assortment of tapas plates from meats to seafood. To name a few, we had: a fried shrimp omlette, mozarella zucchini flowers, black pepper and garlic beef chunks, oxtail with potatos, chicken and ham croquettes, and much more. As for drinks, we ordered a variety of wine, fresh squeezed orange juice, cafe con leche, and cafe americano, all of which tasted amazing. For both meals, our service was extremely speedy and our servers were funny, personable, and very kind. Just by looking around the cozy establishment you can tell that everyone works extremely hard to provide the customers an unforgettable dining experience. It pains me that I will not be returning for more tapas here. But when I return to Barcelona (and believe me after this dinner, I will), you can be sure that I will be having breakfast, lunch, and dinner here. I implore you to give this restaurant a try regardless of whether you feel this restaurant is expensive or not. Paco Meralgo is a MUST when visiting Barcelona. Enjoy! read more

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Best meal yet in Barcelona. Seemed to have a local feel yet welcoming. Our server spoke basic English and took great care of us. The tapas was delicious. Would revisit before trying a different spot! A great find off the beaten path. read more

Do not eat here if visiting Barcelona. Not tourist friendly One night they asked if we had reservations. Next night called and said they do not take reservations. When we went anyway they asked if we had reservations. When questioned in Spanish they said reservations only taken the day earlier. Spend your money at a restaurant that treats you like a welcome customer and visitor and not as a outsider. Sad but one of many examples in this city that is on the decline (I.e pickpockets, crime, and an arrogant bad attitude) read more

Nice crowd and perfect Tapas (loved the chocolate with salt). More chic than vintage Spanish, but always a good atmosphere.

Good upper end tapas. I liked the black pepper steak, rabbit, prawns in garlic, fried green peppers and definitely the jamon iberico.

Sleek restaurant a bit tight quarters and very intense lighting that detracted from the meal. Wait staff was most helpful navigating the extensive menu. Tapas were delicious and a bit more adventurous that other tapas bars. Their pa amb tomaquet far and away the best we ate in Barcelona. Especially noteworthy were all the seafood dishes. read more

This was, without a doubt, the (very pleasant) surprise of our visit to Barcelona - we went to PM for dinner pretty much because they were the only place we could find that was open on Sunday night. It was PACKED - good sign. We sat at the bar and the service was fantastic - the staff all seemed to be working well together and actually having a good time doing so. We enjoyed pan de tomate (by far the best version of our entire trip to Spain), razor clams, croquettes, garlic shrimp, rabbit, crema catalana, and pan con chocolate (with sea salt and olive oil) - all so simple, yet SO delicious. All of the dishes were executed perfectly. Had we not had other reservations for the remainder of our stay, we probably would have gone back - it was that good! read more

Wow. This place was amazing. We had many dishes, including the Pan Con Tomato, the min lobsters and squid with bean dish, which was also very tasty. Staff was very friendly and helped us gringos to order some great selections. Will definitely go back there again. read more

I don't particularly care for Spanish food but this was great. Get there early. Pink bread, bomba meat balls, papas bravas are excellent!!! Filet in pepper sauce. So good. We had a large party so note it will be difficult to get seated. Better experience than the 5 star AbAC restaurant; more food, less pricey and wasn't a 4 hour event. read more

We traveled in 5 Spanish cities over 12 days and this was by far the best Tapas place we tried. When we were there on a week night, i would guess that the crowd was 30% tourists and 70% locals (seems to be regulars based on their familiarity with the staff). read more

Best meal Hubby and I had in Barcelona, no contest! We ordered everything on the menu and nothing disappointed. Will go into detail when I have more time. Yummmmm!!! read more

We walked here for lunch from El Borne. I'm so glad we did because a girl's gotta get some cardio in. We didn't have reservations, but arrived when it opened so there was plenty of seating. We sat at the bar in front of the seafood which really helped because you can see what looks good.. of course it all did). Get the seafood. And for carbs, the tomato bread. You won't go wrong with that. read more

Not a fan of reviewing places I haven't actually been to, but if your website says you do take away, then do take away. Nothing annoys me more than going somewhere only to find out they don't honor their word. read more

Ok , this is number two, first off they are open on Sunday nights, second this time they set me at the bar which was nice as the first time solo I had to face a wall (not as much fun). Ok now the food part: the oysters were supreme Galician oyster big and sweet (@ $4 each it's important they were good, Id say worth it). Tuna tartar was fantastic and the rabbit cooked in garlic and parsley although small was something you really chew off the bones and enjoy. House wine by the glass pairings were perfect, a very very fine experience. ( also their grilled cockles looked amazing, I/you? must try) read more

Great tapas at a reasonable price. The only issue is it gets very crowded and it's difficult to get a table. The food is very good and the scene is happening. It's one of our go to Barcelona spots and our favorite neighborhood restaurant. read more

Great food and not too expensive! Seafood is really good and the waiters are all really friendly. There was a problem with our reservation when we got there but they were really accommodating and served us right away. I would definitely recommend a reservation. read more

This place serves really fresh, wonderfully prepared seafood in an unexpected, unassuming part of town where you wouldn't be looking for a restaurant like this. I have to note that they had probably the best scallops that I've ever had. Cooked perfectly, simply prepared but completely delicious and satisfying. They have a very approachable and affordable wine list to pair with their menu. The staff is semi sporadic, sometimes you get things quickly and sometimes not. It's worth the wait but go with the mindset that you'll spend some time there. Another major bonus is that it is within walking distance of three of the hottest cocktail bars in Barcelona (Solange, Slow Barcelona, and Dry Martini). read more

Went there with a group of 4 there was a little bit of a wait but well worth it. We ordered a bunch of tapas and wine. Wine was great. The tapas well biggest muscles I have had in my life and so good scallops great calamari great potatoes with aoli great. Nothing not to like. read more

Not going to lie, I was a little let down by Paco Meralgo. Felt like the prices were a little egregious for the quality and portions, and it seemed like the restaurant's waiters were being pushed to the edge. The vibe of the whole place is one of controlled chaos - tables are stuck wherever possible, and wherever open space would be, there are people waiting for a table to open up. The whole thing creates a bit of claustrophobia, at least until you have a few drinks - then it just seems bustling! Service seemed disjointed, as we had 3-4 different waiters swinging by and none seemed to communicate with the one another. Additionally, one of the busboys dropped a platter of glasses (understandable given the crowds) and the nearby waiter RIPPED into him in front of the entire room full of customers. Overall, the food was pretty darn good - the cod "sashimi" with tomato was great, and the patatas bravas were as good as advertised - but a few were disappointing; for example, we got some scallops on the half-shell and they were comically tiny and over cooked (and at over 10 euros, it was even harder to swallow). Best pa amb tomaquet we had as well, though we had to ask for it a handful of times. Given how many quality tapas places there are, we'd probably not return to Paco Meralgo. If you end up there, you probably won't go home disappointed, but in my opinion not worth the hype. read more

A very memorable meal in Barcelona that I enjoyed probably more than the traditional tapas places we also ventured to. Seemed like there were more locals than tourists here (yey!) Highlights: 1) Fried spring onions with romesco sauce - simple but delicious. 2) Grilled shrimp- okay I know they serve this everywhere else in Spain but it tasted the most fresh here compared to the other places we visited. And the shrimp had their heads on!!! Oh Spain, I love you. You just..get it. 3) Cava Sangria - first time I had it with cava and there is no going back 4) *bonus* Pan in pan amb tomaquet was heated - yes I'm shallow but I believe this staple with the bread more warm tastes better. read more

We arrived at 3:30pm on a Friday and had to wait about 30 minutes to get a table. You can call ahead for reservations or they have an app for your phone so you can get directions and make a reservation so you won't have to wait. The restaurant closes from 4pm until 8pm and is open quite late. Paco Meralgo was recommended by a friend who studied in Barcelona and we were so grateful she shared this with us as our experience couldn't have been better. Service was excellent and food was truly amazing. We ordered the onion, olive and tomato salad, tuna salad with tomato and onion, tomato bread (a must), patas bravas, cod fritters, fried artichokes, garlic shrimp and black pepper filet. The black pepper filet was probably the best beef dish I have ever tasted. Do not miss this dish if you dine there. Everything was delicious and I think we insulted the wait staff when we asked for bread to make sure not a drop of deliciousness was left on our plates. read more

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

Fabulous sangria and tapas. Fried artichokes was tasty. Tuna carpaccio melts in your moth, grilled vegetables have more salt/pepper/olive than I was used to but it was a very pleasant surprise. Seating areas are crowding and not optimized. All in all, well worth a trip! read more

Stole my jacket. Terrible service. Great food but terrible service. Shame. Had a great time

A friend highly recommended this place and the interiors were chic and the tapas were certainly very good. I did not love the fact that it was mostly English speaking tourists there though as opposed to locals - and I was a solo traveler who was given a seat at a bar facing a brick wall, which felt a bit like I was dining in a Spanish prison (instead of being given a seat in the window or at one of the two actual bars) which would have made for a much nicer atmosphere so I truly wanted to get out of there as soon as possible (which was perhaps the idea as I was the only woman eating alone in the restaurant?) However, I was subjected to a complete SCAM where the waiter slammed down a bottle of water that I didn't order in front of me, opened it, and poured a small amount into a glass. I never ordered, nor wanted, this water and I didn't touch it. When the bill arrived - of course, there was a 3 euro ($4) charge for the water. I informed them that I didn't order it. The waiter claimed he heard me - and refused to acknowledge his error. Then another staff member came over and said she would ask the owner about removing the water from the bill - and she returned saying the owner refused to remove the charge because the bottle was open (not by me.) I pointed out that I never even had a sip of the water and they didn't care. Other nearby diners (all American) also found this to be ridiculous - but, the staff could care less. I would NEVER recommend anyone go here with practices like that. Why risk your reputation over 3 euros - but clearly, they wanted to add more money to the bill of a solo diner and to take advantage. Shame on them. read more