Bar style seating only. This gives you a great view of how your food is prepared and how fresh all the ingredients are. The seafood empanada was super seafood tasty mostly squid and the black insides scare you a bit but I liked it. The tortilla and manchego was super cheesy. The mackerel was very oily the garlic bits were soo delicious be careful as there may be bits of bones. The oxtail was delicious. read more

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Loving it, waited for an hour to get seated but the food and service totally worth it. read more

Barrafina - Spanish Near Me - London, XGL

Lively setting with everyone sitting around a common tapas bar. Great waitstaff. Fantastic food all round, especially the rice with squid ink and the catalana cream dessert. read more

Barrafina is everything I had been missing since I came back from a holiday in Barcelona, and this new restaurant is just as good as the other two. Food is simple, yet incredibly complex-tasting and cooked to perfection. The menu was carefully crafted to include everyone's Spanish favourites and is compelmented by an extensive "specials" board which are well worth a look. Is it expensive? Yes. But it's the best Spanish food you'll find in London and the food at Barrafina is well worth paying for. read more

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Barrafina is know as London 's best tapas . Drury Lane is less famous than the Michelin star one in Soho. There is a very limited spaced and you sit in the bar around the kitchen. So go in group of 2 or 3 only. The food is absolutely amazing that I enjoy every single dish. I had crotaques , azro negro, crab bun and chorizo tortilla. The only thing that putsme off is the arzo negro! Rice, sauce and squid were cooked perfectly but too salty.. Food is served very quickly as soon as you finish a dish the next one comes right next Worth the hype! read more

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Busy little spot with great tapas. We had to wait over half an hour to get an actual table but we were able to order a few tapas dishes while we waited so it wasn't so bad. Dishes were small and expensive (~£7) but very yummy. My favourite dish: the croquettes! All the seats surround the kitchen much like a sushi bar so you get to see all the chefs in action. A good place to carry out your weekly splurge. read more

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Barrafina fell short of expectation. Upon entering the restaurant, there is essentially a large bar which probably sits close to 20. The room is clean and lit well with white walls abound. I loved the fact that all the diners get to sit so close to the action. You can see all the cooks working at their various stations which is always a sight to see. While I am no expert when it comes to tapas, I found most of their dishes quite monotonous. We ordered quite a variety of dishes and found that they all had very similar flavors and textures. No dish really stood out except the soft shell crab with its play on an Asian classic that included soy and green onion. The "tortilla" was pushed hard to me by our server as one of their best dishes but I found it to be quite bland with its mushy potatoe filling and soft exterior. Other dishes we got included pork belly which lacked the melt-in-your-mouth texture we are used to and a fried tuna dish which tasted mostly like oil. The chicken croquetas were well executed and are worth getting. read more

So happy I got to get in!!! Like it a lot and would coke back if I had more time in london.

A stone's throw from our hotel, we walked over to Barrafina for a late dinner and were greeted and seated immediately. Stools wrap around a high bar and the place is full of charm and delightful smells. Tapas and wine menu are both extensive. Servers know their food and it helps if you speak Spanish and can get some inside tips. Everything we ordered was delicious and en pointe.The aubergine special had an amazing smoky flavor and was cooked to perfection. Pay attention to the specials on the small blackboard: those are fresh and change daily. Ham croquettes and tortilla deserve special mention, and dessert was a creamy custard-type cake drizzled with honey and nuts. Delish! You can't go wrong here! read more

This continuing from the review below because I ordered nearly the whole menu again... Crab bun One who loves a moist burger like me will just fall in love this bun. It was incredible, a bit messy but worth scooping every last drop with your finger afterwards. The bun was so soft and airy it moulded into the shape of your fingers, topped with poppy seeds for that sweet peppery edge. Filled inside was a thick generous filling of crab in its rich sticky buttery bisque packed full of flavour and seasoning just right. Classic tortilla I did asked for the chorizo but they misheard and delivered the classic instead. As incredible as the texture was with its moist firm outside eggy layer breaking into a thick yolky filling of soften onions and potatoes, it somewhat lacked depth and flavour. It did call for a stronger ingredient in there to add some excitement to it and I believe chorizo would have been a fine pairing. I was impress by the skill to create such a delicate dish but mixed in with all the more flavoursome dishes I had beforehand I wasn't as impressed as I thought I would be. Roast milk fed lamb Wasn't very happy with the cut we were given as the meat along the side of the rib was much more compact and dense making it more more dry and stringy as I had hope. However much to my preference was the crispy skin that had been grilled so nicely it in the josper grill that it had crisp in its fat making it incredibly moreish. The little thin layers of meat in between each bone was much more rewarding too being moist and tender but of course that itself is not worth the £18.80 we paid for a little bit of skin and meat Arroz con leche Something so simple like sweet chilled cinnamon in whole milk with rice was incredibly gratifying. Being quite thin and milky it was very light to enjoy, almost like a sweet soup and warming to the soul with the nutty spicy cinnamon. Cuajada This was another simple dish but also one that left me in awe. Similar to the texture of panna cotta but more natural being made of milk curd instead of gelatine and cream. It was incredibly creamy, subtle in flavour and gentle sweetened leaving room for the delicious thick chewy honeycomb to do the job. Being grainy, sticky and intense in its rich earthy sweetness, one little blob was enough to sweeten the whole dessert. Topped nicely with crunchy hazelnuts for that perfect contrast and nutty finish. There were a few dishes that really shone out in both quality and creativity in the kitchen however I didn't quite expect to enjoy it as less as I thought I would. I'm not sure if it was my taste preference or an off day. Don't get me wrong, the quality of the ingredients and cooking skills was definitely on par but I felt some dishes lacked depth or the combination of ingredients didn't quite match, overpowering some of the more delicate flavours. Their deep fried dishes are definitely their speciality though. Still I plan to visit another branch and see what the rest have to offer and what everyone is raving about read more

I was quite impressed by this Spanish tapas restaurant. We sat directly at the bar and ordered from these lovely, friendly servers. We had: - Oxtail - Deliciously tender, pull apart savory goodness. - Squid ink rice - full of flavor, creamy, a definite must. - Mackerel - Got a little bit difficult due to amount of small bones, but overall quite good. - Caesar lettuce - Almost like a tiny caesar salad in a lettuce leaf. Innovative and refreshing. Everything was flavorful and very delicious. They don't take reservations and I would recommend not going with a very large party. read more

Beautiful food that took me back to my adventures in Spain. The waiter was from Madrid and was super knowledgeable about the dishes. He recommended some dishes to us and we tried something from almost every category on the menu. The food is tapas style, so each dish is served when ready. Everything had tons of flavor, with my favorites being the tomato salad and the prawn and manchego tortilla. Honestly just order randomly off the menu and you can't go wrong. Our servor said the arroz negro was his absolute fav but we didn't like it as much. It's very seafood-y and messy to eat. Will turn your entire mouth black. The inside was crowded so we ate outside on the patio/terrace. Some dishes are pricier than others, like the ham, and overall it's on the pricier side but the quality of the food is there. read more

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Highlight dishes for me were the squid ink rice, which was delightful-rich & full of intense flavour and the caramelised French toast made with brioche, with a caramel sauce and crème fraîche ice cream-this dessert is SO good, it's worth just visiting for this alone! Note that Barrafina can be quite expensive though. read more

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Every dish was nicely presented. We love the atmosphere and the food there. However, husband said the red shrimp was not as fresh as we thought. The chicken wings are so delicious. The black ink risotto is so tasty. read more

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Delicious food (though a bit too much gristle on the small "entercote"), courteous service (especially appreciated an honest discussion about the wine list and the excellent by the glass recommendation), and an atmosphere that truly took me back to those happy study abroad days in Madrid. The prices are 100% London, not Madrid, but I still look forward to returning. read more

Great dinner! Loved the Spanish food! Bar seating. About 30+ pounds each. Recommend for dinner. read more

Barrafina - Spanish Near Me - London, XGL

Excellent food, drinks, dessert, and atmosphere. Wait staff is welcoming and friendly, attentive but not pushy. Definitely recommend a visit, and we would come again next time in London. read more

Barrafina - Baby lime trees all over the place! - Spanish Near Me - London, XGL

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This was a highlight of our trip of 10 days. Each dish was expertly prepared and I can't recall any complaints. Service was excellent, the food equally matched. We had the salmon tartare, veal tongue, lamb kidney and lamb sweetbreads. If you've never had any kind of this stuff because it's just too weird - but are curious - the veal tongue would be a good starter. My girlfriend is the offal fan, I'm just along for the ride. I would dissuade those not used to organ meat from trying the lamb kidney, but the veal tongue is really good, even if you don't like that kind of thing. The only complaint I had was the street beggars while sitting outside. But I suppose you can't do much there. This will be a must visit for us. read more

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Way too much salt on everything. Wine selection limited. Wouldn't go back and wouldn't recommend. The service was good, so they get two stars vs one star. read more

Fantastic experience at Barrafina. Very friendly staff. Original menu. Everything we tasted was delicious. We started with the Banderilla. This is a must have as is the Stuffed Courgette Flower. We also loved the chicken croquettes, cockles and the pork belly. We had the orange sorbet for dessert. So delicious. Would go back to experience everything else on the menu if we could! read more

Barrafina - Spanish Near Me - London, XGL

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My favorite restaurant in London! Without a doubt the best tapas in London. Inventive, fresh, fun and reasonably priced. I love this restaurant. Look for the blackboard specials and order out of your comfort zone for the best experience. A warning, it gets crowded and its small. Waits can be upwards of an hour but it's totally worth it. Have a drink and talk to the people waiting next to you. I've met some awesome people just waiting to eat. Everyone talks to everyone, it's that kind of place. There are two locations. The Soho location is the original and the better of the two, but you can't go wrong with either. Enjoy! read more

Great food but prepare to wait and be in a tiny place. The experience and the food however makes the wait and the space worth it. Not kid friendly. We got the prawns, the pan con tomate, the gem salad, the chipirones, we closed with the tart of the day that was an apple tart with ice cream. All the food was great. The experience of being in the barra makes it really cool. read more

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went out with colleagues a few months back, absolutely loved it! It was a Tuesday night and it was super busy, we were lucky to ger the table. Loved the raspberry ice cream and cake dessert! read more

Yup, amazing! Wonderful food, wonderful staff, wonderful ambiance. Go there, it's worth the wait. Enjoy every moment of it. This is great food and well worth the money. read more

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I came on the off chance the could seat me, as I'd been told its a must see, but they don't take bookings. It was pleasant enough, I had to wait half an hour to be seated but i was prepared for that! The staff were accommodating and squeezed me in round the kitchen bar area (no actual tables so you can watch the food being made). They had a large selection of tapas on the menu - not a great wine list however. Half of the specials board had sold out which was a shame, and it wasn't too late...only 9pm once I'd sat down. The food itself was delicious and very well presented, but I think my main complaint is that I left £40+ lighter, feeling like I could sill eat! read more

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An unforgettable, world class dining experience. With three top rated locations in London, Barrafina is an institution that prides itself on utilizing only the highest quality seasonal ingredients every day. The interior at this location in Covent Garden is elegant without being pretentious, with all seating situated in an L-shaped bar. The open kitchen allows you to watch the chefs work, and admire the displays of fresh vegetables and seafood that they work with. Great selection of Spanish wines, sherries, and Cavas. There are several vegan options on the menu, but be sure to ask your server about vegan specials, as they change daily. We started with wine and appetizers. I love that you can order as you go here, and try a variety of smaller plates. I got the Pan Con Tomate and the Padron peppers, both of which were expertly prepared traditional Spanish tapas. My favorite dish was one from the daily specials board-a Grilled Cabbage with Romesco sauce, made vegan without cheese. Roasted Marcona almonds, red peppers, tomato, and hazelnuts are blended to create a rich, earthy base for the tender cabbage. Do not skip dessert! We shared the Orange Sorbet, which was the best version of this dessert I have ever eaten. Served in a hollowed out orange, the freshly squeezed flavors were striking, packed with zest, and the perfect level of sweetness. The staff here are all lovely and very accommodating. I look forward to returning the next time I am in London. read more

This was one of my favorite Spanish tapas spot in London. First off, I love Spanish tapas so i try to find the best one in every city I go. Barrafina serves traditional style tapas and every dish I got was spectacular. The flavors were bold, presentation was simple and clean and service was good. I really have nothing to complain. Its comfort food for me. Highlight: 1. Squid ink rice 2. Corn fed chicken 3. Sangria read more

Muy bueno! No disappointments here! American diner style seating, and true Spanish style tapas. We stumbled on this place post theatre- open til 11- so we didn't wait for a seat, but the place was still hoppin'. 100% worth a wait tho... deelish! read more

This is probably the best gourmet Spanish I have ever had in my life, the place is small but while you are waiting for your table you can order wine and starters. A must go while in visiting London. read more

Grilled octopus is awesome. Real tapas joint with the right accompanying manzanilla and hildaljo Barrafina is one block from the Royal Opera House and serves magnificent food at an L shaped bar with ~ 15 seats. Take one of those barstools and enjoy cold meats, seafood and dessert. Avoid the legion of tourist trap pizza parlors. read more

The food here is rightfully respected as superior. Enjoy creative Spanish fare, with a regard for high quality and creativity. Be adventurous, the unknown is often the best. read more

Such a fun place! Sit at the counter and watch the cooking! Friendly and helpful staff. Food is amazing! The octopus is the best I have had anywhere. Everything we ordered was wonderful and presented beautifully. Would highly recommend. read more

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Fantastic food! Staff is friendly and they're fun to watch, but it was such an enjoyable experience. A gem for sure!

After knowing they opened this new location near my uni, I was so excited to eat Barrafina like everyday. I took my family friends over for dinner, but this location has really bad food compare to all other locations that I went (I tried all other locations various times, and they were all really good). We had some extremely salty tortilla, fishes, and other weird stuffs... So we ended up going somewhere else afterwards for food... read more

Amazing tapas experience, with great food, service, and more great food! Since it was our first time, our server described nearly every item on the menu patiently and enthusiastically, and told us when to stop ordering so that we have just the right amount to eat. Everything, literally everything, was delicious and fresh. We got there early enough around 6 and waited around half hour prior to securing a seat for two. By the time we left around 730, the line was winding around the periphery of the inside of the restaurant and the outside area was also jam packed. I'd say well worth the wait. read more

Absolutely brilliant. The only thing I am not so keen is u need to wait for ur friends then to be seats. However as they only have limited seats it show the equality. I enjoyed it. read more

We had just arrived in London after a very long train ride from Inverness. After checking into our hotel my wife and I needed to get out and have some dinner. We hadn't scouted the area nor had we planned any dinner reservations. As is now my usual, I consulted Yelp within a mile radius and looked for reviews. In this manner we decided to head to Barrafina. We were fairly early for dinner and so we were easily able to get a couple of seats at the bar. I guess I wasn't paying too much attention to the reviews, but I hadn't realized this was a tapas bar. I know this sounds pretty stupid as in retrospect this should have been pretty obvious. So in my tired and anxious state I felt pretty overwhelmed with the bustle of the restaurant and the fact that I wasn't sure how to navigate through the menu. This is where the service shone. Our serve was very polite and walked us through the menu and guided us through ordering an appropriate amount of food. To the more sophisticated diner this may seem a silly point but I really don't enjoy going to a new restaurant and feeling like an idiot who doesn't belong. So on that point kudos to the staff for their polite patience. The food was simply fantastic. Every course was a treasure. Having got the hang of the place we just kept on ordering, enjoying more and more of what the kitchen had in store for us. I particularly enjoyed watching the food preparation in front of us as it gave us the entertainment for the evening. We ended the meal with the cheese tray accompanied by a glass of Sherry. I would definitely go back and in writing this think I just may before we fly home. read more

I recommend this place for locals and visitors alike. The food, service, and ambiance is wonderful. Fantastic flavors and options. I can't wait to come back. A great place to go before or after the theater in the West End. Worth the stop. read more

After 4 days of British food I needed a change. A friend has recommended this place and when I was thinking about what to do for lunch I happened to be in front of it. I was one of the first people in when they opened and grabbed a stool. It's only counter seating which a lot of the food prepared in front of you. The staff was very kind and informative. I ordered the Mediterranean prawns which were grilled while and excellent. The grilled leeks were good and in a vinegar sauce. The arroz negro was great. A large portion with a lot of squid. It had a large dollop of aioli which it didn't need. It was a tad too oily but very good. I recommend if you need a change of pace from British cuisine. read more

This place is Fkg amazing. Having enjoyed some of the best tapas in Barcelona I am comfortable saying this. The food was imaginative and delicious but the the staff puts it over the top. No dish left us less than impressed. But our server, Joel, acted as sommelier, giving us the perfect experience. We cannot wait to return. Enough said. read more