Absolutely disappointing experience, mainly because of how we were handled by the manager, Rudy. We clearly told him what we wanted to order, but instead of respecting that, he pushed a "special" dish on us, insisting we had to try it. Naturally, we assumed it would be priced like a normal appetizer. Turns out, it was charged like a full main course, for what was essentially a small portion of fish. There was zero transparency about the price, and it honestly felt misleading. If you're going to upsell something, at least be upfront about what it costs. This wasn't just a suggestion, it felt like we were steered into ordering something overpriced without proper explanation. The food itself was nothing special to justify the price, which made the whole situation worse. Overall, not a great experience. Be very careful when taking recommendations here, especially from Rudy,ask for prices clearly before agreeing to anything. read more

Botafumeiro - Apetizer that we didn't asked for - Seafood Near Me - Barcelona, BCN

The service & seafood selection was great, but the real star of the show was the gazpacho. While a good dinner, I think you can find equal quality food in Barcelona for a much better price point. Positives: cocktails, date night, fine dining, good music, great service, late night, live music, romantic, sharing, visitors Negatives: expensive, overpriced read more

Great seafood spot. Bernard our server provided great service. The ambiance is warm & welcoming. We would go back. White sangria is made with champagne. read more

If you're in Barcelona and craving a high-end seafood experience, Botafumeiro is worth the splurge. Located in Gràcia, this legendary restaurant has been serving top-quality seafood since 1975, making it a favorite among locals, tourists, and celebrities alike. With classic, old-school charm, the restaurant features fresh seafood tanks, crisp white tablecloths, and nautical decor, evoking the feel of a classic seafood house. Live musicians enhance the ambiance, serenading guests as they dine. Reservations are a must, as wait times can exceed an hour. Renowned for its ultra-fresh seafood flown in daily from Galicia, here's some of the things we ordered: Pulpo a Feira - tender Galician-style octopus with olive oil and paprika Seafood Platter - a lavish spread of lobster, prawns, crab, razor clams, and oysters Lobster Paella - rich, aromatic, and bursting with flavor Fresh Clams and grilled calamari While Botafumeiro is not cheap, it delivers top-tier fresh seafood and an unforgettable dining experience. Whether for a special occasion, business dinner, or pure indulgence, it's Barcelona's seafood at its finest. read more

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My family and I decided to try this place for lunch yesterday. Our taxi driver recommended this place and we decided to try it out. From the moment we walked in, we were in awe of the amazing ambiance and seafood display. Definitely a high end restaurant and we were in our "tourist attire". Nonetheless we decided to give it a try. The food was amazing and service was excellent. The reason I am giving this place a two star review has to do with two major things: 1) They charged me for still water which is ridiculous. They don't charge us for water anywhere. 2) The waiter had the audacity to insist on a tip when he brought the bill. Now if I was back home in the U.S., I would be fine with that but there is no tipping in Spain and this restaurant is taking advantage of tourists and allowing their staff to ask for a tip. This is definitely a low class act for such a high class restaurant. Not happy. Beware of this tactic.... read more

The service was great and the food was really good! Very cute restaurant. I'll be back to visit again.

Botafumeiro is a place that I needed in my life. Let me tell you when I knew the food was going to be ridiculous. It wasn't after I looked at the reviews, it wasn't when I looked at the beautiful exterior or interior of the restaurant. I knew the food was going to be insane when I saw a photo of Beyonce on the wall eating here. If the queen pulled up I know the food is stupendous. Staff was extremely friendly and everyone spoke English which made things a lot easier for me. I saw everyone raving about the Baked Crab so of course I had to snatch that up. Everything was fantastic but the things that stood out the most was the Crab Legs, Spiny Lobster, Baked Crab, and Octopus. Actually the Octopus was one of the most tender I've ever had in my life. It actually melts in your mouth, not much chewing needed at all. Botafumeiro is doing some really amazing things and I'm very happy to be able to get a reservation before I left Spain. I'll be back literally EVERY time I'm in Barcelona no question. read more

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My hotel recommended this restaurant. I will be sure to share my experience. I love exploring restaurants when I travel: trying the local and traditional dishes. The wait staff was condescending and quite rude when I asked questions. The waitress/server made a comment about the prices as if I couldn't afford the options. Not the case... The table next to me was treated well- clearly locals and fluent Spanish speakers. Funny, I understood them quite well. They doted on the tables next to me. I was choking and they didn't help or pour me more water... I had to get my own... came right over and additional wine and water for the table right next to me. Back to me... Too many similar incidents to list them all. They showed both of the tables next to me the dessert tray & described what they were. She abruptly dropped the tray on my table and walked away. I have never seen a dessert tray plopped on a table a left that way. A different man came by and asked what I wanted- and then rolled his eyes when I asked him what the items were. The lead brought my bill- no words. The last two weeks I have eaten at the best restaurants in Paris and Florence. I know fine dining and quality service. The Botafumeiro staff treated me as if I was beneath them. The waitstaff... I am incredibly respectful and kind to everyone in the service industry. But, to be treated as if I was less than them... I have never been treated as I was at this establishment. I'm not going to mention the food. It was good - overpriced for the experience that Fine restaurant should deliver: I honestly expected to pay twice as much for a meal with wine. It was more than uncomfortable. I would never recommend this restaurant- too many excellent choices with a kind, professional staff. read more

Was at the restaurant 7 years ago and was blown away. Not so much any more. Waited seemed to be checked out.. not interested in offering suggestions. Basically said this is seafood, eat what you want and how you want it prepared. Maybe true.. but some suggestions of popular or delicious options would be helpful. He was more helpful to a large party of 8 and 6 who came in 1 hour after us. Also helpful to locals. Did not appear interested in visitors from other countries. Had seafood soup that I had 7 years ago. Very good, but maybe a little over salted. Oysters good, but muscles still attached (usually are detached to allow eating easily from shell). Paella good , but overly salty. Tuna tataki very good Had to ask for water refills over and over (got very thirsty with all the salt). Unsure of how billing occurred... but charged for appetizer of pickles and bread that we did not ask for. (16 euro for 3 people... ridiculous) Had previously recommended to many others. Unfortunately will not recommend again. Seems like interest is locals and the bottom line. Good but not great. Lost its way in my opinion. read more

Excellent - Sophisticated environment, with 5 star staff and FOOD!! Our waiter, Johnathan was the most professional servers ever! Explained the menu and showed us finished dishes when possible. Recommended every aspect to our dinner and it was perfect. Encourage you to go, it was one of the best experiences all around - from a 'foodie critic' D/M Hibbard read more

Absolutely a most wonderful restaurant! Great space and very traditional decor. Wonderful staff - professional, fast and ready to help. The food is OUT of the WORLD - the paella (seafood and lobster ones are exceptional) - and the wine choices pair wonderfully! Highly highly recommend. Visit at least once every single time I am in the city. read more

My friend and I treated ourselves to a fancy lunch here after a morning at Park Guell and it was sooo worth it. We shared the seafood platter for two and it was definitely too much food for the both of us. We had asked the waiter if it was enough food while we were ordering, and we're so thankful he did not pressure us to order more. At the end of the meal, they brought a platter of desserts for us to pick, but we were so full we could barely eat anything more. The interior of the restaurant is filled with pictures of famous people (politicians, celebrities etc) who have eaten here.If you're looking to splurge on an amazing seafood meal, this is definitely the place! read more

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Food was amazing, service was amazing... It was a great way to start our Spain trip. Highly recommend.

This restaurant was recommended by the front desk of our hotel. We were not disappointed. We had the grilled octopus. Which was tender & absolutely delicious. We ordered 1/2 dozen oysters. They came with a red onion mignonette that totally complimented the briny bivalves. For dinner we all opted for the paella which was chock full of seafood. The paella rice was cooked perfectly. Dessert was a chocolate lava cake & a chocolate raspberry cake. Both were dense & decadent. Overall great fine dining experience. read more

El mejor pulpo a las brasas que he probado en mi vida. Los canelones de mariscos fuera de serie, comiendo con los ojos cerrados, no dando crédito de lo espectacular de cada platillo. El lugar hermoso, elegante y único. read more

Botafumeiro - Pulpo a las brasas - Seafood Near Me - Barcelona, BCN

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Would have given 5 stars but tonight was just unusually sub par. We started with the caviar. The blinis were served first. The caviar followed a few minutes after and 5 minutes after the cream and onions. By then blinis were old they serve red our paella before even clearing the caviar service. They were just doing several hints off. Wine buckets were next to people who weren't dressed bling it etc. Just off. I'll check me back. But if off again, they are not irovifinh the service you're paying for read more

Amazing! This place was highly, highly recommended, and an iconic place and we're so glad that we checked it out on our last day in Barcelona. The food and service are excellent and it's a great overall experience. Will definitely come back! read more

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Tourist trap! Tourist trap ! Run. We were recommended to this restaurant by our Hotel Majestic concierge. We arrived and were taken to the rear of the restaurant. This is definitely sea food restaurant with nautical themes throughout. We were asked if we wanted Apéritifs and said are these cocktails ? And we're told no. So when we went to order the starters we were told, nah I don't do the food, just drinks. So I asked again: "do you do cocktails?" and I was told no. We ordered the appetizers: shrimp, octopus and cod croquettes. Mind you all the plates were really good hence the 2 stars. We asked for an Albariño--and it was not carried. We were given a substitute. We then asked for a paella without mussels. The maitre'd agreed as all paellas are custom made. We advised that my daughter was allergic to mussels but really wanted a paella. As he walked away, I saw cocktails being delivered to the table next to mine. Hmmm. My daughter's paella arrived with the mussels. I-told her to take it away and she then proceeded to remove the mussels and return the plate and between that and the cocktails I lost it. I asked for the manager and another waitress came out. They returned the paella. My black ink paella had undercooked rice. Then the bill came. It was a shocker! Just stay away. It's a disappointment. read more

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Old school, fancy ambiance, nice decor, formal vibe and all that. Reading the other reviews my guess is this: build rapport with your server early. Also, don't be in a rush. We did both, had a great guide through the menu (i.e., our server), ended up ordering some great dishes, and they even made a thing or two off-menu to appease one of our pickier eaters. I'd come here any day for fine dining, fresh seafood, and what I think is a pretty authentic Spanish experience. read more

The waitstaff is exceptional. We enjoyed the sea snails and our desserts. However, the traditional paella was disappointing. Beautiful restaurant. We enjoyed our dinner more last night at a fraction of the price. read more

Recommended by another restaurant. Simply the best experience to far. Excellent meal and drinks. Expensive but worth it. Seafood and sangria was the best so far in Barcelona read more

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Fantastic is the only word I can use the describe our total experience. Mustafa was an excellent server. His expertise comes with over 20 years at Botafumeiro. We highly recommend the seafood paella and hake. Mustafa chose an excellent wine. read more

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They would have received a 5 star except 1) we ordered regular water and were charged 3 bottles of water at$7 each. We drank 3 cups of water 2)we were charged $16.50 euros for a basket of cracker or bread 3)lobster was $195 euros 4)very overpriced Now the good 1)staff and waiters very good 2)food was very good we had steak and lobster can't vouch for anything else Overall the experience was good but very overpriced dinner for 2 with no appetizer and 1 drink each was $380 euros. The value not there but experience was. Good for a one time thing It's a tourist trap and they know you are a tourist if you don't speak the language so double check the check read more

Amazing restaurant. Came highly recommended by my hotel for its seafood and it did not disappoint. I had the black paella with lobster which was spectacular. read more

Botafumeiro - Black paella with lobster. - Seafood Near Me - Barcelona, BCN

The decor and ambiance is upscale. The service was so-so: no explanation was given on what we should order and how much to order-we ended up (upon the advice of the server) ordering WAY TOO MUCH! This definitely left a bad taste in our mouths. She should have told us to order a lot less. Ended up taking half (no kidding) of our meal home. The food was average-the pork was very salty, the octopus was really mushy. The seafood was good but they should clean the "shit and sand" from the shrimps. It was a decent dining experience but for the price, I'm questioning the value. Felt like we went into a tourist trap. Falls under the category of been there, done that, next..... Maybe if we ordered the right quantity, we would have enjoyed the experience more. read more

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The seafood was so good. The portion sizes were superb and the meal was tasty. I can honestly say that every bite was fulfilling. If you go to Barcelona, Spain you got to try out the restaurant "Botafumeiro". Bon Appetit! read more

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The absolute best meal in Barcelona. The food is incredible, the service impeccable and the ambience was ideal. Even on a Tuesday evening the place was packed and the service still did not miss a step. They are extremely kid friendly and the owner chef Moncho Neira even made a table side visit. If you love seafood and want a warm and enjoyable evening, this is a must for your plans. read more

This was one of the best restaurants we ate at in a 2 week, 6 country trip. My family loved the food and the service. Would definitely go back. read more

Botafumeiro - Seafood Near Me - Barcelona, BCN

Food was awful. Paella dry no taste and burnt on the bottom. Grilled sea bass felt boiled with a flavorless mushroom sauce which drowned the fish. Highly disappointing to say the least. read more

I had high expectations based on feedback from others and they exceeded my expectations! The food, service, and atmosphere were above great! I can't praise this place enough. You should definitely visit this place if you're in Barcelona! read more

The setting was nice and everyone on staff looked dressed to work on "The Love Boat" which isn't necessarily a bad thing for a seafood restaurant. The paella was good as was the crab appetizer. The fish was cooked well but not very flavorful. The other food we ate was average as well. Some things we did not like: 1) my wife ordered the paella which (understandably) takes longer to cook. What we weren't expecting is that the fish I ordered for dinner came out at least 10 minutes after followed by another 5-10 minute wait for my daughter's food. Felt like we were eating in shifts. 2) the small bottle of coke and bottled waters were over 6 euro each 3) 15 euro for a basket of bread that we did not order and ate very little of (it was automatically brought to the table without our consent) 4) when they brought the dessert tray around, we kindly declined but the servers seemed offended and borderline upset by us doing so The atmosphere was nice and it seems like a very romantic place to have dinner but I cannot recommend it based on our experience with the food and our overall experience. read more

A bit of an overdue review. Exceptional service! Quite an iconic and historical place with important figures and celebrities from numerous different countries, from world leaders to movie stars. You can see proof of all these notable guests with autographed photographs decorated along all the walls in the restaurant. The interior of the restaurant takes you back to a decadent era, with gold colored and themed decorations, making you feel like royalty. It is a big space, and can get loud. It's a great place to go to for birthdays-- a table was celebrating a birthday and the servers and other tables began singing and celebrating with a song. The food was great with a most definite focus on the seafood they had on display as you walk in. Presentation perhaps was a bit lacking with my fish, but that was compensated with their dessert presentation!! Overall a place you have to visit if you're in the area; it's simply an iconic establishment. read more

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This old school style restaurant, with waiters sporting tuxedos, is known for its seafood. It definitely has a fun, lively vibe as it was jammed pack on a weeknight, with mostly tourists, it seemed, but some locals, as well. Keep in mind, however, that there's absolutely no modern flair to the restaurant whatsoever, just plain old school all the way. I would liken it to The House of Prime Rib in San Francisco, but with seafood instead. Clearly, the most popular dish is the cold assortment of seafood platters (gigantic lobsters, jumbo sized prawns, oysters, crab, etc.) They are ridiculously huge, but that's what served on about 90 percent of the tables. We opted for the fish instead, as we heard they were well known for their wild fish. Hubby got the hake, and I got the sea bream. Both simply, but excellently prepared. So flaky and moist! Probably some of the best fish we've ever had, at about $45.00 per person, which are prices no different than a high end San Francisco venue like Boulevard. Note that we were charged about an additional $5.00 for bread, potato chips and olives that were brought to the table, that we did not request. Apparently, these are brought out to all the tables. Personally, I think we should've been asked in advance if we wanted them or not, and informed of the additional charge as well. This has happened to us in other restaurants in Barcelona, but certainly wouldn't go over well in the States. I'm not sure if this is standard practice in Barcelona, or whether we were wearing tourist stickers on our forehead, unbeknownst to us. Service was very good and friendly, until they got really busy, in which case it took a good while to even get the check. I'm glad we came to Botafumeiro, and if I resided in Barcelona, I'd return. However, as a visitor, I'd probably venture trying out one of the other many many wonderful restaurants that Barcelona has to offer instead. read more

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Food was outstanding as was the service. Unfortunately it was very crowded and terribly hot in the dining room area.

My wife and I went to Botafumeiro for dinner on on Christmas Day, our first night in Barcelona. We placed the reservation online approximately five weeks in advance and I'm glad we did because the place was completely packed. Botafumeiro is an older restaurant and it's decor is classic. However, some of the rooms are dated and could use some upgrades. The restaurant is gigantic - the main dining area is a big space in the middle of the restaurant, there are smaller individual rooms towards the back, and small two-seater tables along the wall by the entrance. The foot traffic was insane - waiters and busboys rushing by at a mile a minute. The front of the restaurant would have been an awful place to sit and I am grateful we were seated at smaller, quieter, more private dining room at the back. We researched the restaurant online weeks ahead of time and already knew what we were going to get - the cold seafood platter for two. We ended getting a bottle of wine as well. The platter was absolutely massive and would have been better suited for a group of three or four. The seafood was fresh and there was a ton of variety. I don't know how we did it but we ended up devouring every last morsel of food and still managed to have a bit of space left for dessert. The service was exceptional and our waiter was professional, friendly and attentive. We must have spent three hours there. It was an extremely fun night and one of the most enjoyable dining experiences I've ever had. It was a great introduction to Barcelona. Botafumeiro is an iconic seafood restaurant. If you are lucky enough to find yourself in Barcelona, you have to check it out. Four stars. read more

Botafumeiro - Cold seafood platter for two - Seafood Near Me - Barcelona, BCN

We came here on a recommendation from our hotel. I would not necessarily recommend coming here for a full meal, as we found the majority of our dishes overcooked or lacking flavor, but perhaps for a drink and a snack, as as our experience at the restaurant was highly entertaining. Service was more reminiscent of a family-owned Italian restaurant in New York than a seafood spot in Barcelona, with highly animated and quite familiar though formal service, as well as what seemed, anyway, like well-tolerated ongoing chastising of management to servers on how quickly dishes are delivered or plates cleared. When we were ready to go, our server had disappeared and no one else was able to close out our tab in his absence - when he returned though (literally 20 to 30 minute later), he was highly apologetic and provided a generous discount. read more

This is one of those restaurants that's historic and has a list of well known clientele (e.g. Juan Carlos). Thus, it's a bit of a tourist trap. Although the service was fine (but it does seem to help very much if you are fluent in Spanish), but the food was a rip off. Small portions and not cooked all that great with very high prices. read more

Wonderful food in a bustling atmosphere. Our waiter took exceptional care of us and seemed genuinely happy to serve. This was our first trip to Barcelona and our first night out. What a lovely, fine dining experience. read more

Botafumeiro - Entrance. - Seafood Near Me - Barcelona, BCN

Sadly, our least favorite dining experience in Barcelona. Our waitress (section captain I believe she said?) was more interested in moving us along than providing a memorable evening. In fact, the least hospitable service of all our local dining. The decor is decidedly old-school with paneling, brass sconces, photos of visiting celebs, etc. so to be honest, you might be dining in any big city. Decent, but uninspired appetizers. (We love tomato bread, but had much better renditions elsewhere.) Still, you come for the seafood and yes, that platter delivered. read more

Botafumeiro - Seafood Near Me - Barcelona, BCN

had the seafood paella with lobster and spider crab Great seafood spot in Barcelona! We had stayed in Barcelona for about 6 days and this is the best paella we have had. Ambiance/Service: The service is absolutely wonderful and the place is very fancy with a nice comfort and upscale vibe. The staff are extremely nice and helped us with anything we had questions on. Food/Drinks: The seafood paella w/ lobster was the best paella we have ever had. We also went all out with two different crabs. We had never had spider crab before, so that was a fun treat. It was very good, but I would still go for the dungeness crab. Definitely check this place out if you are looking for a nice seafood restaurant. read more