I love this place for the nostalgia. Came many years ago with my husband and sat at the bar. I just remembered the best ambience and food, so simple but incredibly delicious. So when we came back to Barcelona, this time with our kids, I made it a point to return. I was able to make a lunch reservation and they sit you at a table in the back... wasn't the same as I remembered all around but still decent to good. Our waiter was great and made some good recommendations. The favorite was the razor clams- the first time we ever had being at cal pep, but the cockles and mussels were disappointing. I remember them being amazing the first time I had. Everything else was pretty ok. Had we sat at the bar again perhaps it would've been better meal and I recommend that to anyone that comes here that the bar seating is a must. Just a better and livelier experience where you see them making the food etc. overall glad I came back but left a touch disappointed. read more

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Reservations a must. Some of the best food in town, so popular. Make your reservation and go.

They might take reservations but we were unable to get one. We stood on line waiting for them to open and were able to secure a table outside. We ordered a great bottle of Rose Cava for the table. There's no menu. You can tell them if you have allergies or sensitivities but then they bring what's fresh that day. Delicious. The clams, tortilla, octopus, monkfish, artichokes, and dessert was all amazing. I'm so glad we finally made it to this restaurant. read more

My wife and I came here as we live in the city and walked by and noticed there was no line (which is rare). I will start by saying I know that this place is very touristy and the showmanship of sitting at the bar and being told what to order is part of the experience. If you're visiting this is something you'll remember I just wasn't personally a fan. We ordered a number of things, clams, calamari/ sardines, sausage, peppers, egg and beers. Everything was fine, I just wouldn't wait in line for it. Given the location and that it's touristic I understand the higher than average pricing however you're paying for the show and experience. read more

Wow what an incredible tapas experience. We got there around 8pm on a rainy Thursday evening and were quickly seated in the back section of the restaurant since the bar was filled up. Our waiter was attentive and gave us great recommendations as to what we should order. We ended up getting: -tuna montaditos -mushrooms -pork sausage (not pictured) -tomato bread (not pictured) -a local Tempranillo wine Everything was delicious, but we unfortunately over ordered so we could not finish the pork sausage. They don't have a physical food menu, as the menu is based on whatever produce they receive from the market daily. Overall a great option for food in Barcelona, and definí worth a stop! :) read more

Cal Pep - Tuna montaditos - Mediterranean Near Me - Barcelona, B

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Best "local" place we ate at in Barcelona. Food was delicious! Very warm and friendly service. Sit at the bar and make new friends. We met locals who gave us further amazing recommendations for dining. I would definitely go heavy on the seafood. It was all excellent. read more

Great atmosphere , even better food. Sitting up at the bar is the experience. Be open to no menu and experimenting with the unknown. Can't speak of reserved table sitting and what that experience has to offer. Without a doubt Cal Pep is a most!!! read more

Best tapas in Barcelona! Outstanding service! Highly recommend. Definitely a favorite!

Honestly. This place is an EXPERIENCE. There's no way to even begin to explain Cal Pep without getting to the intrigue of the meal. You walk in to a bar-looking spot. Pretty casual. We waited online (along the inside of restaurant, kinda stuffy) for about 50 minutes until it was our turn and we took 2 spots at the bar. We were also offered a glass of wine while we waited. After we sat, they asked us what we liked/didn't like to eat, as there was no menu. So. exciting. We told them we wanted what they loved & they really pulled through with that inconspicuous delivery! We started with some delicious and crunchy pan con tomate, then something spectacular. I'm not the biiiggest fan of tortilla española but this was hands down the best, most flavourful & melt in ur mouth one i have ever tried. Next we had incredible fried alcochofas & the baby clams. Never had baby clams before and they were so so so flavourful and pleasant. Next up, best tuna tartare I have ever had in my life!!!! Increeeedible quality of the tuna was so yummy. Finally, a delish piece of steak The steak was the only thing that startled me on the bill, being ~16€ for what looked like little end pieces but overall an incredible meal! read more

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This was by far my favorite restaurant out of the entire #europe2017 trip! It's fun, it's different, and recommended to me by a local from Madrid so I didn't have to worry about it being a tourist trap! What I love most about this place is that there is no menu. That's right, you have to know your tapas well. So I went the obvious route and pointed at pictures of food from yelp. Happy to say that all were fantastic. They had the best razor claim and Spanish tortilla dish out of the other 5 tapas restaurant I tried. I highly recommend this place if you're looking for great tasting tapas with a true Spaniard experience. Fantastic el born location too so plenty of nightlife for after dinner fun. read more

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We went to Cal Pep because a friend recommended it and we had the best time! Not only is the food superb--to the point where we'd be eating so fast to get as many delicious bites in that we wouldn't talk for a whole course--it is an absolutely unique dining experience. It felt like true Barcelona tapas. You sit at the bar and the staff, who are all mischievously fun and put on quite a show, bring you dishes based on your likes/dislikes. You don't pick, they do it for you. Over the course of our meal we enjoyed: -Clams with little bits of ham - The staff demonstrated how to eat them (lift with your fingers and suck the clam out of the shell) which helped us feel less self-conscious about literally inhaling this plate. The juice was so perfectly salty and good we were dipping both tomato bread and fried artichokes in it to get every last bit. -Tomato bread - Iconic and delicious -Fried artichokes - Tasty and well seasoned -The best omelette I've ever had - I don't know how they get their omelette to have the low and slow type egg texture but wow! This was one of the 'No Talking' courses unless we were just humming as we ate. -Fresh fish and potatoes - I'm a sucker for restaurants that bring over the whole cooked fish and then portion it out on your plates. I first had that when I was in Cinque Terre and was so blown away by it. Anytime it has happened since then it's like I'm in culinary heaven. Cal Pep was no different. The fish was perfectly cooked and I loved the potatoes. Just delish. -Perfectly cooked and seasoned steak - This was our last savory plate and I was hoping all night that we'd get their take on steak. It was perfectly seasoned, just the right amount of salt, and beautifully medium rare in the middle. I'm a steak fan and this was like a fantasy plate. -Cafe con leche with pastry -I also drank a few Damm Lemon beers and now have a new favorite which I search for in NY anytime I'm where beer is sold. God, it was all just so good. I want to go back! If you are in Barcelona, find your way to Cal Pep. It's an experience not to be missed! read more

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Great Restaurante Come with patience because you would probably stand in line but it's worth it read more

We were very enthusiastic about our reservation here. Somehow, the whole experience didn't quite live up to our expectations. Our server was very nice. He explained upon our arrival that he wanted to know any allergies. Then said there is no menu. The kitchen would chose seven things to bring out to our group of seven people. We did not choose a prix fixe menu arrangement. He did not ask any likes/dislikes. The items they brought out were: 2 plates of tomato bread with ham, 2 plates of fried artichokes, 2 omelets, 2 plates with a round of tuna tartare, 2 plates of 12 small clams, 1 plate of sauteed fish, and one plate of sauteed steak strips. We would not have ordered the omelets or artichokes. Four people in our group didn't eat the tartare and the clams. The plate of steak and fish was very small...not even enough for each people to have one piece. We were charged a price for each item,, not knowing ahead of time the prices for each thing so we didn't know if we were charged correctly or not. Foodwise, the steak, fish, and ham were very good...just there wasn't much of them. The only complaint about taste was the tuna tartare...it didn't taste very fresh. Timewise, there was a lot of waiting between plates coming out. Sorry but we thought it would be better. read more

After traveling around Europe for a month we were on our last night in Barcelona and wanted to go somewhere special and had heard nothing but great things about Cal Pep. We arrived a few minutes after 7:30 and were seated around 8:45. Seems like a long time to wait for two seats at the bar, but it was worth it. Side not; if you want a table, call and make a reservation. But for the two of us the bar was perfect. There were no menu's so they started off by asking if we had any allergy's, or there was something we weren't to keen on. We had seen pretty much everything they were serving at that point and wanted to try a little bit of everything. We started off with a bottle of pinot grigio, roasted artichoke hearts, poblano peppers, clams and oysters. They then brought us the main course; tartare, octopus and sea bass. Everything we ate was amazing, but my favorite dish by far was the sea bass. They cooked it in this garlic olive oil that was to die for. It was a truly great experience! The food is out of this world, the service was so much fun, they would come by and joke with you as you were waiting. Just a terrific atmosphere and awesome last night in Barcelona. read more

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My friend and I had gotten multiple recommendations to eat here and it definitely did not disappoint. We came and waited in line for about 45 minutes or so but knew what we were getting ourselves into based on people's recs and reviews. We finally got a spot at the bar (you can grab drinks while you wait). The chefs come up and ask what you like and what you don't like and basically prepare a feast for you! This was a super unique experience in Barcelona and we really loved every minute of it. The service was fabulous and the food was amazing! Definitely check it out if you're in Barcelona. read more

Waters were rude. Cute blonds to the right and left got grilled octopus and tuna tartare. He gave me bread and potatoes and tiny baby mussels that had no meat. When we refused the next dish that had more potatoes they sat around discussing in spanish with enough hand gestures to indicate potatoes make you fat. If you're going to run a restaurant with no menu, at least be consistent in the quality and type of food you're serving. To the waiter...you're older like like me. If you want to set a precedent for only paying attention ti the young and beautiful....we!'ll I'll wait for karma to get you back. read more

The fact that this place doesn't give you a menu can be somewhat worrisome. Hit or miss. In our case, it was a pretty spot-on. There are three ways to order: 1) Ask for recommendations 2) Tell them what you don't eat 3) Look at your neighbor and order whatever they did. We did all three! Accommodating staff and delicious food comes quickly! Except the part when we ordered our like fourth beer, and it took froever for it to come. All you have to do is (most likely) wait 40 minutes online before getting seated, pray you get a bar seat (cause it's awesome) and not a table seat in another room, and nom nom nom~ it's worth the wait! Food: Botifarra Cooked nicely and sauced awesomely Crispy Artichoke Actually crispy. A bit salty, but still nice Mushroom with Pesto A simple, yet delicious dish (we actually ordered it again an hour later) Shishito Peppers Nicely cooked, but nothing special Turbot Fish I call it the ugly flat fish. Amazing how something so weird looking can taste so beautiful~ the waiter helped us fillet the fish. Our waiter said his favorite fish was the sea bass, but it was unavailable that day. So we went with his second favorite: the turbot! read more

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Came here on my first few nights to a recent trip to Barcelona. I should say though, I made the reservation almost a month in advance when I first heard about this place from a friend. I don't think you need that much planning in advance, it just happened that way. Cal Pep is a small narrow restaurant in a small narrow part of town. It has a long counter which usually gets full and people end up waiting on a first come first serve basis. However, if you're like me, you want to sit down at a place like this so luckily, Cal Pep also has a small room in the back with about 8 tables. They take two seatings I believe in the evening. The waiter comes to you and asks you if there's anything you are allergic to or dislike. He then brings portions to the table based on what the chef is making for the evening; locally inspired and vernacular dishes of the area. Sardines with hummus on toast, a plate of breaded and fried artichokes, roasted padron peppers, an egg, and potato torta, and a few others, oh, and there's also some desserts. I can imagine the menu is switched up here and there. Plus, DON'T be afraid to ask for something; we had some carnivores in our group, so the chef brought out some cubed sirloin and potatoes. At the end of the serving, the waiter will ask if you want to repeat anything, but after 9 dishes we were stuffed. Reasonably priced and wonderful service, consider spending about an hour at this place. I will definitely return. read more

Hands down- worth waiting and sit at the bar! Everything was amazing, the staff was friendly, food was fresh as can be and definitely one of the best dinning experiences we had. The seafood was delicious and we even had chickpeas and spinach which was ridiculously good. Definitely worth going and waiting (if you have to wait) ask them to serve you what the recommend. You won't be sorry! read more

What a wonderful experience. Food was amazing and all of the staff was so kind. I can't wait to go back to Cal Pep. Thank you for a phenomenal experience! read more

Fantastic. Highly recommend you sit at far end of the bar near the kitchen and watch as the amazing fresh seafood and kitchen aromas pass by your seat. (May 2022) read more

Cal Pep looks like a bar in the front and a nice classy restaurant in the back. They don't have a menu so the waiter went through the options with us. The fried calamari was amazing! Would totally recommend that dish. The artichoke was great as well. They have a great selection of wine and the wait staff are extremely friendly and helpful. Would recommend! read more

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One of the best meals I have ever eaten. Servers were great and the location was convenient for us.

If you're a foodie looking for an unforgettable experience in Barcelona, this is your place to go. Hypes: - no menu. you tell the chefs what you can/cant eat, feel like eating, and they creat a tasting menu for you - food at the bar - fresh, flavorful, and amazing. - battered artichokes, bread with tomatoes and garlic, egg omlette (surprisingly good), tartar, peppers, fresh fresh seafood - Gripes: longggg waits. Get there 40 min before it opens so that you can be in the first seating. totally worth it!!! otherwise you're left salivating at everyone eating their meal while you watch like a hungry puppy dog waiting your turn. read more

Def worth the wait. My friend was recommended this place from a coworker and I'm glad she did!! Every dish i had was delicious. The place is small but has a homey type of feeling. Got to the place around 8ish? Waited close to about an hour but like I said before, worth it!! How you treat the workers is how your service will be determined. Even got cremé brûlée on the house! Will def be going back if I visit again read more

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Amazing food, service and staff! Sit at the bar if you want the full experience. Its worth the wait!

Location: In La Ribero, which is right next to the El Born neighbourhood. Pretty easy to get to. The place: If you have no reservation, then the place is small. Why? Because anyone without a reservation gets seated at the bar, and this section of the restaurant is pretty narrow if you have a line-up of people waiting behind you. The bar seating is OK but not overly comfortable since the foot rest is about a mile away from your feet. If you are four people or more, then you get table seating in the next room - reservations are recommended. There is a line-up ALL the time and it starts about 30 minutes before opening. The goods: OK. First, there's no menu so unless you're a local who comes here on the regular, you have no idea what's on the menu. My waiter ran a few things by me and I chose three items. Bear in mind that I had no way of knowing if there were other things on the menu that I might prefer because I was offered a limited selection. I ordered the tuna tartar, the calamari and the fried artichoke. The tartar was fantastic. It was served with herbs, olive oil and something else - very flavourful. This came with small toasts. The artichoke was lacking in flavour and was a little oily and dry at the same time. I know - it's hard to explain. The calamari was OK but nothing to write home about. I was a little disappointed, given the reviews and the line-ups. On the up side, the Cortado was great. Service: Vey good - my waiter was super friendly and always joking around with us. Price point: This is where I feel so-so. 38€ for three dishes to me, feels like a rip-off. If the food had been outstanding then yes, OK, I could be OK with it but it was average. read more

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After nearly every person we knew who'd been to Spain hyped up Cal Pep, we finally made an effort to stop in and stay for dinner on our final night in Barcelona. The wait, is as people say, quite long. Even if you go early. Our total wait time must have been somewhere between 45 minutes to an hour, but it goes by fast if you're inside as there is so much to watch behind the counter. There wasn't a physical menu for us to look at, and the server at the counter basically asks you what you like and makes suggestions from there (I am always a big fan of this!). We ended up ordering 2 Gambas, Clams, Solomillo (steak), Fried Artichokes, and Jamon & Chicken croquettes, a beer and a couple glasses of wine. This was by far the most expensive meal we'd eaten in all of Spain-- our total bill at the end was roughly €75 (~$81 USD), and to be honest we probably both could have eaten more. If I were to go back (but probably not since the total wait time + price) I'd skip the clams (bland/boring), shrimp (overpriced), and croquettes (not as good as my future MIL's). Stick with the Solomillo, and Fried Artichokes-- and maybe try the butifara! Overall save your pennies for your meal at Cal Pep if you plan on going, or scout out your meals for somewhere a little less expensive! read more

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The best tapas experience I've had in Spain. Get there a few minutes before they open (like 15 minutes) and stand in line. Good for small groups like 2-4 people. Try to sit at the bar and get the whole tapas experience. Let the staff make what they want to make, unless you have food allergies. What an overall enriching experience of real authentic Spanish tapas. Being able to see the cooks put together the dishes, season the ingredients and deliver the finished product to us was an experience and really an art. I would say that being able to interact with the wait staff was my favorite part. Such an enriching moment for us to be with good company, drink good wine/beverages and enjoy the fine foods of Spain. Never would I have imagined so many good tapas options including fresh fish, battered artichokes, bread with tomato sauce, egg quiches and more. Take your time, otherwise you will get full fast! We were so happy with our first experience that we went our second night for another amazing experience. read more

Maybe this place used to be good, but now it's becoming a tourist trap. As other mentioned, they expect you to order the chef's menu, which is random 4 dishes out of 10 dishes they have for years. The problem is the waiter did not want to disclose what he is going to order for you. Several customers tried to asked, but he just said fish and seafood. I did not want to eat tuna tartare as that's nothing new to me, and end up as one of the selection. The price for everyone is about 80 euro for 4 tapas. The portion is small, you are likely to be hungry. Overall, it's a dishonest business model. You have better luck going to Bodega 1900. Cal Pep's value is much less. read more

Cal Pep - Tuna Tartare - Mediterranean Near Me - Barcelona, B

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I don't say this lightly but this place is a must visit when you're in Barcelona. Get there early and don't settle for the back tables. Wait in line for a spot at the bar if you need to but it'll be worth it to b able to watch the chefs do their thing. Some things worth eating are.... actually all of it. Razor clams for sure. Get the egg with the tortilla. The beef.. yesss. Omg yes. The pulpo. Seriously, if you're an octo fan you definitely don't want to pass this up. It's a huge portion and done perfectly. Also, get the sausage and don't forget the peppers. Seriously, we ate for 4 people but when you're eating at a bomb ass joint, why not try it all. Please. Don't miss this. read more

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This place is incredible. The food is fresh and the flavors are awesome. But this place is not a $$ sign place, it should actually be listed as $$$ or more. The clams, though amazing are €17.50, the bass dish €25. Small beers €2.80 Those dishes are not huge either. I think the food is worth it. Totally worth the wait. You pick your ingredients and they cook it for you. Great local style food. It's really busy so make reservations if you can. read more

Food is good but there are better places in Barcelona (Tapeo, Quimet & Quimet, El Xampanyet, etc.) - especially considering the wait (of mostly tourists), this place is a bit overrated and a bit overpriced. Things we ordered: 1) razor clams (good, 9 euro for 5) 2) grilled monkfish (also good, smallish fish for 17 euro, came with amazing potatoes and half a grilled tomato) 3) squid and chickpeas - 13 euro. Ask for a half portion if they will let you (if you're only 2 people because it gets mundane after a while) - it's pretty good but was way oversalted. Wouldn't order this again. When I asked about the gambas they said 4 would cost 30 euro. Wtf? As I mentioned, overpriced. Food is good though. read more

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It's taken me 9 years to write a review of this place for some reason. My father and I came here back in 2010 and enjoyed the experience. Definitely get here early as the line gets very long prior to opening. The food here is solid. I enjoyed the delicious Iberico Ham and Shishito Peppers. Overall, its a really cool experience. read more

Amazing dining experience sitting at the bar. We told our server / chef what we liked and what we don't and were served about six dishes that blew us away. All the guys behind the bar are also hilarious and entertaining. Highly recommend. read more

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Excellent recommendation by a friend's friend. The chef picks out what you may like, based on the number of people in the party, and what you do/don't like, so the people beside us ate a different meal from us. We had food envy looking at their plates, but we had a deliciously, mouth-watering dinner, so we can't complain. Decor is traditional local dining with high bar stools. Convivial, fun atmosphere where diners and chefs/staff all talk and joke around with each other. Food standouts are: Amazing clams -- we needed bread (without the tomato) to soak up the clam juice and sauce so we could savor every ounce of taste of it. Tortilla español -- my friend has eaten many tortilla espanols in many countries, and this one is best in her book also because of the alioli. Must get the alioli. Steak and patatas -- seriously amazing fried potatoes. I want their secret recipe. Just the right amount of salt, crispiness, tenderness, and overall umami. Yes, you will wait in line inside for an hour, teased by the smells of all the food. Just get a beer or cava while waiting. It'll be worth the wait. read more

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Cap Pel Good tapas. We went with chef's choice. There were a couple items (dusted fried eel-like meat, and a stewed calamari with garbanzo beans) that weren't my favorite but overall I can see the appeal The tuna tartare, mentioned in other reviews, is delicious and I loved the steamed little neck clams. A lovely bottle of Cava complemented the meal with espresso for the end. read more

Overpriced and the food is overrated. This should totally be a €€€ place and expect to spend at least €40 per person especially if you plan to have something other than potato egg omelette. Although the material is fresh and the food is well cooked, it is plain and generic. The no menu system means that you would most likely order the most expensive dish recommended by the waiter.. We had a plate of salty clams with less than 15 very tiny clams (maybe 0.7 inch long) and the dish turned out to be €17.5 not including the 10% tax. The environment is noisy and camped. I don't mind paying for good food, but this is absolutely a trap. read more

Great food, be prepared to wait for service. It's usually pretty crowded so we checked in and stood around waiting until the gentleman behind the bar called us over to take a seat. Tapas were good, be sure to get the dessert tray because the assortment of mousses was delicious. We've been here before and it we'll know and very popular with locals. read more

Classic seafood based dishes done extremely well with very good ingredients. Our server was fantastic. Leave yourself in the kitchen's capable hands and enjoy. read more

Cal Pep - Mediterranean Near Me - Barcelona, B

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