Hit the spot for my boba craving and right off lad ramblas (close to plaza Catalunya)…read more Immediately greeted by the two nice counter people who recognized that we might be of Taiwanese origin. There is a Chinese menu in addition to English and probably Spanish (though I didn't specifically see a Spanish one). They ask for the % sweet that you want your bubble tea. We got 25% sweet which was just a hint of sweetness I think most people would enjoy 50% more. The boba are a good texture and the tea is good. There were a few teens hanging out inside where they play some Asian mtv. Fun clean atmosphere, good quick service.

This is by far the best bubble tea experience I've ever had. Aside from the actual quality of the…read moretea, which is stellar, mind you, the experience is very fun. There's ample seating space and a constant flow of kpop music videos. It may not be your cup of tea, it may not be your bag, but there's a certain excitement and attention to detail about this place that's totally intangible. As soon as I walked into this place, I was greeted by Joel, who must have been plucked directly out of a cartoon. His enthusiasm was unbounded. As I enjoyed my matcha milk tea, I watched Joel and friends dance feverishly to the music. These guys are living the dream. Nothing makes me happier than people who love their job and that's the vibe I get from these fine gentlemen. Going here will at the very least give you a story to tell your friends, so what's the harm in paying it a visit? You won't regret it.

The service was amazing here! We sat outside and were explained some nuances in the menu. This…read moreplace has a bit of a twist on typical Spanish foods and has a great wine list including wines in the area with some affordable options (€3 glasses). We loved it! While we were a bit skeptical of the croquettes, they were AMAZING-- I highly recommend the shrimp croquettes and wish I could eat 10

We were so lucky to stumble upon this place after arriving at another wine bar only to find out…read morethat it was permanently closed. The wine and tapas bar is outstanding. I wanted a local red wine with a robust profile and was able to purchase it from their site. They have an outstanding selection of local wines. They also recommend a wonderful cheese platter of local cheeses that paired perfectly with our wine. Wonderful owners and a must stop. We will absolutely go back a few more times during our stay in Barcelona.

First thing that I need every morning is a cup of good strong coffee. This bar hit the spot on our…read morefinal two mornings. A small place with seating inside but, as the weather was warm, we sat outside in the shadow of Sagrada Familia. Nothing better than drinking good coffee and viewing the building as the sun reflected off its various surfaces. Good, friendly service and, surprisingly for its position, reasonable pricing.

It was day one of my trip to Barcelona, and I needed lunch. My group decided on Bar Breixan after…read moreexploring the options near Sagrada. McDonald's and Five Guys were tempting options, but we wanted great Spanish food. Well, great Spanish food can probably be found at one of the quaint sandwich shops next to Bar Breixan. We picked Bar Breixan because they offered Paella. I was pretty excited. My excitement turned into horror as I saw the guy take out a frozen paella from CostCo and put it in the microwave. I don't know whether it's a nice touch for Bar Breixan to serve the paella in the traditional pan, or whether it was simply deception. Bar Breixan doesn't suck, but you'd be better off going to McDonald's or Five Guys.

My Beloved and I just returned from a trip to Barcelona, where we spent a few days wandering the…read morerestaurants, tapas bars and public markets, before boarding the cruise ship MSC World Europa. The ship put in at Marseille, Genoa, Naples, Messina (Sicily) and Valletta (Malta) before returning to BCN. I'm not usually a fan of cruising, but my wife is, and I like my wife, so there I went. Aboard ship, we were privileged guests, provided first-class service in and by the ship's "Yacht Club" program. The best part of the trip, for me, was Barcelona, which I've likened to a mix of San Diego and New Orleans in its culture, size and vibe. I'd go back for a longer visit. Surprisingly, the same goes for Genoa, a second-tier city that's attractive and interesting enough to entertain, but isn't a world-class tourist destination. Sort of like Denver, or Baltimore. Naples is always going to be an exciting and gratifying dive into grimy excess, rife with great food and stunning, decaying architecture; loud and pushy people who are just naturally agitated; heart-rending art and music; dangerous traffic; and gorgeous women (and, I'm told, men). It's a party that gets out of hand and spills into the streets, where those who weren't invited are quick to throw hands with those who are too wasted to remember how they got there. Marseille is Naples without the good parts. I didn't leave the ship to visit Messina or Valletta, deciding instead to stay on board and wallow in luxury, like Scrooge McDuck on vacation. As guests of the ship's Yacht Club, we were offered an array of exclusive benefits, including: - A deluxe suite on the access-limited Yacht Club deck - Access to priority embarkation and disembarkation in all ports, including a walk-on escort in Barcelona who made what might have been an hours-long check-in process take less than half an hour... and we sipped champagne while it happened. - Round-the-clock concierge team and a dedicated butler, along with priority room service. - A dedicated fine dining restaurant that didn't require reservations. - Priority access to entertainment and other venues. - Private solarium and sundeck featuring dipping pools and whirlpool baths, plus chairside cocktail service. - The Top Sail Lounge, which offered crafted drinks, gourmet finger foods, and desserts, a private sun deck, and panoramic views of the ocean. - Complimentary "Premium Extra Package", featuring a wide selection of beers, cocktails, wines, top-shelf liquor, and an array of non-alcoholic beverages. - Unlimited Wi-Fi, shipwide, for up to two devices per guest. - Complimentary access to the Spa's Thermal Suite. Also, with a single request sent through my butler, the ship's bakery provided freshly-baked kouign-amann, every morning, which were delivered to my suite. I'm always glad to hear people mock those who cruise. I want them to keep thinking that the experience and its participants are awful, so that when I decide to cruise again, the only people I'll run into will be people who want to be there, and those who, like me, have arranged to avoid pretty much everyone else on the ship.

Wow!!! I did not read these reviews before going on MSC Cruises but I did read many from the Fort…read moreLauderdale location. I am glad I went with my intuition and decided to take this cruise out of Barcelona. We sailed the Grandiosa from 3/5/2020-3/12/2020. It was a great time!! This ship is only 4 months old so that probably helped a bit. I have sailed Royal, Norwegian many years ago, Carnaval and Celebrity. Overall, I prefer MSC. That is not saying they are perfect. What I did not like was far outweighed by what I did. I will start with some of my dislikes. Some of the main courses in the Main Dining Room were just okay. They do not adequately prepare you for some of the ports. For instance, we took a 1.5 hour each way motorcoach ride to Rome. They dropped us off on a side street and basically said, "Ciao, meet back here at 3:30". It would have been more helpful if we were dropped off near the Trevi Fountain or some memorable location. Onto the good stuff!! Their pizza is AMAZING!! The head pizza maker is from outside Venice, Italy, so that is just awesome to start. They make their own mozzarella daily and you can watch the guy make it. They have inventive flavors such as pesto pizza, which is mostly green, a salumi pizza which was delicious, and I normally do not like salumi!! They had chargrilled pizzas but my favorite was the margherita pizza. The sauce was so good and I am picky about pizza sauce. The basil was so fresh. I actually closed my eyes to savor the flavor. No cruise line beats their pizza. Not even close. Entertainment was very good. We saw Cosmos by Cirque du Soleil. Extremely talented performers as usual and very reasonably priced at $18 each paid before we left. This included a drink so you can't go wrong. I created my own chocolate bar at Jean Phillippe chocolate store. It was fun because you choose your toppings and create your own masterpiece. I have not eaten it yet but it looks delicious. Lots of ingredients to choose from. Oh yeah, I forgot. One other thing I wasn't thrilled with was the pushy photographers. Not all, but one in particular bugged me every day to take pictures. Even the last night of the cruise where I could not have even purchased any if I wanted because they print the next day. He basically implied I would be doing him a favor because they have quotas. Not even for sales just for many people they photograph. Oh boy. All in all, I would say if you like Royal Caribbean, this line is very similar. Just with much better pizza!!

This place was absolutely fantastic. We stayed at a hotel near here and constantly needed stuff…read more Not only was the staff great, but the selection was exactly what we needed. The store was clean and the prices were amazing. If we needed some type of adult beverage, they had it. If we needed hand washing laundry detergent, they had it. If we needed cured meats and delicious cheeses, they had it. If we needed it by a 2 minute walk from our hotel, they had it. Was it convenience? Maybe. Was it selection? Maybe. Was it the awesome staff? Maybe. Was it all of these combined with our only complain being the early closing? Absolutely!! Five stars no matter which way you slice it. Great experience and a great store.

Pricey, but good recommendations…read more The times I've gone in searching for a bottle to take to a dinner party, I've been given good bottles that nicely accompanied the meal. They specialize in local varietals, with prices starting at just under 5 Euros... and a lot within the 10 to 15 Euro price point. They also have a good selection of cavas & champagne, and top shelf whiskeys & cognacs. I've found lots of great and much cheaper wines at other bodegas, but not in this area... and i'm never prepared with extra bottles... so it's Vinus & Brindis for when i'm seeking a last minute bottle.