We originally tried to get in to Cera 23 the previous evening, but they are all full up. What prompted me to try again was that they attempted to accommodate our large party even though it was ultimately fruitless. The menu is a delight. Everything that we ate or drank was superb. The four gras ravioli was the favorite fur everyone. I would also suggest the tomatoe tartar. Great starter. read more

We had a great meal and a great time here. Everything we had here was delicious. Highly recommend the blackberry mojito which was the largest I've ever seen; the house red wine was also good. We had the salad with burrata cheese; the diced tuna with sweet potato cream; the pork with tomato and apricot sauce. We topped off dinner with the Nutella cheesecake and death by chocolate desserts, and couldn't decide which one was better! We were slightly concerned about the other reviews we saw on Yelp and TripAdvisor about the sketchy neighborhood, but we didn't see anything seedy. The neighborhood certainly isn't as upscale as other touristy places and yes it is more of an immigrant neighborhood but that doesn't make them dangerous. If you're really scared, make your reservation early, so that when you leave there is still plenty of light outside and people walking around. A bonus: we loved the music they played! Turns out the chef is also a DJ by the name Bonobo. read more

A reservation is definitely recommended. We came to Cera 23 for a special meal on my last night in Barcelona. We were treated with an amuse bouche while enjoying a nice bottle of Spanish wine. For entrees we enjoyed our octopus and ahi tuna, and the chocolate cake for dessert is not to be missed. The atmosphere is cozy and the owners are so friendly and accommodating (plus a little flirty). Will defiantly return on my next trip to the city! read more

Cera 23 - Blackberry mojito - Spanish Near Me - Barcelona, B

I ate here on my first day to Barcelona... What a great restaurant. Supposedly the raval is the lower end of Barcelona. But I felt comfortable coming from New Jersey... There's nothing wrong with it at all. I had the Tuna Tatar! DELICIOUS... Had the pealla and it was GREAT. Also had the death by chocolate and it was good... I don't believe you can't go wrong here! Plus make sure to speak to The manager Paul. He'll make sure your night goes right! read more

Finding Cera 23 was a disconcerting experience. It is a few blocks off from the parade of tourists, the alleys around it get narrower and take sharp turns, and the local residents were hanging out in front of their buildings drinking beer and wine. My expectations were rapidly dropping until we stepped in and I saw the bar, covered with bowls of fresh fruit and vases filled with mint. It was a saturday night at 8:45 and I wasn't expecting to get a table, but the friendly maitre d' said if we waited 10 minutes he might be able to squeeze us in. So taking a seat at the bar we ordered the house special blackberry mojito. It is a work of art and the flavor is great. My only complaint is the glass they serve it in is a bit on the small size and 1/3 the space is taking up by the large amount of mint they use. Soon after we arrived a group of ladies stepped in and were begging to be seated, they had been turned away the night before and really wanted the Cera 23 experience. So when we got seated shortly after I was feeling very lucky. I ate the salad with false egg and foie it was nicely presented and had a delicious sauce on the side. I also had duck with an apple compote and cranberry jelly, it was also excellent, but the cranberry was sprinkled with onion seeds which when eaten with the duck gave the eerie sensation of crunching on some duck bones. The wait staff here was excellent, very friendly and everyone seemed like they were having a good time. read more

We thoroughly enjoyed our evening at Cera 23. Fantastic food and service!!! 5 stars all the way! If you are in the area, please check Cera 23 out. Magnificent! read more

Seriously the most memorable meal of my stay in Barcelona. The black rice with seafood (or "volcano") risotto was incredible. I highly suggest ordering a cocktail here as well. The blackberry mojito was delicious! read more

What is going on with all these great reviews??? I just don't get it... With all the great reviews, we were very excited to try this restaurant during our Barcelona trip. We are Asians from the States and are avid foodies, let's just say we were completely underwhelmed by all the food. Starters - we had the roast beef guacamole and langoustines with mango salsa. Roast beef was literally just thin slices of roast beef with almost no flavor. Guacamole was some type of spread for it which didn't really go well with it. Langoustines were deep fried in some batter, maybe tempura batter but was completely SOGGY!!! There was no crispness to this which was super disappointing. Mango salsa also tasted like something that was scooped out of a can. For entrees, we had the Volcano rice, the duck and a tagliatelle with prawns and mushrooms. Volcano rice was completely soaked with sauce which killed the dish. The sauce was ridiculously salty which made the food really hard to swallow. There were also Benito flakes on top which didn't make sense. Duck was actually decent. Cooked very well and quite tasty but nothing great to write home about. Tagliatelle with prawns and mushrooms were just plain and a bit fishy tasting... Overall, we do not recommend this restaurant to anyone! It feels like this restaurant tries to infuse Asian tastes into their dishes but it fails miserably. Be warned if you go! All the positive reviews are very misleading!!! read more

3.5 stars. Keep in mind that this review is based on one dish and my preference. I got the Rissoto with mushroom and it was just ok. The servers were very nice and the place is off the beaten path. My fiance got a some lamb or meat dish and she loved it. She said the meat items ll would just fall off the bone. I wouldn't need to return here but if back here we might because of my gf. read more

Ordered the blackberry mojito, tomato tartar, and filet and omg every bite was ridiculously delicious. If you're in Barcelona, this restaurant is a must and don't forget to make a reservation. read more

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PROS -Tasty blackberry mojitos! -My mushroom risotto was incredible - so rich and did not skimp on the hearty but buttery mushrooms CONS -Server pretty much forgot about us -My guy ordered a steak and he said it was pretty average. It was a little sad that the potatoes were better than the steak was read more

This review is for the service only, the food was good but I would not return for the service alone. It was our last night in Barcelona and we were really excited about ending it with great food and mojitos! Arrived on time for our reservation, there was quite a line ahead of us and we were told it would be a few minutes. No problem, I've worked in restaurants and am fine with grabbing a drink at the bar while we wait. Sat down at the bar- bartender never even glanced our way. He wasn't even busy- just washing dishes. Finally after a few minutes, I ordered us some drinks. Wow! The blackberry mojitos are fantastic! Ended up waiting a total of 35 minutes for our table. Again, not that big of a deal. We are from the city and understand that you wait, even with a reservation. We had been seated for 15 minutes, and not one person approached us. We thought about leaving but by then it was almost 11PM and we were starving and just ready to eat. No one approached our table. Finally, I had to go up and ask to see some menus and the wine list. Our waiter came over after that and asked what we wanted. So unfriendly & rude. I really don't understand why we had such terrible service as we were polite and never said anything negative until I asked to see the menu. Dinner came before our drinks from the bar arrived. Not a huge deal but I like drinking my wine with my dinner. After the food was dropped off, we weren't spoken to until we asked for the check. No one asked how the meal was, if we wanted dessert, ect. Bad service can really ruin a nice dinner out. We had such high expectations for this place and were really excited to try it out. We left feeling annoyed and like we had just wasted money. It really is a shame that we had such a poor experience as the food was really delicious. read more

Sweet jeebus this restaurant is amazing. First, the food: unbelievably good-- my wife had the black rice volcano and I had a steak. Both were expertly prepared. We were in our honeymoon and going through France and Spain-- it was basically fantasy camp for foodies. This was possibly the best meal we had the entire 2 weeks we were there. At the very least, it was top 2. Second, the service: beautiful. Every single person at this restaurant treated us like we were the most important people who had ever walked in the door. We didn't have a reservation and the owner apologized to us that he would have to give us a table he thought was less than ideal (it wasn't--it was fantastic and we waited exactly zero minutes). He also apologized when we ordered a second glass of port and they were out. So he brought us a free glass of muscatel which was so good we insisted we pay for it-- he refused to let us. Gave is white chocolate liquor on the house too. Third, atmosphere: super fun! Quiet enough for a romantic meal, but chill enough for a relaxed meal with a few friends. We only ate here once only bc we found it on our last night in town or we would have been back! read more

I live in Manhattan, so if you're looking for a New Yorker to give you an honest rating, this is it. Let's start with the positives: -Friendly staff; host was very welcoming and kind -Blackberry mojito; it's true, the drink is tasty, but it was extremely sweet and did not at all taste like an alcoholic drink (more like a virgin drink you get at a resort) -The volcano rice was good; it tasted like it was seasoned with salt and butter, but nothing to go crazy over, seriously. -The burrata was great; very creamy and delicious. Negatives: -The octopus was inedible; not only was it sitting in a small pool (no joke, a pool) of olive oil, but it was so rubbery and unappetizing that I could only eat a few bites before pushing it aside -My boyfriend's pork tenderloin was generic, dry and the accompaniments were not good Overall, I would say I would not go back again, but if I were to go back, I would skip the blackberry mojito, reorder the burrata and volcano rice, but that's probably it. read more

Context Late afternoon over the weekend. Family of 5 with 3 kids less than 7yo. Restaurant was 1/3 full. We had reservations. Service Slowwww! And with hungry thirsty kids in tow, this is unacceptable. We almost just walked out bc it didn't makes sense how there were as many workers there as customers yet we waited for what felt like forever just to get waters. We discovered that despite there being a lot of workers there our server was also the bartender and host! Poor distribution of work. Food The best things we got here were free. The free drink upon yelp checkin (check in to get the free drink!), the bread came with the most amazing balsamic vinaigrette, and chocolate liquor they give you a gratis with the bill. We ordered the sea bass which was really mushy and undercooked. The tempura prawns which unfortunately they don't devein their shrimp- gross. And we got a plain pasta for the kids which they devoured Price On the higher side Overall Wouldn't return. read more

Every bit as amazing as all the reviews said. We made a 7 pm reservation, so when we showed up they were still setting up. No problem we just had mojitos while we waited. Speaking of mojitos, you must have one. Probably two. My eating partner said to me "this is the best drink I have ever had" after her first sip. Then we had another round. I had the duck plate. It was amazing. The perfect temperature and a great seasoning. It came with a raspberry sauce on the side... It took everything I had not to lick the plate clean. And in place of potatoes, they added a cooked apple. Perfect sweet accent to the plate. Others at the table got the steak and chicken pastry Granada style. I cannot verify how good they were because no one wanted to share. But I'm happy to say they both loved their meals. Dessert... Just get what ever is the special. We got all three special desserts they were all great. But the most important thing to note... I ordered the Creme Catalan and 5 minutes later the waiter/owner/host came over to say he just tried the dish and he was not happy with it. He begged my forgiveness and said he would be embarrassed if that's what he gave me. Then he recommended something else, that was still amazing. Not everyone would tell you that. That's why they get five stars. read more

Our first meal in Barcelona and it was delightfully superb. Must haves: blackberry mojitos and the ceviche. Check in on Yelp at the restaurant and you will receive a complimentary glass of champagne. The staff were energetic and friendly. Enjoyed the ambiance and the music. Make reservations if you can, it fills up quick. Enjoy! read more

Cera 23 - Sweet spot - Spanish Near Me - Barcelona, B

We got there at 7pm, right when they opened. The place started filling up really quickly. Service was awesome, he offered the best suggestions. We loved the food. read more

I went to Cera 23 for New Year's Eve dinner w 3 other friends. The dinner was great! The tuna sashimi w soy sauce ice cream was absolutely DELICIOUS, so was everything else!! The blackberry mojito was to die for! The best part was when the dinner turned into a party at midnight! Right before midnight, the staffs gave out party goodie bags full of party favors and a glass of 12 grapes. At midnight, everyone was eating grapes w the bell ring for good luck (a Barcelona tradition). After that, the staffs opened bottles and bottles of champagne and turned up the music for partying! It went on for the whole night!! We always had a drink in our hands and we danced all night. The staffs were extremely friendly and helpful. I highly recommend cera 23 for anyone who's visiting Barcelona!! read more

Cera 23 - Super friendly staff - Spanish Near Me - Barcelona, B

Premise: I am very critical on food and my expectations might be higher than the average foodie. Having said that I enjoyed the lunch at Cera23, nevertheless I have a couple of points I would like to stress. As a starter I chose the Cereviche, classic Spanish dish in which chunks of fish are cooked in a lemon sauce. The flavor of the fish, which should be the main character of the dish, was covered by too much onion and parsley. The main course was a fresh wildbass sided with a ratatouille. The fish was undoubtedly fresh but it lacked salt, thus decreasing its tastiness. The three star shouldn't be interpreted as negative, they should, on the contrary, be seen as a constructive critic towards improvement. The price was 32,50 for the 2 dishes, a glass of red wine and a botte of water. I would say pretty fair overall. read more

We went here on a recommendation from a friend. The restaurant is in the El Raval neighborhood which is really cool. It was a lot of fun winding down the narrow streets. We started off with the blackberry mojito, which is just as good as everyone says it is. It's a must have. We had a ceviche dish which was great. I had the volcano rice, which is a bit adventurous for me as I'm not a huge seafood fan. I know that's odd in a city so focused on seafood so I won't downgrade my review for that. The dish itself was very good. My wife had the lamb dish, which was excellent. The lamb just melts in your mouth. read more

I cannot say enough good things about cera 23! My girlfriend and I flew into Barcelona this morning and were worried that we would be too tired to enjoy dinner After a day of eating tapas and drinking beers, our night at cera 23 was the perfect end to our night. We were tucked into the corner, which was very romantic and had the Iberian ham tapa, as well as the Iberian pork and squid in rice entrees. My girlfriend didn't love the squid ink, but I thought it was delicioso! Because she did finish it and clearly didn't love it, th comped us a free desert - the vanilla custard - which was amazing. I would absolutely recommend here as a great date or a great place to take the family that won't break the bank! 5*s, amazing dinner! read more

Came here on our last night in Barcelona and I had a wonderful meal, but the bf's dish was only ok (that's why 4 stars instead of 5). The interior was cool looking with the bar when you first walk in and then a few steps down to the seating area where there was exposed brick and a nice cozy feel. We ordered water and they brought a huge bottle which we were nervous would be like 10 Euros, but thankfully only 3 (they opened it before we could make any objections). We didn't get any appetizers because we didn't find anything we could share (he doesn't eat seafood and red meat), but we did get some Kalamata olives on the house and went straight to ordering the main course. He got the mushroom risotto and I can't remember what exactly (i think it was lamb) with cous cous and kalamata olives. OMGOSH that meat was so amazingly tender and wonderfully cooked and seasoned, I couldn't get over it. I don't like cous cous, but it was a great pairing! The bf's risotto almost seemed like it wasn't cooked long enough and overall it was just fine for him. We ended our night with an on-the-house drink that was similar to a Bailey's cream alcohol. Unfortunately we are not big alcohol drinkers, but the gesture was much appreciate. We paid, left a tip and were on our way! I would definitely come back here again! read more

A tiny little place that's a little bit hard to find, but has an amazing atmosphere and great service! We ordered their specialty blackberry mojitos, and they were sooo delicious! Best tasting cocktail I've ever had haha. And it was so pretty and loaded with fruit! The food was also very well presented and great value for the price, although it wasn't as memorable as the drinks. I got the pasta special, and the pasta was tasty, although a little too heavy on the olive oil. Reservations required! We actually weren't able to phone in to make a reservation the day of so we tried to go as soon as they opened, and they were nice enough to squeeze us in! read more

During our week long stay here in Barcelona, we tried several restaurants. By far, Cera 23 is the best of them all. Service and the quality of the food is beyond words. Will definitely come back when I'm in Barcelona again. read more

Amazing restaurant. The service was excellent and the food was equally good. Be sure to get the blackberry mojito! Will definitely go back and recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a great meal in Barcelona. read more

My sister-in-law remembered this restaurant from one of her former trips to Barcelona and suggested we go. We were able to get reservations for 8:00 PM knowing that we have to be out by 10 PM. We were seated at a hightop that was not part of the main dining room but still it was a lovely setting. It was a narrow space with mirrors on both of the walls to help it seem larger. The dishes were superb. Our server was pretty new to the position so she wasn't sure of all of the menu items but nonetheless we were delighted with all of them. read more

Oh so good!!! Very nice staff and the food is amazing! Our waiter was very attentive and we really enjoyed our dinner! read more

Solid dinner spot. Wine was great. We ordered the tempura shrimp, octopus, mushroom risotto, and crema catalona con fresca. Everything was delicious. The tempura shrimp and crema Catalona were my favorite. The shrimp was so crunchy on the outside but the meat on the inside was so so soft. It was really delicious. The crema catalona is similar to creme brulee. I loved it. Octopus was well cooked not tough at all and had good flavor. Mushroom risotto was also well done in this restaurant. read more

Cera 23! Me encantarlo! Okay, so we played it dumb... we stayed across the street and watched people walk in and out all night long, it wasn't until our second night in the hood that we decided to see what the happy commotion was all about. We finally stumbled across the way and they were packed for the night.. so before we let the sadness set in, we asked about getting drunk at the bar! it worked! we sat at the outside bar ledge and drank our blackberry mojitos and enjoyed some fantastic people watching! The second night we made no silly mistakes -oh wait, yes we did. we didn't get reservations, but this time we sat at the bar inside and ordered food: To drink:] We both ordered the delicious and amazing blackberry mojito -best move ever! This drink is filled to the brim, stuffed with fruit, muddled with mint and more fruit, and garnished with fruit on the rim and fruit on our draws and there was dark liquid flowing everywhere -fantastic cockail! to eat:] Ceviche de pescado- Um Yum, perfect balance of tart limeyness and delicious fresh pescado! I could have ordered a second order of this and been super happy with myself. Meloso ternera- great portion, excellent texture, however over salted, mas aqua por favor! Pulpo a la gallega- yum yum yum, but again over salted, hard to take in all of the flavors when each bit has to be washed down with water.. flavors were good, just too much salt. mentions:] the vibe of Cera 23 is fantastic, the guys behind the bar are so friendly -I think I had the most fun chatting with them and singing to the songs they decided to play next -Sting -english man in NY.. Woo oh! I can't wait to go back, I enjoyed our two stops and loved that it was just off the beaten path a bit read more

Luckily, this place was right around the corner from where we stayed or we may never have found it! We came our first night and the kitchen was closed, so we had one of their mojitos. Yum! We came back and had dinner and it was delicious. Simple menu, but so good! Not to mention a super cute place with great tunes. I had the volcano rice and my friend had the risotto. Both were delicious and the service was great! read more

Cera 23 - Spanish Near Me - Barcelona, B

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I've eaten here 3 times, and still haven't written a review?!? What have I been waiting for? Perhaps I was under the haze of those knockout delicious blackberry mojitos... not only are they seductively beautiful, but they are lush, sweet and strong. Reservations are highly recommended, because if you do come on a busy night, you might be waiting at that bar for a while, and be on your 2nd drink before getting a table. As for the food - they celebrate the treasures from the sea, and you can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Prices are fair for the quality/quantity and service. If ever in the neighborhood, and the waitlist is short, try this place out. (I kinda prefer their sister restaurant around the corner - it's a little bigger, too). read more

This place is hidden in a shady street, but don't let that be a turnoff. The food is excellent and the atmosphere is great with open kitchen. Worth visiting while you are in Barcelona. read more

Cera 23 - Spanish Near Me - Barcelona, B

Fantastic! We had the Filet with potatos, the tempura shrimp and incredible blackberry mojito! The olives are sublime! Go here! Make reservations. Eat, drink and be happy!! read more

Cera 23 - Amazing!! The Filet with potatoes, tempura shrimp and this mojito!! Go here! - Spanish Near Me - Barcelona, B

Perfecto!!! Excellent customer service. This cozy little restaurant welcomes you with smiles and friendly hellos. We waited for about 30 minutes for a table because we didn't have reservations but they were quickly accommodating. We ordered the blackberry mojito as it was their speciality drink. It was full of fruity flavors. We also order the tempura shrimp as an appetizer. I have never had such an amazing shrimp, so clean and tasty. We also had a ribeye steak that was incredibly tender and the black seafood rice which was over pouring with flavor in the best way. We were blown away by the kindness, food and cocktails. Everything was perfect!!! read more

I had made a reservation about a week beforehand via email. I had tried for 9pm on a Saturday night but they didn't have it available so they offered 10pm. We got there at 9:50 and it was packed full. We waited and waited. They kept telling us just a few more minutes. We ended up waiting over an hour for our table. They were very apologetic saying that they had a lot of birthdays that Saturday night and people were staying longer than they intended. I was frustrated but they were so nice, I couldn't be too upset. Once we were seated the order was taken promptly and food came quickly as well. Only complaint was that for both courses not all four people got their food at the same time...which made it so that someone was sitting there waiting with no food or the others were going to sit there and let it get cold. That being said, the food was delicious and everyone liked everything they had. For first courses, we had the salad with cheese and mango, roast beef with avocado, and chicken pastry. For second course I had the volcano rice with seafood...delicious except there was a weird sprinkle of meat flavored shredded stuff that was very smokey on top, so i took it off. My other friends had steaks and although on the rare side, they were very good. For dessert I had the cheesecake with nutella and it was awesome. I know it doesn't sound exciting, but it really was perfect. Oh, and how can I forget the blackberry mojitos?! We all had them and agreed they were one of the best mojitos we have had. We are from Miami, so we have had our share. These were fabulous...and so pretty too! Bottom line, this is a great restaurant if you want a true Spanish experience - in ambiance and food - that is not not too over the top expensive or pretentious. Casual but made with quality and pride. I would return and just hope the wait was a bit less...maybe make a reservation to go on a night other than Saturday. The owners, waiters, bartenders are super friendly and certainly make the place charming. They ended up comping our desserts in apology for our wait. I will recommend this restaurant to anyone who visits Barcelona. read more

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Best food we had in Barcelona, absolutely incredible. The seafood black rice had amazing flavours that had our tastebuds dancing. Regular sized portion. Ferrero roche dessert is to die for. Like a lava cake swimming in ice cream with little rice crispies but so much better. BlackBerry mojito hits the spot as well as the Christmas special drinks. Highly recommend the Iberian pork as well, perfect for one person or sharing with 2-4. Great service, drinks take a bit longer than normal. Can be hard to find, best thing to do is get a taxi driver to take you as close as possible and then walk. read more

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This was my favorite restaurant during our vacation!! Paul was very welcoming and gave us a table without a reservation. Service was friendly, quick and English speaking. Blackberry mojito was delicious. Never had anything like it. Grape martini was well balanced. Tuna tartare was interesting and good but I like mine more savory. This was their twist with strawberries but it was still very well put together. Octopus app was fresh and tasty. The volcano rice was the highlight of the night! Damnnnn!! Lots of seafood and every bite has so much flavor. It has a very seafoody taste which I love. Close second favorite of the night was the beef cheek. So tender you can peel it with your fork. Intense flavors!!! read more

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This place is AMAZING. Unfortunately, we had made plans for after our meal and had to cut our visit short. Best tip I can offer is GET RESERVATIONS! We tried walking in on a weeknight and they were completely booked. The owner sent us to an amazing restaurant around the corner and we made reservations for the next night. The night we actually ate there the owner had to turn several people away who did not have reservations. The blackberry mojitos are a must. You can see and smell the fresh mint and berries displayed on the bar. If you aren't sold on the drink after seeing that you may not have a pulse. We only ordered appetizers due to our time constraints. But they were incredibly accommodating and got us our bill right away. Besides having amazing food their customer service is amazing. This is an absolute must. But don't be typical Americans in a rush like us and take a few hours to enjoy the great food and ambiance this place has to offer. read more

I hate eating where tourists eat when traveling as I'd much rather eat where the locals eat. That's how I felt when eating here as everyone seemed to be from the states. With that being said, this was one of my better meals on my 3 week trip to Europe. The restaurant is kind of hidden and not on a main street. We walked in and were told we needed reservations and it was impossible to get a table, but we could sit at the bar and order from the same table menu which we elected to do. We went with the ceviche to start with, which was something like I've never had before. The flavor was unbelievable and the ingredients were super fresh. Went with the beef cheeks and potato puree, foie gras ravioli, and volcano rice which was like a squid ink rice. The rice was great and maybe the best rice I've ever had. Service at the bar was slow as there was only one person behind the bar on a Friday night. Regardless if this is a tourist spot or not, if you want a culinary experience for cheap, eat here. read more