Not a vegetarian's paradise.. the Spanish omelette was super duper tasty. The asparagus really weird. The garbanzo was ok and so was the stuffed peppers. We loved the Cava. I'm giving 3 stars as a vegetarian- but I cannot comment on their other tapas which I believe is legendary. read more

This place is incredible. Great food, fantastic environment. I would absolutely recommend. I don't drink, but my friends say the selection and quality is great. read more

Very popular, get there when they open at 7 pm to have a chance of a seat. Great reasonable tapas, inexpensive own-made cava is quite good. Plan to go back at lunchtime. read more

This gets incredibly busy at night with people spilling over on the street. Inside is pretty small but there are some tables to sit down. If you arrive late prepare to stand for sure. The tapas are pretty good and they have over 32 varieties of cava! We stayed here so long that we closed the bar with the owners who are two older gentelmen but don't let them fool you, they have so much energy! A must to visit if in Barcelona! read more

Amazing! It will be crowded but worth the wait and chaos. This was the best meal I had in Barcelona. Service was great and it was nice to see a mix of locals and tourists. We ordered lots of food and it was hard deciding what was our favorite. Everything was so delicious! Great seafood options! The house cava seemed popular but I wasn't a big fan. Overall great experience at a charming family owned place. I will definitely return. read more

We had pimientos Padron at several places in Barcelona, but El Xampanyet's plate came with beautifully cooked steak. My boyfriend loved it and he doesn't even like steak. The house cava was nice, bubbly, and not too try. The pulpo was tender and came with a spicy sauce. It was a delicious meal all around, and I would have had all my meals there and the churro place on Laietana if my boyfriend didn't want to try other places. read more

We came back for dinner, and sure enough, turnover was quick even at the bar. There were a lot more napkins on the ground but a lot less pintxos on the counter. I actually thought it was more fun to see the pintxos when we came earlier in the day, plus those are only €1.50 each, which is ridiculous. This time around, we went for some more substantial stuff: - Pulpo: previously canned, so the texture was less ideal. They sautéed it up with a good coarsely puréed garlic potato mash. If this had been fresh octopus, it would have been amazing - Razor clams: smaller than the ones we had at Paco Meralgo. These were actually fresh. They had good seasoning, but the texture wasn't as good as the Paco Meralgo ones - Cheese: we saw them cutting into big wheels of cheese and couldn't resist. We got a goats milk and a sheep milk cheese, and both were nutty, salty hard cheeses, strong in flavor (which I liked a lot) - Jamon: they were able to do a half order of the iberico for us - Pan con tomate: it had more olive oil than I like. It made it a little too rich to be a base for some of the other food we ordered - Bacalao: this had been my favorite dish at lunch. It was the canned bacalao with their sweet dried tomatoes and an olive tapenade. The flavor combination was perfect, but too bad it was also drowning in oil - Pancetta de iberico: this was a different pancetta and had less fat and more meat, and it was served on a flat cracker instead of a long bread stick. This was still really rich, salty, and good Drinks: - Beer on tap - House cava: too much like Txakoli to me - Brut rose: better than the cava The guys were the same ones who had been there right when they opened around noon, and they had clearly been working hard all day. It's super busy in there, but they did everything with a smile on their faces and were super friendly. read more

Stumbled upon this place while walking toward Picasso Museum and remembered seeing it in my Lonely Planet book. Heard great things here re: their cava and tapas. A cup of house cava was only 1.3e. They definitely fill up your glass with the cava, and boy, was it deliciousss! Sparkling and nice, crisp, taste. A little more on the sweet side. For tapas, we got the sardines, which look not so great, but were delicious for 5e. They garnish it with bits of chopped onion and pepper, and that really added to the flavor. The sardines weren't fishy-smelling at all. Also got a tapas dish of 1/2 salmon 1/2 cod. The cod was better imo. They're always crowded but for an excellent place like this, you just gotta PUSH AND SHOVE your way through. read more

My favorite place in Barcelona. This place is popular among tourist and locals which gets super packed. It can be pretty intimating and overwhelming during busy times in order to get a table or even a spot at the bar(standing spot). So get there early. If not, be prepared to wait. Not very organized so make sure the waiters know you are waiting for a table if not they won't care. Food I recommend: Pulpo a la plancha, mashed potatoes with chorizo and eggs, calamari and steak with peppers. Also, house cava is good. read more

We were convinced by the good review on Yelp. We walked in and there were no tables just a packed bar with people jammed everywhere. We found a standing place by the bar. The menu was in Spanish only so we asked for the waiters recommendation. We then ended up spending 60 euros in 30 minutes on very average food. There was no written bill given to us and we felt like others giving negative reviews that the bill was questionable. If you like cold average food, eaten standing up with people pushing you, at an price that I still can't figure out then go for it. There are much much better places in Barcelona. read more

This was my favorite tapas restaurant during our stay in Barcelona. The location is right in the center of my favorite neighborhood, El Born. This area is packed with plenty of bars and restaurants, and El Xampanyet truly stands out. To tell you how well liked this place is, I have to explain that we had to return a second night to get in. Starting right when they open for dinner service at 7, there is already a line of people waiting to get seated. We decided to pass on the first night because we were just too hungry to wait, but we returned early enough to snag a table at opening on our second try. They even have a standing room only bar where you can grab a quick drink and plate on the go. Every dish we tried was stellar! My personal favorite was the anchovies and their house wine that comes in bottles. Service was amazing despite the rush crowd and it was fun to see the preparation of food in the front bar area. I also loved that they rang a bell and cheered when tables left a tip. Great energy overall! The mixture of locals here really made me realize that El Xampanyet is the real deal. This truly topped my list for my trip and I would highly recommend. read more

Wasn't impressed, the food was a little old and the place smelled like sewage

Delicious cava and good tapas. It can get really crowded, but I guess that is the price you pay for a successful formula.

Try to get here before the Picasso fans mob the joint. Damn this spot is delicious! Its some of the best tapas I've had while in Barcelona. It can get crowded, but it's well worth it. read more

Incredible. Electric atmosphere, great food, fab service.... I would move into El Xampanyet for life if I could.

I had heard all about this Tapas place and decided to check it out. It was difficult to get inside as it was so packed, but I was able to make it to the bar. I had never had tapas before so I told the server that and asked him what he would reccomend. From there he served me the house wine and 4 plates of tapas. I am honestly not real sure what tapas I ate, but all I know is that they were all exceptional. And the bill came out to less than €10. I would highly reccomend El Xampanyet, especially over the place across the street. read more

The navajas (razor clams) that I had here were life-changing. Simply-prepared, straight from the tin, with a drizzle of fruity olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. I went to El Corte Ingles afterwards and bought 5 tins of these little bottom-feeders to smuggle home, and although they are delicious, the ones I had at El Xampanyet were probably from a premium shellfish canner. Or it could have been the awesome ambiance. Or the delicious house cava. Get the asparagus too. Line up at least 20 minutes before opening time at dinner...don't worry if you're the first ones, it'll start piling up quick. Go in there ready to point (if no habla espanol) and eat. It's aaallll delicious. Seriously, there are moments I'm really exasperated by my fellow Americans..."Umm, que es that? Oh, ewww, sweetie, I think that's GOAT cheese." Stop embarrassing us by y'all just staying home... read more

Expensive tapas, yet many are made from canned food straight from the can. In the case of the tuna, they just scooped straight onto your plate. Ditto the mussels. I could deal with this if they did something creative with the canned product, but often it was sit on top of ordinary bread with little fanfare. You can find much better in the area at the same price or less. read more

We finally found it and so excited for the oysters, but they were closed for holidays...:(( didn't say till when, so make sure you call first, don't be like us! Only giving three stars bc it wouldn't let me post if not choosing a star... read more

One of my favorite spots when I lived in Barcelona, a fun atmosphere, busy, and delicious tapas !!

True Barelona experience at this perfect tapas spot! It's located right in the amazing El Born District which is full of fun shopping and stops along the way. This place is small but once you squeeze in and get a table, grab a glass of wine and just tell your server to surprise you on their best menu items. The tapas are unbelievable, the wine is delicious and the atmosphere is a mix of locals and tourist and feels so perfectly Barcelona. Totally worth going out of your way for! read more

my favorite tapas place in barcelona (granted i've only been to a handful, but all have been rated highly). to start, the staff is friendly and makes you feel like part of the family, even if we're just tourists. the tapas were all fantastic - from the roasted peppers to the tuna to mussels. not to mention the house cava (of which my cousin and i polished a bottle in no time) came back a second time during my wk stay in barca and plan to go back every time i'm in town read more

It lived up to its reviews unlike Cañete which was expensive and mediocre. Staff were super helpful. Spanish omelet, pork with shisito peppers, grilled calamari, truffle pasta were off the charts. Amazing. Wished we could hv ordered more! Value for money!! And we were so fortunate to wander in for lunch and got table right away read more

We loved this place so much we came back twice! This place is tiny and always seemed busy but well worth the wait. Some of our favorites were the cheese stuffed peppers, tuna, jabon, tomato bread, potatoes with a poached egg....yum yum. I suggest taking the time to eat here - you won't regret it! read more

This place is the real deal. Super popular among locals, no tourist traps here. Get there a few minutes before 7 when they reopen for dinner if you want to sit because this place gets packed really fast. This was some of the best food and definitely best authentic tapas we had in Barcelona (see pics). Menu is in Catalan, and we spoke Spanish to the waitress, didn't heat much English, anything we weren't sure of we just pointed to, just say how many servings you want. The wine is cheap and delish. We had anchovies, eat it on top of the bread they give you... It's great. The queso con pimienta we thought would be cheese with peppers inside, but it was cheese stuffed into peppers... Not spicy at all, mostly sweet and salty somehow... Delish. The pan con tomate was legit. The pan con jamon, the patatas.... Amazing. We really enjoyed this and met some friendly people. This place is right across from the Picasso Museum, definitely go! read more

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I still day dream about the house cava. The best cava we had during our 3 weeks in Spain. The tapas is also really quite perfect. It's all delicious but the seafood options are especially tasty withthe cava. My only reserve is just how crowded this place gets, but you really can't blame them for being so amazing. I'd happily wait for a spot at the bar. Can't wait to go back someday. read more

A must if you're in Barcelona. Wonderful atmosphere, wonderful waiters, food beyond comparison. I usually like to stick to new places while traveling, but I went back twice in the span of three days. Would go again if I had more time. Show up around 15 minutes before opening to grab a table, and get their cava bottle- it's a steal. read more

This place is great! Standing at the bar is the best experience. The owner is @ the bar serving and supervising and I felt like we were best friends by the end of our time there. The tapas aren't really tapas, more like pinoxtos (really small). Everything we ordered was delicious. But I would have to say the best was the cheese stuffed red bell peppers, don't go there without trying these (like a tiny little explosion in your mouth). The place can get very busy, and bit intimidating if you don't speak the language, so arrive early if you can, or just pull up your big girl panties and push through the crowd and smile as you use the 4 spanish words you know! read more

Too OVERRATED!!! I came here after the Picasso museum visit as it was just down the block and highly rated in Yelp. But I was largely disappointed! The anchovies were VERY salty and fishy, not fresh at all. The seafood plate for one qas very very small portion. The seafood tasted like they were from a can and probably were because Catalans like seafood from can. I didn't mind as long as they were good but they were not! Did I mentioned it was tiny? The beef with green peppers were tough and the beef was completely cooked through unlike some reviews I saw with it cooked medium. That was the reason I ordered it thinking it'd be medium or medium rare but apparently they were inconsistent. At 19 euros for fully done beef was way overpriced! The house cava (sparkling white wine) was overrated. The ONLY good dish was the grilled calamari which was fresh and the simply garlic olive oil parsley sauce gave it a lot of flavors. The calamari was the only reason I gave this place 3 star instead of 2!!! read more

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We had a delightful time dining at El Xampanyet--a lively tapas bar with tables and diners squeezed together. All of the dishes we tried (stuffed olives, anchovies and oil, pulpo, jamon) were delicious. The wait staff was very attentive and easy going. We'll definitely come again! Go on the early side if you would like a table... otherwise, there's plenty of standing room. read more

Went here on the super late night, close to midnight. The potato omelette is particularly tasty!! I also liked the biscotti dipped in sweet wine. If you're not into the "busy" places, it's not for you. If you want to be in the thick of it, I recommend El Xampanyet. read more

Five stars all the way! We came with two hungry, tired little kids and the gentleman running the place made us feel super welcome until a table opened up. The cava is extremely refreshing on a hot day and the chickpeas, tortilla, and cod fishers were beyond memorable. All the servers were so helpful and kind, and we haven't found another spot in Barcelona that sets the bar this high. Big thank you to the restaurant for having us. read more

Very good, though a bit cramped with kids. Good service and tasty dishes. We tried several. Great bottle of cava too. Recommend off hours (if there is such a thing since the place is always packed). read more

We stopped in based on a recommendation from the Rick Steves' guidebook after touring the Picasso museum right up the block. Definitely get their house special sparkling wine and the stuffed potatoes. It was a nice and cheap afternoon snack. The service was very friendly. read more

One of the best meals I've had in Barcelona. The service was excellent and you feel welcomed right when you walk in. I recommend the cava!! The pimientos w queso are super too! I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone visiting Barcelona. read more

Loved the cava, the cheese-stuffed peppers, & the potato round w/cheese & escalivada! Waitress was wonderful! A lot of atmosphere! Go early! read more

We first saw this place across from Tapeo in the Gothic district...it was packed, so went back to see what it was about. Basically good tapas and drinks for great prices and a super fun atmosphere! I highly recommend this place if you don't mind lots of people, standing room only and a noisy fun crowd. Super nice and efficient service given how busy this place stays all the time. Check it out... read more

4 stars for the food but 3 for the crowds. Ambience: Jam packed at all hours of the day. I even tried arriving before opening but there was already a line and it was shoulder to shoulder once inside.Makes for a stressful dinner. Service: Not bad considering, but you won't have any of the servers time to discuss options. You simply have to know what you want to order which can be tricky from the Spanish-only menus. Food: Very good. You can select from some tapas dishes presented on the bar or order from the menu but it all seemed good. I had Variado (for 2) which was a portion size somewhere between an appetizer and a main like that. It had a section of shellfish (mussels, razor-back clams, squid and a few others I hadn't ever even seen before) in a vinegar/oil mix with a side of bread. It was excellent. My only beef was that I was also looking forward to some Sangria but they don't serve Sangria in this bar. Seriously? Price: On the high side even for Barca, but definitely food above the average tapas fare. If I could go back at a time when there were no crowds I'd go, but I think I'd skip it next time in town. read more

Great traditional tapas with a lively vibe and kickass staff. Everything is good. Grab a beer or wine and wait ... it's worth it.

Fantastic tapas, each dish better than the one before. Get there before it opens or risk missing out. Energetic and fun waitstaff enhance cramped surroundings. Food not to be missed. read more