This place was mentioned several times during our audio tours as a popular hangout for intellectuals like Gaudi and Picasso. We thought it would be worth a visit and if you want to dine where famous Barcelona residents used to visit, then Els 4 Gats is worthwhile. Do not go expecting great service, delicious food, or reasonable prices. What Els 4 Gats was back then is not the same now. As a tourist, I feel comfortable saying that this was a bit of a tourist trap - overrun with hordes of tourists eating, drinking, or stopping in to snap photos, poor service, and high prices for the food that you ultimately got. Els 4 Gats seems to have leaned into its status as a tourist stop as it was selling a lot of merchandise as well and played up the Picasso theme. This might be worthwhile for a stop to peak in or have a quick drink, but I would not recommend ordering food or staying beyond that. read more

Completely overpriced and food was bad. Calamari was soggy, potatoes were soft on the outside and hard on the inside, sangrias were horrible and artificially sweetened, as well as ridiculously small portions for the price. read more

The minute we walked in we were treated poorly. Even with a reservation, and a nearly empty dinning room, we were given the worse table in the house. We requested another table and were told they were all reserved. When we ordered, I clearly stated to the waiter that I had a food allergy. He assured me that the dish I ordered did not contain this ingredient. After one bite, I tasted the allergen. The waiter did absolutely nothing to assist me with another dish. He stated that it was the fault of the chef who must have changed the ingredients. I was not given a refund, an apology or the offer of a replacement meal! If I wanted to eat I was to order another dish and pay for the additional meal! No hospitality here! read more

I was in Barcelona 20 years ago and a highlight of the trip was eating at Els 4 Gats, in the heart of the gothic quarter. Our table was right next to a Picasso painting. It was incredible to dine where so many artists were inspired. I loved it just as much this trip. Worth every penny for the experience! read more

What a wonderful restaurant. If you want to treat yourself to a nice meal while in the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona, this should be at the top of your list. We stopped in for lunch. I came in with a large group after returning our e-bikes down the block, after a tour of the city. We were grossly underdressed in shorts and tshirts #typicalamdricans It was not my idea to come here right after our bike tour, but sometimes you have to go with the flow. So don't do what I did. Dress up a little. Also I recommend ordering some wine and try something new. The seafood was nothing like I've ever had in the U.S. read more

Els 4 Gats - Spanish Near Me - Barcelona, B

See all

This restaurant is marketed to tourists, and serves them very well (reservations, multilingual staff, etc) but is also a great dining experience with wonderful food. I went with three friends and shared the sea bass as well as some reasonable appetizers (cheese and Iberico ham), and it was the best meal I had in Barcelona. Very friendly staff, interesting and attractive decor, live music, and great food -- will return when I'm next in the city. read more

Was on a walking guided tour with 8 and stopped in for a cava and two tapas. Stopped in for its historic lure. Cool inside. I reccomend only a drink at the bar Recommended for culture/history not food Slanche read more

The hours directly from their website: Breakfast from 9 to 11.30 Gastrobar from 11.30 a.m. to 24h Restaurant 13h- 4pm / 7pm- 4pm Delicious. The "bravas" could definitely be called the best in town. The fried cod (balls or croquets, can't remember) are delightfully chewy and flavorful. Everything we ordered was delicious. The decor and atmosphere felt old world, which it is, and the huge arch windows were beautiful. Great for couples and small groups. Probably to small space for children. read more

See all

Start out with the tomato bread. Great with a nice house red wine. The cod cheek and gnocchi is great! Cvicci is solid if you like the strong citrus flavors. read more

Els 4 Gats - The cod cheek and gnocchi is great! - Spanish Near Me - Barcelona, B

See all

Cute cafe that was apparently one of Picasso's favorites! Definitely worth a stop by, it is conveniently located and the interior is really cool. They have good drinks and food, we came here for breakfast for a quick bite and some coffee! read more

Els 4 Gats - Spanish Near Me - Barcelona, B

Because Picasso came here for his first exhibition, we came here too, for a cup of coffee. I liked the environment, the cups, the napkins and the large paintings of the cafe owner and the artist. It is within walking distance of La Rambla. Our last stop before leaving Barcelona. It is hidden in an alley way, almost missed it. read more

See all

So fun to be in the same space as all of these artistic greats! Service was good, food delicious, as well.

I wanted to like this place more. I went with great people, we sat by the door (1st mistake of the evening), we were kind to the hostess (2nd mistake of the evening) [note: big supporter of kindness to all wait staff], and ordered from their extremely limited menu. Mistake 1 and 2 were related to the fact that the hostess was not really great at her job of crowd control. Bumping into people sitting at the tables to hug incoming diners....really. I would say if you have other options, use them. The food we had was marginally ok. Greasy cod fish fritters, bland Russian salad, and soggy pan con tomate. read more

See all

Amazing! I was worried it wouldn't be worth the hype. But I can't wait to go back. Every single thing we ate and drank was top notch. From the best croqueta de bacalao I've ever had to a cod dish that made angels sing. We also had the beef ribs and the lamb shoulder. Everything was delicious. read more

Els 4 Gats - Croqueta de bacalao and tinto de verano - Spanish Near Me - Barcelona, B

See all

Loved this place. The decor, the food, and the staff were all amazing. We wandered in here our last day in Barcelona and it was an amazing way to wrap up our trip. Try the flaming drink for dessert; the presentation matched the taste. read more

We went in July, and loved the place. The Tapas, Sangria, and service was great! The paintings by Picasso were amazing. I did a YouTube video review tour. Check it out! https://youtu.be/rx7nFlJwnLw read more

I wanted to stop by here because it's where Picasso spent a lot of time. The atmosphere is great- there's lots of artwork, and it feels like you slipped through time. However, the service was not great and the food was definitely overpriced. It's good just to visit, but I won't be coming back. read more

Run the other way. I gave it three stars because the place is beautiful, full of history; Picasso had his first showing in there and the restaurant is truly a legend. The staff is old and grumpy, not at all helpful. WAY overpriced. 4 people 159.00€, for a very very disappointing meal. Starting with the bread, 2.50€ per person, two appetizers; a tomato salad and some kind of esparagus salad ( Amanida amb Puntes) 10.90€ each. 4 tasteless main courses; cod 21.82€, casserole of cuttlefish 16,36€ each, a veal dish 32.82€. I don't quite understand the pennies, be that as it may it was awfull. Bottle water 3.64€ each. The best and only good part was the wine 17.27€. A can of diet coke for our non drinker 2.73€. DO NOT WASTE YOUR GOOD EARN MONEY. Just peek in and look around if you really want to see the place, trust me, I'm telling you just run the other way. There are plenty of better restaurants in Barcelona... read more

Els 4 Gats - Our bill!! - Spanish Near Me - Barcelona, B

In two minutes, it will be a total of ten minutes since I have asked for the check. Needless to say, I still do not have it, and this pretty much sums up the attitude of their waitstaff. The interior is gorgeous, which is why I am giving this place two stars. Marble tables, decorative walls -- it feels like dining in a giant Picasso tribute. Wonderful. Food wise, we came here for dessert and were unimpressed. There was a "4 cat surprise box" for 12€, and our waiter captivated us by telling us how much of a tempting surprise it will be. Of course, we decided to take it, and we were surprised with 6 miniature desserts. They were good, but not 12€ good. Service wise, the waiter and waitress who interacted with us all night were quite negligent. The male waiter who lured us into buying the box was nice, but the female waitress with red curly hair was so rude to us. I am normally very patient with wait staff, but she was hard to handle! I did the 4 Cats, and I can say that I will not be returning. read more

See all

I had wanted to go here based on its history alone - there's something about eating in the same place as artists like Picasso and Gaudi had that was really exciting to me. Despite that, I almost didn't go. Luckily, I ended up in the area around dinner time, needing food, and it seemed like a good bet. Despite being what I can only assume is a very touristy destination, it manages to maintain a spectacular ambiance. The dining area is cozy and romantic, while still feeling absolute flush with history. The wait staff was excellent, and there was live music by a Spanish gentleman and his guitar. I had the bluefin tuna, which was by far the best dish I had on my entire trip to Spain and Portugal. It's a little pricey, but not for what you get. If you plan on at least one nice dinner while you're in Barcelona, I think this is a great place to end up. read more

Els 4 Gats - Bluefin tuna - Spanish Near Me - Barcelona, B

If you're a fan of Picasso and Dali, then you must pop in here, at least for a drink or two or three or quatre. The place has lots of history and is absolutely gorgeous inside. Try walking those narrow cobblestone streets, late at night, after quatre drinks in this joynt, singing fun Catalan songs from a by-gone era. &-p read more

See all

We read about the restaurant in Rick Steve's travel book. We made a reservation, were seated in the back room at a candlelit table by the pianist. We had been walking about after traveling from US and were extremely hungry. We ordered the tomato bread and the croquets, both were lovely and the eggplant, which was okay. We shared the fresh doretta ( fish) for two, which came with tomato and roasted potato and was melt in your mouth delicious. We sampled various wines- sangria- cava by the glass. Bill was $127 EUR. The service was excellent and it was a perfect first night. read more

I almost dropped a star due to the presence of aggressive thieves nearby when we departed at 1030pm. Scary - 2 encounters while walking up Via Laietana pedestrian walkway to the road at Placa Catalunya. I didn't drop the star because I wanted to focus this review on the in-restaurant experience. Work buddy and I had dinner here. Most of the diners appeared to be tourists. Other nights might have a higher proportion of locals; the night we went there was a soccer match between Barcelona and Madrid that attracted the Catalonians--which made it easier for us to get a reservation. 4 Gats accepts most credit cards - except American Express. FOOD: 4.0. - I had lamb shoulder. Excellent. - He had roast chicken. Excellent. - For appetizers we had warm octopus, salted cooked peppers, foie/mushroom croquets, and manchego cheese. All good. SERVICE: 3.5. Very efficient. A bit arrogant but prompt and courteous. AMBIENCE: 3.5. Only downside is the volume of chatter. We sat at a table on the balcony and had a great time. A small band (sax, bass,...) started playing about 9:30 or 10. read more

While touristy, this place is worth a visit! We came for coffee and snacks and had a decent time. The fact that Picasso and his peers frequented this spot was definitely a draw. My husband and I had coffees (I had an Americano and he a machiatto) - both were delicious. We also has the patatas bravas (delicious!) and cheese plate (decent). The history and old school atmosphere was pleasant. The service wasn't the greatest - the food took a long time to come out, and they forgot the water we ordered. I'd suggest coming here for a cup of coffee (or a beer) and a pastry, and just experiencing first hand one of Picasso's old haunts. read more

If you're a Picasso fan, you might want to come here just to say you did. It's the cafe where he held his first art show in the early 1900s. Drinking vermout and enjoying snacks in the same room creative royalty once displayed his early works is something to write home about. But given it's been well over a century since that happened, and tourists have flocked ever since, it's hard to imagine a living Picasso ever stepping foot inside ever again. They do have a pretty good happy hour deal with a glass of wine and chips for 5€. But unless you're in the neighborhood already, I wouldn't suggest you go out of your way. read more

Happened to enter the restaurant, when we sat down, we found it's so special! We just visited Picasso Museum in the daytime and the restaurant he did first solo show impressed us deeply, so, how excited we were!! The tapas are very delicious and special, we hope to have chance go back again. read more

See all

Cute place in the old Gothic District. We came here around 1:00pm for lunch and had a great experience. There is a large dining area in the back but we sat up front in the coffee shop area. It just looked more homey. We got some toasted bread with tomatoes and olive oil, some croquettes with ham, seafood soup, and a leg of lamb. Food was great and service was good as well. I would recommend going there for lunch since they have a great fixed price lunch menu. read more

See all

A classic restaurant and a bit touristy, but it's a fun atmosphere and the service is truly stellar. We started with calamari, anchovies, and fried peppers (small and green, very mild, no heat). I had the squid ink black rice which came with creamy aioli on the side. It was hearty and filling, and the aioli was a great touch with the rice and squid bits. We split a creme catalan for dessert, not too sweet with a pleasing crunch. The piano is a nice touch but sometimes the selections are a bit "elevtor-y" but that's part of the charm. read more

See all

Good:Beautiful vibe, decor, and a lot of history. They had two singers that added a very nice ambience to the restaurant. Bad: Food was terrible for its price. One of the anchovies appetizer was overpowering. We had the seafood rice and was very watery and bland. The seafood was over cooked that it had a powdery texture. However, we did enjoy their Jamón, I'm not sure if u can mess that up. Service was ok. read more

The food and service here are very good but the prices seem a bit out of line. It seems like they are using their reputation to bump up their prices. We paid 130e for lunch. Monkfish for two, an appetizer and wine. read more

Got to know this place because of the information in the Picasso Museum. We went there after the museum closed in the evening with starving belly. The place is very nice with well decorated interior and the menu is the same design displayed in the museum. We ordered scallop, eggplant and tuna. The first two dishes were super delicious, though there were only 2 scallops and a bit pricy. read more

See all

Refused to serve us because we were tourists! Walked in at the middle of the day with my fiance, hoping to enjoy a drink after walking around Barcelona all day. It wasn't busy, and we took a table near the front. The servers did not ackowledge us, and angrily pushed chairs back in around us with saying a word. After 20 minutes of being ingored, another couple came in and they were served right away. A few minutes later, the couple inquired about us in Spanish, and the waitress loudly responded in Spanish that they will not serve tourists. Right in front of us! We are deeply offended, and left right away. How horribly rude to judge strangers, without even speaking to us! read more

Wonderful recommendation by local , delicious food , cozy place and live local singing artist . The staff was great, and kept the evening fun and flowing. I would definitely recommend this place to friends and family. We had a variety of foods, Jamon, squid and potato, foie gras , ravioli , and more all was delicious , and wine selection excellent. read more

See all

Picasso held his first solo exhibit in the main room of this restaurant, which was the main reason we decided to check it out. The interior of the restaurant bustles with culture, including several paintings and tile art. It's a small but quaint place, perfect for a nice break after taking a stroll along the Barri Gotic. The food and service was all very average. We came here for a snack and ordered calamari and mussels, and creme brulee. The creme brulee was definitely the highlight of the meal. Price was on the steep end, which was expected. We came mostly for the atmosphere and history, but expected better food. read more

See all

Cool little place full of history, 5+ stars for this fact. Although it's lacking with the food part of the experience. Mediocre, 2 1/2 stars at best. I'd have given it 4 but due to the fact the waiter Roberto is a bit of a smartass and not someone I'd have representing my restaurant or any other business. He could improve on his people skills an read more

Here with a small group from work and the service was top notch and professional! Great decor and get cozy - the pianist was a very nice addition! Food was excellent - especially the steak prepared table side!! I would definitely go back! read more

See all

If you want to spend a bit of your time in Barcelona eating and drinking with others from elsewhere, this historic venue will definitely fit the bill. The tapas are decent but not extraordinary -- the claim of the most "badass" spicy fried potatoes seems overblown. The selection of wines and, surprisingly, teas is almost more impressive. And the photos, art, and memorabilia are striking. But if you want a place with truly impressive food, you might want to continue your search. read more

El 4 Gats was on my list of places to check out since it was a famous watering hole and it appeared in a book I had recently finished. I'm a bit jaded so I did not hold out great hopes, but we had a wonderful experience here. The bartender welcomed us with enthusiasm and a great gin tonic. We then enjoyed a very good pan con tomate, some of the best jamon croquettes we have had anywhere and the wonderful chocolate. Great history, super-welcoming staff and a really cool vibe. read more

See all

This restaurant is definitely all about the ambiance and history behind it. Our dinner here was really terrible. We ordered the octopus us a starter and it didn't compare to the octopus we had in Croatia which was some of the best. For the main course we ordered the rib eye and I ordered the beef tenderloin. The waiter made the assumption that the rib eye was for the two of us to share and completely disregarded my order. On top of that the rib eye was just ok. We've had some amazing cuts of steak in the US and this just didn't even come close to comparing and was a steep 110 euros! I read from other reviews that the tuna was worth ordering, boy do we wish we would have listened. This was our last meal in Barcelona before we headed home to the US and I had much better food elsewhere. read more

7 august 2017 around 11:30am. Our party of 3 entered the restaurant and headed to the main room, which has a nice vintage look and feel, I asked the guy on the right if I could take a picture. He very abruptly replied "No!". The young waitress looked at us very ambarassed. Phone rang. Guy picked up. We decided to leave and went somewhere else less pretentious. Very rude staff. Did not have a chance to taste the food though. But I will never go back to this place whatever the reviews are. read more