From the reviews, it seems like we were very fortunate to go with good friends who are locals. They were very familiar with the seasonal Catalan ingredients, and could obviously handle any language barriers. My Spanish is passable, but I don't know any Catalan, so having people who could casually talk to the staff and translate the menu was a luxury that undoubtedly helped us have a better experience. The menu being written on the wall can be a bit awkward if you're sitting on the one side of the restaurant. My advice? Take a photo and go back to your table to read it.
Their wine menu is very good. The place is small, but they have a large wine cellar next door and are very knowledgeable. We let our friends pick the wines, and weren't disappointed by any of them.
The food, overall, was excellent! My favorites were the presa, the ceviche, the alambre, the pulpo, and the pèsols (tiny local seasonal peas). The chocolate bombs for dessert were good enough that our table ordered another round! I'd say the only things that weren't memorable were the albóndigas. They were simple and savory, but lacked interest. Basically just a simple gravy over the meatballs. They were good, but I wouldn't rush to order them again.
The space is cute and cozy, feeling more like a small pub than a "fancy" restaurant. As people who travel to Barcelona once or twice a year, it's definitely a spot we'll keep on our radar, but since it's in Poblenou, it's not really the easiest place to go if you're staying closer to L'Eixample Esquerra, as we typically do. Compared to many places in Barcelona, the cost can add up (especially if you opt for pricier wines), but for the amount of food we ordered and the quality, we weren't disappointed to see the bill. This isn't' a touristy cheap place with garbage paella. Els Tres Porquets is a very nice restaurant with truly seasonal ingredients and quality preparation. Sometimes that's worth the price! read more