Good food, great service. Pork rib was excellent. Located in a quiet square, outside seating is very nice

So while in Barcelona, I had a free day to roam around the area and look for something good to eat. When in doubt, ask the hotel. So I asked Carlos at the front desk of the Hotel Arts Barcelona, and I said I was looking for a good mid range tapas place in the area that only focused on food, decor was not that important to me. He said, "Oh I got a place that you will like and it's where the locals eat." (Also picture Carlos very enthusiastic, well spoken with a Spanish accent, if that paints a better picture) So I said Perfect!! He called, made a reservation for me and gave me a hotel card that he wrote the address and phone number of the restaurant. Boy was that a great recommendation. It was also a short 15 minute walk, but that was great for the digestion afterwards because I was stuffed. I was also directed to two specific people at the restaurant, I think it was that they both spoke English and they would be able to take care of me and my uncle better. Also, it was a major attraction that there is a 80 year old grandmother whizzing through the kitchen. She was making the pan con tomate and other items. Just watching her make the dishes was amazing in itself! She seemed so strong and vibrant and we had to take a picture with her. She was more than happy to get out of the kitchen and join us. She was fantastic. The food: Albondigas guisadas con Calamar- stewed meatballs with squid. I liked this dish, it was a very warm and hearty dish. The meatballs paired well with the squid, this and a nice crusty bread in the winter would be perfect. http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=vvHmLKruo6IFXcXQnmDcKQ&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA Pescado Frito Con Paperina- fried anchovies. So when this dish dropped, I was kinda underwhelmed since it looked so basic. I was very wrong. The dish was so good, woulda been the perfect side to watching a movie. They really are a perfect, crunchy little bite of fish and the fish didn't have a strong off putting fish taste either. http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=c9E_UDo110qXRXiQI8p-2Q&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA Stewed Oxtail Parmentier- This was a no forked needed tender piece of oxtail. It was like butt- ah! It was braised oxtail with a cream sauce. SO good!! http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=qofU8iqz9Y-d_7nI0nHItg&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA Fried egg with potatoes, Iberian ham and Manchego Cheese- this dish is something very similar I had at Casa Mono in NYC. Casa Mono instead use mojama and truffle oil but everything else is the same. The fried runny egg makes a sauce for the ham, manchego and potatoes and pairs everything together perfectly. The saltiness of the ham and cheese, with the crunch of the potatoes and softness of the running egg was well matched. http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=ox0OXbxRG8keN7x8GYh0hg&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA Pan con Tomate- Bread with tomato, olive oil and salt. This is kinda a staple in the tapas world. It's so basic and boring but it's a must order. The crusty bread and the sweetness of the brushed tomato is excellent. It really is a must. http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=ST4UGmzLRl0Cl9fcToNHzQ&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA Assortment of pork- It's pretty much a pork charcuterie and oh was it good. The ham was excellent as was the salami and chorizo. This with the Pan Con Tomate was awesome. Pork in Spain is the way to go. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/l-%C3%B2stia-barcelona?select=jRw5xX7qoYy2AL5vXv_SHA#jRw5xX7qoYy2AL5vXv_SHA read more

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Awesome spot! Everything we had was great but the pan con tomate is the best we've had so far in Barcelona! read more

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My last dinner in BCN, a new friend I made while I was there took me to this little restaurant. It's in a small courtyard, in front of an old church. One reason we're eating here was because of the Sant Joan celebration that was scheduled to happen after dark at this plaza. Needless to say it was packed. Somehow (I'm sure having a local who could speak the language) we managed to get a prime table outside. The menu offered a mix of tapas (or raciones). They have it in English (with funny sayings as menu subtitles). The waiter actually spoke English very well, but I let my friend did the ordering. I wanted to try the bombas (which is a bigger rounder version of a croquette) and it arrived covered in an aioli sauce and topped with a red pepper hot sauce. It was good, but nothing too extraordinary. However, the fried small fish (served in a paper cone) WAS the simpliest yet tastiest treat. It's like popcorn, but of fish. It's just crunchy enough, but not overly breaded or greasy. The fish was not at all fishy. The light salt made it a perfect snack, and it tasted good even after it got cold. The grilled shrimps (5 to an order for about 15 Euro) were DIVINE. PLEASE if you are not the type that suck the heads and all the juices, order something else. Because these shrimps didn't get burnt to death in vein. The freshness was in every molecule of the shrimp goodness. They were on the undercooked side; it was done that way because nothing ruins seafood faster than overcooking them. The last dish was grilled octopus. After eating the shrimps, this dish was a little underwhelmed. It was fresh and good but it lacked seasoning. Between the 2 of us, and 2 glasses of cava, the bill came to 48 Euros... not too shabby. Overall the atmosphere and the food quality and service were all great. And I know it's not fair, but the Sant Joan Devil Dance performance literally escalated this dining experience into one of the most memorable moments in my life. read more

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Family-run tapas bar in the church square of the old fisherman's district. Third-generation chef Jaume runs the kitchen, and he faithfully serves his mother's famous bomba recipe. We got those, grilled sardines, salad and tortilla (all good) while we waited for a table at Can Majo. read more

L'Òstia - Sardines en escabeche - Mediterranean Near Me - Barcelona, B

Phone stollen out of my Amazon Package by the employees. When I arrived in the bar, one employee was playing with my package. After I opened it I found that thing (see picture) Employees first claimed that only the boss has access to the video camera. Later when I came with the police, the employees claimed that the camera is fake. read more

L'Òstia - Mediterranean Near Me - Barcelona, B

Dear Spain, You are in luck! Axe P. traversed the seven seas, suffered mightily in his Coach seat only to land comfortably in the throes of Passionate Food Culture in your own Barcelona. Being that this is EFL, Spain may not be ready for Axe P., nor would it care, because it is unpretentious and wonderful, I have highlighted the following regarding L'Ostia: 1. Truffles, Farm Egg, Creme. Together, in one glorious incarnation. Gaudi himself would have prayed at the alter of L'Ostia's chef- this bigger than amuse-bouche-perfect-for-sharing creation is inspired by France, but cleansed by the gorgeous wine pairing recommended for us by the most lovely Server- a lady with short blonde hair and the most lovely and delightful spirit you can imagine. 2. Anchovies. Sardines. My God. Let's just stop eating, but why? Amaze-balls. 3. Fresh Bread. Yes, garlicky tomatoes on top (Spain, get ahold of yourselves with that tomato bread). 4. GREAT wine list- good knowledge. Thoughtful pairings, thoughtful prices. 5. Croquettes- So everywhere you go- you can eat these. Try L'Ostia's light-as-air version. The cod was fresh, you tasted the flakiness of the fish and enjoy the seasoning, but aren't stuffing a breadball down your gullet. 6. Dessert. So I hate flan. HATE FLAN. My partner thinks Flan is the Second Coming of Christ. I think its the Apple of Discord that will ruin our partnership and bring on the cicadas, or whatever. Honestly- I licked the plate here. Custard like no other. I'm not sure they called it Flan, maybe that was why. Holy. Wow. 7. Do you really need a 7th? Delicious bites- plates all to share. GREAT SERVICE. GREAT SERVICE GREAT SERVICE at all hours. We arrived "late"- after 10 each night (yes, we went twice) and received lovely and delightful service*. So this is an odd complaint in Europe, also- I am American, so you know we complain about this. But we are Americans who have spent a lot of time in Europe, and I would say that L'Ostia has a lovely restaurant where you can spend 1 hour or 3 licking your plate. Don't complain while in Spain. Blammo. Grathias. Axe P. read more

Great Tapas. Great service. Great sangria. Enjoyed this stop walking distance from Barcelonetta beach on our evening of exploring Barcelona read more

A lovely little hideaway. This place was recommended by a local. It's a very friendly place and the food is great. Authentic and old style tapas. Hospitality is excellent and we felt so welcomed. Our server was like a brother to us. We ordered some whiskey at the end of our meal and he knew just what to bring. Intuitive and carefully selected. Thank you. We will be back! read more

Great ambience! Dynamic staff! We just stopped and sat at the bar to enjoy an amazing glass of sangria! We'll be back for a meal next time! Gracias!!! read more

L'Òstia - At the bar! - Mediterranean Near Me - Barcelona, B

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The tapas was ridiculously quick and VERY good. We really enjoyed all of the meals here. The seafood was fresh and delicious, as was the oxtail. Definitely recommend! read more

Nice restaurant, not very busy and not mainstream for tourists. The stuff was ok, not very friendly but ok. I taste the pulpo, it was very delicious but a very small portion. My friends taste the olives and we're disappointed. It total we had a nice evening but I wasn't our best dinner during our stay in Barcelona read more

We really enjoyed the tapas in this restaurant. The food was excellent and the service was pretty good too.

Some of the better tapas we had on our trip to Barcelona. The food was a little pricy and it wasn't particularly amazing or impressive, but if you want a basic tapas this is for you. The service was good. Although it was a little touristy, it was better than a lot of other places in the area. read more

The restaurant is located at a nice square and offers typical Spanish food of highest quality. The prices were reasonable, which is remarkable in such a touristy area of town. The service was excellent. read more

New Years Day and we sat at the bar of L'Ostia - it was a perfect ending to a great trip in Barcelona. We had experienced the full spectrum of not great food to excellent bites all around the city. The food at L'Ostia was delicious and the service was excellent! It was a busy night for the cafe but the staff still made time to answer our questions, most important was how they make their sangria - it was awesome. Dining out is about the experience; the food, the ambience, the service and of course the company. We will always have a fond memory of our meal there! read more