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Recommended Reviews - Los Caracoles
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Reviews With Photos - Los Caracoles
We needed the paella experience. And we got it!served with a side of theater. You don't just walk into this restaurant, you strut through the open kitchen like an extra in Top Chef Spain Edition. Chefs are barking orders while giant pans of paella sizzle. Service is insane. They serve the paella table-side and peep the two spoon skills. Paella never felt so personal.
I really wanted to love this place, after seeing the great videos on Instagram, but it did not go very well. We had a reservation and were quickly seated, but we sat there for about 45 minutes before anyone came to our table. And this was after asking for water and if anyone could help us out and at least take a drink order. We had the garlic shrimp, which were ok. Our main meal was the lobster paella and it was not good. Very salty and my friend had to spit out the claw part because when she put it in her mouth, it was cold and gooey. Our waiter was concerned and could tell we were not happy after everything taking forever to arrive, but we just wanted to pay the bill and get out of there and go find something to eat somewhere else. We researched the place first and I know it has a great reputation for having good food, but maybe our expectations were too high, and we were a bit too hungry after waiting so long for our food. Our reservation was at 9:30 PM, so it was getting late, and we were tired and hungry. We would have had a better experience if we hadn't had to wait for so long and maybe if we'd ordered the chicken, which looked pretty good. But we wanted the paella experience and were left badly disappointed. However, it is a very neat looking place, and a unique atmosphere. I think they were just having an off night when we were there, which happens. Glad we did it, checked that off the list, but I would not want to go back.
My taxi driver recommended this restaurant as we passed it on the way to my hotel. A friend and I lunched there today and were not disappointed. We both had the half a roast chicken served with French fries. Absolutely delicious. The concierge at the hotel told us it had been owned and operated by the same family for almost 200 years! The menu is in several languages, including English. The service was great and the prices very reasonable. $30 for half a roast chicken, fries, water and 2 glasses of house red and a tip. Too full now to have any dinner. The whole experience was fantastic and I highly recommend this venerable restaurant.
Lunch at a place my dad used to have tapas at 33 years ago. The restaurant seems small at first but keeps winding through rooms and the kitchen, each turn revealing more seating. My family had seafood palella and I had beef tartare. The ambience was quaint and adorable! Menu had an English section which was quite helpful!
Awesome service from Pablo the 6th generation of owners of this family business. The "Los Caracoles" snails are in a wonderful brown, spicy sauce. My fish "Empordanesa" cod (tomato, pine nuts, raisins, and plums) was fabulous! Flaky white fish with exceptional flavors. The lobster paella looked amazing, next time I will order that. As for the beef, not exceptionally flavorful but decent for a pan fried steak. The atmosphere is ancient gothic section charm and to die for. We will return next time we are in Barcelona.
This is one of, if not THE, oldest continually operating restaurant in Barcelona. It is one of those classic restaurants that every tourist goes to ... and likely your grandparents would have taken you to as a child in the 1980's because they went on their honeymoon in the 1950s. It likely still looks the same in the 2020's. Photos of all the celebrities who ate here line the walls. Robert DeNiro, Charles Barkley, OJ Simpson ... even Gorbachev. The name means snails in Spanish and from the embroidery of the napkins to hidden snails in the woodwork ... even the shape of the bread ... there are snails everywhere. The ones on our plate were just okay. Much smaller than Escargo and served in a sauce so fatty, after a few minutes, it congeals in the divot at the top of the shell. You have to get a bowl of these to say you tried them. However, it's a big portion ... they are very messy to eat with the toothpicks provided ... and the sauce is a bit bland, like a tomato gravy. The croquettes are the best we had in the city ... small cheesy fritters ... light and dougy on the inside and crisp on the outside. We also had the Iberico Ham, which was an absolutely huge portion, best for a table of 4+ people to share. The tomato and olive oil bread was typical but good. We came for lunch and did not order entrees. It looked like there was a very seafood-heavy menu. The times of dining in Spain are way weird. Lunch usually ends at 2 or 3, which is odd because most people dine at 8 or 9 for dinner. However, Barcelona seems to keep more to a tourist schedule ... its hard to find food after 10 p.m. This restaurant closed at 4 p.m. for lunch and we arrived at 3:30 p.m. and were rushed to order before the kitchen closed. Speaking of the kitchen, the layout is strange. You walk in the front door where there is a very old-fashioned bar. You are lead down some narrow stairs and walked through the kitchen with big pots of sauce and into the downstairs dining room. It looks exactly what you'd think a historic Barcelona restaurant would look like. There is an upper dining room, as well, which you'll see on the way to the restrooms, which are up a large staircase. The restaurant is cavernous ... one of the biggest I've ever been in. Overall, this is a classic old-timey restaurant ... these types of places are closing all the time as diners prefer more of a modern experience. It is a shame ... and you should dine at these types of places when you still have the chance to. 1930's Spain can be yours for an hour or so. The waitstaff was inattentive and aloof ... likely due to us arriving just before they closed to reset for dinner, so I won't blame them for leaving us with empty wine glasses throughout the meal. Most waiters here speak little English, so be prepared for that. Overall, if you have some time in Barcelona and want a truly unique and vintage dining experience, you'll find it here.
We could not have had a better experience! We were charmed by the atmosphere of the space, the care and attention of the staff, and the amazing food! Dining here was a highlight of our trip to Barcelona. We were able to be seated quickly, even on the Friday evening we were there, our meals were very well prepared, we had very friendly (and fun!) waiters and staff, and we stayed until closing! When they found out it was my birthday, they even sang to us -- a warm and personal touch. Highly recommend Los Caracoles, and we will share our endorsement with anyone who happens to be nearby!
This was said to be the oldest restaurant in Barcelona founded in 1835. You enter their front door and you will see the bar as you enter and then we went upstairs to be seated Service was amazing, they knew we were tourists, they did some corny jokes here and there but overall, it was a pleasant experience. Now the food, it was a little bit overrated, but then, me being a positive person would still like to see the beauty of it all. Overall, it's still a good experience to say that I've tried their escargot and... sauces were done well. Will I go back? Not for a while.
The restaurant is absolutely beautiful and almost looks like you're traveling through time as you walk through the decor; beautiful antique furnishes, hanging dried ham on the ceiling, hundreds of beautiful frames with sentimental notes and photos. We made a reservation about two months in advance, that's how excited we were. The food was absolutely spectacular, I would 100% come back if it wasn't for one little thing... Our server was inattentive and made comments that weren't the nicest. I kind of attribute it to his being young, I mean he sort of made fun of my accent and for being "obviously Cuban", didnt check on us for huge periods at a time, made hints at assuming we were weird or off putting for what we sounded and ate like? I work in the hospitality industry so I can also understand if my standards fall a little higher than the rest, but such a beautiful restaurant being tainted by someone's inexperience and palpable disrespect really makes me remember more of the experience than the actual delicious food. Notes: food was absolutely spectacular, reasonably priced for a restaurant of its caliber, service was okay at best, in a way that makes me remember his behavior more than our meals. read more
3 months ago
While the restaurant seems to largely be a seafood place, they have a small wood fire spit with roasting chickens near the entrance that drew us in. We sat up at the bar and did not get to see the full restaurant but the front area was very nice and the bartender was a wonderful hostess. The chicken was DELICIOUS and I would come again just to eat it. The fries were also so crispy and perfectly cooked it made me want more. read more
We needed the paella experience. And we got it!served with a side of theater. You don't just walk into this restaurant, you strut through the open kitchen like an extra in Top Chef Spain Edition. Chefs are barking orders while giant pans of paella sizzle. Service is insane. They serve the paella table-side and peep the two spoon skills. Paella never felt so personal. read more
I really wanted to love this place, after seeing the great videos on Instagram, but it did not go very well. We had a reservation and were quickly seated, but we sat there for about 45 minutes before anyone came to our table. And this was after asking for water and if anyone could help us out and at least take a drink order. We had the garlic shrimp, which were ok. Our main meal was the lobster paella and it was not good. Very salty and my friend had to spit out the claw part because when she put it in her mouth, it was cold and gooey. Our waiter was concerned and could tell we were not happy after everything taking forever to arrive, but we just wanted to pay the bill and get out of there and go find something to eat somewhere else. We researched the place first and I know it has a great reputation for having good food, but maybe our expectations were too high, and we were a bit too hungry after waiting so long for our food. Our reservation was at 9:30 PM, so it was getting late, and we were tired and hungry. We would have had a better experience if we hadn't had to wait for so long and maybe if we'd ordered the chicken, which looked pretty good. But we wanted the paella experience and were left badly disappointed. However, it is a very neat looking place, and a unique atmosphere. I think they were just having an off night when we were there, which happens. Glad we did it, checked that off the list, but I would not want to go back. read more
8 months ago
8 months ago
My taxi driver recommended this restaurant as we passed it on the way to my hotel. A friend and I lunched there today and were not disappointed. We both had the half a roast chicken served with French fries. Absolutely delicious. The concierge at the hotel told us it had been owned and operated by the same family for almost 200 years! The menu is in several languages, including English. The service was great and the prices very reasonable. $30 for half a roast chicken, fries, water and 2 glasses of house red and a tip. Too full now to have any dinner. The whole experience was fantastic and I highly recommend this venerable restaurant. read more
10 months ago
Must visit for the experience & good food. Rich history and beautiful decorations . Dishes are unique and tasty. read more
Lunch at a place my dad used to have tapas at 33 years ago. The restaurant seems small at first but keeps winding through rooms and the kitchen, each turn revealing more seating. My family had seafood palella and I had beef tartare. The ambience was quaint and adorable! Menu had an English section which was quite helpful! read more
10 months ago
9 months ago
Awesome service from Pablo the 6th generation of owners of this family business. The "Los Caracoles" snails are in a wonderful brown, spicy sauce. My fish "Empordanesa" cod (tomato, pine nuts, raisins, and plums) was fabulous! Flaky white fish with exceptional flavors. The lobster paella looked amazing, next time I will order that. As for the beef, not exceptionally flavorful but decent for a pan fried steak. The atmosphere is ancient gothic section charm and to die for. We will return next time we are in Barcelona. read more
10 months ago
Beautiful restaurant, amazing food and a great location. A lot of history. The servers were great. You definitely have to try the snails!!! read more
This is one of, if not THE, oldest continually operating restaurant in Barcelona. It is one of those classic restaurants that every tourist goes to ... and likely your grandparents would have taken you to as a child in the 1980's because they went on their honeymoon in the 1950s. It likely still looks the same in the 2020's. Photos of all the celebrities who ate here line the walls. Robert DeNiro, Charles Barkley, OJ Simpson ... even Gorbachev. The name means snails in Spanish and from the embroidery of the napkins to hidden snails in the woodwork ... even the shape of the bread ... there are snails everywhere. The ones on our plate were just okay. Much smaller than Escargo and served in a sauce so fatty, after a few minutes, it congeals in the divot at the top of the shell. You have to get a bowl of these to say you tried them. However, it's a big portion ... they are very messy to eat with the toothpicks provided ... and the sauce is a bit bland, like a tomato gravy. The croquettes are the best we had in the city ... small cheesy fritters ... light and dougy on the inside and crisp on the outside. We also had the Iberico Ham, which was an absolutely huge portion, best for a table of 4+ people to share. The tomato and olive oil bread was typical but good. We came for lunch and did not order entrees. It looked like there was a very seafood-heavy menu. The times of dining in Spain are way weird. Lunch usually ends at 2 or 3, which is odd because most people dine at 8 or 9 for dinner. However, Barcelona seems to keep more to a tourist schedule ... its hard to find food after 10 p.m. This restaurant closed at 4 p.m. for lunch and we arrived at 3:30 p.m. and were rushed to order before the kitchen closed. Speaking of the kitchen, the layout is strange. You walk in the front door where there is a very old-fashioned bar. You are lead down some narrow stairs and walked through the kitchen with big pots of sauce and into the downstairs dining room. It looks exactly what you'd think a historic Barcelona restaurant would look like. There is an upper dining room, as well, which you'll see on the way to the restrooms, which are up a large staircase. The restaurant is cavernous ... one of the biggest I've ever been in. Overall, this is a classic old-timey restaurant ... these types of places are closing all the time as diners prefer more of a modern experience. It is a shame ... and you should dine at these types of places when you still have the chance to. 1930's Spain can be yours for an hour or so. The waitstaff was inattentive and aloof ... likely due to us arriving just before they closed to reset for dinner, so I won't blame them for leaving us with empty wine glasses throughout the meal. Most waiters here speak little English, so be prepared for that. Overall, if you have some time in Barcelona and want a truly unique and vintage dining experience, you'll find it here. read more
10 months ago
We could not have had a better experience! We were charmed by the atmosphere of the space, the care and attention of the staff, and the amazing food! Dining here was a highlight of our trip to Barcelona. We were able to be seated quickly, even on the Friday evening we were there, our meals were very well prepared, we had very friendly (and fun!) waiters and staff, and we stayed until closing! When they found out it was my birthday, they even sang to us -- a warm and personal touch. Highly recommend Los Caracoles, and we will share our endorsement with anyone who happens to be nearby! read more
This was said to be the oldest restaurant in Barcelona founded in 1835. You enter their front door and you will see the bar as you enter and then we went upstairs to be seated Service was amazing, they knew we were tourists, they did some corny jokes here and there but overall, it was a pleasant experience. Now the food, it was a little bit overrated, but then, me being a positive person would still like to see the beauty of it all. Overall, it's still a good experience to say that I've tried their escargot and... sauces were done well. Will I go back? Not for a while. read more
2 years ago
Perfect place to end the trip to Espana. The paella and the taps were delicious and tasted exactly like the Paella that we had in Valencia . The place has nice , lively and classic ambience and staff were very friendly and attentive. We personally met owner and the chefs. read more
2 years ago
I love it! Very old, reminds me of Casa Botín in Madrid. Good food and service. Second best meal in Barcelona. They give you a card at the end, I thought it was a nice detail. You don't need a reservation, the lady at front seat is immediately. You enter thru the kitchen lol read more
2 years ago
This is the 2nd oldest restaurant in Barcelona. The food and service were both good. They are known for the Escargot. The special snails were great. The restaurant is very big, with several sections on the ground floor and upstairs. I recommend this restaurant for a special local dining in a very old setting. read more
2 years ago
Finding the place is an adventure of itself. It is down one of the alleys and in the evening can look quite precarious with the stone building and the flames from the rotisserie chickens that they have going, which can be viewed and smelled directly from the outside. We went with a party of 30 so we had a private room which was nice. The only downside is they had the one waiter cover our party all by himself. We told him not to worry as it was not his fault since this was booked well in advance. I ended up getting the Rabo de Toro (Oxtail stew) that came with potatoes. In my mind and how it was described, I envisioned a portion of meat with a large or few small potatoes on the side. I was not expecting how little of food came out for the price of 19€. It was maybe about 2-3 oz of meat over about the same in mashed potatoes drenched in butter. While it tasted ok, I much would have rather gotten half a whole woodfired rotisserie chicken for 2€ cheaper. That at least for the high price was cooked on the spicket directly out front. I could tell it was not just me thinking it when a good amount of people at the table even commented on how small the portion was. It honestly felt like an appetizer for a multi course meal. The bread was also 2€ for everyone at the table, even though they barely brought any out to cover enough for 1 slice a person. Considering a large bottle of sparking water was 2.60€ I was shocked. The ambiance of the entire building is the only thing that saved it for me. I am a sucker for old world feeling and I felt like I was transported back in time as the restaurant was founded in 1835. That is what I feel that is the draw and one of the main reasons it is recommended to tourists. I am ok with going to an expensive restaurant but when most of your reviews list it at mid-level and then your prices are 20-40€ + per item, then that is not mid-level. The fact that there were clear overpriced charges for items like bread and extra fees tacked onto the bill make it feel like a tourist trap. From the now read reviews it looks like this is a typical thing that occurs with mostly tourist only. I expect that from the places on the main strips but not the supposed hidden gems of the city. read more
1 year ago
I came here a decade ago and I promise my experience was different. This restaurant turned into the most touristy place in Barcelona. The service is average and their food is bad. Everything came very salty and flavorless. If your concierge told you to go there, tell them no thanks. I gave the place 2 stars because the venue itself is beautiful. read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
We had an amazing experience here. The staff was so gracious and fun and even walked us out to catch a taxi late in the evening The meal was delicious and the peach dessert was divine. The ambiance is warm, classic, beautiful. Don't hesitate to make this a stop in Barcelona. read more
2 years ago
8 years ago
Our hotel concierge recommended this restaurant for authentic Spanish cuisine, popular amongst locals and visitors alike. Tucked away on the corner of a side street near tourist-heavy La Rambla, Los Caracoles looks small from the outside but has quite a bit of dining space with tables going pretty far back into the establishment. Having been around since 1835, Los Caracoles has a rustic Spanish vibe with lots of original wood, mosaic tiles, and mementos of well-known visitors to Los Caracoles dating back many years. As lovers of all things seafood, we were happy to see plenty of seafood on the menu. To start, we had the "Los Caracoles" fish soup and sautéed vegetables. For our main meal, we had the Paella with cod and vegetables, Grilled Salmon, and the Grilled Fish Platter. All of the food was authentically prepared and fresh. My favorite was probably the fish platter, as it had 3 types of fish and an assortment of shellfish! For dessert, we had the Flan with thyme ice cream. I highly recommend this restaurant for a non-touristy, authentic and historic Spanish experience. The menu is extensive with a lot of options for meat and/or fish lovers. read more
5 years ago
I discovered this iconic restaurant while attending Universidad de Barcelona Facultad de Medicina in the 1970's. Since I graduated I've been back to Barcelona about every 5 years. I always have dinner there my first night. Classic Catalan cuisine . I've recommended this restaurant to many of my friends and have gotten rave reviews. Looking forward to my next trip to Barcelona. read more
4 years ago
Charming. Busy. Food, variable. We had croquettes, tomato bread, veg tuna salad, catalan-style sausage, morrocan-style cod, garlic fried cod, seafood stew. Might return for the labyrinth of floors to get to a table, alone! read more
2 years ago
This was a warm and cozy restaurant that my relatives who live in Portugal took my family and I to. They are in Barcelona quite often for business and Los Caracoles is one of their favorite restaurants. Details: Saturday, March 21, 2015 for dinner at 8:30 p.m. (Stayed up late again) Dined with my husband's cousins who were in town from Lisbon, Portugal to see us. Restaurant: Los Caracoles - means snails in Spanish. Not good for finicky eaters like my family and I who have never eaten snails, but what the hell. I would have tried them considering I was drinking wine earlier in the day starting with lunch, then cocktails with friends in afternoon in our hotel lounge and then a nice bottle of wine with dinner. When we walked in there was a cozy bar area that I would have stayed at for a bit, but we had reservations. We walked through the bar and straight into the kitchen where the chefs were cooking. Once you leave the kitchen there are little intimate rooms all over the place and I really like that. After walking through a few little rooms we started heading upstairs and ended up in a little room or loft right above the kitchen. If you check out my video you can see what it looked like. Entertainment: Singers came by at one point which was nice. Check out my video. Food: It was excellent. We ordered mushrooms in garlic and calamari as starters. Rolls were served that looked like snails. No one ordered snails, but I would have tried them at that point. Everyone loved their meals and I thoroughly enjoyed the baked salted cod and bottle of Marques de Caceres (Viura/red) wine. We ordered the creme brulee for dessert and that was delicious. Service: The service was great and we always had everything we needed. Recommendation: This was probably one of my favorite meals in Barcelona and I was glad we could escape from the tapas scene. I can only handle so many of those. Just give me a plate of food and hold the tapas forever. read more
Nestled down on a small alleyway this beautiful restaurant is exactly what you are looking for when your desire is authentic Paella and other great Spanish dishes. To get to your tables you have to walk past the hot stoves in the kitchen! Very nostalgic. I loved that! The decor was amazing! Old world charm and very simple. Many autographed pictures on almost every wall, some so old and faded made you realize this restaurant has made many happy over a century. The service was very efficient. They worked in teams covering anyone that needed anything during their meal. Very friendly and attentive staff. The menu has everything, it's so big it can cause indecisiveness. The wine list was also quite long. Sections of both the menu and wine list were separated by language. This made it very easy to order. This restaurant was a gem. Our bartender at the hotel gave us the recommendation. He stated he comes here very often for Paella. Portions are generous and very tasty. Complete value for money and overall entertainment. This is definitely going to be one of my spots each time I visit Barcelona. read more
3 years ago
4 years ago
4 years ago
Delicious, old authentic Spanish restaurant in the heart of Barcelona. I recommend this restaurant to everyone visiting, especially for the first time, and it is popular with both locals and tourists. Everything I've had on the menu has been delicious, but my favorite aspect of this restaurant is the space - it is actually a rather large establishment with multiple different rooms that you can dine in, and you have to walk directly through the kitchen to get to your table - super cool. I'll be back when I can visit Spain again, hopefully in 2022! read more
It was recommended by a friend we eat here and we were happy we did. Very cool old building with many dining rooms across several floors. Great momentous adorn the walls so you really get a sense of the history - it has been in business since 1835 and the 5th generation of the family runs it. We started with a bottle of cava and a (double) whiskey for me along with snails and buratto. Both were excellent but the amount of snails was actually shocking. I'm used to getting 6 or so if I order escargot. But I got two dozen here. Couldn't even finish them although I really enjoyed the dish. For main courses I ordered the 1/2 roasted chicken and my wife dialed it back a bit and had a small plate of clams and artichokes. My chicken was really tasty albeit the breast meat was a little dry. For desert we had their creme brûlée which I wouldn't recommend. So with the great service provided we overall loved the experience although it is a bit pricey for what you actually get (except for the crazy amount of snails). Would definitely come back. read more
7 years ago
Located along a side street off of La Ramblas, this hole-in-the-wall joint serves up some good eats in a very unique atmosphere. Right when you walk in, all you see is a long wooden bar with a kitchen in the back. You actually have to walk through the kitchen, past the flaming hot stoves, to reach the large dining area in the back. The colorful tiled walls are covered with pictures of famous guests, showing the history of this aged restaurant. I especially liked the decor on the second floor by the stairs, where from the ceiling hangs iberico ham. As Los Carcoles is one of the more popular tourist destinations, the menu conveniently had multiple sections for all different languages. I couldn't resist ordering the roast chicken, after seeing them on a spit fire rotisserie through the window outside. The chicken had a crisp, well seasoned skin, and the meat itself was very moist. I also really enjoyed the Sausage w/ white mushrooms. If you like nutty nougaty goodness, I highly recommend the Spanish Nougat ice cream. Since this is a popular tourist spot, the prices were a bit on the higher side, but overall I had a great and filling meal. read more
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More info about Los Caracoles
Carrer dels Escudellers, 14
08002 Barcelona
Spain
Barri Gòtic
Directions
933 012 041
Call Now
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http://www.loscaracoles.es
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