Cal Pep

Most amazing experience! No menu but just recommendation from the waiters depending on your preferences and allergies. A bit on the pricey side but everything was so tasteful and worth it. We did have to wait around 20 min for some seats to free up, but that just proves the quality of the place, in my opinion.

Found this restaurant by chance, we came at 19:45 and got the last 2 seats by the counter. Long line after we seated. Crowded for a reason, seafood is amazing. Every one had the assorted fired seafood which is the best we had in barcelona, the rest of seafood is good.

We had a very good experience at Cal Pep. We started with a variety of tapas (from fish to meat ), and then had local fish and grilled meat as the main course. The staff is super friendly. We paid around 50 euros per person, including beers, etc.

Amazingly delicious food. You come in and sit down at the counter and are told there isn't a menu. Just tell the friendly chefs what you want to eat and they will tell you what they have and can make and boom super good food. We ended up with some tuna tartare, gigantic raw oysters, the very very best grilled octopus leg that I've ever had, and crème brûlèe of course. Some wine with everything and it's the best midday meal between lunch and dinner.

The best tapas I have ever had. Get the Monkfish and Tortilla! Just try everything! You won’t be disappointed :))

It was our fault for not doing enough research about this popular restaurant before committing to almost an hour wait in line. From what we read in Google reviews we knew they don’t have a menu and it depends on daily supply. The fresh seafood being served to bar seats customers really caught our eyes and we were determined to wait and try them out. Later on we were offered to sit in the back room and didn’t realize it’s different than sitting at the bar. The server was friendly and playful and asked briefly if we had anything we don’t eat. And before I could express what I am interested in trying. He said he will take care of ordering and told us to not worry about it. We were confused and also nervous about what we’ve signed up for. I communicated to the server that I want to try more seafood and less carb and not sure if he heard me alright, it almost felt like he wasn’t paying much attention to what I said. We were served tomato toast as starter and followed up with the clam dish, was offered a little pan to finish the clam sauce with. Then was served Spanish omelette and lastly a fish dish with potatoes on the side. When I asked what is in the fish dish, the server jokingly said it’s called “shut up and eat”. It was funny at the time but I don’t think I enjoyed not being able to communicate properly. At this point I was really nervous about how much more food to be served to us and how expensive the bill will be so I asked server how much more food to come. He probably sensed we are getting full so told us that was all the food. Overall no complain about food quality. Every bite was tasty. But did not love the experience of not being able to choose or ask for what we prefer, not knowing how much food we are going to be served and how much those food will cost. Bill end up to be close to 70 euro. I think the bar seats were the experience we were looking for for sure.

Fun and perhaps the best meal we have had in Europe. Everything was so fresh and flavorful. We just trusted the man behind the counter to choose for us and everything was simply the best. The clams in broth were incredible and using the local tomato garlic bread we soaked up every drop. The tuna tartare was succulent and so fresh. Calin Ari that is to die for. Scallops and foie gras, sea bass and peppers, sangria, house beer, it was all a delight. Cannot recommend high enough.

Great tapas and raciones in Barcelona. Very classic establishment, good friendly service. Their tortilla is very popular and yes it is very very good. It is a great place for seafood. Gets pretty busy so get there early. The line also moves semi-quickly.

Feast of epic proportions. Service was excellent. Great wine selection, although they were out of my first choice. Diner feel to the place. Sit at the bar, they don't have a menu, but ask you preferences based on what they have for the day, then they just start bringing you food, food, and more food. If you tell them you are hungry, you will leave stuffed. Every dish exceeded expectations.

Authentic and tasty food. The ambiance was lovely and fitting. The staff were great: entertaining, expert and attentive.

Over priced, overrated, tourist trap. We had the same exact tapas at many other places within Barcelona with much better flavor and for a fraction of the price. The flavor of the food was basic. The tartare did not taste fresh. I couldn't finish it. The crawfish didn't taste like crawfish and I looooove crawfish. The tomato bread lacked flavor. There are so many better places to eat in Barcelona. Save your time and effort and go somewhere where else.

After 6 tasting cocktails and 3 actual cocktails at Paradiso, X and I desperately needed some food to soak up all the booze. I had already bookmarked Cal Pep since my friends had recommended it. We stumbled in around 10pm and managed to nab two bar seats. They didn't have the razor clams left at that time, but we managed to get the baby squids as well as the tuna tartare. We wanted one more dish and they recommended the Spanish tortilla. This was the best Spanish tortilla that I have ever had. No joke. It was so creamy and delicious. The squids were fantastic, very fresh and flavorful. We finished the night with a slice of chocolate cake, which was so moist and exactly what I wanted. I would recommend coming a bit earlier in the night if you want the full menu, but we had no issues with whatever was left that night. It was honestly, one of the best meals we had this trip.

Our absolute favorite spot in Barcelona. Go and wait for a seat at the bar. It is the best experience. Tapas are incredible. There is no menu. They ask what you don't like and order for you. Trust them!! Everything is sooo good. Fried artichokes, pan, clams, I could go on. The atmosphere is fun. They are all so happy behind the bar, smiling and joking around. I had a grin on my face the whole time. Can't wait to go back.

[Food] Prix Fixe Menu (~€75 for 2 people) - Catalan Tomato Bread: Apparently this was a freebie they give to everyone but getting this first filled me up a bit. Don't get me wrong, I love tomato bread, but I would've saved this for the end to ensure I ate everything else first. - Mixed Fried Seafood: Includes shrimp, squid, and anchovies. Enjoyed most of the seafood but the anchovies were a bit too fishy and salty for me personally. - Steamed Mussels & Clams: My favorite dish! I practically ate this all myself! - Tuna Tartare: Yummy and fresh! Toasted bread was a bit too hard. - Tortilla de Patatas: Got confused with what this was at first thinking it was a dessert but I was actually pleasantly surprised it was a savory potato omelette dish. My second favorite! [Service] - Friendly, fast, nice, humorous [Ambiance] - Super packed so make sure you line up 30-45 minutes prior to opening if you don't have reservations - Fairly small. Seems like the bar is the main area to be seated. [Overall] - Would definitely come back for this the next time I'm here! Definitely worth it for the price! - We got what is basically a set prix fixe menu of what's fresh that day and I don't regret it. I just wish I had enough room to order the other amazing dishes I saw other customers order, like the small clams! - Ask for some lemon as it really brings out the freshness of the seafood!

Beyond delicious. Charming wait staff. Sat at counter and ate what was recommended and it all meted in our mouths.

Tourist trap. Cal Pep is not worth over a two hour wait in line for overpriced tapas food that is only "okay". Cal Pep reminds me of the children's book, The Emperor's New Clothes. Just because an online website with a list of best tapas in Barcelona or a hotel concierge at a 5-star hotel tell you Cal Pep is the best, doesn't mean it's true. Just like in the children's book, the emperor IS naked. So be warned... don't be fooled. I assume the tapas was amazing once. But like many restaurants, the cook changes, management changes, staff changes... and with this changing of the guard, the food just isnt living up to the hype. I imagine the best thing about Cal Pep is it's marketing. Bravo! You got me. Anyway, as for our meal, we had the gambas costa and tuna tartare. Both just okay in my humble opinion.

Was taken out here as part of a business dinner. I have some dietary restrictions and they were perfectly accommodating. Then the different dishes kept coming until we were totally stuffed. One of those places you just trust the chef and enjoy. That approach worked well. Sea bream was perfect. But so were all the courses. Highly recommended!

The food here was good ... but we felt that either we were taken advantage of ... or, the ordering system is just completely wacky. Long story short, we waited at the bar ... about 25 minutes. There were 2 people waiting (hoovering behind the diners) ahead of us and as diners got up, they slid in. Finally, we grabbed a seat at the counter and asked to order. "There is no menu. You don't order ... we bring you the food we bring." said the person behind the counter. "Just tell me if there is something you don't like". Out of the 1,000 or more foods on the earth, I am sure there are a lot we don't like. So, you want us to just start rattling off foods we hate? We figured that it's some kind of 'SoupNazi' type of system and decided just to go with it ... although we kind of knew what we wanted to eat for lunch and were not expecting (or wanting) to eat 6 courses. I see this absolutely awesome dish of what looks like Langoustines (small lobsters) that the person 3 or 4 seats down is eating. "Can I get that?" I asked the server. He just looked at me and kind of shrugged. Surely, that would be included ... right? Wrong! The ONE dish I wanted and asked for ... he did not bring. Instead, we watched them bring plate, after plate to us ... none of which we ordered. Half of which we didn't want. Here is what was brought to us: - Some kind of mushy corn-tasting cake, (maybe a sweet omelet?) which would have fed 6 people, though there were only 2 of us. - A small dish of clams in broth. - Tuna Tar Tar ... I don't eat raw fish, so it was basically wasted. - A piece of cooked white fish ... this was good, but nothing either of us would have ordered - Steak and potatoes ... again ... not bad but never would either of us have ordered it. Here is what we wanted: - Langoustines - Fritto Misto (fried calamari and other sea creatures) - Razor Clams It was frustrating watching other people be served the food we wanted to order, only to get steak and potatoes, white fish and other things we considered more like a dinner meal vs. a luncheon tapas. The bill came and it was around $150. We came in thinking we'd each have 1 or 2 things, and instead we left feeling full to the brim, as if we had just ate 6 meals. (and we kind of did) The food here is good ... and it's high quality. The chefs seem to know what they are doing ... but to not be able to order what you want and be forced to eat way more food than you want ... we won't return. If you go in knowing that you are not allowed to order, there is no menu and you basically have no control over the meal, you'll probably enjoy the experience. Go in hungry and with no expectations. This was our least favourite meal in Spain. And ... the atmosphere looks like an American diner from NY or NJ.

I'm so glad we had this restaurant recommended to us by a local!! We sat at the bar, and Oscar took great care of us. He asked if we had dietary restrictions.... I'm vegetarian, and my husband eats everything. No problem said Oscar, and he brought dishes that were fantastic My favorite was spinach with the creamiest chickpeas I have ever had. Husband had seabass with roasted potatoes and tomatoes that were delicious. I are most of his tomatoes and potatoes! Our neighbors had beautiful beautiful seafood dishes as well. You hadn't to be willing to go with the flow. Tell them what you don't like and they will bring you amazing dishes that you will enjoy! Fried artichokes too....fantastic!!

The food here is delicious. Fresh fish and steak (among other tapas). No menu. Tell the server what you like and don't like and they'll pick dishes for you. The staff seem to really enjoy working there and it's fun to watch them cook while sitting at the bar. The atmosphere is lively and upbeat. Worth visiting and waiting for a seat!

Cal Pep came from multiple recommendations and it did not disappoint! We timed getting there 30mins after they opened, and only had to wait a few minutes to sit at the bar. The staff and food were excellent! Just go with their picks and you'll be set!! Will go back again someday!

By far my favorite restaurant in Barcelona. No need to order, all you have to do is sit at the counter and allow them to serve you what is prepared that day. Everything is unique, fresh and incredible. The food is some of the best I've ever had and the small historic feel of the restaurant allows you to enjoy the food the way it is supposed to be enjoyed - with others.

Pretty much the equivalent of drinking seawater. Snag a reservation and head to the back room of this unassuming sport in Barça to be whisked away to a space reminiscent of times gone by. Wine cellar up top was very cool. Framed reviews from 2005 had us a bit nervous. At one time this was considered one of the 50 best restaurants in the world, but I fear this distinction probably no longer holds. The restaurant's concept is a mixture of tapas and omakase - the house chooses what to serve and service was fabulous. Here's a run-down: - Fried artichoke: awesome! Definitely salty but I think this is merited. - Tuna tare-tare: very fresh, but again salty... like borderline too much - Spanish potato omelette: beautiful, best, most well-rounded dish received - fried seafood platter: amazing calamari... salty - steamed clams: basically just salt in clam form - steak and potatoes: exclusively salt, potatoes underdone. Borderline inedible. I think this place is primarily made of salt, but at least the value here is amazing for the volume of food received (140 EUR including a bottle of wine for 4 people). 2.5/5 there's gotta be better in Barça. The freshness of the ingredients could shine so much brighter if not for severe oversalting.

What a cool spot. Came here 3 days in a row and finally got in at 1pm on a Tuesday. Unbelievable experience. Come hungry leave happy! Also helps the wait staff is fun, engaging, and all around a great time. Would HIGHLY encourage anyone coming to Barcelona to come here. Make sure you leave time to come as they do not take any reservations and is first come first serve. Must sit at the bar for the full experience! Our waiter was local and was a fun guy!

Cal pep was recommended by a few friends and they were right - what a meal! The place is tiny, so come early and prepare to wait (totally worth it.) You can have drinks while waiting so it's not so bad. Come with a smaller group so you can sit at the bar and watch the magic happen, but be warned - you will definitely get hungrier watching the people who are seated eat their tapas The staff is friendly and will ask for any allergies/dislikes before tailoring a meal to your taste. The food is outstanding. We tried a ton of things, everything was great. Tenderloin, jamon, monkfish, urchin, fried seafood, shisito peppers, and more - it was all just delicious. Good sangria and lots of drink options. Definitely put this on your must-visit list for Barcelona.

Location, Decor, Ambiance: It's a bustling place witha ton going on. Expect a line when you go. We waited about 30 minutes or so and was seated in the back room. However, I'm sure sitting at the bar would be fun as you can see the kitchen working in organized chaos to fill orders. Food & Drink: The food is delicious! There's no official menu to pass around but let your server know your dietary restrictions and they'll make a few suggestions. If you can, I highly recommend the clams, tuna tartare, and their puff pastry with cream. Their fried artichokes were pretty good too. The only one that I thought was just average was the bread and tomato spread. If you like vermouth they make theirs inhouse and it's great. Service: Service is great and the staff are a fun group to joke around with! They're super friendly. Oscar was the best! Pricing: Pricing is very reasonable. We paid about $80 for two people which included dessert and drinks. Would Return? Yes!

If you want to try a fancier tapas place, make sure you eat at Cal Pep while visiting Barcelona. This was our second visit, first visit was in 2016. They open for dinner at 7:30 and you will want to get there about 15 minutes early in order to get seated at the bar. The place is always full when it's open. There isn't really a menu, your server/bartender will ask you what you like or don't like and will start bringing you tapas. We started with 2 Estrella draft beers which were not to our liking so we switched to a bottle of white wine (18E). We had tomato bread, ham croquettes, tuna tartar, clams in a sauce with pieces of chopped ham, octopus, and sausage with beans. We were stuffed to the gills. Our bill was 114Euros. Closed Sundays.

Really good tapas spot if you can get a reservation. We were a walk in and waited for a spot by the bar. We are glad we did. Highly recommend the sea bass, octopus, and squid dishes. The Spanish crème brûlée dessert is very delicious as well!

We tried Cal Pep our first night in town and so glad we did! The service was next level impeccable! We enjoyed all of the different tapas and wine options. Such amazing wines at affordable prices compared to the USA. My favorite tapas were the peppers and Spanish omelette. In the back is very intimate setting like your dining in a home or you can opt to eat at the bar/counter in the front. There are several different very cool bars surrounding the restaurant for you to check out after!

My wife and I came here as we live in the city and walked by and noticed there was no line (which is rare). I will start by saying I know that this place is very touristy and the showmanship of sitting at the bar and being told what to order is part of the experience. If you're visiting this is something you'll remember I just wasn't personally a fan. We ordered a number of things, clams, calamari/ sardines, sausage, peppers, egg and beers. Everything was fine, I just wouldn't wait in line for it. Given the location and that it's touristic I understand the higher than average pricing however you're paying for the show and experience.

I love this place for the nostalgia. Came many years ago with my husband and sat at the bar. I just remembered the best ambience and food, so simple but incredibly delicious. So when we came back to Barcelona, this time with our kids, I made it a point to return. I was able to make a lunch reservation and they sit you at a table in the back... wasn't the same as I remembered all around but still decent to good. Our waiter was great and made some good recommendations. The favorite was the razor clams- the first time we ever had being at cal pep, but the cockles and mussels were disappointing. I remember them being amazing the first time I had. Everything else was pretty ok. Had we sat at the bar again perhaps it would've been better meal and I recommend that to anyone that comes here that the bar seating is a must. Just a better and livelier experience where you see them making the food etc. overall glad I came back but left a touch disappointed.

Reservations a must. Some of the best food in town, so popular. Make your reservation and go.

Best "local" place we ate at in Barcelona. Food was delicious! Very warm and friendly service. Sit at the bar and make new friends. We met locals who gave us further amazing recommendations for dining. I would definitely go heavy on the seafood. It was all excellent.

Great atmosphere , even better food. Sitting up at the bar is the experience. Be open to no menu and experimenting with the unknown. Can't speak of reserved table sitting and what that experience has to offer. Without a doubt Cal Pep is a most!!!

They might take reservations but we were unable to get one. We stood on line waiting for them to open and were able to secure a table outside. We ordered a great bottle of Rose Cava for the table. There's no menu. You can tell them if you have allergies or sensitivities but then they bring what's fresh that day. Delicious. The clams, tortilla, octopus, monkfish, artichokes, and dessert was all amazing. I'm so glad we finally made it to this restaurant.

Best tapas in Barcelona! Outstanding service! Highly recommend. Definitely a favorite!

Great Restaurante Come with patience because you would probably stand in line but it's worth it

Waters were rude. Cute blonds to the right and left got grilled octopus and tuna tartare. He gave me bread and potatoes and tiny baby mussels that had no meat. When we refused the next dish that had more potatoes they sat around discussing in spanish with enough hand gestures to indicate potatoes make you fat. If you're going to run a restaurant with no menu, at least be consistent in the quality and type of food you're serving. To the waiter...you're older like like me. If you want to set a precedent for only paying attention ti the young and beautiful....we!'ll I'll wait for karma to get you back.

After traveling around Europe for a month we were on our last night in Barcelona and wanted to go somewhere special and had heard nothing but great things about Cal Pep. We arrived a few minutes after 7:30 and were seated around 8:45. Seems like a long time to wait for two seats at the bar, but it was worth it. Side not; if you want a table, call and make a reservation. But for the two of us the bar was perfect. There were no menu's so they started off by asking if we had any allergy's, or there was something we weren't to keen on. We had seen pretty much everything they were serving at that point and wanted to try a little bit of everything. We started off with a bottle of pinot grigio, roasted artichoke hearts, poblano peppers, clams and oysters. They then brought us the main course; tartare, octopus and sea bass. Everything we ate was amazing, but my favorite dish by far was the sea bass. They cooked it in this garlic olive oil that was to die for. It was a truly great experience! The food is out of this world, the service was so much fun, they would come by and joke with you as you were waiting. Just a terrific atmosphere and awesome last night in Barcelona.

What a wonderful experience. Food was amazing and all of the staff was so kind. I can't wait to go back to Cal Pep. Thank you for a phenomenal experience!

We were very enthusiastic about our reservation here. Somehow, the whole experience didn't quite live up to our expectations. Our server was very nice. He explained upon our arrival that he wanted to know any allergies. Then said there is no menu. The kitchen would chose seven things to bring out to our group of seven people. We did not choose a prix fixe menu arrangement. He did not ask any likes/dislikes. The items they brought out were: 2 plates of tomato bread with ham, 2 plates of fried artichokes, 2 omelets, 2 plates with a round of tuna tartare, 2 plates of 12 small clams, 1 plate of sauteed fish, and one plate of sauteed steak strips. We would not have ordered the omelets or artichokes. Four people in our group didn't eat the tartare and the clams. The plate of steak and fish was very small...not even enough for each people to have one piece. We were charged a price for each item,, not knowing ahead of time the prices for each thing so we didn't know if we were charged correctly or not. Foodwise, the steak, fish, and ham were very good...just there wasn't much of them. The only complaint about taste was the tuna tartare...it didn't taste very fresh. Timewise, there was a lot of waiting between plates coming out. Sorry but we thought it would be better.

Wow what an incredible tapas experience. We got there around 8pm on a rainy Thursday evening and were quickly seated in the back section of the restaurant since the bar was filled up. Our waiter was attentive and gave us great recommendations as to what we should order. We ended up getting: -tuna montaditos -mushrooms -pork sausage (not pictured) -tomato bread (not pictured) -a local Tempranillo wine Everything was delicious, but we unfortunately over ordered so we could not finish the pork sausage. They don't have a physical food menu, as the menu is based on whatever produce they receive from the market daily. Overall a great option for food in Barcelona, and definí worth a stop! :)

Honestly. This place is an EXPERIENCE. There's no way to even begin to explain Cal Pep without getting to the intrigue of the meal. You walk in to a bar-looking spot. Pretty casual. We waited online (along the inside of restaurant, kinda stuffy) for about 50 minutes until it was our turn and we took 2 spots at the bar. We were also offered a glass of wine while we waited. After we sat, they asked us what we liked/didn't like to eat, as there was no menu. So. exciting. We told them we wanted what they loved & they really pulled through with that inconspicuous delivery! We started with some delicious and crunchy pan con tomate, then something spectacular. I'm not the biiiggest fan of tortilla española but this was hands down the best, most flavourful & melt in ur mouth one i have ever tried. Next we had incredible fried alcochofas & the baby clams. Never had baby clams before and they were so so so flavourful and pleasant. Next up, best tuna tartare I have ever had in my life!!!! Increeeedible quality of the tuna was so yummy. Finally, a delish piece of steak The steak was the only thing that startled me on the bill, being ~16€ for what looked like little end pieces but overall an incredible meal!

We went to Cal Pep because a friend recommended it and we had the best time! Not only is the food superb--to the point where we'd be eating so fast to get as many delicious bites in that we wouldn't talk for a whole course--it is an absolutely unique dining experience. It felt like true Barcelona tapas. You sit at the bar and the staff, who are all mischievously fun and put on quite a show, bring you dishes based on your likes/dislikes. You don't pick, they do it for you. Over the course of our meal we enjoyed: -Clams with little bits of ham - The staff demonstrated how to eat them (lift with your fingers and suck the clam out of the shell) which helped us feel less self-conscious about literally inhaling this plate. The juice was so perfectly salty and good we were dipping both tomato bread and fried artichokes in it to get every last bit. -Tomato bread - Iconic and delicious -Fried artichokes - Tasty and well seasoned -The best omelette I've ever had - I don't know how they get their omelette to have the low and slow type egg texture but wow! This was one of the 'No Talking' courses unless we were just humming as we ate. -Fresh fish and potatoes - I'm a sucker for restaurants that bring over the whole cooked fish and then portion it out on your plates. I first had that when I was in Cinque Terre and was so blown away by it. Anytime it has happened since then it's like I'm in culinary heaven. Cal Pep was no different. The fish was perfectly cooked and I loved the potatoes. Just delish. -Perfectly cooked and seasoned steak - This was our last savory plate and I was hoping all night that we'd get their take on steak. It was perfectly seasoned, just the right amount of salt, and beautifully medium rare in the middle. I'm a steak fan and this was like a fantasy plate. -Cafe con leche with pastry -I also drank a few Damm Lemon beers and now have a new favorite which I search for in NY anytime I'm where beer is sold. God, it was all just so good. I want to go back! If you are in Barcelona, find your way to Cal Pep. It's an experience not to be missed!

One of the best meals I have ever eaten. Servers were great and the location was convenient for us.

Hands down- worth waiting and sit at the bar! Everything was amazing, the staff was friendly, food was fresh as can be and definitely one of the best dinning experiences we had. The seafood was delicious and we even had chickpeas and spinach which was ridiculously good. Definitely worth going and waiting (if you have to wait) ask them to serve you what the recommend. You won't be sorry!

Fantastic. Highly recommend you sit at far end of the bar near the kitchen and watch as the amazing fresh seafood and kitchen aromas pass by your seat. (May 2022)

My friend and I had gotten multiple recommendations to eat here and it definitely did not disappoint. We came and waited in line for about 45 minutes or so but knew what we were getting ourselves into based on people's recs and reviews. We finally got a spot at the bar (you can grab drinks while you wait). The chefs come up and ask what you like and what you don't like and basically prepare a feast for you! This was a super unique experience in Barcelona and we really loved every minute of it. The service was fabulous and the food was amazing! Definitely check it out if you're in Barcelona.

Went here and sat in the back room with for a group of 8 people and got essentially the tasting menu (our great server brought out various tapas for us all to share). All of them were delicious. The calamari with just better than most I've ever had. Delicious tuna tartar, artichoke, pan con tamate. Great desserts too and an extensive wine list with an awesome little wine rack area in the back room. Got tons of food and drinks for around €45 a person. Highly recommend. Everything was relative but considering the amazing service and food, I would probably rate this experience as a 7.8. 5 stars seems purely theoretical.

The fact that this place doesn't give you a menu can be somewhat worrisome. Hit or miss. In our case, it was a pretty spot-on. There are three ways to order: 1) Ask for recommendations 2) Tell them what you don't eat 3) Look at your neighbor and order whatever they did. We did all three! Accommodating staff and delicious food comes quickly! Except the part when we ordered our like fourth beer, and it took froever for it to come. All you have to do is (most likely) wait 40 minutes online before getting seated, pray you get a bar seat (cause it's awesome) and not a table seat in another room, and nom nom nom~ it's worth the wait! Food: Botifarra Cooked nicely and sauced awesomely Crispy Artichoke Actually crispy. A bit salty, but still nice Mushroom with Pesto A simple, yet delicious dish (we actually ordered it again an hour later) Shishito Peppers Nicely cooked, but nothing special Turbot Fish I call it the ugly flat fish. Amazing how something so weird looking can taste so beautiful~ the waiter helped us fillet the fish. Our waiter said his favorite fish was the sea bass, but it was unavailable that day. So we went with his second favorite: the turbot!

Came here on my first few nights to a recent trip to Barcelona. I should say though, I made the reservation almost a month in advance when I first heard about this place from a friend. I don't think you need that much planning in advance, it just happened that way. Cal Pep is a small narrow restaurant in a small narrow part of town. It has a long counter which usually gets full and people end up waiting on a first come first serve basis. However, if you're like me, you want to sit down at a place like this so luckily, Cal Pep also has a small room in the back with about 8 tables. They take two seatings I believe in the evening. The waiter comes to you and asks you if there's anything you are allergic to or dislike. He then brings portions to the table based on what the chef is making for the evening; locally inspired and vernacular dishes of the area. Sardines with hummus on toast, a plate of breaded and fried artichokes, roasted padron peppers, an egg, and potato torta, and a few others, oh, and there's also some desserts. I can imagine the menu is switched up here and there. Plus, DON'T be afraid to ask for something; we had some carnivores in our group, so the chef brought out some cubed sirloin and potatoes. At the end of the serving, the waiter will ask if you want to repeat anything, but after 9 dishes we were stuffed. Reasonably priced and wonderful service, consider spending about an hour at this place. I will definitely return.

Food is good but there are better places in Barcelona (Tapeo, Quimet & Quimet, El Xampanyet, etc.) - especially considering the wait (of mostly tourists), this place is a bit overrated and a bit overpriced. Things we ordered: 1) razor clams (good, 9 euro for 5) 2) grilled monkfish (also good, smallish fish for 17 euro, came with amazing potatoes and half a grilled tomato) 3) squid and chickpeas - 13 euro. Ask for a half portion if they will let you (if you're only 2 people because it gets mundane after a while) - it's pretty good but was way oversalted. Wouldn't order this again. When I asked about the gambas they said 4 would cost 30 euro. Wtf? As I mentioned, overpriced. Food is good though.

Cal Pep looks like a bar in the front and a nice classy restaurant in the back. They don't have a menu so the waiter went through the options with us. The fried calamari was amazing! Would totally recommend that dish. The artichoke was great as well. They have a great selection of wine and the wait staff are extremely friendly and helpful. Would recommend!

This was by far my favorite restaurant out of the entire #europe2017 trip! It's fun, it's different, and recommended to me by a local from Madrid so I didn't have to worry about it being a tourist trap! What I love most about this place is that there is no menu. That's right, you have to know your tapas well. So I went the obvious route and pointed at pictures of food from yelp. Happy to say that all were fantastic. They had the best razor claim and Spanish tortilla dish out of the other 5 tapas restaurant I tried. I highly recommend this place if you're looking for great tasting tapas with a true Spaniard experience. Fantastic el born location too so plenty of nightlife for after dinner fun.

If you're a foodie looking for an unforgettable experience in Barcelona, this is your place to go. Hypes: - no menu. you tell the chefs what you can/cant eat, feel like eating, and they creat a tasting menu for you - food at the bar - fresh, flavorful, and amazing. - battered artichokes, bread with tomatoes and garlic, egg omlette (surprisingly good), tartar, peppers, fresh fresh seafood - Gripes: longggg waits. Get there 40 min before it opens so that you can be in the first seating. totally worth it!!! otherwise you're left salivating at everyone eating their meal while you watch like a hungry puppy dog waiting your turn.

Def worth the wait. My friend was recommended this place from a coworker and I'm glad she did!! Every dish i had was delicious. The place is small but has a homey type of feeling. Got to the place around 8ish? Waited close to about an hour but like I said before, worth it!! How you treat the workers is how your service will be determined. Even got cremé brûlée on the house! Will def be going back if I visit again

Location: In La Ribero, which is right next to the El Born neighbourhood. Pretty easy to get to. The place: If you have no reservation, then the place is small. Why? Because anyone without a reservation gets seated at the bar, and this section of the restaurant is pretty narrow if you have a line-up of people waiting behind you. The bar seating is OK but not overly comfortable since the foot rest is about a mile away from your feet. If you are four people or more, then you get table seating in the next room - reservations are recommended. There is a line-up ALL the time and it starts about 30 minutes before opening. The goods: OK. First, there's no menu so unless you're a local who comes here on the regular, you have no idea what's on the menu. My waiter ran a few things by me and I chose three items. Bear in mind that I had no way of knowing if there were other things on the menu that I might prefer because I was offered a limited selection. I ordered the tuna tartar, the calamari and the fried artichoke. The tartar was fantastic. It was served with herbs, olive oil and something else - very flavourful. This came with small toasts. The artichoke was lacking in flavour and was a little oily and dry at the same time. I know - it's hard to explain. The calamari was OK but nothing to write home about. I was a little disappointed, given the reviews and the line-ups. On the up side, the Cortado was great. Service: Vey good - my waiter was super friendly and always joking around with us. Price point: This is where I feel so-so. 38€ for three dishes to me, feels like a rip-off. If the food had been outstanding then yes, OK, I could be OK with it but it was average.