3 Nights in Barcelona...

[Charles Reid]

In need of some help from the experts! Am off to Barcelona for 3 nights in August for my wifes birthday and have never been. We both love to eat out and don't want to pick the wrong place as we have little time for error So would like peoples top 3 restaurants, michelin to back street gems! Please help

[kathryn]

What days of the week and when in August? Some spots may be closed for vacation in August. Also some spots are closed Sundays/Mondays.

There is an existing Barcelona recommendations thread, did you look there?

Here's my trip report from last summer:

I would highly recommend:

Quimet i Quimet (standing room only with great items on toast aka "montaditos")

Paco Meralgo (tapas but a bit more upscale, make reservations)

Inopia (arrive early to avoid long waits)

Bar Pinotxo (breakfast)

Cinc Sentits (upscale, reservations recommended)

[Saborosa]

Would echo Quimet i Quimet, Cinc Sentits.

For a third, maybe have a tapas crawl along Calle Merce - fried fish at Bodega La Plata (stand at the bar), octopus and pimientos padron at Bar Celta (sit at the bar), and if you're brave and it's open seek out the smallest, narrowest, darkest cider bar and have cured bacon fat and vermouth. For something higher class try Caldeni http://bit.ly/cY1Qt6 or Coure http://bit.ly/bSWPUu.

[Charles Reid]

Thank you guys will take at look at those places ,will also check the excisting thread

We go on the 20th and fly back on the 23rd.....

[wackychef]

Good luck

Edited August 6, 2010 by wackychef (log)

[Charles Reid]

So decided on Cinc Sentits have just gone online to book as they only take bookings 2 weeks in advance and there on holiday!!! Bit stuck now as i had set my heart on the place looked perfect! Other places that had been recomended, are perfect too but more lunch/tapas style.Wanted a restaurant sit down michelin meal ............. HELP!!!

[Patrick_O]

Try Commerc24 for a 1* tapas experience. Very self conciously cool but food is excellent. I enjoyed a superb 2* meal at Lasarte in June. Very different experience from Commerc24 and more formal Michelin but definitely worth a try as the food and service were the best that we experienced in Barcelona.

[Charles Reid]

Thank you Patrick ,just tried to book Lasarte and the same problem there shut for the whole of August!!!!

[FrogPrincesse]

How about sauc? We found that restaurant by accident when the place that we were looking for was closed. We had an outstanding meal that we liked even better than Cinc Sentits.

[victornet]

I have not been able to get a table my last 2 trips to Barcelona, but based on one visit Alkimia is my #1 choice - try to book asap. For breakfast or tapas I highly recommend Tapas 24 - be sure to have a bikini sandwich. Inopia has unfortunately closed - I had a spectacular meal there in June. I second going to Bar Pinotxo in the Boqueria - totally worth the wait for a seat. Go for an early lunch - items sell out as the day progresses - we got the last of some tiny succulent clams. I've enjoyed Sauc, but I prefer Hisop. If you want one of the new 'bistronomic' places (intimate restaurants with multi course meals based on what is seasonal) I really enjoyed Gresca's ca. 55 euro prix fixe and someone over on chowhound is also touting Gelonch, which I did not make it to.

I also had a very expensive and very good meal at ABAC, whose new chef is on his game, but there are spectacular meals to be had in Barcelona without this level of expense. (Photo shows their suckling pig dish.)

[Charles Reid]

Thank god ! I have confirmation of my table at comerc 24! I tried Alkimia but are closed too! Sauc looked ok but fancied dinner with a modern twist! Will leave a review of comerc 24 as it seems split down the middle from previous diner's .Thank you to everyone that gave me recommendations it was a great help