A very midwestern version of Spanish Tapas. I have eaten at tapas restaurants around the world and one thing that is usually not lacking is flavor. Barcelona was a beautiful looking restaurant in a quaint neighborhood of Columbus. I wanted to try a few things so I had a beef tartar, house made sourdough bread, empanadas (recommended by the server) and a duck breast. Everything lacked depth of flavor, no zing, no spice, no acid. A few flat out fails. The bread was cold and hard. There was no sourdough tang. It was white bread. The tartar was fresh, but was crying for some brine of capers or a punch of Dijon. Empanadas were filled with potato and soft cheese. The promised pepper was nonexistent. The chimichurri lacked acid. Probably the best part of the dinner was the broccolini served with the duck breast. The duck was well prepared. But a pretty epic fail was to top the sweet cherry sauce with ice cold dark cherries from a jar. The chill on the fruit had a bad effect on the sauce, the meat and the broccolini. Decent service and a very mediocre sangria were on par with the rest of the meal. Wanted to love it but will not go back.
I ended up here for my son's wedding celebration dinner... The food was very nice and the presentation was beautiful! It's a very nice looking restaurant, it also has a very large bar for those who care to have a drink or two and some tapas...
We had reservations at Barcelona recently for our 44th wedding anniversary. We made reservations weeks in advance. We were seated across from kitchen in a corner. We are older and really felt like they were trying to hide the older people. We had reservations early,5:30 on a Saturday. There were plenty of tables available so it was uncomfortable for us to be put in a corner kind of hidden away. Food was not at the same level we have enjoyed in the past. We have been here many times inside and out and really enjoyed ourselves. Maybe a bad night for everyone, not sure but truly disappointing for us. Barcelona has been one of our favorite restaurants but this past visit makes us feel like we need to think twice before coming back.
Service was great, but the food was just okay. We got a variety of tapas and the large paella. The skirt steak tapa was probably the best, however the paella came out lukewarm which was very disappointing. The pan that the paella was on was pretty much cold when it came to the table and no crunchy rice formed on the bottom.
Waiter very attentive, nice atmosphere, tapas, relaxing place to eat indoors our outside. Ordered the pan seared sardine, a bit smaller then you get in Spain, but enjoyable with the pickled salad on top. Also ordered the Spanish bean soup, which lacked a depth of flavor. Shared Paella de Mariscos which we ended up taking some home. an assortment of seafood, ground chirizo, and chicken. Had just the right amount oz spices and heat. Suggest getting a reservation for the weekend,
Awesome delicious and colorful food and ambience. David was an amazing waiter with great charisma, knowledge and attentiveness. Will easily be a regular stop for me when visiting columbus.
My family surprised me with a Birthday dinner. The staff were excellent. The food was fantastic, and I loved the atmosphere. Despite our large group, the staff were patient and so helpful. It was a great experience. I will definitely be back!The scallops were excellent. We are still talking about them a day later!
We held a surprise party at Barcelona and they were the most accommodating, communicative, excellent co-conspirators every step of the way! They allowed us to stay for hours taking up a very large table, kept our glasses full and were so friendly the whole evening. I have always loved this restaurant and now I love it even more! Would recommend to anyone!
Ambiance of the restaurant is fantastic! We came for the Paella and weren't disappointed. I'd rate the dish a solid 7 out of 10. The dish only had 2 flaws IMO. Seafood Paella should include a lemon wedge or two. The dish was a little loose and lacked the traditional layer of crusty deliciousness we all love.
Great food and service…always!