Barça — Restaurant in Amsterdam

I didn't have dinner at Barca for quite some time, until recently I got tipped off by a friend, saying that I should go since they hired a new chef. I am spoiled when it comes to food and I can honestly say that I was pleasantly surprised. Not only were the courses delightful but the personnel has definitely been upgraded as well. When I arrived, it took 10 min for my dinner partner to join me. I asked for a glass of water and the girl helping me didn’t hesitate one second and poured me a glass of tap water, no questions asked. After the second course I wanted to smoke a cigaret (bad habit, I know), when I walked towards the door the waiter behind the bar saw me and immediately pointed out to me that they have a smoking lounge (now that’s good looking out).

Now for the food, it was amazing. We started with the Pata Negra, which might be even better than the stuff they serve at the restaurant which bears the same name. Besides that it was accompanied by home baked bread, which was warm when it came to the table and was exactly how it should be, fluffy inside and a not too heavy crunchy crust on the outside. Besides that they serve good olive oil to go with and a great whipped butter with black olive mixed into it (sadly my dinner partner already ate most of it before I even blinked an eye).

The second course we had was the lobster. The combination of the different tomatoes and the home cured little onions was a hit. It says silver onion on the menu and maybe that would put you off but all the ingredients together really worked and makes for a flavour explosion in your mouth. Beside that it was great to see the different ways how they can cook something as simple as a tomato.

After that we had the lamb which they serve with a sauce they call lavasjus. Now, I don’t know what lavasjus means but it worked for sure. And the veggies that came with were nicely cooked al dente and we all know how horrible it can be when the greens are overcooked right?

The waiter asked if we wanted paired wines with our courses (and the option isn’t on the menu but definitely ask for it). The great thing about the pairing was that they manage to serve a glass of Spanish wine (the name of the restaurant is Barca) and they do a great job at it. It all worked really well with the food they served and I am almost ashamed that I don’t remember the names of the wines Jeff (that I do remember) served us.

For dessert we had the chocolate souffle, which has that runny inside just the way you want it to be. Even better was the buttermilk ice cream that came with it. The creamy but slightly sour buttermilk combined with the warm chocolate is to die for.

I am definitely going back there soon cause I wasn’t able to eat all the new courses they have on their menu. I can’t wait to try more and I am very happy to have this place in...

Harassment, zero protection from staff, and leadership that looked the other way. We experienced a very unpleasant and reprehensible treatment at this bar. At the next table, four men were sitting who were loud, repeatedly pushed us and finally started shouting degrading and harassing comments. After several attempts to handle the situation ourselves, we had to contact the staff.

The waiter tried to talk to them, but was ignored. When we took the matter to the bar manager, we were told that she could do nothing because she had not personally seen the behavior - despite the fact that both we, the tables around us and her staff had witnessed it. We were practically left alone in the situation, while the aggressive guests were allowed to continue as if nothing had happened.

The result was that we had to leave both food and drinks because we felt directly unsafe. The fact that the bar management chooses to let a bunch of aggressive and verbally abusive behavior pass without consequences is completely unacceptable. This is evidence of a place that does not protect or care for its guests, and that puts the safety and well-being of guests last.

A place that allows such incidents to pass without action is a place we will never set foot in again and we strongly recommend others steer clear if they expect a safe and...

We were excited to visit Barça, with its vibrant atmosphere and appealing menu, but unfortunately, our experience was far from pleasant. What stood out most was not the food or ambiance, but the manager's shocking treatment of the staff. It was hard to ignore how poorly the employees were treated, with tension and anxiety visible in their faces and actions.

This mistreatment didn’t just stay behind the scenes – it was palpable in the service we received. From slow responses to disheartened interactions, it was clear the staff's morale was low, and this had a direct impact on the customer experience. It’s impossible to enjoy a meal when you can sense the discomfort and stress of those serving you.

We won’t be returning to a place where workers are treated this way. Respect and kindness should be a given, and the ripple effect of poor management trickles down to everyone, including the diners. Until there’s a change in leadership and attitude, we’ll be taking our...