Arcano Restaurant cave — Restaurant in Barcelona

Our recent dining experience at Arcano was nothing short of magical, ranking it among the most exquisite restaurants I've enjoyed visiting in the past year. Embracing the Spanish tradition of late dining added to the allure, making our 10:15 PM reservation all the more intriguing. Upon arrival, the bustling and vibrant atmosphere outside the restaurant hinted at its popularity, with eager diners patiently waiting for a coveted table.

Navigating through the depths of the restaurant revealed a captivating space that seemed to unfold like a series of hidden caves, each corner exuding an air of mystery and exclusivity. Our table nestled in one of these intimate caves, surrounded by walls adorned with an impressive collection of wines, evoked a sense of dining in a clandestine wine cellar known only to a privileged few.

Perusing the menus, offered in both Spanish and English, was a delightful adventure in itself. Opting for à la carte selections over the enticing tasting menus, we began our culinary journey with cocktails that presented an array of tempting choices. The whimsical and refreshing Porn Star martini I selected caught me by surprise with its delectable blend of flavors, a delightful discovery that will undoubtedly become a future favorite. My Porn Star, a mix of passion fruit liquer, Absolut vanilla vodka, lime juice and a splash of champagne, was incredibly delicious! It is light and fruity, with a nice zing. I loved it! I did not know that it was a standard martini option, but now that I have tasted it and looked it up, I will order this drink many times in the future. My dining companion’s cocktail was the only disappointing moment of the evening. It was served with the vermouth frozen into an ice cube and the chilled gin poured over the cube. She said that waiting for the frozen cube to dissolve put off the balance of the components in the drink. Though my companion's cocktail experience fell short, the evening was quickly redeemed by the shared enjoyment of my newfound cocktail delight.

As we savored our appetizers, the artfully presented brioche with truffle creme and crispy mushrooms, and the elegantly plated scallops, delighted both our eyes and taste buds. My tiny brioche fingers were light and flavorful, with the tantalizing, crispy mushrooms dancing in truffle creme. What’s not to love? The scallops were artfully arrayed and seasoned with a delectable dressing made of lime, basil, coriander, and pistachios to bring out their natural sweetness and delicate flavor.

The main course, featuring the grilled French rack of lamb, was a true highlight – tender, juicy, and expertly prepared, accompanied by a side order of perfectly cooked seasonal vegetables and a luscious romesco sauce. Paired with a rich vino tinto, the dining experience was elevated to a realm of absolute culinary bliss.

The impeccable service at Arcano further enhanced our evening, with attentive wait staff orchestrating each course with precision and grace. Their multilingual skills and warm interactions added a personal touch to the exceptional dining experience, solidifying Arcano as a standout gem among Barcelona's vibrant culinary scene.

In the end, as we strolled home under the midnight sky, savoring the cool evening breeze, I couldn't help but feel a sense of belonging to the vibrant tapestry of Barcelona life. Arcano restaurant has undoubtedly engraved itself as a shining star in the constellation of remarkable dining establishments, a treasure to be cherished and shared with fellow...

Unfortunately the venue didn't meet our expectations or the previous reviews. It was my partners birthday so I booked a table to have a little birthday dinner. The venue is beautiful unfortunately both the service and food are lacking some finishing touches. We arrived on time and were lead to our table however we didn't receive the menu for a while so spent some time twiddling our thumbs.

Tomato salad with vermouth pearls is not worth ordering, I'd skip this. Tuna tartare was excellent but we were let down by grilled octopus - it was undercooked on one end of the tentacle and subsequently incredibly hard to cut or eat. The other end was fantastic. Tomato bread was pretty pleasant. We ordered 2x ribeye steaks - one medium rare and one medium well, these came out very undercooked so we rent one back to be cooked more. Medium rare initially came out blue rare and cold, the medium well was a pretty decent medium rare. Unfortunately the blue rare that was supposed to be a medium rare arrived back over cooked on one half. The steak came with a side of mashed potatoes and this was fantastic however the grilled vegetables didn't seem to touch the grill, they were cold, very crunch and devoid of grill marks. (1x purple carrot, 1x broccoli stalk, 2x sprouts, 1x beetroot, 1x pepper)

My partner ordered a glass of white wine with his seafood started which he received with no issues but then ordered a red for his beef main and even though we asked for it twice, the wine never made it's way to us, this was surprising as the bartender spent most of our visit there on his phone.

My partner was a little disappointed with his birthday dinner so we didn't bother to order dessert, paid and left to go somewhere else for wine and...

This experience was a trifecta of the environment (Located in 17th century stables with Romanesque inspired stone arches), the attentive multilingual staff (knowledgeable, personable, and at least 6 different languages I heard), and the impeccable food with a beautiful fusion of traditional, cultural, and global.

I highly recommend the tasting menu for a full culinary journey. We have been five times now for various occasions and never been disappointed. We've also never strayed from the tasting menu, no matter how much we think we will before ordering.

This was our first time requiring a larger party reservation. It was for unexpected guests at the last minute (within 48 hours), so I wasn't sure if there would be availability. I started the process after hours using the requested email address and received a reply the next afternoon with deposit instructions and more details. The process was simple, and the next morning (of the dinner reservation), I received a final 1-click confirmation request. (The process was simple, but it should also indicate how thorough the team is due to the "valuable" nature is the seating.)

Due to an unfortunate situation, we were going to be delayed by almost 30 minutes. I emailed/called as soon as I knew. The manager assured us our table would be waiting. We arrived and there was not any feeling of irritation or pushiness. They kept us schedule, but we didn't feel it.

Carmelo was a fantastic waiter. He was funny, accommodated our English and Spanish (Mexican) languages simultaneously. He ensured our strict food allergy needs were met. The wine he recommended (Scala Dei Priorat) was out of this world.

It was a hit with our guests, and we had the expected...