Bo de B — Restaurant in Barcelona

There’s a kind of quiet respect I have to give to any establishment that can generate this much buzz around a sandwich.

Not since Jared sold us all on the virtues of Subway has a place selling sandwiches generated this much hype over putting fillings inside a bread roll. To their credit, Bo de B is making much better sandwiches than Subway.

We arrived before they opened and I joined the initial group of 3, by the time the first staff arrived, it had grown to 10 or so people. As they lifted the roller doors, we got our first glimpse of the “cash only” sign.

I had to leave and get some cash, when I returned instead of being at the front of a group of ten, I was at the back of a queue of 20 people. I messaged the people who told me I had to come, and they re-assured me that it was worth the wait.

As we waited, one of the staff came up and down the line repeating it was cash only, unlike me, those who left, I didn’t see come back. By the time I’d finished my sandwich and left I’d estimate at least ten people left because it was cash only. They obviously don’t need the money, or the benefits of being a cash only business outweigh it.

I asked the Bo de B guy if he knew where to get cash out, all I got was a simple “no”, this was repeated by other staff when others asked.

There are some ATMs in the area, so I found it weird they were so obsessed with being cash only, but then didn’t want to help people to find it. I assumed from this that they must really believe in how good their sandwiches are, and how keen people are to get one.

Standing outside next to a construction site that has apparently uncovered some ancient city ruins, you will have time to think about time. I could smell refuse from nearby garbage bags on the opposite corner of the street, the other dominant smells on the street outside were urine and weed. There were even a couple of guys smoking some in the line, I assume hoping the munchies would kick in around the time they got a sandwich.

It’s a lot to ask of a hungry person in 33 degree heat. As the 40 minute wait mark came, I messaged my friends again “are you sure this is worth it?” They said it was, so I stayed.

Once inside, the service was friendly, as they went about their business with a geriatric efficiency. As they open and close the under counter fridges, sometimes without taking anything out, 80s hits like ‘Eye of the Tiger’ and ‘Jessie’s Girl’ blare through a speaker, so they raise their voices and laughter to be heard over it. It all somehow suits the vibe, and seems to work well for them. They even sell merchandise, but my experience left me not needing to buy the t-shirt.

The sandwiches themselves are good. Nicely baked bread, good amount of fillings, and overall a satisfying enough experience. I was told I “had to” get the patatas bravas, which are also good. I wouldn’t say necessary - but if can jag a table inside and feel like them, order them.

I am very willing to admit that having stood outside baking in the sun longer than their bread would in the oven, and with the long queues, the cash-only thing, the competing street aromas, and the hype, that I was expecting something closer to “great” than “good.”

We got the beef and the chicken and shared half each, they were both okay.

I love getting recommendations, but it’s not a revelation or a revolution, but it is a good sandwich. If you’re in Barcelona and feeling like a sandwich - Bo de B makes a good one.

But don’t take my word for it, if you’re reading this you know what to expect, so: bring cash, manage your expectations, aim for an off-peak time, know that there are only a few tables inside and there is no guarantee you’ll get one. Potentially you will be wandering around eating your sandwich on the streets of Barcelona, so maybe stake out a place you can sit nearby.

Bo de B absolutely delivers a good product. Anyone generating any buzz deserves it in the hospitality game.

Would I go again? Maybe. Am I glad I went...

Bo de B – A Tourist Trap That’s Not Worth Your Time

I honestly don’t understand the hype around Bo de B. This place is clearly a tourist trap, and I wouldn’t be surprised if local tour guides get a commission for bringing people here. In fact, you’d probably be better off just giving your guide a small tip upfront and asking them to take you somewhere better—because trust me, there are hundreds of places in Barcelona where you can get a great sandwich AND actually sit down.

First of all, there’s nowhere to sit, so you’re stuck eating your food standing on a random sidewalk or looking for a spot nearby. For a city with such amazing places to eat, why would anyone choose to eat like this? The staff is rude and unhelpful, acting like they’re doing you a favor by letting you order. And don’t even bother asking questions—they won’t answer.

Oh, and they don’t serve alcohol because of their religion. IN SPAIN. 😹 Lol. If you’re hoping for a proper meal with a drink, this is NOT the place for you.

Also, have you noticed that there are no locals here? Ever wonder why? Maybe because they actually know where to eat and wouldn’t waste their time or money at a place that only survives on unsuspecting tourists.

Do yourself a favor—ASK your guide in advance and tell them to take you somewhere where you can sit down, enjoy a view of the sea, or relax in a beautiful part of Barcelona. Not in some sketchy side street, eating a mediocre sandwich while standing...

OVERHYPED is a good word to describe this place. The line can get HUGE and I waited probably 70 min tk get a taste of what I though would be the best sandwich of my life, boy was I wrong. It wasnt bad, nor was it as good as the other reviews says or as good as the owner himself promised it to be. He is a freaking con artist for saying that it is the best.

The food: It was lackluster, nothing special and nothing worth standing in line for. The sauce and the potatoes was probably the best thing there. Other than that? Nothing. The ingridients were just randomly picked and thrown in the bread without any thought behind it. Very lazy composed sandwich, luckily I handpicked the ingridients myself. About the bread, that was pretty good and freshly baked.

Sanitation: This place would never get approved by the restaurant and health regulators, where Im from. The raw chicken is mixed with raw beef and juice/marinate is seeping out on the other canteens and almost seeping in ti the rice, a lot of cross contamination is going on there.

Atmosphere: Very warm place and extremely stressful, it is meant to be a take away place, dont even bother to sit there.

Service: The bald guy is the main man, he is charismatic but promises a bit too much, I like that he is confident but he needs to back it up too, which leads me to the conclusion that he is a freaking con artist. Other than that, they were in a rush and I felt...