Ciutat Comtal — Restaurant in Barcelona

A Bittersweet Return to a Once-Favorite Tapas Bar

I returned to this bustling tapas bar after fifteen years, drawn by fond memories—and at first glance, nothing had changed. The place still buzzes

I revisited this well-known tapas bar after fifteen years, drawn by fond memories—and at first glance, nothing had changed. The space remains large and crowded, the pace is fast, and the staff are brisk and efficient—just as I remembered. Regrettably, the food didn’t live up to the nostalgia. The number of vegetarian options is quite limited, and overall, the dishes were inconsistent in quality.

One clear standout was the asparagus with mushrooms and Parmesan. The asparagus was crisp and perfectly cooked, and the mushrooms were roasted just right—flavorful and well-balanced. Another dish, a combination of roasted peppers, grilled goat cheese, and charred eggplant, had potential, but the cheese was served lukewarm, which dulled the entire plate.

The crab salad on toast, topped with shrimp, was a real misstep—it had an odd, processed flavor, reminiscent of industrial egg salad. Something just didn’t work. On the positive side, the anchovy with charred eggplant on toast was excellent—bold and satisfying.

To balance things out, we ordered a Greek salad. But even a basic salad can go terribly wrong, apparently. The tomatoes were limp, cucumbers replaced with finely chopped pickles, the cheese was rubbery and sticky rather than firm and salty, and the olives tasted like something straight out of a lab—over-processed and unpleasant.

Luckily, dessert saved the meal: the crema catalana was excellent—smooth, aromatic, with a perfect crackle on top.

In summary, this remains a lively and popular spot, but the food lacks consistency and no longer feels special. Whether this was just an off night or a broader sign of slipping standards and low-quality...

Six of us were sitting there looking at the menu when a waiter came over insisting he’d handle the ordering for us and promising we’d love his picks. Unfortunately, his idea of a good time was a total flop. He ended up ordering three portions of each of the seven tapas—way too much food, and everything was way too rich. He got us 3 portions of suckling pig, shrimps, croquettes, cod dish, and more. The cod fish was topped with Iberian pork slices submerged in a creamy sauce that was so heavy we couldn’t even finish it. When we wanted to hang on to it a bit longer, he completed ignored us and just took the untouched plate away without a second thought.

After that, his attitude completely flipped to being dismissive and downright arrogant. When the bill finally came, it was shockingly expensive—clearly because he ordered three of everything without even asking about our portion preferences. When I started checking the bill, he rushed over and handed us a new one that was about 15 euros cheaper, which made us wonder if he’d just let the original charge stand if we hadn’t looked.

When it came time to pay, we told him he’d ordered way too much and that it wasn’t fair for us to be charged for items he picked without asking. He completely brushed us off, snatched the card, and swiped it himself. We were honestly stunned by how rude he was.

The whole experience left us feeling totally taken advantage of and really disappointed—it completely ruined what should have been a nice...

This is my second time at Ciutat Comtal, both times I really enjoyed my visit. I believe that this is one of the best tapas bars in Barcelona. It offers a wide selection of food and drinks at very reasonable prices. It certainly beats out the price, quality, taste, and efficiency of service versus the bars in nyc and nj (where I come from)!

Shirley, the host, was very friendly, hospitable, and systematic. David and his buddy, Andau, made sure that the food we ordered was correct and came at the most efficient time. The place was very busy yet organized.

We were a party of four and we ordered a lot of food. I feel that the codfish with honey allioli, the beef tenderloin montadito, the grilled fresh squids, the montadito salmon and prawn with cheese cream, and the anchovies fillets Andalusian style stood out more than the other food that we ordered. Don’t get me wrong, but the rest of the food were already delicious from the start.

The amount of food we ordered cannot be served all at once because they just won’t fit on our table. This is where efficiency of the staff comes in. We did not have any lull moments. As much as what our table can hold, the food just kept on coming one after the other.

I highly recommend Ciudat Comtal to anyone who’s looking for a place to eat authentic and delicious Spanish tapas at a very reasonable price. And did I say that the service we received, especially from Shirley, David, and Andau, is...