Gresca — Restaurant in Barcelona

This was my second time visiting this restaurant, which I once considered one of the most impressive and memorable restaurants in Barcelona! So, I specifically planned my Barcelona trip and immediately booked it for my last night. But the result was very disappointing, and I may have to adjust my ranking of it.

Firstly, the familiar waiters have all left, and the newly hired staff generally seem emotionless and wear fake smiles. When I tried to order in stages to ensure the food was enjoyed at its best quality, I received an indifferent reaction from the waiter, just a fake smile.

Moreover, my assigned seating was a two-person table by the roadside. Under normal circumstances, the earliest seated customers should get the corner location, but I was just given a seat on the very edge, and the chair was broken. I couldn't imagine a Michelin-recommended restaurant having this kind of service and experience.

The food selection wasn't as extensive as before, and while many dishes were surprisingly delicious the first time I ate here, this time they were just okay. Furthermore, the waiters kept urging me to order, and even specifically reminded me that the dining time was only two hours, giving me the feeling that they wanted me to eat and get out quickly.

The appetizers were good, with fresh ingredients. The preserved mackerel was very tasty, but I preferred last year's version, which had toast underneath for a better texture. The only redeeming thing was that their quail was really delicious, with excellent seasoning and perfect cooking, and the charcoal grilling flavor was outstanding. This dish is the only reason I would come back.

Although many people generally think the price is relatively expensive, considering they use charcoal grilling, which requires time and effort to prepare, I think the price is reasonable, but the portion sizes are a little small.

If this restaurant is no longer part of the Michelin selection in the future, I wouldn't be surprised. After reading other diners' reviews and reactions, coupled with my own experience this time, it's truly...

One of the best restaurants I tried in Barcelona. It was started by a former El Bulli chef about a decade ago and this guy clearly knows his stuff. Hard to describe the style and decor, I would call it a casual white tablecloth establishment.

I came for lunch which was an outstanding deal. About $20 for a 3 course tasting menu. The wait staff also let me swap out an appetizer and dessert without an extra fee, although I would have gladly paid one. The dinner tasting menu also looked amazing, but the lunch deal was too good to pass up. The full menu is also available for lunch as well. On my visit there were people dressed to the 9's and people dressed very casually, so don't sweat a dress code although it does feel like a place you would wear a sport coat too.

The food seemed like a mix of French and Spanish with a molecular gastronomic twist and the wine list is outstanding. Here is what I tried:

Gnocchi with prosciutto gnocchi - outstanding! A highlight of the meal. Everything was cooked perfectly with amazing presentation.

Egg soufflé - with potatoes in the form and texture of pasta topped with a gravity defying egg soufflé. Just for the presentation this is a must get item. Tasted great too.

Pork Belly - I was worried that it would be overly fatty but it wasn't. The top and bottom had the perfect amount of crunch. While the middle was juicy and tender with the perfect blend of meat and fat

Cod - The cod had a very slight fruit flavor to it that worked perfectly. Another perfectly executed dish.

Tiramisu - Classic preparation of tiramisu that was executed perfectly. It was delicious.

Chocolate & Olive Oil - This was a mix of a chocolate mousse and olive oil ice cream topped with an olive oil candy. Mixed in are hints of candied pistachios and ginger. One of the best desserts I have had in recent memory with a dynamic...

Terrible experience! I was excited to come to this restaurant. I made a reservation for 2 but they were kind to expand it to 4 so my brother and his wife could join my son and I. This experience was very upsetting. I have been wondering why I left so upset and I hope I can convey it clearly. I am from Barcelona but also an immigrant to the US where I’ve lived for half my life. My family is biracial. I am an attorney. During our dinner my family was discussing the merits of different cuisines around the world since we are foodies. We are all pretty passionate and loud but that is par for the course in Barcelona. In the middle of our dinner Karen- who was bringing our dishes- told us that the restaurant is multicultural and that we should stop talking since we might offend people. Being reprimanded is never agreeable, but being reprimanded for being the opposite of what you are, and specifically the insinuation we were being racist or disrespectful was incredibly upsetting. I asked if someone had said they were offended since I’d go explain to them since obviously they did not hear what we were saying or did not understand, our conversation was in Spanish, catalan and English so obviously not easy to follow for whomever felt had to make us shut up. Karen said she did not know what we were talking about but reiterated we should stop. The following aspects made me both impotent and mad: 1- Being reprimanded 2-Being falsely accused of ugly behavior 3-left with no opportunity to defend ourselves (no due process). “I don’t really know what you are saying but stop talking”. 4-That the restaurant where I payed €190 felt it was ok to use censorship on their dinners. Really awful time for too much money. Will...