La Gallega Tobogán — Restaurant in Barcelona

Nestled in the heart of the majestic Royal Square, La Gallega Tobogan offers a dining experience that, while not transcending the ordinary, comfortably satisfies. Its formidable Google rating of 4.5 stars from over 6,600 reviews initially sets high expectations, hinting at a culinary haven amidst a touristic locale. This perception is slightly adjusted upon experiencing the service firsthand: amiable yet unconventional, as evidenced by the curious sequencing of courses, with main dishes unexpectedly preceding soups.

The fare, though not extraordinary, is commendably decent. It straddles the fine line between satisfactory and delightful, with desserts standing out as a particularly pleasurable finale. For those drawn to the charm of dining within the square's embrace, La Gallega Tobogan offers a convenient reprieve. However, temper your expectations, for while the experience is pleasant, it is not the culinary odyssey one might hope for with such a scenic backdrop. In essence, it's a reminder that sometimes, the setting can outshine the cuisine, making for a dining experience that's more about the where...

Started being sat in the corner inside when there were tables outside but I was solo and they didn’t want me at a table for 4. The waiter made a comment when I sat facing the restaurant instead of the wall because I blocked the service station. Sangria was pretty good tbh. Ordered ravioli which I know isn’t what Spain is known for but it was the most bland food I’ve ever had, frozen ravioli is better. I didn’t even finish it which is rare. Waiter was horrible, I asked for the bill and he made a remark about me not finishing the food and then instead of the bill he brought me a QR code and told me I had to leave a review so he could get a raise I think is what he said (he got his wish on the review) and when he did finally bring my bill which I had to again ask for he had the audacity to ask for a tip. He did nothing the whole time didn’t go out of his way to be kind or make the experience good at all and was in no way deserving of a tip. I’m normally a very easy going customer especially in another country but I cannot recommend this place for more than sangria. Oh and the music was good....

The restaurant is situated inside the plaza which is a lovely setting to enjoy a meal.

We were greeted by Marco who seemed very pleasant - for some reason though it seemed he wasn’t very interested in us - in fact he regularly went round and checked on every single table apart from ours and I’m still unsure as to why. He couldn’t do enough for the two tables to the side of us, checking they were happy with their food. Us on the other hand were somewhat abandoned.

The service wasn’t very good, we asked for salt and pepper which never arrived. Plates weren’t cleared before new ones were brought out.

The food was very average. We had paella which I thought was very tasteless. Had somebody come to check in on us mid meal I would’ve said but they didn’t. The patatas bravas were just mainly oil than potato.

Once we finished and paid over €50, there wasn’t even a thank you or goodbye.

A bit of a disappointing final meal. I wouldn’t recommend visiting. There are far better...