LABALABUSTA — Restaurant in Barcelona

Tasty food but quite infuriating situation with servers trying to argue with my girlfriend how she never mentioned she has an allergy to pistachios and not only trying to gaslight her but take the situation as an annoyance, I’ll get to this later. We waited 15ish minutes to get water or be served, which is kinda a lot considering they want you out on the dot. Kinda ironic that they are tedious about the dining time but are understaffed as mentioned in other reviews. Our group of 3 was late to our reservation to be fair but like I said, this seems to be the norm here. Now the allergy situation, server takes our order, literally 1 minute after my girlfriend walks up to one of the servers and notifies her as the original one is usually in the back. We get served and the first dish has pistachios, we call one of the serves and while I understand there might be bit of a language barrier, she didn’t seem to care much and was quite unsure what to do almost making it seem like it is such a nuance. The original server that took our order comes back and starts kinda arguing how the allergy wasn’t mentioned, my girlfriend tells him that in fact she did tell this to one of the servers and literally saw her go and talk to him, to which he replied “what do you want me to do, I already made the order”.

Not only did they not react professionally but were completely unbothered and made us kinda feel stupid for messing up a fried fetta order, like come on for god’s sake, in what establishment is this a proper reaction. Even if the message got lost in translation - you do not guilt your guest over an allergy or anything your own staff most likely fumbled. Really annoying experience and while the place is cozy, the portions are quite small for the price and servers do not move, act and conduct like professionals. We are not of those westerners that expect some overwhelming service but these people are definitely not professional. Place has great potential and while I’m sure many had great experiences, slip ups like this one would cost someone a job at many...

We arrived for a birthday, 2 of us, so not a big party. Once seated , which was fast, it took for us to ask after nearly 30 mins to order. Much of what we tried to order was not available, but that happens.

We ordered in the end 4 courses, one being bread so not so so much. In addition we ordered 2 x glasses of wine. When the waitress poured the wine she did so with a nearly empty bottle, again it happens... only what doesn't normally happen is that they wanted to leave a little in the bottle rather than empty it (not for sediment reasons) and thus shorted the birthday girl her glass just to do this. I wanted to comment but instead thought it's ok. I'll let it slide.

After a while our first course arrived, the bread.. it was tasty. Then a small wait further and courgette flowers arrived .. 2 small flowers.. for 15e.. then finally the other 2 plates, again, so so small.. It's a shame because it was genuinely good, not great, food but for the prices value for money.

Finally, we were hungry so ordered the sour dough, we held up our small plates to let it arrive.. 20 mins passed, then the waitress after running around like crazy said sorry, we don't have it.

So we left it, then finished our plates, some time later they came running to us "we've found some bread, do you want it". Obviously we said no by that time.

We paid up and left, half way along our walk home I took out the receipt.. obviously the bread was charged to us. This honestly doens't even surprise me. The whole experience was underwhelming, disappointing and not at all what you'd expect.

The total cost of all this.. 77.5e .. once home I ate so food, I was genuinely hungry.

What could be done better? Lower prices by 30% on everything, we avoided the cauliflower.. it's a half for 16e!!! Or better yet, be honest on your menu on how small the amounts will be. Even in London those prices would be a lot!

Train your waiting staff, even in the worst of restaurants I've had better trained service and better experiences.

Frankly I feel totally scammed...

Labalabusta, the Israeli restaurant tucked away in the heart of Barcelona, presents itself as a Michelin-recommended establishment. However, my recent visit left me pondering the perplexities of Michelin's discerning palate. With an abundance of noise, sluggish service, and downright abysmal food presentation, Labalabusta's accolades seemed as elusive as a mirage in the desert.

As soon as I stepped foot inside, the Conversations merged into a symphony of indistinct voices, making it a perfect setting for those who relish the ambiance of a chaotic marketplace. If you're seeking a tranquil dining experience, bring earplugs or learn to communicate in sign language.

Ah, the service! Time moved slower than the Dead Sea Scrolls being translated by a snail. I found myself longing for an oasis of efficiency as waitstaff sauntered about, seemingly oblivious to the passing seconds. Patience may be a virtue, but at Labalabusta, it's a requirement.

Now, let's discuss the pièce de résistance: food presentation. Labalabusta's culinary artistry can be best described as avant-garde meets abstract expressionism. Each plate appeared as if it had been subjected to a whirlwind of culinary chaos. Forget about Instagram-worthy shots; you'll be left questioning if you accidentally stumbled into a Picasso exhibit.

To my dismay, my dining neighbors—a group of unapologetic burping Americans—added a distinctive touch to the evening. While I applaud their enthusiasm for cultural integration, the symphony of bodily sounds certainly didn't enhance the gastronomic experience.

In conclusion, Labalabusta's inclusion in the Michelin guide remains a perplexing enigma. Its noise levels rival a bustling bazaar, service moves at the pace of a lethargic sloth, and the food presentation takes artistic license to unfathomable heights. Unless you're seeking an unconventional sensory adventure, you may want to try this Israeli culinary experience in Barcelona just because the...