O'Retorno — Restaurant in Barcelona

When leaving the Axel Hotel we googled "best restaurants near me" and O'Retorno popped up...and how glad I am that it did. When we got to the restaurant we were initially told we could not be seated because the restaurant was completely booked ..however we managed to find two spots at it's bar area. The bartender and server Eduardo was so welcoming. We ordered mussels, the fish of the day, prosciutto and oxtails. All of the food was flavorful and delicious. The mussels were cooked in a garlic butter sauce and the oxtails were the absolute BEST I have ever tasted. This review is coming from a woman who has eaten Jamaican and Southern Soul food style oxtails all my life and the ones I had at O'Retorno were by far the best I have ever had! None of the staff spoke English - but the staff went out of their way to ensure we were ordering the right things and felt welcomed. As we were about to leave the server called us back for Bailey's-like shots on the house. The one regret I have is that it seems that there is a restaurant fave or dish O'Retorno's is known for. It's an grilled octupus dish with potatoes. This seems to be a local fave in Barcelona. However, we had already ordered so much food, we didn't want to seen like gluttons....lol, Next time we are back, we will definitely order the grilled squid dish. Thislocal restaurant was one of our faves...from the staff, to the food, to the mom and pop vibes. I highly recommend to those...

In this restaurant, we encountered incredibly unprofessional and inappropriate behavior from the waiter. Firstly, he did not inform us about a prior reservation for the table, and there was no reservation sign on the table itself. We comfortably chose our table based on our preference. However, when we were ready to place our order, the waiter rudely demanded that we move to a different table. He explained that they needed to free up the table for a larger party, presumably to increase their bill.

What surprised me the most was that there were other tables around us that were also becoming available, but the waiter insisted on us moving from our four-person table. He showed no concern for the fact that there were plenty of two-person tables nearby, which would not have posed any issues. It was evident that he was acting solely for the sake of profit and was indifferent to the comfort of the guests.

Another absurd moment was when the waiter brought another group of people to our table and demanded that we relocate. This was humiliating and unacceptable. Such mercenary and impolite behavior from the waiter left a terrible impression.

I am convinced that such service can ruin the mood for the entire evening, and no one would want to be in such a situation. I strongly recommend reconsidering a visit to this place and perhaps finding another restaurant that values its customers and provides...

We were very excited to try this restaurant as it was highly recommended. Unfortunately, our experience was incredibly unpleasant. The moment we neared the restaurant entrance the waiter approached us, asked how he could help us, he did not let us near the entrance door, we dismissed his brusque tone and quickly asked if we could have a table for 5. He quickly said we could not sit inside with our medical service dog, having already experienced this with other restaurants in Barcelona, we explained to him that we did not want a table inside but outside on the sidewalk. It was ten minutes past 8 pm and all tables both inside and outside were empty. The waiter quickly said we cannot sit outside as all the tables were reserved for parties arriving at 8 pm. It was a very unfortunate experience as it was clear this person was acting on his own dislikes and prejudice towards my family. I hope the owner of this establishment realizes the type of people they are employing and the poor representation that are giving the restaurant and the owner. It is sad that in 2019 we still encounter individuals such as this man who allows his own prejudice to cloud his judgment making him incapable of treating people...