Racó Bonsuccés — Restaurant in Barcelona

TL;DR - Keep looking. There are better establishments with better food and service than this.

Stopped in for some lunch on our first day. We had been wandering around Las Ramblas looking for something with good reviews off-strip when we stumbled across this mistake in restaurant form.

Bad service - after being sat, the server was wildly rude when we were deciding what to eat. One of our party was a fluent Spanish speaker, so it wasn't a "ugh... more English-only people" problem. I still have no idea what his issue with us was.

We were pushed to go with the set lunch menu - pick a starter, entree, and dessert. This was our second mistake.

Bad food - I ended up selecting the tuna rus salad for a starter and chicken cutlets with potatoes for the entree. The tuna salad was mayonnaise-based to the extreme, tuna was garbage-tier. The chicken was tenderized to flat, breaded and fried without any spicing. So it ended up tasting like a rubber insole, same consistency.

Unfortunately, my meal was not a isolated incident. The other patrons in our party (4 in total) also suffered from sub standard meals as well.

At the end, we all choose cafe as our dessert. Not because we wanted it, but because it would be the fastest way to get out of there. This was the best part of the meal - the thought of getting to leave. But alas, this isn't over.

Once the check came, we were directed to pay up at the bar in the back with a simple flick of the hand and an eye roll from the server. After managing to pay after 10 minutes of standing at the bar, attempting to not get trampled by the servers, we successfully paid and left.

As of this review, Race Bonsuccés has ~4.5 stars with 300 ratings. I have no idea how (spoofed reviews?).

I hope this helps someone avoid what we...

I first tried this place 8 years ago and it was the first place I ate at upon landing in Barcelona, but forgot to write down the restaurant name. I returned nearly a decade later after my concierge on this trip said it was one of the best local mésons in the area—like a homestyle eatery. The restaurant is family owned and I was sad to learn that they’ll be closing next month in late May or a June of 2025 because the owners are retiring. The staff is very welcoming and will take a lot of time explaining the menu and giving their recommendations, it was a true highlight of dining there so long ago and this time.

Their paella is some of the best I’ve had, filled with seafood and not overwhelmingly salty like many other places surrounding. Everything is very affordable considering the high tourist foot traffic, but they are known to locals for having a very classic offering of an appetizer, main entree, dessert and beverage for €15. It is what all locals order and there were many of them dining. The lentil soup, meatballs and blueberry cake are fantastic, everything tastes very homemade as opposed to being showy, overpriced and performative.

Highly recommend to anyone visiting Barcelona over...

Whilst roaming around La Rambla, I was looking for an authentic Spanish restaurant that wasn't too far, I found this place by coincidence off the main street and decided to give it a try. Let me tell you, the food and service was impeccable!

Cons: Honestly no cons! Prices were reasonable!

Pros: The calamaris are a must try! Should've ordered more but the serving of the Paella was very generous, so I wouldn't be able to finish it anyways. The Paella was so delicous, it had a rich umami flavour.

We thought we were too full for dessert, but still gave the creme brulee a shot and it tasted heavenly. Not too sweet, the perfect amount of sweetness.

The workers were so nice and hospitable. They were very hands on without meddling too much in your choice of order. If you had any questions, they happily helped out.

As far as I know, this is a family owned restaurant and you can definitely feel the homely touch that is added to the interior and the warmth from the...