Ramblero de la Boqueria — Restaurant in Barcelona

Overpriced and Inauthentic: A Tourist Trap in the Boqueria Market

I recently visited "Ramblero de la Boqueria," a bar located inside the famous Boqueria market, and my experience left much to be desired. It became apparent that this establishment was nothing more than a tourist trap, designed to take advantage of unsuspecting visitors like myself.

One of the most frustrating aspects of my visit was the lack of transparency regarding the prices. The waitress recommended a seafood dish without disclosing its exorbitant cost, and to my dismay, I ended up paying a whopping 72 euros for a quick lunch meal (for two) that should have cost much less. This deceptive practice is unacceptable and leaves a bitter taste in the mouth of any customer.

Furthermore, the entire ambiance of the place felt contrived and far from an authentic Spanish experience. It seemed evident that the sole purpose of "Ramblero de la Boqueria" was to lure tourists in with its false charm and exploit them financially. The lack of genuine Spanish atmosphere was disappointing and left me longing for the real cultural experience that the Boqueria market should have offered.

To add insult to injury, I discovered that there are numerous bars in close proximity to the Boqueria market that offer superior quality at significantly lower prices. It is disheartening to witness such a blatant disregard for customer satisfaction and fair pricing in a place that should celebrate the culinary heritage of Spain.

I strongly advise fellow travelers to steer clear of "Ramblero de la Boqueria." Save yourself the disappointment and money by exploring the bars within the nearby markets (such as Mercat de Santa Caterina) or venturing slightly outside for a truly authentic Spanish...

La Boqueria or Mercat Boqueria Barcelona is one of the busiest markets #thewinemaestro been to at lunch time, regardless of the country or city. Why Ramblero? One huge shellfish plate after the other and controlled turnover of the seating. It's a tourist location, like everything else in El Boqueria, it's on the map, there's probably better, but you're here, so sharpen your elbows and grab the credit card, you might as well eat and you’re gonna pay for it.

Ramblero will tell you to get a platter of fish. They told each guest the same thing, “We suggest the fish platter.” They push shellfish, but since my gout knows about shellfish and baitfish and the trouble it can cause, it was firmly suggested by me that no shellfish be brought, only seafood with scales and suckers. Well, they brought out salmon, tuna, sea bream, sea bass, calamari, octopus all stacked on top of potatoes and garnished with cabbage, olive oil, lemon, and some greens. Basically, a mound of fresh seafood served on a plate in a total time of 8 minutes from order to plate. Mound O’Fish at Ramblero made quite an impact in terms of quality, simplicity, speed to table and sheer size. I have zero complains about the food. None of the fish was off, all of it was cooked properly, and seasoning profile was good.

The downside to the whole place is, it's cramped. You've been served a beautiful mound of fish and it's not meant to be savored and enjoyed, it’s meant to be efficiently eaten as it was prepared quickly to make room for the next customer who also read online that no trip to Barcelona could be complete without a trip to the Boqueria...

We didn't have high expectations as this is in the tourist marketplace, but the langostines (scampi) were too irresistible. And it was so good, it was one of only two places we actually went back to during our week in Barcelona.

It was absolutely delicious! We were really surprised given the location. They were cooked perfectly. Full of flavour. We also tried the calamari and scallops. They were quite possibly the best calamari we've ever had. And the portion is huge! We couldn't finish it all. The scallops with the wild mushrooms? Absolutely perfectly prepared, both the scallops and mushrooms! I don't know what they do in that kitchen, but those cooks are magic.

Some people may say it's expensive, especially as it's in the mercado, but I found it incredibly reasonable. Huge, generous portions with fresh seafood and great flavours. Where I live, if we can even find scampi, they are like 13€ for ONE. Here, you get a whole plate for 25€. To me, that's amazing. Same goes for scallops. Well-priced especially for how well they're prepared. It may be more than places outside centro, but the convenience is worth the tiny bit more.

The second time we got the scampi again! And tried the oysters.

Both times with two different servers, they were hilarious and fantastic. Really know their stuff and are so skilled at handling such a busy place. The blonde woman was super friendly and kind. The guy at the front was hilarious and seems to speak a little of every language!

From service to food to the overall experience, it was perfect. I don't care what people say about tourist traps. I'd gladly get caught in this...