Restaurant Cheriff — Restaurant in Barcelona

I truly hope this review is helpful and that people take this into consideration when in Barcelona on vacation, or otherwise. My entire family and I decided to spend Christmas in the city, and of course, couldn’t pass up an opportunity to eat paella. This restaurant was recommended by a local and I understand why. It has been around for decades and the food was exceptional. However, they did fall short when they stole from us. Unfortunately, we ordered a few dishes that they didn’t provide for us fully. What do I mean by that? The paella for one was presented to us tableside and served on a plate in the kitchen. We did notice that the portion was substantially smaller than what was presented. We carried on and didn’t make a fuss about it because it was delicious. Then the second paella for 2, in the larger pan, (also in the picture), was left behind for us to self serve. That was also delicious, however, we couldn’t finish it. It was a lot of food. Someone else opted for the green lobster dish, also in the pictures. Again, the portion was so big, he couldn’t finish the fish, so we placed the remainder, which was more than half, on the larger paella pot for them to package up altogether. It was a lot of rice that was left over. The lobster was huge, and again, only partially eaten. I specifically asked to package up everything on that pot, ‘down to the last grain of rice’ because it was so delicious that we were looking forward to eating more of it the next day. To our surprise, when we went to warm up the remainder the next evening, the big leftover lobster pieces were not there. So they either threw it out on purpose, or took it themselves for consumption. I suppose, we’ll never know. The bill was the equivalent of over $250 USD. And we tipped the waiter 25 Euros on top of that. I wanted to love this place because the main dishes were great. The appetizers were just okay. I’m not entirely sure they didn’t overcharge either. I can’t trust the employees that operate this place so I will never go back or recommend it. I’m sure there are other places with exceptional paella in Barcelona. Next time I visit, I’ll look for another one. The good thing is that this city has really good, and extremely fresh, food almost anywhere you go. Even hole in the walls have amazing food, so I’m not discouraged. I’m sure I’ll find another place, and I recommend you do the same, and skip this...

El Cheriff is a true Barcelona classic and, in my opinion, serves the best paella in the city. This restaurant carries a very personal meaning for me, as it was my mother’s favorite, and I hadn’t been back since her passing in 2013. Returning after so many years, I was pleased to see that while the décor has been updated into something more modern and attractive, the food remains just as delicious as I remembered.

I ordered the Paella Menu, which is unbeatable in terms of value for money at only €29. It included croquettes, mussels, and a generous serving of paella—all of excellent quality. To accompany the meal, I enjoyed a perfectly chilled bottle of José Pariente Verdejo, which paired beautifully with the dishes.

The only disappointment came from the service. Our waiter, Juanito, was condescending and gave the impression that he was eager to rush us out, whether to end his shift or head out for the evening. It cast a shadow over an otherwise...

I stumbled upon this lovely local gem of a restaurant. 🤩

The host Christian was fantastic - very professional, warm and recommended I have the “Paella Menu” this included prawn croquettes, amazingly fresh steamed mussels, a very special & different Squid ink (Black) Paella with squid & clams. SUPER delicious! Then to top off, a small crème caramel as a sweet treat.

I highly recommended Cheriff if you’re looking for something local, delicious & great value for money. Will be back for sure when I come back to...