Restaurant MARKET — Restaurant in Barcelona

In the heart of Sant Antoni, where Barcelona's culinary scene typically flourishes, Market Restaurant stands as a disappointing reminder that prime location and attractive interior design cannot compensate for fundamental service and culinary shortcomings.

Atmosphere & Setting The restaurant's dining room admittedly provides an aesthetically pleasing environment, and its location in the vibrant Sant Antoni neighborhood should position it for success. However, the ambiance quickly deteriorates when paired with the establishment's operational deficiencies.

Service: A Study in Neglect From the moment of arrival, it became apparent that service would be the restaurant's primary weakness. Despite having a reservation and entering a nearly empty establishment as one of the first groups of the evening, we found ourselves wandering the restaurant in search of staff acknowledgment - an inexcusable first impression that set the tone for the evening.

Service Missteps: Absent greeting despite having reservations Minimal attention throughout the meal Confusion with menus from different seasons Poor communication regarding menu availability

Food Quality The culinary offerings proved equally disappointing. The comparison to Lidl's frozen food section is particularly telling - while not overtly offensive, the dishes lacked any distinction or craftsmanship that would justify dining out at a proper restaurant. This mediocrity becomes even more pronounced when considering Barcelona's rich gastronomic standards.

Notable Issues: Menu items listed but unavailable One diner left without a starter despite being charged Generic, uninspired preparation Quality comparable to mass-produced frozen meals

Value Proposition In a city renowned for its culinary excellence, Market Restaurant fails to meet even the baseline expectations for service and food quality. The establishment appears to rely heavily on its attractive location and interior design while neglecting the fundamental aspects of hospitality and cuisine.

Verdict Despite its advantageous location and pleasant dining room aesthetics, Market Restaurant falls considerably short of Barcelona's dining standards. The combination of inattentive service, menu confusion, and underwhelming cuisine makes it impossible to recommend this establishment, even for those seeking a casual dining experience.

Not Recommended*

The restaurant's few positive attributes (location and decor) are overwhelmingly overshadowed by serious deficiencies in service, food quality, and overall...

From the outside this place appears to be an elegant restaurant where you expect excellent food and service. The reality is that this restaurant lacks all these competencies and in reality is a dismal disaster with nothing to offer but misleading expectations. The food lacks quality - these are average ingredients beautifully presented and sold at extortionate prices. The entrecôte was what I imagined chewing leather to be like - unseasoned, chewy, and inedible. The service is as disappointing as the food - slow, dry, and juvenile. After complaining about the terrible quality of the uneaten food the waiter shrugged it off and included it in the bill with no solutions or small gestures to compensate for atrocious food. Sant Antoni is full of restaurants which offer better service, high quality food, and reasonable prices - don’t add this one...

We ordered the deluxe menu, made up of a sharing platter, paella and desert.

Seeing as the first course was so big, we asked to hold back the main course for half an hour.

When it was then served (the maitre d’ suggested not to wait too long because it would lose taste), we were served a paella that clearly had been on the stove for over an hour. As dry and overcooked as can be…. After a few bites, we left the rest because it was simply not edible.

Very sorry, Market, but this is not OK. When a customer asks to wait a while for the main course to be served, you really should not leave that main course on the stove, but cook and serve a fresh course!

The compensation offered is appreciated, but does not make up for a ruined birthday dinner. Highly disappointed in this...