Ziryab Fusió Tapes Bar — Restaurant in Barcelona

Nestled in a charming alley just a stone's throw away from the Picasso museum lies the hidden gem of a tapas restaurant, Ziryab Taverna. We had the pleasure of savoring their elaborate tasting menu while complementing it with their expertly curated wine pairing selection. Priced at 38.50€ for the full tasting menu and 19€ for the wine pairing, we were treated to a spectacular variety of tapas that truly paid homage to the diverse culinary traditions of the Mediterranean.

Our gastronomic journey commenced with a delightful vermouth and a tantalizing bite of toasted chip adorned with flavorsome cumin, beet, and tomato tartar, accompanied by a generous serving of marinated olives that my dining companion thoroughly enjoyed. The arrival of a basket of homemade pitas alongside an enticing array of homemade dips, ranging from labneh with garlic and lemon to smoked eggplant with caramelized pistachios, set the stage for the culinary wonders that followed.

The subsequent wave of delectable offerings included pork belly with date cream, apple and ras el hanout croquette, halloumi with pomegranate and mint vinaigrette, puff pastry rolls with sabrosada, and harissa potatoes, each a symphony of flavors in its own right. Opting for the divine lamb pitas as our main tapa choice further heightened our dining experience. We rounded off our epicurean adventure with a divine dessert selection featuring mini baklavas, orange saffron fritters, Greek yogurt panna cotta with strawberry coulis, and praline date with chocolate.

Beyond the extraordinary culinary delights, the standout feature of our experience at Ziryab was the exceptional service. Our server, who happened to be deaf, expertly assisted us through the menu and wine pairings with such warmth and attentiveness that it added an extra layer of charm to our dining experience. It was heartening to see other deaf servers on staff, creating an environment where guests, including those who were signing to communicate with their companions, felt especially welcome. This unique touch made our visit even more personal and engaging, leaving us with a lasting impression and a desire to share this extraordinary dining destination with...

The short: Chill vibes, friendly/helpful waiters, amazing back story of the restaurant (that involves a very inclusive and supportive deaf community), fresh and delicious eats!

The Long: I have so many fantastic things to say about this establishment and highly advise anyone visiting or staying in the Gothic Quarter to dine here. My husband and I were recommended to try Ziryab by some kind locals who frequented the place.

Reservations are a must if you want to dine in the main upstairs section (more lively and fun people watching). However, we walked up around 8:30pm and were able to get a quick table downstairs in a cozy (but clean) cave like dinning room. The food was so delicious and so fresh but what truly made our dining experience memorable was our wonderful waiter, Madona and the rest of her crew.

(Quick backstory: We were told that the restaurant was owned and ran by a pair of siblings (one is deaf) and that they have a mostly deaf workers, which we found was amazingly inclusive, providing support and work opportunities for non-hearing individuals.

My husband is hearing but grew up in a deaf family/culture so that meant a lot to him. He is fluent in American Sign Language and we are both novice in Spanish.)

Back to our experience…Madona was our waiter and she was so kind, attentive, and helpful. We never thought that we would be using ASL in Barcelona on top of practicing our spoken Spanish AND learning Spanish Sign Language! We were so impressed by her skills (she knows at least 4 languages including English, ASL, Spanish, Spanish SL and probably a couple more).

Madona guided us through the menu and recommended some great dishes for us to share. They had this aromatic dish called the cool summer pearl couscous salad that was amazing, the perfectly crispy patatas bravas with a spicy harissa paste was just right, and you can’t go wrong with the sweet/savory jamon wrapped date.

The atmosphere of the place was so lovely and warm. We are big dog lovers and it was nice to see that good pups were welcomed to join!

Thank you Ziryab and staff for an unforgettable dining experience. We can’t wait to return and try everything else...

Where to even begin with this amazing restaurant. This was by far my favorite restaurant on my three week trip to Spain. It's located in an alley in the El Borne neighborhood, which is part of the old city in Barcelona. They have a beautiful interior, with a good amount of seating across three different rooms. There are also about four seats at the bar which we snagged since we didn't have a reservation for dinner and didn't want to be rushed on one of their open tables that had a later reservation.

The food was phenomenal. We did their Ziryab Taster Menu and wine pairing, which was like a food tapas tour and adventure combined. I asked for a little moderation of one tapa which they were able to accommodate. All of the dishes brought a unique flavor, texture and level of satisfaction. The wine pairings couldn't have been better, as they complimented each set of tapas perfectly. It doesn't seem like that much food, but by the time we got to our main course we were full and barely had enough room for dessert.

The service was top notch, and I have to give a shout out to ownership for their values. We learned that half their staff are deaf, and that they provide regular trainings for non-deaf staff to learn sign language and how to communicate with their colleagues. They make sure to create a welcoming and supportive environment, which was reflected in the quality of service and seeing how the staff worked together. It was really wonderful to learn about this and see how it played out throughout our dinner.

Last but not least, one of the best parts was this whole meal and experience was less than $50 per person, which easily would have cost $150-$200 in the US. Highly, highly recommend this place if you're visiting or living...