Arrocería Maribel — Restaurant in Valencia

My partner had Arrocería Maribel on his list for ages, and after seeing it repeatedly recommended in the Michelin Guide, we finally made it—and for a good reason.

Despite the less-than-ideal weather, we called just before arriving, and from the very first “hello,” Saúl, the staff manager, was outstanding—accommodating, attentive, professional, and simply brilliant. His level of service set the tone for what turned out to be an exceptional dining experience.

We started with a selection of dishes that showcased both technique and tradition: the Albufera classic “all i pebre”, the crujiente de gambas y algas, tosta crujiente de anchoa, pan brioche de panceta, and a tosta de cococha. Each bite was a perfect balance of flavor and texture.

For the main dish, we opted for the paella de plancton marino y gamba rayada—an unexpected yet absolutely delicious choice, rich in depth and umami. And to finish, we indulged in the torrija de horchata and a creamet, both of which were spectacular.

The price was far from excessive and well worth it for the quality and experience. We left with a promise to return—there’s still so much on the menu we’re eager to try, and we...

Overall a disappointing experience. Parking was good, right opposite, ambience inside was good. Food was mixed, the patatas bravas and the cod toasts were very nice, grilled seabass was bland and full of bones. Paella valenciana had good rice but unfortunately really dry meat, also more bone than meat.

The real problem was the service. Came inside and gave my name for the reservation, followed the waiter and he just went into the kitchen, leaving us standing in front of the kitchen door wondering what was going on. Another waiter brings us to the table. The remainder of the meal we had perhaps the least enthusiastic service we’ve ever had. Taking orders and walking off without checking if we’d ordered everything we wanted, dropping knives and forks on the table instead of placing them, forgetting drinks then adding them to the bill anyway, when we left nobody so much as looked at us, let alone saying ‘thanks’ or ‘bye’.

Also note that I do speak Spanish and communicated the whole time in Spanish too, and I’ve lived in Spain for 7 months, so it’s not like it was a language barrier issue or anything, the staff were...

Unfortunately, this was the worst paella I've ever eaten—and it happened to be in the very place where I expected the best. The paella consisted of more oil than rice.

A paella must have socarrat—the caramelized crust on the bottom that forms because the rice isn't stirred. Unfortunately, the bottom was just covered in oil. When I pointed this out to the waiter, he simply replied that I should have explicitly ordered it and tried to ignore my question. I pointed out that this was the very definition of a good paella. He suddenly forgot his English skills, and that was the end of the discussion. Sadly, this is yet another example—and for me, the final one—of Michelin's recommendations being completely incomprehensible. A real shame. The waiter's reaction was simply rude.

If you ever find yourself in this town, I would recommend saving your money and eating at one of the cheaper restaurants on the main square—the paellas looked better and cost much, much less.

This restaurant was, unfortunately, the biggest tourist trap I've encountered on all my trips to...