EL BARRIL — Restaurant in Surat Thani Province

At first glance, EL BARRIL might not seem very inviting from the street, but we decided to visit based on the excellent reviews—and it absolutely delivered. The menu is simple and focused, suggesting they concentrate on perfecting a few key dishes. That said, the menu design itself could be improved to better reflect the high quality of the food.

We ordered tapas (featuring seafood sourced the same day from a local fisherman across the street) and French-style beef, and both were nothing short of exceptional—definitely 5 stars! The staff and even the restaurant owner personally attend to every guest, offering a warm and welcoming touch. They also went out of their way to accommodate our gluten-free request, helping us choose dishes and even adjusting ingredients to suit our needs.

If you’re craving European flavors after a vacation filled with Thai cuisine, this spot is a fantastic choice.

P.S. Clean and well-maintained toilets further reflect the restaurant's commitment to quality.

Highly...

We had a large group of several families here a few weeks ago, and despite the kids running amok (which we permitted only because the only other diners were another large family with their own kids running amok), we received service with a smile. The food is very good, recommendable. Tastes are fresh. Service is excellent, friendly, accommodating. The view is of the ocean to the west of the island, making this a great place to enjoy the sunset. I didn't find the seats, which are converted barrels with straight backs, very comfortable, but maybe that's just me. All in all, this is an above average restaurant that should satisfy those occasional cravings for non-Thai...

It’s a pity because I didn’t know you had to do a reservation for paella in advance and I couldn’t try it But the rest of the things I ordered were a bit disappointing A good Spanish restaurant should control 100% the art of the Spanish tortilla, you can’t use those thick pieces of ham… A real SpanishRussian salad should’ve be made with homemade mayonnaise, something pretty easy to do, basic… the boquerones were anchovies and should be the white ones The only decent thing I really enjoyed was the beer, and when I tried talk to the owner in Spanish he didn’t understand me at all which make me feel a bit weird cuz I was talking to...