Barcelona Restaurant-Wine Bar — Restaurant in City of Albany

I really wanted to like this place. The reviews were so amazing I was very excited with the decision to try Barcelona's as it was something new. Our choice was between delmonicos and here. At first glance, it's a cozy little restaurant with a relaxed set up- though the parking situation was slightly unfortunate. We were seated and the waiter approach to ask about drinks, we asked for an additional minute which ended up being five, and another almost ten before we got our sangria and we're then asked about appetizers and food orders. I ordered the veal Daniel and he ordered the Barcelona steak- medium well. A both meals come with a salad, I denied mine but my boyfriend requested to have both. We waited for our food, to which about twenty minutes later he recieved one of his salads. The other never came. Another fifteen minutes later, the food arrived. I looked at my plate confused but took a bite anyway. It was covered in mozzarella and tomatoes sauce, when the waiter came back I let him know I got veal parmigiana and not the veal Daniel. He attempted to tell me that "it's confusing because the plates look similar but that is definitely what I ordered" before looking again and realizing he had put in the wrong order. Now, things like this happen, but we heard the table next to us complain to him about messing up two orders from that night alone. He took it back to get the right one. My boyfriends steak was about half the size of what we had expected and was still bloody, but by now he was too hungry to care. Eventually my plate came, four skinny tiny pieces of veal with a crapload of mushrooms and pasta. It wasn't like any veal I had before. But I finished it. Our bill came out to 82.00. mind you, had we picked delmonicos, would have paid less and gotten twice the portion. I'm not that person. I don't always send back. I don't complain. But this experience fell flat. If the wait staff had been more attentive I probably could have overlooked some of the issues. Maybe it was just a bad day, but this won't ever be my first pick for a...

A fun happy hour (4-6pm) at the bar. Specials include wines (4 blancos, 4 rohos), margaritas from scratch, & sangrias ($6), beers ($3 & 4). Also during this time the tapas your choice of tapas ($6). If it's just the two of us, we always sit a the bar. As they say here "Fiesta like there's no manana." You can also order from the dinner menu at the bar. Today Susan was the bartender - gracious and professional, attended to all the details. Senor had a house margarita on the rocks w/ salt & Senora had Pinot Grigio. Very relaxing here - comfortable setting amid the Mediterranean ambience. We had two tapas this visit - Alcachofas Salteados - artichoke hearts w/ roasted red peppers, melted goat cheese, spinach drizzled w/ balsamic reduction & Mejillones Salteados - sauteed mussels, tomatoes, brandy cream sauce, w/ garlic toast points. Other tapas we like and recommend are Albondigas al Purgatorio– Beef & Pork Mini meatballs in a tomato and chipotle sauce ($8) - big flavor w/ nice heat, Eggplant Rollatini– thinly sliced eggplant rolled with a three cheese blend and spinach, topped with marinara and mozzarella ($7) , Pimientos Rellenos– Roasted red bell pepper stuffed with chorizo sausage, rice, onions, tomatoes; topped with tomato sauce & mozzarella ($9). Also five ala carte dishes (w/o salad or bread) are offered ($11-16) & seafood paella ($19) - very authentic, muy bueno. A big dining room near the bar, a big room upstairs for parties, & an outdoor deck upstairs. Big Mediterranean menu selection for dinner, including five vegetarian dishes. Dinners are $18-29. Your hosts at Barcelona's are Chef Paul Perez and Minerva Martinez. Senora Martinez is a whirlwind - everywhere, gracious, & welcoming. We highly recommend Barcelona's. We always enjoy our visits. Gracias & Saluto. Nicola & Liz, Albany, NY p.s. park only in their lot, not on the street or at the bank across the street, to avoid...

Having been to the Barcelona multiple times, I can say that the food is always great. They are well crafted dishes by a chef who is obviously experienced and puts care into his dishes. That being said, the most recent visit to the Barcelona left something to be desired. While the waitstaff was polite, the service speed was abysmal. For two people, with a reservation made, it took us at least 25-30 minutes to be seated, another 10 for our drinks to be taken, and at least another 15 before our order was taken. Our waitress couldn't answer any questions I had about dishes, or drinks. Two parties had come in after us, and received drinks and salads before us. As well, a larger party that had already been served before we arrived received a full second course before us and the other two parties which had arrived. As the waitress came to collect their plates, I watched as they asked her for another order and she took it. We assumed that bread was offered, and it was, but we were not asked if we would have liked bread until after we ordered Bruschetta (because we thought they, in fact, didn't offer bread). At one point the chef himself began serving tables. All-in-all, it took near to 2 hours before we finally received our meal. As said before, the food was great, it always is, but the glacially slow service and inconsistent waitstaff really killed the positive energy which would otherwise be an amazing place for a date. The head of the waitstaff, which is the chef's wife (I believe), was visibly frustrated with her workers. It didn't appear to be particularly busy, but with a reservation to wait as long as we did not only for our main course, but bread and salads nonetheless is egregious. I am assuming that they are having trouble finding and/or keeping competent waitstaff, and it shows. I love the food but it will be a while...