Barcelona Wine Bar South End

The wait staff is the friendliest and most genuine I’ve ever met. The food is delicious and unique. Service is extremely fast. Wine selection is basically unparalleled and servers know exactly what goes with what. My blue-​haired server even comped my mushrooms because I’d said I wanted to «try them,» while still handing me a full order. Can’t love this place enough.

BWB is one of my favorite restaurants in the South End. We’ve come here on various occasions and have had a different (albeit enjoyable) experience each time.
The first time was in the fall; my roommate and I had come here just the two of us. We ordered apple cider pork belly (tapa), a whole fried branzino, and squid ink fideos. The service was impeccable and the food came out in a timely yet organized manner.
I loved the pork belly; it wasn’t too cloyingly sweet. The branzino was good, but I woulnd’t order it again. The fideos were absolutely amazing and very rich; we couldn’t finish most of it and brought it home to eat the next day.
The service was also amazing; we sat outside so the server offered us blankets when it got cold.
The second time we went for our birthday dinner; we ordered a variety of tapas including the patatas bravas, abondingas, and migas, as well as the paella and fideos. The paella isn’t as good as the fideos, but the tapas were really good.
The third time was in the spring with a group of 5; we ordered the patatas bravas again (my favorite), along with the spicy eggplant caponata. The eggplant would go wonderfully with the warm bread and olive oil they provide for free (sadly, I’m gluten free though). We also ordered the pork belly with tomatillo salsa, which was amazing, the mussels al diablo, and the grilled broccolini. The mussels were good, but the broccolini was far too salty. Finally, we ordered the champinones al ajillo, which are foraged mushrooms, which was decent, and the migas, which weren’t as good this time around as they were during our bday dinner.
As for the paella, it was ok, but I’d recommend ordering the fideos if you aren’t gluten free. They’re more unique and better cooked; our paella was on the soggy side and missing the classic crispy rice edges.
If you’re legal, try the wine or the sangria! And if you want to eat here, I highly recommend making a reservation (stop by or call), no matter your group size, as it’s a popular dinner spot.

In my opinion, one of the best dining experiences in Boston. The décor is funky yet simple, and the setting is impossibly sexy. Excellent for a night out with the girls or a date.
Two of us enjoyed a class of wine while one ordered a cocktail, the Caipi Porto, which was excellent. Reminiscent of a margarita but much more smooth.
We started with the charcuterie: Two cheeses, and two meats: Drunken Goat/​6-​Month Manchego and Jamón Serrano/​Chicken Liver Mousse
My only complaint was that there was not nearly enough bread for the charcuterie… we actually had to forfeit most of the chicken liver.
I’m obsessed with tapas-​style restaurants… such a great way to try lots of new things! I cannot remember what the names of all the dishes were, but we had about 6 or so, including the Patatas Bravas (total crowd pleaser), the Roasted Bone Marrow (again, we needed something to spread it on), the shishito peppers (delish), Scallops served with blood orange and mustard greens, Shrimp, and some kind of Farm egg dish (it was sort of like a tangy egg salad with peas on a top– This was my fave!).
We didn’t have room for desert, but I will certainly be back!

Same great menu as the Brookline location, not quite as nice inside but still a great place. It seems larger than Sibling Rivalry used to be. Our waitress was awesome, the food is great. The hanger steak tapas dish is amazing. Potatas Bravas is amazing. The crepas dessert is the best.
Cannot go wrong here.

This place is amazing. A friend and I came here for some drinks and somehow ended up eating a 3 course meal. and we did not regret it. We really wanted to sit outside but it was a little chilly. It was super cute they brought out fur blankets for us to keep warm and we stayed for way too long because the sangria was THAT good.
The sangria pitchers are a great price and taste delicious. We didn’t realize how strong they were until we stood up to leave.
We started with the marinated olive in citrus and garlic. These were delicious, however, I am not sure how you could mess up olives anyways.
The patatas braves were a great choice. It’s basically roasted potatoes with a cheese sauce and a little bit of spice.
For the main course we got the vegetable paella. I am so sad I left Boston because this is the dish I literally dream about. It was so flavorful and the texture was absolutely perfect. This is a must to order.

Phenomenal service and food. A real hidden gem in Boston’s South End.
The atmosphere was friendly, lively and fun. On top of it all, the prices were so reasonable for a major metro area. It’s one of my favorites.

This place is pretty amazing. All the tapas were delicious and the complimentary bread was even phenomenal. I highly suggest the Hanger steak and could probably eat 3 or 4 orders myself.
All of the workers seemed friendly & very accommodating. I recommend making reservations if possible, but even as a walk-​in, we were seated in a reasonable amount of time & even received a courtesy call when our table was ready.
The atmosphere was sexy & I especially liked the bathroom. I can be a bit of a bathroom snob but this place was up to par & had plenty of toilet paper.
Will definitely return.

Officially one of my favorite tapa spots in Boston! Second to Toro, but the food is just as promising. A nice surprise to see their menu change although I was really hoping to try their oxtail risotto again.
For four people, we definitely underestimated the portions. The five tapas included the Champignons, Patatas Bravas, Chorizo with egg, empanadas, and skirt steak. For the «to share» options, we ordered one of the paella dishes along with the meat board (sausages, porkchop, steak, grilled chicken). And two delicious pitchers of traditional red sangria to top off our meal.

Fun experience. Very trendy and loud restaurant. The seen at the bar looked like lots of fun but my review is mainly on the food however I must say I did have a dirty Tito’s martini which was the worst I’ve ever had. It also looked like ½ was spilled out before it arrived to the table. The tapas were very interesting and many were gluten free. They brought me delicious GF BREAD. truly enjoyed the grilled octopus, figs and the potato quesadilla. We also had the Barcelona mixed grill which was delicious. Several at our table had the paella which takes 45 minutes to make so if you want it order with your drinks. There is an outdoor area which looked very nice to sit at.

I’m consistently impressed by the food and service at Barcelona. The servers recently accommodated a party of around 15 people for us and were attentive throughout the evening. My favorite plates that I would definitely order just for myself are the pork belly and brussel sprout tapas! They have something for everyone though-​including seafood and vegetarian options.
The sangria pitchers are also great to share! I prefer the red sangria over the white.
Barcelona is on my list of places to bring visitors from out of town. A great spot for small groups and large groups looking to socialize and have a delicious meal.

Barcelona is amazing. I like the atmosphere of the Brookline location better, but you can’t go wrong picking this place whether it is for a date night or a hang out with friends. I suggest making a reservation because it fills up, even on random weekdays, especially in the summer. The bar gets busy too. I don’t know what it is about wine bars in the summer, but people flock to them.
Do yourself a favor and get a pitcher of the red sangria. It is spectacular. I don’t know what the wine is, but the fruit is a combination of citrus and apples and they infuse a great flavor into the wine. The only drawback is that the more ice in the pitcher, the less wine there is :)
The food is so good. I was in a large group and we went a bit overboard. The potatoes with the mayo sauce are phenomenal. Also, the fig chorizo is light and sweet. Use the extra bread to eat the sauce! The meatballs have a nice kick and the empanadas have the best texture.
SAVE ROOM FOR DESSERT. The churros are SO worth the calories. There is a chocolate sauce for sipping. The molten chocolate cake, flan, and crepes are also extremely delicious.

We arrived to a bustling restaurant packed with patrons around 5pm, but luckily, we made reservations in advance to accommodate our group of five. Once we checked in, we were seated promptly. As we settled into our seats, menus were handed to us individually. Since Barcelona is a Spanish tapas dinner experience, we agreed to order various dishes to share among the table. The first order of business was starting up with a pitcher of traditional white sangria for the table. Made with pineapple juice, rum, brandy and orange liqueur, the white sangria was sweet and light, which provided plenty of room to savor the dishes to come.
The first to arrive was a basket of bread, which I highly recommend to scoop up any remaining sauces in the dishes. Since tapas is usually served as they are prepared, our dishes arrived two at a time, which gave us time in between to enjoy the moment and clear the table.
The first to arrive was Patatas Bravas (salsa brava, garlic aioli) and Spicy Eggplant Caponata (served cold with basil and parsley). Although small, they packed a ton of flavor and the sauces were absolutely divine. I especially loved the salsa brava and the eggplant caponata could have easily worked as a spread with toasted bread. I’m telling you, bread is absolutely necessary!
Next, we had Crispy Pork Belly with a spicy tomatillo salsa, Mussels al Diablo in a spicy tomato sauce and Grilled Broccolini with a truffle vinaigrette. The broccolini had a lovely char, but was a bit on the salty side. It may not be the best thing on its own, but it paired nicely with the crispy pork belly and bread. The crispy pork belly was portioned perfectly for our group since it came with five to a dish, but the spicy tomatillo salsa was absolute money. I couldn’t help but soak up the sauce with bread.
The last of the tapas was Champinones al Ajillo (foraged mushrooms with garlic) and Migas (chorizo and toasted bread topped with a fried egg). The foraged mushrooms were a medley of oyster, chanterelles, cremini and others I can’t identify.
To wrap up our meal, the final serving was brought out. We ordered the Paella Mariscos enough for two servings, which easily filled us all after a few rounds of tapas beforehand. The paella was topped with prawns, mussels, clams and squid with Saffron rice. Absolutely divine and I feel it’s a must-​try at Barcelona. Aside from seafood, they also offer a vegetarian (asparagus, broccolini, fava beans) or meat (chorizo, sausage, pork belly) option for paella.
If you’re going to come through for dinner, I highly suggest or dare I say, reservations are REQUIRED on weekends. By the time we left, the bar was packed to the brim and we barely made it out.

Decided to come here after the wait for Toro for a party of a six was 2 – 2.5 hours. Parking is bad, you either get lucky and find street parking or do valet. The valet situation was weird as there were multiple valet companies so we weren’t sure who was working for where. Valet ended up costing $ 35 which I thought was high.
We came here on a Thursday night at 7:30 and my y party of 6 got sat immediately. Can’t say the same for the wait for a table of two, saw a lot of couples waiting to be sat. You’ll notice that the place is dimly lit and tables are kind of close together. We ordered a lot of tapas but it was either a hit or a miss.
Some standouts were the chicken croquette, duck confit risotto, mussels el diablo, albondigas (meatballs), speck. I didn’t enjoy the pork belly, bone marrow, steak tartar, and migas.
The food was very salty, so be prepared. Service was good. Didn’t leave feeling full and not ideal for parties.

If only there was one place that can save me from this disappointing food journey in Boston; this might just be it. I tried my best to keep my expectations under control and have an open mind.
Walking in we felt at ease as the space is set perfectly with warm lighting, airy and quiet; we are ready for an evening of relaxation, good wine, good food and ultimately great conversations.
The first thing I must commend them for was their exceptional service. They were patient, attentive, thorough and most of all considerate. Our waiter actually sat with us at our table to go through the menu (trust me it was difficult as the wine list was like a bible!). He explained everything very well and was extremely knowledgeable about the food. He was even honest to not recommend certain items even though it’s on the menu; this is the kind of honesty I appreciate. Unfortunately, not all the food was on-​par with our expectations however they not only took the time to listen to our feedback but ultimately owned up to the shortcomings (in our eyes) by acknowledging and taking responsibility for the food.
I found most of the items we order to be quite enjoyable however, the pork loin was way overcooked and tough as well as the chicken croquettes were too salty. The single outstanding item was the hanger steak; cooked to perfection and a great sauce!
The wines are fantastic and they have a lot of it. Great wines, good food, amazing service and a relaxing atmosphere makes this great place to hang out. I can see myself here sipping on fine wine night in and night out… if only I live in the area.

Even after losing my reservation on one of the busiest restaurant days of the year (Valentine’s Day) + a huge water main break in town (causing a lot of other people to scramble for back-​up dinner plans), I have nothing but great things to say about this place.
Albeit packed to the brim, the space is huge! I was particularly swooning over the glorious bar-​a large oval marble bar top-​smack dab in the middle of it all. Can’t say it was a great start with our lost reservation but the staff was overwhelmingly apologetic and did everything they could to get our party seated quickly. That being said, we did end up waiting a bit. Went straight to the bar where we ended up having 2 rounds of drinks + a shot. Now this was no normal shot. One of the bartenders was walking ON TOP of the bar, going around pouring wine into everyone’s mouth who was sitting/​standing nearby. This was a great example of restaurants going above and beyond to accommodate their guests-​people have been waiting a while and getting antsy so, why not make things a little interesting?! Loved this gesture.
As soon as we sat down we were ready to prance on everything on the menu. Since we were 4, my friends from Boston had also never been here before, we decided to share among everyone. This is what we ended up ordering:
Charcuterie Board: Jamon Serrano (Spanish Ham) & Manchego cheese
Champinones Al Ajillo (Garlic Shrimp)
Grilled Hanger Steak
Pulpo (Octopus)
Patatas Bravas (Roasted Potatoes)
Potato Tortilla (Egg & Potato Frittata)
Albondigas (Meatballs)
Paella Mariscos (Seafood Paella)
Damn was everything incredibly delicious. We pretty much licked every plate clean that was put in front of us and for good reason. Everything was packing with flavor and well seasoned. There was not one lackluster bite throughout the entire meal.
Service was also on point. The plates, coming out as they are ready, had a steady flow and were promptly cleared away once finished. Plates and utensils were being replaced to avoid mixing of flavors. Wine was flowing. Company was great. ZERO complaints. I thoroughly enjoyed this Valentine’s Day dinner over many of the price-​fixe and over-​advertised specials I have been subjected to in past years. Hopefully I have the pleasure of returning whenever I’m in town again.

When I bookmarked this restaurant I got the faint vibe that I’ve been here before. I went with about 9 other people when I was on a work trip in Boston. It did not disappoint. We got the 45 dollar chefs tasting menu and I swear to god it was enough to feed an army.
Some of the standouts were the beef empanadas, croquettes, and patatas bravas. The entrees were ok but definitely not as good as the tapas. But man if you order one thing order the red sangria. I am not even a huge sangria fan and I loved this sangria. Order it. Trust me.
Another standout was the charcuterie and cheese plate. I know I know there are a lot of cheese plates out there but this one was seriously bomb. I will be back next time I’m back east.

3.5 stars. 3-​stars for cuisine, 4-​stars for ambiance. Decent tapas, but in general think the dishes are overhyped, ranked in order of recommendation:
Hanger steak: Tiny portion but tasty
Chorizo & fig: Tasty and well-​paired but a bit too salty — most flavorful dish by far even if a bit heavy-​handed
Ham & cheese croquettes: Simple comfort food. Addicting
Beets — tasty, with a nice hint of orange — unexpected and original
Brussel sprouts — savory, well-​grilled, satisfying
Crepas with salted dulce de leche — a light dessert to finish with
Skip:
Spiced Beef Empanadas — overhyped. Texture was off-​putting and flavor one-​dimensional
Pulpo Gallego — this is a sauteed version in a white wine sauce. Expected and prefer grilled pulpo, but my fault for not reading more carefully.
Sangria — had both the red and the white — the white was particularly terrible, way too sweet and artificial tasting
Have heard raves about the original Brookline location, so will check that out next time.

Yes, we came here again. I know but WAIT… this go around was at least 3x better. Unlike our last visit, our server was well informed, made great food suggestions and made sure that our glasses were never empty. The food also shone through this time as well. Here’s what we had the pleasant opportunity to sample:
Lobster tapas — Best described almost like a lobster pot pie. Had a crusty top with a creamy lobster type mixture underneath. Very tasty and highly recommended.
Shrimp Escabeche — This didn’t look like much but as soon as we took a bite, we glanced at each other and thought «Oh oh, isn’t that a surprise?» The peppers accentuated the shrimp very well and there was almost like a pickling flavor in the oil. So good that we used this oil base to sop our bread with instead of the regular EVOO on our table. Really great dish; Another winner.
Potato Tortilla — Great starter. Almost tastes a bit like it could be an omelet but could just be me. The only thing that threw me off was that it was served more room temperature and I expected it to be served hot. I’m still unsure what the correct temperature should be but it sure tasted good either way.
Paella Mariscos — There were mixed reviews on this but we decided to bite the bullet and order it, especially after finding out that we can get a single order as opposed to a 2 person minimum advertised. Absolutely no regrets on our decision. Rest assured, you will like this dish and the portion, even for a single serving, is ginormous and had spoonfuls and spoonfuls of mixed seafood.
Churros — Light and crispy and oh-​so-​happy that it came with dark chocolate for dipping. Yum yummmm.
So glad we decided to venture back here. It clearly was very redeeming and back on our list for tapas!

Barcelona is easily the best dining experience I’ve ever had in Boston. Actually, it is one of the better tapas restaurants I’ve tried.
The Whiskey Root cocktail was delicious. On the small side, but perfectly crafted. They also offer a vast selection of Spanish and Argentine wines by the glass.
The brussel sprouts and roasted cauliflower were very good. The hanger steak was exceptional! The pollack with salsa verde was light and savory. Empanadas were tasty, although they ran out of chimichurri (which is unacceptable for a tapas restaurant lol). The duck confit was average, but good. And the bread… oh my goodness, heavenly.
The only dish that disappointed was the paella (btw — it’s available in a single serving even though not readily apparent from the menu). The paella mariscos was not good. Some of the seafood was burnt and the rice was overcooked and mushy. Even though the star attraction didn’t deliver, the rest of the meal was superb.
Service was friendly albeit a tad inattentive. Perhaps she was a little overwhelmed on a busy Friday night. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed this restaurant and will definitely visit whenever I’m in Boston.

Likely in the 4.5 star range. It’s very cute. My friends had been here for dinner but I’m not sure people know this to be a phenomenal place for brunch. We arrived upon opening at 11am and it was pretty empty although it did get busier by noon.
Things you will notice include the quite generous Bloody Mary bar with bacon, cheese, pickles, and other fancy fixings for your morning libation. It was pretty enough for a photo but I opted for the coffee.
In terms of entrees, I tried the oxtail hash, which was quite satisfying with a poached egg on top, as well as the fideo (sp?) dish. It was a rice dish with two poached eggs on top. I loved it! It came out in a skillet.
Perks include great service and they had a nice live country violin guitar duo. Perfect relaxed Saturday brunch ambience.