BCN Taste & Tradition

We sat on the covered patio during my second visit to BCN. The food made more of a positive impression this time around, but the service was more inconsistent. On the one hand, we didn't feel rushed at all despite arriving at 8:20 PM when their closing time is listed at 9 PM; on the other, there was so little sense of urgency that we had to hunt staff down around 10:30 so we could pay. There was a slight language barrier with our waiter, leading to some awkward exchanges and miscommunications. My wife and I had perhaps unfairly overhyped the G&Ts in our heads, but they were still quite enjoyable. Mine featured peppercorn, bay leaf, and grapefruit and improved the longer these aromats steeped (or perhaps the rosier my cheeks got). My wife's purple version with lavender and lemon was complex and floral. The rundown of our dinner:Spanish Octopus - nicely grilled with copious olive oil and a prominent char. Gorgeous presentation like most of the plates here. The meat is more chewy than tender, but it works here thanks to the fluffiness of the potatoes. The sweet carrots balance the earthy, salty elements of the dish, with yogurt, herbs, and black pepper adding complexity. Well executed and delicious. Spanish Iberico Ham Croquettes - six of these snackable creamy and savory bites for $12 is a steal. Ravioli w/ Jamon Iberico and Leek Sauce - the pasta itself had nice bright and umami flavors, but the mushroom sauce fell flat and we found it bland and undersalted. Maybe the Manchego cheese was intended to add salinity, but there wasn't enough to fill the gap.Chilled Lentil Salad - I didn't expect this simple dish to be as refreshing and tasty as it was. Pungent, mustardy notes predominated and the brunoised peppers and onions - diced almost to the same size as the grains - reflected magnificent attention to detail. The sweet, juicy seafood and crisp butter lettuce only elevated things. Suckling Iberico Pig "A La Segoviana" - the waiter described this as the restaurant's signature offering, and with good reason: hyper crisp skin and a fatty underbelly make for tantalizing variation in chew and mouthfeel. You barely need a knife. A savory jus and sweet-tart apple tie everything together beautifully. Salt-Cured Spanish Cod "Bacalao" - I do wish the dishes had been coursed out differently because this was the most decadent bite of the night and came when we were fullest. In a way, the plate was reminiscent of breakfast: bacon vibes from the jamon, and a potent hash of mushroom, potato, and eggy mayo. Salty, funky, and intense. The mayonnaise foam was cool aesthetically but didn't have any flavor. We were groaning and adjusting our belts at this point, but they brought us a complimentary dessert anyhow. The Crispy Fillo Dough pockets were a pleasantly light finish, like cream-filled beignets served over a fruity sauce. We undoubtedly enjoyed the meal and there is impressive technique on display, but after two visits, I rate the experience as a 4.5/5, falling just short of full marks due to questions around value and consistency. You can't go wrong with BCN, however, for a romantic outing or celebratory dinner.

This restaurant has a special place in my heart & always will.... Barcelona's cuisine right in Houston! Barcelona was such a treat to visit primarily because of the food & I had the wonderful experience of taking a cooking class there, so this review is from that perspective.The place: it's in a two story home which makes the experience even more intimate and at homeWine: always go for red, add fruit...ok get the sangria is you must!Food: we did the branzino to share with patatas bravas and scallops to start & EVERYTHING was very well cooked and properly seasoned as well.Service: A1 as always, you're treated like royalty! Come alone to treat yourself, win your date over, or enjoy with friends and family!

I'm finally writing this review after multiple visits to BCN. I love the ambience inside and out - when the weather is nice, they have a few tables on their patio which seems nice. They note the dress is business casual when you make the reservation, so that definitely gives you a hint that this is a classier affair. You have to get one of their gin and tonics - that is a must! They're amazing! My wife got their Manzanilla G&T because she wanted something a bit sweeter, and it was fantastic. I will say food itself is good, but nothing to blow me away. We got the following this visit:Seared bluefin tuna - 2/5 - I love seared tuna, and this wasn't great. They have a mushroom sauce with it that gives it an odd aftertaste.Grilled Spanish octopus - 4/5 - yummy, cooked well.Scallops appetizer that was off-menu - 5/5 - so good! Rabbit - 4/5 - rice and artichokes added nicely to the rabbitChocolate-hazelnut lava cake - 4/5, looks pretty when you cut into it, and hazelnut adds to it. But overall just okay.Caramel Flan - 3/5 - was very average.Service itself was good, but nothing special. It was a bit odd that they selectively brought out complimentary amuse bouche to only certain tables during this visit.Overall, even though I really want to love BCN - given the good (but not great) food, and the pricey meal (estimate $100/person), I'd generally pick to dine elsewhere.

If you want an exceptional dining experience, then come to BCN! My fiance treated me to a lovely birthday dinner here the other night and, while we expected a good time, we didn't expect things to be as amazing as they were. I am already looking forward to the next time!Seating:We arrived on the earlier side for dinner (about 5:30pm) and there was plenty of seating. That being said, the space was completely full by the time we left (close to 8pm) so I definitely recommend making a reservation. They have a range of table sizes from 2 seats up to 4 and up to larger party sizes (6-8). They have 2 floors and upstairs had a private event going on so we did not get to see it. There is also bar seating. Ambiance:For a small space it feels spacious ! The ambiance adds to the experience with thoughtful design elements and great art pieces. Also being able to watch the rain out the window was nice. Food: We received complimentary bread and a cured meat/salami. I could have had 10 more pieces of bread - it was so light, fluffy, and delicious ! From there we opted for several appetizers including the foie Gras (which was paired with a drink for the perfect flavor combination- and honestly was the best foie I've ever had ! I'm generally not a big fan), the octopus, and ravioli. For our entrees we had the pork which was so tender and unique in its flavor. We also had one of the steak options which was honestly my favorite dish! For desert we had the chocolate cake and puff pastry that our server recommended. They were the perfect way to finish the evening ! They also have an extensive wine menu and a lot of evening specials. Service:The service was next level - from the way we were greeted to our server being so positive & high energy. Everyone was very attentive but not overly so. It was the perfect balance and added to the experience! Other things: -There seems to be only valet parking and it is a bit narrow to drive into. It costs $8 - I was surprised that they didn't have complimentary service though - the bathrooms are near the entrance and there are only 2 available. They are non- gender specific and very spacious. Plus the candles they use in there are amazing !

One of the best Spanish restaurants in Houston hands-down. The waiters, the hosts and the overall service is fantastic. The food, we found that compared to other Spanish restaurants is actually the one that better reflects Spanish cuisine, the most authentic taste

Favorite restaurant in Houston!It's inside a former house with valet available but ample street parking on streets one block away. Lovely outdoor patio.Pluses:-amazing gin and tonic menu so many interesting choices and just lovely to look at also-specials of the day are stellar- the best grilled calamari in Houston so flavorful and the gambas so fresh and plentiful -Cochinillo wow is so flaky on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside-lengthy wine menu-staff are very well versed with the food items and drinks so very helpful Areas to improve-the bathroom please! It's very dark and outdated. Completely different from their MAD restaurant bathroom.Highly recommended as the neighborhood bistro and also for special occasions. Here they take their time, so we enjoyed a leisurely 3 hour early dinner!

Still excellent, highly recommended! My favorite was the seafood pasta this time; has a big lobster tail in it! And their Apple gin drink was really festive for the holidays. Apps not letting me post my new food pics tho...

Found this hidden gem in Montrose recently for an anniversary dinner. The atmosphere was romantic, cozy, and very welcoming. We went on a weeknight so it was not too crowded, but still many tables were filled. There are 2 floors of seating and they did a great job of having everyone spread out so conversations did not overlap. The drink menu has a full page of just gin and tonics. We ordered the lavender and the BCN gin and tonics. The lavender was light, floral, and very easy to drink. The BCN was more forward on the gin, they do give you the remainder of the tonic water to modify as needed. All the drinks were beautiful and you could see many customers around the restaurant giving their glasses a photo shoot.Our appetizers and mains were well timed so that we never felt rushed or waited too long for a certain dish. Our favorites were the patatas bravas, scallops, and the foie gras. For our mains, we ordered the famous suckling iberico pig and the rabbit. The pig was delicious, however the rabbit was very very salty. The waiter quickly noticed that I was not happy with my dish and graciously offered to fix the dish or let me choose a different one. I went with the bomba rice with seafood and enjoyed every bite. The fish and shrimp were cooked perfectly and the rice was slightly al dente, which I liked.We ended the night with a complementary anniversary dessert. We chose the "Gypsy Arm" filled with whipped cream and caramelized custard. The outside was crispy while the inside was cold and refreshing. Can't wait to come back to try more!

Best Spanish restaurant in Houston!All tapas taste great. Premium quality, service is superb!Waiters know the menu and drinks inside out. Provide great recommendations.Awesome wine menu!

I see why all my friends told me it was their favorite restaurant. Amazing food, service and ambience. We had the branzino which was fantastic. Buttery and a little salty. The desserts were also very good.