Cal Pep, Barcelona

We arrived at 8:45 on a Monday night and had to wait 90 minutes. During that time one poor woman in line collapsed and had to be carried out. The rule is that parties of fewer than four cannot reserve in the dining room - though, illogically, parties of four or more can arrive and sit at the bar. When we finally were "seated" - two stools for three of us, everything they gave us was deep-fried and very heavily salted. Th tuna tartare was sold out. We asked for the wine list but he brought instead an already-opened bottle of mediocre house white.No one in the bar area was local - it was 100% tourists, 90% English -speaking. The bill was 110 Euros for a 5 tapas and wine. It was bitterly disappointing after all the hype. Reading the reviews, I imagine that it was really great a few years ago - but not now.

je reviens juste de chez Cal Pep. Tous les plats baignent dans l'huile. ls rajoutent meme de la mayonaise sur la tortilla qui est deja imbibee d'huile. Les prix sont indescents . j'ai paye 19 euros pour un mini filet accompagne de quelques frites (taille tapa) . c;est hors de prix et je n'arrive pas a digerer. je suis extremement decue apres tout ce que j'avais lu sur ce restaurant. je ne sais pas d'ou vient cetet reputation. Les produits sont sans doute frais mais tres mal cuisines et c'est tres cher.

My family and i read your noted reviews and went for an adventure. Great food served by Joseph| pimientos, tuna tartar on toast, anchovies battered and fried, cockles, mussels and clams in original juice, finished off with juicy beef cubes that left a lingering flavour. Excellent quality, paid a dear price, but taking everything into account, it was a wonderful evening.

Cal Pep is like no other place I have eaten. Typically you wait for a place to open at the formica counter, the server moving people here and there to make room. The locale only seens 20 or so, be prepared to wait. Once you are seated the fun begins. The food is very good filled with traditional Catalan dishes. Flavorful and abundant. Try the fish fry for openers. The cooks banter with the clients and each other continuously with Pep acting as the grand master of ceremonies. The food and the wit keep coming until there is just no room for more. You eventually leave the restaurant with a full belly and an ear to ear smile on your face.

The place is small and intimate, the staff are friendly and fun, the ambiance was perfect and the food was amazing. We didn't speak much spanish so we went with the chefs special. The food kept coming and we kept eating, the desserts were so good we ate 2 each! I think everyone should eat here.

the food was fantastic you could eat here everyday and not feel you had missed out !! we had two small children in our group and they were well looked after, don't leave it too late to visit as when the food runs out it closes!!

The food was phenomenal! Simple yet completely delicious, filling and worth every penny! I can categorically say some of the best food I have ever tasted. Let the guys behind the counter chose for you and you'll be well impressed. Would go back to Barcelona alone for the food here. The queue is worth the wait.

if you don't have any reservation, be there at the door befor 8pm. if you are lucky you can sit at the bar. and it is a great pleasure sitting at the bar, drinking a local wine, putting ourselves under the cooks care... excellent choices of the cook... enjoy it!

A great little spot to sample the local seafood. Arrive early for lunch or you will be standing for a while. The seafood is brought in fresh that morning and your menu is the glass case of fresh fish, squiggly octopus and crawling lobster. Food is cooked right there behind the bar. Get the tapas with your fish. Likes: A nice little area Fast friendly service Tasty unique food Pep is a unique soul and a great restauranteur. Dislikes: none

My fiance and I went to Barcelona on November 2005 and decided to attend this restaurant, since it was named as one of the top 50 restaurants of 2005 by many magazines. The place was uncomfortably crowded at lunch time (although we waited outside for them to open the place and were fortunate enough to get seats at the counter); the smell of fried fish was somewhat nauseating from the start. We ordered dishes that were suggested by the cook at the other side of the counter. They were fine and flavory. We probably had six different orders of food (small plates)and, at the end, we were slapped with a U$S110.00 check. After an innocent inquiry on our part regarding the check, we were told that that was the price of the food. This restaurant is labeled as a "great deal" by most of the industries magazines. NOT SO!. Go there, see the place, but eat somewhere else close by: you'll get a better deal. B.D.K., Boca Raton, Florida, USA