The rice dish (arrossos) we ordered as the main entree was literally burnt. It was supposed to be for 2 people for a price tag of $27 / person and was the last thing on earth one should eat. I paid $54 for burnt rice !!! Even a simply cooked rice platter with some tomato sauce would have been better.
The other 3 starters we got were good - so no complains on starters.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 5
Jennifer Schmidt
Fantastic experience, Hector was a great waiter. La Catalana has outstanding food. The pulpo was so good we got a second order. Best octopus in the Bay Area.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Alan Yee
I think what really shines about La Catalana is how welcome the staff makes you feel. I've been here for my dad's birthday and my parents' anniversary and both times, the waitstaff's hospitality could easily rival that of any michelin star restaurant, but without the pretentiousness. Every interaction is clearly from a genuine motivation to make sure every guest has an enjoyable experience. Roy and Josh were both excellent servers!
Aside from the service, La Catalana has the best curated Spanish wine selection I've seen in the SF Bay Area. The owner makes a yearly trip to Spain and directly sources wine from some of the best producers of the region. The food is also great and clearly shows a dedication to preserve the original cultural dishes, but elevate them in a modern way.
Needless to say, I will be back many times in the future!
yai de guia
Pricey
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Abi Romero Ramirez
Simply put: a hidden Gem of Spanish top notch cuisine. The food is exquisite but is their Spanish secular wine selection what made La Catalana an out of this world experience. Treat yourself. Is truly amazing.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Clayton Wilkinson
Great tapas place hidden away on north 1st. Great wine, good selection of tapas and reasonably priced.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Rigo Hidalgo
Great services and love the wine
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Sam Privett
I've come here a number of times and each time it's been consistent and high quality.
This past Saturday I went here for my birthday with a bunch of friends and we absolutely loved it. From start to finish this was a true Catalonian tapas experience. A long evening with great friends, delicious food, and amazing wine. Our server, Josh, was fantastic and took great care of us. Couldn't have asked for a better time.
I will be back 😁
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
catherine vuong
I went to dinner with a friend today, and the service and the food was supar compared to the other times I ate at this restaurant. The FIDEUÀ just didn't taste right compared to the other times I had it. The server ridiculed me in front of my friend when I wanted 2 of the red wines with lemon sorbet as we were waiting for the paella to come out. The service was rather slow and mediocre this time, and I don't know why since all the other times I went it was always great. This time the waiter was just focusing more attention on specific tables instead of treating every table equally. The red wine with sorbet was also a bit of compared to last the other times I've been here.
I was so optimistic about this because I love Catalan cuisine but sad to say it was not a good experience.
I arrived as soon as the door opened and asked to sit outside. I ordered a tinto de verano (one of my favorite summertime drinks). After some time, I ordered the mushroom appetizer. I moved inside when the other party sitting in the patio was super loud. I left about ten minutes later.
Good: - the mushrooms were so yummy. I really am sad I missed out on the rest of the meal
Bad: - the patio space had a weird sanitation smell that kind of put me off my food - the interior smelled liked cleaning chemicals - the tinto de verano tasted more like a sangria with lemonade - when I moved inside, I was told I could only sit at specific tables even though there were at least 15 tables open - this last one is the reason I decided to write the review: I asked for a to-go box for the mushrooms. The busser brought me a box but it ended up leaking all over my car because it was meant for items that weren’t liquid. But when he placed it down, it popped open and fell to the ground. He then put it right back on the table. I was horrified that he would take something that was on the ground of a restaurant and place it back on the table - especially in front of a guest. It gave me the ick and I was out.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 4
Service: 2
Gangadharan Esakki
One of the best places to enjoy your evening with your loved one. Ideal for date nights or a romantic evening relaxing with your partner.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Bohdana Davila
La Catalana: A Barcelona Escape
The aroma of saffron and olives instantly transported me to Barcelona. La Catalana isn't just a restaurant; it's an experience. Each tapas dish is a miniature masterpiece, the flavors vibrant and authentic. The wine selection is superb, each bottle a journey through sun-drenched vineyards of different regions of Spain.
But the magic extends beyond the food. The warm atmosphere, fostered by years of friendship with the owner and servers, is as captivating as the music. Live guitar adds a touch of melancholic magic to the lively scene.
La Catalana is a refuge, a place where the spirit soars. A taste of Barcelona, waiting to enchant. Go, and be transported.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Aidas B
That was not just a meal, that was an experience of authentic dishes from Spain.. Rodrigo was an excellent host..
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
AO “Fine diner”
I’ve been coming for years and this last time was a little disappointing: the octopus was overcooked, so the paella (the rice was burned on the bottom) not to mention the portion keeps getting smaller…they close early even if there’s still people inside. Hope they work on the kitchen to bring back the skills. Good options on wine by the glass though, when summer they open the terrace.
The rice dish (arrossos) we ordered as the main entree was literally burnt. It was supposed to be for 2 people for a price tag of $27 / person and was the last thing on earth one should eat. I paid $54 for burnt rice !!! Even a simply cooked rice platter with some tomato sauce would have been better.
The other 3 starters we got were good - so no complains on starters.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 5
Fantastic experience, Hector was a great waiter. La Catalana has outstanding food. The pulpo was so good we got a second order. Best octopus in the Bay Area.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I think what really shines about La Catalana is how welcome the staff makes you feel. I've been here for my dad's birthday and my parents' anniversary and both times, the waitstaff's hospitality could easily rival that of any michelin star restaurant, but without the pretentiousness. Every interaction is clearly from a genuine motivation to make sure every guest has an enjoyable experience. Roy and Josh were both excellent servers!
Aside from the service, La Catalana has the best curated Spanish wine selection I've seen in the SF Bay Area. The owner makes a yearly trip to Spain and directly sources wine from some of the best producers of the region. The food is also great and clearly shows a dedication to preserve the original cultural dishes, but elevate them in a modern way.
Needless to say, I will be back many times in the future!
Pricey
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Simply put: a hidden Gem of Spanish top notch cuisine. The food is exquisite but is their Spanish secular wine selection what made La Catalana an out of this world experience. Treat yourself. Is truly amazing.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great tapas place hidden away on north 1st. Great wine, good selection of tapas and reasonably priced.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great services and love the wine
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I've come here a number of times and each time it's been consistent and high quality.
This past Saturday I went here for my birthday with a bunch of friends and we absolutely loved it. From start to finish this was a true Catalonian tapas experience. A long evening with great friends, delicious food, and amazing wine. Our server, Josh, was fantastic and took great care of us. Couldn't have asked for a better time.
I will be back 😁
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I went to dinner with a friend today, and the service and the food was supar compared to the other times I ate at this restaurant. The FIDEUÀ just didn't taste right compared to the other times I had it. The server ridiculed me in front of my friend when I wanted 2 of the red wines with lemon sorbet as we were waiting for the paella to come out. The service was rather slow and mediocre this time, and I don't know why since all the other times I went it was always great. This time the waiter was just focusing more attention on specific tables instead of treating every table equally. The red wine with sorbet was also a bit of compared to last the other times I've been here.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 2
Paella was good.
Restaurantji Recommends
I was so optimistic about this because I love Catalan cuisine but sad to say it was not a good experience.
I arrived as soon as the door opened and asked to sit outside. I ordered a tinto de verano (one of my favorite summertime drinks). After some time, I ordered the mushroom appetizer. I moved inside when the other party sitting in the patio was super loud. I left about ten minutes later.
Good:
- the mushrooms were so yummy. I really am sad I missed out on the rest of the meal
Bad:
- the patio space had a weird sanitation smell that kind of put me off my food
- the interior smelled liked cleaning chemicals
- the tinto de verano tasted more like a sangria with lemonade
- when I moved inside, I was told I could only sit at specific tables even though there were at least 15 tables open
- this last one is the reason I decided to write the review: I asked for a to-go box for the mushrooms. The busser brought me a box but it ended up leaking all over my car because it was meant for items that weren’t liquid. But when he placed it down, it popped open and fell to the ground. He then put it right back on the table. I was horrified that he would take something that was on the ground of a restaurant and place it back on the table - especially in front of a guest. It gave me the ick and I was out.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 4
Service: 2
One of the best places to enjoy your evening with your loved one. Ideal for date nights or a romantic evening relaxing with your partner.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
La Catalana: A Barcelona Escape
The aroma of saffron and olives instantly transported me to Barcelona. La Catalana isn't just a restaurant; it's an experience. Each tapas dish is a miniature masterpiece, the flavors vibrant and authentic. The wine selection is superb, each bottle a journey through sun-drenched vineyards of different regions of Spain.
But the magic extends beyond the food. The warm atmosphere, fostered by years of friendship with the owner and servers, is as captivating as the music. Live guitar adds a touch of melancholic magic to the lively scene.
La Catalana is a refuge, a place where the spirit soars. A taste of Barcelona, waiting to enchant. Go, and be transported.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
That was not just a meal, that was an experience of authentic dishes from Spain.. Rodrigo was an excellent host..
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I’ve been coming for years and this last time was a little disappointing: the octopus was overcooked, so the paella (the rice was burned on the bottom) not to mention the portion keeps getting smaller…they close early even if there’s still people inside. Hope they work on the kitchen to bring back the skills. Good options on wine by the glass though, when summer they open the terrace.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 3
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