EL BORN · DATE NIGHT · €€€ · DINNER
BAR BRUTAL:
NATURAL WINE,
VERY GOOD FOOD
NO RESERVATION. NO REAL PLAN.
My best friend came to visit me in Barcelona and told me she knew a good spot we had to try: Bar Brutal.
I had never heard of it before, but when we walked up to the red neon sign on Carrer de la Princesa, I already had a feeling I was going to like it.
We walked in without a reservation and ended up sitting at the long bar, which honestly made the whole experience even better.
The place has that slightly dark, effortlessly cool Barcelona feel: red lighting, bottles everywhere, and a room full of people who look like they know where to eat.
AND THEN CAME THE IMPORTANT PART:
THE FOOD.
We ordered three dishes to share: the Ricotta Caesar with grilled plums and fermented lemon gremolata, the Ensaladilla de buey de mar with citrus mayonnaise and cracker, and the Sardinas Brutal with miso butter.
Everything was great.
BUT THERE WAS ONE VERY CLEAR WINNER.
ORDER.
THE.
SARDINES.
The sardines with miso butter?
Wow. Amazing.
Rich, salty, buttery and just packed with flavour. It was one of those first-bite moments where you immediately look at the person opposite you like... okay this is it.
This is 100% the dish I would come back for.
COME FOR THE FOOD...
STAY FOR THE WINE.
Bar Brutal is very much a natural wine place, so the wine is a big part of the whole experience.
Instead of trying to understand the wine list ourselves, we just told the sommelier what kind of wine we were looking for. She knew exactly what to give us.
And she nailed it.
The service throughout the evening was genuinely really good. Everyone knew what they were talking about, but without making the whole natural-wine thing feel intimidating or overly serious.
THE ONLY THING?
IT'S NOT CHEAP.
The wine is a little pricey, at least for a student like me, and the food is definitely on the more expensive side if you're comparing it to your usual Spanish tapas bar.
Our three dishes were around €16–€19 each, and the final bill came to approximately €110 for two, including three dishes, bread, sparkling water and a bottle of natural wine.
So no, this isn't where I'd go for a cheap spontaneous dinner.
But did I leave feeling like we'd wasted our money? Not at all.
THE SENNA EDIT
THE FINAL WORD.
SIT AT
THE BAR.
If you can, I'd actually sit at the long bar.You're right in the middle of everything and, for us, it made the whole evening more fun.
If you really want a table, though, I'd make a reservation.
Trust the sommelier.
Order the sardines.
GO FORDate night, natural wine & sharing plates
ORDERSardinas Brutal with miso butter
PRICE€€€ · Around €110 for two for us
WOULD I GO BACK?Absolutely.